Business in Winnipeg

[trueviking]

im not sure exactly how you would privatize a company that has complete control over such a massive component of the natural environment....we are not talking about digging a hole and sucking out oil...hydro is a company that has the ability to drain lake winnipeg if it wanted to...how do you set up any kind of safeguard for larger environmental issues such as the biological health of the watershed or declining lake levels, when the primary focus of a private company would be to satisy share holders.

there are so many, far reaching environmental effects of a hydro damn...how do we ensure that a private company deals with them fairly, when they would have no accoutability to the people of manitoba?

in my mind, the rivers and lakes in manitoba should remain in control of the people of manitoba, not a multi national corporation based in texas....the water in our province is too important to sell off....we all know what happens to environmental issues when money is the driving force...

hydro could be more efficient of course but privatization would not turn that resource into oil....it would still be a slow growing resource, by its very nature and scale.

call me a socialist, but sometimes there are more important things that squeezing every last cent out of the earth.

[TSN]

While I do not think government should get involved in running additional businesses, I don't agree we should automatically get rid of crowns just because of a neocon ideology. Hydro has been used as the so-called crown jewel for future economic development. I think the next election should focus on what is best for the public interest when it comes to Hydro.

Personally, I think Hydro could be more business oriented, more aggressive when it comes to trying to sell energy. At some point, Americans will deploy alot of renewable energy and if Hydro misses the boat on this because of procrastination, then it's opportunity lost forever. Changing the structure of the corporation somehow while keeping it public may be a viable option.

There are benefits to public ownership, compare BC/Manitoba with Alberta. Manitoba has strong conservation and energy efficiency education, very little in Alberta. BC has alot of road safety education programs through ICBC, little in Alberta. There are some things the market will not deliver very well.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by trueviking

im not sure exactly how you would privatize a company that has complete control over such a massive component of the natural environment....we are not talking about digging a hole and sucking out oil...hydro is a company that has the ability to drain lake winnipeg if it wanted to...how do you set up any kind of safeguard for larger environmental issues such as the biological health of the watershed or declining lake levels, when the primary focus of a private company would be to satisy share holders.

You would have regulations as you do for every other industry. INCO exists in the same watershed and doesn't get to do anything it feels like. I agree that Hydro's projects affect a lot of land, but that is mostly Crown land and they couldn't do anything to it as a private company without dealing with the province. You could also privatize the operating company without necessarily selling them the assets (dams etc.). There are also transmission operations etc. Ontario privatized some of the components of Ontario Hydro but not others. I would think MH could be broken up into several separate businesses.

[trueviking]

yeah, we've been through this many times...

you cant compare a company that digs big isolated holes to one that literally controls the water levels of all the major lakes and rivers in our province.

i wont argue that hydro can be more efficient, and i agree that certain pieces could be sold off, but i dont really know that it would generate that much more money for the province...its not like if a private company ran the transmission lines, all of a sudden hydro would turn manitoba into alberta, which is what many people seem to think is the possiblity.....the royalties alberta and saskatchewan make off oil are exponentially more than hydro could ever be even if it was built out to capacity and rates trippled.

[spiritedenergy]

Originally Posted by trueviking

im not sure exactly how you would privatize a company that has complete control over such a massive component of the natural environment....we are not talking about digging a hole and sucking out oil...hydro is a company that has the ability to drain lake winnipeg if it wanted to...how do you set up any kind of safeguard for larger environmental issues such as the biological health of the watershed or declining lake levels, when the primary focus of a private company would be to satisy share holders.

there are so many, far reaching environmental effects of a hydro damn...how do we ensure that a private company deals with them fairly, when they would have no accoutability to the people of manitoba?

in my mind, the rivers and lakes in manitoba should remain in control of the people of manitoba, not a multi national corporation based in texas....the water in our province is too important to sell off....we all know what happens to environmental issues when money is the driving force...

hydro could be more efficient of course but privatization would not turn that resource into oil....it would still be a slow growing resource, by its very nature and scale.

call me a socialist, but sometimes there are more important things that squeezing every last cent out of the earth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elp-KSDtnts

[sledhead35]

"call me a socialist, but sometimes there are more important things than squeezing every last cent out of the earth."


