So much going on, so little time. So let's deal with a few recent developments in point form.
- Regina Councillor Chris Szarka wants to put in place a Regina Big Home Lottery (wealthy property owners guaranteed to win!). Christine Whitaker responds by pointing out the problems with shifting the cost of services even further toward those who can't afford to pay more.
- Brad Wall's Sask Party government: consistently outraged that anyone has the nerve to seek out the truth.
- Two former Saskatchewan NDP leadership contestants look to be making solid progress in their riding nomination races: Ryan Meili has relaunched his website and funded his Saskatoon Sutherland nomination contest through a single money bomb, while Yens Pedersen is back blogging with a strong comment on the WEPA.
- Finally, the Georgia Straight reports that the Campbell Liberals have even more to worry about by way of public backlash to the HST as the anti-harmonization forces are looking at recalling MLAs. Meanwhile, Colin Hansen is shocked to learn that the rules apply to his government - while Elections B.C.'s rightful rejection of pro-HST propaganda makes it all the more likely that the current petition initiative will succeed.
Showing posts with label chris szarka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chris szarka. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Sunday Morning 'Rider Blogging
It took only a few days after the end of the Grey Cup for talk and action surrounding the Saskatchewan Roughriders to turn toward the team's plan for 2010. So let's take a look at the 'Riders' free agents as to who should be back, and who we can expect to see playing (or not playing) elsewhere.
I'll note that the outset that the classifications below aren't based solely on the quality of the players involved. Instead, the CFL's strict salary cap and the ready availability of import replacement players at many positions mean that the question of whether a player should be brought back is based on age/potential, import/non-import status and presumed salary expectations as well as current ability.
Must-Signs
RB Stu Foord - Young. Talented. Popular. Local. And not well-enough established to demand starter money - though the 'Riders might want to consider paying him something close to it in order to secure a long-term bargain from a player who seems ready to step into at least a co-starring role at a skill position.
DE Stevie Baggs - He'll presumably want star money after a season where he could easily have been the league's Defensive Player of the Year. But he's both highly talented on his own and a perfect fit for Gary Etcheverry's defence, so I'd expect the 'Riders to be willing to find room in the budget.
CB Omarr Morgan - Based on how rejuvenated he looked in 2009, Morgan should be able to lock down a corner for the 'Riders for several more seasons as long as the price is right - and since he took a hometown discount to return in 2008, that shouldn't be a problem.
Worth Bringing Back
S James Patrick - Experienced and skilled enough to be a leader in the 'Riders' secondary, but young enough to stick around for many years to come.
FB Chris Szarka - He'd actually have been a prime candidate to go elsewhere if not for his successful run for City Council. But it's hard to see him leaving Regina now, and that should ensure that his price stays low enough for the 'Riders to bring him back.
RB Wes Cates - The flip side of Foord being a must-sign is that the 'Riders have a tough call to make with Cates. As long as he doesn't mind being a 1A back (and paid accordingly) rather than a feature runner, he'd be more than worth re-signing for his blocking and pass-catching ability. But the 'Riders' can't afford another season getting less than 5 yards per rush out of their feature tailback, and they may need to let Cates walk if he still expects to play that role.
QB Steven Jyles - A reasonably talented and experienced #2 if Saskatchewan can't find anyone better in the offseason. But with the Lions figuring to cut at least one former starter loose (Jarious Jackson? Buck Pierce?) and the Argos having to decide whether they want to pay Kerry Joseph MOP money to back up Cody Pickett, I'd take some time to see who else might be available before locking in Jyles.
DB Eddie Davis - When Davis was injured in 2007, the 'Riders' defence went into a funk until he returned. When he was injured in 2009, the 'Riders barely missed a beat with Chris McKenzie taking Davis' place. Which isn't to say that Davis wasn't still effective, but it may be time to transition a younger and cheaper starter into the defensive backfield.
