Once you go black

The Black Rod, Winnipegs most Black Roddy Roddyist blog, piped up on the issue of rapid transit recently. Saying that Sam Katz's support for LRT Rapid Transit is handing the election over to Judy Whatserface-leis. First of all, I disagree that people in Winnipeg care that much about one vs the other or how much it costs, because we all know the money is coming from Ottawa, its our money, and if WE don't spend it, Quebec surely will. So why should we be frugal at all on this? So it costs a bit more for LRT. So what. You pay more for quality. That's how things work. In the chance it increases transit ridership, then it is a sound investment. And as a transit rider personally, I am in favour of it more than BRT. We need more options than buses, because with just a bus system, we've become stuck in a rut.

Second of all, I don't care if New Flyer loses some money on this. New Flyer buses have the stupidest design policies when it comes to how to get off a bus it makes me crazy. Yellow stripe? Yellow wire? I don't even know what the hell. You don't buy a bus just because they create jobs locally. If that was the case why should other towns and cities that sell buses purchase from New Flyer? And would the rapid transit buses have been purchased from New Flyer? I don't know, but theres no guarantee on that either.

Finally, the nonsensical belief that this issue will push people over to Judy does not compute. What would push that faction of people over to Judy is the belief that Bus Rapid transit will never happen. But that segment is already anti-Katz on principle. And are already most likely campaigning for her anyways.

It is my belief that this city, founded on railroads, with lots of abandoned rail lines that could be converted, should embrace them. They helped build this city.

Also the black rod bitched about mosquitos. Frankly, the citizens of Winnipeg will never be happy one way or another. If they get a single bite from a mosquito, It's Sam Katz's fault. I love the dragonflies. My nephew loves the dragonflies. I never saw a single dragonfly in this city until Sam Katz was elected. You'd think they'd be all over the place. I think they've got a good system going, especially this year considering the amount of rain we've had. Kudos to Taz Stuart for a job well done in my opinion. Sure there were some kinks early on, but they seem to have a handle on things now.