Manitoba Conservative government may privatize home care services

The Manitoba Progressive Conservative (PC) government of premier Brian Pallister is looking to save money on provincial home care service programs and may even privatize the service.

However, Pallister won't say yet whether he plans to privatize the service saying: "I'll continue to say that we are looking for results and improving results. We shouldn't be close-minded about it. All across the country other provinces have faced up to these challenges — some private improvements, lots of changes within the public sector delivery model. We are pursuing these things. We are looking for options." A private company will operate the service only if it makes a profit so unlike a public service it needs to aim for more than just covering its costs. It would not want to incur a deficit to handle expanding needs. either.

In spite of Pallister's remarks, the Manitoba Government and General Employees'' Union (MGEU) revealed that the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority(WRHA) intends to contract out services provided by home care nurses for a newly announced "enhanced home care service". The government is great at rhetorical puffery when they want to promote what will probably be reduced services. MGEU president Michelle Gawronsky believes that the contracting out is a first step towards privatizing Manitoba's home care services resulting in public sector job losses. Gawronsky said: "[Home care workers] are very, very concerned. They're angry, they're upset. We are looking for major change to happen within our system and we are being attacked for trying to improve a system that is the worst in Canada."

The WRHA announced the plans for contracting out in April after the province cancelled the Hospital Home Team a unit of about 10 nurses who were in charge of caring for about 550 chronically ill patients in Winnipeg in their homes. The province had previously given $1.7 million to pay for the program but ended funding on March 31st this year. The appended video appears to be made by nurses in the program. On May 8 in a meeting with WRHA president Milton Sussman , Gawronsky learned about the contracting out scheme. Union members were shocked at the news.

The province has already cut health services in Winnipeg closing half of the emergency facilities, forcing many to make longer trips to emergency rooms. Present legislation in Manitoba requires all regional health authorities to provide home care services free to all who meet the program's requirements. The program is actually quite cost efficient in that it delays sending patients to a long-term care facility where costs are much higher. Under the current contract, 80 percent of the workers in the program must belong to the MGEU. However, contracting out could possibly lead to a breach in the contract according to Gawronsky who wrote to health minister Kevin Goertzen outlining her concern.

As the population of the province ages, a recent report claims that the program that costs now over $300 million annually could end up costing $874 annually by 2037. That is close to three times the present cost but that is over twenty years, a long period. Doing away with the program would cost even more. However much of that cost could be placed on the people now being served by the program rather than the government. In 1996 the then Progressive Conservative premier Gary Filmon also tried to move towards for-profit home care but had such negative reactions that he dropped his plans after a short pilot project.

The WRHA is being forced to find $83 million in savings for the coming year. Miton Sussman chair of the WRHA said that all options were on the table including privatization. He also said that he could not guarantee that jobs would not be lost. Not only will jobs be lost but they will be relatively well paying union jobs to be replaced by non-union jobs with lower pay in order to make room for private operators to make a profit should services be privatized. Sussman said that their had to be changes to achieve the savings required by the government. All five Manitoba health regions have been told by the government to balance their books and find savings for 2017-18. The budget for 2016-17 was $2.6 billion and was projected to wind up $30 million in the red. This is not that large a percentage in terms of the total budget.

Other services considered for privatization are MRI scans and cataract surgeries. However Sussman claimed that the WRHA was had made no decisions yet and was still considering options.,saying:"I don't want to speculate that it is something that is going to happen. What I am saying is we are looking at a whole range of options and if someone can provide a high quality at a lower cost, we have to consider those kinds of things.Where is makes sense, it might be something we look at." From the provincial government point of view it makes sense. It can provide new areas of investment for businesses many of whom support the Conservative government. It can also result in more donations as a token of appreciation.

The Pallister government has hired the consultant group KPMG to find savings and efficiencies in Manitoba health care systems KPMG is one of the big four global auditors with offices in many countries but main headquarters in the Netherlands. It employs about 189,000 people globally. It offers three basic lines of service, financial audits, tax, and advisory services. While the company has won many awards it has had clashes with the Canadian Revenue AgencyCRA) but for some reason the KPMG clients were given an amnesty :In 2015, KPMG was accused by the Canada Revenue Agency of Tax evasion schemes: "The CRA alleges that the KPMG tax structure was in reality a "sham" that intended to deceive the taxman.".[56] In 2016, the Canada Revenue Agency was found to have offered an amnesty to KPMG clients caught using an offshore tax-avoidance scheme on the Isle of Man.[57]

The KPMG report is completed but will not be released since much of the information is said to be proprietary. The Pallister government actually received an extensive report recommending reforms ordered by the previous New Democratic Party and co-authored by Dr. David Peachey of consulting firm of Health Intelligence Inc. in Nova Scotia. The report was received in February this year. However, the Pallister government decided to contract with KPMG for its own report.

These consulting firms that tell you how to save money actually cost a lot of money but they can provide expert opinion that you can use to support your favorite policies usually. This is worth a lot and avoids criticism which can be dismissed as political or ideological. Ontario spent nearly $7 million on consultants who helped a government-appointed panel recommend that the province sell a majority stake in Hydro One and liberalize the sale of beer. KPMG was one of several consultants involved.

