Corus Cuts CJOB Jobs in Winnipeg

 Corus is facing huge debt that resulted from its takeover of Global Television in 2016 for $2.65 billion. While the TV and radio stations are profitable, they can't keep up with the massive debt of acquisitions. The result is 800 jobs have been chopped and more and more are coming as they seek a buyer.

In the last week we have seen more radio hosts lose their jobs in places in Alberta and now the bad news is here in Winnipeg. Long time radio hosts Tom Milroy and Julie Buckingham have lost their jobs. In recent years Tom Milroy has been a CJOB weekend host. He has been broadcasting since 1976 and at Corus since 2013. Bucking has been co-host with Richard Cloutier since 2016 on the 4 pm to 7 pm timeslot.

Radio stations go through format changes and live and die by ratings but the debt around Corus means they go through these cuts like some of the other major media groups to pay creditors. Their solution seems to be even more consolidation until, like newspapers, their solution has been to sell to American companies. Winnipeg newspapers being the pleasant surprise.

Radio is very much a corporate affair and radio staff are often canned but it is getting to the point that some stations are likely to close in the next round.

Winnipeg Unicity Shooting 2024

The above is the final moments of a video posted Sunday, November 24 at Unicity of a suspect in a stabbing of a Winnipeg Police officer. The officer survived and was hospitalized but the suspect was shot multiple times. Audio has officers shouting for suspect to drop what is in their hand.

The acting police chief asked public not to judge based on the videos that were shot outside the Walmart at Unicity. Fair enough. There is likely video at Walmart inside and out as well. The Independent Investigation Unit has been called in for officer involved shooting. 

The deceased has not been named yet. It is likely we hear who they are soon but also if there has been past involvement with police. It can be a painfully slow process and sometimes very little information is given out. The information we might get initially is usually family who are feeling the loss and bewildered how it came to this.

There won't be a lot of sympathy in some quarters to the death of someone who may have been responsible for store shoplifting and an attack on police. Some will declare more of this is necessary. Still, keep in mind police don't want to be shooting people every day. Most want their job to be about deescalating things and not having to face people with weapons aimed at hurting them.

The province already as this week another police shooting in Norway House where an armed youth was killed by RCMP. It is under investigation as well. The community there is brokenhearted. Even when stun guns are used, the community has responded that they feel other methods would be better. It was a bad week with another homicide just days earlier. The Cree of the area are hurting.

There is a group of people who wish to eliminate the police or redirect their spending elsewhere. To be sure, there has to more done on mental health, addictions and poverty that can contribute to issues involving crime and violence. It is often a slow process and many do not want any of those three things in their neighbourhood. But even police say they cannot fight poverty, mental health or addictions. That is, unless we want a prison system that has hundreds of thousands in it.

As for those wanting police eliminated or defunded, I have not heard too many alternatives for many of the areas law enforcement works in. However, like the medical system, there is room for evolution. In medicine, doctors no longer need to be writing some prescriptions that pharmacists can write. Testing of blood and other samples are done offsite. Vaccines have been revolutionized in that they are available everywhere and tracked centrally. They don't have to be given by doctors which can save time in outbreaks.

Police were at Unicity as part of the retail theft initiative. Some police are at shops as part of voluntary overtime to deter crime while others are there as part of teams intended to stop shoplifting/violence and take people into custody. The police briefing noted that there were undercover officers present Sunday night. It entirely likely undercover officers did not have Taser or other less lethal weapons. Neither officer had bodycam video which is being introduced as a tool in Manitoba but not presently being used in Winnipeg.

There have been several police involved shootings in Winnipeg over the last few years. Many are still under investigation. It is a difficult time for Winnipeg but this is happening all over Canada. A lot of people have been feeling very sad and often scared that things have gotten this bad. Many things will have to change over the next while to turn things around.

Manitoba Contemplates Local Media Support

Premier Wab Kinew has called for an all-party committee to look at how local media can be supported in Manitoba. It is uncertain how the PCs will respond. As noted here, much of the print newspapers in the province is owned locally. The Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Sun as well as papers in Brandon, Portage and Steinbach are locally owned. There are a fair amount of locally owned radio stations in Manitoba as well. A fair amount of independent media exist. No major television stations are owned locally owned in Manitoba including affiliates.

