Television Miniseries Over the Years Part 1

Each decade has been marked by different strengths and weaknesses in content from the beginning of televisions' early beginnings till now. The Golden Age of Television began in 1947 for most Americans but it was very limited beyond the very biggest of cities there. In Canada, TV broadcasts began in 1952. Expansion of stations into Manitoba took till 1954 when CBC Winnipeg came on the air. It was no easy task to get signals out beyond the cities and reliable videotape didn't come along till 1957. This meant that almost everything was live or had been filmed earlier on actual cinema film. Nevertheless, the experience of radio played an important role in television development of movies and limited series.

 

From 1947 to 1957, anthologies were the nascent beginnings of the miniseries. That is to say, they were put together as content with a beginning, middle and end rather than serialized material. High culture was the focus and major sponsors came aboard so that shows like For Whom The Bell Tolls and Lincoln could be produced. Different casts, sets and the like would be put together for each production. It was expensive and technically difficult. However, it showed that there was interest by people in literary and biographical material in a limited series. It was also live material because video recorders were not in use till late 1950s.

The earliest material for TV originated in New York so there was very much a theatrical and literary bent to what was presented. Twelve Angry Men and Marty originated on TV before becoming Hollywood movies. Great writers from the literary and theatre world as well as directors came to TV for the new art form. It was a highly experimental time in the post war period that brought not just audio but video into the home of people around the world. 

Not surprisingly, the early development of TV attracted a fair amount of Canadians from theatre and later from the early development of TV in Canada. Actors like Lorne Greene and Christopher Plummer began the move from Stratford to the U.S. for Broadway and television and film. That migration to the States has been a decades long thing. Experience, training and opportunities come in Canada but the sheer volume of content created for the large population is a siren call. The fame, the money and all that goes with it helped create a whole new industry.

Television was an existential threat in Canada. Many Canadians bought TVs in the east and aimed the antennas south from 1947 on to receive signals. The government tasked CBC (already a national presence in national radio) to create both an English and French broadcaster so in 1952 they hired hundreds of technicians, directors and talent to learn the medium for a launch that year. One of those young directors was Norman Jewison who went on to become the Oscar winning filmmaker.

The private network cooperative CTV didn't even get started till 1960-61. All the heavy lifting in Canada was done by the CBC and the National Film Board. The squabbling network seemed to grudgingly create programming for Canada aside from news and live children's programming. Most of their content was U.S. produced. However, this allowed many Canadians to see mini-series from the U.S. when they were broadcast. By 1976, the CRTC began to assist broadcasters in getting monetary gains in exchange for Canadian content. It has resulted in regular serialized series but only lately in more limited series when paired with Bell Media properties like Crave.

As the CBC rolled out stations and programming across Canada, they tried anthology series of high art. Ballet, plays and the like were performed live. They were categorized as anthology series because they were between 30 and 90 minutes of individual productions with different casts and across different theme. So much of the CBC was investing in infrastructure, staffing and programming. The technology changes were coming fast too. Video recorders and colour TV being phased in the 1950s and 60s made keeping up a challenge. Budgets were always an issue.

Based on the year I was born, I don't recall much of anything miniseries-wise from 1965 to 1970. Our family didn't get cable until 1971. In fact, cable didn't arrive in the city until 1967. Some people had antennas to receive KCND in Pembina, North Dakota but most of the shows were syndicated from 1940s and the 1960s shows. It was only in the 1970s that I began to take note of material that would meet broadly the characterization of being a miniseries or limited series.

Some say a William Holden series shown over four nights called Blue Knight was the first miniseries in the U.S. on NBC. The four hour cop show in LA was from a Joseph Wambaugh book. Holden was a big film star so getting him for a TV was coup. The following year he'd be one the cast on Towering Inferno in theatres. Funnily enough, I didn't see Blue Knight but I did see how Towering Inferno. My dad took me to it while serving with Big Brothers. Even I was too young for the movie, he didn't want me to feel left out. My dad often let me stay up late on a Friday to watch some of the movies that played such as World War II movies. I had nightmares about the disaster movie for sure.

As a rule with standards and practices, more adult drama would be reserved for last hours of primetime. More family material would be in early hours so we'd see a lot of music and variety shows. And Disney of course would be the kick off every Sunday evening. I don't know when Blue Knight aired but likely over four nights at 9 PM Central time. East and West coasts it would have aired 10 PM. Often too late for kids under 10 who would be asleep by then. Central time prime time ended at 10 PM so it was much easier for many to watch drama and get to bed early enough.

While I don't remember Blue Knight, the miniseries of 1973, I do remember the Blue Knight TV series starring George Kennedy. Alas, I didn't catch the two season show. Given then time and a very active sports and after school activity as well getting to bed earlier, there was a number of shows I was aware of but couldn't or chose not to watch. In 1974 and 1975, Winnipeg saw the addition of PBS and CKND/Global to the dial so there was a flood of older movies and the introduction of limited series, mostly from the British. The miniseries of Forsyte from the UK kicked off what we could expect to see from across the pond. I can't say my tastes were as refined back then. The British started the Forsyte back in 1967 so had the jump on everyone. The British influence was enormous and many titles were copied.

Canada didn't have the population or budget that the British and Americans did. We did, however, create one of the most expensive docudramas filled at that point in the world called The National Dream based on the book by Pierre Burton. The 8 episodes miniseries was the highest watched drama at the time. Oddly, the CBC has never made this show available to video or streaming. Our family watched it and it added to the lore of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Canada was also doing influential work in teleplays. Not as long as miniseries but at half hour to two hours were entertaining. One such movie was Flight into Danger starring future Star Trek actor James Doohan and written by Arthur Hailey, both World War II vets. Doohan, born Canadian and Hailey naturalized Canadian. Hailey found success as an author, famously for Airport. The 1956 live production on CBC became the inspiration for drama and comedy in film and television for decades to come.

The National Dream Miniseries in Canada and QB VII in 1974 had huge influence in historical dramas based on historical events. With star writers like Pierre Burton, Timothy Findley, William Whitehead and Leon Uris, it kept to the tradition of using top notch literary writers for complicated shows. I did not see QB VII when it came out. It wasn't until about 1975 when the explosion of cable channels created the demand for pull out TV and a daily listings of what was on. In 1977, TV Guide created a Canadian version of U.S. TV guide. This became super important to planning your week and for networks to promote appointment TV.

In Winnipeg in the 1970s, the Winnipeg Free Press and the Winnipeg Tribune had pull out TV listings and reviewed TV shows. I delivered the Winnipeg Tribune and it was the plucky competitor to the Free Press. It used to be that you were a Trib subscriber or a Freep subscriber. There were no Sunday editions of either paper. The TV listings for the week came out Saturday. Because Sunday was a day when literally everything was closed, we got both papers on Saturday so that there would colour comics, TV listings and classified ads. There were no video recording machines so if you missed a show, you missed it. If there were 22 episodes of a season on average, they would likely repeat again in the summer and you could catch them then. But did it really matter if you missed one Starsky and Hutch? No. Because a year long storyline was not what they were about.

The miniseries, as mentioned, were different as they were special programming all at once over consecutive nights (or serialized over a short time) with a beginning, middle and end. They were long form storytelling. As listed above, Blue Knight starring film actor William Holden was aired in 1973 and earned Emmys for the acting. The story was largely filmed on location in Los Angeles following a beat cop. It holds up well today as a snapshot of the 1970s in LA. As opposed to Dragnet which relied on stock footage of LA and rarely referred to the personal lives on the officers. Just the facts.

The critical acclaim, ratings and overall publicity for networks in the 1970s was focused on big events that would draw sponsors and eyeballs. The dominance of CBS, NBC and ABC was growing in entertainment, sports and news. Cable was just beginning but for many years was just trying to bring network TV to areas that could not pick up signals from affiliates far away. Such was how things developed in much of Canada bringing U.S. signals into homes. Before 1967, it was near impossible to get reliable signals in Winnipeg even with giant broadcast towers in Fargo. Even after, as Videon cable customers will attest, it was possible to lose your cable signal with terrible weather as we have had in the last weeks. I remember losing the last few minutes of Where Eagles Dare fuzzing out in a storm when Richard Burton was going to reveal the traitor spilling to the Nazis. It would be a few years before I would see the movie again and learn the secret.