The Manitoba PC government paid KPMG $740,000 for their report. Pallister earlier promised that 97 percent of the results would be released to the public with only the names of civil servants who had been asked for their opinions removed. Pallister explained: "My understanding wasn't that a lot of this information would be proprietary at the outset. And now I understand that it is legally my responsibility to protect the integrity of the process that was used... It's owned by the company that helped guide us." This contradicts the governments' own RFP (Request for Proposals) that it issued in December of 2016. which stated that all information, data, research, reports and other material produced by the consultant "shall be the exclusive property of Manitoba." Yet Pallister said: "Out of respect for the company and for future tendering processes I think it's important they have a manner of going about their business they've developed over many years and spent a great amount to develop that they want to protect, so that's part of the problem in releasing that information.:" No doubt Manitoba is quite happy for the public not being able to see the whole report. There could be reforms recommended that the government did not approve and reforms rejected that the government approves.

We should know soon exactly what changes are to made in home care services. We will probably never know if KPMG recommended changes that the government is not making or if it recommended against changes that the government is making. The KPMG report may have been produced with taxpayer money but it remains to be seen if the taxpayer will ever be able to see it all.

Many Canadians believe that their province will not do well in 2017

A new Angus Reid poll shows that for most Canadians 2016 was a bad year. The survey of 5,128 Canadians found that those surveyed from Newfoundland and Labrador were most pessimistic with 57 percent predicting more bad than good in the province in 2017.

Just 16 per cent had a positive view of 2017. The online survey was released Tuesday. Dave Korzinski, research associate at Angus Reid Institute wrote by email to BNN: “Newfoundland has the highest unemployment rate of the provinces polled. We also attribute some of this to the slow energy sector in 2016, which has really hit people hard." A summary of the findings of the survey can be found here together with a link to the entire survey.

Ontario residents were also pessimistic about the New Year, with 47 percent thinking there would be more bad than good in 2017. Ontario has a large provincial debt, and high energy prices. The Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne has the lowest approval rating of any provincial premier. Albertans plagued by low energy prices and a high unemployment rate also had an extreme negative outlook. Among the provinces, only Manitoba had a significant percentage of residents who felt that 2017 would have more good than bad at 34 percent. Only 22 percent had a negative outlook. The only other province where residents had a positive attitude were in British Columbia but only by a small margin.

Although most Canadians appear to regard 2017 as likely negative for their provinces, they are at the same time twice as likely to say that the New Year will have more good than bad for them personally. 43 percent predict it will be good for them but only 18 percent think it will be worse. This number appears to be higher or lower according to those polled view of the outlook for their province. On the prospect for Canada as a whole, 33 percent think it will be a bad year as compared to 28 percent who think it will be a good one. However, the largest group 49 percent think it will be neutral.

Uncertainty about the policy of Donald Trump and its effects have perhaps led to 59 percent of Canadians believing that more bad than good is in store for the United States while only 16 percent see more good than bad happening. Canadians are also negative about the prospect for the world as a whole in 2017. Slightly more than half of those polled, 52 percent, thought that there will be more bad than good in 2017, while just 11 percent had a positive view for the world in 2017. Even with all this pessimism 2017 still looked better than 2016 for Canadians.

Manitoba Zamboni driver is charged with impaired driving

A Manitoba driver of an ice-resurfacer or Zamboni has been charged with impaired driving and also resisting arrest after he crashed into the boards that line the ice rink in Ste Anne Manitoba near Winnipeg.

Zamboni is actually the name of the founder of one of the main companies that make the ice resurfacers and the term is now used generally to refer to the machines. The machine in the photo is not a Zamboni make. During intermissions in a hockey game the Zamboni resurfaces the ice by driving around the rink.

During the second intermission of the game. Martin Kintscher, manager of one of the teams in the contest, said:"On his first lap he struck the gate where the Zamboni drives onto the ice, and broke the boards and also broke pieces off the actual Zamboni. One piece got stuck under the Zamboni, which left a ridge on the ice with every lap."

Kintscher cancelled the game because of the damage to the rink and the ice even though the driver of the Zamboni insisted the ice was in good condition. This is what really got the officials concerned. Kintscher said he did not detect any alcohol smell on the driver or bloodshot eyes but they could not believe that he could think that the ice was in good condition. Kintscher said:"What really set us off was that there was an issue with the ice and he said, 'It's good enough, play on it.' There's ridges on it. You can't play on that. It's like playing out in the parking lot. It's about half an inch high and an inch wide, with every pass."

The driver got angry when officials claimed the ice was not suitable for playing on and became even more upset when supervisors were called in. Kintscher and others had to fix the gouges in the ice. According to police, the driver was not cooperative during his arrest.

Marc Robichaud, the police chief in Ste Anne noted that in Manitoba you can be charged with impaired driving even though you are not on a road. The Zamboni while not a car or truck or driven on a road is still considered a motor vehicle. The driver, a man in his 30s was taken into custody and charged with impaired driving, resisting arrest, and refusing a breathalyzer test, a test that determines alcohol level in the blood. Usually if they are refused it is because the test would show a reading above the allowable limit, although the driver could have other reasons. Refusal is itself an offense. The driver was released but will appear in court in January.

Liberals sweep most seats in Winnipeg as part of Canada-wide red tide.

The Liberal red wave rolled through Manitoba but was stopped at the perimeter highway that circles the city of Winnipeg. The rest of Manitoba remains Tory blue except for one far north riding retained by the New Democratic Party(NDP).

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Of the 14 Manitoba ridings the Liberals won seven or half, but all in the city of Winnipeg. The NDP was able to keep its one seat in the far north and take one Winnipeg seat from the Conservatives. The other five seats, all rural, were easily retained by the Conservatives.