WR Gerran Walker - Walker proved to be an effective #4 receiver in the latter half of the season. But I wouldn't be surprised if he's looking to be more of a feature receiver than he'll ever be in Saskatchewan - and the 'Riders shouldn't be heartbroken to let their next set of receiver recruits battle Johnny Quinn for Walker's spot in the lineup.
Probably Looking Elsewhere
LB Tad Kornegay - An effective utility defender who found his way onto the West All-Star team thanks to games missed by the likes of Maurice Lloyd, Rey Williams and Jojuan Armour, making for what figures to be a substantial gap between Kornegay's value on the field and his contract expectations in what's likely to be his only chance to get paid like a star. For a reasonable cost the 'Riders should be happy to have him back, but I'd expect him to get at least one big contract offer - and the 'Riders can get far better value finding somebody else to fill the spot rather than matching the price.
G Marc Parenteau - An effective starter last season and reserve before that. But with Belton Johnson, Bobby Harris and (most importantly) Wayne Smith returning from injuries and Joel Bell firmly entrenched at the right tackle spot, Parenteau's starting job figures to disappear in 2010. And with the re-signed Chris Best added back into a deep pool of non-import reserves, the 'Riders won't have much need to pay Parenteau a premium to stay as a backup.
RB Hugh Charles - Charles has shown glimmers of ability the past two seasons, and is worth bringing back to camp if he doesn't have greater opportunities elsewhere. But he's a clear #3 on the 'Riders' depth chart behind Cates and Foord, and based on the success of three rookie RBs in 2009 there doesn't seem to be any lack of imports ready to perform as feature runners in the CFL.
LS Jocelyn Frenette - For two seasons now, the 'Riders have kept both Frenette and Kevin Scott on their roster. And while Frenette has done well to improve his effectiveness on the 'Riders' cover teams, it's time to cut down on the number of roster spots used for long snappers.
(Edit: fixed typo.)
I'll note that the outset that the classifications below aren't based solely on the quality of the players involved. Instead, the CFL's strict salary cap and the ready availability of import replacement players at many positions mean that the question of whether a player should be brought back is based on age/potential, import/non-import status and presumed salary expectations as well as current ability.
Must-Signs
RB Stu Foord - Young. Talented. Popular. Local. And not well-enough established to demand starter money - though the 'Riders might want to consider paying him something close to it in order to secure a long-term bargain from a player who seems ready to step into at least a co-starring role at a skill position.
DE Stevie Baggs - He'll presumably want star money after a season where he could easily have been the league's Defensive Player of the Year. But he's both highly talented on his own and a perfect fit for Gary Etcheverry's defence, so I'd expect the 'Riders to be willing to find room in the budget.
CB Omarr Morgan - Based on how rejuvenated he looked in 2009, Morgan should be able to lock down a corner for the 'Riders for several more seasons as long as the price is right - and since he took a hometown discount to return in 2008, that shouldn't be a problem.
Worth Bringing Back
S James Patrick - Experienced and skilled enough to be a leader in the 'Riders' secondary, but young enough to stick around for many years to come.
FB Chris Szarka - He'd actually have been a prime candidate to go elsewhere if not for his successful run for City Council. But it's hard to see him leaving Regina now, and that should ensure that his price stays low enough for the 'Riders to bring him back.
RB Wes Cates - The flip side of Foord being a must-sign is that the 'Riders have a tough call to make with Cates. As long as he doesn't mind being a 1A back (and paid accordingly) rather than a feature runner, he'd be more than worth re-signing for his blocking and pass-catching ability. But the 'Riders' can't afford another season getting less than 5 yards per rush out of their feature tailback, and they may need to let Cates walk if he still expects to play that role.
QB Steven Jyles - A reasonably talented and experienced #2 if Saskatchewan can't find anyone better in the offseason. But with the Lions figuring to cut at least one former starter loose (Jarious Jackson? Buck Pierce?) and the Argos having to decide whether they want to pay Kerry Joseph MOP money to back up Cody Pickett, I'd take some time to see who else might be available before locking in Jyles.
