Please continue any discussion on random news items here.

Sounds like the board wont explain why they resigned.  Im curious about this payment.  It isnt a land issue.  So you're paying off a group to not delay construction though lawsuits or demonstrations?  Thats fishy...

According to the MMF & Hydro, it was "long-term, 50-year agreement designed to address their asserted Indigenous rights and claims related to impacts from various transmission projects — both past and future".

The MMF said there was a 3-way agreement signed in 2014 that set out the process for dealing with this kind of thing & that's how they came to that $67 million total (or $1.34 million per year).

24 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

According to the MMF & Hydro, it was "long-term, 50-year agreement designed to address their asserted Indigenous rights and claims related to impacts from various transmission projects — both past and future".

The MMF said there was a 3-way agreement signed in 2014 that set out the process for dealing with this kind of thing & that's how they came to that $67 million total (or $1.34 million per year).

But what are we paying off the MMF for?  If I recall, the court recognizes their right to be consulted but that doesnt automatically mean a payoff.  This isnt Reserve land they are building on.  If its related to "all the land is ours", I would tentatively agree with the Province that its worth reviewing. 

6 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

But what are we paying off the MMF for?  If I recall, the court recognizes their right to be consulted but that doesnt automatically mean a payoff.  This isnt Reserve land they are building on.  If its related to "all the land is ours", I would tentatively agree with the Province that its worth reviewing. 

For which project?  Pallister is tying it to the Minnesota transmission line specifically but the Hydro statement said the deal was for various projects (past & future).   We're in the dark as to the number of projects and their location so it's impossible to say if it's a good or bad deal for either side.

17 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

For which project?  Pallister is tying it to the Minnesota transmission line specifically but the Hydro statement said the deal was for various projects (past & future).   We're in the dark as to the number of projects and their location so it's impossible to say if it's a good or bad deal for either side.

Very true.  We need to know more.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/bowman-winnipeg-mayor-2018-1.4588274

Bowman to seek second term as Mayor

5 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Very true.  We need to know more.

The MMF is negotiating a settlement of their claims with the Feds and will be compensated accordingly for them, the Province doesn't owe them anything for the use of the land. Can't have your cake and eat it too. 

1 hour ago, Atomic said:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/bowman-winnipeg-mayor-2018-1.4588274

Bowman to seek second term as Mayor

#any1butbowman

2 hours ago, pigseye said:

The MMF is negotiating a settlement of their claims with the Feds and will be compensated accordingly for them, the Province doesn't owe them anything for the use of the land. Can't have your cake and eat it too. 

Like I said.... you going to take the land by force?

4 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

#any1butbowman

I have yet to encounter anyone who has appreciated or is a fan of Bowman since he became mayor.   

It also doesn't help that I live in the area where Browaty is elected and the folks around here are all wanting him to run for mayor as they see him as someone light years better then Bowman....

If any other legitimate candidates run then I can't see how Bowman wins again...  he angered way to many people by acknowledging that Winnipeg is a racist city and his whole Portage and Main debacle really didn't help his cause. 

5 minutes ago, Brandon said:

I have yet to encounter anyone who has appreciated or is a fan of Bowman since he became mayor.   

It also doesn't help that I live in the area where Browaty is elected and the folks around here are all wanting him to run for mayor as they see him as someone light years better then Bowman....

If any other legitimate candidates run then I can't see how Bowman wins again...  he angered way to many people by acknowledging that Winnipeg is a racist city and his whole Portage and Main debacle really didn't help his cause. 

Bowman vs Wyatt?

well I guess I'll have to pay close attention to the people that do run, I know that Judy isn't running (she said after the last election that she wouldn't bother again)

5 hours ago, Atomic said:

Like I said.... you going to take the land by force?

What land? As far as I know this isn’t reserve land. This is the MMF. Didn’t they once claim Winnipeg was their land?  I’m sensitive to these issues but they have to be realistic. 

Bowman has been a disgrace. But what’s the alternative. 

Bad time for toys r us

But things might be looking up

 

8 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Bowman vs Wyatt?

There’s an article in the Free Press about Wyatt being in rehab right now and he said he didn’t know if he was going to run for re-election in the fall.

 

Edited March 23, 20187 yr by Jacquie

8 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said:

What land? As far as I know this isn’t reserve land. This is the MMF. Didn’t they once claim Winnipeg was their land?  I’m sensitive to these issues but they have to be realistic. 

What do you think the 70 million was going to be for?  Just for fun?

6 minutes ago, Atomic said:

What do you think the 70 million was going to be for?  Just for fun?

Im not sure I understand the question.  It sound to me like the $70 million was paid to prevent the MMF from delaying construction with lawsuits.  If this was Reserve land they wanted to build on then yes, they are obligated to negotiate to use the land.  If its a generic "all the land was ours before you came here and plundered it", Im not on board with that.  Im not up to speed on the details of the MMF's standing in the courts where these matters are concerned.  But if the threat is "pay us or we'll sue you", its worth investigating whether they have a case or not because paying impacts future deals.