Long-serving NDP MP Pat Martin was defeated in Winnipeg Center by Liberal, Robert-Falcon Ouellete. Liberals defeating sitting NDP members was a trend across Canada. The Tory candidate Allie Szarkiewicz came third. The Green Party ran Don Woodstock. The voters also could vote for Communist Party of Manitoba leader Darrell Rankin or Christian Heritage's Scott Miller. Ouellete, who is aboriginal, said: "The goal of this campaign was never, never, never just to win. The goal of this campaign was to see your values reflected in Ottawa, to see your values reflected in our Parliament. There will be challenges in Winnipeg Centre. We should be putting more people back to work, and we can. We should be lifting people out of poverty, and we can."

In defeat Martin told supporters that it had been an honour and privilege to serve his riding for 18 years. He also said the Liberals needed a good group of New Democrats in parliament to make sure they kept to their liberal principles. Otherwise he said they govern just like Tories. There is a common saying that the Liberals campaign to the left but govern to the right. Martin has often had problems with statements he makes that will certainly get him an R rating for his discourse. On social media he called Conservatives "rat-faced whores" and was seen swearing at an opponent at a candidates' meeting.

In Saint-Boniface-Saint Vital, Liberal Dan Vandal, a Metis, won the riding for the Liberals . He said that he was fortunate to be part of something very extraordinary as he arrived for his victory party. The win was a gain from the hapless Conservatives who are now shut out from the city of Winnipeg. Liberal, Jim Carr, who won over a Conservative in Winnipeg South Centre played on the Conservative theme that Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was just not ready saying: "The people of Winnipeg South Centre say they're ready, and I'm ready to be your member of Parliament,"

NDP incumbent Niki Ashton was able resist a Liberal challenge by Rebecca Chartrand in the northern riding of Churchill-Keewatinook Aski who was over a thousand votes behind. In 2011 Ashton had swept the riding with over half the vote.

Although the NDP lost Pat Martin's seat, they gained a seat from the Conservatives in Winnipeg Elmwood-Transcona. The vote is so close though the Conservative incumbent, Lawrence Toel, may ask for a recount. The margin was just 51 votes. The NDP victor, Daniel Blaikie, is the son of the popular Bill Blaikie, who long held the seat for the NDP even through times when its present, very reduced count of 44 seats would have been seen as a giant leap forward. Blaikie was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1979 to 2008. Daniel said the NDP would have its work cut out for it to hold the new Liberal government to account.

My own riding of Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa re-elected Conservative incumbent Robert Sopuck, by thousands of votes even though he was running against a popular former Conservative MP with the improbable name of Inky Mark. No one came close to Sopuck even though Mark probably took a double-digit percentage of the Conservative vote. Mark had always been an independent representative. He joined a demonstration in support of the Wheat Board when his party wanted to end its monopsony, because the majority of his local farmer constituents opposed the Conservative policy. This time around he chose to run as an independent. The Liberal came far behind Sopuck with the NDP third and then Mark. The Green Party also had a candidate. This riding mirrors the situation in most rural Manitoba ridings where Conservatives have historically been dominant. The only exception is the north where aboriginal groups often vote for the NDP or Liberals and the Conservatives do poorly.

The Conservatives will need to extend their popular support beyond their rural base if they want to do better in Manitoba federally. The NDP were fortunate to elect members in even two ridings given that the provincial NDP government is not at all popular and that NDP members were being defeated by Liberals across Canada.

Liberals will make gains in Manitoba in federal election

The Liberals and the Conservatives are almost tied in the polls for the upcoming federal election in Manitoba with NDP support shrinking.

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A recent Probe Research Poll shows that roughly 39 percent of decided voters would vote for the incumbent Conservatives under Stephen Harper. The same number would vote for the Liberals led by Justin Trudeau. Only 18 percent would vote for the NDP led by Thomas Mulcair. The Liberals are making an amazing comeback after receiving just 18 percent of the vote in the 2011 election. Curtis Brown, vice president of Probe Research said: “The Liberals are now in a tie with the Conservatives in Manitoba... if you think to the last election, the Liberals were really in the ditch.” Brown noted that NDP support was down from the last election.

The ruling provincial NDP had a messy leadership fight in which many cabinet ministers challenged the premier demanding he resign. Although Sellnger retained his leadership, the internal fight with many of his best cabinet ministers weakened the party. Selinger also hiked the provincial sales tax after promising he would not during his campaign. Another Probe Research poll of voter preferences with respect to parties provincially shows the NDP losing even core support. The NDP has the support of only 25 percent of voters down 4 percent since June with the Liberals at 24 percent up 5 percent since June. The Conservatives have a 45 percent share of decided voters a slight decline of one percent since June.

Recent projections by Eric Grenier would see the Conservatives winning seven seats in Manitoba, the Liberals four, and the NDP three. The NDP is expected to win the northern Churchill riding with a 75 percent chance. The other two NDP seats are in Winnipeg, Elmwood Transcona, 71 percent chance and Winnipeg Center a long-time stronghold at 94 percent. The four Liberal seats are all in the city of Winnipeg. South Center is close with the Liberals having only a 63 percent chance over the 2nd place Conservatives. The Liberals are expected to gain Saint-Boniface-Saint Vital and also Winnipeg South. If the Liberal vote in Winnipeg continues to increase they could win even more seats.

