Speaking Of Talk Shows

John Fairley did it again! It's no wonder that the Councillor formerly known as Councillor Budget is afraid to appear on his show. In 30 minutes less commercials time, John could completely destroy the budding mayoral career of Brister and the Councillor wouldn't even know what happened to him.

It's not that John is aggressive like a Mike Wallace on 60 minutes. He just asks these simple, straightforward questions that go to the heart of the interviewee and quite often provoke answers that the person did not want to give. It is done in such a friendly way that the person doesn't figure out how badly they appeared until they see the taped version.

So the Councillor does not go and the residents of Ward 1 are deprived of listening to him pontificating about the issues of the City. Mind you, that could be a blessing.

By the way, have you gone to John's website http://www.face-to-face-tv.com/ If you have, you will note that he will be interviewing our Mayor shortly. He just interviewed Mayor McNamara of Tecumseh a few days ago.

That interview was another one of his shockers. To be direct about it I can understand why Councillor Brister would not want to appear on this program. Mayor Francis will have a very difficult time explaining some of the bombshells that Mayor McNamara dropped during John's show.

Let me just summarize quickly some of the things said:

• When you listen closely to what Mayor McNamara says, there will be very little regional cooperation and certainly no amalgamation of the various cities and towns while Eddie Francis is Mayor of Windsor. The rift is just too great.
• The Mayor makes it very clear that he thinks that regional development and cooperation is extremely important while at the same time preserving the interests of his own community. That was very clear in his conversation about Project Ice Track
• There was a very long conversation about the Convention and Visitors Bureau. It was clear that the Tecumseh Mayor was not prepared to write a blank cheque just because Eddie hoped he would do so. He actually wanted to see a business plan before spending money. That should be a warning to the Gazelle Feeders that they will not have such an easy time the next time they asked the County for money
• There seems to be a lack of communication on a number of issues between the City and Tecumseh at least
• Mayor McNamara supports the Ambassador Bridge Enhancement Project, one of the few politicians it seems that has the guts to say so publicly
• He also said that he supports the DRTP doublestack rail tunnel. He made it clear that he was not supporting the truck tunnel
• Believe it or not, especially given his town's location, he has not been briefed on Greenlink by our Mayor
• He is not a very big supporter of a tunnelled solution to the border like Greenlink pointing out the obvious security risks and problems if there are accidents
• It seems as well that he has had a very few communications with Transit Windsor about bus service in the County.

I must admit that this is one of the few times that I have seen Mayor McNamara in action and I was suitably impressed. He seems to be a straight talking individual with a good head on his shoulders. There was not a lot of visions and grandiose schemes in what he said but rather, good, straight, honest-to-goodness, well thought out actions to create a municipality that works.

Yes, there could be a lot to share between the City and the County about accomplishing results.

I wonder if Eddie watched the program. I'm sure he did and we will hear his rebuttal to what the Tecumseh Mayor had to say. After all, we saw THE EDDIE STARE at Monday night's Council session when Eddie talked about the County and Greenlink. I was waiting for him to ask the County to "Spit it Out" too. Maybe he was saving that up for John's show!

Even More Reader Letters

Here is the latest batch right from Cyberspace. What is fascinating to me is the anger and frustration showing. I am sure that it has been around for some time but it is becoming more and more public.

If I were the Mayor and Councilllors, I would start worrying! And the media too.

1) Good blog on the University

2) Do you remember the Seinfeld episode that had Jerry Stiller (and ultimately Kramer, George, etc.) uttering the phrase “Serenity Now!”? It occurs to me, the cure for negativity (even if it is accurate) is “Serenity Now! for Windsor” – Maybe Eddie can put together a campaign, embed the phrase with all good, loyal media types, and get retailers to sell t-shirts proclaiming “Serenity Now! for Windsor”.

3) Keep up the great 5th estate work.

4) I subscribe to a magazine for railroad enthusiasts called, no surprise, Trains. They have a website with weekly news updates available to subscribers.

A short article in this week's update caught my attention. Of particular interest is the line that reads, "Fifteen gateways, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Calgary, Superior, Wis., and several southern Ontario locations, will see lesser volumes of interchange." The article doesn't mention which southern Ontario cities are going to see less interchange, but sense it says "several".

I'm guessing that means all that have interchange points - Windsor, Sarnia and Fort Erie - are included. (My understanding is that the railway deck on the Whirlpool Rapids bridge in Niagara Falls is passenger only.) I thought the grand plans for Schwartz (trans-shipping freight on vacant airport lands) and DRTP (bigger, better railway tunnel) included more trains and less trucks? But apparently that's not in the cards either.