Also, the Premier's position that the MMF cannot (or should not) accept payment to give up future claims on future projects is valid on its face.  Wab's immature response to that amounted to "come on, pay us now cause I dont care about deals 50 years from now when I wont benefit". 

A million a year seems like a small amount but what are we actually getting for that money?  Thats my point.  We need to know more. 

To me, the fact that the Pallister appointed board walked on this speaks volumes.

Hydro is bleeding money right now and they need to finish Bipole III.   Pure conjecture here, but my guess would be a cost analysis was done on the cost of  delays if the MMF starts protesting and stopping the project (lawsuits, setting up road blocks, disrupting construction, etc) vs. paying them the $70 million and clear the path to get to project completion.  And the $70 million is cheaper.

So if Pallister won't approve the $70 million, nor even meet with the board to discuss other options, that leaves the road to finishing Bipole III impossible to go down and everyone abandons ship because who wants to go down on a sinking vessel.

9 minutes ago, Rich said:

To me, the fact that the Pallister appointed board walked on this speaks volumes.

Hydro is bleeding money right now and they need to finish Bipole III.   Pure conjecture here, but my guess would be a cost analysis was done on the cost of  delays if the MMF starts protesting and stopping the project (lawsuits, setting up road blocks, disrupting construction, etc) vs. paying them the $70 million and clear the path to get to project completion.  And the $70 million is cheaper.

So if Pallister won't approve the $70 million, nor even meet with the board to discuss other options, that leaves the road to finishing Bipole III impossible to go down and everyone abandons ship because who wants to go down on a sinking vessel.

It's actually not about Bipole III.  Bipole III is more or less complete.  This is about a transmission line that will run from Manitoba to Minnesota.  Basically allowing excess power generated by Keeyask to be exported to the States.  We just don't have the capacity to do that right now so the excess power won't be able to be sold without this line.  Every day it gets delayed means we are losing money.

39 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Im not sure I understand the question.  It sound to me like the $70 million was paid to prevent the MMF from delaying construction with lawsuits.  If this was Reserve land they wanted to build on then yes, they are obligated to negotiate to use the land.  If its a generic "all the land was ours before you came here and plundered it", Im not on board with that.  Im not up to speed on the details of the MMF's standing in the courts where these matters are concerned.  But if the threat is "pay us or we'll sue you", its worth investigating whether they have a case or not because paying impacts future deals.

Also, the Premier's position that the MMF cannot (or should not) accept payment to give up future claims on future projects is valid on its face.  Wab's immature response to that amounted to "come on, pay us now cause I dont care about deals 50 years from now when I wont benefit". 

A million a year seems like a small amount but what are we actually getting for that money?  Thats my point.  We need to know more. 

When you are talking about lawsuits between First Nations and the government, $70 million is actually not a large sum.  What will be the cost of legal fees and lost profits?  And that's before any eventual settlement is factored in.  This is just ****-measuring by the government.  "Oh we shouldn't have to pay."  This is Canada.  You pay First Nations for everything.  Fight it in court at your own peril.

3 minutes ago, Atomic said:

It's actually not about Bipole III.  Bipole III is more or less complete.  This is about a transmission line that will run from Manitoba to Minnesota.  Basically allowing excess power generated by Keeyask to be exported to the States.  We just don't have the capacity to do that right now so the excess power won't be able to be sold without this line.  Every day it gets delayed means we are losing money.

Ahhh.  Thanks.  I thought the transmission line to Minnesota was part of Bipole III.

9 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Bad time for toys r us

But things might be looking up

 

oh I didn't know he was behind Little Tikes too.

On 3/20/2018 at 11:10 AM, The Unknown Poster said:

Just what the NRA needed! A resource officer shoots a student shooter. Im sure they won’t politicize this though 

The bigger take away is: hand gun = one victim. Thankfully he did not have an assault weapon. 

 

and sadly one of the injured students has passed

http://people.com/crime/maryland-school-shooting-victims-mother-says-her-daughter-16-will-be-taken-off-of-life-support/?utm_campaign=peoplemag&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&xid=socialflow_facebook_peoplemag

10 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said:

What land? As far as I know this isn’t reserve land. This is the MMF. Didn’t they once claim Winnipeg was their land?  I’m sensitive to these issues but they have to be realistic. 

The agreement that brought Manitoba into confederation was supposed to set aside 140 million acres of land (which included what's now Winnipeg) for the Metis people.  That never happened hence the years of court fighting which the MMF ended up winning.  That's led to years of trying to negotiate a settlement (good luck putting a dollar value on that land now!) that still hasn't been finished.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/after-140-years-and-a-review-of-2000-volumes-of-documents-metis-win-land-claim/article9505274/