
The Unknown Poster
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Sam Katz Implicated In Police HQ Scandal?
The Unknown Poster replied to The Unknown Poster's topic in General Discussion
This whole thing smells dirty: Free Press: When a sitting mayor sells concert and hockey tickets to a contractor who bids on city work, the optics are terrible. As columnist Dan Lett opined in Tuesday’s Free Press, former mayor Sam Katz appeared to demonstrate little regard for his office when he accepted cheques from Caspian Construction as payment for tickets to Winnipeg Jets games and concerts at the MTS Centre. If optics were the only consideration, it was unwise for Katz to accept personal cheques from the company awarded Winnipeg’s police-headquarters contract, eventually valued at $172 million. But these transactions, revealed in the contents of a search warrant that allowed the RCMP to raid Caspian’s office in 2014, have ramifications beyond the realm of public relations. The revelation of some form of personal relationship between Katz and Caspian president Armik Babakhanians, described as a friendship by one witness in the RCMP warrant, places three outstanding questions about the procurement of Winnipeg’s police headquarters in a new context. These questions are aside from the RCMP’s avenue of investigation in 2014, when the Free Press first reported the Mounties were looking into allegations about doctored invoices at the police headquarters project. They concern the larger question of how the police headquarters construction contract was awarded in the first place. These questions involve the security clearance granted to Caspian, changes to the construction-bonding requirement on the contract and the recipient of the contract itself. The security-clearance issue first emerged in 2012, when the Free Press and CBC Manitoba reported Babakhanians had a business relationship on a downtown property with the late Ray Rybachuk, who had a lengthy criminal record and ties to organized crime. Babakhanians moved quickly to sever his ties to Rybachuk, but the publicity forced Winnipeg police to reveal they conducted a special vetting of Babakhanians to ensure he posed no threat. Typically, entities with ties to organized crime, however tenuous, are not permitted to bid on police work. Earlier, a police source who spoke to the Free Press alleged city hall exerted pressure to allow an individual with organized crime ties to bid on police headquarters work. When asked about the allegation, former police chief Keith McCaskill said, "Look, it’s corporate." Aside from this statement, there has never been independent corroboration of the source’s complaint. The 2014 KPMG audit of the police headquarters project did not deal with the security clearance. It did, however, draw attention to a second question related to the award of the police headquarters construction contract. The initial contract, for $50,000 worth of pre-construction services, was awarded to a joint venture between Caspian Projects and Akman Construction. This work was assigned to Caspian alone when Akman bowed out. That was not problematic. The problem arose when the city awarded what initially was a $137-million construction contract to Caspian Projects without the firm ever submitting a solo bid. "We note that Caspian did not submit a proposal, and that Caspian was awarded the construction contract," the KPMG auditors wrote. The third and final question related to the contract award pertains to a city decision to reduce the size of the construction bond, which is a pot of money a company must set aside as a form of assurance it can complete the work. Six says before the police headquarters bid opportunity closed, the documents were amended to reduce the size of the construction bond to $25 million, or about one quarter of the value of the original construction estimate. The city later asserted in a report this was done to allow more companies to bid on the work. The city also said the reduction was conducted at the behest of the Surety Association of Canada, which represents the construction bonding industry. As the Free Press reported in 2013, an official with the Surety Association of Canada called this "bullshit" and stated it would not recommend reducing a construction bond below the threshold of 50 per cent of the total construction estimate. The cheaper bond resulted in cost savings, the city explained. The winning bid, from Caspian and Akman, was also the lowest. None of these questions has ever been resolved. But they are worth asking again, now that Katz has established a personal relationship of some form with the president of Caspian Construction. -
She was born in 82. But Im just razzing you. I always liked Kimmy's quirky personality myself (and we're the same age). I dated a girl who looked a lot like her actually (and was named Kimmy). In my childhood the big crush was Alyssa Milano and then Christina Applegate.
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If we can get Hamonic here then we're doing alright. Ehlers will be better. Kyle Connor likely to start. Sure he's a rookie and all but I'd expect him to develop like Ehlers. I'd suspect Stafford switches back to LW and Dano goes to RW. Might pencil Armia in at 2RW. Im not sure Im comfortable with that. If there is a way to get Drouin, I'd be happy. Drouin & Hamonic as additions plus Connor would make me pretty excited about next season. And if whomever we draft high this year can start (Not sure who outside of Matthews is going to start right away), that's a bonus too. If we got Matthews, it might result in a chain reaction. Scheif goes to 1C between Ehlers and Wheeler. And the second line might be Stafford - Matthews - Little. leaving a third line of Connor-Lowry-Armia. And then Thorburn - Copp - Dano(Burmi). Tough to say how that would all shake down.
