A round-up of our recent podcasts and columns in the Winnipeg Sun opens Episode 5, and then we review a warning from a West End business owner that "The city feels more like Gotham every day. "

In Part 1 - you'll hear how, as predicted by our guest last Sunday, the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region lost another 2 members this week and are down to only 10 dues-paying municipalities in the aftermath of the failed Plan20-50.

Plus, a little insight into our exclusive in the Sun about a letter that Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine sent to the General Child and Family Services Authority that resulted in the top two GA directors tabling their resignations.

18.08 Part 2- With over 500 incidents requiring city Fire and Paramedic crews to attend to homeless encampments and almost 800 derelict buildings boarded up, Winnipeg is in a serious decline. An open letter from the Executive Director of the Sargent Business Community explained the effect on small businesses like his.

"Crime is running rampant in our city," wrote Michael Paille. "We should not have to put our staff through self-defense courses just to work in retail. "

"Dealing with shoplifting, vandalism, and violence is not something a business should have to handle alone," Paille stated, but when he evaluated police staffing numbers, he realized that despite a population increase of 200,000 in the last 15 years, there are almost 50 fewer cops.

"Seniors are being attacked in parking lots, stabbings occur in Walmarts, and drug deals are now as common as a hot dogvendor on a street corner. Where is it safe? You can't even go shopping without fearing for your life. The city feels more like Gotham every day."

Listen to the challenges facing businesses like Paille's, and his argument that "We do not need safe injection sites or vans giving out needles."

Instead, he believes, "We need to help these people with addiction through community programs and support units that focus on helping them leave drugs and gangs behind to be part of this great city."

Coming up in the Sunday Sun - city councillors are scrambling after hard questions were asked about their responsibilities for the proposed drug user facility at 366 Henry Avenue.

*******

- The Winnipeg Sun has an online subscription offer that's too good to pass up - $9.99 a month - get the details here - Subscribe | winnipegsun.com- PLAN AHEAD FOR VALENTINE'S DAY: Marty will be hosting the 17th Anniversary event as Canadian Wrestling's Elite kicks off the celebration tour across Western Canada on February 14th at the beautiful Ukrainian Labour Temple hall.

It's an action-packed night of fun family-friendly sports entertainment with championships on the line and a special tag team match featuring the international star, 'British Bulldog' Davey Boy Smith Jr.!

We have a limited number of discount-priced CWE tickets for our readers and listeners - and as a bonus- every order will come with a limited edition "Dr. Marty Goldstein" Trading Card!

Email [email protected] to get your tickets and enjoy a unique way to spend Valentine's Day!

The controversies surrounding the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region board continued this week after a sixth rural municipality, Springfield, voted to depart the group. In Episode 4, Councillor Mark Miller elaborates on their reasons, which echoed complaints that derailed the WMR's previous Plan20-50 development blueprint.

This interview supplements our column in today's Winnipeg Sun - RM of Springfield exits WMR

6.10 Part 2- Ward 3 councillor Mark Miller describes the district of 16,000 residents which includes the towns of Oakbank, Dugald and Anola. It's a rural setting east of Winnipeg with many commuting to the city for work and appointments. He explains how Plan20-50 was set up to allow Winnipeg to "dominate" development planning with a veto that undermines local autonomy. After being ordered back to the drawing board, that hasn't changed.

"We can breathe a sigh of relief to get out of this bad situation," Miller says, calling it "a horrendous horrible exercise" that cost his RM over $130K.

While WMR defenders smeared opposition concerns, "It wasn't misinformation - you were providing accurate information... they did not consult. I'm thankful you were on top of this from Day One."

He actually attended to the single Plan20-50 open house the WMR staged in Winnipeg in 2024, held on a weekday when "most of us are working stiffs" and couldn't go.

"I was disgusted, " Miller states. "They weren't catering to the citizen who is most affected in the rural municipalities... maybe it was strategy that they don't want the public to be involved"

23.23 Part 3- While Springfield will go back to the residents before any vote to re-join the WMR, residents of Winnipeg have had no say whatsoever on remaining in the organization, let alone be able to find out if taxpayers are getting value for their dollars.

