Columnists - Winnipeg Free Press

Sid Green

Political opportunity knocks to abolish Senate
"For every thing there is a season" Ecclesiastes 3:1
View Full Column | 05/21/2013 1:00 AM | 0
NDP's spending chickens coming home to roost
Brian Pallister and his provincial Tories are half-right. They are making a legitimate case against the NDP government move to increase the sales tax by one percentage point, an increase that is required simply because government spending has spun out of control. They are wrong to oppose the government doing so without a referendum or plebiscite, thus requiring a repeal of the balanced-budget legislation, which the Conservatives enacted by in the 1990s. The requirement of a referendum to increase taxes was ill-conceived in the first place and I publicly stated so at the time.
View Full Column | 05/3/2013 1:00 AM | 0
Bill 18 is perfect example of bad law
Like virtually 100 per cent of Manitobans, I despise bullying. Ironically, if you asked a bully whether he or she considered it an acceptable practice, they would say "no." Despite a general abhorrence of the practice, there is no doubt it will take place. Children, like adults, can be mean. There are many ways of being mean besides bullying. Although society has tried throughout the years to encourage people to be good and to respect one another, we have never met with ultimate success. Just because we cannot finish the job doesn't mean we should stop trying. Any efforts to decrease bullying and other forms of human disrespect for others should ordinarily be supported.
View Full Column | 03/26/2013 1:00 AM | 0
Face-saving window opens for NDP on Hydro
It's not too late. We can still bail out. The project has not yet begun and there is no urgency to get it started. There has never been a clearer issue and one that the public will have no difficulty understanding. Our publicly owned hydroelectric company apparently needs another transmission line from the northern part of the province, where the power is generated, to our southern border, where the customers are.
View Full Column | 12/8/2012 1:00 AM | 0
NDP's backdoor taxation hard to justify
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" -- Shakespeare "A tax by any other name would bite as deep" -- Green
View Full Column | 11/10/2012 1:00 AM | 0
The people protect their rights
I am sure many readers will have heard the story of the farmer who had to hit a stubborn mule in the head with a baseball bat in order to get its attention. Canadians have now been given a comparable wake-up call as to the consequences of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by a judge in Ontario. The Canadian Parliament, which consists of the duly elected representatives of the people, enacted a section of the Criminal Code commonly referred to as the "three strikes you're out" law. This law was intended to deal with incorrigible violent offenders.
View Full Column | 09/25/2012 1:00 AM | 0
Lougheed helped save Canada's democracy
I knew the late Peter Lougheed. As a matter of fact I can truthfully name-drop and say I had something more than a remote relationship with the late distinguished former premier of Alberta. The last time I saw Lougheed was in the early 2000s at the Butchart Gardens Restaurant on Vancouver Island. I was being hosted at a birthday dinner by my daughter and son-in-law. By sheer coincidence, Lougheed and his party were at an adjacent table and my hosts were visibly impressed when he recognized me and gave me a warm greeting.
View Full Column | 09/18/2012 1:00 AM | 0
Let the accused, convicted run for office
There is some consternation about the fact a man charged with sexually related offences is permitted to run for a seat in the Manitoba legislature. Darrell Ackman has filed legal nomination papers contesting the coming Fort Whyte byelection. Ackman is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The fact he has been charged with a criminal offence will be prominently known to the voters in the constituency. It is surprising the publicity given to his situation has not deterred him from running. But if he maintains his innocence, why does being charged disqualify him? He will have great difficulty convincing the voters to elect him but he does have, and should have, the legal right to do so.
View Full Column | 08/23/2012 1:00 AM | 0
OMG! Political politics!
Brian Pallister, Manitoba Progresive Conservative Party leader and candidate in the Fort Whyte byelection, was off base when he made his first official statement attacking the NDP for engaging in politics. Pallister criticized the government for announcing additional daycare spaces at the Whyte Ridge daycare centre. He complained that the announcement coincided with the NDP nomination meeting in that constituency. He did it again when the byelection date was announced. Rather than welcoming the news, he complained about the timing.