On network TV, they would show Hollywood movies such as James Bond movies from the 1960s in prime time. By the mid 1970s, stations such as CKND and PBS Grand Forks would show movies from the 1940s through the 1960s. Syndication meant series like Star Trek had new life. Everyone was making money. It was good for newspapers and magazines, good for studios creating movies, good for networks, cable operators and advertisers reaching new audiences. There were still missteps studios could make on budgets and film. There never seemed to be the end of someone who thought they could make a big budget blockbuster. A lot of times they were wrong. However, the libraries of many studios such as MGM proved to exactly what independent stations wanted for content and it came to fit with cable and the need for content.

There was still some regulation and corporate separation that kept TV, music and film in their own silos. Antitrust prevailed and broke up the studio system that tied up all aspects of distribution, exhibition and production. The studios had to compete and be more innovative. It took a Supreme Court ruling to get them to break up and ten years to do it. However, without it, it is unlikely we would have had the production companies in the 1960s and 1970s creating in the same way as the vertically integrated media was back then.

There were a number of reasons why TV networks started creating their own movies and miniseries. One main reason is that they didn't want to rely completely on the movie studios for content. Certainly, showing James Bond on ABC could draw ratings but it often took a while for a new Bond to come out. The networks needed material on a more regular basis. It is why in the 1950s and 1960s, it was not uncommon for series like Gunsmoke to have nearly double the episodes that were the standard in the 1970s and 1980s. The development of a season of episodes and repeats usually meant the network still had days to fill  up with programming.

The networks had to satisfy their advertising sponsors and their affiliates. Getting enough sponsors meant it paid for your content which kept affiliates from seeking other affiliation or filling their space with syndicated content. This was indeed a real issue as affiliates could change their affiliation. Even networks themselves might look to switch to a different local station if that station had been reception or local composition of news. Such is the case when NBC WDAY/WDAZ became the new ABC affiliate over ABC KTHI in Fargo in 1983.

To attract the people with the money and the means to broadcast it, the networks began to begin bring people to Hollywood to see what they would be showing to kick off their fall seasons. By the 1970s, this was an elaborate star-studded affair that was attended by media, advertisers and affiliates.  Aside from the regular programming of series, sports, variety shows and news, network exec wanted to buy literary material that was popular and turn it into movies and miniseries. This was a time of epic storytelling though.

Hollywood studios, as well as some overseas studios, often dramatized historical events and great works of literature. However, the maximum length many could stay in a theatre seemed to cap off at about 4 hours and only for the biggest blockbusters such Cleopatra on the Greatest Story Ever Told in the 1960s. TV broadcasts of those movies were broken up in two parts over consecutive nights to boffo ratings. This certainly clued in the networks that there was an appetite for movies over two or more nights.

The antitrust breakup created many production companies that TV and movie studios contracted with to create productions. It is of note that this is how Stephen Spielberg rose up. He directed a made for TV movie Duel from an original story in Playboy magazine in 1971. Dennis Weaver starred. At the time, he had become a star of his own TV limited series of McLeod. This was two different examples of what networks were doing to start the 1970s. Made for TV movies and a revolving wheel of mystery movies such as McLeod and Columbo.

This innovation and insatiable need for content led to miniseries. Trying to get Hollywood talent to sign up required a limited number of episodes and a hot script. It was this type of time, budget and script that drew Richard Holden and Lee Remick to Blue Knight in 1973. Four hours over for four nights of compelling TV that landed both actors awards. While there had been some miniseries before then, this triggered a flurry of activity from all three American networks and from other across the world to create miniseries.

I was just too young for some the earlier miniseries like Rich Man, Poor Man in 1976 and with it being 12 episodes long, I was likely missing a few of them because of sports since it aired in February of that year. I would have turned 11 in the middle of it. I did see it much later though. It would be 1977 before I'd be watching a miniseries from beginning to end and that was Roots. Although from an American experience, it was as much watched in Canada as the U.S. and contributed to discussion. Roots, unlike Rich Man which broadcast every Tuesday, broadcast each night for a week. The story of slavery over generation ran every night in January that year. It was the first time we'd see the introduction of LeVar Burton. He'd go onto long time success on Star Trek: Next Generation a decade later.

The same year of 1977 I would see The Godfather series composed of the two theatrical films and edited and arranged for network TV. There were quite a few miniseries back then that I watched. Some so long ago that the memory has faded. Between 1977 and 1979, there were so many. The minsieries sequel to Roots and Salem's Lot in 1979 left lasting memories. It was the first time we saw a miniseries of a Stephen King book. Salem's Lot was pretty scary for network TV!

The local pullout TV listings was how you planned the week. In the 1970s, there really wasn't the time wasting on scrolling through the phone or Internet since it didn't exist. No home computers and no video games either. Some TV shows like Stranger Things tend to mythologize those times as suburban Narnia. It wasn't but it certainly didn't have the type of varied distractions of today. Having being born in 1965, I can say the very limited TV of two channels before cable was not as compelling as going outside. I came to think of the TV as something you watched the U.S. space program on and this strange war being fought in a place called Vietnam. All of this on black and white TV.

Truly network TV had its greatest moments in the 1970 when there was literally no other competition in drama, comedy, variety, news and sports. It was only the 1980s that cable channels themselves began to compete. HBO was the movie channel most sought out when people just wanted movies. It used to be on the marquees outside hotels. HBO included.

Miniseries have always been great for historical events or sweeping literary stories. In the 1970s, Little Women was a miniseries, Harriet Taubman was miniseries and The Holocaust was a miniseries. Those type of series attracted top talent and many Canadians watched although some were more specific to the U.S. experience.

By the 1980s, it seemed the miniseries had tripled in numbers. Lonesome Dove, The Thornbirds, V, Amerika and the Winds of War were massive series that demanded attention. Big stars were cast and big stories were old from the best of the book world, historical events and speculative fiction. There were far too many to see, some might later turn up on cable or around 1982, many families starting getting VCRs. Ultimately, this helped people not miss episodes of something hugely long like Winds of War.

It should be mentioned that in the rise in tandem of networks and cable, newspapers began to struggle. In Winnipeg, the Winnipeg Tribune went under in 1980 along with the Montreal Star. The free classified ads and media ownership that preferred a monopoly. However, more ads were going to radio and TV. he Winnipeg Sun started shortly after and made sure that they competed on days the Free Press passed over such as Sundays. It was an indication of how market conditions were changing. USA Today began to publish in 1982 and their newstands looked like TV boxes and their format was to remind people of TV programming. No long form stories for them.

There was probably a 30 year period where the media of print, radio, movies and television all elevated themselves through cross promotion and ad revenue. Even the beginnings of the Internet helped promote other media for many year. It was only when giants such as social media began to hoover up other companies and ad money while manipulating things with algorithms that some of the pillars started to collapse. 

It was roughly halfway through 1990s that the Internet started to be used for newsgroups, mail lists and ways of engaging with fans. The Internet Movie Database and Wikipedia were ways for TV and film audiences to really engage. Had the Internet been more like that always, it might have been a less permissive thing now. 

From the 1980s to the 1990s saw cable start to take on more miniseries. Big name directors who were once attracted to networks looked to cable and premium cable to tell stories. The networks were still very powerful but HBO and USA Network started doing miniseries with big names and bigtime directors. It was still networks though that were able to really muster audience side and promotion. Stephen King had a number of network miniseries such as The Stand (ABC) in 1994, The Langoliers (ABC) in 1995 and The Tommyknockers (ABC) in 1993. 