Aren't these people, and our politicians, talking to the railroad companies? Why, I would have expected to read an article saying, "Rail interchange in Windsor to increase with new and improved gateway infrastructure." Anyhow, thought you might find this interesting. Maybe the railroads' websites have some press releases or more detailed information.

5) [Part of a Letter to the Editor of the Star] It is interesting that the editors of the Windsor Star would choose to paint the U of W as a villain because they decided that downtown was not the best place to locate their new engineering school.

Just because the Star says the university is wrongheaded in its decision not to build downtown does not make it true. And, just because the U of W is funded by taxpayers does not mean we can bully them to do our bidding. The needs of students must be the primary factor when colleges and universities make decisions on how to spend their budgets. Apparently the University of Windsor decided that it was in the best interests of its students not to build downtown.

6) The Ratepayer’s Lament

Bought in a sub-division at 150K,
forever and ever shall I rue the day
With real estate markets on fire,
when it reaches a million, will be time to retire.
But Council after Council and Mayor after Mayor,
the life in Windsor moved from hope to despair.

When Mr. Lewenza became the Master of WUC,
a signal from God, I am out of Luck!
The Holy Water is priced out of sight,
like a famine in Revelations, where day becomes night!
When our baby Jenny turned 16, we could not afford any birthday candles
‘Cause our taxes are still paying for the Candarel.

No money to party in a restaurant,
our riches in Windsor have turned to want.
As I muttered aloud this is a crock,
I collapsed on my bed and remember the Keg
So we went to look, and parked on the neighbours dime
But the prices on the menu required the Proceeds of Crime!!

My job in auto is a job no more, and the banker did a repo on my unpaid wheels
Now my bicycle is the way I will ride,
start with the trails in Riverside
A wonderful life I try to think,
the future will bring me the Mayor’s Greenlink
But at each overpass it is near my last gasp,
the jet fans blast me with second hand gas.

Twill soon be the night before Christmas and all through the house
The hunger and freezing will scare off the mouse
If we can fast till past New Years Day we'll save enough
For next year’s taxes to make a down pay!

7) True Story.

I have been trying to get one of my machines repaired due to a computor cable glitch. It has taken six months and then some. The company is in the TO area.
I found out why they don't want to come down here.

My message left on their phone to get action, literally was "I am in talks with legal assistance since you are the contracted to repair my machinery by ***** and I will put their name on the petition since I have lost considerable amounts of time and work. If I am not satisfied this week I will start the process, rather quickly."

They did call back and schedule an appointment for today, however the very cold response was... "I have over 500 customers and we don't give a s**t about Windsor".

This is typical of attitudes outside of our area. I am encountering more and more of this attitude.

Good thing I'm moving

8) CIBC Metro Monitor is obviously influenced by your scandalous blogs and the other “yellow journalists” that have obscured the truth that everything’s coming up roses in Windsor…

That is scary in reality. And sad that elected leaders fail to acknowledge & address some of the problems to the extent they can locally. Instead ... attack anyone who questions the economic strategy. Heck, its only a matter of time until even the gazelles migrate – or starve…

9) Maybe the Gazelle feeders would have had some money had they not let people go, and because of such, had severences to pay.

10) I couldn't help notice on the DRIC website the amount of homes and businesses that will need to be purchased for the completion of the 401. It also states that these will be purchased at present market values, when the time comes. Do you think that keeping this area economically depressed has anything to do with the millions of dollars that will be saved when these purchases take place. These homes and businesses will certainly be worth thousands of dollars less than if we had a vibrant economy. The more bad news for Windsor the cheaper it gets for the province or city. Just a thought.

11) I'm going to assume that....if you can't afford $400k for crossing guards, you can't affort $75 million for a tunnel? Or am I wrong on that?

12) Can you believe this council taking a motherhood issue like school crossing guards and throwing it out to the masses like blood before sharks.

How stupid do they think we are? Apparently really stupid!

Wait for the uproar from parents and teachers who will tell us how many of our children have to die for the sake of tax cuts.

Why not deal with the real issues like garbage collection, meter maids, parks maintenance and privatizing marinas and golf courses.

Give me a break - this City continually shows its colours - yellow.

13) What a way to get people to accept tax increases.
They should be ashamed just for even trying it.
Cut the f****** lawyer's fees, there's literally millions there.
Sorry for my language, that is not like me but there are times.

