Winnipeg Mayoral Election

[The Unknown Poster]

Gord Steeves is a real brainiac.  We can debate Hobogate all we want to, but whomever advised him to wait a week to address it gave him very bad advice.  His bizarre presser at the time was another head scratcher.  He sighed heavily, looked defeated.  

When the poll came out showing him ahead of Bowman he implores Bowman to drop out so Judy has some competition.  Now that he's well behind Bowman, Steeves wont take his own advice.

His presser today with the poster that was straight out BS about Bowman's platform and his attacks on him are silly.  Steeves looks like a guy who doesnt know when to quit and whos ego wont let him do the right thing.  "If I cant win, Ill make sure Bowman doesnt either".  He seems content to try and beat Bowman rather than letting the right and left duke it out (and yeah we can debate that but whatever).

 

When Steeves abrubtly cancelled his Friday presser and all but disappeared from social media over the weekend, I thought he was going to do the right thing.  Nope.

Very disappointed in Steeves.  Not surprised, but disappointed.

[Goalie]

Fun fact: I tweeted all the "main" mayoral candidates on twitter and asked a simple question, "why should i vote for you". I tweet JUDY, Gord and Brian  Bowman, the only one that responded back was Bowman. 

 

Being a young guy, the guy i relate to the most is Brian Bowman, I think Bowman represents the change i'm looking for. He's not a career politician and I think he's the guy that i'm going to vote for. Steeves in my opinion has no chance in hell, he's alienated too many people and he's exactly what Sam Katz is. 

 

Honestly, Judy will probably win and it will be interesting to see how her and the provincial NDPs work but.. my vote is going to Bowman. 

[The Unknown Poster]

Its very difficult to defeat an experienced candidate when they have the provincial government and big unions working the campaign.

 

To be honest, every candidate has some ideas I like and some I dont.  I just dont trust Steeves as far as I could throw him.  He comes across sleazy to me.  He was a do-nothing counsellor in Sammy's back pocket until popular opinion turned on Sammy and then suddenly Steeves was anti-Kats.  yeah right.  His platforms seems designed to be as opposite to Judy and Bowman as possible.  So sure, maybe thats what he really believes.  I tend to think he gambled on being the "alternative" and has lost the bet.

 

Today, his placard at his presser listed Bowman's platform as increased property taxes and a 4% sales tax.  That is absurdly untrue.  It's BS like that that ruin politics and shouldnt be allowed.  You should not be able to lie or mislead like that.

 

I met Gord many years ago when he was a young lawyer and he seemed useless as **** on a truck.  A friend of mine was good friends with him later on so I tried to keep an open mind.  Can't do it.

 

I saw someone on twitter make an interesting comment about Bowman, that he causes consternation amongst his opponents because he's hard to fit into a specific political spectrum.  Steeves calls him left of Judy.  Oh come on.  Again, nonsense political posturing.  Even if I was considering Steeves, his lies and BS would have chased me away.

 

If Steeves really cared about Winnipeg.  And if he really wanted to prevent Judy and the NDP getting a hold of City Hall, he would have dropped out and endorsed Bowman.  He's getting such bad advice.  Barring a miracle or some major dirty trick, Steeves will be looked at as the veteran who got whooped by a newcomer and ran a terrible campign.  If he steps down gracefully, he lives to fight another day.  Now?  Im not so sure.

[Goalie]

If i'm bowman, i wouldn't want Steeves endorsement. 

[bigg jay]

Its very difficult to defeat an experienced candidate when they have the provincial government and big unions working the campaign.

 

To be honest, every candidate has some ideas I like and some I dont.  I just dont trust Steeves as far as I could throw him.  He comes across sleazy to me.  He was a do-nothing counsellor in Sammy's back pocket until popular opinion turned on Sammy and then suddenly Steeves was anti-Kats.  yeah right.  His platforms seems designed to be as opposite to Judy and Bowman as possible.  So sure, maybe thats what he really believes.  I tend to think he gambled on being the "alternative" and has lost the bet.

