Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 21, 2007, Winnipeg, Manitoba Minding the polls m get the new Boss. Same As the old Boss. Canadians can be forgiven for humming that Little ditty following a Federal report showing the conservatives have been spending More on Public opinion polling than the liberals when they were in government. That might seem like a harmless revelation except for the fact the tories criticized the liberals on the Issue during the last election and then launched a special investigation into the matter earlier this year. Taxpayers understandably assumed that the tories intended to Cut spending on polls and restrict their use to important matters of state. Alas such was not the Case. Prime minister Stephen Harper ordered the probe to determine if a full judicial inquiry should be conducted into the conduct of previous Liberal governments. The investigation was condemned As a political Witch Hunt but or. Harper said it was just one Way of restoring Confidence in government following the Liberal sponsorship scandal. The conservatives would have been Well advised to do a Little research and give the subject some More thought before mouthing off about the need for accountability and transparency. As it turns out the probe discovered that the Harper government commissioned two polls every working Day at a Cost of $ 31 million last year out spending All previous governments on Public opinion research. Whoops. The report shows that the Federal government whatever the political Stripe of the ruling party has become hooked on polling but without any centralized control. As a result different departments sometimes conducted separate polls on similar subjects when it would have been More affordable to conduct a single Survey. There were also examples of polling that seemed purely political in nature As opposed to gathering Neutral information. The privy Council office the government nerve Centre that advises the prime minister spent More than $ 1.3 million on polls More than quadrupling the figure posted by the office in the previous year under the liberals. Obviously polling will always Benefit the government More than the opposition but it should never become crassly partisan. Instead polling should largely be restricted to determining if the Public cos priorities Are being met and to providing information to line departments that need it to do their jobs. The conservatives have been accused of hypocrisy for the Way they commissioned the report and then delayed its release until earlier this month on the very Day that former prime minister Brian Mulroney was testifying on parliament Hill in what seemed like an obvious attempt to Bury the news of their own wastefulness and political expediency. Some Good however has come out of the sorry Little chapter. The Harper government said it would develop a contract clause that will require pollsters to certify the polling is politically Neutral. There Are also plans to centralize control of polling and to reduce spending on Public opinion research. And so even in its stumbling bumbling manner some Good does emerge from the flawed but necessary process of adversarial politics. A word Doug Brown re once youve been god High priest status hard to Swallow dec. 18, by Doug Brown. Jimmy Johnson called. He Bill Walsh Dick Vermeil and a Host of others would like to have a word. Kyle Peters Winnipeg hang up his skates at 35 years of age the new York islanders Chris Simon needs More than just 30 games off. He needs to hang up his skates. That behaviour is unacceptable and he really needs to be prosecuted. Chuck Harris Queen Creek Ariz. Dont blame caregivers i was sickened like most people to read about the rape of an 11 year old girl in Winnipeg. Period. I dont care what time she was out. I dont care what she was doing. I do care that there was a paedophile trolling for victims on our streets and that he was ruthlessly successful. I do care that when he is put before a judge that he is Given the highest penalty and is forced to serve time in jail. I do care that readers like Paul j. Jacuzzi hold parents accountable dec. 18 insist on blaming the victims caregivers for her being out so late at night. Shannon Sampert Winnipeg were correctional officers the headline that the free press used guards miffed at pension squabble dec. 19is an excellent example of Why the government does not see the need to bargain fairly with correctional officers. We Are correctional officers not jail guards. Most people have no idea what a correctional officers profession entails. Aside from keeping the Public Safe by keeping those people suspected of or convicted of serious crimes behind bars they face daily threats assaults provide emergency first Aid and counsel offenders. Society continues to demand harsher sentences for convicted criminals and someone has to look after these people and that is the Job we perform. The societal problems with gangs and violence Are Only multiplied inside the jails making the jails an extremely dangerous place to work. Brian Crockett Lac Dubonnet Low Field mris Are of re Maples mris out of service dec. 18. It is unfortunate that the Winnipeg regional health authority has chosen to acquiesce to some unfounded complaints about image Quality. The Public is ill served in this matter. There have been numerous peer reviewed studies worldwide that attest to the effectiveness and benefits of Low Field mris such As the one found at Maples surgical Centre. Although the images from such units Are not directly comparable to High Field units they still provide diagnostically efficacious images that a qualified Well versed radiologist can interpret in the majority of cases. Demanding the use of expensive High Field mris for every pathology is the equivalent of demanding the use of a Ferrari to pick up the milk at the Corner store in order to Lessen the chances of spoilage. Terrence Bayrock Sherwood Park Alta. Migration War being lost i found myself incredulous when Reading the front Page in the dec. 18 free press. Were winning the inter provincial migration War. From july 2006 to july 2007, Manitoba was the Only Western province to experience negative net inter provincial migration 5,852 whereas Saskatchewan received 3,999, Alberta 51,169 and b. C. 10,646. Upon examination of the facts it is evident that Manitoba is greatly losing and not winning the inter provincial migration War. A correction is most definitely warranted. Jesse harmonic St. Malo canadians who tip re canadians behaving badly dec. 18. I feel that i have to respond to Jim olivers remarks about canadians and our bad manners in his recent letter. It is too bad that some people act As badly As he mentions but i dont think that All canadians should be painted with the same Brush. My wife and i have been visiting grand Forks several times annually for the past 40 some years. We always stay for two or three nights and enjoy the restaurants shops and Friendly people. We have always been respectful of the services offered and we