14) If a child is hurt due to lack of crossing guards (like that will happen), culpability will rest personally
on all of the councillors and the "budget" challenged Mayor.
I wouldn't hesitate to sue.
It's amazing how short memories can be when selective.

15) The bridge is almost ready to start building.
The Michigan Gov seems today to back the twin bridge.
The Canadian Government is still planning a proposal.
The Mayor of Windsor's shorts must be in a knot.

16) Mr. Arditti

All I can say is THANK YOU. I was just pointed in the area of your blog today, and I have to say that I think you have almost single handedly restored my faith in humanity. The behaviour of the mayor and council have long been making me ill, and from all the press info I have seen on it, I might as well have been the only one... Local news is unbelievably biased - I won't even purchase the Windsor Star these days, let alone subscribe to the rag... And it seems like anyone brave enough to speak against City Hall is quickly silenced by unknown sources - or is attacked due to their brazen audacity to dare question.

Thank you, Mr. Arditti - I will certainly be reading your blog now that I have found it!

Hope you and your family have wonderful holidays!!!!!

17) Well, I just watched the 6 o clock news and can't believe it!!!

The City dropped their membership at the Chamber of Commerce... how dumb is that!!! Yep, just another example from Mr. Charm that if you don't go along with his ideas you get slapped.

The trouble is... the Chamber is the "heartbeat of business" in Windsor and Essex County.

He also keeps "harping" about Greenlink yet, the way I see it, the deal is "done" regarding the bridge. It will be a twinned Ambassador Bridge, no if's and's or but's about it!

Is there anyway we can legally recall (as in impeach) this Mayor for the betterment of the community?

18) $75m for the tunnel
$80m for arena
$10m for Greenlink/Schwartz/DRTP (so far)
$1m for NFL/Wrestlemania/Detroit GrandPrix sponsorships

$166m and counting. Hmmm. I hope Tory hasn't got Eddie penciled in for Minister of Finance.

19) Haven't talked to you since I moved. What a different world. Even without the manufacturing meltdown, there actually is a future for the GTA. Windsor - No Hope and this comment comes from a optimistic person. I read the bloggers daily write-ups and keep up with the Windsor Star's misinformation or information management program and have concluded that until unemployment is 15% in Windsor and the last few people have turned the lights off, there is no future.

What I got a kick out of today is Eddie's ranting against the county for not wanting to spend another $400,000 for the Tourism Commission. Duh - Would anyone in there right mind want to tie into Eddie and his clowns now even, if there were any virtues in the new plan. It is clear that Gary McNamara and the others are fed up with Eddie. They gave him the benefit of the doubt initially, but see him as a significant detriment to the long-term viability of their communities, let alone Windsor. If Eddie had been smart, instead of just a whining kid, he would have got the county to buy into a new cost sharing concept and phased in the increase over a number of years. Instead, he assumes everyones' stupid and he can pull the wool over their eyes. Eddie needs to stop thinking he knows everything as the results of his "high level of intelligence" has cost Windsorites in so many ways. Unless he truly pulls a rabbit out of the hat, Eddie will go down in history as the worst mayor that Windsor has ever had.

I hated to leave Windsor, but thank God I did.

20) You missed the boat on odd stories… from the Windsor Star… Just when you thought we had tough, unrewarding jobs, how about the zoo keeper tasked with collecting samples from frustrated elephants… new meaning to “just in time” deliveries and the new cause of delays at the border: Elephant seed smuggling

21) It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday, and I enjoyed your perspective on the interaction between the media and the various authorities, and particularly how that translated into coverage.

The media aren't used to having the lens turned on themselves. Blogs are changing the game.

22) [Re Star story Maryvale overhaul in limbo; Bylaw blocks urgently needed construction;] And when a deferred item at Monday night's council meeting makes front page news on Thursday, the Windsor Star becomes irrelevant.

23) Good morning Ed.
I've been busy. Moving out of this area.
I will have to sit down and write about it.
One item I did notice is that Mr. Mayor tried to point out that this slowdown was cyclical.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
There have been slow downs but not to this degree.
I think it is just another method of pointing the finger of blame somewhere else.
Why else would he have a meeting with realtors?
Since when do realtors influence investment? If it was that easy wouldn't the government have hired them years ago instead of throwing money at them?
I cannot begin to tell you of the scuttlebutt about the Windsor area. When I cannot get a machine repairman in because of Windsor, it makes my blood boil.