 

Today, his placard at his presser listed Bowman's platform as increased property taxes and a 4% sales tax.  That is absurdly untrue.  It's BS like that that ruin politics and shouldnt be allowed.  You should not be able to lie or mislead like that.

 

I met Gord many years ago when he was a young lawyer and he seemed useless as **** on a truck.  A friend of mine was good friends with him later on so I tried to keep an open mind.  Can't do it.

 

I saw someone on twitter make an interesting comment about Bowman, that he causes consternation amongst his opponents because he's hard to fit into a specific political spectrum.  Steeves calls him left of Judy.  Oh come on.  Again, nonsense political posturing.  Even if I was considering Steeves, his lies and BS would have chased me away.

 

If Steeves really cared about Winnipeg.  And if he really wanted to prevent Judy and the NDP getting a hold of City Hall, he would have dropped out and endorsed Bowman.  He's getting such bad advice.  Barring a miracle or some major dirty trick, Steeves will be looked at as the veteran who got whooped by a newcomer and ran a terrible campign.  If he steps down gracefully, he lives to fight another day.  Now?  Im not so sure.

 

This.  I have concerns about every candidate running so I'm still very much undecided. 

 

I want to like Bowman but some of the things he's said don't make me all that confident in him.  His plan to finish all the legs of BRT is so unrealistic it's not even funny.  His ideas to help revitalize downtown are mostly already underway or have been considered by city hall.    

 

TUP pretty well nailed Steeves so I don't have to comment on him.

 

Judy has run the smartest campaign by mainly not saying anything which is also a draw back IMO.  She's letting Bowman & Steeves drag themselves down but hasn't really given people a good reason to vote for her.

 

I've been intrigued by some of the ideas from guys like Falcon-Ouellette & Sanders, but I just don't think they are high profile enough to take on the big 3.

[The Unknown Poster]

Judys platform is pretty simple. If you like how the NDP have operated under Greg Selinger then you will like Judy.

I think Bowman's BRT plan is unrealistic but I commend him for 100% backing it. Of course he's unlikely to be able to actually do it unless he knows something about federal and provincial cash that no one else knows.

I'm leaning strongly to bowman. Part of that is I like him. Part of it is I don't want Judy.

[Brandon]

I am terrified to think that Judy may win.... let us  hope those polls are incorrect....

[rebusrankin]

Having Judy running the city with Selinger running the province scares the heck out of me. Stuff like this makes me wish I was closer to retirement so I could leave the province.

[The Unknown Poster]

All Judy fans should watch this

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GvxItckgkGw

[max power]

Picture this: Judy as Mayor, Selinger as Premier, and Trudeau as Prime Minister.  What could go wrong?

[The Unknown Poster]

Picture this: Judy as Mayor, Selinger as Premier, and Trudeau as Prime Minister.  What could go wrong?

New Poll out today showing Federal Liberals slipping.  Thats bad news for them as there is really no reason their big lead should be evaporating so quickly.  But everytime Trudeau opens his mouth, more people realise he's all hat, no cattle.

[sweep the leg]

 

Picture this: Judy as Mayor, Selinger as Premier, and Trudeau as Prime Minister.  What could go wrong?

New Poll out today showing Federal Liberals slipping.  Thats bad news for them as there is really no reason their big lead should be evaporating so quickly.  But everytime Trudeau opens his mouth, more people realise he's all hat, no cattle.

 

They've horribly mangled their message on Iraq & ISIS. I'm sure that's what's causing the slip.

[sweep the leg]

I'm voting for Bowman. I like his idea to replace property taxes. Now if Selinger would take over the school taxes we'd be set.

 

Steeves is the worst kind of politician. He'll say anything to get elected.

[The Unknown Poster]

The fact Trudeau seems to think its everyone else's fault that people are vile murders....and even his own party members disagree with him.  His "whip out our CF-18s" comment was also terribly unPrime Ministerial.  He's such a childish person.  He sort of reminds of a young person who goes to school and collects degrees but doesnt really know anything...but thinks they know everything.  Harper should roast him in debates.

 

Im voting Bowman too.  His sales tax idea has merit but will likely never happen.  If Bowman were to win, Selinger will stonewall him at every turn as punishment.