Manitoba NDP premier faces internal political crisis

The last four elections, fifteen years, Manitoba has elected the New Democrats to rule the province. Even though during the last election Greg Selinger the leader of the party and premier won a resounding majority he is facing internal criticism.

Several senior cabinet ministers in Sellinger's government publicly spoke out about public dissatisfaction with the premier's performance. Five ministers and one former minister spoke out on Monday and Tuesday of this week: "..Justice Minister Andrew Swan, Jobs and the Economy Minister Theresa Oswald, Health Minister Erin Selby, Local Government Minister Stan Struthers, Finance Minister Jennifer Howard and former labour minister Becky Barrett — suggested that Selinger should consider his future and come to a decision that is in the best interests of the government and the province. " Selinger did not take the hint and announce his resignation or even a leadership review. He announced he intends to lead the NDP in the next election.
No Manitoba premier has ever been ousted by his party midway through his term and leading a majority government. The only time that an NDP premier lost power in Manitoba was in 1988. Howard Pawley resigned but only because he lost a confidence vote when an NDP member voted against his own party's budget. The NDP has 35 of the 57 seats in the legislature so at least 7 party members would need to vote against any legislation to bring the government down and force an election. No doubt few party members want that to happen since the party would likely lose the election.
 The New Democratic Party is regarded as on the left of the political spectrum. However, the Manitoba NDP has been far from radical. The former premier Gary Doer was arguably much better at communicating with the public then Greg Sellinger who was a social work professor and then a finance minister. Doer was chosen by Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper to be Canadian ambassador to the United States. This gives an indication of how far to the left Doer was. He is now no doubt busy selling the merits of Tar Sands development in Washington.
Becky Barret, a former labour minister said that Selinger made a mistake in not stepping down for the party's sake. She thinks that if he stays on the NDP will lose to the Conservatives: "He missed that opportunity. He didn't take that decisive leadership role and I'm very disappointed that didn't happen,"
Selinger lost a great deal of support when he changed his position on raising the provincial sales tax. In his 2011 election campaign he promised not to raise the provincial sales tax from 7 to 8 percent but then in July of 2013 he did exactly that. At least he kept his promise for about two years, not too bad for a politician. Several other provinces also have eight per cent sales tax including Ontario next door to Manitoba. Quebec has almost a ten percent tax and Nova Scotia's tax is also ten. Manitoba is hardly exceptional. The exceptional province is Alberta with no sales tax at all. Barrett complained that Selinger has never been able to explain to the people why he changed his mind on the tax and as a result has lost the trust of the people.
 Given that Selinger has decided not to resign, a cabinet shuffle can be expected with those ministers who have publicly criticized the premier losing their portfolios. As Selinger delicately phrased it: "I've said all options are available as we move forward. Every year we review how we've been doing together and cabinet shuffles are often one of the alternatives that are available to you,"
 Allen Mills, a political science prof. at the University of Winnipeg said of Selinger: "He has a political crisis on his hands in the form of, well, five cabinet ministers that clearly challenged his authority and did so publicly. And it seems to me that in the norms of the parliamentary system, they either have to resign or he has to fire them." Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba also noted that the situation was very dramatic and unprecedented in the modern political era.
  Probe Research in an October 9th poll done for the Winnipeg Free Press and CTV showed the Progressive Conservatives with a 12 point percentage lead over the New Democrats:The Progressive Conservatives currently have the support of 42 percent of decided Manitoba voters, down slightly from the level of support the party recorded in June (-3%). Three-in-ten decided voters, meanwhile, would cast a ballot for the New Democratic Party in a hypothetical general election (30%, down from 32% in June). One-in-five voters (20%) now prefer the provincial Liberals – which marks a slight increase (+4%) since the last Probe Research survey in June. Eight percent of decided voters would cast a ballot for the Green Party or other parties not represented in the Legislature. The last election was on October 4, 2011 but the next election is not expected until April of 2016. This gives the NDP a considerable length of time to rebuild the party and public trust but there is no guarantee this will happen. Governments sometimes are able to create the conditions for their own defeat.

Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg Manitoba

The annual winter festival in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Festival du Voyageur, began on Friday February the 15th with a torchlight walk over the Red River.

The festival runs for a total of ten days with numerous different events. The program can be found here in English and here in French.

More than a hundred artists are set to perform at the Voyageur Park and 10 other sites around the city. There are popular jigging and fiddling workshops. This year will be the 44th year of the Festival. The Festival is a sign that winter will soon be over. However, there is no problem with melting so far this year. The ice on the river was plenty thick for the traditional torchlight walk.

As you can see from the attached videos, snow sculptures are also a big part of the festival. The weather has cooperated for this feature as well.

Other shows include a Louis Riel look-alike contest. Riel was born in 1844. He was the founder of the Province of Manitoba and a spiritual and political leader of the Metis people on the prairies. However, he mounted two rebellions against the Canadian government and was hanged in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1885.

There is also a beard growing contest. The Festival Beard category participants started their beards back on December 13th and will be judged on February 22nd. Many of the beard growers collect donations which will go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. There are various categories of beards including the Voyageur Beard category that is wild and woolly, and the Novelty category such as a groomed moustache or beard. There is also plenty of French Canadian cuisine at the Festival, especially on February 21 and 22, at the Soiree du Bourgeois that includes entertainment in the Maison du Bourgeois inside historic Fort Gibraltar.

President of Manitoba PCs youth wing resigns after racist comments

Brayden Mazurkiewich, who was president of the youth wing of the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party has resigned after posting racist comments on Facebook. The Progressive Conservatives are the official opposition in the Manitoba government.