The big players in Canada of Bell Media, Quebecor and Corus have massive amounts of debt due to acquisitions. While many remain profitable, it is debt repayment and dividends that has them cutting employees regularly. Throughout the world ad revenue has gone to large international companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook and others. Newspapers, radio stations and TV stations have closed across North America. Even this week Corus and Bell continue to lay off long time employees.

Winnipeg has had a few radio stations close or make cuts. Newspapers have been downsized. So too TV newsrooms. Federal government programs on digital membership tax credits, local journalism initiatives and periodical supports have been criticized over the years. Tax credits for print, TV and radio go to advertisers but digital ads are not included. It means 70% of digital ads go to foreign media. It seems odd to not make advertising in Canada to Canadian people on Canadian media something a tax credit should be exclusive to.

Provinces have contributed to local media by posting legal notices in newspapers, advertising and other business tax credits over the years. Ontario is committing a percentage of their Crown corporation spending to Ontario-based media. This could be about $10 to $15 million of the $100 million spending guaranteed for Ontario.

The large corporate ownership of media is Canada was profitable until it wasn't. They kept gobbling each other up or shutting down papers, radio stations and TV stations until their debt from concentration just couldn't keep up. Today, the majority of newspapers in Canada are owned by the U.S. and they continue to squeeze what they can out of their properties and shut down parts regularly.

A few newspapers have been converted to charities but it is an expensive preposition.  Some have become non-profits although you see that more in the U.S. than in Canada. The government could help with this process. A charity or a non-profit might be the way to salvage some local media from being closed. There are some co-op radio stations as well that could use a boost of support and would likely be something that survives because of community support.

Advertising though has been the lifeblood of media. Consumers have largely paid a subscription fee for newspapers and magazine or a cable fee to receive additional channels or for free after paying for your own TV and radio equipment. The costs are largely borne by advertisers. It is those advertisers that have been lost across the board in many industries to the large trans-nationals that rely on content made by others that it is often not paid for. 

Generally in business governments should not be picking winners and losers. If a government chose the horse over the car as the transportation of the future, they would have been very unwise. However, if they had let one car company be the only company supplying cars, it would be to the detriment of society. It is why antitrust exists. One dominant company can stifle further development, exert inordinate power and hurt more than it helps citizens.

The province of Manitoba can do little on antitrust as that is a federal jurisdiction. However, the province does have its own budget on advertising which, like Ontario. it can direct to Manitoba media such as TV, radio, print, podcasting and digital. The province can also add a tax credit for private advertisers to advertise in the province. There are other ideas out there but none should look like direct support to journalists which the federal government does. It should look like business to business relationships. It should be supporting business in Manitoba, not individual journalists.

The journalists get their support from their ownership, their advertisers and their appeal. It avoids accusations that they are state media or controlled by someone directly. It is a tough path to follow but when done correctly makes the media and the various views essential.

To be clear, some people want all media to collapse. They accuse it of harm. Some of this comes from anti-democratic views which have grown over the years. If freedom of the press truly falls, freedom of speech will as well. 

It will be interesting to see what ideas come from this discussion. It would be tragic if we see more small newspapers closes, more podcasts end, more radio station shutter and all regional TV stations become just national carriers or even international carriers that do not do any reporting from local areas.

Children's Hospital Expansion

The Conservatives announced a $1.5 billion expansion to Health Sciences Centre in 2023. The first step of it was buying the Manitoba Clinic to move various operations over the next year so that demolition could begin on some of the oldest parts of the campus of the general hospital. The space occupied in the Manitoba Clinic totals about 70,000 square feet and is long ter. It bails out the Manitoba Clinic but solves a complicate problem of space for the hospital. Long established facilities like HSC need to continue operating even as new facilities are being worked on. 

Hospitals like Women's Hospital took nearly 15 years from concept to completion. Various parts of the hospital that fundraise separately so it is difficult to know what other projects are yet to come. There are various charitable foundations. HSC Foundation is one. CancerCare Manitoba and Children's Hospital are others. So much money pours into these foundations and they all have plans for improvements taking place at Health Sciences Centre.