24)...there are areas of the province who would resent the Windsor's (and Toronto's) of the world getting a disproportionate amount of funding just because they were negligent in keeping their own infrastructure in shape. Past practice in Windsor has been to neglect things hoping the provincial sugar daddy will ride into town and rescue council and mayor.

Brister The Snowman

The Councillor formerly known as Councillor Budget really has no chance to become mayor if he continually makes these dumb statements.

He put his foot along with his snow boot in his mouth again in Gord Henderson's column. When will he ever learn!

Councillor Brister seems to be so afraid to be interviewed by John Fairley on Face-to-Face. I have to assume that he is terrified that he will say something stupid when John asks him one of his tough questions. In the same vein, someone should warn Brister to stay out of Henderson's column.

I hope that the Councillor's family buys him a barometer for Christmas so that he can understand what the weather will be. I know he does not read BLOGs but it looks like he doesn't read or listen to the weather forecasts either.

Can you imagine a Councillor knowingly doing something like this just before a massive snowstorm is predicted to bury the City and actually taking credit for it:

• "Brister knows that at least two tough council decisions will sooner or later have the phones ringing off the hook. People will go ballistic when they learn the snowfall threshold for plowing residential streets has been increased from three inches to four inches to save about $200,000."

It's not that Environment Canada hasn't been predicting for months now that this would be a bad winter.

What a sense of timing. That is my Ward 1 Councillor... penny wise and pound foolish.

Mayor's Sloganeers Head West

Will nothing ever go right for the poor man? Is Fate constantly against him?

It is another blow to the Mayor's plans. The positive message about Windsor that he wished to convey may never get heard by the masses outside of this City. In fact, the City may never get rebranded now at all. We have no one to help us.

Apparently a consultant may have to be hired at a huge cost to figure out what to do with the $900,000 that may not be able to be used for rebranding of the City. Adding to that the $250,000 that has not yet been spent to hire the PR flacks for the Mayor means that over $1 million is available.

This "found money" however is burning a hole in Council's pocket. Stay tuned to see how this money will be squandered. Don't count on it being used to reduce taxes or for the Library however. City Hall is on some kind of mission respecting the system that frankly I have never been able to figure out. Perhaps we can get our snow cleared now.

In the meantime, take a look at this story from the Globe and Mail:

• "Go West, young graphic designers
  The Prairie provinces are seeking out new logos, saying wheat sheaves and wild roses won't cut it any more
  JOE FRIESEN AND DAWN WALTON
  Globe and Mail, December 14, 2007

WINNIPEG AND CALGARY — The iconic wheat sheaf of Saskatchewan will be scythed from government documents and highway signs in the coming year as the province tries to fashion an identity that reaches beyond its agrarian past.

It's part of a broader image makeover across the Prairie provinces that has given birth to a more muscular, less "friendly" bison logo in Manitoba, and raised the thorny prospect of having "Wild Rose Country" plucked from Alberta's licence plates.

"This is probably the right time for all of them to be thinking about it," said Ken Wong, a marketing professor at Queen's University who helped design a tourism strategy for New Brunswick in the mid-1990s.

In recent weeks, Prof. Wong has visited Calgary, Winnipeg and Saskatoon, which he thinks may be the single biggest indicator — at least to him — that the Prairies are hot. "I can't recall in 25 years of professional life having a reason to be in all three provinces in the same two-week period," he joked.

Saskatchewan Deputy Premier Ken Krawetz said the wheat sheaf is outdated as a symbol because harvesting techniques made it obsolete by the 1950s. "We want the visual identity of Saskatchewan to be something more modern that depicts what we're all about," Mr. Krawetz said.

The wheat-sheaf logo was brought in under Allan Blakeney's NDP government in the 1970s. Mr. Blakeney said yesterday that it has been mischaracterized as strictly agricultural. "It was stylized so it could represent several things," he said. "It was thought to be possibly a wheat sheaf and possibly an oil well overflowing … I think it's a pretty good logo because it's highly distinctive and easily recognized."

Albertans were told last month they'd be consulted on the province's first licence-plate revamp since 1983, to look into a new design, colour theme and whether to remove the phrase "Wild Rose Country." Service Alberta Minister Lloyd Snelgrove will travel around asking people whether they'd like — for example, the province's official motto "Strong and Free" instead, although the "Alberta Advantage" is probably more widely known.

Debi Andrus, marketing professor at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, said all this re-branding of Canadian cities and provinces is linked to economic development and tourism.

"Perceptions can be real barriers to how people will invest in or go to a destination," Prof. Andrus said. "Saskatchewan is more than wheat and it has been for quite a while. For them to now say we've changed and we need to show the world that we've changed makes good sense."

