Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 17, 1979, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press March 1979 City news it leaves you 2nd class mail registration number 0286 option parties agree two historic buildings May escape demolition two downtown historic buildings owned by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce wont be com ing Down at least not for a heritage the Manitoba historical and the Bank have agreed there May be an option other than demolition for the Hamilton building at 395 main Street and the Bank of Commerce at 389 main in two letters to the civic Environ ment both historic organizations indicate a feasible but undisclosed alternative to demolition of the structures has been because the Banks head office has to ratify any recommendations on the preservation proponents will be asking the environment committee monday to delay its Deci Sion on the matter for another the Commerce Bank appealed when the two buildings were put on the cites preservation list last permission to demolish them was requested from the environment committee because of excessive maintenance the Upkeep of the two buildings from to Cost the Bank the italian Marble Bank of Commerce constructed in has been vacant since the Renaissance style Hamilton built in Hast had a tenant for Over a the Bank has indicated that the property be redeveloped immediately after demolition of the historic a Small Park is planned for both Sites in the judge questions Irvine contract Duncan Lennox spent 32 years with City solicitor v for City to retire City solicitor Duncan Lennox is retiring after 32 years service with the his still to be will head a team of 12 staff will begin vacation april 24 prior to effective june a Winnipeg Lennox is a graduate of the University of Manitoba Law he was called to the bar in just before serving five years duty with the Royal Cana Dian Navy Volunteer Reserve in the second world after the War he joined the Legal department in the City of Winnipeg was made Deputy corporation counsel in i960 and be came corporation counsel the follow ing year in the metro adm Nistra he was made Queens counsel in he retained the top Legal Post upon creation of uni City in he recalled activity during metro government As exciting years for the evolution of expropriation and planning the tremendous variety of work included drafting policies and numerous court and providing City Council with Legal Opin theres always something going on when youre dealing with things affecting people throughout the he he and his wife Freda have six Chil was there any right of the chief of police to enter into a contract of any kind that was binding on the City asked Justice Benjamin Hewak at the final Day Friday of two Days of Legal argument in the Susan Irvine the two City police unions Are ask ing the judge to declare invalid a con tract signed by police chief Norman Stewart and Constable by which she would be assigned to the University of Manitoba Law school while drawing her full police for its the City joins with the unions in asking the judge to declare the contract and also asks the judge to nullify a Manitoba police commission order quashing a pre Vious Winnipeg police commission order firing the Winnipeg police commission fired her after she refused to return to her constables duties instead of going to Law As her contract assigned her to judge Hewak adjourned the civil proceeding indefinitely Friday and asked for written argument from both assistant City solicitor Frank Steele and Irvine lawyer Gerald Parkinson on whether chief Stewart had the authority to sign such a contract with Irvine and whether the City police commission had authority to instruct him to enter into an agreement with As it did in a june 1978 Parkinson argued that the City to Steen condition still critical mayor Robert Steens condition re Mains critical but a Hospital spokesman said Early was admitted to Miseri Cordia Hospital March 6 with a Chest it was later reported that he is suffering from a lice commission is Given bylaw authority to administer the police department in any Way it sees As Long As its within the budget set by City and the chief is at the direction of the police thus he argued the contract is valid and is properly authorized and exe Steele said no department head May sign a contract of this that it must be signed by the City corporations proper signing offi cers the mayor and City clerk to be and that this is provided in the provincial City of Winnipeg he said neither As a Mem Ber of the Winnipeg police association and thus covered by that groups collective agreement with the nor As a department had authority to execute the con Parkinson argued that the City of Winnipeg act does not specify the mayor and City clerk must sign a contract in order for it to be both sides earlier argued the propriety of the Manitoba police com missions order nullifying the City police commission firing of Steele said it should be overturned because it represented a denial of natural Justice and because the provincial commission exceeded its jurisdiction in certain matters it con Parkinson said there was no excessive jurisdiction exercised and that matters Steele now says the commission have consid ered were matters Steele himself raised at the commission Parkinson said the commission