Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 28, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page b1 t he inquiry into the death of Crystal Taman ended in october but the Shock Waves from it will be Felt in Manitoba for years. The inquiry yes report was a stinging indictment of the botched police investigation into Tamanis death and the poorly handled prosecution of sex police officer Derek Harvey Zenk that followed. Pretty much everyone involved save for few exceptions came out of the Taman Case whipped and broken. For some it ended their careers. And while the inquiry is Over what was Learned from it is Only about to begin. It highlighted the needs for better police accountability in the City and the province University of Manitoba criminologist Rick Linden said. It does not do police any favours to investigate themselves. Linden said the Taman inquiry contributed to a new police act for the province of Manitoba which will contain a seismic shift in How police investigate themselves. Simply they wont in cases of serious police wrongdoing an outside Independent Agency will do the legwork. The legislation will be tabled by Justice minister Dave Chomiak this Spring. Hopefully come up with a creative solution and one thatus not driven by the Bottom line Linden said. I also think now theress an acceptance by police. They realize its a Good thing. Crystal Taman was killed Early feb. 25, 2005 As she waited for the Light to change at Lagimodiere Boulevard and the North perimeter Highway. She was rear ended by Harvey Zenk an off duty Winnipeg police Constable who apparently fell asleep behind the wheel of his pickup truck. Harvey Zenk had been up All night drinking with fellow officers and was on his Way Home. Although there was evidence he might have been impaired it was never properly collected by officers with the now disbanded East st. Paul police service. An internal investigation done by Winnipeg police of the officers who were drinking with Harvey Zenk also fell Flat As did the prosecution of Harvey Zenk. In a controversial plea bargain he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death in Exchange for no jail time. The inquiry was held last summer to find out what went wrong with the Case through the Mouths of those involved. It wrapped up in Early August and by the end of september the inquiry commissioner retired Ontario judge Roger Salhany had finished his report. Salhany said among Many things that the process within the Winnipeg police service of How officers investigate other officers is counter to anything having to do with truth. The picture that is painted is one of an incestuous process that is incapable of uncovering the truth Salhany said in his report which is available for download at wow. Tama inquiry. Ca. While i do not find bad Faith it is understandable that there has been Public suspicion that the investigation was not intent on disclosing facts that would Embarrass the Winnipeg police service. Chomiak has agreed to Sal Hanys recommendation that a special investigative unit Independent of All police agencies in Manitoba be created to investigate alleged criminal activity by a police officer. An Independent investigative unit was first proposed in 1991 by the aboriginal Justice inquiry which examined How Winnipeg police handled their investigation into the killing of j. J. Harper by const. Robert Cross. Chomiak has not commented on How the unit will be set up or what it will look like. It will be a made in Manitoba solution is As far As the minister has gone. Bruce. Owen free press. My. Ca p perhaps it says something about Winnipeg that a tale about a mans inability to get something done is chosen As the sports Story of the year. A but the ending of this Story a snot been written yet. The burning intrigue about How and where David Asper will build a new stadium for the Winnipeg Blue bombers ensures not Only that he is the sports Story of this year but that hers Likely to provide More headlines through 2009. Asper started the year with a plan to build a new stadium for the Blue bombers at the site of the current facility in Polo Park. Within a few months Asper had changed locations to South Point Douglas and in the process unleashed a debate about inner City redevelopment the likes of which have not been seen since the Forks was first established. Not to be outdone by the time the year ended the location had changed once again this time to the University of Manitoba ass fort Garry Campus. At year end it remains unclear whether the u of m proposal will win the support of the City and the Federal and provincial governments All of which Are needed As financial partners to make this Fly. Asper has been extremely quiet about specific plans in Large part to avoid the angry Public debates that surrounded proposals for the Polo Park and Point Douglas locations. Aspers Pursuit of a new football stadium for the Blue bombers is a pretty big Story in and of itself. However what makes this Story so special is the Way Aspers drive and determination have stripped the cit yes veneer and exposed the Good the bad and the ugly of what makes up Manitoba ass capital City. Early opposition to the Polo Park plan and Aspers demand to take Over