Right in the centre - Canada needs an overhaul

By Ken Waddell

Neepawa Banner & Press

Canada has been dragged through yet another threatened railway strike. As usual, the unions picked grain harvesting season to pull the pin. With millions of tonnes of grain needing to be taken to storage and to export to terminals and to processing plants, the railway unions have always known that August is strike month. The postal workers always aim for Christmas for their regularly scheduled strikes and other unions are tuned to hit the most sensitive times for strikes.

Read more: Right in the centre - Canada needs an overhaul

Right in the centre - Staying on top of things

Ken Waddell

Neepawa Banner & Press

Keeping everything repaired and up-to-date is a challenge for every town, village and municipality. Mosts towns and villages have really bad roads. There are places in many towns where some of the paved roads are so cracked and pitted, they might as well be gravel. 

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Right in the Centre - If it's news it will likely appear in this paper

By Ken Waddell

Neepawa Banner & Press

It’s closing in on 35 years since I wrote my first column. When we started our first newspaper in 1989, I decided there were certain things I would not accept as advertisements even if they were legal. One decision was easy as cigarette ads had already been made illegal earlier that year. 

Read more: Right in the Centre - If it's news it will likely appear in this paper

Right in the centre - Dead wood in many places

By Ken Waddell

Neepawa Banner & Press

The Town of Jasper is but the latest victim of a wildfire. The Jasper situation is really bad, with hundreds of homes burned and the whole town evacuated. 

Many years ago, it was pointed out to the federal government that a national wild fire strategy was needed. How many more homes and businesses have to be destroyed before reality sets in and solutions come to the surface?

I could be way wrong, and would welcome being corrected, but it seems to me that Parks Canada’s efforts to do anything in a correct, pro-active and effective way is lacking in evidence.

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Right in the centre - Olympics opening ceremonies not surprising but very disappointing

By Ken Waddell

Neepawa Banner & Press

The world was looking forward to seeing the beginning of the 2024 Paris Olympics.


It’s still a great show but the opening was severely smeared by a crude and lewd portions of the Opening Ceremonies.

Read more: Right in the centre - Olympics opening ceremonies not surprising but very disappointing