After much debate this year, Calgary finally dropped the mascots of the 1988 Winter Olympics, which were played in that city, from its road signs. The cuddly polar bears Hidy and Howdy were replaced with signage that touts Calgary as the "Heart of the New West" topped off with a white cowboy hat, which also received some criticism.

While some are trying to position Calgary as something other than a "cowboy town," Prof. Andrus said the white hat is a strong image that is known internationally. "You have a symbol that is recognizable and fun. You can't walk away from that," she said.

But the experts also offer some words of warning to governments looking to liven up their region's image. Don't toss out the entire, long-standing brand, but rather add something new to it and back it up with investment in the areas that are being promoted, Prof. Wong said. "A brand is a lot more than a logo or a slogan," he added, "There has to be something behind it."

Forensic Audit Of East End Arena

You know that it is only a matter of time. Something dramatic will happen and Windsorites will demand that the costing of the East End arena be verified by a forensic audit by an outside accounting firm.

Back when this started, the arena cost $47.9M. In January, 2007 the cost increased to $54 million

"but council has approved another $6 million to service the site with sewers, build a parking lot and pay for flooring and other finishes known as "fit-out costs."

The $54-million price tag does not include temporary borrowing costs, which will be generated when the city borrows the money to pay for the new arena until funds become available as other projects are paid off."

We got a new number in January of $61.2M "the city will pay $5 million to service the site and add a parking lot, $4.4 million for changes and finishes to the design called fit-outs, $4.2 million in interest on interim financing, $1.5 million as part of the land swap with a London developer, $900,000 for building permits -- which goes back to the city --$750,000 for a contingency fund for servicing and fit-outs and $300,000 for bonding and $800,000 contingency fund for the interest costs."

In addition, "The committee also approved adding 16,600 square feet to the recreational rinks and community centre for $660,000." that was to be used "for a secondary refrigeration room for the recreational rinks, Zamboni access, storage for community groups and a common board room and emergency room."

In Februaruy, the costs increased to $64.9 million.

"Base construction costs: $47,920,000

Site servicing costs: $6,299,145

Contingency on site servicing: $629,915

Fit-up costs: $4,429,200

Contingency on fit-up: $442,920

Building permits: $396,900

Bonding fee: $500,000

Architectural advisory: $200,000

Land purchase: $1,400,000

Land cost, excavation of rubble: $300,000

Closing and land transfer fee: $70,000

Financing during construction: $2,700,000

Financing post construction: $1,500,000

Financing contingency: $800,000

Overall project contingency: $2,000,000

Revenue: $4,666,693"

Then there was about a million for "during the summer to provide washroom upgrades, ceiling tiles and lighting improvements." I think that there was another million dollars added in November for "decking to cover the ice, specialty event lighting, storage compartments for hockey glass and boards, a portable stage and blackout curtains."

It's all so confusing with all of these numbers being thrown around.

Spanky's Economic Outlook and Greenlink's Death

Thank goodness that Dwight Duncan is our local MPP and also the Minister of Finance in the Ontario Government. Why if it was someone from some other part of the Province, there is no doubt that the platitudes about Windsor would not have been put into the Economic Statement.

Are we ever lucky that he spoke so much about Windsor and our border crossing but unfortunately said so little. Given Ontario's deteriorating economic position, it is no wonder that, since the election, Dwight has been in hiding and not said a word about Greenlink and government financing.

Has Dwight ever met the Mayor yet to learn about it? Now I understand why the Mayor has not submitted the City's response to DRIC (or if he has finally done it, it has not made public) since he too knows that Greenlink has no hope of getting Ontario financial support. Another failure for the Leader of Council on the border.

All of that media money wasted by the Mayor. It could have gone to buy some Library books.

I can hardly wait to hear what Sandra has to say about all of this and the positive spin that she puts on given what her colleague has said. I wonder if she and the Mayor still speak every day as she claimed before. Wouldn't you like to have heard what Eddie said to her after he read Dwight's comments!

This would not have made Eddie happy:

• "Duncan said the province is also seriously considering what it can use from Windsor's GreenLink proposal."

How about nothing!

The Mayor is clearly between a rock and a green space... the best he could say to salvage his unsalvageable position was:

• "Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis said he had hoped for a more concrete plan on the border.
  
  "I would have liked to see some stronger language and a more definitive comment on moving forward,"

Why didn't the Mayor, come out more forcefully? It is pretty simple. The Finance Minister would then ask the Mayor do you want money for jobs and economic development or do you want money for a Schwunnel! You see Eddie blew it. He lost his leverage over Dwight and Sandra once the election was over.