DB Eddie Davis - When Davis was injured in 2007, the 'Riders' defence went into a funk until he returned. When he was injured in 2009, the 'Riders barely missed a beat with Chris McKenzie taking Davis' place. Which isn't to say that Davis wasn't still effective, but it may be time to transition a younger and cheaper starter into the defensive backfield.
WR Gerran Walker - Walker proved to be an effective #4 receiver in the latter half of the season. But I wouldn't be surprised if he's looking to be more of a feature receiver than he'll ever be in Saskatchewan - and the 'Riders shouldn't be heartbroken to let their next set of receiver recruits battle Johnny Quinn for Walker's spot in the lineup.
Probably Looking Elsewhere
LB Tad Kornegay - An effective utility defender who found his way onto the West All-Star team thanks to games missed by the likes of Maurice Lloyd, Rey Williams and Jojuan Armour, making for what figures to be a substantial gap between Kornegay's value on the field and his contract expectations in what's likely to be his only chance to get paid like a star. For a reasonable cost the 'Riders should be happy to have him back, but I'd expect him to get at least one big contract offer - and the 'Riders can get far better value finding somebody else to fill the spot rather than matching the price.
G Marc Parenteau - An effective starter last season and reserve before that. But with Belton Johnson, Bobby Harris and (most importantly) Wayne Smith returning from injuries and Joel Bell firmly entrenched at the right tackle spot, Parenteau's starting job figures to disappear in 2010. And with the re-signed Chris Best added back into a deep pool of non-import reserves, the 'Riders won't have much need to pay Parenteau a premium to stay as a backup.
RB Hugh Charles - Charles has shown glimmers of ability the past two seasons, and is worth bringing back to camp if he doesn't have greater opportunities elsewhere. But he's a clear #3 on the 'Riders' depth chart behind Cates and Foord, and based on the success of three rookie RBs in 2009 there doesn't seem to be any lack of imports ready to perform as feature runners in the CFL.
LS Jocelyn Frenette - For two seasons now, the 'Riders have kept both Frenette and Kevin Scott on their roster. And while Frenette has done well to improve his effectiveness on the 'Riders' cover teams, it's time to cut down on the number of roster spots used for long snappers.
(Edit: fixed typo.)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Municipal Election Breakdown - Regina Ward 10
With the municipal elections looming in the near future, I'll take some time to count down the Regina council races. For a full list of candidate bios and other resources, see the City's Council page.
Ward 10 figures to hold the most public attention of all of the Regina contests, thanks largely to the fact that Chris Szarka's entry has won it more attention in local sports media than most of the races have seen anywhere. But what should voters be looking out for when they go to the polls? Here's my take on each of the candidates based on their publicly-available material, as well as my endorsement for the ward.
Michael Cassano - video profile
Cassano was the last contestant to enter the race, and figures to face an uphill battle against the incumbency advantage of Jerry Flegel and the star power of Szarka. But a strong resume would seem to offer him a chance to stay in the race if combined with an equally inspiring platform or policy vision.
Unfortunately, Cassano disappoints somewhat on that point. While he mentions a few priorities like housing, traffic and noise control, his video presentation focuses almost entirely on his past committee involvement under a "volunteerism" theme, and his and candidate announcement and bio make "pride" a central message. Of course those are important values in a public servant, but they don't say much about what Cassano would be expected to do on Council.
Jerry Flegel - video profile
I noted here how remarkable it was that Wade Murray's campaign message includes an attempt to preserve the entire council rather than to focus on his own personal merits. But Flegel doesn't only do the same in his candidate bio; he also goes a step further in his video profile, leaving as his lasting impression a poll about the public's views of the current Council rather than any summary of his positions or priorities.