The president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba, Ryan Matthews, in a press release said:

"Comments by Progressive Conservative Youth President Brayden Mazurkiewich have been deemed conduct detrimental to our party. As PC Manitoba party president I have asked Brayden Mazurkiewich for his resignation and received it."

Mazurkiewcih made some of the comments in response to news that a group of four First Nations again won a decision in their favor on the government sale of the Kapyong barracks site located in Winnipeg. The court ruled that the federal government had failed to consult, or even communicate adequately with the First Nations involved before selling the land. The First Nations group has been trying to secure the land as part of a treaty land entitlement. In 2007 the federal Treasury Board decided to sell the barracks' site to the Canada Lands Co, a Crown corporation, to oversee the site's development and resale. The group of First Nations went to Federal Court to have the decision overturned. In September 2009 a judge ruled in the group's favor declaring the transfer invalid because the government did not consult enough with the First Nations about their treaty claims. Now the government's appeal has failed. Mazurkiewich responded to the court decision on Facebook:

"Listen carefully to the news today. Looks like they might be announcing that they're building a freaking reserve in the middle of Winnipeg. This city is quickly becoming the laughing stock of the entire country."

When some people commented on his post Mazurkiewich went on to say of the barracks' site:

"That was built for hardworking men and women of the military, not freeloading Indians."

Mazurkiewich apologized for his outburst and handed in his resignation but he still maintained he is opposed to having an urban reserve on the property saying:

"But my feelings about the reserve going in ... I don't think that would fit well in that community at all. You know, you hear on reserves all the time, people are burning down their own homes. There are shootings and stabbings, and we don't need to bring more of that to Winnipeg."

Mazurkiewich has also made some comments on Twitter that have offended some people as well. He has called the famous Winnipeg Folk Festival the "hippie festival". Francophones he claims are "all just pushy and liberal".

Manitoba introduces new regulations on cell phone contracts

The Manitoba government has introduced legislation that will improve cell phone contracts for the consumer. The legislation mirrors legislation already passed in the province of Quebec.

The Manitoba Consumer Affairs Minister Gord Mackintosh expressed the hope that the new regulations will help save consumers money. On some contracts the savings could be up to $640 a year. The government touted the legislation as providing among the best consumer protection rules for cell phone users in Canada. As the appended video shows compared to the U.S. Canadians pay more for less compared to cell phone users in the U.S.

Under the new rules, customers are able to cancel contracts before their term ends. Unreasonable cancellation fees are prohibited. Advertisements must include the minimum monthly costs to subscribers. Contracts are to be simplified so that a subscriber can understand the terms easily. When similar rules were introduced in the province of Quebec cell phone contract prices did not rise as some had feared, as companies tried to recoup lost revenue from excessive charges.

Other changes in the legislation prohibit companies from making unilateral changes to contracts that do not benefit customers. Automatic contract renewals will be limited. Companies will be required to fully explain all charges and terms of the contract. Consumer advocates have praised the new regulations as a step forward and urged that people learn their rights as cell phone userfs. Gloria Desorcy from the Consumers Association said to CBC News:

"It's important for consumers to know what they're now entitled to...Because if we don't know, that we're entitled to it, then we might not complain about it. And that's our responsibility as consumers."

Any company that violates the new regulations could face a fine of up to $1,000. The fine would be increased for subsequent violations. While these measures will give protection against unreasonable cell phone contracts to Canadian consumers, we still need to reduce costs so that we pay similar prices for cell phone services as do our neighbors to the south.

Canada: Manitoba Highway closed by giant sinkhole

 A sinkhole 200 meters wide and more than five meters deep has closed Manitoba Highway 83 near Asessippi Provincial Park. Recent heavy rainfall may be responsible for the hole caused by an underground slide.
    The area has had problems for some time however from underground springs  that cause erosion. The highway is constantly being repaired. A dip will be filled in paved and then it starts to sink again. However this time the huge hole made the highway impassable.
   The hole was continuing to sink as of  Tuesday. Infrastructure and Transportation Department geotechnical experts are on site to determine the extent of the slide. The highway is closed from the park valley to the town of Roblin. However there is a detour and local traffic can still use other parts of the highway. No one knows when the highway can be reopened. For more see this article. The site if a little more than a half hour drive from where we live.

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Drivers complain of being fined for cell phone use when not using them

Two different drivers in Winnipeg Manitoba complain that they received tickets for driving while using their cell phones when they were not using them. It is illegal to drive while using your cell phone in Manitoba.

One driver Laszlo Piszker were pulled over by two police officers in Winnipeg. Piszker told the officers to search the car for a cell phone. He claims that he does not even have a cell phone.

The officers issued him a ticket for $199.80 anyway. He says that the officers were nasty both to him and his wife. The 74 year old claims to be so technically challenged he could not use a cell phone even if he had one.

The couple immediately went to a nearby police station to complain. He said the officer laughed. The officer suggested that the officers must have been trying to fill a quota. A two hundred dollar ticket is hardly a laughing matter.

The couple will fight the ticket in court. I would not be surprised if the officers fail to show and the ticket will be thrown out.

Another Winnipeg motorist Jody Nelson also reported receiving a ticket for using his cell phone while driving. He said that he was not using it at the time. The officer provided him with no explanation claims Nelson and would not give his badge number either.