Let me set out for you now all of the comments that I could find in Dwight's Economic Statement and background materials that specifically mention Windsor. Some of it is repetitive. I will give you my comments as we go along.

1) Rapid re-employment teams have already provided immediate assistance in such communities as London, Smiths Falls, Windsor, Nipigon and Hamilton.

Fantastic... when a plant closes in Windsor, a group of civil servants "makes initial contact with the workers and employer within one hour of a public announcement of major downsizing or closure."

The name of the team is a bit of a misnomer since they don't actually find jobs for anyone but they do develop individual and Service action plans. Come on now, bureaucrats are good planners. At least they will have jobs for a long time as more and more plants close.

2) INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE

To encourage economic activity, help municipalities and enhance Ontario’s competitiveness, the government is investing an additional $1.4 billion to build critical infrastructure.

The Province will allocate some $500 million for transit projects and to assist municipal transitsystems across Ontario in dealing with immediate demands.

This will help increase ridership, address state of good repair, manage congestion and support the efficient movement of peopleand goods.

A $300 million investment will be provided for municipal infrastructure priorities — for projects that stimulate local economies such as roads, bridges, community facilities and water systems.

Projects to be funded will be chosen through a competitive application process. Some of the available funding will be geared specifically to small, northern and rural communities to help bolster their local economies.

In addition, $100 million will be dedicated to priority MoveOntario 2020 projects — the $17.5 billion transit and transportation plan for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). This will help municipal transit projects such as the purchase of railcars and buses and track expansion at GO Transit that have been identified as priorities by Metrolinx, formerly the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority.

Manufacturers and other business investors cite the quality of infrastructure as one of the most important factors in where to locate and where to invest. Investing in transit and transportation infrastructure helps communities and companies move products to markets and people to work.

These investments also have the added benefit of decreasing congestion and reducing greenhouse gases and air pollutants.

These new investments are in addition to other funding support for municipalities, including the gas tax and the Canada–Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF). The Ministry of Transportation will soon be announcing the allocation of the gas tax. In the near future, the Ontario Government, along with its federal and municipal partners, expects to announce the final round of funding under COMRIF. Municipal infrastructure investments represent another significant step forward in the Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review.

The government will continue to make progress on the Highway 407 East extension and the Windsor border because they are particularly important to the manufacturing sector.

Now there is something positive for Windsor. I think. Ontario still will "make progress" but don't you wish that Dwight put his money where his mouth was. I don't remember any financial commitment to Windsor's border in the last budget and I don't see any now.

I do see $1.4 billion minus $500 million minus $300 million minus $100 million leaving only $500 million for the entire province. Now if the DRIC road costs $1.6 billion and Ontario's share is $800 million... how is the road going to be paid for?

If the DRIC road was the most expensive one ever to be built in Ontario, then do you really that the Province will pay the amount that Greenlink will ultimately cost. Don't be so foolish. Remember as well that the Premier liked the DRIC road.

I have an idea that might work. It's sneaky but it saves face for everyone and buys time for the Governments.

When the Ambassador Bridge engineered their suggested corridor to the border, I thought the total cost was about $300 million. Now that amount would have to be increased slightly because of the passage of time but if the Province and the Feds agreed that it is an "intermediate" road, they can fund it under the Border Infrastructure Fund now. They then can build the better road once there is more cash in the till.

Of course that should not be such a big deal since the DRIC road (and Schwartz's)builds on what the Ambassador Bridge proposed years ago. It would be a simple proposition to design and construct the road so that it could accommodate both a road to the existing bridge and to the new bridge if it is ever built.

3) Government reaffirms its commitment to moving forward on the Windsor border gateway project and building on the progress it has made so far.

Yes, the Government should be committed.

The progress has been exceptional in Windsor... the overpass and long left turn lane on Huron Church Road make me proud of what has been accomplished since the signing of the Phase 1 Agreement between the City and the Senior Levels years ago. That certainly has eased the border situation dramatically.

4) Ottawa can do more to assist Ontario municipalities to make much-needed investments in public transit and infrastructure.

Ontario believes that the federal government has missed an opportunity to support investments in infrastructure and transit systems by ignoring repeated requests to provide $1.9 billion a year to municipalities in Ontario.

In June 2007, the Province launched the MoveOntario 2020 initiative to continue to address
transportation infrastructure challenges and further advance Ontario’s priorities in reducing
greenhouse gases and air pollutants. This multi-year, $17.5 billion rapid transit action plan for the GTA and Hamilton will deliver jobs and investment by reducing congestion.