But then, there might be reason for a choice to send a "stay the course" message without highlighting what that course actually is. Flegel's video profile pays lip service to concerns like green space and snow removal in a seeming effort to round out his platform. But it's telling both that this mention comes only after his primary focus on MEGAPROJECTS!!!, traffic and taxes - and even more importantly that his list of accomplishments is based on roads rather than parks.
In fairness, Flegel's recognition of a need to appeal to different types of constituencies combined with his time on Council so far might make him relatively open to working with a better set of councillors from elsewhere in the city. But if the best hope for a potential councillor is that he'll be influenced by others rather than following through on his past record, that's usually a sure sign that it's time for a change.
Chris Szarka - video profile
Szarka may well be the favourite to win the ward, as his name recognition and popularity from his time with the 'Riders may well outweigh Flegel's incumbency advantage. Unfortunately, though, Szarka's public platform is maddeningly vague, pairing a regular refrain about lowering property taxes with talk about unspecified services, along with a commitment to the "fundamentals for viable, thriving communities" which doesn't explain what those fundamentals might be.
I'd be particularly interested to hear exactly what Szarka means by that latter phrase, and it could be that it would resolve some of the concerns I'd have with Szarka's direction. But at this stage of the game, it's tough to escape the fact that Szarka hasn't yet defined himself as much more than a familiar face.
Endorsement
From the above, it shouldn't be tough to tell that none of the Ward 10 candidates looks to be a slam dunk in my books. But for a combination of new blood on council and some focus on housing and culture issues, the choice here is Michael Cassano.
Ward 10 figures to hold the most public attention of all of the Regina contests, thanks largely to the fact that Chris Szarka's entry has won it more attention in local sports media than most of the races have seen anywhere. But what should voters be looking out for when they go to the polls? Here's my take on each of the candidates based on their publicly-available material, as well as my endorsement for the ward.
Michael Cassano - video profile
Cassano was the last contestant to enter the race, and figures to face an uphill battle against the incumbency advantage of Jerry Flegel and the star power of Szarka. But a strong resume would seem to offer him a chance to stay in the race if combined with an equally inspiring platform or policy vision.
Unfortunately, Cassano disappoints somewhat on that point. While he mentions a few priorities like housing, traffic and noise control, his video presentation focuses almost entirely on his past committee involvement under a "volunteerism" theme, and his and candidate announcement and bio make "pride" a central message. Of course those are important values in a public servant, but they don't say much about what Cassano would be expected to do on Council.
Jerry Flegel - video profile
I noted here how remarkable it was that Wade Murray's campaign message includes an attempt to preserve the entire council rather than to focus on his own personal merits. But Flegel doesn't only do the same in his candidate bio; he also goes a step further in his video profile, leaving as his lasting impression a poll about the public's views of the current Council rather than any summary of his positions or priorities.
But then, there might be reason for a choice to send a "stay the course" message without highlighting what that course actually is. Flegel's video profile pays lip service to concerns like green space and snow removal in a seeming effort to round out his platform. But it's telling both that this mention comes only after his primary focus on MEGAPROJECTS!!!, traffic and taxes - and even more importantly that his list of accomplishments is based on roads rather than parks.
In fairness, Flegel's recognition of a need to appeal to different types of constituencies combined with his time on Council so far might make him relatively open to working with a better set of councillors from elsewhere in the city. But if the best hope for a potential councillor is that he'll be influenced by others rather than following through on his past record, that's usually a sure sign that it's time for a change.
Chris Szarka - video profile
Szarka may well be the favourite to win the ward, as his name recognition and popularity from his time with the 'Riders may well outweigh Flegel's incumbency advantage. Unfortunately, though, Szarka's public platform is maddeningly vague, pairing a regular refrain about lowering property taxes with talk about unspecified services, along with a commitment to the "fundamentals for viable, thriving communities" which doesn't explain what those fundamentals might be.
I'd be particularly interested to hear exactly what Szarka means by that latter phrase, and it could be that it would resolve some of the concerns I'd have with Szarka's direction. But at this stage of the game, it's tough to escape the fact that Szarka hasn't yet defined himself as much more than a familiar face.