 

Noticed that Steeves has declined to take part in two straight forums.  Apparently he has not attended any forums that have to do with poverty, aboriginal community and post secondary education.  WTF is he doing?  Terrible political advisors.

[Mark H.]

I'm voting for Bowman. I like his idea to replace property taxes. Now if Selinger would take over the school taxes we'd be set.

 

Steeves is the worst kind of politician. He'll say anything to get elected.

 

Local funding of education needs to go - all it does is create inequality.  We are the only province that still has it.

[The Unknown Poster]

CJOB reports Steeves late to their mayoral forum.  This guy has mentally checked out.  Why is he still running?  makes me wonder what backroom deal has been made....

[Atomic]

Worst group of candidates we've had in my lifetime, IMO. I will probably vote for Robert-Falcon Ouellette. Not that I think he has any chance of winning.

[The Unknown Poster]

Worst group of candidates we've had in my lifetime, IMO. I will probably vote for Robert-Falcon Ouellette. Not that I think he has any chance of winning.

A couple of the "fringe" candidates are fairly good.  I take a pretty strong interest and generally want my vote to count as much as possible, so like you, I see these guys with no chance of winning and I try to find someone I can live it out of the front runners.

 

A friend of mine who is somewhat of a political commentator informed me that there is a strong belief by many that the polling is way off and that Steeves and Bowman are much closer.  Im not sure what to believe. The Polling could certainly be well off (it was last election).  But I cant see anyone looking at Steeves as viable at this point.

[basslicker]

Winnipeg is political graveyard.

 

Have fun with Judy and proceed on your way into oblivion.

[basslicker]

Having Judy running the city with Selinger running the province scares the heck out of me. Stuff like this makes me wish I was closer to retirement so I could leave the province.

I don't know what job you have, but it's never too late to leave.

Tons of jobs out west.

[Noeller]

http://mytoba.ca/news/winnipeg-has-had-a-good-run-so-what-now/

 

 

SCOTT TAYLOR, MyToba.ca

I’m lucky. Every morning, as I head to my office, I get to drive over the Provencher Bridge past the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. As I come down the slope, off the bridge toward Shaw Park, I see one of the most beautiful cityscapes in the country.

I’m proud to be a Winnipegger. I live in a marvelous city. Sure, it’s an island on the prairie and winter is a nasty eight-month *****, but I’ve been in a lot of other places in nearly seven decades and I can’t think of a better spot in the world to live between June 1 and Sept. 30.

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Then again, I have a long, clear memory. I remember vividly when that drive over the Provencher Bridge was a civic embarrassment. I remember that in the place where the ballpark stands today was a mud field with nothing but a dead hydro substation and broken wine bottles. I remember when the Waterfront wasn’t even fit for the winos. I remember when The Forks was a nice idea.

Yeah, I remember when Main Street was a joke. I remember when our old football stadium was in such disrepair that the Football Club couldn’t improve the concessions for fear that pigeons would drop their business cards on the food. I remember when the Jets left town.

I remember when our old mayor, Bill Norrie, wouldn’t lift a finger to improve the city (unless you call a four-block rectangular brick mausoleum on Portage Avenue the future of architecture). I remember when his successor Susan Thompson did everything humanly possible to kill the construction of the ballpark in order to build an aquarium. I remember when we didn’t have an IKEA and most international businesses didn’t even know we existed.

I remember when Winnipeg was a one-horse dump of a town and most citizens had completely given up. It wasn’t that long ago.

But we’ve had a great decade. The new football stadium at the University of Manitoba is praised nationally. The Jets are back and as a result we’re perceived as a big part of our own nation again (and yes, perception is reality). The gentrification of the Waterfront has turned a growing part of our riverfront from slum to sensational. The CMHR, despite all its critics and all its faults, will eventually become the international shrine the Asper Family so desperately wants it to be. I have faith that eventually, someone will get it right. The Provencher Bridge itself has become a symbol for a can-do attitude that appears to have slowly, but surely, started to inhabit the hearts of our community.

Sure, we still have warts. All cities do. It’s just that since 1999, when the ballpark was built and that mud field strewn with broken bottles was turned into a place for people to gather outside in the summer, we seem to have fewer warts.

