Canadian Politics

[Tracker]

A helpful tip I learned as a first responder in rural areas: If you are about to hit a deer, or other wildlife while you are driving, do NOT EVER try to miss it. The natural reflexive movement is to crank the steering wheel over and then you are heading into the ditch at high speed with your front wheels turned sharply to the right. As your front wheels dig into the ditch, your momentum will cause the vehicle to barrel-roll or, worse yet do an endo. Your survival chances are much, much better  if you hit the unfortunate creature dead center. If you have no option but to go into the ditch, point your front wheels straight ahead. And remember, ANYTHING, ANYTHING is preferable to a head-on collision. Saved my bacon a couple of times.

[iHeart]

 

[SpeedFlex27]

On 2021-12-23 at 8:18 PM, FrostyWinnipeg said:

And now the rest of the story...

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/mla-trapped-in-suv-slowly-dying-for-hours-as-witnesses-unable-to-help-575967922.html

Paywall. Can somebody show this story?

[Mark H.]

On 2021-12-18 at 8:33 AM, the watcher said:

I did. The last thing this province needs right now is someone taking a flame thrower to the government. The last thing this province needs is Glover in command.

PC strategists are now saying Glover had ballot boxes all over the Bible Belt.  Are we supposed to believe Stephenson didn't?

[blue_gold_84]

9 hours ago, iHeart said:

 

You misspelled stupidity, Ron.

[GCn20]

On 2021-12-23 at 9:18 PM, FrostyWinnipeg said:

And now the rest of the story...

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/mla-trapped-in-suv-slowly-dying-for-hours-as-witnesses-unable-to-help-575967922.html

First off let me say that Danielle Adams was a good personal friend of mine. She worked for me in her younger years, and we worked together on many charitable projects in the City of Thompson. It is with a heavy heart I respond to this.

I just want to say that a lot of EMS response just isn't possible in a timely fashion in much of the North. Geographic distance between destinations just doesn't allow it. Where her accident occurred she was 2 hours away in any direction from the lifesaving equipment she needed which is the Jaws of Life. There is nowhere to even station one if the province wanted to. It is a lonely stretch of highway without even so much as a gas station for 400 kms. 

Having had a business and now a 2nd home in the North, I make the trip from Thompson to Winnipeg or vice versa 20 times a winter. In those years I have learned the lesson that one must be exceptionally aware of the weather forecast and highway conditions when planning your trip and have the flexibility to postpone travel until plows and/or weather improves or at the very least be willing to travel well below the speed limit in the trail position for hours on end. I have had near misses trying to pass semis kicking up white out passing conditions and now I just don't travel in the road/weather conditions like there were that day. I feel deeply for her and her family and wish she would have delayed her trip by a day instead of heading out into a blizzard like I am hearing she discussed with her husband. Thompson lost a good person that day. I wish her family all the best and sincerely hope that any members here planning a trip up North will heed my advice to do your homework on weather and road conditions before you come North, and if travelling here is unavoidable in bad weather be patient and arrive safely.

Please do not think I am placing any of the blame on Adams for her tragedy. I am not. I am just trying to pass on lessons I have learnt over 30 years of travel down that road. Once you hit North of Grand Rapids the tree line to the road is narrow and snow is not swept off the road by the wind. It makes snow accumulation a big problem on the highway and it is very long stretch of highway to keep clear even if the plows were going 24 hours a day. 

Edited December 31, 2021 by GCn20

[Tracker]

11 hours ago, iHeart said:

 

Same old story- a lying Tory.  If this had not become public, Schuyler would still be in cabinet.

2 hours ago, Mark H. said:

PC strategists are now saying Glover had ballot boxes all over the Bible Belt.  Are we supposed to believe Stephenson didn't?

The only surprise in all this is that the knives have remained sheathed for as long as they did.  If the PCs were riding high in the polls, this would not be an issue- they have self-inflicted wounds and need to find a scapegoat. 

[WildPath]

Didn't know if I should put this in Covid or Politics, but I have some problems with the way PC MLA's have been handing out masks.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/rural-manitoba--liquor-marts-to-offer-masks-575994022.html

"They are readily available for sale at many commercial operations, so we don’t really want to compete with them too much," Central Services Minister Reg Helwer said."