ownership of the team demonstrated Winnipeg Gas unique capacity to react with suspicion even hostility whenever a member of the cit yes elite flexes his or her own Muscles. Even though there was very Little in the Way of financial gain from owning a team that has no real value Asper was vilified in some circles for putting his own needs above those of the Community. The Tenor of the debate Over a new stadium reached its Pinnacle when it was revealed the three Levels of government were interested in a plan to locate the facility in South Point Douglas. The inner City neighbourhood had Long been neglected a Small still thriving residential component was surrounded by mostly abandoned Industrial lands. The stadium proposal for Point Douglas May have caught the Eye of mayor Sam Katz and Premier Gary doer but it was ultimately deemed too expensive and too complicated. In its failure however we saw a resurgence of Pride in this once proud neighbourhood and a guarantee that whatever happens in Point Douglas it will involve the people who still live there. And then there was the u of m proposal. Save for a smattering of complaints from fort Garry residents concerned about the traffic and noise from a new stadium the proposal seems to be staying afloat. For now. The evolution of the stadium proposal from the retail Mecca of Polo Park to the Rich history of Point Douglas and finally to the open spaces of the u of mrs fort Garry Campus has been quite a ride. The Good news for those of us following the Story is that if Asper has anything to say about it there will be More to come in 2009. Dan. Lett free press. My. Ca p rior to its did release a few weeks ago Guy Maddins feature length self described Docu fantasia my Winnipeg had yet to surpass even $ 300,000 in Box office returns according to Box office Mojo. But Maddins films have never been ones to be judged by the common Coin of Box office receipts. His films Are too personal too eccentric and just too Maddin esque Ever to be adjudicated on the basis of Mere profit. With his Heartfelt portrait of his Hometown inextricably linked with his family history Maddin made his biggest artistic splash yet in 2008. Maddin is no stranger to the top ten list and previous films such As heart of the world and the Saddest music in the world have routinely appeared in the year end evaluations of cineaste writers such As the Village voice is j. Hoberman. But As my Winnipeg toured throughout North America and Europe often at special screenings with live narration by Maddin Himsel Maddin experienced a breakthrough in 2008. By years end the film was awarded a stamp of approval from no less a mainstream critic than time magazines Richard Corliss who labelled Maddin a Canadian deranged Genius filmmaker and ranked my Winnipeg As the no. 3 film of the year surpassed Only by the popular Pilar hit Wall e # 1 and the Charlie Kaufman mind Bender synecdoche new York. Naturally Maddin maintains his standing with less mainstream critics too. In his 2008 Roundup outlaw filmmaker John Waters placed my Winnipeg no. 6 on his list stating i remain Frozen in admiration of this Homegrown masterpiece from the most reluctantly Radical and humorously tortured Maverick working in the movies today. Roger Ebert the influential critic for the Chicago Sun time voted my Winnipeg a special jury prize in his Roundup of the top films of 2008, enthusing that the films landscape of sleepwalkers Back lanes and Frozen horses gave audiences a deeper and in a crazy Way More real portrait of Winnipeg than a conventional Doc might have provided and certainly a far More entertaining one. From Maddins modest perspective he took the greatest Pride from an acknowledgement of his leading lady the Long retired octogenarian Star of the 40s noir classic Detour who played Maddins Mother. Perhaps Best of All was j. Hoberman of the Village voice naming Ann Savage Best supporting performer of the year Maddin says. Ill never be famous As an actors director but Ann is just so Cool so fierce. Ism proud of the Way she swept aside concerns about her half Century acting Layoff and kicked serious derriere. Prior to debuting the film at the Toronto International film festival in september of 2007, Maddin said his purpose in creating the fanciful work was to help mythologized the City and its history in the Way americans so adeptly mythologized their Home turfs. At the close of 2008, Maddin wonders if that Effort is required any longer. Ive come to the conclusion Winnipeg does not need me to mythologized it the place is so singular strange and enchanted he says. Its attracting and manufacturing its own mythologies every Day. Just read the paper and tremble. Randall. King free press. My. Ca Manitoba new makers Crystal Taman her death will change the Way police investigate themselves David Asper his stadium Campaign revealed much about his Home town Guy Maddin his film put Winnipeg on the weirdly drawn map perspective editor Buzz Currie 697 7577 Buzz. Currie free press. My. Ca i Winnipeg repress. Com sunday december 28, 2008 b 1 Send news tips and photos to tips free press. My. Ca for breaking news go to Winnipeg repress. Com Randall King Bruce Owen Dan Lett a 01_ dec 28 08. Ind b1 1 2/ 27/ 08 4 05 44 pm ;