GENIUS

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by sledhead35

"call me a socialist, but sometimes there are more important things than squeezing every last cent out of the earth."


GENIUS

I don't think that the view that there are more important things than squeezing every last cent out of the earth has anything to do with socialism. A true Marxist wouldn't look too favourably on subverting economic development in favour of bourgeois romanticism about the environment (which he would probably consider an irrational product of Judaeo-Christian imagery of the unspoiled Garden of Eden).

Practically speaking, it's unlikely that keeping Manitoba Hydro a Crown corporation would any positive impact on the environment. In fact, the political pressure that leads Hydro to create vote-getting economic activity by overdeveloping, or developing too soon, is a big negative for the environment.

[rgalston]

It is also far easier for governments/government corporations to justify doing something for the "good of the public" or the "betterment of society" than a private corporation would do--especially a private corporation working under good environmental laws.

[sledhead35]

Originally Posted by Andy6

I don't think that the view that there are more important things than squeezing every last cent out of the earth has anything to do with socialism. A true Marxist wouldn't look too favourably on subverting economic development in favour of bourgeois romanticism about the environment (which he would probably consider an irrational product of Judaeo-Christian imagery of the unspoiled Garden of Eden).

i dont think anybody looks too favourably on subverting economic development. i think trueviking was cautioning our approach to developing (and ultimately destroying) our resourses. thats how i interpreted the line i quoted anyway.

"hydro is a company that has the ability to drain lake winnipeg if it wanted to"
i dont think you have to be a tree hugger or a "bourgeois romantic" to be concerned about a statement like this.

this opinion (if i may speak in trueviking's defence) is not talking about sabotaging our economy, or even the revenue generated by hydro electricity in any effort to "save our earth". there was certainly no "imagery of the unspoiled Garden of Eden" that i noticed either.

it is common acceptance that we depend on our natural resources, and if we have natural resources to sell then sell them. but it is important to keep in mind that wrecking our fragile water system in the name of boosting a community's economy(probably not even substantially) affects everybody! therefore we should all have a voice in issues like this one.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by sledhead35

i dont think anybody looks too favourably on subverting economic development. i think trueviking was cautioning our approach to developing (and ultimately destroying) our resourses. thats how i interpreted the line i quoted anyway.

"hydro is a company that has the ability to drain lake winnipeg if it wanted to"
i dont think you have to be a tree hugger or a "bourgeois romantic" to be concerned about a statement like this.

I'm concerned about it only insofar as it's a totally ludicrous claim.

this opinion (if i may speak in trueviking's defence) is not talking about sabotaging our economy, or even the revenue generated by hydro electricity in any effort to "save our earth". there was certainly no "imagery of the unspoiled Garden of Eden" that i noticed either.

it is common acceptance that we depend on our natural resources, and if we have natural resources to sell then sell them. but it is important to keep in mind that wrecking our fragile water system in the name of boosting a community's economy(probably not even substantially) affects everybody! therefore we should all have a voice in issues like this one.

Well, it's as a Crown Corporation that Manitoba Hydro destroyed South Indian Lake, Cross Lake and other parts of northern Manitoba. There is no difference between a state-owned Manitoba Hydro and a privately-owned one in this respect as both would be subject to the same environmental regulations. If you want to sell Manitoba Hydro on the condition that it will be subject to extremely strict environmental controls, then you can do that.

[sledhead35]

^to be honest, i havent entirely made up my mind whether private or public is the way to go. there are just so many things to consider. but one thing i think we can agree on is that the best situation would be to not have any part of manitoba hydro owned/operated by someone who cares more about a buck than the health of our water.

yes, on paper and in theory a private company would be held to similar laws etc, but just from what i've seen in the past; private corporations try to get away with more. it may or may not be true but thats just what i've noticed.

[drew]

Originally Posted by Andy6

Well, it's as a Crown Corporation that Manitoba Hydro destroyed South Indian Lake, Cross Lake and other parts of northern Manitoba.