By the 2000s, there was a shift to ever greater number of miniseries from cable networks. This was not a terrible problem because cable subscriptions had risen to levels not seen before. The problem was that the packages were rising every year. And still do now. To get the premium channels like HBO required a very high price. I will write more in the next part. However, miniseries became some of the highest rated shared programming we had as a culture. The fracture was to come and is still happening now.

Sun Publisher Meets U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra

Heather Klein, Pete Hoekstra and Kevin Klein attend 4th of July party at Ambassador's residence 2026.

In an opinion piece Kevin Klein says he accepted an invitation from U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra for the Independence Day ceremony at the ambassador's residence in Ottawa. Around 200 people were there, including Convoy leader, Tamara Lich. A fly by of CF-18s and F-35s took place.

Klein says the mainstream media makes out the Hoekstra is making a villain of the ambassador. He says he is a hard working diplomat and Carney is to blame. This puts Klein on far opposite of his own Conservative operators who are livid with the gaslighting by Hoekstra on the Gordie Howe Bridge when he said Canada has not really paid for it. Many Stephen Harper officials who were in the room are thoroughly disgusted. Not one of them blamed Carney for this as this a shakedown 101.

Now Klein has managed to save the Winnipeg Sun and other newspapers from certain closure and has a right to publish whatever he wants. It is right to believe that if only there was a Conservative in power, all would be well over the last 10 years and we'd never have a trade issue with the U.S. or Trump. He can believe that but no county has been unscathed in Trump's second administration. The only safety we've had in a trade agreement signed when Justin Trudeau was prime minister. 

Klein said he asked many of the 250 business leaders in attendance and they said Carney doesn't engage them. He said Hoekstra engaged them. Of the under 1000 in attendance, there are certain to be a number of businesses that are not happy with Carney. Conservatives should keep in mind that these past 4th parties used to attract 4000 people. Many businesses felt they could do better attending the Calgary Stampede. So did many politicians. Some are so furious about the bridge in Ontario, they hold Hoekstra accountable directly. The former Michigan Congressman received donations from the Ambassador Bridge owners and there seems to be a direct link to closure of the Gordie Howe Bridge.

Now Klein accepting the invitation to the party could be explained as seeking information on a major issue. But where is the accountability? Does Klein contend that it is all Carney's fault that there is no deal and the bridge is closed? It seems that is what his newspaper claims every day. The Sun writers seem to think that all we do is irritate the U.S. and it would be so easy to get a deal. 

Canadian irritation right back is not merely driven by media in Canada. It is actually greater than the Carney government. People in the country recognize the bullying and even some of the biggest conservatives are fighting mad. For some other Conservatives, they are far more supportive of Trump and even like his kind of politics. There is a fair movement in Canada that are not just separatists but angling for 51st state status.

Conservative media will have to dance on the head of a pin with separation in next months. They would continue to to like to berate the federal government. In many cases they are upset with conservatives elsewhere too. In Manitoba, that is translating into a new party. Since one of the owners Wally Daudrich is running in The Pas for the Keystone Party. It remains to be see whether The Sun endorses him and the party.

Pete Hoekstra is not helpful navigating the next moves Canada will take. He mirrors what Trump says gaslights us when we bristle at being told we need to be 51st state. The gaslighting continues when we are told we didn't pay for the Gordie Howe Bridge. Conservative media agreeing it is all the Liberals fault and Carney in particular only beggars disbelief and raises Carney's popularity. 

I appreciate Klein's purchase of The Sun. We need two newspapers in this town. They don't have to be identical. It is better that they aren't. But we need Team Canada when it comes to the U.S. whether in sport or politics. There is nothing wrong with going to the ambassador's fete. Coming out of it and saying he is doing yeoman's work and he is listening while Carney isn't is not helpful. What might have been helpful is finding out what truly was holding up the bridge opening. Do we really have to give envelopes of cash to the main players? Is it a warning we need to capitulate on everything, accept tariffs, the end of dairy, egg, chicken and cheese industry, our auto industry, buy only American equipment for military, join the U.S. in a fight in Iran, end newspaper and cultural supports, get approval for anyone we trade with, send oil only to the U.S. at a discount and any other things that might result in a deal that Trump changes month to month? This is the work of a diplomat? And this is all Carney's fault?

Forever 21 and Bluenotes Closing at Polo Park, Thrifty's Opening

Summer is when many malls start making changes so that everything is in place for the fall/winter season when school starts and Christmas shopping begins. Forever 21's American owners closed all their Canadian in 2019 stores despite their success in Canada to help their bankrupt U.S. stores. Even though Canadian owners took over the name and operations in 2021, the Covid years hurt retail for some time and changed shopping patterns. Even today, some shoppers were unaware that Forever 21 had returned. The Polo Park shop is a massive 37,000 square feet so the closure was something that is not easily filled. The first time it happened was when a flurry of closures in retail were happening.

And so Forever 21 is again closing their big store but at least there is a retailer in the wings waiting to take on 35 of their employees and add more. Thrifty's is returning to Winnipeg after closing their last store at Outlet Collection four years ago. Thrifty's thought their old name was losing lustre so many were converted to Bluenotes. More big retailers have a few nameplates to sell from. Forever 21's, owner also owns Urban Planet and that is still doing well.

The closure of Bluenotes at Polo Park is simply a transfer of those 20 employees and brands to the supersized Thrifty's. On July 12 Forever 21 will close and July 22 Thrifty's will open. The old Bluenotes should have no problem being filled as Polo Park remains one of the top 10 malls in the country. There are still no announced plans for the old Bay though. The size and score of that requires some real investment and innovation. There are no department stores about to take over.

Many malls are being upgraded at the moment. Polo Park has seen many changes. Victoria Secret's 12,700 is going through a complete upgrade. Body Shop is moving upstairs. Other changes and upgrades are expected. Will Forever 21 come back? You can never be too sure. Four years ago it seemed unlikely Thrifty's would be back. Generation Z and Generation Alpha seem to be driving mall renewal and interest. 

Downtown Tavern United Closes 2026

The sudden closure of Tavern United ahead of the weekend caught a few people by surprise. To others, it might be that the lease has expired and there have been a number of restaurant groups looking to come back to the area. First is Moxies who have wanted back downtown ever since True North used their space to expand other areas of their business. There has been talk over the last while that The Pint might be open to a return downtown with the expansion of the entertainment district?

One thing is certain. The space with its rooftop lounge will have something located in it before the start of the next season of hockey. With the The Keg well under construction and The Chop coming along with a luxury hotel in Sutton Place, the former Tavern site is too valuable to sit empty.

Some of the gaps in restaurants which some Jets fans have been complaining about in recent years are about to be filled up. Creating an entertainment district is never easy. It can happen organically or be manufactured. In Winnipeg, True North Square is manufactured in cooperation with the city and the province. Tavern was originally part of that beginning and, by and large, been a successful part of the entertainment in the area.

It hasn't been announced but some have suggested the Tavern could simply be relocating to a Ledohowski owned property on Donald Street. Some have said the Metropolitan or the Woolworth building that the family owns are possible locations. Either would be fine. It will be curious to see if there is any announcement on this.

Still, bottom line is that once a place has a commercial kitchen, water, sewer and proper electrical, it almost always comes back as a restaurant. This is true of the Garry Street Keg as well. When they open the new location and close the old one, it is undoubtedly going to be a new restaurant. The old Tavern site is too good good to see empty for long.

New Restaurant Tahini's Opens in St. James

Crestview Place over the last few years had a façade upgrade. Many places along West Portage Avenue have seen some sprucing up. Gaps that have been in place for some time, even years, are starting to fill up. As mentioned here in other posts, we have seen some infill apartments, service industries like dentist and doctor offices, new convenience stores and restaurants.

McGavin Bread's old location has been empty a long time but that seems to be at an end. A former University Manitoba graduate is taking his London, Ontario restaurant idea across Canada and the U.S. with the first Winnipeg location in St. James. The Mediterranean/Jamaican fusion restaurant with a little bit of Asian tossed in features Shawarma and ramen and all sorts of other dishes.