And that’s why I wonder about this month’s mayoral election. We have done so well for so long that something tells me we’ve decided we don’t have the jam to keep it up. At least, not at the pace we’re going. That little clown car that keeps spitting out mayoral candidates with nothing new to discuss worries me.

Since the day Mayor Sam Katz was elected, our mainstream media did everything possible to run him out of office. The Free Press and CBC reverted to little more than pure vitriol to chase Winnipeg’s first Jewish mayor from City Hall and they succeeded. Bully for them.

Despite all the good that has taken place in the last decade, the personal attacks on Katz just became more than anyone should be forced to bear. It made me understand why previous mayors had done everything possible to make NOTHING happen. They knew that when things happen, there will be critics and no mayor in Winnipeg’s history had more critics than Katz. Unless, maybe, it was Steve Juba.

So now, based on the alleged polls, we’re going to get Judy Wasylycia-Leis as our next mayor, a career NDP politician and pensioner who will, no doubt, be the puppet of the provincial NDP  government. It’s kind of incredible, but while I’ve paid attention to the mayor’s race, I haven’t heard one person tell me how he or she is going to continue to make Winnipeg a vibrant, healthy, progressive city. Fact is, this bunch hasn’t even had the heart to give us the same old, same old speech.

Gord Steeves wants to revisit photo radar and I’m down with that. Photo radar does nothing to improve driving in the city or make us safer, it just steals our money. It’s nothing more than another tax. After that, Gord’s going to fix infrastructure and try to get Grand Forks residents to visit Winnipeg. Sure, why not?

Brian Bowman has a nice smile and wants a chunk of the provincial government’s disgraceful 8% PST. Can’t argue with that one.

Robert-Falcon Ouelette seems to like light rail. I think we all do, but who’s going to pay for it? Well, we are, I suppose. Seems everyone but Steeves and Bowman wants to raise taxes immediately.

It appears that if Judy wins, there will be no one left at City Hall to fight the province on behalf of Winnipeg anymore and our taxes will rise in a frightening way. That makes me kind of sad. But hey, we’ve had a great run.

As I drive across the Provencher Bridge every morning and I see what a beautiful city this has become, I get goose bumps. I see those David Neufeld-camera shots from centrefield at the ballpark on Shaw TV and it makes me smile. I see Investors Group Field on TSN and the CMHR on CTV National and it makes me proud.

Winnipeg has, over the last decade, become a terrific city with a great future. I just hope the outcome of this month’s election doesn’t end all of that.

[RagingIce]

Winnipeg clearly needs to raise taxes - the property tax freeze Katz enacted is one of the large reasons we're running such a large infrastructure deficit. Taxes aren't a bad thing, they allow us to live in a civilized society - the conservative handwringing about taxes is a major reason Winnipeg has such a regressive stance on city planning. It's embarrassing to be honest. 

 

I'm not the biggest fan of JWL - I would prefer someone with a more ambitious vision, but given the alternatives of Bowman and Steeves, there really isn't any other option. And let's be clear - she's a large step up from Katz.

[The Unknown Poster]

Winnipeg clearly needs to raise taxes - the property tax freeze Katz enacted is one of the large reasons we're running such a large infrastructure deficit. Taxes aren't a bad thing, they allow us to live in a civilized society - the conservative handwringing about taxes is a major reason Winnipeg has such a regressive stance on city planning. It's embarrassing to be honest. 

 

I'm not the biggest fan of JWL - I would prefer someone with a more ambitious vision, but given the alternatives of Bowman and Steeves, there really isn't any other option. And let's be clear - she's a large step up from Katz.

No she's not.  It would be trading one sort of corruption for another.  She has zero grasp on anything.  She's an NDP puppet.

 

Taxes are a neccesary evil.  But the socialist method of throwing money at everything and financing everything through taxes is not the way.  I have no issue with a tax increase but when politicans tell me we "need" it while mis-managing current revenue, thats BS.  This falls on the province a lot too.  Winnipeg doesnt get its fair share of tax dollars.  I guess the good thing about a Judy win and the NDP fighting for their lives is, we will get lots of new shiny things.  Ofcourse, it will be coming out of our pockets.  And when the PC's win and tighten belts to pay off the NDP debt they will be accused of gutting services.  God forbid a government actually want to balance the budget.