"The hemorrhaging is continuing, and there could probably be more," Miller predicts, as other RMs determine "there's nothing for us. "

27.10- The schedule for preparing a new regional plan runs concurrent to the fall municipal elections, which Miller agrees means support for the WMR can become an campaign issue.

- "If our Mayor runs that he is for it, I can assure you his vote count will go way down because our residents don't want it. "

- "The whole process was flawed and continues to be flawed if they don't consult with the public directly... it isn't an expensive exercise, don't tell me it's too expensive."

- "I will not vote for anything that allows the City of Winnipeg to have veto power."

At the council meeting before the vote, Mayor Patrick Therrien revealed “The City of Winnipeg will be looking to expand its boundaries in the very near future."

Miller asks, "Does he know something we don't?... if that's the case are they just going to take parts of West St. Paul and Springfield and MacDonald or Headingley?... If that's their subtle agenda then we ought to be really cautious about this."

*****OUR RECENT COLUMNS IN THE WINNIPEG SUN

Top cop silent on drug site

Excuses for ridership decline fails to fool Transit usersTO DONATE TO THE SEASON 7 FUNDING DRIVE, EMAIL [email protected]

This week in Episode 2, we review some of the headlines and issues raised by recent happenings in the Crime, Courts and Public Safety Update, sponsored by JamRock Security.

Part 1- Crime

- You'll hear about a police investigation into activities near Ferry Road in St. James that led to a bust with guns, drugs, and cash seized and 8 arrested, including two underage teens.

- A not-so-upstanding citizen was tracked down and arrested after a troika of robberies and threats, to the relief of beer vendor clerks and city cabbies.

14.38 Part 2- Courts

- The conviction of ex-cop Alston Bostock and the guilty plea of a junior officer for theft, breach of trust and other offences leads to an obvious question for senior WPS brass- who knew what and when?

- The NDP government couldn't fool a judge and former PC leadership candidate Wally Daudrich proved that licences for his Churchill tourism business were pulled for political reasons and not to save the bears. We read out some of the conclusions of Winnipeg Sun publisher Kevin Klein about the ruling.

31.47 Part 3- Public Safety

About 15 years ago, a mayoral candidate's wife complained about safety on the downtown skywalk system. Instead of the authorities properly solving the problem, she and her husband were damn near run out of town.

Last week, three women were assaulted by a goon before 7am up there. “We feel that we have to ramp up safety and security in the downtown core,” a union leader said.

“If something is not addressed, this is going to become an epidemic.”

We have a few things to say about that.

*****

Coming up- more about not-so-safe consumption sites, more interviews, and more columns in the Winnipeg Sun.

We kick-off Season 7 with a review of the most-listened to podcasts we produced in 2025.

Four of the top 10 aired last January which gave TGCTS a strong start to the season, and overall five of the top 10 featured our exclusive interviews with newsmakers!

In Part 1 you'll hear which episodes didn't make the top 20 but led the months of May, June, October and December.

11.25 Part 2- Numbers 10 through 20 are discussed - which included 3 episodes about NDP cabinet ministers, 2 about safe consumption site consultations, and our federal election coverage launch.

30.33 - You'll hear a countdown from Number 9 to the most popular episode of Season 6 - which may surprise you as it did us.

Among the names and topics that helped drive listener interest in the chart-toppers include Dan Lett and Tom Brodbeck of the Winnipeg Free Press, Coun. Jeff Browaty, Police chief Gene Bowers, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine (x2), and three were interviews with political candidates.

A special mention goes to our tribute to our friend entitled 'About Joanne Cochrane, and other things' which finished in second place.

****

Read our latest column in the Winnipeg Sun-

It’s time to throttle Iran-influenced demonstrations https://www.winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-it-s-time-to-throttle-iran-influenced-demonstrations/article_cb4d6c1a-b3ee-4cf2-a637-54d0fdb8a0ac.html

*******

To contribute story and interview tips, provide feedback on podcasts and Sun columns, or to advertise on TGCTS episodes, email: [email protected]

Episode 61 reviews an editorial from Don Woodstock about the insistence of City Councillors and Mayor Scott Gillingham to disregard a ruling by the Municipal Board and ram through a Housing Accelerator Fund "affordable" apartment building on the west parking lot of the Granite Curling Club.

