Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 5, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press 2000 b3 editor Julian Rachey 6977235 pm tells firms his win Good for them by Nahlah Ayed prime minister Jean Chretien declared his third majority a Mureall for traditional problems facing foreign businesses in Canada in a bid to attract american just a week after the liberals won their biggest majority since taking Power in Chretien met privately yesterday with More than 30 High tech and other business leaders to Tell them now that Hes everything is in the Early breakfast Chretien reportedly also said that one of the reasons he ran for a third term was opposition from those who didst want him to House prices expected to Rise 4 by Murray Mcneill House prices in Winnipeg will Rise by another four per cent next the third highest projected increase of nine major Canadian according to the latest housing Market forecast from Royal Lepage real estate services the real estate firm predicts the aver age Selling Price of a Home in Winnipeg will climb to just under in about higher than this years projected average Selling Price of of the nine major cities included in its Market Only Montreal at per cent and Ottawa at per cent Are expected to experience larger Price Royal Lepage if the average Selling Price does climb by four per cent next it would be one of the larger annual increases of the last decade in said Glenn Royal Depages area Man Ager for Ponomarenko noted this years increase is expected to be in the neighbourhood of per Royal Lepage said a Strong provincial near record Low unemployment rates and Federal and provincial income tax cuts have All helped fuel con Sumer Confidence and the demand for resale Homes in Winnipeg Over the last couple of and combined with a shortage of new has put upward pressure on House shopping season he said while House sales have slowed in november and in the Early part of that More because of win nip Eggers preoccupation with the Onset of Winter and the Christmas shopping season than to any sudden shift in mar Ket i think come the new were going to see activity pick he i think this is just temporary he said Royal Lepage is predicting that unit sales for next year will be Down Only slightly about per cent from this years total of about and the president of the Winnipeg real estate Board said that figure int out of line with what Wreb officials Are forecast ing for Rick Preston said the Wreb is on course to finish this year with just Over sales and anything Over that num Ber is considered to be a Good year for a Market like he said even if sales decline by per cent next year in Winnipeg that not a whole lot of that Only a couple of Hundred Royal Lepage also predicts the move up segment of the Market will once again outpace the segment of the Market in Ponomarenko said growing Young families will be looking to upgrade to larger there were Many of those including supporters of heir apparent finance minister Paul disillusioned lib opposition parties and Ordinary canadians who revealed in opinion polls they would have preferred a change in the Liberal he was saying in part the opposition to him running again in fact the inspiration for him running said Robert a native who is chairman of Durha based red hat a software Chretien would not speak to reporters after the he was reported to have told the Busi Ness people that Canadian voters Deci Sion to return his government to office makes the country More stable and his main message was that he was the one responsible for curbing Quebec separatism by weakening support for the bloc quebecois in the slashing taxes and boosting funding for his government nurtured the Economy and turned an operating deficit into a Chretien according to those who attended the Hes a he was Down Here said whose company has a presence in Toronto and is planning an so what Hes doing is really trying to get across the Point that Hes created an environment that business can be successful in Ron president of local biotech company said Chretien was open about Canadas problems in the the prime minister was extremely he told us his views about some of the controversial issues that youre facing in he it appears that his policies have been one that have promoted Trade Between our two in a min budget introduced just Days before the the liberals reduced taxes for Middle income canadians and Cut the capital gains the moves were roundly applauded by especially Startup High tech throughout the Chretien repeatedly promised he would do his Best to grow the new knowledge based he said his government would it shy from intervention that would help Speed up the Many of those invited yesterday were from relatively new but Sev eral represented giants such As Glaxo Lacatel and while Chretien made no specific promises to help these businesses in reaction to the Pep talk was positive yet sprinkled with Treyve got to perhaps think about lowering capital gains even More to bring in More venture said John who originally came from Canada but stayed after finishing graduate studies South of the his biotech paradigm has Only been around for three i think there forming the right Canadian press Ruth Bonnevie Winnipeg free press Charron videos senior Vic president with Videon up Debra Jonas Sonyoung says video demand lets viewers be Winni Eggers Welcome High tech to by Linda Rosborough it could be a decade or More before Canada converts fully to digital Tele vision but distributors Are get Ting were at that Point in time where every digital player is jockeying for said Ken an Otta abased mass Media in the United All to stations must be broadcasting in div by although they Are already doing so in the 30 largest american the current analog to system will be maintained there until at least there is no deadline Here but the expectation is that Canada will follow the Roll out within 18 months to two even with government Man dated digital its Clear analog and digital will coexist for some Industry observers say it could take a full generation for the Market to fully absorb digital it is Likely analog stations will be available in Canada until at least according to Canadian digital Televik an Industry driven in the there Are some dig ital offerings available in direct Home satellite subscribers can receive programming in