View Full Column | 08/8/2012 1:00 AM | 0
The value of public spending
For the second time in as many weeks, major news stories have featured relatively small budgetary cuts made by the Harper government. First we were told a famous freshwater research facility in northwestern Ontario would be closed as part of a $79-million saving in the Fisheries Department. Scientists have deplored the government decision and have praised the facility as being unique. Closer to home is the news of cuts to Parks Canada and the resultant decrease in services that will take place at Riel House. The horror story of this cut is that some historical artifacts will have to be stored in, of all places, the province of Quebec.
View Full Column | 06/16/2012 1:00 AM | 0
Capone should have had it so good
Former crime boss Al Capone would shout a hearty "Bravo." The one-time king of American mobsters, convicted only of income tax evasion, would fully understand and endorse the provincial government announcement of its intention to consolidate and unify the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation and the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission. In Capone's heyday in the U.S., the main activities and the sources of revenue of the mob were the sale of prohibited liquor and the numbers racket.
View Full Column | 05/11/2012 1:00 AM | 0
Selkirk Avenue can have a future
Having come home from vacation, I was bemused to notice a sudden interest in Selkirk Avenue in the columns of the Free Press. This interest struck home, as I am more than close to the subject matter. I was born at 716 Selkirk Ave. and lived there for 23 years until my second year in law school. At the time, I didn't think of the area as a particularly exotic place. It was simply home. Now, with the newly generated interest in the area, I agree that outsiders find much more to regard as noteworthy about the area than those who live there and take its unique atmosphere for granted.
View Full Column | 04/23/2012 1:00 AM | 0
Civil service to serve, not dominate, the public
Some time ago I wrote a column about a parking ticket I thought was so outrageous that I decided to plead not guilty. Many hours were spent on the preliminaries and preparing evidence, which included numerous photographs. Finally, I appeared in court and waited my turn, only to be advised by the Crown prosecutor that the charges were dropped.
View Full Column | 01/6/2012 1:00 AM | 0
Judge should not play politics
THE Federal Court of Canada has exhibited a tendency to make judgments that have no practical effect and could lead to political mischief. In 2006, a judge of the Federal Court made a decision that purported to overrule the Gomery Inquiry, which found former prime minister Jean Chrétien should bear some responsibility for what occurred in what has become known as the sponsorship scandal.
View Full Column | 12/13/2011 1:00 AM | 0
Labour chicken comes home to roost in Brandon
The CHICKENS are coming home to roost. The Manitoba labour movement has expressed outrage because Labour Minister Jennifer Howard has used statutory authority to order that the union representing professors on strike at Brandon University conduct a vote to accept or reject the university's last settlement offer. This is clearly an interference with the internal affairs of a union. An employer is prohibited from making such a demand under the Labour Act. It is also a blatant interference with the principle of free collective bargaining. This should come as no surprise to Manitoba labour. Free collective bargaining does not exist in Manitoba. What is ironic is that free collective bargaining was created by New Democratic Party governments at the instigation of the Manitoba labour movement.
View Full Column | 11/24/2011 3:19 AM | 0
CWB plebiscite less than it seems
When I was a student at the University of Manitoba, most us got to the Fort Garry campus by public transit. At the time the transit company was privately owned by the Winnipeg Electric Company and there was an ongoing battle between the students and the company related to the level of services. The student newspaper, The Manitoban, published a sarcastic article wherein it was stated the transit company was complaining of vandalism by students who damaged the seats of the vehicles.
View Full Column | 09/15/2011 3:17 AM | 0
Dedicating NDP campaign to Layton a disservice
"WIN one for the Gipper.” With these immortal words, legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne successfully inspired his football team to dramatically turn around a half-time deficit and score a second-half upset. The incident is dramatized in a Hollywood movie, Knute Rockne All American, with Pat O'Brien playing the title role. His star halfback, George Gipp, played by Ronald Reagan, on his deathbed had urged his coach to use these words as inspiration if ever his team were in a rough spot and needed an extra emotional lift.
View Full Column | 09/1/2011 1:00 AM | 0
Election rules are just quackery
THINGS are not always what they seem. There is an old saying, "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck". Not so, insofar as Manitoba elections are concerned. Last week I found a one-page colourful piece of literature in my mailbox. It had a picture of the Manitoba premier, prominently displayed, and a less flattering and less prominent picture of his opponent, the leader of the Opposition.