always tip a minimum of 15 per cent regardless of the service received. Oliver writes that he does not speak for everyone in grand Forks. I dont pretend to speak for All canadians shopping in grand Forks but i would like to speak for those of us who Are courteous and Well mannered and leave tips. We will continue to visit that Beautiful City in the future and i Hope that if any discourteous Canadian shoppers read this that it will encourage them to clean up their act. See you soon he Rudy Warkentin Steinbach selfish cellphone users twice in the last couple of weeks Ive had the misfortune of almost being hit by cars driven by teenage boys More interested in playing around with their cellphones than keeping their eyes on the Road. Yes parents some of your precious Darlings obviously dont respect the right of innocent citizens not to be walking targets. What will it take for people to get Over the obsession with constantly yakking on a cellphone somebody getting seriously Hurt or killed ism pretty sure ism not the Only person out there who is sick and tired of these selfish self absorbed cellphone users. Elayna Labar Winnipeg Christmas Deal with it i am not religious or anti religious but this Issue involving the removal of the name Christmas is curious to say the least. I Challenge anyone to give sound reason Why this name should be avoided. Before the Advent of Christmas people worshipped this time of year As the beginning of a new year dec. 22 being when the Days Start getting longer. To accommodate these people the christians glorified that Celebration and attributed it to the Celebration of Christ. The Story of when How Why Christmas the time not the name was celebrated is Long but the Bottom line is that is what we now Call this time of year Christmas. If its not about Christ celebrate something else the longer Days the warmth of family. To avoid the name lest one offends a group is very narrow thinking. Sean Beggs Winnipeg seeking Greener pastures re City budget passe dec. 19. Thank you mayor Sam Katz for once again betraying your Campaign Promise to make this City attractive to Young people. Your capital budget continues to divert resources into promoting an outdated suburban dream that is killing our planet and Hopes for a better future. As i leave Winnipeg for Greener pastures i. E. A Greener City ill be sure to wave to you on my Way out. When this City decides to elect a mayor with a real vision for making Winnipeg a modern Urban Centre where i can safely ride my Bike to work in dedicated Bike lanes or bypass the gridlock through a rapid transit corridor give me a Call. Ill be sure to bring Many others Back with me. Jesse Hajer Winnipeg Cloud Over Bali when nations come out of difficult negotiations proudly holding a Road map to wherever honest people should take care. At the United nations climate change Summit that wound up in Bali Indonesia this week 187 nations emerged waving what they somewhat shamefaced by called a Road map they had been hoping for More. The document was intended to guide the world to a follow up treaty to the Kyoto Accord on climate change which was itself a Road map of sorts to disaster in the discord and disappointment it produced. The Bali Road map follows an unknown Highway through a Haze of uncertainties towards a vaguely understood destination. We Are asked to celebrate this presumption even though after All the recriminations and All the cheering have ended no one seems to really know what it All Means. It appears that everyone the europeans the developing nations the United states Japan Canada compromised on their conflicting often seemingly irreconcilable positions at least to the degree that negotiations on a Post Kyoto Deal can continue. Beyond that there is a Cloud Over Bali. Canadas role at the climate conference however can be seen More clearly and it emerges As one in which canadians can take a certain Pride. It is no Small accomplishment for a nation to spend two weeks at a United nations conference on climate change and emerge with its virtue intact but Ottawa appears to have accomplished that even while compromising far enough to allow delegates to leave Bali with at least some momentum. Canada went into Bali with a Clear and sensible climate change position opposed to binding emission reductions that did not apply equally opposed to Kyoto is targets that Are now economically impossible and in favour of a new program and timetable that would Lead to actual reduction of greenhouse gases. It emerged from the conference maintaining those principles As a basis for future talks. It even emerged perhaps slightly More popular internationally although admittedly Given its Skunk at the Garden party status previously thatus not saying much. But it does say something including that of Tawas voice is now one that has to listened to in the continuing Kyoto debate. Bob Cox / publisher Margo Goodhand / editor Patrick Flynn / Deputy editor Winnipeg free press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 vol 136 no 42 � 2007 Winnipeg free press a division of up Canadian newspapers limited partnership published seven Days a week at 1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg Manitoba r2x 3b6, pm 697 7000 a member of the Manitoba press Council the free press welcomes letters from readers. They must include the authors name address and Telephone number. Letters May be edited. Letters to the editor 1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg r2x 3b6. Fax 697 7412. E mail letters free press. My. Ca letters represent the opinions of their writers and do not reflect the opinions of the Winnipeg free press or its staff. H ave y our s a Winnipeg free press poll. To Days question vote online at wow. Winnipeg repress. Com yes 84% / no 16% / total 1901 previous question Premier Gary doer is considering a ban Are you willing to Trade a Greener Lawn for a cleaner Lake on cellphone use while driving. Do you agree Winnipeg Freedom of Trade Liberty of religion e editorials Equality of civil rights a 14 w Winnipeg f ree p Reissf Ridaud december 21, 2007 comment editor Gerald flood 697 7269 Gerald. Flood free press. My. Ca Winnipeg repress. Com a Toast to gluten free Beer re City brings the world gluten free Bee dec. 17. As a person living with Celia disease i enjoyed the article on the new gluten free Beer Nuru. We As Celiaus Welcome this product to our gluten free diets. I would like to Point out that the gluten free diet excludes anything with wheat Rye or Barley in it not just the Barley malt which is in most Beers. This diet is very restrictive and no amount of cheating is advised As the health consequences Are great anaemia osteoporosis cancer diabetes Etc. Eating out is always an adventure and we Are usually Uncertain if the food is really gluten free. Now we can enjoy a Beer with friends and family and be sure that it at least is Safe for people with Celia disease. Bonnie Pirch Winnipeg letter of the Day Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg free press Nuru gluten free Beer ;