"When a win-win requires one side to give up land, parking, certainty, and peace of mind while being told the details will come later, it is fair to ask whether the benefits are truly shared."

Given the effect on the viability of the Club, a squeeze on area parking, and the persistent threat to neighbourhood liveability by a lawless encampment in the adjacent Mostyn Park that was allowed after every major blaze to re-establish itself and endanger the community, Woodstock's points about the proposed 11-storey project should be addressed and not dismissed out of hand.

"Winnipeg needs housing. That is not in dispute," wrote Woodstock. "But how housing is built matters. Site selection matters. Spillover impacts matter. Transparency matters. And whether the public can clearly see who benefits matters."

(We note that according to Heritage Winnipeg - "The redevelopment plans are in collaboration with the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation 2.0" and "the tender is being chosen by the city and the UWCRC, rather than through an open process as city-owned projects often are." The ghost of Sherman Kreiner looms large in this process.)

*****

Our recent columns in the Winnipeg Sun:

Dec. 21 - Unique partnership developing safe accommodations, cultural supports for northern First Nations visitors

Dec. 27 - Failures on Homelessness file top news story of 2025

Dec. 28 - Safety of Jewish Canadians compromised by political cowardice

****

• To end Season 6, we thank our sponsors, supporters, guests, listeners and the readers of the Winnipeg Sun and wish you all a Happy and Safe New Year.
• TGCTS remains committed to holding elected officials, bureaucrats, and mainstream media to account as Your Watchdog!
• To contribute to the Season 7 Funding Drive for 2026, please email [email protected]

Three pieces of correspondence sent to TGCTS form the basis of Episode 60, which opens with the story of Marty's surprise meeting in a drug store with a former NDP cabinet minister.

You'll then hear a letter sent to Premier Wab Kinew and Justice Minister Matt Wiebe by an aggrieved NDP supporter.

He had asked for help with an arbitrary punishment imposed by Manitoba Public Insurance on his driving record despite a court dismissing the ticket- and got no response from Kinew or Wiebe.

"This record has already resulted in my being denied employment. I am a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record who is simply trying to earn a living."

14.35 Part 2- A follower of our independent reporting sent a note reflecting on the coverage we have provided this past year.

He touched on the federal election campaign, "the rise in unchecked anti-semitism in our city" and "the Province trying to push through a safe injection site that would be so destabilizing to the community it is established in."

21.35 - Listen to an op-ed submitted to local media outlets by Portage La Prairie PC MLA Jeff Bereza, after he took part in all four of the public meetings held in December about a proposed Safe Consumption Site for 366 Henry Avenue in the North Logan neighbourhood.

Noting how the announcement of the new location was made after the Legislature had wrapped up the fall session- meaning there could be no debate about the SCS in the House, Bereza noted:

"Only one thing is abundantly clear following these four sessions: there is no plan."

As the Critic of Homelessness, Housing, and Addictions, he itemized the unanswered questions from stakeholders, and the illogical claims from Minister Bernadette Smith and site proponents about staffing and policing for the drug user site.

Bereza concluded that "The accusation that push-back and questions from neighbours and businesses is nothing more than nimby-ism is unfair and insulting."

You can read the entire op-ed in the post for Episode 60 at ActionLine.ca.

******MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR LISTENERS AND SUPPORTERS!

The NDP government tried to throttle opposition to a drug use site slated for the North Logan neighbourhood by scheduling only one in-person meet-up. Episode 59 explains what they heard at two more hastily-added sessions this week. (Sorry for the blizzard delay!)

Part 1- In November, Winnipeg Free Press columnist Dan Lett criticized neighborhood opposition to the first proposed location for a safe consumption site east of Main Street because "they make them safer and cleaner."

His uninformed opinion clearly failed to sway the residents and businesses west of Main Street, who have voiced significant concern about the unsafe conditions already tolerated by elected officials and police around 366 Henry Avenue, where Wab Kinew now wants to open an SCS.

In fact, the experiences they described last week and again this week demonstrate how proponents of enabling users of drugs like fentanyl and meth are killing the viability of Winnipeg's core area with suicidal empathy.