At 1,400 square feet at Cavalier and Portage Avenue, it should have enough traffic and large residential base to attract people looking for variety in their restaurants in the area. The 70 store location across Canada, can expect at least one other location in Winnipeg across town in the next months. Each store employs 15 to 20 people.

Restaurants are a tough business but it looks the city has been on a sustained build up following the pandemic. The diversity of the palate reminds me of the late 1960s/1970s with the explosion of Portuguese, Greek and Italian places that opened up. Many still operate today although a generation or two is retiring so we are seeing more Middle East, Mediterranean, African and Caribbean opening up.

Winnipeg is growing and the next five years should indicate how we fit into the world. There has always been appreciation of new offerings in food and it is a primary way for many new to Canada to become entrepreneurs. The vitality of the economy depends very strongly on job creation of small and medium sized businesses. Internal trade is where Canada needs to gain greatest growth.

Taking over a space that has been empty nearly 10 years in a refurbished property with a new restaurant niche is very exciting.

Portage and Main Open One Year 2026

Hard to believe it has been one year that Portage and Main has been open but here we are. I think we can agree that it hasn't backed up traffic to Portage la Prairie as some critics once thought. Was it wrong of them to think traffic chaos would happen? Who can tell? So many infrastructure projects have been messed up so that this could have indeed been the result.

A number of people were upset because a referendum rejected opening it and many believed that a new one had to be called to change that. The same people who that believed this also believed that no referendums needed to be called for other infrastructure projects such as Kenaston. It is easy to see why. Citizens might reject any project not in their immediate area.

Referendums that bind future governments can cripple governments. If it isn't in the Winnipeg Act set by the province, there is nothing in law that keeps it from being overturned. Or even ignored. It is the electorate who should vote for who they want and not govern by referendums over. At best, a referendum might be useful for finding a direction and seeing what support it has. But it is only as good as the facts before it. There was a lot of missing information such as the cost of maintaining the Concourse and water damage sustained and future damage. The other information missing was just how much the cost of opening the intersection would be and what sort of traffic problems it possibly could create if the barriers came down.

The information that was provided suggested that no action was required and there would be no cost for it. This was resolutely not true. However, even now we don't know the costs for fixing the Concourse. We did know that there was at least a cost of either fixing or removing the barriers as they were decaying along with the road at the intersection. Ultimately, it cost $21 million to remove the barriers and restore the corner. The $73 million estimate for the Concourse repair could be less or more. Hard to say. No one running for Council wants to loo under that rock.

So what has been like after one year? The truth is the flow of traffic is not terrible and the sightlines are are so much improved. It is worth noting that assaults and sexual assaults were able to happen at the corner because no one could see from the buildings or the road. Now the intersection is so wide and open. The lanes and the pedestrian crossings are clearly marked and there appear to be enough turning lanes. There is still a lot of construction beyond the intersection but the corner itself seems to flow nicely.

And there seems to be some life in the corner. The Richardson Building has been getting upgrades and a new tenant in the form of a law firm is moving into three floors. The Fairmont will close this week for near a year for $120 million in redevelopment. The Manitoba Metis Federation is busy working on the former BMO location to turn it into a cultural center. Easier pedestrian access will go a long way for tourism. 

 All in all, the opening has not resulted in the chaos at Portage and Main. Some of this can be attributed to better turning lanes, fewer buses shunted through, well lined car and pedestrian lines on the road and probably fewer people working at the corner than in 1976. Also in the mix is the fact that the Concourse remains open through the hours of 6.30 AM to 10:30 PM daily. The cost of filling it in could be around $11 million so the city is weighing the options which won't come till 2027. Still, in 2026, the corner feel fresh and works well and the critics are melting away/

Red River Co-Op to Move Into Portage Place

The signage has gone up and the parties have confirmed it. Portage Place will have a ground floor grocery and a pharmacy. That store will be Red River Co-Op. At 22,500 square foot store and a 6,500 square foot pharmacy and a staff of 57. This will be the 10th store in the Winnipeg region for the Co-Op. The timing of the opening is 2029. Construction has been ongoing all this year and the building of the Pan Am Clinic is the first priority. 

The Bay is also under intense construction and there hasn't be an update on where they are at but it is ongoing. Housing and offices will eventually be in place there and nearby and the need for the grocery store will be apparent. Initial response that a Red River Co-Op going is has been positive. There are five national grocers with their huge suppliers. It was thought that a Sobeys/Safeway had the inside track. However, the Co-Op is local and likely pushed hard to expand their store size after a near death experience back in 1983. The entire grocery business was shut down along with anything not related to fuel sales. It was a painful recovery.

Munther Zeid from Foodfare questioned the economic reasons and said if there was a market for grocery, Safeway or Safe on Foods would have moved in. He has a point save for one thing. Grocery store size. The companies he mentions builds new stores that are 40,000 square feet. The South Osborne Safeway has a legacy store at 19,000 square feet. It is hanging on because it has no competition and a parking lot.

None of the biggies want a store with no dedicated parking lot. So why does Red River think they can do it? The pharmacy. There are only a handful of pharmacies downtown even with a few thousand residents living nearby. The few Shoppers and Rexall are all south of Portage Avenue. Red River Co-Op notably kept their pharmacy as a stand alone location on Main when Giant Tiger took over their lease (which they have since abandoned) on Main Street. Pharmacies make money. And they are built with layered security everywhere. 

Know what Foodfares don't have? Pharmacies. Zeid knows groceries better than anyone. He has been on the frontline for decades and fighting shoplifting harder than anyone. He knows what he talks about when it comes to trying to make a living in the grocery business. The pharmacy and its safes and locked areas is a good cushion for profitability. Thousands of students at the University of Winnipeg, student housing across the street by the Winnipeg Art Gallery, housing behind Portage Place and new housing onsite atop Portage Place provides the population base to build a store customer base. 

The lack of a food court in Portage Place should discourage the type of congregating for the purpose of drug distribution. And thousands of patients a day at the new Pam Am Clinic should create the safety of crowds that is seen when hockey and concert events happen downtown. Harassment of people will have dozens of people calling 911 and filming it. Likewise, True North properties have zero tolerance for encampments or people taking up residence of doorways. Seriously. Watch security make themselves present if people linger in the Square for purposes other than commuting or commerce. Also, get in a fracas at Canada Life Centre, find yourself banned for life from all events there. Malls like Polo Park also institute bans so I expect to see Portage Place ban people from the property if they are violent or shoplifting. Technology will be used to identify people who are consistently a problem.

Low income people have to be protected and the work with the community patrols will help with people who need assistance. Housing geared to income is part of what is going up in the area but success with come from a mix of people which could include tourists in hotels, visitors for concerts, conventions and sports. 

In keeping with the standard set ups for most urban groceries, there will be one entrance in, delivery, deli, bakery, meat, dairy and produce sections. If there is any area I feel they might skimp on, I would say sections of ethnic and specialty stuff. This probably suits some of the ethnic convenience stores that have tried to carve out new niche areas for themselves downtown and elsewhere. Self checkouts are likely to have two forms of control. The first will be scanner exiting the checkout and the next will be receipt control. It is unclear whether the store will exit to the front street or inside the mall. Staples found it was better inside. One thing is clear is that there will be another line of security for the mall and apartment entrances. And street patrols will be plainly visible.

Things have to be a multi-pronged approach to make the area successful for housing, retail, recreation and healthcare. If people feel there are no go zones where they could face danger, they will resist going there. In some cases though, you will have no choice. If you have a knee surgery at Pan Am, you will be there are 8 AM. Likewise, many people work downtown and not some suburb. They need to know they can ride the bus without fear, park their cars and find them later and go outside for lunch without the chance of homicide or being swept up in arrest.