The fact that Manitoba Hydro did a lot it's environmental "evils" in the 1950s and 1960s had more to do with the society at the time and certainly was not a Crown Corporation hell bent on flooding the north and displacing its citizens.

The same bullying and environmental damage that occurred in the 50s and 60s will never happen again under Hydro's watch. And I doubt a private company would have ever been involved in continuous payouts, funding agreements, and other "goodwill" support that Hydro has been doing up north for the last 30 years. A private company would probably closed up shop and moved a long time ago.

I have traveled to Cross Lake probably a dozen times in the last year and a half for work purposes. I am not sure what you define as destroyed, but this community certainly doesn't fit the bill. I have also traveled to Shamattawa fairly often (an isolated community up north that has had no issues with dams or Hydro) and comparing those 2 reserves, well let's just say that Cross Lake is like a veritable paradise.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Andy6

I'm concerned about it only insofar as it's a totally ludicrous claim.
.

perhaps somewhat exaggerated, but you would be surprised at the level of control hydro has over every major river and lake in manitoba....if they wanted, they could in all practical terms lower it enough to do serious environmental damage....or raise it enough to cause problems such as property stabilization and erosion.

[viperred88]

Layoffs at Global TV catch some by surprise
By: Lindsey Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press

Updated: July 19 at 10:39 AM CDT

MORE than a dozen Global Television employees will be laid off this fall as the company moves some production of its Winnipeg newscast to Vancouver.

The layoffs were announced last October, but local union president Bill Nazer said affected employees in departments including video production, graphics, audio, editing and photography were notified Thursday.

Only one on-air personality is believed to be affected, he said: sports reporter Tyler Calver.

Nazer said despite the notice, layoffs in some departments came as a surprise: three newsroom staffers who thought their jobs were safe were handed pink slips, while one employee who thought he'd be laid off was kept on.

"It was a complete shock with the change," he said. "There were many sad faces, a lot of incredulity that this has changed."

Global Television Winnipeg's new general manager Tim Jones said he's not aware of any specific positions that were identified in October.

Jones said the layoffs are part of Global's move to "state-of-the-art" digital technology, with newsgathering to continue in Winnipeg but production to be done remotely from Vancouver.

The layoffs take effect October 3, and include 10 full-time and part-time and four casual employees. Jones said he's not aware of any other layoffs pending.

"We're committed to continuing to provide the same level of local news that our viewers expect, and the news will continue to be gathered, edited and assembled here in Winnipeg," he said.

The number represent roughly a quarter of Global's Winnipeg workforce, said Nazer, but half as many people as were expected to be laid off when the job cuts were first announced.

News of the layoffs comes just six weeks before Global will move into the 30th floor of Canwest Place, the downtown headquarters of Global's parent company.

lindsey.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

-- with files from Geoff Kirbyson

[LilZebra]

The Free Press Business section has a story today about the Fairmont Hotel being sold, and so the name of of the Hotel may change yet again.

Seeing that retro is in sometimes...

How about going back to the original Winnipeg Inn name? It was kind of cheap when it was named that in the 1970s, but look at the York Hotel in Toronto (York having to do with Fort York)....

Bring back the original sign or redo it in a new typeface.

[ILYR]

Natural Prairie Beef buys former Maple Leaf hog plant in Winnipeg
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | 2:50 PM CT
The Canadian Press

Natural Prairie Beef Inc., owned by Manitoba cattle producers, has bought a Winnipeg hog processing plant formerly owned by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. and plans to redevelop the business to handle premium-branded Manitoba beef.

Financial terms of the deal, announced Tuesday, were not revealed.

However, the Manitoba Cattle Enhancement Council, which runs an investment pool funded by levies on the cattle industry and matched by the provincial government, doubled its investment in Natural Prairie to $2.4 million to advance the project.

Natural Prairie Beef, owned by 50 cattle producers, said it will target niche markets and own more of the supply chain from farm gate to dinner plate.

The beef plant is to begin operation by the end of the year and initially employ between 15 and 20 people focusing on value-added products for local markets, Natural Prairie said.

Eventually, the plant is expected to expand to produce high-end meat for North American, Asian and European markets, and employ about 80 people.