Nelson said he would fight his 200 fine in court as well. He plans to get records from his cell phone provider that will show he was not using his cell phone at the time.

It sounds as if some tickets are being issued just to generate revenue and with the hope that most people will not bother to challenge the tickets. For more see this CBC article.

UPDATE: Winnipeg police have disputed Piszker and his wife's account of events. The police claim they followed the two for several blocks after seeing Piszker the driver hold a cell phone to his ear while driving.
 Piszker claims not to own a cell phone or use one. Meanwhile the police union said that the emphasis upon issuing tickets for cell phone violations was hurting relations between police and the public. See this article for more.

Manitoba: Brandon University Faculty to vote on Administration offer

(Brandon Nov. 24) Brandon University faculty will vote on the Administration's latest offer next week. The vote was imposed by the government and will be overseen by the Labor Relations Board. The 240 members of BUFA have been on strike since October 12.
  A mediator had suggested there be binding arbitration but this was not accepted by the union which wanted to continue negotiations. The union has recommended faculty reject the Administration offer and calls the vote a waste of time.
    However given the pressures to end the strike the faculty could very well vote for the offer. Should the offer be rejected Jennifer Howard the minister of Labor and Immigration has said that binding arbitration could be an option.
    The students are perhaps the biggest losers in the strike. Most of the fall term has been lost. Some are demanding their fees back. However, the intention seems to be that the faculty will make up the time after the strike ends. In fact one of the  issues in dispute is compensation for the extra faculty time required to make up this lost class time. For more see this article and also this letter to the editor.
   

Would you want an Occupy protest in your own area

 The CBC is asking Canadians whether they would want Occupy protests in their area. I happen to live in rural Manitoba in a village of about 150 people. I expect that a large group of campers would be welcomed. I even have an almost acre lot with an old garage on it with a stove inside. Our local park is much too small for any reasonable sized protest  to use.
    If the protesters want to use public property the Trans Canada trail that used to be a railroad runs through the village. It is hardly ever used and certainly people could camp along the right of way. The local store would probably be quite happy to have increased business. They also carry beer and liquor!
   There is no hotel in town but hotels in nearby towns would be happy to have reporters as customers. Restaurants too would show an increase in business. Before the protesters set up camp though they would need to get locals to clear the snow off their camping areas. The encampment would be a good survival training area. The temperature is going below minus twenty in the next few days.
   In a short time we will have Xmas lights up and burning.  This year we could attract people not just to see the lights but to come and visit the largest Occupy protest in rural Manitoba.

Sellinger (Manitoba) still not considering harmonizesd sales tax

Even though the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has been urging the Manitoba NDP to introduce the harmonized sales tax Sellinger so far has resisted. It is not a politically popular move although business groups such as the Chamber claim it will make the province more competitive. Sellinger claims there are other ways to achieve competitiveness. The short article can be found at CJOB.

A Ford Focus may replace ambulance for some Winnipeg paramedics.

This seems to be a good idea and certainly worth trying. This will freeup ambulances for other types of calls and perhaps decrease response times and also trips to emergency.

Sedans may replace ambulances
Move mulled to free up ERs
By: Mary Agnes Welch

Forget the huge white ambulance. Forget the lights and sirens. Forget the long wait to be handed off to an emergency room doctor.
Winnipeg paramedics could soon arrive at your door in a much homelier vehicle -- a Ford Focus. If the provincial government approves the idea, a paramedic could be sent by car to triage and treat some of the thousands of non-life-threatening cases called in to 911 every year.
The move is part of a bold new plan meant to reduce pressure on city emergency rooms, ease the chronic shortage of paramedics and cope better with the looming H1N1 flu pandemic.
A Ford Focus could be on the streets in a few weeks, with five paramedics cruising the city in sedans by the time the worst of the pandemic hits, said Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Deputy Chief Ken Sim.
The city would still send a full-scale ambulance to critical cases, like heart attacks or car accidents. Those are only about 10 per cent of the cases medics attend.
The new "community paramedics" would act more like nurses who make house calls, responding to a whole host of less serious cases that don't need a $1-million ambulance, two highly trained medics and an automatic trip to the nearest emergency room. That includes everything from worrisome flu to sprained ankles, diabetes and seizures.
The community medics would come equipped with most of the same gear an advanced-care paramedic carries, like medications and intravenous supplies.
However, they would use a slightly more sophisticated triage checklist like the one nurses use in the emergency rooms. Based on that checklist, the medics could treat someone on the spot, or call a taxi or stretcher service to transport someone to a clinic, or strap the patient into the Ford's passenger seat and provide a lift to an urgent-care clinic or even the ER.
"We'd be able to get a trained paramedic to people sooner than having to wait for a two-person ambulance," Sim said.
Right now, patients with non-life-threatening problems can wait hours for an ambulance to arrive, in part because call volumes have increased nearly 15 per cent in the last five years. Call volumes plus delays off-loading patients in crowded emergency rooms have taxed Winnipeg's paramedic service almost to the limit in recent years.
The WFPS is waiting for Health Minister Theresa Oswald to give the pilot project her approval.
Provincial regulations say patients can only be transported by ambulance, so the city needs a ministerial order allowing medics to give patients a lift in a Focus.
The province says it's reviewing the proposal and hopes to have an answer for the WFPS in two weeks.
Paramedics have long been arguing for smarter ways to treat people who call 911 and they applaud the "community paramedic" approach.
"The idea is to have medics out in the community engaging people with problems and find the best place in health care for them instead of a system of 'you call, we haul,' " said paramedic union president Chris Broughton. "The system of emergency medicine has never really evolved over the years."