Standard definition a div and High definition satellite providers offer digital services More on Way a div digital that requires hardware from the satellite company As Well As a digital to analog converter set top Box for your whether its a new digital ready or an old analog last local Cable companies began vying for their piece of the dig ital for competitive Cable companies wont reveal numbers of Digi Tal but both Videon and Shaw say the Market in Winnipeg for the new ser vice is As fast As the boxes Are coming in the were installing said Greg videos director of its very Videon is also rolling out digital Cable this week in several communities outside including Stonewall and Darryl Shaws regional sys tem says the demand for dig ital Cable has gone beyond what Shaw As fast As the boxes Are coming in the were installing Greg videos director of programming had budgeted similar to the satellite some special equipment but not necessarily a new to is digital subscribers must Purchase or rent set top boxes that convert the digital signal for viewing on analog the converter costs about to own outright and subscribers pay about a month for the most popular con tent that package includes All the regular analog Cable As Well As superstition and family plus dozens of commercial digital music channels in a Vari Ety of a number of specially such As Black entertainment television network and multicultural Are also if viewers choose to rent the set top Cable companies usually charge about or a month on top of the programming As a result of the Canadian radio television and telecommunications commissions latest round of Cable companies will have to carry 10 category 1 digital channels on their Basic digital beyond there could be dozens More digital specially channels for carriers and Consumers to choose from in category channels that Are to be licensed on a More open Cable companies wont be forced to carry but Are free to offer with analog space filled to producers and Cable companies Are looking to digital technology to help them offer More options to digital eliminates that Schmidt said of the crowded analog we have the its wheres the Content digital subscribers like the improved picture and Schmidt but Are also keen for More pro Videon plans to launch its video on demand Vod service next that service a digital paper View will allow Consumers to time to not have to wait for predetermined Start times for a and will permit rewinding and fast in partnership with Alliance Shaw has a Vod credit Union rebate sets record signature Faltys Stul by Geoff Elf Byron the Steinbach credit Union has announced the biggest member Cash rebate in Manitoba the 59yearold credit the largest in the province with assets of More than will give nearly million Back to its approximately members by next this is the largest Cash rebate that we Are aware its a sign of Good operations from Steinbach perspective that abbe to return this to their said Garth chief executive offi cer of the credit Union Central of this years rebate is up from 144 Milun last increase that Glenn general manager at attributed to its per cent growth in assets this Fol lowing eight per cent growth in weve had another very Success Ful year with Good much of that comes from customers leaving the its Worth the Friesen noting that More than on third of the credit unions new members live in Winnipeg and must make the 45minute drive to Steinbach to open their once the vast majority of their Bof Nkang services can be accessed via the internet and the credit Union centrals atm network in the Cash rebate includes a one per cent increase on variable Trif and rates for never obey and a on Quarter cent in Flease for of 5jqq0 on sayings deposits and a per cent refund of interest paid this year on rate residential rebates in registered plans will be put Durej Coly info members Grifs and while other rebates will be deposited into chequing and savings by Martin Cash in the trend toward More vertical Inte Gration in the travel signature a vacation has bought Sun a National Chain of discount travel local observers and officials from both companies said the combination made a lot of sense and surprised no Martha an official with Sig nature in said the trend toward vacation package companies owning More elements of the Industry has been taking place More aggressively else where in the the British company that owns signature owns an airline and travel agencies in the United King Dom and several other suppliers to the vacation Industry around the this is not unique to in fact were the last kid on the Block to get Chapman said in a Telephone interview Sun holidays was acquired to secure greater control and certainty Over the distribution of signatures tour packages that it relies on the travel Agency Busi Ness to Chapman diversification is the Way of the future for said president John Macneill in a prepared when we own not just one but Many aspects of the Holiday package expert we can offer better bulk buying More clout and greater Quality absolutely predictable Max owner of the great Canadian travel company in Winnipeg and president of the Alliance of Canad an travel agencies in said the combination was absolutely predictable in that the other tour wholesalers have been doing the same it signatures owner has been very successful with the vertical integration strategy in the Home i suppose there is no reason to assume it wont Hap pen Johnson terms of the Deal to acquire the 36 outlet Chain were not but Chapman said signatures expectations Are to increase suns presence across the country by opening More outlets and hiring More Chapman said Sun holidays will still sell vacations for other but signature can count on a More reliable distribution Canada air transit and Sun signatures main Competition in the vacation packaging business in Cana All own travel agencies and other ele ments of the Pat signatures sales and marketing manager in said the Deal will provide More control of the distribution for the company Winnipeg outbound signature has a staff of about 30 peo ple in the office handles a couple of National functions for Signa including special requests for deviations from the Standard packages and hotel and other land services for South Western packaged with air Canada Sun has offices in Winnipeg and bran and a total of 11 v ;