"This is a major step forward for Natural Prairie Beef and for the Manitoba cattle industry," said Kelly Penner, president and CEO of the Winnipeg company.

"We are moving our business plan forward to create a high-quality, vertically integrated operation that will target growing, lucrative niche markets. We are looking forward to introducing our product to Manitoba dining tables later this year and to the rest of the world by 2010."

The company bought the former Marion Street pork processing plant from Maple Leaf and plans to ramp up to slaughter 250 head of cattle a day by 2010.

No hormones, antibiotics

Toronto-based Maple Leaf, Canada's largest food processor, has been selling its primary pork processing operations to focus on more value-added businesses.

The Winnipeg plant aims to produce beef from cattle raised without hormones and antibiotics and will also target kosher and halal meat markets. Kosher products for the Jewish community and halal meat for Muslims entail strict processing requirements to meet religious standards.

"We've conducted extensive research to create a business plan that we believe addresses the risks associated with entering a competitive industry," said Penner.

"We're building a highly efficient operation with a focus on niche markets. That will help us avoid competing against the industry's major packing companies."

The Manitoba Cattle Enhancement Council collects a $2-per-head levy on every animal sold, and the provincial government matches the producer contributions.

"This is a major step towards the creation of a new federally inspected processing plant in Manitoba," said Bill Uruski, chairman of the council.

"When the BSE crisis shut the border [with the U.S.] in 2003, Manitoba producers were all but shut out of plants in Ontario and Alberta," said Uruski.

"They had no place to take their animals and it nearly ruined our beef industry. We're very close to being able to say: never again."

[1ajs]

^^ woot more localy made produce FTW

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by viperred88

Layoffs at Global TV catch some by surprise
By: Lindsey Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press

Updated: July 19 at 10:39 AM CDT

MORE than a dozen Global Television employees will be laid off this fall as the company moves some production of its Winnipeg newscast to Vancouver.

The layoffs were announced last October, but local union president Bill Nazer said affected employees in departments including video production, graphics, audio, editing and photography were notified Thursday.

Only one on-air personality is believed to be affected, he said: sports reporter Tyler Calver.

Nazer said despite the notice, layoffs in some departments came as a surprise: three newsroom staffers who thought their jobs were safe were handed pink slips, while one employee who thought he'd be laid off was kept on.

"It was a complete shock with the change," he said. "There were many sad faces, a lot of incredulity that this has changed."

Global Television Winnipeg's new general manager Tim Jones said he's not aware of any specific positions that were identified in October.

Jones said the layoffs are part of Global's move to "state-of-the-art" digital technology, with newsgathering to continue in Winnipeg but production to be done remotely from Vancouver.

The layoffs take effect October 3, and include 10 full-time and part-time and four casual employees. Jones said he's not aware of any other layoffs pending.

"We're committed to continuing to provide the same level of local news that our viewers expect, and the news will continue to be gathered, edited and assembled here in Winnipeg," he said.

The number represent roughly a quarter of Global's Winnipeg workforce, said Nazer, but half as many people as were expected to be laid off when the job cuts were first announced.

News of the layoffs comes just six weeks before Global will move into the 30th floor of Canwest Place, the downtown headquarters of Global's parent company.

lindsey.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

-- with files from Geoff Kirbyson

Honestly; fuck Global already. Commitment to Winnipeg my ass.

Just move out of the city and be done with it; we all know that is the company's intentions.

[1ajs]

Manitoba Hydro Reports Second-Highest Net Income Ever

8/1/2008

Manitoba Hydro is reporting one of its highest net incomes ever in it's latest annual report.

The crown corporation's net income of 346 million dollars for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008 is the second highest in its 57-year history.

Hydro CEO Bob Brennan says it was a good year (play audio)...



The 346 million dollar net income was also a marked increase over the previous year's 122 million dollars.

Brennan added he anticipates Hydro's new downtown corporate headquarters to open this November, with Portage Avenue barricades coming down in September.

[newflyer]

Everytime there is a heavy rain in Manitoba, Saskatchewan or North Dakota its money in the pockets of Hydro.