Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 18, 2007, Winnipeg, Manitoba A6 Manitoba Winnipeg free press tuesday december 18, 2007 Winnipeg repress. Com All incentives to dealer. $ 1500 rebate included in lieu of 3 for free. Dlr. # 0765 1900 main Street 1 866 387 0052 shop online wow. Easter Chrysler. Com open 24 hrs 46,000 Ems. 2.4l, loaded with trailer Tow prep Gap Driver convenience group Power Sunroof. St 7679 was $ 25,370 $ 22,999 $ 19,990 2007 jeep Compass 2005 grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 boxing week Sale the amerique Diamond � three a a Stone engagement ring from $ 8,075 five a a Stone anniversary band from $ 7,250 solitaire engagement ring from $ 4,500 Birks. Com 1.800.682.2622 seasons greetings from k e Fri Irvin Ross la for fort Garry 200 Princess St. 667 0000 seasons greetings from Marilyn Brick la for St. Norbert t he source on the other end of the phone was a Long time Liberal who had some dirt to dish. It was 1996, and the source wanted me to know that Ginny Hasselfield then Leader of the provincial Liberal party had received Unte dered contracts from the Federal Liberal government to perform human resource counselling for immigrants. Yes thatus a Liberal ratting out a Liberal. It May seem strange but its How they do things in the grit Dom i and another reporter at the free press checked into Hassel Fields company and the contracts. We confirmed the contracts were Unte dered. But beyond that fact it a snot much of a Story. Federal Liberal regional minister Lloyd Axworthy had the discretion and authority to award the contracts. Hassel Fields company had been doing this kind of work for years and seemed to have quite a bit of Success. Was it patronage by almost every measurement you bet your life it was. Was it a scandal not really. Her detractors May not like it but Hasselfield had a successful business track record and credentials to justify the Federal contract. The fact she was a Liberal did not Hurt. I had cause to recall the Hasselfield Story last week while opposition maps were howling about a round of patronage appointments by prime minister Stephen Harper. The Leader of Canadas new government utilized a rather old strategy when seven of 11 appointments to Federal boards Crown corporations agencies and panels went to Loyal tories. Among those appointed was former Manitoba tory Cabinet minister Harold Gilleshammer who most recently had been toiling As an aide to current Brandon Souris tory my Merv Tweed. Gilleshammer was appointed As a citizenship judge a Post that will pay up to $ 97,400 annually. Nip my Judy was lycia leis leapt on the Issue like a starving dog pouncing on a pork chop. It raises suspicions about the government just like the liberals using patronage to Reward their friends the Winnipeg my lamented. Was lycia leis was right about one thing. The tories Are doing exactly what the Federal liberals did for the decade they were in Power. In fact the tories Are doing exactly what every Federal and provincial government in this country has done even in Manitoba where the nip has certainly done its part to keep the grand institution of patronage alive. Have you scrutinized the Manitoba Hydro Board of directors lately All that reveals the real scandal Here. Namely Why do politicians devote any time to criticizing each other for patronage appointments As a former provincial Cabinet minister was lycia leis knows that patronage can be a valuable and justifiable tool. In Ottawa she and the rest of the nip caucus Are free to criticize the government of the Day because Well they a vent formed government at the Federal level and dont look like they re going to any time soon. Apart from opposition politicians indulging in attacks of convenience the greatest howl about patronage seems to come from members of the general Public who Arentt on anybody yes list As candidates for a patronage appointment. Many of these citizens dont participate in politics at any level because they think its beneath them. Those who do get patronage appointments generally earn them through Long careers As politicians political aides or nameless faceless operatives who do All the heavy lifting for political parties. Many Are Volunteer fundraisers and organizers who take time away from family and Job to support a party. At some Point in our political history that kind of service became dishonourable. Perhaps it is a natural byproduct of a scam the Mulroney Schreiber affair and All the other horrible political scandals that have gripped our country. There is no escaping the fact that not All patronage appointments pass the smell test. Former prime minister Jean Chretien is decision in 2002 to name disgraced Cabinet minister Alfonso Gagliano As Canadas ambassador to Denmark was a shameless and desperate act. But it would be unfair to portray every patronage appointment As undeserving. By scrutinizing each appointment individually those that Are truly indefensible can be identified. Its just Plain wrong to exclude somebody who actually participates in politics from reaping a Reward for their contribution. If More people took the time to participate in