Vision Winnipeg

There appears to be a new group struck to promote Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has a grand vision indeed.
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An initiative of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, Vision Winnipeg will seek broad-based collaboration to determine the future of this great city. That’s why we’re looking beyond ourselves to you and all that you have to offer Winnipeg’s exciting future.

http://www.visionwinnipeg.com/home/
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Here is what the WFP has to say...

When times are tough globally, it's time to strike locally.

It's not the new motto for the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, but it forms the backbone of its new three-year strategic plan that focuses on making the city a world marketplace.

Winnipeg Free Press

Wonder wht we spend all this time and money when the main problem is Tax's we are not competitive in that areana and most big bussiness stay away from the NDP .

I think you hit it on the head Jim.

Ya' gotta be pretty dumbass to want to set up a business in a province run by the NDP.

It's the most obvious thing we have to change to get this province back into a competitive market.

We can advertise for new businesses all we want...it ain't gonna' go a friggn' thing.

We also have to get over trying to be someone else , we are what we are and every city has their warts . The ones who chose to live out side the city are the ones who don't care and it is up to the rest to improve things
The poverty thing is some theme we seemed hooked on people tend to work harder when it is not so easy to cop out . Dropping out is a crime and the perp should do time to get his education . Family 3rd generation poverty then that to me is lazy and we owe them nothing . Time for them to get out of bed at 7 and be out looking for work or at least getting education if you want it you will get it .

We sure seem to be missing the boat in teaching these kids that an education will equal money. They don't understand that.

But we cannot hold educators and politicans accountable for this, as it is the duty of the parent to do so I reckon...seems that way to me....even if the parents are dumbasses and can't connect the dots themselves.

Seems we sacrifice kids for the rights of their parents.

We find to many excuses to coddle them and never enforcing the truancy law , and it seems never failing them doe's no one favors.

We as a city also need to look at the image we give to people , by that the Wholesale Capital of Canada is not really to much to brag about . It in some peoples eyes is saying we are cheap and not a good place for high end products .
And lets get rid of most of the local writers as most of them do us no favours, Brodbeck is not a writer but a joke , Most have the intelligence to know that . But many of the other news people seem fixated on airing our dirty laundry ,car theft makes headlines before kid saves homeowner you get the drift.
This province can stop being have not and should have done it in the last 10 yrs but again we straddle our selves to the NDP the New Demands Poor party it is time for a change Whats his name the provincial Conservative leader step down and do the party a favour . You blew it last time you are a dreamer and we have had enough of those . Dreaming is for sleeping, Running a province is for a business person awake at the switch. The only problem is we have no one willing to step up to the plate yet , so I guess we put up with Mr Doer and watch our money fill the union pockets . DAM SHAME!

I expect Evil Doer will be stepping down and moving on to a plum assignment somewhere, leaving the province open. There does not seem to be an heir apparent.

McFayden has done little to elevate his profile and that of his party. Perhaps that is his strategy. Lay low until the time is ripe? Big mistake me thinks.

I wrote a letter to McFayden and his party prior to the last election. I gave him my view on what Manitoba needed. Mayhaps one day I'll post that letter in here. Maybe as we approach another provincial election.

Pavolo wrote:We as a city also need to look at the image we give to people , by that the Wholesale Capital of Canada is not really to much to brag about . It in some peoples eyes is saying we are cheap and not a good place for high end products .

"High-end" products.

While I accept there are levels of quality among items...I think the fact that Winnipeg loves a bargain is part of its appeal. Not that their favorite store is Dollarama...but that they don't believe that "full price" is always reasonable. Especially when the US Border is so close.

I was shopping for some Christmas gifts online over the weekend. 4 different items I found listed in our local Walmart & Toys R Us, and on the US Store sites...they cost anywhere from $10-50 less in the US.