When I got mine from Audrey Gordon's office they mentioned that it was a gift from Audrey. Apparently Jon Reyes was taking down emails and home addresses when giving out masks along with handing out his business cards with boxes of masks.

[JCon]

2 hours ago, WildPath said:

"They are readily available for sale at many commercial operations, so we don’t really want to compete with them too much," Central Services Minister Reg Helwer said."

These murderclowns are the worst. The gall of the PCs. I can't wait until they are out of power. God help the PC candidate that comes to my house during the by-election. 

 

 

 

 

[MOBomberFan]

On 2021-12-30 at 10:43 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

Paywall. Can somebody show this story?

Spoiler

MLA trapped in SUV, slowly dying for hours as witnesses unable to help

Dylan Robertson December 23, 2021

It took hours for emergency responders to get the proper equipment to free a critically ill Manitoba politician from her SUV after she collided with a fuel truck on Highway 6 in northern Manitoba earlier this month, the Free Press has learned.

Danielle Adams, the 38-year-old NDP MLA for Thompson, who was married and had two sons, died on the remote spot 200 kilometres south of Thompson a short time after being pulled out of the vehicle.

 

Witnesses have told the Free Press 911 and emergency-dispatch lines were called multiple times and appropriately trained medical help only arrived after she had succumbed to her injuries.

Witnesses said it was an excruciating wait for help.

"The trauma to the people who saw it … the sight of the accident and the condition of Danielle; she needed help immediately," said Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook.

"It’s just a shame that somebody had to die to get everything looked at."

Northern leaders say the tragedy underscores the danger routinely faced by people who live in Manitoba’s vast north. They want the province to hold an inquest to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. For example, they say inadequate snow clearing on the long stretches of open highway forces drivers to stay in the middle of the road to avoid snowdrifts.

Adams left home in Thompson around 10 a.m. on Dec. 9, to drive 750 kilometres south to Winnipeg, where she was to attend an NDP fundraiser the following night. Fifty kilometres south of Ponton, Adams’ SUV collided with a gas truck, and she was pinned inside.

Several people familiar with the incident say the SUV connected with the hands-free emergency call service On Star, but that Adams had trouble speaking.

RCMP say they were dispatched at 11:24 a.m., and an officer arrived on the scene at 12:20 p.m. after driving more than 85 km "in very poor winter driving conditions," the force said.

The highway had only been partially cleared — either by a grader or by semi-trucks that make tracks in unplowed snow. Under either condition, people often drive in the same lane with their headlights on and move over when another vehicle approaches.

 

"Because the area is so large now, it takes them a long time to get the one (side plowed). So then everybody’s travelling on the wrong side of the road," said NDP MLA Tom Lindsey, who represents Flin Flon, another vast northern riding.

"(When) you get behind a semi and it’s snowing, you can’t really tell which side of the road you’re on."

Hours before the crash, Lindsey had sent Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler a letter that detailed concerns about the quality of snow removal on Highway 6, the main north-south link in Manitoba.

Numerous people told the Free Press that at least one first-responder arrived at the crash site expecting a fuel leak, and had no clue someone was in critical condition.

A day after the crash, RCMP said neither speed nor alcohol was a factor in the incident.

NDP MP Niki Ashton has written to Manitoba’s chief medical examiner, calling for an inquest to probe the slow emergency response and road-clearing practices.

 

"This isn’t about assigning fault; this is about finding out where the gaps were, where there were problems, and improving them," said Ashton, who was Adams’ friend since high school and hired her as a constituency office worker before Adams successfully ran for MLA in 2019.

That office has had a torrent of calls from people who were on the scene, community leaders and those who frequently drive on Highway 6.

"This is top of mind for a lot of people, and they want to see answers to the serious questions that they have."

Smook echoed Ashton’s call for an inquest.

In a statement, Manitoba Infrastructure said it reviews every serious collision for possible safety improvements, in lockstep with local communities.

"Manitoba Infrastructure’s highway maintenance staff monitor road conditions in northern communities and co-ordinate snow-clearing operations within the constraints of weather and geographic distances," wrote a spokeswoman.

"The department uses a blended service delivery model for snow-clearing operations through a combination of internal, external and local government forces."

Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew said he met recently with Premier Heather Stefanson to discuss concerns about response times and road-clearing.

He said Stefanson and Schuler were receptive to their concerns.

"I don’t want to politicize Danielle’s death. So, the reason why we are working to provide answers to the family is because I believe this is the same thing Danielle would have done, had this tragedy befallen another person in the north," said Kinew.

"It’s really sad when a family’s grief is compounded by having unanswered questions, in the wake of losing a loved one."

A group of northern mayors is working on a proposal to improve road safety in the region, and they hope to present it to the province next month.

Snow Lake Mayor Peter Roberts said that includes adding passing lanes, improving cellphone service and better snow clearing.

"Our fire department is probably a little more overwhelmed than myself," Roberts said, adding they’ve responded to roughly five fatalities on Highway 6 since the spring.

"That’s unheard of up here in the north."

He and Smook said they’d like an inventory of resources in each community so 911 dispatchers know from where they can dispatch a helicopter that can hold a stretcher, or the right device to extricate someone from a vehicle.

Smook believes these services have been cut back, and she said mayors will go beyond simply discussing their needs.

"This time, it will go beyond the talking phase; we’ll be holding people accountable," she said.

Adams’ death has shaken people who regularly use Highway 6.

"It’s very unsettling. I’ve had children travelling the road this past week. If they get in an accident, or come upon one, it could be hours before somebody who has any experience gets to the scene."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca

 

[rebusrankin]

Has anybody seen Heather? Asking for Manitoba.

[Tracker]

2 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

Has anybody seen Heather? Asking for Manitoba.

She has adopted the Ron DeSantis approach to dealing with the pandemic. You cannot be asked difficult to answer questions if you cannot be found. 

[WildPath]

2 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

Has anybody seen Heather? Asking for Manitoba.

I think part of it is waiting to see what other places do so we have an excuse for action/inaction. At a time where leadership, foresight and planning are desperately needed, citizens of Manitoba have been left high and dry. We've known a large Covid wave was coming for a long time, but little has been done. We've come up with a dubious and short-sighted plan to try to keep the economy - reducing isolation times when Covid is contracted, but don't have a plan for the 'keeping people alive with a functioning healthcare system' side of things. Priorities...

[SpeedFlex27]

I don't want to quote the story about the death of the Thompson MLA last month as it has now been quoted a couple of times. I just want to say I'm sorry for Danielle Adams & her family. 

I lived in Thompson for two years from 1989 to 91. I was an Independent Adjuster which meant I was on the road travelling a lot to places like South Indian Lake, Cross Lake, Leaf Rapids & Lynn Lake. In the winter I'd use the winter roads to get to isolated communities I'd have to fly to in the summer. 

In January of 1990, there was a house fire in Lynn Lake. I had to get up there quickly & coundn't get a seat on the flight from Thompson to Lynne Lake so I decided to drive. Normally, it's a 6 hour drive but it had snowed the night before & the Hwy (391) wasn't plowed. No problem I thought. I had a brand new 4WD 1989 Ford Bronco II with new snow tires so I took off driving early, early the next morning. Got to Lynne Lake at about 1 PM with no issues. I adjusted the claim & left to go home about 5 pm in the dark. 

The Hwy was plowed by then but somewhere between Leaf Rapids &  Thompson, I slid off the road on a curve on sheer ice & hit the ditch. There I was sitting in the ditch in the dark amid minus 35 temps wondering what to do? Trying not to panic, I thought through my options. Like, should I walk to what I thought was a nearby telephone tower to call for help but wisely decided to stay with my vehicle.

I had burned my clutch out rocking my SUV back & forth trying to get unstuck. A pickup truck appeared in about the third hour. He stopped, came over when he saw my vehicle running with the lights on. The guy might have saved my life as I was nearly out of gas. We sat in his truck for a long while saying he won't leave me as it's too dangerous to be alone. 

A semi truck & trailer drove up to us & stopped. He had a chain & attached it to my SUV & pulled it out of the ditch & deep snow & went on his way. We then drove to that telephone tower (about 15 klms away) so glad I didn't try to walk in the brutal cold & dark as I may not have made it back to my Bronco. I was able to call my wife, tell her I was alright & not to worry. I then called a towing company in Thompson who arrived hours later. All the while the young guy never left my side with his warm truck. 

