Fake Bus Consultations; More Used Needles; Ending The Pet Project of Millionaires
What’s old is new again! We look at current Winnipeg controversies that prove how accurate we have been in our coverage since 2006- plus, an unexpected Crime update, all in Episode 20.
Part 1- Emboldened by the success of City bike lane consultants in deceiving businesses and residents to bolster the goals of ‘urban visionaries’, we’re seeing even dirtier tactics pulled this week on people who rely on Winnipeg Transit.
Kelly Ryback joins the show to explain just how rigged the latest “public consultations” are, where city officials have made sure-
A) there’s no mention on the main City webpage about the Primary Transit Network meetings being held this week, after it was mysteriously removed from the page
B) newspaper ads didn’t list the meeting details
C) meetings are held at the same time as budget briefings for councilors, and
D) only 5 meetings are being held in total, instead of a session in every ward.
Ryback believes if the public knew that councilors intend to make people walk up to 800 meters to find a bus stop, there’d be hell to pay. That’s just one reason why the City – and seemingly council members – suppress public engagement.
You won’t believe the kind of harebrained schemes councilors are willing to impose on bus users under the new route system.
Think it’ll be easy to get to and from Jets games and other Arena events downtown from West Winnipeg? Think again.
As you’ll hear, Ryback has been on the case since the Transit Master Plan was rammed through on short notice, and he’s holding councilors accountable at public meetings.
To send story tips, comments, and contribute support via Interac: martygoldlive@gmail.com
17.40 Part 2- Coun. Brian Mayes is fed up with the Friends of Upper Fort Garry, and we say ‘hurray!”
When we were on 92.9 KICK-FM, we took on the Pet Project of Millionaires. And the corporate media, with almost no exceptions, carried their water- “This will be the largest piece of art in the city” – and assailed those watching out for taxpayers as luddites.
“Save the Fort” was actually a selfish plan by Manitoba Club bigwigs (using the “Friends” group as a front) to preserve the view out of their back windows, and prevent the building of an apartment block.
Marty Gold recaps the history, the sneering insults of the FUFG to the public, and the repeated extensions to build an “interpretive centre” that Mayes now wants ended.
26.55 – It’s not just fake public consultations and fake plans for Assinboine and Main that are ‘new again’! Discarded used needles in parks and playgrounds are suddenly a concern for Councilor Cindy Gilroy after a recent meeting where “she learned” about it.
As Marty Gold says, that’s just not believable. In March 2019, CTV reported “Several needles have been found in the city’s West End (Gilroy’s ward) and a community patrol group worries it’s only the beginning of what could be a busy year collecting discarded syringes.”
The numerous lies told by the WRHA in that article led us to file a series of reports about used needles endangering the public- and how the WRHA refused to answer questions about the needle return rate of their ‘harm reduction’ needle handouts.
Hear Marty tell how he urged elected officials to act but instead, 5 years later, Gilroy wants the City to spend more money cleaning up her ward. We note she makes no mention of reducing the number of needles or installing more sharp receptacles.
And- guess who was in charge of that WRHA program that started the problem?
39.08 Part 3- A brief Crime Update, with news the media won’t report:
We have details about a man found dead on the street in Gilroy’s ward and his recent crime spree and release from the Remand Centre; and a machete incident on a Transit bus on Riel Day that landed two riders in hospital.
To close the program we look towards future topics and City Hall interviews. If you like our podcasts and ActionLine reports, please go to our Donate page and make a contribution.