While Ontario continues to invest substantially in the quality of its infrastructure, it is imperative that the federal government invest in it as well. One example of a successful collaboration between the federal and Ontario governments is the joint commitment with U.S. partners to build a new border crossing at Windsor–Detroit.

Ontario is committed to improving its infrastructure, and encourages the federal government to fulfil its commitments to public transit and such projects as the Windsor border gateway as soon as possible.

This is what all of this nonsense is really all about: a fight between Ontario and the Federal Government for a bigger share of money and a bigger split to be paid by the Federal Government.

Windsor and the border are just pawns in the game to be used by either party. In other words, the Province is specifically NOT setting out how much money it would put forward because then their position would be weakened, almost fatally. Clearly the Province wants more than 50% of the amount paid for by the Feds. The Feds have no intention of paying more in my opinion since they would have to provide this bigger share all across Canada.

I was convinced before and still am convinced that the Liberals in Ontario and the Conservatives in Ottawa have agreed to fight their infrastructure battle in the Windsor area and not in areas like Toronto which are key if either Party wants to form a majority Government.

Dwight says

• "I'm deeply concerned that the federal government has not committed more than $400 million," Duncan said."

Windsorites ought to be deeply concerned that Dwight has not committed anything.

5) Ontario is committed to improving its infrastructure, and encourages the federal government to fulfil its commitments to public transit and such projects as the Windsor border gateway as soon as possible.

Yawn... see above

6) The package introduced today would also provide:
 $1.4 billion in new funding to build strategic infrastructure;

See above.

7) The government will also continue to make progress on the Highway 407 East extension and the Windsor border because they are particularly important to the manufacturing sector. The Detroit River International Crossing study team will soon present its preferred alternative for the new access road, plaza and crossing. Ontario will fully fund its share of the costs associated with that new access road, subject to the successful completion of all approval processes.

Whatever this means. Of course, we don't know the amounts and we don't know what the share is. That's what the fight is all about.

Note also that the Province is limiting the amount that they will pay out for the road only. Everything else is to be paid for by the Feds.

8) The most critical infrastructure investment for the Ontario economy is a new border crossing at Windsor. Stakeholders are unanimous: we need that crossing now.

The Detroit River International Crossing study team will soon present its preferred alternative for the new access road, plaza and crossing.

The Government of Ontario will fully fund its share of the costs associated with that new access road, subject to the successful completion of all approval processes.

As we make these investments, while respecting trade agreements, we will strive to ensure Ontario businesses benefit.

As above. The platitudes just keep on rolling and rolling and rolling. Dwight should be ashamed of himself.

Odd Thoughts

Here are some things I have been wondering about.

WHOM DO YOU BELIEVE

Here's my issue... I'd like to believe the Mayor and think that Windsor's problems are cyclical and that when I wake up in the morning everything will be fine. Then I read this story in the Globe and Mail about Windsor's local MPP/Minister of Finance and then get nightmares that problems are structural.

Which one is right? Here's the concern for Windsor. If Eddie is wrong, the City is in serious trouble because the strategy being followed at City Hall fits in with the wrong economic model of economic redevelopment.

Here is part of the Globe story:

• "Ontario's government will offer financial assistance Thursday to companies and workers that have been hurt by the slowing U.S. economy, the high Canadian dollar and soaring oil prices, The Canadian Press reports.
  
  Government sources say Finance Minister Dwight Duncan will announce a $40-million rapid retraining program for workers who have lost their jobs because of the economic challenges when he tables Ontario's fall economic update Thursday afternoon.
  
  The sources say Mr. Duncan will also offer financial assistance to manufacturers and other companies struggling to cope with the economic slowdown in the United States, which combined with the high-flying Canadian dollar and oil prices has dealt a serious blow to Ontario exporters.
  
  Mr. Duncan will also announce a provincial government plan to strengthen the Ontario economy in the short and long term, said one source...
  
  “The statement updates the people of Ontario on where the province is today ... how projections may or may not have changed since the budget with respect to the coming two years,” Mr. Duncan said. “There's no questions that the state of the U.S. economy, the value of the Canadian dollar [and] world oil prices impact Ontario's economy...”
  
  “We're quickly getting to the point of a crisis in terms of job losses in the manufacturing sector, so hopefully they're going to recognize how dire the situation is in the update,” said Opposition Leader Bob Runciman.
  