I suspect there will be a lot ways this happens and it will be black by block that are reclaimed as neighbourhoods. A grocery is essential to that and the amount of spending to convert Portage Place and the former Bay building tops $1 billion. This isn't just a luxury mall and luxury housing. It is a comprehensive reconstruction and not a trip down nostalgia lane. It is trying to build housing in the area and make sure there are services to support it. The mistake at Portage Place is the investment stopped after the 1980s. The money earned was delivered to The Forks for their ultimate success.

Six British Prime Ministers in Seven Years

It seems difficult to think of Britain as a stable place when yet another prime minister resigns two years into their government. Sir Keir Starmer joins a growing list of prime ministers who could not govern. The Labour leader was thought to be a tonic to the chaos of the Conservatives who were still reeling in the aftermath of Covid as well Brexit. The British economy has not been the same since breaking with the European Union.

Britain has had a long history of Game of Thrones tussles. The Reform Party, who are growing in elected members, are peeling off people who feel displaced and are motivated by that. It has led to boisterous protests. There has been violence at times. In Canada, governing parties usually get two tern between 8 to 10 years in length before they run out of steam. This applies to both provinces and federal governments. It is rare to get a third term. Only the exceptional campaigner and popular politician can do it. It also helps to have a weak and embattled opposition.

Starmer had a landslide two years ago only to score on his own goal repeatedly. Picking an ambassador to the U.S. linked to Epstein as well as financial shenanigans likely took him down in the polls in trust. Having Trump in office and the prickly relationship hurt Starmer in a way it didn't hurt Trudeau or Carney.

In the months after Trump was re-elected, support for Trudeau actually went up. However, the die was cast and his own Liberal party, was looking to someone who might be able to get a deal with the U.S. or at the least, have a plan to broaden the economy. To that end, the Liberals turned to Mark Carney and his support has not been this high for a leader in many a year.

I think the economy following Brexit and Covid has dragged Britain down quite a bit. In Canada, the reaction to the convoy of protestors was more negative towards them than supportive. There were a variety of parties in power at the provincial level when Covid hit. It is hard blaming any one of them without hurting your own party. Ontario has the same Premier Doug Ford because he seems to know how to navigate the tough times and has collaborated with the federal government to the benefit of his province.

What hurt Starmer was probably not making decisive actions early and the ones he did have haunted him like the ambassadorship. The staff in his office were very much needed to vette appointments, manage the party and set up a vision that was achievable and could help the people who had given them a mandate. The resignation today of Starmer is an awful result for a party 14 years out of office. The victory they had two years ago was the biggest win for Labour in decades.

Starmer ought to have known to avoid some of the pitfalls ahead of him. Free event tickets are never really free and the very active media are going to always ask how you got then. Starmer and his ministers ought to have known on free Taylor Swift tickets. Or free glasses or clothes or whatever. None of those things by themselves defeat you. It is the accumulation. And the appointing of an ambassador with such questionable ties. 

I think what made his own party mad enough was not picking a direction and committing to it. He didn't make the case for cuts to in budget to leverage an economic jump, he didn't look to reform tax across the board, he didn't look at defence needs or establish a response to growing Russian threats. Instead, he and his party reacted slowly and befuddled to crime stories, suffering and stagnant economy stories and in total confusion to Trump. It isn't like Carney hasn't had problems like this in Canada. However, he has acted quickly and on things like defence whereas Trudeau said Canada would never reach 2% of GDP on spending even though it has committed to it. Likewise, Trudeau committed to carbon pricing without it showing it brought down emissions or was able to meet Canada's energy needs.

As mentioned previously here, Canada doesn't have an age problem in politics like many nations. We generally have a time limit in our heads of two terms. An exceptional leader or political party that renew itself can extend that time. The Liberals did this by changing leaders and shifting. The Canadian public showed a willingness to do this. And the Liberals won an election and later a majority as a result. Perhaps Carney trips up and faces the same timeline as Starmer for popularity.

Canadian can only look on in shock at the revolving door at the Game of Thrones in the UK. We just don't have this type of turnover. And while we could have two provinces vote on separation, there doesn't seem to be much of an appetite for it if the polls are to be believed. In some ways, there has been more unity than we have seen in some time. Part of it is as a result of Trump, some is sport such as World Cup and Olympics and some could be a sense of common purpose.

A leader appears to be in waiting in Britain. Perhaps that helps Labour find a direction without heading to an election. The biggest momentum in recent years has been Reform Party which seems committed to a rupture in the status quo. It remains to be seen whether the UK really wants that. Perhaps this summer the country will finally find the stability it has lacked for years. 

Arby's and Pur & Simple Come to Kildonan's Peguis Promenade in 2027

Arby's said they would be expanding again in Winnipeg. The one Arby's now is at Seasons of Tuxedo. The new Arby's will be adjacent to the one that closed in Kildonan Place in a small mall on Reenders Driver. When Arby's retreated from the Canadian market for a while there were fans in Manitoba and Ontario who mourned its loss and lobbied for its return. When a location opened at Seasons, there were lineups for weeks.

Shindico has indicated that the first tenants will be in place before the end of 2027. Aside from Arby's, the Quebec-based Pur and Simple breakfast place will also be moving in. Breakfasts are proving to be a strength in the fast food industry lately. Pur and Simple has already found success with their Seasons location so one off Regent is likely to do well.

The road construction in the area seemed to last years as did Kildonan Place. Even now the final touches on a multi-year changes to the mall are reaching completion. The collapse of so many department stores and other retailers plus the post Covid world has re-shaped the commercial and residential market. They have found they need each other in proximity for success.

I suspect Arby's as well as Pur and Simple are looking for other locations in the city. The Costco locations off Main and the Downs are both in need of local restaurants as more and more housing reaches completion in those areas. Winnipeg's population has gone up and some stores and restaurants are closing due to shifting tastes, retirements or changes in where traffic goes. 

The economy is showing mixed signals but the heavy duty infrastructure is helping with employment. Were it is not for the trade issues south of the border, Canada might be in a better place with inflation and growth. Some developments which have been very slow out the gate seem to be ready to go market this year and next. For the Kildonan area, this will likely help people stick to their area for shopping and restaurants. Quite a few from the neighbourhood went all the way across town for their roast beef fix.

Donald Trump to Attend Opening of Teddy Roosevelt Library in Medora, North Dakota July 1, 2026

It will be a busy July 1st for President Trump. He will be visiting North Dakota to be there for the opening of the Teddy Roosevelt Library in Medora, North Dakota. It will be a quick trip because he is supposed to be back in Washington, D.C. for the trilateral meeting of Canada, Mexico and the United States for trade talks and possibly a deal or does Trump announce U.S. is pulling out? Carney will be meeting him that day. No word on that itinerary. 

The Teddy Roosevelt Library is a non-profit creation since the official libraries program for presidents only started in 1955. The 96,000 square foot building is on a 92,000 square foot campus carved into a butte in Medora, North Dakota beside the Teddy Roosevelt National Park in the far west part of the state by the Badlands.

Roosevelt is intimately identified with North Dakota from his journeys in the state from 1883 to 1887. His wife and mother died a short time after one another in the state where he was a cattle rancher. He was popular writer and historian and became a war hero. As a progressive Republican, he established a conservation program that is the basis of the national park system that exists today. He was first non-European to win a Nobel Prize. In many presidential rankings, he consistently is one of the highest in approval in U.S. history.

The name Teddy Bear is coined for the man and his connection to the death of a black bear. How it ended up being a cute kids stuffie is apart of American. It certainly is not the story of Winnie, the bear named after Winnipeg that became Winnie the Pooh. Roosevelt visited Winnipeg a number of times on his way to Delta Marsh where they hired Metis guides for hunting trips.

There is probably just too little space to go over the expansive life of Teddy Roosevelt. He makes the last several years of presidents look like croppers. It is of little wonder that Trump wants to visit the Teddy Roosevelt Library. Built be the same designer of the gorgeous central library in Calgary, the building and the campus is stunning.

