New Water Utility

Winnipeg Free Press picture of the council meeting to decide the fate of Winnipeg's water utility

So it has been decided. Winnipeg will have a P3 partnership for the water utility. Officially, Council voted 10-6 Wednesday to create municipal corporate entity that will manage water and sewer services. This entity will also oversee garbage and recycling.

The council meeting lasted 12 hours and covered several things including the transfer of land at Parker (which I will discuss in another post).

I can honestly say I have no idea if this new utility will be better than what we have now.

Will it cost less? Will it be more accountable? Will it be more efficient?

Who can say? At most this is an experiment.



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CKX Part 3

CKX finally feels the love. After Shaw left them on the altar, an investment group has stepped forward.

It is hard to believe previous bidder Shaw was ever serious about buying the station. They seemed to have bid only in an attempt to embarrass CTV.

Bluepoint investment is the new buyer lined up for CKX. They outlined their strategy to the Globe and Mail.

On CJOB, Bluepoint said that they will continue with their affiliation with the CBC but pick programs they like rather than taking the whole thing.

Local news and programs will be funded by the new federal program for small market stations.

It remains to be seen if Bluepoint will be successful with this formula. It does seem the big media players have orphaned some of the smaller players and more focused ownership may be better.

I suspect local TV can be profitable but it can't pursue foreign programming that is overly expensive and gives narrow returns. I expect local news and programs might be a good way to get the ad dollars in western Manitoba. A suitable relationship with CBC and some affordable daytime and primetime programming might be the ticket for CKX.



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Doer now, Doer tomorrow, Doer forever

The latest Probe Research poll is out and the news is that Gary Doer and the NDP will be in office... forever.

Doer is a populist. He probably helps win five or six seats just based on that popularity.

As long as the economy doesn't completely tanks in Manitoba and as long as he refuses to hold inquiries into his government, Doer can probably win majority after majority.

I don't think there is any evidence of voter fatigue with Doer.

The question is: Will Doer look to step down after the next election? If he does, the NDP has no one who comes close to him in charisma. Blaikie is popular among his own party and in his riding but I think he would be the first to admit, he won't be voted for based on being a superstar like Doer is.

Doer's good looks for a number of voters has probably turned the tide in a number of elections.

If some people think is not important, think about how many people would rally to Chomiak provincially. Being rumpled and looking like you've missed sleep might not affect you in your local riding but it certainly will affect your provincial appeal.

There are some who think Oswald might have appeal and she certainly might. There are others too who might be a fresh face but there is no superstar in the way Doer is now.

At the moment, it looks like Doer now and Doer tomorrow.

I think the problem for the province is that the NDP is highly risk adverse after a number of years in office. They wait for others to introduce private member's legislation before adopting the idea. It is a slow moving process.

Meanwhile, issues like the lack of rental housing and social housing fester. The ribbon cutting on some social housing this summer still doesn't address a terrible rental market for available living space. Rent control is too tight and no one wants to build in sufficient numbers.

It is much like the university freeze. Doer kept it until the universities started to teeter under the rising costs that were not being met.

Housing is just another one of those neglected issues.

In any event, this is the way Doer does things. He has been lucky that the economy hasn't stuck it to the province like it has in other regions. It still may affect him in the fall but he has a long way to ever be in danger because of it.



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Storytime With Erik Bedard Returns

>:(
>:(
what's the matter?
YOU SAID YOU WERE INJURED
But I was injured.
OH REALLY
What are you talking about?
THEN HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS


IF YOU WERE INJURED THEN WHAT WERE YOU DOING THERE?
YOU SURE LOOK HAPPY FOR SOMEONE WITH A HURT SHOULDER
Kids
I can explain
NO YOU CAN'T
YOU LIED TO US ERIK
YOU WEREN'T INJURED AT ALL
WE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL EVERYDAY AND YOU WEREN'T THERE
ALL WE SAW WAS THE DEAN ASKING US TO BUY HIM HAMBURGERS
Kids I wasn't at the hospital
OBVIOUSLY
YOU WERE OUT FISHING WITH THAT ANGELS PITCHER
Jarrod hasn't pitched for the Angels in years
YEAH WE BELIEVE YOU
WE'LL BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU SAY, LIAR
Okay this isn't fair
YOU KNOW WHAT'S NOT FAIR?
MAKING US SIT HERE A MONTH WITHOUT STORIES
ALL BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO GO FISHING
WHAT KIND OF ROLE MODEL ARE YOU?
YOU COULDN'T EVEN GET PHILLIPPE TO READ FOR US
Phillippe can't read
WHERE IS HE ANYWAY?
OH LET ME GUESS HE'S FISHING TOO- I MEAN INJURED
Phillippe is in Tennessee
Kids I don't think you understand
OH I THINK WE DO
YOU DON'T RESPECT US
That's not true
Let me explain with a story
OH REALLY TELL US A STORY
YOU SURE YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE HALFWAY THROUGH TO GO FISHING?
This story actually happened.
SURE IT DID
Once upon a time, a man named Bill ran a baseball team
IS BILL A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR TOO?



You know... I could just leave.


So how about you kids chill and let me explain?



GO AHEAD AND TELL YOUR STORY
Cool.
The reason I'm here is because Bill traded half his team to get me.
He did this because I'm good at baseball.
I showed up and did my job the best I could.
However, because Bill traded so many players to get me
And because I'm supposed to be good
Fan and team expectations were very high.
I also had a lot of injuries in Baltimore
So fans were worried I'd end up injured.
The first time I got hurt and had to miss time
Mariner fans got angry and they called me a pussy
What's a p-
You really don't want to know the specifics
But it means you're a wimp
Why did they call you that?
Because they thought I could play through the pain, but didn't want to.
They didn't realize I had torn cartilage that needed surgery.
This upset me greatly.
So after I got better, I decided next time that I got hurt
I wasn't going to let it bother me.
During this season, I found out Jarrod Washburn liked fishing.
When I hurt my shoulder, I didn't want to stay inside
I felt good enough to hold a fishing pole, so...

Now I feel bad.
You think you feel bad now, imagine if Phillippe were here
We're sorry.
I appreciate that, though I get why you'd be mad
But as long as you learn something, we're cool.
And speaking of injured people playing hooky
Look what the dean's been up to:

EWWWWWWWW
EWWWWWWWW
You think that's bad? You should see him at brunch.