There are parts of HSC that date back to the 1890s. HSC today encompasses 39 and 4 million square feet of space. This includes all the associated aspects of the campus such as the Cadham Provincial Laboratory, a hotel and research facilities. Canadian Blood Services is across the street as well.

The construction of the new Manitoba Clinic on the old gas station with their parkade beneath it opened a lot of space for hospital expansion. Under Pallister, hospital work ground to a halt unless it was already in progress. Stefanson initiated the $1.5 billion work but it is a 6 year project so some final design work has yet to be produced.

The HSC above is a mix of old and new buildings. The Children's Hospital completed in 1983 is the oldest in Canada now. While modern in appearance, it is not exceptionally street friendly. The windows are too high up on the first floor to look out on the street which would make people who walk on Sherbrook or William feel safer. There is no courtyard for families. Ronald McDonald House has facilities inside as well as their much expanded residence nearby but the hospital.

One of the most tenacious of charitable foundations in Manitoba is Children's Hospital. They have been fundraising for several years and this past month the province added $25 million that over $75 million has been raised for upgrades. This will go to emergency room improvements, operating room modernization and other infrastructure within the hospital. It is unclear whether there is new building or if it takes place inside the same footprint. However, a new hemodialysis section is going up and more space for child mental and physical wellness. 

No pictures have been shown about what it all looks like after Children's Hospital is complete. Only a few draft pictures are available about what work is being done to the Health Sciences as a whole. A 36 bed nursing unit is shown but few details of what it looks like or how it fits along Sherbrook. The above illustration is a first floor elevation. The second floor shows clinic spaces and up to four storey bed towers.

Of interest to note in the above illustration, there is something called Phase Two Mall. Is that a central corridor or will it have restaurants and shops on it? Not entirely clear. The two ten storey hospital towers are seen in the illustration in blue.

It all makes for an enormous project and years and years of construction. And all the while construction goes on the hospital must continue to function as well as upgrade other areas. There seems little doubt that another hotel and some restaurants on the campus could be used on campus. There are only two apartments for students as well.

CBC had a more detailed location of where the new add on was going to go. As mentioned, the goal had been $75 million to raise but $86 million was brought in. In some cases the construction will be invisible from the outside but at some point it will be impossible to miss.

Given the total amount of spending and how many people work, visit and are in the area, you'd think there would associated businesses, housing and the like. And yet the area has very few businesses that thrive nearby and few who work in the massive facility who live in proximity. It is the not the job of HSC to redevelop the neighbourhood it is located in but it certainly makes it more difficult to live in the area where danger has increased in the last years. At the very least, we need to see more personal care homes closer to major hospitals. The one built right be Misericordia was the right move. Concordia as well as a close by personal care home.

Given that HSC is bigger than most cities in Manitoba, it needs a police and security force befitting it's size. The people in place now are doing their best but they need more resources and training. And they especially need people. It just can't end at the entrances.

There is unlikely to be a time when building is not taking place at HSC. The Children's Hospital is getting some much needed upgrades. There should be further announcements soon about the CancerCare and HSC new construction as well as expansion of the University of Manitoba HSC campus.

U.S. Election Results and Canada

The above is a Getty Images photo of Trudeau in 2017 meeting Trump in the White House.

U.S. elections always seem surprising affairs. If Canadians voted in U.S. elections, we'd probably be like California: Largely Democratic with a few Republican enclaves. Most polls show Manitobans if the could vote in the U.S. would vote for Democrats. We don't get to vote though and it is why both government and oppositions usually keep fairly quiet because it is possible that either side might be who Canada has to deal with in the aftermath.

There is usually an assessment by both parties of what they did well and what did badly at in victory and defeat. They are often. Bill Clinton's adviser James Carville was right when he said: It's the economy, stupid. With Americans still feeling it with inflation, it just wasn't going to be some Harris could run on. And no matter what the economy was doing, it has been decades of fears about the border and immigration. 

Trudeau was credited with managing good relations with Trump for quite some time when he was in his first term. With Trump you only have to stumble once though. A tweet from Trudeau on border issues was enough to raise the ire of the man who was once president and is now again. In the case of the U.S., it is often best not to be on the front pages. However, you also don't want to be forgotten or taken advantage of. Trump has said he will arrest Trudeau if President if he comes to the U.S.. It might be best to confirm that before travelling when Trump is 47th President. He did accept Trudeau's congratulations.