The design allows the visitor to feel part of the incredible vista. The curation of the collection appears to be a worthy homage to the 26th President of the United States. Trump's visit should help garner some publicity to the area. Many people from Manitoba are very fond of North Dakota and not just the eastern cities of Grand Forks or Fargo. The $150 million facility is architecturally noteworthy.

Medora has honoured Teddy Roosevelt since 1965 with the Medora Musical. It is an old timey Old West musical review and it is as charming as it is fun. It is very nearby the new library. Perhaps in the near future people in Manitoba will want to visit their old friend. Some of that enthusiasm could be tempered by Trump's later appointment on that same day with Carney. Here's hoping the visit July 1 is positive in so many ways.

The End of Hockey Night in Canada 2026

The renewal of the very lengthy 12 year Rogers NHL contract should have been a clue. Some of the changes were already announced such as Amazon Prime games as well as more Netflix games. Television came to Canada in 1952 and that is when CBC began to broadcast it on Saturdays. Foster Hewitt led the TV broadcast from that year until 1965. It was familiar territory for him as he had been the national radio broadcaster for hockey since 1931. From 1952 to 1965 CBC TV and CBC radio simulcast Hockey Night in Canada.

Everything about hockey broadcasting was as a result of the CBC and it went on to become the most watched sport on a weekly basis across Canada. Alas, the profitability of it made it more difficult for CBC to keep bidding on it and winning. They could have possibly had a partnership and retained some rights but dropped the puck on that. Rogers took control in 2014 and only used the CBC network for its coast to coast broadcast reach as well its talent.

As of June 16, the CBC will not host any NHL hockey on Saturday as Rogers brings it all in house. Both sides, Sportsnet and CBC, jointly announced the end of the arrangement. Neither side as really indicated what comes next aside from the name will change for Rogers broadcasts on Saturday on CityTV, Sportsnet channels and streaming partners like Netflix and Amazon Prime. It will likely cost more to see hockey each year as more things move to streaming.

In the early part of my life, Hockey Night in Canada was on a bit too late for me. By 1968, they were on at 7 in Winnipeg on Wednesdays on CTV and Saturdays on CBC. The French channel broadcast every Montreal Canadiens game Saturday so if, by chance, the Canadiens were not on CBC, the switch was made to French. The Canadiens were on a lot though because they were a winning team with the best players. By 1975 CTV was no longer doing weekday games but individual channels were. Winnipeg was not one of them. Our family only got cable and a colour TV by 1971.

There was only one game a night Saturday even though Vancouver Canucks joined in 1970. Back to back games only happened occasionally when Wayne Gretzky was traded to Los Angeles Kings in 1988. After, when a Canadian team was in LA, CBC made time for a back to back game. It was in 1994 that back to back games became the staple of Hockey Night in Canada's Saturday. It was no doubt because of the frustration in much of Canada that the Toronto Maple Leafs were locked into Saturday night, every night, despite the lack of a winning record.

Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary all came on broad the NHL from 1979 to 1980, the most any western team could hope for was many one or two games on HNIC. This is where the regional broadcasts by CTV and CKND became very important. Many fans of the Winnipeg Jets came to believe there was a curse playing on Hockey Night in Canada and still do. We often performed poorly.

Prior to 1979 though, it was possible to be a fan of the WHA Jets as well a team in the NHL. And there were plenty of those. My dad was originally from Montreal so the Canadiens were a favourite and the fact they were a very winning team meant I liked them a lot. The first NHL game for the Jets versus Canadiens, everyone wore tuxedos and ball gowns. It felt like a royal affair.

To get NHL hockey for the 2027-2027 season, Canadians will have to have pay for a cable or streaming subscription. CBC was free for everyone. It is hard to get regular season viewer numbers but Hockey Night in Canada likely got a base of 500,000 people for the first game of the night and rose higher according to who was playing the Leafs. In the playoffs, Canadian matches could bring in 5 million viewers in Canada alone if a Canadian team was playing.

This was the best year for NHL ratings for playoffs in many years. Live television is still something that can attract eyeballs but the new Rogers contract is more than double the last contract. A licence agreement on CBC is not enough money and certainly more than CBC was willing to pay when it doesn't get any ad revenue from broadcasting it. The grand bargain was that CBC was able to provide studio and labour resources. Rogers took that all in house three years ago. So, coming this fall, there will be no Saturday NHL that is free to watch for Canadians.

The CBC has been instrumental in creating the dynamic of how the NHL, CFL and curling are broadcast. Eventually, these sports became so successful, they longer needed the public broadcasters support. The private networks now want these jewels and it will be to Canadians to see if they want to pay for them. With many people cutting cable, the hunt for sports could take people to many streaming sites. In the end, it might be as expensive as cable was.

Rogers will be going into details about the new name and look and where to find their NHL games. Toronto fans might end up paying the most since they have the most games broadcast. There may be a re-evaluation on hosts, panels and even how the broadcast is filmed. At this point, all we know is it will look different. And if a new streamer is added for the mid-week game, what will that look like? Another subscription? A new broadcast team?

As for CBC, the new program will feature sports on Saturday. The Hockey Night in Canada name will pop up from time to time. More than likely for women's hockey although we might see university hockey for men and women now as well. To be blunt, compared to the U.S., Britain and Australia, we are pathetic for sports coverage. There is superior high school and college sports coverage in much smaller North Dakota. Some of our national newspapers barely cover sports. We are luckier than most in Winnipeg that we have reporters who cover sports for both our newspapers but it has been a long time since The Sun has sent reporters on the road to travel with teams. The Free Press is one of the last newspapers to do that. CJOB does exceptional sports coverage but it is for programs they could rights for.

Our national news media barely covers it. Nada is in the National Post. The Globe has a tiny sports section. The media companies have gutted their local sports departments in radio and TV. Most newspapers barely report on amateur sports even in their own areas. The CBC could have plenty of material in sports they could build an audience in at a fraction of the cost. It has been many a year since ABC and CTV's Wide World of Sports but it does show that one network can cover a range of amateur and professional sports. No one else in Canada is covering these areas and CBC has a proven track record of building an audience for Canadian sports.

I remember watching Jim McKay on Wide World of Sports and so many sports were introduced to me from watching that show. In Canada, Rod Black eventually hosted the CTV version. One of the reasons these sports shows ended is because of the rise of the four professional sports leagues taking up more and more of the schedule. Expansion teams like the Blue Jays in 1977 and the Jets and Nordiques in 1979 and Calgary shortly after in 1980 expanded coverage of those sports. CTV gave up on the Wide World of Sports in the mid 1970s but had other sports they began to cover.

CBC has one other asset that can enhance their newly focused Saturday Night and that is their streaming service Gem. Sports on the network can be mirrored on CBC.ca as well as Gem. In fact, Gem has been seriously underutilized since it was founded in 2018. It seems only now they are realizing they can actually bring older CBC material there that is still popular as well as commission to kids and documentary material. This applies to news and sports. There is no reason that Gem can't be the Tubi or DAZN of the north. It is time the CBC took sports seriously as part of its national mission.

Canada About to Increase Fighter Purchase to Two Different Fighters

Be careful when military sources say that certain military purchases are not what some in military want. There is a strong chance that they are paid lobbyists or hope to be be paid lobbyists of chosen companies. To that end, military people will make specifications exactly matching Boeing, General Dynamics and a host of U.S. supplier. They will encourage complete integration and training with U.S. to the point that policies match. In other words, self serving in that they get a commission for setting the table for billions in military bids.

Not all military are like that. But fair to be concerned that when billions will be added to military budgets, you will find yourself buying $250 hammers. Ronald Reagan's people found that out when they plowed money into new equipment. It is discouraging and causes people to lose faith. In 2003, there will military advisers saying Canada should go to war despite our own intelligence questioning weapons of mass destruction. 

Stephen Harper took out a full page ad in the U.S. saying Canada should be fighting. Funny, how Poilievre today doesn't talk about this finest moment of his party. We really do need to do our own due diligence. Britain has still not full recovered from this breech of trust for their involvement in Iraq. They have literally eaten up prime ministers and invited chaos in the years since.