Endorsement
From the above, it shouldn't be tough to tell that none of the Ward 10 candidates looks to be a slam dunk in my books. But for a combination of new blood on council and some focus on housing and culture issues, the choice here is Michael Cassano.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Municipal roundup
The final lists of nominated candidates for next month's municipal elections are in from Regina and Saskatoon. And there are a few interesting notes based on the last set of contestants to enter the field.
In Regina, the mayoralty race will once again feature three candidates, as Linda White has joined the race against Pat Fiacco and Jim Elliott. It remains to be seen whether either of the challengers will be able to develop much traction, but it's certainly for the best to have a few different perspectives on the city's direction.
Meanwhile, there were also a few noteworthy developments in the council races:
- In Ward 8, Donna Standingready is mostly emphasizing her strong work resume with the provincial government and the First Nations Family Support Centre in challenging Michael O'Donnell. But she also brings a long history of involvement in the Saskatchewan NDP which made her one of Dwain Lingenfelter's named leadership endorsers.
- In Ward 10, the already-crowded race featuring incumbent Jerry Flegel and Chris Szarka now also includes Michael Cassona, whose resume includes the presidency of the Regina Multicultural Association among other community involvement.
- The Ward 1 race won't be quite as crowded as the one in 2006, but both Shawn Kuster and Andy Asherbranner look to be mounting noteworthy challenges to incumbent Louis Browne.
As a whole, the election will feature only two acclamations for Council positions, meaning that Regina voters will have plenty of opportunity to chart the city's course. Candidate bios for the mayoralty, council, and public and separate school board races are available on the City's website.
Likewise in Saskatoon, there looks to be a fairly strong set of races overall: the three acclaimed council positions are balanced out in part by multi-challenger races in Wards 2, 8 and 10, while Lenore Swystun's official entry into the mayoralty race will make her one of four challengers to Don Atchison.
In sum, it looks like we're in for a lively month of municipal campaigning. But we'll have to stay tuned to find out what that will mean for the direction of Saskatchewan's two largest cities in the long run.
In Regina, the mayoralty race will once again feature three candidates, as Linda White has joined the race against Pat Fiacco and Jim Elliott. It remains to be seen whether either of the challengers will be able to develop much traction, but it's certainly for the best to have a few different perspectives on the city's direction.
Meanwhile, there were also a few noteworthy developments in the council races:
- In Ward 8, Donna Standingready is mostly emphasizing her strong work resume with the provincial government and the First Nations Family Support Centre in challenging Michael O'Donnell. But she also brings a long history of involvement in the Saskatchewan NDP which made her one of Dwain Lingenfelter's named leadership endorsers.
- In Ward 10, the already-crowded race featuring incumbent Jerry Flegel and Chris Szarka now also includes Michael Cassona, whose resume includes the presidency of the Regina Multicultural Association among other community involvement.
- The Ward 1 race won't be quite as crowded as the one in 2006, but both Shawn Kuster and Andy Asherbranner look to be mounting noteworthy challenges to incumbent Louis Browne.
As a whole, the election will feature only two acclamations for Council positions, meaning that Regina voters will have plenty of opportunity to chart the city's course. Candidate bios for the mayoralty, council, and public and separate school board races are available on the City's website.
Likewise in Saskatoon, there looks to be a fairly strong set of races overall: the three acclaimed council positions are balanced out in part by multi-challenger races in Wards 2, 8 and 10, while Lenore Swystun's official entry into the mayoralty race will make her one of four challengers to Don Atchison.
In sum, it looks like we're in for a lively month of municipal campaigning. But we'll have to stay tuned to find out what that will mean for the direction of Saskatchewan's two largest cities in the long run.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Clearing the path
I suspect we may have just stumbled onto one way to getting Saskatchewanians interested in politics again. But is it possible that Chris Szarka is really only blocking for Stu Foord in Ward 9?
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