 

I dont like everything about Bowman.  But I dont like anything about Judy.  And Steeves is the dictionary definition of empty suit.

[The Unknown Poster]

http://mytoba.ca/news/winnipeg-has-had-a-good-run-so-what-now/

 

 

SCOTT TAYLOR, MyToba.ca

I’m lucky. Every morning, as I head to my office, I get to drive over the Provencher Bridge past the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. As I come down the slope, off the bridge toward Shaw Park, I see one of the most beautiful cityscapes in the country.

I’m proud to be a Winnipegger. I live in a marvelous city. Sure, it’s an island on the prairie and winter is a nasty eight-month *****, but I’ve been in a lot of other places in nearly seven decades and I can’t think of a better spot in the world to live between June 1 and Sept. 30.

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Then again, I have a long, clear memory. I remember vividly when that drive over the Provencher Bridge was a civic embarrassment. I remember that in the place where the ballpark stands today was a mud field with nothing but a dead hydro substation and broken wine bottles. I remember when the Waterfront wasn’t even fit for the winos. I remember when The Forks was a nice idea.

Yeah, I remember when Main Street was a joke. I remember when our old football stadium was in such disrepair that the Football Club couldn’t improve the concessions for fear that pigeons would drop their business cards on the food. I remember when the Jets left town.

I remember when our old mayor, Bill Norrie, wouldn’t lift a finger to improve the city (unless you call a four-block rectangular brick mausoleum on Portage Avenue the future of architecture). I remember when his successor Susan Thompson did everything humanly possible to kill the construction of the ballpark in order to build an aquarium. I remember when we didn’t have an IKEA and most international businesses didn’t even know we existed.

I remember when Winnipeg was a one-horse dump of a town and most citizens had completely given up. It wasn’t that long ago.

But we’ve had a great decade. The new football stadium at the University of Manitoba is praised nationally. The Jets are back and as a result we’re perceived as a big part of our own nation again (and yes, perception is reality). The gentrification of the Waterfront has turned a growing part of our riverfront from slum to sensational. The CMHR, despite all its critics and all its faults, will eventually become the international shrine the Asper Family so desperately wants it to be. I have faith that eventually, someone will get it right. The Provencher Bridge itself has become a symbol for a can-do attitude that appears to have slowly, but surely, started to inhabit the hearts of our community.

Sure, we still have warts. All cities do. It’s just that since 1999, when the ballpark was built and that mud field strewn with broken bottles was turned into a place for people to gather outside in the summer, we seem to have fewer warts.

And that’s why I wonder about this month’s mayoral election. We have done so well for so long that something tells me we’ve decided we don’t have the jam to keep it up. At least, not at the pace we’re going. That little clown car that keeps spitting out mayoral candidates with nothing new to discuss worries me.

Since the day Mayor Sam Katz was elected, our mainstream media did everything possible to run him out of office. The Free Press and CBC reverted to little more than pure vitriol to chase Winnipeg’s first Jewish mayor from City Hall and they succeeded. Bully for them.

Despite all the good that has taken place in the last decade, the personal attacks on Katz just became more than anyone should be forced to bear. It made me understand why previous mayors had done everything possible to make NOTHING happen. They knew that when things happen, there will be critics and no mayor in Winnipeg’s history had more critics than Katz. Unless, maybe, it was Steve Juba.

So now, based on the alleged polls, we’re going to get Judy Wasylycia-Leis as our next mayor, a career NDP politician and pensioner who will, no doubt, be the puppet of the provincial NDP  government. It’s kind of incredible, but while I’ve paid attention to the mayor’s race, I haven’t heard one person tell me how he or she is going to continue to make Winnipeg a vibrant, healthy, progressive city. Fact is, this bunch hasn’t even had the heart to give us the same old, same old speech.