At Monday night's public meeting, Housing and Addictions Minister Bernadette Smith- who is MLA for the area- showed how disconnected she is from the reality her constituents live with, as she claimed "We are focused on safety and security in the community. Police will be there to make sure enforcement is happening."

Ed Gallos, owner of the roofing company next door to the proposed SCS, rebuked her:

"I'm not very confident in the Winnipeg Police Service... we have to barricade our business, we look like a bunker from the Second World War."

You'll hear the comments and questions voiced at the Chinese Cultural Centre by people who have suffered repeated serious violent incidents with no meaningful response by Winnipeg Police or the Winnipeg Police Board.

13.40 Part 2- The North Logan community held their own meeting on Tuesday night at Pampanga Hall across from 366 Henry.

Stakeholders, which includes industrial, food services, and child program facilities, continued to press Smith and project operators, the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre, for substantive answers to their safety concerns. This isn't 'NIMBYism' as Kate Kehler of the ultra-leftist Social Planning Council insinuated- it's democracy.

17.30-Listen to Bernadette Smith tell the meeting "this is meant to bring the crime levels down."

Yet a businessman pointed out that as Siloam Mission has expanded and line-ups outside have quadrupled, social disorder has not been addressed, with officials not even ensuring there are bathroom facilities for the indigent. Instead, cleaning up the human waste left in nearby doorways and on properties became the responsibility of the affected private citizens.

The resulting tensions have community members who confront the derelicts wandering through their yards and using it as a toilet fearing for their safety. There's only so much mayhem and disorder that can be inflicted on a neighborhood.

Somehow, despite being their MLA, Smith had nothing to offer aside from "I'm sorry."

27.50 - Unreported by the media in attendance, WPS Inspector Helen Peters answered a question about her opinion if the SCS "will make the area safer."

We have the audio of her shocking reply, which no doubt ruined Dan Lett's Xmas.

******

Catch up on Marty Gold's columns in the Winnipeg Sun-

Dec 10- North Logan neighborhood demands answers to safe consumption site concerns   https://www.winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-north-logan-neighbourhood-demands-answers-to-safe-consumption-site-concerns/article_32e5e23b-dce4-46a8-b811-c1b4800f590b.htmlDec 14- Survey says Winnipeg Metropolitan Region fumbleslatest public poll

https://www.winnipegsun.com/gold-survey-says-winnipeg-metropolitan-region-fumbles-latest-public-poll/article_c8fd78eb-0d97-47d9-af04-1edafcf2b6cb.html

Dec 17- Anhart's big plans for affordablehousing in Winnipeg

https://www.winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-anharts-big-plans-for-affordable-housing-in-winnipeg/article_42efee06-df8d-49f0-9ee8-d161b68f26a2.html

The NDP government attempted to manipulate the public consultation process for a drug use site slated for a small downtown neighborhood off of Logan Avenue- but got big pushback and plenty of questions they don't want to answer. We have a play-by-play recap of the meeting that's a real eye opener about the desperation of the "harm reduction" lobby to give hard-core addicts a place to get high.

Part 1 of Episode 58 takes a few moments to note the recent passing of four people who made their mark on Winnipeg. Marty Gold provides personal memories of 1960's Blue Bomber All Star pass catcher Dr. Ken Nielsen, former Free Press education reporter Nick Martin, retired lawyer and city councillor Moishe Kaufman, and Jewish community stalwart Ruthie Gale.

11.48 Part 2- The theme of episode 58 is based on a recent comment from Marion Willis of St. Boniface Street Links:

“We normalized bike theft, we normalized homelessness, we normalized drug use, we’ve normalized encampment living — we normalized it all."

A consequence of it is a collapse of public safety in the inner city, and Wab Kinew'selection promise to enable drug use at a "safe consumption' site". After the first attempt to ram it through on Disraeli failed, they want to try it again on the other side of Main at 366 Henry Avenue.

Marty provided an analysis of the tactics to limit public participation, and the way it was immediately challenged by area stakeholders.

Dec. 8- NDP tries to rig consumption site consultations- again 

Dec. 9- North Logan neighborhood demands answers to safeconsumption site concerns  

Tuesday night, the normalization of the abnormal hit a tipping point at a hastily arranged public meeting.