Over 50 countries operate more than one category of fighter jet aircraft. If you listen to critics in Canada, the consensus is that Canada should buy more F-35s if the budget is there for it. Remember again these same people are often paid lobbyists. The truth is that the F-35 is the most expensive option on the table. If Canada wants another option for NATO and other work, the Gripen from Sweden offers both a cheaper option as well as an industrial program for Canada.

The sole-sourced aircraft that Canada recently purchased (Poseidon) was uncompetitive. The military assured that no other choice, timetable or price was better. They said this is the one we wanted. No other choice will do. We are the experts. Trust us. But how can when the system is so gamed and when so many former military lobbyists get handsomely paid? This happens so routinely in every country that you come to realize what Eisenhower meant when he talked about the military-industrial complex. He didn't trust their motivations and desire for money.

On the other side of the equation is politics and economics. Some politicians are okay with military contracts so long as they help their communities. They don't care about the cost to taxpayer or if the equipment is on time or even the right equipment. Just as long as money is spent in their area. Safe to say that only a few provinces benefit from the bulk of spending on ship construction.

The reason some countries build their own weapons is because they sometimes find that other countries won't sell them what they want or need. Case in point is Israel and Ukraine. Each of those countries created industries to build them weapons when other countries refused to sell to them. However, some military equipment takes too long to develop and too much to build. Submarines fall in that category. Canada has generally bought submarines from nations that build them. However, the U.S. has vetoed some of our choices if they involved technology the Americans didn't want us to have or threatened their traditional dominance. This is the case of when we tried to buy nuclear submarines in 1987.

The F35 jets make Canada even more dependent on the U.S. and they still are not offering the best version of the aircraft there is. We have been part of the process of building the jet for 30 years and the Harper government attempted to sole-source the purchase with no details. It was widely rejected by the public. Even when it was cancelled in favour of a new bidding process, the military procurement refused to hear from other bidders. Sometimes it was hard to tell who the military and Conservative staffers were. Military were paid to lobby for the F35. The whole thing is a fiasco.

The military basically uses the specifications of the F35 as the basis of their choice. It is an excellent aircraft but sole-sourcing it and then taking money to lobby and as a commission means taking the taxpayer for granted and self enrichment. The relaxed attitude about sovereignty threats from the United States causes some worry. This isn't an idle statement considering the arrests of Canadian military in Quebec recently who looked to overthrow the government. The push to buy 40 or 50 more F35s after the initial 88 has to be questioned.

So here are the facts. The Canadian government has invested a lot of time and money into the F35. However, the aircraft is very dependent on the U.S. for servers, updates and training as well as parts. Any or all could be under threat when not based in Canada. The CF18s had a substantial repair and update contracts in Canada. The F35s require heavy American involvement on a regular basis. The "we are friends" argument feels a lot more hollow when we are fighting all the time to get our goods like aluminum and steel in the market and are called a security threat.

The F35 is like a Ferrari. It is very expensive to operate. Not surprisingly, many Ferrari owners have another car to do things like ship at IKEA. Canada could probably use another aircraft to do that. It isn't the first time we have used other aircraft either. Back in the 50 years ago, we updated our fighters and used older fighters for other tasks until they were retired. If more than 50 other countries do it, why can't Canada? And why is there horror that it is impossible for use to do and that we should go and buy more F35s? Oh, and untendered too.

It now seems highly probable that Canada will likely get most of the F35 order and then put in an additional order for Saab Gripens as part of a NATO industrial strategy. According to the Globe and Mail, the Canadian government is looking to go with two fights with Lockheed-Martin and Saab. How many jets? Well, to put it into perspective, Canada has generally ordered just under 140 fighters at a time delivered over years. The F35s Canada has ordered is 88. To put that in perspective, the UK ordered 60. Australia ordered 72. Japan has an order of 147.

Canada has one of the most significant orders for the F35 in the world. It is one reason the U.S. is angry we have not committed to buying them right away. Keep in mind that the U.S. has treated Australia like crap even after they have taken possession of all 72 aircraft. And you have to wonder if they ever get their nuclear submarines when the U.S. can't even produce enough themselves.

Expanding who Canada buys its military equipment from makes sense given the fact that the U.S. is so unreliable. As much as we can, we should buy in Canada and use Canadian steel and Canadian aluminum. Having American companies complain when we don't use their steel and aluminum is rich. We have a lot of ships and with U.S. steel tariffs, it makes sense we use what we have in Canada.

Most NATO countries predict that by 2029, Russia will be in a position to move against a member country. Most intelligence reports indicate it is the Baltic area that faces the biggest danger. Canada has thousands of military people in Latvia and there have already been Russian incursions into the territory. Unlike the present U.S., Canada seems more committed to NATO than any time in the past decades. At one point prior to the Berlin Wall coming down, Canada had up to four squadrons of fighters based in Germany.

A decision is likely coming soon. It isn't likely before July 1 as the trade deal reaches a new phase at that point. So far any concessions have been met with no quid pro quo. Announcing a purchase of 140 F35s might gain nothing and still have the U.S. demanding more. Why not add to your industrial base and ally with NATO friends. Create an export market for Ukraine to have fighters. Have an aircraft that is not the sports car you have to take out for the regular work. The United States under normal circumstances shouldn't care what NATO aircraft that Canada buys. At some point Canada will make a decision. It seems weird that the purchase might be linked to the Gordie Howe Bridge but we exist in strange times.

Canada Day Celebration Princess Auto Stadium 2026

The Forks and Assiniboine Park don't do them anymore. Fireworks, that is. When evening comes on July 1st, most parks that we helped to build and pay for tell us, the citizenry, don't let the door hit you on the way out. We are told fireworks are bad. In the past few years celebrations have been somber. Lots of be ashamed about over 150 plus years. In Winnipeg, in particular, it has just turned into a shopping day. Not much free, not much to do, everything costing something.

But we are Canadian. We want to celebrate as Canadians. Trying to find our joy even when it isn't easy. This is why over the last few years, the Blue Bomber stadium has been a consistent place to get free Canada Day entertainment all day as well as fireworks at night. And the best part is that it is free. Unlike The Forks which stops programming at 5 PM, Bomber stadium is doing events right up to 10:30 PM. And yes, there are fireworks.

A mix of pop and country music will be on the mainstage and lots of activities for kids in the the tailgate area should keep people entertained. Parking is free where available at the University of Manitoba. There will be no park and ride for the event but there will be more city buses assigned for the event.

I'm not sure why The Forks and Assiniboine Park ends programming while the sun shines but they do. Hats off to the events they do plan but sending people off so early seems a missed opportunity. Part of it is the movement against fireworks. I know many want them banned but the government knows they would have to compensate businesses who operate in the province so they don't. However, many large public park areas have ended them forever. The days of 30 or 60 thousand people in Winnipeg gathering into the evening are over.

The Bomber stadium is one area in the city you can still have the full day event for the family. Good for Bombers.

Anti-Semitism in Manitoba

A lot of focus has happened with Prime Minister Mark Carney speech on anti-Semitism in Toronto. It is notable that the government felt it necessary, even essential to indicate that the people of Canada need to do everything to combat anti-Semitism. Depending on who you talked to after, it was a very productive speech or it was an utter failure. Those that say Carney anti Semite or heads an anti Semite government and nothing will be better till the right party is in place should be taken with a grain of salt.

The latter opinion comes from the American owned National Post that runs more opinion pieces on anti-Semitism than the Jerusalem Post. That isn't an exaggeration. The newspaper seems to run pieces on the federal government and anti-Semitism every day. The Conservative titled newspaper is outrageously focused on the Liberal party and often ignores provincial and municipal issues, including hate crimes that fall as much on other levels of government than the Feds.