Manitoba increases welfare shelter rates.

It only took 15 years for this to happen. Even the Chamber of Commerce supported the increase. Even though poverty is decreasing in Manitoba we are still third highest for poverty. To be fair Manitoba is not a rich province and certainly is not booming to the degree of Alberta or Saskatchewan but we are unlikely to do as badly as Ontario since farm income will be up strongly in the grains sector. We do have a minor oil boom in the southwest of the province as well.


Manitoba increases welfare shelter rates
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 4:00 PM CT
CBC News
For the first time in 15 years, Manitoba is raising the shelter rates it gives to adults on social assistance.
The shelter rates for non-disabled, single adults will increase to $285 per month, plus an additional $35 a month from the Manitoba Shelter Benefit, Family Service Minister Gord Mackintosh announced Tuesday.
Non-disabled couples with no children will also receive a $35-per-month increase.
Rooming house rates will increase to $285 per month, plus the $35 from the Manitoba Shelter Benefit — a total increase of $84 per month.
The increased assistance payments will start the end of June, to help pay July's rent. Manitoba Shelter Benefits will be issued in July.
Health benefits extended
In addition, the government announced the introduction of a new rent allowance under its Rewarding Work program; the $50-per-month benefit will help non-disabled single adults and couples without children pay rent after they leave welfare for work.
The benefit will be provided for up to one year, and eligible recipients will receive it in the month after they leave assistance. The first cheques will be issued at the end of October.
Two other programs were also unveiled Tuesday under the Rewarding Work scheme, for people who go off welfare for work:
A one-time payment, starting in February, of $175 to $325 for costs related to starting a new job, such as the purchase of tools.
A health plan for singe parents and people with disabilities that extends coverage for prescription drugs, optical and dental services for up to two years, starting in December.
Poverty rates dropping, says government
The government's announcement comes less than a week after the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg presented the government with a 10,000-signature petition calling for an increase in welfare rates.
The council launched a Raise the Rates campaign last September, arguing that basic assistance rates have not kept pace with inflation. The campaign was supported by the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce.
Shelter assistance rates had remained stagnant since 1993, the council said, while Manitoba rent increase guidelines had gone up 19 per cent in the same period. The group estimates 60,000 Manitobans use Employment and Income Assistance as their major source of income.
Mackintosh said new figures from Statistics Canada suggest Manitoba has been making progress on reducing poverty.
The number of children living in poverty overall dropped by 36 per cent to 12.4 per cent between 1999 and 2006, the government said — not including children living on reserves.
The total number of Manitobans living in poverty fell to 11.4 per cent in 2006 from 14.9 per cent in 1999.
Still, Manitoba has the third-highest ranking in the country for poverty.

Manitoba introduces lemon law..

This may be a good idea but I am not sure how useful it will be. The extra work for dealers will be passed on through increased prices for used vehicles I expect. In many cases it may be impossible to get much history of a vehicle especially one that has changed hands and locations several times. The burden is not imposed on private sellers as the dealers point out so many sales will still be without any history.
I have found that I have purchased just as many lemons privately if not more than from dealers. I always buy old clunkers of three thousand and under so I don't expect much and I don't expect much but sweet talk about junk from dealers. Actually I have found them not that bad and I frequent the lowest level who are the only ones willing to flog old beaters. Used car dealers are more reliable than politicians!
I think that on the whole I have been lucky and enjoyed years of cheap transportation. The fact that cars have to be safetied now to be licenced at least means that they are safe to drive home but of course you might not get that far!


Manitoba introduces lemon law for used vehicles
Last Updated: Friday, April 25, 2008 | 9:23 AM CT Comments5Recommend8CBC News
Buyers of used vehicles in Manitoba could soon have greater protection from defective vehicles under proposed legislation. (CBC)Used car buyers in Manitoba could soon get some "lemon aid," the provincial government announced Thursday.

The newly introduced consumer protection legislation would require used vehicle dealers to provide potential buyers with details about a vehicle such as its collision history, repair record and whether it has been designated a lemon, that is, a car with significant problems that the dealer or manufacturer has been unable to resolve.

Failure to provide the information would be considered an unfair business practice.

Finance Minister Greg Selinger said the proposed bill would help consumers make informed decisions before they buy.

"The bill recognizes that buying or leasing a new or used motor vehicle is one of the most important transactions for consumers," Selinger said in a release. "It will help to ensure consumers are provided with important information about the vehicle before they make a decision to buy or lease."

"Manitobans have the right to receive accurate and complete information to help them comparison shop and make informed decisions when buying a car."

The new law follows a CBC News investigation in November that found more than 130 cars officially designated as lemons under United States law were being sold in Manitoba.

Law should be tougher: dealers
Used Car Dealers Association of Manitoba spokesman Nick Roberts told CBC News that while the new law is a good step toward protecting consumers from lemons, the legislation should apply more broadly.

He said the law targets dealers, whom he estimated sell between 60 and 70 per cent of the province's used vehicles, but not individuals who privately sell lemons.

"I don't think it goes far enough," he said. "I think if you're going to try and protect consumers against … lemon vehicles, it has to be for everybody. You can't just tell dealers that they need to do certain requirements, where private individuals who bring in a lot of these vehicles from the U.S. don't have to comply with the same rules."