Housing and Addictions Minister Bernadette Smith and other "experts" tried to convince home and business owners in the North Logan area that a safe consumption site is more important than their safety and their property values.

At the start it was announced that another meeting was added for next week, a retreat by the NDP of their plan to hold only one public session. Then, Smith proceeded to lay a goose egg with a total reversal of her assurances of a robust police presence near an SCS during the previous Disraeli Town Halls.

Calling police to the Henry site would be "a last resort", pumping the Downtown Community Safety Partnership handling things. The DCSP is already under fire for failing to respond to urgent situations in the East Exchange- and it doesn't seem to be trusted in North Logan either.

Smith described a pipeline to haul problematic addicts from the SCS to the "sobering centre" now slated for the Disraeli building, but her and her experts repeatedly ducked questions about rehab and recovery programs available for the drug users.

Listen to how "a very fragile community" has been spiraling downwards as Siloam Mission expanded operations on Princess Street, with complaints about increasing vandalism, theft, confrontations and human waste resulting. Through it all, Police Inspector Helen Peters didn't utter a peep. Neither did area councillor Vivian Santos.

42.45 Part 3- You'll hear how Smith tried to leverage the tragedy of a father whose son died to justify the need for the site. He had already spoken about his opposition to the SCS - and returned to the microphone to admonish Smith, especially because his son was not an addict.

"You don't get to own my story," Joseph intoned, warning Smith not to use his family to advance her "harm reduction'" agenda.

Meanwhile, attendees asked about how much was spent on the Henry Ave. proposal so far- and got no answer.

An SCS can affect property insurance and home and property values; drug dealers can lurk in nearby public parks to sell toxic drugs to site users; yet Smith and her experts showed no care for the worries of hardworking residents and business operators.

"It will save lives" rings hollow, when the lives and investments of neighborhood stakeholders can be ruined.

December kicks off with a recap of the visit of a far-left member of the Canadian Senate who tried to tour the in-progress 'sobering centre' that Wab Kinew's NDP is opening at 190 Disraeli. Kim Pate - who represents Ontario- dismissed the idea that Winnipeg residents need protection from out of control meth and alcohol addicts.

Part 1- A hard drive failure interrupted podcast production in late November but Episode 57 is here to get our public affairs coverage back on track.

We're looking to top up the Season 6 fundraising campaign with another $1000 this month to get a head start on paying for web hosting and the ActionLine Wordpress template in 2026, and to provide a Christmas bonus to our volunteer production staff. To contribute, contact [email protected].

15.30 Part 2- Legalist Kim Pate has a long history of standing up for prisoners -especially women- involved with Canada's justice system. But when it comes to the women and general public who have endured years of harassment, abuse and violence at the hands of Winnipeg's criminally-inclined homeless addicts, she says the rights of the abusers comes before the rights of the public to a safe community.

A clue why she spouts such nonsense comes from a 2017 interview, after Justin Trudeau handed her a taxpayer-funded lifetime job in the Senate:

I’ve gone back to the call from the prime minister several times in my mind. He said he was offering this appointment based on my career as an activist. That was the word that stuck in my head: “activism.” So I thought, “Okay, well, let’s go.” https://broadview.org/senator-kim-pate-wants-canada-to-get-rid-of-jails/

Marty Gold explains the chicken-and-egg argument Pate hides behind to bolster her argument that "to actually put people in what can only be described as cells… I think it’s rifefor a Charter challenge."

Warding off arsons, robberies, thefts, vandalism, matters not to Pate. She thinks the detention process might "traumatize" the addicts, and seemingly offered no comment to the Free Press about the years of trauma inflicted on women, children, families, property owners, employees, theatre patrons, transit riders and others by the anti-social and violent behavior of the homeless encampment crowd.

30.30 -The attempt to visit the site on Friday exposed a broken promise by Wab Kinew.

Remember it was supposed to open within two weeks of the Legislation being passed? Listen to a media scrum on November 14th when Premier Kinew had to admit the sobering centre would not, in fact, open in November- and why. Only APTN reported on it, why is that?