politics they would probably see the Noble purpose in some acts of patronage. In Large part thatus because the eyed be getting a piece of the action. Dan. Lett free press. My. Ca political appointees get raises a10 by Marie to Proulx r renowned Winnipeg architect Hein Hulsebosch has a new motto do what you want to do and do it now. The 67 year old Hulsebosch is Back from 18 months in the Maldive islands where he led Canadian red Cross reconstruction efforts following the 2004 tsunami. His team first helped Clear rubble left behind by rising Waters. They then repaired existing structures built new waste management centres Small Community buildings and Walls and fencing for sports Fields. The maldives Republic is spread across 990 islands Southwest of India which makes communications and transportation challenging for foreign Aid workers and the country is 300,000 inhabitants. Hulsebosch said his first impression was one of total confusion. There was no organized Public transport. We had to use privately owned shallow Bottom traditional vessels he explained. A few Speed boats and Canadian Otter float planes were available but those were too expensive to use regularly. Although the tsunami was not As deadly in the maldives As in other Southeast asian countries it caused significant infrastructure damage and forced the internal displacement of approximately 15,000 people. One of the projects the International federation of the red Cross is spearheading is the settlement of a previously uninhabited Island called Dhu Vaafatu where hundreds of houses a school a health Centre and a mosque Are in the process of being built. Unlike the United nations development program which was in charge of determining who qualified for shelter and other resources Hulsebosch said his teams mandate did not involve making such decisions. They held planning meetings with local groups to assess the infrastructure needs of each Community and through consultation decided How the work would be implemented. This was not without challenges he said. People Are divided even within the same Island because of a Lack of resources. Cultural and tribal differences also play a role in social interactions and governance. Sunni muslims for instance were not especially Well disposed to the Central government in Mali he noted. In Hulsbos Schus assessment the initial disaster management Centre set up by the authorities was military style but fairly effective. One of the red crosses main partners on the ground was the ministry of youth and sports. Although it was staffed by reasonably capable project managers Hulsebosch said they were not up to the incredible volume of work that landed on them. When the Waves rushed in broken Coral was deposited on playing Fields. After the water receded the Fields were no longer Safe for childrens games and a omens traditional dancing. There is so Little to do for entertainment on these islands Hulsebosch said that resurfacing those Fields quickly became a priority. Walls and fencing followed. A kid May grow up to be a fundamentalist but right now he likes to play soccer Hulsebosch said. Establishing a Field office in the Maldive islands took two years a lot of Effort by about a Hundred Canadian Aid workers and an enterprising spirit of co operation. Hulsebosch said it is the building of Good relations he is most proud of. Brandon Brandon residents Are split on whether a Casino should be built in their City according to a recent poll. Forty three per cent of respondents said they support the development of a Brandon Casino while 44 per cent opposed the idea. Nine per cent of respondents said it depends and four per cent were unsure. The Telephone poll was conducted by probe research on behalf of the City of Brandon Between nov. 28 and dec. 2. It asked 400 residents a wide Range of questions about City services and the Cit yes economic development office asked probe to include a Casino related question. Economic development officer Sandy Trudel said the exact wording of the Casino question was there has been some discussion lately about whether or not a Casino should be built in Brandon. Would you say you generally support or generally oppose the development of a Casino in Brandon Trudel said the wording was specifically designed to get a Neutral gauge of Peoples feelings towards a Casino without complicating the question with details like How a Casino would be operated or where it would be located. The provincial government has had a policy of not establishing new casinos except on first nations land. Brandon held a Casino plebiscite in 2002, in which a majority of voters rejected the idea of building a gaming Centre in the City. That ballot asked residents two questions one of which involved the establishment of an Urban Reserve in the City. Many believe the outcome of the vote was tainted by racism and a Lack of clarity. Brandon Sun patronage appointments can be Good Deal Dan Lett Brandon residents divided on Casino City architect returns from Maldive Mission helped rebuild after the tsunami Wayne Glowacki Winnipeg free press Hein Hulsebosch led the Canadian red Cross reconstruction efforts ;