Generally, how Canada manages its relationship with the U.S. is largely the same whatever the party in power in Ottawa. Stephen Harper didn't try to lean into conservative politics south of the border as he does elsewhere in the world. Trudeau didn't lean into liberal politics with Trump most of the time. The focus was trade, defence and areas of mutual interest. The reason is that the relationship is too important to play games. Even the very least comment or media reference can sour the relationship. The best relationship is a professional one. 

Canada has tried to have a diverse relationship covering state and federal elected officials. Civil servants, including appointed diplomats, political staff and family members, are also important. Trudeau's government was very good to reaching out to Trump's family. That might not be an option this time with Trump. It was Ivanka and Jared Kushner that Canadian officials worked with and they are not there this time. The same applies for Trudeau as well as he is separated and the leaders often bring their partners in travel.

It is unclear what diplomatic connections Poilievre has to Trump or Republican and Democrats both federally or in the states. He won't be able to handle it the way he handles domestic policies. Sloganeering, lack of forthright dealing with issues or being vague will not save a possible from Conservative government from retribution if they don't come up with a plan to get to 2% GDP on defence or end milk protection. On the bright side for Poilievre, he can possible end all federal work on carbon pricing. It is doubtful that he can do that on electric cars as the U.S. itself is pushing on that. Just ask Elon Musk.

Results in U.S. elections can take a long time. But the Senate was always going to be tough to keep for Democrats so that has swung Republican. The House of Representatives is a mystery till the end but probably a Republican win as well. A Trump win and Republican agenda will have a two year free reign till the mid-terms. No worries on a conservative dominated court either. There are plenty of Democrat run states. 

Ukrainian military support probably ends and the U.S. could let Russia take over the country. The 40 million people in Ukraine might be on the run if they are cut off. In terms of Canadian policy, it will be interesting if our military support ends as well. A change in government might do that. It is unknown whether Poilievre will pull funding. What will less likely be tolerated by Liberal and Conservative voters  in Canada is not helping Ukrainians who could be refugees. Expect a lot more if they are left few options.

The tariffs Trump proposed starting at 10% across the world could start a trade war not seen since the 1930s. There could be an element of bullying here for concessions but is likely going to see some businesses scrambling. China will take it on the chin but might think there is nothing to lose in taking Taiwan. Unless the U.S. is willing to use military might, Taiwan could end up along with Ukraine being taken over.

Russia itself could see sanctions drop. The U.S. might pull out of NATO or just have a president who doesn't care. It is possible he pulls support from Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia and other countries in Europe. No one knows for sure. However, Putin is likely to look at grabbing more territory and not face consequences. Russia probably sees a resumption of relations with the U.S.

For immigration, the push will be to deport those deemed illegal. That could be up to 11 million immigrants. However, we could see a real cooling of actual legitimate immigration into the U.S. as well. This could represent an opportunity for Canada for skilled people who are in the U.S. but no prospect for American citizenship in a timely way. It could mean Canada sees people fleeing the U.S. and coming across the border wherever they can in Canada. 

If there is not a robust response in Canada to illegal immigration, it could mean hundreds of thousands crossing. The lack of planning on this could literally crush whoever is is in government in Canada. The Conservatives may wish they weren't in power if it happens on their watch. What would they do? Put Ukrainians in internment camps?

On health (including abortion), education and justice Canada should stay right out of the conversation. If Trump is president, they do what they want on those areas and we say nothing. Our system is completely different and so long as it doesn't affect us, it isn't our business. Our issues are mutual defence, border security (including migration) and trade above all other concerns. Defence will play a role too although we may have to rely on Britain, France, Japan, Korea and Germany a lot more.

We have increased our military pending quite a bit. It won't reach 2% till 2032 and that is probably not going to be good enough for the U.S. or our other allies. The Liberal caucus and cabinet are meeting and pushing to counter U.S. policy changes that Trump might bring. An acceleration of military spending may not be enough to avoid some sort of punishment. Likewise, there will be some in the new Trump administration looking to see if the Conservatives have a plan for a fast build up. Presently, they don't. 