The split between the hard core “harm reduction” activists and the harm reduction-friendly Manitoba NDP shows how out of touch the radical defenders of lawless violent addicts are.

39.15 Part 3- a brief discussion of why democracy at City Hall is being eroded by poor practices, including bogus public consultations, late publication of meeting agendas and the 5 minute time limit on speakers.

Time and again, some councillors go the extra mile to hear from a wide range of constituents, while others treat hearing from the public as a nuisance. Here's hoping things improve in the new year, with an election on the horizon.******

Have you read our recent columns in the Winnipeg Sun?

Nov 23- Kinew, feds still shroud drug consumption site proposals in secrecy

https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-kinew-feds-still-shroud-drug-consumption-site-proposals-in-secrecy

 Nov 25- As the temperature drops, anger rises about transit revamp

https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-as-the-temperature-drops-anger-rises-about-transit-revamp

Nov 30- Too little, too late: Winnipeg Transit faces a record year of violence

https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-too-little-too-late-winnipeg-transit-faces-a-record-year-of-violence

The NDP gave the Free Press the scoop on a new plan to invoke an emergency authorization to open a drug user site. Dan Lett accordingly doubled down on the misinformation and myths used to attack the stakeholders who derailed the first safe consumption site plan. As Episode 56 explains, we saw how it really unfolded- and also noticed he got a key aspect of the new SCS plan wrong.

Part 1-Our recent columns in the Winnipeg Sun peeled back the PR campaign pumping the tires of the Parking Authority's 5 year strategy- and it's apparent that trying to rig the upcoming public consultation will not be acceptable:

"Would the City expand paid parking to Sargent Avenue in the West End, or to Marion Street in St. Boniface, or to Portage Avenue west of downtown or into St. James? That would cripple restaurants and stores in those neighbourhoods. Would the City charge disabled veterans to park outside the St. James or Norwood Legions? No one would put it past them."

Nov. 12- New paid parking plan should require a Parking Authority Town Hall https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-new-paid-parking-plan-should-require-a-parking-authority-town-hall⁠

"Introducing a “solution” where no problem exists only creates barriers, not improvements. Corydon is not downtown—and should not be managed as though it is.”

Nov. 16- Paid parking on Corydon? Fuhgeddaboutdit, says BIZ https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/gold-paid-parking-on-corydon-fuhgeddaboutdit-says-biz

Following up on our reports, Kelly Ryback surveyed the businesses in St. James and told City Hall about their rejection of starting paid parking into their area. We have a brief description of the panic it caused a certain councillor.

15.40 Part 2- A news story in the Free Press indicated Premier Wab Kinew is trying a slightly more conciliatory approach to garnering buy-in for the idea of a safe injection site “west of Main Street” – part of the Centennial neighborhood. But Kinew would not reveal the actual address.

The story confirmed that public consultation is mandatory under federal licencing laws. Mayor Scott Gillingham, for the first time, stood behind the importance of “hearing from residents and business owners as to their thoughts related to the potential impact on the area,” while Kinew “dodged the question” from PC leader Obby Khan about when consultations would take place.

In a companion column, WFP pundit Dan Lett dodged the facts, claimed the site was again being aimed for Point Douglas and the East Exchange, and attacked the very basis of requiring the consultations. Hear his distortions of the concerns and ideas that residents put on the table about 200 Disraeli to try to misinform his readers about how widespread - and well-informed the opposition was.

32.50 - We juxtapose the comments of a Point Douglas resident in the news story - “We’re beginning to feel like a drug rehab dumping ground around here," with the insistence of Lett that's "As it should be".

Dismissing the working class residents and business owners as "champions of gentrification" and "squeaky wheels," Lett unloaded a big whopper- falsely claiming that "Supervised consumption and detox facilities do not make surrounding neighbourhoods unsafe; they make them safer and cleaner."

Without ever attending one of the Town Halls about the 200 Disraeli proposal or speaking to the victims of the crime wave besieging residents and property owners, Ontario's Dan Lett set out a loathsome block of opinions about the people of Winnipeg in the pages of the Free Press. At least he's consistent:

July 12 2025- Condescending Columnist Gets Educated On Neighbourhood’s Fight For Dignity

Let us know what you think- [email protected]