Gord Steeves wants to revisit photo radar and I’m down with that. Photo radar does nothing to improve driving in the city or make us safer, it just steals our money. It’s nothing more than another tax. After that, Gord’s going to fix infrastructure and try to get Grand Forks residents to visit Winnipeg. Sure, why not?

Brian Bowman has a nice smile and wants a chunk of the provincial government’s disgraceful 8% PST. Can’t argue with that one.

Robert-Falcon Ouelette seems to like light rail. I think we all do, but who’s going to pay for it? Well, we are, I suppose. Seems everyone but Steeves and Bowman wants to raise taxes immediately.

It appears that if Judy wins, there will be no one left at City Hall to fight the province on behalf of Winnipeg anymore and our taxes will rise in a frightening way. That makes me kind of sad. But hey, we’ve had a great run.

As I drive across the Provencher Bridge every morning and I see what a beautiful city this has become, I get goose bumps. I see those David Neufeld-camera shots from centrefield at the ballpark on Shaw TV and it makes me smile. I see Investors Group Field on TSN and the CMHR on CTV National and it makes me proud.

Winnipeg has, over the last decade, become a terrific city with a great future. I just hope the outcome of this month’s election doesn’t end all of that.

 

Good article by Taylor except his blind defense of the Katz.  Sammy had a sweetheart relationship with most media for years.  His falling out with the Freep was over coverage of his divorce.  The media in this town protected Sammy for a long time, until the walls caved in.

[Mr. Perfect]

BLOGS RAISE A LITTLE HELL

Judy: 3 X 4 = 12Tom Brodbeck - October 10th, 2014

It may come as no surprise to some, but it appears mayoral candidate Judy Wasylycia-Leis doesn’t know how to count.

Caught in an embarrassing moment during Thursday’s mayoralty debate, Wasylycia-Leis said her competitor Gord Steeves was “fearmongering” because of his claims that the former NDP MP was planning to raise property taxes by 12%.

Wasylycia-Leis has pledged to increase property taxes by 3% a year over the next four years.

However, it appears she needs some work on her times tables. Wasylycia-Leis couldn’t seem to figure out that a 3% property each year over the next four years results in a 12% tax hike.

“My good friend Gord here is doing a Sam Katz and he’s out there fearmongering,” said Wasylycia-Leis sitting next to Steeves and waiving her arms frantically.

“I drove here tonight, there was this huge billboard suggesting Judy’s going to raise your taxes by 12%,” said Wasylycia-Leis.

Um, yeah. That’s what you’re promising Judy.

“It’s dishonest and it’s fearmongering and I’d like to know why he’s engaged in these kinds of tactics that only produce cynicism among our young people and the electorate,” she said.

Oh, boy.

Just when you thought you’d seen the Full Judy, she does this.

Steeves couldn’t contain his laughter. But he did respond.

“I’m not an actuarial but what I did is I took the 3% and I multiplied it by the four years and I came up with the 12%,” said Steeves, prompting howls of laughter from the candidates and the studio audience. “I could run it again on my calculator if you like.”

An honest guffaw by Judy, or does she just have trouble with basic arithmetic?

Because last time I checked, 3 times 4 is 12.

“If it’s wrong I blame my campaign manager,” said Steeves. “But I’m pretty sure it’s right.”

Actually, Wasylycia-Leis’ original tax pledge when she kicked off her campaign in the summer was to raise property taxes at the combined rate of inflation and population growth. The media panel Thursday reminded her that under that calculation, a property tax increase would be about 3.5%, or 14% over four years.

“Wait a second, is it three and half?” said Steeves to more laughter. “I gotta change my billboards.”

The truth is, we don’t know how high taxes will go under Judy because she doesn’t even know that 3 times 4 is 12.

And she doesn’t appear to care. Her solution to city hall’s financial troubles is to jack up property taxes every year. She’s not interested in finding savings within city hall, including from its bloated bureaucracy. She just wants to dig deeper into taxpayers’ pockets.

She’s a New Democrat and that’s what NDPers believe in. That’s why when she was a cabinet minister in the 1980s her government jacked up the PST to 7%. And it’s why her government on Broadway increased that tax again to 8% last year.

I just wish Judy could work on her math a bit.