View Full Column | 08/13/2011 1:00 AM | 0
Easy way to end strikes is wrong way
Is the easiest way out also the best way out? Canadians are faced with two major work stoppages that could seriously affect the smooth operation of our daily lives. A strike of the postal employees and a lockout of some employees connected with Air Canada can undoubtedly result in disruption of these public services. The Conservative government promptly announced that it will legislate the operations back to work because the interruption of the service will cause unacceptable harm to our economy. It is unlikely that there will be strong public criticism of the government decision although both the NDP and the Liberals have indicated they will vote against the legislation. It is a regrettable sign of our times that legislation ordering, in effect, people to work or to maintain a business operation under threat of fine or imprisonment does not result in greater concern and resistance on the part of the people concerned and on the part of civil rights advocates in general.
View Full Column | 06/17/2011 1:00 AM | 0
Per-vote subsidies to blame for attack ads, lack of substance
Like many Canadians, I find most of the political party television commercials to be offensive. All parties are guilty. A great deal of TV time is used to try to smear the other parties and their leaders, rather than sending a positive message as to why the voter should support the party that paid for the ad. Pictures of the leader of the other party are as prevalent as pictures of the leader of the sponsoring party. When I was in politics, we would just about die to see our photo on prime-time television. Today, our opponents publish it at no cost to ourselves. Most of the ads do not tell us what the election is all about. They do not identify what policies are being fought for, or why we should vote for one party as opposed to another. In past years, before political parties were publicly financed, elections had a theme citizens could identify.
View Full Column | 04/23/2011 1:00 AM | 0
Selinger can't win with scare tactics
2NDP Premier Greg Selinger launched his 2011 election campaign by hoping to attract public attention with the message "dog bites man." He sent the startling message to the people of Manitoba that they should not vote for the Conservative opposition led by Hugh McFadyen. One would hardly expect the NDP premier to be calling on the people to vote Conservative and, therefore, his message really falls into the no-news category.
View Full Column | 10/7/2010 1:00 AM | 0
A slogan that can't be counted on
Lenin is said to have fomented the Russian revolution by inciting the masses with the slogan "Peace, Bread, and Land." It appears that today, in Canada, some opposition politicians are hoping to get public support with the slogan, "We want a compulsory census questionnaire!" In politics, as a rule, it is the role and responsibility of the opposition to oppose. I have never subscribed to the proposition that legislators, once elected, have a responsibility to be reasonable and to co-operate with the government when considering either government policy or legislation. Especially when government policy is under discussion, political parties should reflect fundamental differences and those elected to the opposition should be true to the principles upon which they sought office and should continue to challenge the elected government. I have never criticized opposition parties for so doing. I always respected this stance of the opposition when I was in government.
View Full Column | 08/4/2010 1:00 AM | 0
Black guilty of being rich, arrogant
It ain't over till it's over. On July 20, 2007 the Free Press published a column under my byline, headlined, Don't count Conrad out. The main thrust of the article was that a populist jury convicted Conrad Black because he was rich, flaunted his wealth, and was arrogant. He had been tried for 13 offences and had been acquitted on nine. The prosecution expressed satisfaction with the verdict, thereby admitting that many of the charges had been pursued merely to create prejudice of volume rather than a real conviction of guilt.
View Full Column | 06/30/2010 1:00 AM | 0
From Clegg to Stronach, it's about power
Politics is about power. The serious politician who protests that he or she is not power hungry is either a liar or a fool or both. Proof of this is the recent coalition formed by the Conservative and Liberal Democratic parties in the new government of Britain. The Conservatives are the rightist party while the Liberal Democrats were considered to be an amalgam of left-wing Liberals and moderate socialists. On the face of it, this seems an unlikely union.
View Full Column | 05/15/2010 1:00 AM | 0
If statues must honour, McClung should be there
How far must we stumble down the path of political correctness before we realize that it leads us to a madhouse? Last fall we had so-called human rights advocates demanding that Stuart Murray, former leader of the Manitoba Conservatives, be denied chairmanship of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights because he once voted against gay partners being entitled to adopt children. Ironically, the people making the demand were proponents of the principle that people should not be discriminated against because of their political opinions.
View Full Column | 05/10/2010 6:03 PM | 0

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