Additionally, he said, the law doesn't help dealers trace lemon designations. Roberts explained that dealers already have the ability to provide vehicle history to potential buyers, but when a car crosses the border they cannot tell whether it has been deemed a lemon.

"The problem with a lot of it is with these U.S. vehicles go from state to state and the titles get washed and [neither] consumers nor dealers would be able to know that that vehicle had that designation at some time."

Selinger said the government plans to hold consultations on the types of information that should be disclosed, as well as when and how the details should be presented.

Nurses, Manitoba govt. reach tentative agreement

This is good news. Sometimes bargaining works but it often doesn't make much news. Strikes are more newsworthy. The government needed to up wages to compete with other provinces even though Manitoba is not as rich as Alberta or even Sask. now perhaps.

Nurses, Manitoba government reach tentative labour agreement
Last Updated: Monday, March 10, 2008 | 8:30 AM CT CommentsRecommendCBC News
Manitoba's nurses have reached a tentative contract agreement with the provincial government after a day and night of negotiations on the weekend.

The province's 11,000 nurses had expected to hold a strike vote Monday; nurses had already stopped accepting extra shifts in late February.

The two parties came to a two-year agreement around midnight Saturday, after 12 hours of negotiations.

The nurses wanted higher wages, and that's exactly what they got, said Manitoba Nurses' Union president Maureen Hancharyk.

An arbitrator will set wages in October so Manitoba nurses will become the fourth-highest-paid nurses in Canada, she said.

"It's very good news," she said. "We have a good offer that will keep Manitobans competitive across the country. The settlement is a two-year agreement that calls for a 10 per cent increase."

Although the tentative agreement addressed some issues that will help keep nurses on the job in Manitoba, Hancharyk said a general nursing shortage still needs attention. The province is short about the equivalent of 840 nurses, the union said last month.

Hospital staff across the province have begun rescheduling elective surgeries that had been cancelled in preparation for a possible strike.

Manitoba insurer urged to consider 'pay-as-you-drive' insurance

This is from the CBC.
This is an interesting idea but as the Autopac representative points out Manitoba has a vast rural area with very little public transport and where a car is virtually a necessity and travel unavoidable. On the other hand about half the population is in the city of Winnipeg.
The scheme might involve considerable oversight since some one has to track and check mileage. I expect that it would be more costly. This cost no doubt is passed on to those purchasing the insurance. I am a bit surprised by the lack of enthusiasm of the Autopac people. The scheme might lower their payouts. The government monopoly insurer already has an extensive scheme in place to pay for immobilisers to prevent thefts.
Overall, being a rural resident, I worry that the scheme would make driving even more expensive for us when it is a necessity. The cost of gas, repairs, and insurance is already enough incentive to cut down on unnecessary driving.
Anyway the scheme seems worth further study.

Manitoba insurer urged to consider 'pay-as-you-drive' auto insurance
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 | 4:30 PM CT
CBC News
Environmentalists in Manitoba are urging the province's public vehicle insurer to consider "pay-as-you-drive" car insurance to provide an incentive for motorists to drive less.

The system, already used in jurisdictions including California and the U.K., sees drivers pay based on the number of kilometres they drive.

Under Manitoba's system, two drivers living in the same area with identical cars and driving records would pay the same auto insurance bill, even if one drives five times as far. Manitobans pay an average of $833 per year for auto insurance.

Peter Miller, a retired University of Winnipeg professor, says that's a bad system, especially as governments try to battle climate change.

"It provides a way of saving money by driving less, and if you drive less, you reduce your emissions: Very simple," said Miller, who urged Manitoba Public Insurance to implement the system at recent Public Utilities Board hearings.

The system would provide a financial incentive to car owners who drive less, creating fewer vehicle emissions, proponents say, and it could reduce traffic and the strain on crumbling infrastructure.



It makes sense for insurers, said Miller, because less time on the road means fewer chances for accidents to happen.

"When my car was sitting in the garage 20 minutes ago, there was very little chance of it running into anyone, or any other vehicle," he said. "If I'm out here in the road, particularly if I were driving, there's more of a chance."

Carole Thiessen, a mother in the city's Wolseley neighbourhood, thinks it's a great idea.

"There are times when we could walk or could take the bus, and you know, it's just a little bit too easy to get in the car," she said, noting that her family has already taken steps to reduce the amount of driving they do.

"We didn't want to have to drive our car from distant suburbs, so we try to do our little errands in our little neighbourhood," she said. "We've chosen our house centrally so we can walk to work and all those sorts of things."

Vehicles necessary in Manitoba: MPI
However, MPI officials are opposed to the idea.

"I think pay-as-you-drive auto insurance is an interesting idea in communities where using your automobile is a luxury, and not a necessity," said CEO Marilyn McLaren.

"For example, centre of London, England — nobody needs an automobile. That's not true here in Manitoba."

McLaren added there is no evidence that people who drive more are more of an insurance risk, pointing to long-distance haulers, who are often excellent drivers.

But Miller sad MPI can't know that for sure, since they don't record mileage in their system.

"They're operating from ignorance because they don't have the statistics to test it out," he said.

McLaren told a Public Utilities Board hearing in October that MPI's position is, "If environmental concerns … are to be taken into account in rate setting, this is an issue of social policy, and direction would be required from the government before the corporation would be justified in moving to those types of concerns."

Dave Chomiak, the provincial minister responsible for MPI, declined to comment, but said pay-as-you-drive auto insurance is being studied.