To that end, let's focus on the hate crime report from the Winnipeg Police Service for 2025. One interesting note: This story was published in the Jerusalem Post as well. The report stated that hate crimes have gone up 154% since 2019. In 2025 there were 112 incidents versus 44 incidents there year before. Race and ethnicity accounted for 49 incidents with black people accounting for 13 reports.

In terms of religious hate crime. there were 37 incidents with 32 incidents that were against Jewish people. Some critics say there are so many unreported claims. This may well be true but government and police can only do much when incidents are not reported. All we can do is encourage people to report and to try to ensure their safety. If people fear to report because because they will be killed, the police have to investigate deeper. If swastikas are all over the place, it might be important to figure out if you have a cowed population living in fear.

To be fair, despite Winnipeg's large increase in hate crime since 2019, it doesn't even come close to other provinces in total numbers or per capita. One incident is too many but we are in no way close to other places in the country. Still, we need to dig down at Jewish hate here. There has always been an undercurrent in the far left and far right. For some on the left is not accepting Israel's existence and that Jewish people are to blame wherever they are.  For some on the right, it is that Jewish people are part of world cabal that plans to take over the world and control things.

Zionism is the crux here for many. Most Jewish people who live in Canada are not citizens of Israel, can vote in Israel or are even involved in day to day things that happen in Israel. What the majority of Jewish people do support is the right of Israel to exist. Supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah cheering the murder and rape of Israelis on the streets of Canada is both hatred and terrorism. It should be dealt with.

Israel has a right to exist and those who push a "river to the sea" are preaching death to Jews. Driving Jews into the sea basically shows all that some people care about is killing. And if you are in Winnipeg and gather at Kenaston and Grant just to harass Jewish people at a synagogue with death threats, you are preaching hatred. Trying to appoint collective guilt to Jewish people living in Canada about Israel by protesting outside their places of worship, business and homes is not freedom of speech. 

In 1982, the Israel occupation in Lebanon was the last time we saw such a rise of anti-Semitism in Canada. We are kind of back in that time again. If Canadians wish to protest, which is their right, they can do embassies, consulates, various government offices and the like. The moment you go to someone's home, place of worship or business should be dealt with every time. Harassment online doesn't get a free pass either.

Israel is a democracy. They do change their policies and have exchanged land for peace. The Sinai Peninsula is evidence of that. If a Winnipegger wants to lobby for that, do so. But advocating for death should earn you a time in court. This applies to all hate crimes. Criticizing Israel's government policy on Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon is fair game. Even Trump does that. Spray painting a synagogue is not.

In terms of what Carney can do, there have been legislative changes to help police track and make arrests like those for anti-Semitism. However, even Conservatives are wary of such warrantless searches. I guess it depends on whose ox you gore. Still, the federal government needs to show zero tolerance for hate violence and work to prevent that.

As for those who disagree with Israeli actions, do to the Legislature or City Hall. Push for sanctions or divestment. Go to constituency offices and protest. Those are your rights. Protest at universities. But cross the line with violence, harassment of worship places or business and pay the price. Threaten hate and violence online and prepare for legal consequences. No more free rides for bad behaviour.

For those Winnipeggers who socially engage without nonsense, good on you. Report stuff when you see it. Let's not have this end up with terrorism and gunfire. We're better than that. 

New Apartment Faces Opposition on Des Meurons

Des Meurons has always been a mix of everything. It has a fair amount of through traffic with industrial, residential and commercial literally next to one another. There has also been a fair amount of new house building that has gone up as close to the Seine River as possible. Some streets are like Wildwood Park with alleys and houses facing each other in park-like environments. There is a lot of green space in the area.

Residents of the area have lived next to mixed industrial and commercial space for decades. Such spaces pre-date many of the homes in the area and complaints about moving them probably would fall on deaf ears. The owners of 470 Des Meurons though decided their business would do well to move to one of the newer industrial parks as is their right to do so. The neighbourhood was excited to see the for sale sign go up at Overhead Doors. It isn't entirely clear what they might have expected.

Once the land was sold, developers with a record for lowrise apartments, began the consulting phase for a six floor apartment. The well heeled streets nearby became upset at the height and encroachment as well as too few parking spaces. The zoning department has indicated the neighbourhood has a point on some these issues but there seems to be a concerted effort to tank the project and claim it is because it is an indigenous heritage site. 

 There once stood a residential school on the site 120 years ago but it had long since burned down and no one was every buried there. No historic claim was raised while it was industrial land and one shouldn't be imposed now. Nor should any new owner be forced to give up the land. A plaque is acceptable but taking advantage of a claim to cancel an apartment is gross.

Freedhome, the builder, is already building an apartment of similar size on Provencher that will be owned by First Nations. That place also had resistance. Everyone always says such projects are good except when on their own street. Then it it doesn't fit the character. There is nothing wrong in trying to get the best design but the hope for a park or one floor housing is an attempt to cripple anything at all. The neighbourhood should consider themselves lucky another industry didn't decide to continue on the site.

The irony is that some in the neighbourhood might seek multi-unit places at different stages in their life and have to move far away. Ask people in River Heights about that. Just a block over is a building that comes right to the street and stands just as tall. It is an older building but it shows it can co-exist with the rest of the neighbourhood and it does fit.

The whole thing goes before Council next week and the feeling is that a decision will get kicked past the fall civic election. The slow walking of approving something can last 10 or 15 years in many cases. Much of the housing being built this year has been going through zoning and revisions for give years or more. A lot of development has simply been abandoned over the years. 

Everyone agrees we need new housing. Too many people think it should be located away from them. The city should give a sympathetic hearing to concerns but a memorial park for a school 120 years in the past is not in the cards. A park in general is not in the cards. Refusing any commercial, residential or industrial use is not in the cards. The city must not give in and only allow about 6 or 7 monster houses with room for parking several cars. We already see that in the neighbourhood.

I think at this point the city should be able to address some of the issues of the zoning department. The one thing they shouldn't do is kick the decision to the next council and leave the property vacant only to be burned down in an arson.

TSN Signs Biggest Deal Ever for Broadcasting 2026

The new Commissioner of the CFL Stewart Johnston is a former TSN executive and it stands to reason the teams across the league were looking for a good TV deal to give them. The league got the highest price and the most game ever across TV, cable and streaming. The estimated amount of money paid out is $500 million over six years. The previous six years was $50 million season.

Bell Media does the most in broadcasts through TSN, CTV and Crave. They will carry 60 of 81 games on Thursday Night Football  and Friday Night Football games starting on next year. DAZN becomes the new streaming partner and will start a new Saturday Night Football program for CFL that has its own broadcast crew, play by play, colour and sideline staff. All CFL broadcasts will be available on DAZN internationally for free.

DAZN is a paid service premium versus watching on basic cable. All sports watching has a fee attached, it will just be curious what one game a week on DAZN ends up costing. Their basic service now is $29.00 Canadian a month. That might be steep for a month where your team only places once or twice on the channel.

As for YouTube, they will be covering pre-season games. Not clear on if they have their own broadcast team for that. They will also cover the CFL Combine which is exciting because it really is a fan experience when done right. There will also be a lot of CFL material on YouTube such as highlights and other features. An All Access behind the scenes show is planned.

To be sure there is a need for more clarity on exactly the costs and the coverage for this extended CFL coverage. It is doubtful Americans would pay that type of money for one NFL game a week for a subscription so why would DAZN think Canadians would? Hope the company clarifies this as there are sure to be questions. Two play-off games are to be on DAZN. Do you need a year subscription to get those?

Make no mistake this is a very good news story for the CFL. They money stabilizes the league finances for years to come. There may be more TV deals coming. The U.S. rights are currently held by CBS Sports for $1 million a year. It stands to reason there may be more coming, especially if there are more teams and more product. Could we see a CBS renewal and more term and money? Or are their other sports networks out there that might want the CFL?

There are a lot of rule changes this year so we'll see if the product on the field makes for exciting football. It is still unique compared to the NFL. That has always been a strength. Too much like the NFL though and there question might be: why a CFL at all?