April 22 2024- Winnipeg in Crisis: Housing, Homelessness, And Hard Drugs

The Great Canadian Talk Show

Episode 39 opens with Marty Gold telling his personal stories of 3 people who have recently passed away- Maggie Roulette of Amaranth, Dr. Monte Kowall, and former newsman and voice of Assiniboia Downs, Jim Farrell.

15:30 Part 2- Guest Kelly Ryback has his own Jim Farrell story to tell before we pick up on ⁠his previous interview on Episode 37⁠.

18.30 Ryback tells about the impact of bike lanes on parents and working families needing to use a car, but worse, how they also interfere with emergency vehicles. He says it's an example of "an ideology that doesn't work".

Ryback springs the news that yet ANOTHER fire station- in the core area!- would be handcuffed by a marginal pet project of the bike lobby. More proof there's no consultation with EMS or hospital officials and "no consideration about the businesses in place, again eliminating parking. The idea everybody's going to take the bus or take their bike, it's not going to happen."

A listener reminded us of one of the first bike lane inventions in 2010, in Lord Roberts, so stupidly planned the South Osborne Residents Group and the fire department forced the city to change it. Are one-sided plans being approved because councilors fear displeasing the small army of bike acolytes? Their own voters feel shunned.

26.10- CBC had the nerve to claim a report enthusiastically endorsing safe injection sites and "safe supply" was independent. You'll hear the proof that was a lie.

Ryback, who's a supporter of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, says politicians make big promises but cannot get a grip on hunger, addictions, and poverty.

Despite the rah-rah in the report, he explains how safe injection sites have been closed because of the disorder and crime the locations can attract. The discussion turns to the need for rehab on one side, and effective crackdowns on criminal dealers and distributors.

Although the NDP government says "safe supply" isn't on the table, the enabler faction in health care isn't going to take no for an answer - despite the failure in BC where ODs and crime have skyrocketed.

We tell of a BC MLA that the RCMP tried to stifle, after she figured out that half of drug seizures were free drugs the government gave out- some with forged subscriptions. Then there's vending machines. Coming to Winnipeg?

* Comments/ news tips/ Interac donations- Email [e-mail]

42:00 Part 3 - More about the quality of life in your community. Ryback insists all revenue from government pot should be going to treatment. Bottom-priced hard drugs created a flood of addicts with hazardous behavior that threatens cops, first responders, and innocent neighbours.

He believes bail conditions and drug sentences are far too lenient but reducing addictions and crime won't go down without enforcement.

48.30- The Jets owners are looking into transitional housing plans for downtown. Should it go near a safe injection site? How about the Market Lands across from City Hall? The discontinuance of Greyhound Bus services, CFT cutting kids loose when they turned 18, have placed vulnerable people in peril.

Ryback goes through the city poverty rates- and children are double the national average. Aboriginal and First Nations communities needed special attention- But former Mayor Brian Bowman didn't want to hear of it.

1:02:52 BONUS AUDIO- In Ryback's previous interview, he said the attitude problem of some councilors towards delegations presenting briefs contradicting their views was poisoning civic engagement.

One of our listeners relayed that they had similar bad treatment from Councilor Rollins but was doing something about it- and had filed a formal complaint with the Integrity Commissioner.

In this overtime segment, Ryback responds to hearing the news about the ruling being sought:

Are delegations allowed to publicly inform councilors of proven methods to supervise contracts and monitor spending? Or, can they be silenced by councilors wielding their political sword?