  “We're looking for relief on the taxation side. We want to see some very strong messages sent out to the business community worldwide that Ontario is coming to grips with the [economic] challenges and this will continue to be a good place to invest and grow your business.”
  
  NDP Leader Howard Hampton accused the Liberals of doing nothing to curb the mounting job losses in manufacturing, forestry and agriculture.
  
  “My fear is we'll see a McGuinty government that says ‘don't worry, be happy,' and continues to ignore the fact that Ontario is losing thousands of good manufacturing jobs virtually every week,” Mr. Hampton said.

HOW TO READ THE STAR

I have told you before how to read the Star. Often, especially on controversial matters, you should start at the bottom one third of the story to get the real important stuff.

Now I thought that was an Editor's trick to report the story so that no one can complain but to put at the beginning the stuff that the Editors wanted its readers to know. But I am wrong.

In fact there appears to be a rogue group of Star reporters who have joined together in a secret society to write negative stories about what is going on in the City but hiding their true feelings until the end of the story. They know after all, and they knew it long before we ever did, that Windsorites are 27th in adult literacy in Canada and probably can't read that many words without falling asleep, especially big words of 5 or more letters.

They knew what happened to some of the reporters/Bloggers at the Star and could not risk it happening to them. Media jobs are not that plentiful here. They knew their secret was safe because very few people could read so much and comprehend in this #27 City. And the few insightful ones that read that far and understood what they were driving at unfortunately were labelled as naysayers and whiners and bashers.

However, the Blogmeister has been doing some undercover, investigative work and can now reveal who the head of the secret Star Posse is. It is none other than Gord Henderson himself.

Yes that Henderson, the Star's #1 columnist. The man is brave, risking being run out of town on a rail, probably one of the rails to trails, to make the truth known to his readers. He may have to pack his bags and go to YQG and make a HQG (his quick getaway). He is in serious trouble now with City Hall. Do not expect him to have any more front page, byline stories. His sources will run dry.

His Thursday column is prime proof of what I am saying. What is the title "Bad times look good." Another anonymous type supposedly singing the praises of the resiliency of the City and attacking the naysayers, whiners and bashers:

• "He was clearly having trouble reconciling Windsor's status as the country's designated basket case with such glaring evidence that the money taps have yet to be turned off. "

The beginning of his column was enough, frankly, to turn my stomach as I read it before breakfast. But I persevered. I read right to the end of it wanting to see how Gord would manufacture this silk purse.

However, something wasn't right. Something didn't make sense. I read this twice, and then a third time:

• "Life is good for everyone except those getting pink slips and our youth, who, seeing no hope in the Windsor region, are forced to head west to Alberta or up the 401.
  
  Life is sweet for now. But the clock is ticking...
  
  These folks have already eaten our lunch when it comes to textiles, electronics and consumer goods. They rule our shopping carts. And now they're coming after the biggest prize of all, the North American vehicle market.
  
  Little wonder we're out spending and having a good time while we still can here in Canada's automotive capital. It's called whistling past the graveyard."

Henderson has been outed. He's one of us now and maybe he always has been.

Welcome Gord, to the ever expanding phone booth!

THE OMBUDSMAN ATTACKS

You have to admit that the Ombudsman's language is very strong

• "You can't control our investigation. I think with some Councillors... they'd rather hire a buddy with taxpayer money."

Is this a similar reason explaining why the Minister of Housing did not have a forensic audit being undertaken by the Auditor General of Ontario but rather a whitewash, Ministry section 9 audit of the Windsor Utilities Commission. Even the City asked for a section 10 audit but it was ignored by the Minister so that all we will see is a very limited financial one that will not deal with all of the issues that citizens wanted answered.

But here is something now that the Mayor and Councillors have to consider given the ferocious attack by the Ombudsman. The City hired Local Authorities Services to undertake investigations into closed-door meetings. The Star reported:

• "LAS has contracts with consultants who have given advice to the City of Windsor"

How then can we have assurance that LAS will act in an impartial manner when it investigates the City for a possible impropriety?

I thought as an example, if my memory is correct, that the Mayor hired, in fact, one of the principals behind LAS as his personal lawyer with respect to the question of his possible conflict of interest in the WUC file. According to the Mayor, he was told that he had no conflict by his lawyer.

I am sorry but I would have great concern if I made a complaint and LAS was asked to act in a matter involving the Mayor.

LAS seems to be in an impossible position in this City at least. Time for Council to reconsider whether they should still retain LAS or consider what they will do if there is a challenge to LAS' use in an investigation.