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Sweetin was your childhood crush? She was awfully young in Full House, unless she was in something after... ;-)
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Yeah I could buy it if they said the Academy were a bunch of out of touch elitists. But racist? Come on. Thats such low hanging fruit.
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I havent seen SOC yet, though I want to. But whether its a hit or not doesnt mean someone should be nominated. Dicaprio was widely considered to be "robbed" for having never won but no one said it was due to racism. He finally won. I think there are certain people out there that look for racism in everything. If the academy is racist and wouldnt nominate any black actors, it makes no sense if they have before and will again. I think its more a case of the academy not feeling the performance was worthy, regardless of ethnicity Also, was the Academy racist when they nominated Will Smith twice, once in 2002 and once in 2007? Jada Smith seems like a real ***** to be honest.
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Im not sure I get this. Black actors have won oscars before so was the Academy not racist then but it is racist now? And if next year there are black nominees it wont be racist but the year after if there isnt it will be?
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The Jets' RFA's after this year.
The Unknown Poster replied to Ducky's topic in Winnipeg Jets Discussion
I'm not sure hutch accepts that. He'd start in the AHL. Would the jets sign him to a one way knowing he'd be in the A? -
While his history is vague he has consistently claimed to be Canadian and was part of the weapon x program in Canada that wolverine was a part of.
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We be tankin' it (official tanking thread) ...
The Unknown Poster replied to IC Khari's topic in Winnipeg Jets Discussion
I understand this. But ofcourse the odds are greater younger first if you finish last. I want to maximize our odds. -
I think Raffl is a feel good story with something to add. We hbe seen stemp and he makes no difference to us. I think raffl could be a really good 4th line player
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Game 62 : Panthers @ Turbulence
The Unknown Poster replied to FrostyWinnipeg's topic in Winnipeg Jets Discussion
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We be tankin' it (official tanking thread) ...
The Unknown Poster replied to IC Khari's topic in Winnipeg Jets Discussion
Edmonton wins in OT over Buffalo so that's nice. -
Game 62 : Panthers @ Turbulence
The Unknown Poster replied to FrostyWinnipeg's topic in Winnipeg Jets Discussion
Pavs with a fantastic GAA I see -
29 is over the hill?
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Heard part of a Moose game on the weekend and it sounded like Raffl was playing really well. Can our moose watchers confirm? i wouldn't mind him getting another contract. This season was derailed by injuries
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Yeah...sure...but the price point is awfully high for a smaller tv. 65" for $8000. Dosnt OLED burn out after just a few years? Im considering a Sony 75" thats under $6000 right now. or an LG 84" but it's well over $8000 right now. I want the screen size....
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And likely is an easy resigning when his contract is up. Is also apparently a great locker room and community guy. Plus being local. So many reasons to get him here.
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Its almost a rental situation in that the player has asked to be moved for what seems like serious and legitimate personal reasons and the team as agreed to accommodate him, asking only that he give them the season. Sure, he's under contract so that raises his value but unless the isles simply say screw it and keep him against his desire, he has to be traded and it has to be to Winnipeg.
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There is some speculation that the idea of Hamonic going somewhere other than Winnipeg is a red herring and that he has said Winnipeg is the only place he'd go. Talk of Edmonton or Minnesota is to make it seem like the Isles GM has options and to possibly crank up the return. But if the speculation is true, surely Chevy knows that. I expect a fair deal, if a deal gets done, which probably leans in our favour.
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Yup dodged that bullet. I like Maurice's response to a question about Frolik "I liked Mike very much right up until he decided he didnt want to be a Jet anymore."
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Im somewhat in the market for a new TV (when I move anyways...which is hopefully soon) and at the TV's Ive been looking at, it seems 3D comes included. I wouldnt buy a TV because it had 3D but I'd probably try it if it had it.
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if they commit to Trouba long term, I dont see them bringing in hamonic. But they should. Buff wont be Captain. if they go with a veteran, you have to think Wheeler.
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Well Steph isnt going to end up bed with DJ. And Kimmy is a regular cast member and just quirky enough to be into a little lesbian action with her best friend's little sister. Plus, I think Kimmy is pretty damned attractive. In fact, this show really benefited from the fact that all the kids grew up to be pretty darn hot.