Winnipegers that I've been around are not dumb...they research something before they buy it...and if they find something that seems reasonable...they will. Winnipeg could be considered Canada's "rent-control"...as if a company wants to sell something across the country, they can get a starting price by seeing how low it has to be in Winnipeg.

Maybe a better term than "cheap" would be "frugal", or "cost-concious"...but generally Winnipegers will find the best deal on the best items...so leave the "high-end" stuff in NYC or London...where $10 for a coffee seems "normal".

Yes and you should go there for your next doctors appointment , after all you don't seem to think supporting it is worth it till you need it. Sorry I don't believe in cross border shopping as it is not the way to support the local economy . Maybe your job will be the next to go south .

Ummm...fortunately...my job can't go south...but that's beside the point.

The point I was trying to make, is that Winnipegers "shop" before they buy.

They know something is cheaper elsewhere...and know what they are willing to spend.

One of those items I mentioned was on sale here recently for less than the regular price in the US...so I grabbed it. Even if it goes on sale in the US doesn't really matter...at least I didn't over-spend on something here, that I could've bought 40% cheaper somewhere else.

And...I realize there's a benefit to helping "local" businesses...but the economy today is becoming more and more "global". There was a book sales thing at the Forks this weekend. I walked through the displays looking at things...and the "owners" of the display were locals. They had a couple of items I had looked at in other stores, and almost bought them...till I saw the price. One item listed was priced at $29.99...the same EXACT item you can buy at WalMart for $14.99. I'm all for helping the "local" guy...but not when I'm being gouged by him.

Yes but you can't expect him to do what walmart doe's either he is a small guy trying to eek out a living . Walmart is a store which is responsible for the loss of how many family owned businesses. I know it wasn't there fault just the business model they developed is And it is in every thing now . As I say we are seen as cheap not thrifty hence many things go by us . Fiqure we won't pay the price of the show or what ever . The other problem is high rate of poor in Winnipeg and Manitoba . far to many lower level jobs and not enough thinking jobs or creating endevors . We need to spend less on making life good for the poor and more on this province.

I'd suspect...as I know happens in other mom/pop stores around town...that he actually bought them AT Walmart, and then raised the price for his own retail to pay off the tax & make a small profit.

The same thing happens at Costco, Superstore, etc.

Because it's cheaper for them to go buy 40 gallons of milk for $3.00 each, then sell them for $4.25, then it is to have milk shipped directly to their stores.

Yes that doe's as it is probaly chearer then the wholesale , everything today is volumn and if you can't buy that way you get no price . Hence the big box stores and the loss of the warehouse . Also we want everything in one stop so we get staff that can't possibly know all there is to know about what the store sells , hell the customers can't find it and are too lazy to look .

Like, did you ever see a chinese food express take-away shop order and eat a home delivery pizza? Been there, seen that.

when we worked at restraunts up in The Pas we all used to order from each other the Pizza and KFC guys ( different stores ) would do free delivery between restraunts for the employees. Why, because you get sick of eating the same food all the time. Why wouldn't a chinese food store do the same?

Something else that needs change here is this Idea we have to hire from someone else to build some of our best buildings , We have a school of Architecture do we not .

Gail why would you go outside the country to build the Museum when I am sure there are qualified people from with in. Same as why do always export the natural resources with no processing done here . IE our oil to America refined there instead of here .
This is a attitude Canada and his city has to stop start to say we can do it and we need the jobs as bad as someone else doe's.

Like any other construction project in Winnipeg...it's put on a "bid list".

This list is open to anyone who subscribes to access it.

For architectural submissions, there's a submission request that goes out. It's not out specifically to international...it's open to anyone who wants to submit, provided they meet the specifications requested for concept.

Whenever there is public money involved, this process is required.

We have this discussion in my office all the time. It "used" to be, buildings were built by the best builder, and with the highest quality. Look at the Leg, & the Fort Garry Hotel. Still standing and strong after so long.

Today, the building just goes to the lowest bidder.