OCTOBER 7, 2009

       There are thousands of homeless Manitobans. They have no money, they have no home.

       But, big corporations are in debt and suddenly big companies and government rush to bail them out. If you run out of money, shut down and close up shop. That’s business.

       Let’s be frank in the column this week: is anybody else sick of hearing the tragic stories of Canwest Global and it spiraling out of control? And how soon is it until the government ponies up money to bail out the company?

       Yes, at one time the media company was huge and a great namesake for Winnipeg, but ever since those Asper kids took over, maybe the company’s assets haven’t been in the best hands.

       As David, Leonard and Gail come up with more plans and other types of business ventures, you can’t help but think about the track record these three have with running their daddy’s media empire.

       The argument could be made that they had no interest in their dad’s company and they have their own visions. True. But isn’t business business? Why would you knowingly run your family’s company into the ground? What sort of credibility does that lend your name when you’ve dragged it through the mud?

       Economics, at least to me, is simple: if you don’t have the money or resources for something, don’t do it. If I’m not in a position to buy a hot tub and I’ve already got mortgage payments, car maintenance bills on top of my usual expenses, why would I indulge in that luxury?

       We see a multi-million-dollar museum that nobody but Asper-backers seems to want; a shopping complex that needs funds from companies it hasn’t even talked to yet; and a stadium that is so eccentric it needs another year to come up with money just to secure the concept.

       Let’s get back to the real people in need: the homeless, the out of work, the people that truly need every penny they can get, not the greedy millionaires taking the pennies out of our pockets.