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.