Fallout from the televised Mayoral debate, a councillor’s last-ditch effort to shore up support from ethno-cultural voters, and a remarkably honest ward report from a retiring EPC member highlight Episode 42.
Part 1- All about our hard-hitting election reports in the Winnipeg Sun-Tribune (links below), and a plea from a listener to all other voters in the city to heed the importance of casting a ballot:
“I can not see anyone wanting this [downward] spiral to continue and it’s time to hold leaders accountable. ”
11.30 Part 2- Marty provides some background about his work with our new sponsor, Canadian Wrestling’s Elite.
Hear why CWE events are so popular across Manitoba as entertainment, a fundraiser, or a night out, and how to get an event planned for your community.
17.50 – The broadcast media didn’t notice this, but we did: The mayoral debate on CBC spurred Marion Willis to refute a remark she saw Scott Gillingham make asserting he had funded St. Boniface Street Links.
She added:
“The decisions made by the current Mayor and Council have significantly contributed to the state of homelessness and public safety issues the City now faces.”
She had more to say the next day:
“Kevin Klein was the truth teller.”
We read both her statements aloud to get it on the record.
Then, after a Free Press headline about Gillingham’s debate pronouncement about the future of the Portage and Main concourse, critics raised questions about his ignoring the 2018 plebiscite results to keep the corner closed to pedestrians and his evolving explanation about the safety of the underground passageway.
Meanwhile, his belated admission the Transit launch was botched gets a hot take from us.
30.30– In a fight for his political future, Matt Allard made a late-campaign pledge to hold onto Francophone voters in St. Boniface by promoting extending French language services city-wide.
Allard was hoping the English media didn’t notice – but we did, and he knows it, because he ignored our question about potential costs when the City is broke.
36.48 Part 3- An in-depth review of a Facebook post from retiring Waverley West councillor Janice Lukes.
She provided a detailed overview of what’s happening in the ward and spills the beans about how federal Liberal policies created a “system overload” that undermined getting civic services to her constituents.
“I just want residents to understand – the ‘doors wide open to immigration policy’ had a significant impact on cities, and ultimately in the Waverley West ward.”
That complicated how the city had approved housing builds in her ward that ran over 50% past the planned rollout pace. Lukes also exposed another key failure in the process:
“Managing this rapid growth with an inexperienced developer (Manitoba Housing) has been a significant challenge.”
We review her comments, and push back on some, but Lukes deserves credit for not only publishing the report, but for allowing comments in response to it. Every council member should distribute a report like this at the end of every year of service.
*****
Our recent columns in the Winnipeg Sun-Tribune
Voters can turn the dial back on “unmitigated infill housing” disaster
Public concerns that didn’t go away, but worsened, during the election campaign
Coming up – The other side of Small Business Week under Scott Gillingham