Tow truck finally arrived, picked up my SUV & towed my vehicle. I went with their driver back to Thompson. The pickup truck driver finally left & went on his way. He was a young First Nations guy who I'll never forget. That was quite the harrowing day. With the darkness & cold things could have turned out a lot differently. My decision to stay with my truck may have been the smartest choice I ever made. 

When you hear people say to never leave your vehicle & try to walk alone, they are telling the truth. Making the wrong decision will leave you dead in the bitter cold. 

Edited January 4, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[JCon]

On 2022-01-01 at 4:45 PM, JCon said:

These murderclowns are the worst. The gall of the PCs. I can't wait until they are out of power. God help the PC candidate that comes to my house during the by-election. 

 

 

 

 

Obby Khan will be the nominee, I'm sure. It's quite a who's who in Fort Whyte this time. Trudy Schroeder, Willard Reaves and now, Obby Khan. 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Manitoba cabinet minister under fire for tweet of wife shoveling snow after 12-hour hospital shift

Edited January 9, 2022 by FrostyWinnipeg

[rebusrankin]

The PCs have a pool for dumbest twitter post right?

[Tracker]

3 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

The PCs have a pool for dumbest twitter post right?

They haven't needed social media to display and confirm that some have the IQs and personal awareness of potatoes.

[blue_gold_84]

[Noeller]

wow she fell below Kenney....that takes some effort. 

[bustamente]

Conservatives are going to be dismantled after the next election, other 2 parties are garbage too so not much hope for a proactive and forward thinking direction for the province in the coming years

[WildPath]

1 hour ago, bustamente said:

Conservatives are going to be dismantled after the next election, other 2 parties are garbage too so not much hope for a proactive and forward thinking direction for the province in the coming years

I still maintain that the provincial Liberals are clearly better than either the PCs or NDP currently. They don't have a chance of forming government, but having a legitimate third party helps keep whoever wins the next election in check. We've seen what majority governments (especially with the secret bills the PCs introduced last year) look like in this province and its usually not good, regardless of political allegiances. There's too much "Vote for us, we're not the PCs. They would ruin the province.", "Vote for us, we're not the NDP. They would ruin the province."

Having Liberals as a legitimate third party and potentially holding the balance of power could begin with Willard Reaves winning Pallister's old seat in the coming months.

[JCon]

4 minutes ago, WildPath said:

I still maintain that the provincial Liberals are clearly better than either the PCs or NDP currently. They don't have a chance of forming government, but having a legitimate third party helps keep whoever wins the next election in check. We've seen what majority governments (especially with the secret bills the PCs introduced last year) look like in this province and its usually not good, regardless of political allegiances. There's too much "Vote for us, we're not the PCs. They would ruin the province.", "Vote for us, we're not the NDP. They would ruin the province."

Having Liberals as a legitimate third party and potentially holding the balance of power could begin with Willard Reaves winning Pallister's old seat in the coming months.

This is a pretty safe seat for the PCs. I would be shocked, even if with their ineptitude, if they lost it. 

[WildPath]

1 minute ago, JCon said:

This is a pretty safe seat for the PCs. I would be shocked, even if with their ineptitude, if they lost it. 

Agreed. They pretty much tripled any other party in 2019. But that was when they had an experienced politician and the premier of the province running in the riding. Before there was outrage with the party overall and with Pallister in particular. The approval rating of 21% for Stefanson might indicate a chance for another party to steal a seat. The last time any party came close to winning Forty Whyte was the Liberals in 2012 and the PCs won't have the benefit of an experienced and well-known candidate for the first time in over 2 decades.

[Sard]

16 minutes ago, WildPath said:

Agreed. They pretty much tripled any other party in 2019. But that was when they had an experienced politician and the premier of the province running in the riding. Before there was outrage with the party overall and with Pallister in particular. The approval rating of 21% for Stefanson might indicate a chance for another party to steal a seat. The last time any party came close to winning Forty Whyte was the Liberals in 2012 and the PCs won't have the benefit of an experienced and well-known candidate for the first time in over 2 decades.

Pretty sure Obby Khan is well known.  He's not the candidate for the area yet, but he's thrown his hat in the ring for it.