By Lynne Fernandez
There has been a greater tendency for governments to outsource, and the City of Winnipeg is no exception. Outsourcing can be complex and lack transparency, particularly when public-private partnerships (P3s) are used. Under a P3, a for-profit company does any combination of: designing, building, financing, operating and even owning public infrastructure. Contracts range from years to decades.
By Lynne Fernandez
Much of Winnipeg’s infrastructure is in desperate need of repair or replacement. The City’s 2009 administrative report found that just to maintain our existing infrastructure in its current state required $2.1 billion be spent over the next 10 years. Bringing the existing infrastructure to an adequate level of repair required a further $1.7 billion and the amount needed to invest on new infrastructure was around $3.6 billion. Accordingly, our total infrastructure deficit was $7.4 billion (2009 dollars).
Graduate enrolment is steadily increasing in Manitoba, with more students electing to pursue post-graduate programs at both the Master’s and PhD level. The growth in graduate student population contributes much to the diversity and breadth of research done on university campuses. Additionally, once graduate students complete their course of study they contribute to the overall economic vitality of the province. Despite increased enrolment, tuition and continuation fees prevent some students from accessing graduate programs.
By Molly McCracken
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4n-Hv3_QXk?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]
In Winnipeg’s inner city, and especially in West Broadway and Spence neighbourhoods, older homes converted to rooming houses are an important type of housing for many people living on low incomes. However, rooming houses are fast disappearing due to an uncoordinated policy and regulatory framework and market pressures. In addition, there are many day-to-day problems associated with rooming houses related to challenges of poverty and aging housing stock. Research finds that these interrelated issues should be dealt with together. Saving rooming houses should be a priority; this type of housing is viable when well-maintained and connected with social supports.
Winnipeg’s mayoral race is now officially underway. Any serious contenders are going to have to convince a very skeptical public that they can turn around what really has been a winter of discontent with City services. Unfortunately, problems that have taken years to accumulate are unlikely to be addressed overnight.
By Molly McCracken, director, CCPA-MB
Youth For Christ is an evangelical Christian organization whose “Centre for Youth Excellence” received public funding based on a business plan that promised to meet the needs of local Aboriginal youth. The public funding for, and presence of this building on a key corner, continues to anger many in the inner city. This article uses documents obtained through an Access to Information request to the federal government to look back on the process that granted public funds and resources to this organization and the situation today.
By Gabriel Bako
While the labour landscape has changed dramatically in Canada in the last 58 years, the legal framework has not. The labour relations framework that we use today in Canada was implemented in 1944 with PC-1003, and the Rand Formula in 1946. The models were based on the Wagner Act of 1935 that was implemented in the United States which gave important legal rights to organized workers. PC-1003 gives legal rights to unions to collectively bargain, represent, and organize workers and the Rand Formula gives the provisions for automatic dues check-offs.
By Lynne Fernandez, Shauna MacKinnon and Sara Swartz
For one week in early April, Sara Swartz (Universitas Programme of the KIP International School), Shauna MacKinnon (Manitoba Research Alliance [MRA] and University of Winnipeg [UW]) and Lynne Fernandez (MRA and CCPA MB) visited Medellin, Colombia to take part in the seventh World Urban Forum (WUF7). Last Spring, KIP, UW, UM, the Manitoba government, MRA, CCPA MB and other Winnipeg community-based organizations signed a Memorandum of Collaboration and have since began working on an online journal highlighting “innovative practices of inclusive urban development and poverty reduction.”
Thanks to everyone who came out to our supporter week open house on Thursday. The open house at the Social Enterprise Centre had some some great conversation as well as a taste of some wood fired pizza, made onsite in Gretel’s hand-crafted mobile oven. You can still download the video of the inspiring discussion between Lynne Fernandez and Jim Stanford on Economics for Everyone. Jim’s take away message for young activists fighting austerity and neoliberalism: “Educate, organize, mobilize”.
Meanwhile, CCPA continues to need your support. If you did not have a chance to sign up or renew your membership, I encourage you to do so today. CCPA’s progressive policy research plays an essential role in catalysing change and advancing social justice.
The best way to ensure progressive research continues to be published in Manitoba is by supporting the CCPA-MB. Help us continue to do community-based research and commentary on issues of social justice and environmental sustainability. To find out how you can support the CCPA go to our website:
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/join-or-renew
or call our office 204-927-3200.
Evidence-based policy research can exert a powerful force for social change, especially when it stands with the community in its actions and organising. The role of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba is to inform social movements and to provide them the arguments they need to advocate for a progressive future. In a world where mainstream media too often takes its newsfeed from corporate spin and government news releases, the work CCPA-MB does in providing non-partisan, community-based research is essential for stemming the neoliberal assault on workers, the environment and on our communities.
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