The first 100 days in 2025 of the Trump administration might have massive changes including to taxes. The Republican led Congress and Trump might looks to madly get things done. The Canadian Parliament will have to monitor carefully to see how it affects Canada directly and plan for what might happen in January. The tariff changes could be huge. Already in the U.S., some companies are cancelling their Christmas bonus as companies that buy foreign products for their business are adding the costs to how they run things.

Canada has tried to diversify it's markets many times. Our saw mills are built for the U.S. market and we only need about 30% of the wood products we harvest. The problem is that every time we try to expand to Asia, there are possible supply chain, logistics or political problems that crop up. Trade is up in China but the Chinese continue to have Canada at a lower tier of trade priority. India faces challenges as well. Canada depends on a rules based world. When rules are broken, we suffer.

Over the next months and years, the government of Canada whatever political party that is in power will have to come up with quick responses for policy changes. One of the very early ones could be the digital tax Canada has. Elon Mush and other tech billionaires are likely going to ask for punishing measures takes on Canada to allow unfettered access for Facebook and X and the end of tax and antitrust rules. The Conservatives have said they will get ride of these laws as well as the CBC. It begs the question of whether there will be any media or news in four years. All news outlets might not have sufficient supports to keep running.

It is possible new international agreements are in place on a digital tax but big companies are looking for a complete cease of tax or regulation. Trump might just do anything Elon Musk says. However, keep in mind that Musk believes in climate change and Trump doesn't. This could hurt Tesla. In fact, there are are some ferocious fights to get into the administration. The feeling is that this is where Republicans can change things for the next decades. 

Could this change taxation in Canada? It is possible but the income and corporate lower taxes are often lower Canada so perhaps the U.S. just gets to Canadian standards. In any event, it will take a while for any of these changes to work their way through the legislative process as Trump will need Congress to get things passed.

It is clear that the U.S. election results means that Canada has to speed things up when it comes to inflation, cost of living and irritants that they'll want responded to. With Trump, it is unlikely we delay without punishment. The glacial pace of change could mean that pain last years.

Planet Fitness to Move into SportChek Unicity

The SportChek wasn't closed for long at Unicity. The location seemed destined to be split up into two spaces since it seemed too large for an easy replacement of the same size. That turned out to be wrong. Planet Fitness has indicated they will be opening soon in the old spot.

In very recent weeks Orange Theory closed nearby and SpecSavers opened in the space. This means there is no other gym super nearby. Portage Avenue does have Fit4Less by Goodlife, the Y, Shapes and some boutique gyms. Most malls are quickly discovering that if you want to have people in hours before or after mall hours you need a grocery, pharmacy, gym or restaurants.

As mentioned in a previous post about Unicity Smart Complex, it is a number of box stores with a few anchors. Restaurants are out more to Portage Avenue although a few are mixed in with the other retailers. It is bleak and and not very green compared to newer developments. However, having more people at a Planet Fitness will make that area of the mall far busier than it has been in recent years.

Portage has had some empty storefronts along it for a few years. Things have been very slowly filling up and malls like Unicity are in need of upgrades. Recent closures on Portage Avenue have been RnR Restaurants and Pets 101 and Crystal Clear Water Centre. The restaurant will be converted to apartments, some affordable housing. The pet store will become massage therapy business and the building was sold to the owner of that business.

The post-pandemic recovery has had many retailers think about what businesses are in the mix. In the past, restaurants were always sought to give a retail complex earlier morning and later day activities adjacent to stores. However, many restaurants are simply closing earlier because traffic patterns have changed. In recent weeks restaurants like Sushi Park in Charleswood and Earl of Sandwich have closed at Seasons Tuxedo.

Many gyms like Snap and Anytime Fitness closed as well during the pandemic. Some that have opened like Crunch Fitness in the old Goodlife location have struggled with getting out the gate. As mentioned, the Unicity mall area had an Orange Theory that recently closed.

The new Planet Fitness opens soon according to their website. It will be interesting to see if it attracts the growing population of apartment residents nearby.  St. James is going through changes where it will attract more density along Portage Avenue. We have not the seen the final development around Unicity. I suspect we will see more in 2025.