declined to Rule on either the Validity or invalidity of the and did not exceed jurisdiction pending Hewak judgment in this Irvine is attending Law still has police officer status and her salary is accruing in Steele photo by Dave former has Spring sprung at last Brenda Atkins of Jame Assiniboia is convinced it has As she welcomes the suns warm rays Friday on a swing in Bruce the Weatherman Doest seem to be in too big a hurry to usher the season he says this mornings fog patches will be followed by Cloudy periods and a High of the Outlook for sunday is Cloudy periods and of theres always pension plan had million surplus at end of report says at least one City pension scheme recorded a despite the ups and Downs of the Economy from 1973 the metro pension plan chalked up an actuarial surplus of million As of the end of a report released Friday the benefits of the surplus will be by members of the former greater Winnipeg transit who will reap 30 per cent increases in pensions upon says the report to be discussed by finance committee since Only 28 members still contrib Ute to the the actuarial report recommends that not More than half of the surplus be used to improve almost million will be carried Forward As a contingency the Success of the metro scheme contrasts with the deficit announced by the civic pension fund late last the report says the economic assumptions used for the metro plan were More conservative than those for the civic investment calculations for the civic fund were based on projections that staff salaries would increase Only six per cent a some eventually increased considerably More than the metro plan also used different investment which May have favored the says the re major struggle is shaping up in new Riding of fort Garry a major Battle is expected to take place in fort Garry during the Federal election Campaign with a for Mer Liberal Cabinet now an Independent locked in a struggle with the provinces Only Liberal la for the right to represent the new constituency of Winni Peg fort James defence minister in prime minister tru Deaus Cabinet before he defected Over is expected to announce his intentions to seek re election in the new constituency As soon As the prime minister announces the Date of the he will be running against Lloyd the Lone Liberal in the Manitoba who declared Friday he will seek election to parliament in Winnipeg fort Richardson in an interview Friday said Axworthy has no Chance of winning because he is a Strong sup Porter of prime minister Trudeau Richardson said As soon As the prime minister announces the Date of the Federal election he will consult with his constituency executive and with the canadians for one Cana group formed in support of his views on bilingualism executive and announce his he indicated he is ready to run but declined to make a statement until he has met with his at a Friday news conference announcing his Axworthy said he was confident the liberals would win the next As for his chances of he said he has been known As a cautious politician and be running if i didst think i could under redistribution the existing constituency of Winnipeg South will it becomes part of the new Winnipeg fort Garry cons Titu Richardson was the Liberal for Winnipeg South in the commons up until his decision to Cross the floor and sit with the opposition maps As an he was elected to the commons in the year when Trudeau became Leader of the Liber Al party and prime he was reelected in 1972 and he served As minister of services and Supply in the Trudeau govern ment and later As defence but he refused to accept the prime ministers policies on bilingualism claiming they were dividing the country More than uniting it and he warned canadians that Trudeau determination to incorporate the two official languages program in the Constitution was dangerous to the future of Richardson said the people in his constituency have told him they will be Happy to have him run As an inde pendent because it would mean they would not have to vote for Trudeau or for Joe he plans if he seeks reelection to run As an ind Epen Liberal nomination Date in the new Winnipeg fort Garry Riding has been set for april Axworthy assuming a Federal election Call would be coming in the next couple of weeks or he would he resign ing his provincial seat shortly after the Axworthy has represented the provincial Riding of fort Rouge for the last six his decision to seek Federal office leaves the party with out a representative in the Assem he said while he really regrets leaving the legislature and leaving his party without a voice in the legis he thinks there Are All kinds of liberals who could win a by election in the fort Rouge he admitted he has ambitions to be a Federal Cabinet but said there Are certainly no standing offers from the prime minister of Fering him a Cabinet Post if he wins Axworthy said he thinks Manitoba needs a government Side member to look after provincial and Winnipeg singling out rail relocation As just one area in which a Winnipeg voice is needed federally on a full time provincial government services minister Sidney widely rumoured As a possible conservative candidate in the Winnipeg fort Garry Riding since he was ousted from the provincial party Leader ship by Premier Sterling has declined to say whether he will run James Richardson ;