Will Doer show his face here?
By John Mohan

The great thing about starting a new year is the opportunity to speculate about the coming year. After reflecting on last year, here are five questions about left-over issues and predictions about how they'll play out in 2009.

1. Will the Bell Hotel reopen this year? When the low-rate hotel closed last year as part of a major redevelopment project, I inquired to Centre Venture about the future of the old landmark that was home to more than 50 low-income residents.

I was assured a new partnership was being worked on to reopen it in the near future. But the Bell is still closed and there's been no announcement of reopening it that I'm aware of. With no working boiler in the building or partners on the horizon, I predict no one will move into the Bell any time soon.

2. Will Premier Doer have his first-ever tour of Siloam Mission this year? Like countless Manitobans, I've written letters to the premier complaining about something or making a suggestion about how he can run the province better and invariably, I invite him to tour our facilities.

Like almost everyone else who writes, I get a form letter back that my concerns will be looked into; with an added promise Doer will consider my invitation in the future. Admittedly he receives countless invitations, and probably doesn't even know I've invited him to a tour, but I continue to dream that his staff will schedule him a visit to see what the thousands of Manitoba donors and volunteers have built together to improve the lives of our less fortunate. My prediction is this year for sure.

3. Will we attempt to fix the social assistance system for inner city residents? There's got to be a better way to provide for our homeless, addicted and mentally ill than indiscriminately doling out a few hundred dollars every month to them.

We've done that for years and always with the same results -- increases in violence, ambulance and police calls and public drunkenness for a couple of days twice a month. My prediction is nothing will change and everybody will continue to lose.

4. Will there be a clear answer about what WRHA is doing in their new building at Main and Logan? After grand public announcements inner city residents and non-profit agencies are still wondering if any services will be offered to the people on social assistance, or are homeless or mentally ill to help stabilize their lives.

In spite of three promises to be supplied with information about future services located there, I still have no concrete information. My prediction is whatever happens at Main and Logan will be costly and bureaucratic.

5. Can we end homelessness for 200 people this year? Reducing homelessness by 10% in our city will mean increased quality housing and accessible support services. The goal is more than a roof and walls, but also a healthy community environment and the opportunity for people to become good neighbours too. My prediction is it could happen but it won't be easy or cheap but we'll be a better community for it.

We'll see how these issues and predictions unfold in the coming months.

But nonetheless, it will be an exciting year for Manitoba -- even if not much changes.

Originally printed in the Winnipeg Sun, Thursday, January 7, 2009.
Reprinted with the permission of Sun Media Corporation.