Robinson Has Backing of Firefighters’ Union for Council
Former CTV reporter Shaneen Robinson has the full support of the United Fire Fighters Union of Winnipeg in her run to be the city’s next councillor.
Shaneen won the NDP nomination vote Monday night for the Elmwood-East Kildonan ward, where she hopes to gain soon-to-retire councillor Lillian Thomas’ seat.
On Tuesday, the UFFW drew attention to Thomas’ vote to cut 52 firefighter positions in 1998. Thomas endorsed her executive assistant Darryl Livingstone to run for her council seat, but was unsuccessful in helping him seal a nomination.
On her Facebook page, Robinson made note of clinching the nomination on June 21 — National Aboriginal Day. “What better day … to come one step closer in electing the first Aboriginal woman to Winnipeg’s city council,” she wrote.
Shaneen is the daughter of MLA Eric Robinson.
City residents head to the municipal election polls on October 27.
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June 23rd, 2010 at 11:41 am
isn’t Lillian Thomas aboriginal?
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Kathy Bent Reply:
July 7th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Lillian Thomas IS Aboriginal so this is just one of many false claims made by Shaneen Robinson who has stated that she will be the first Aboriginal woman on City Council and that “she is the voice of Aboriginal people.” As a long time resident of EK who has raised two daughters and one grand daughter in EK, she certainly does not speak for me now and NEVER will. I am appalled to think that someone like Shaneen can even think of running for public office. She has recently lambasted me on Facebook to the point where I was slandered by her as she tried to disfigure my reputation as an Aboriginal community researcher. She also removed me from her friend list because she couldn’t take constructive criticism from me and people who feel the same way I do. So remember…if you vote for Shaneen Robinson, make sure you don’t voice your opinion around her because she can’t take it and may attempt to ruin your reputation. In my opinion, she is certainly not capable of addressing your concerns at City Hall
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June 23rd, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Shhh Marty. You’re going to eliminate the sole foundation of Shaneen’s campaign!
The people of Elmwood will be disappointed with the comparative drop in work ethic and results if she ever gets elected. People’s reputations tend to speak louder than their words.
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June 23rd, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Oh, c’mon play nice! Eric you do not know me, if you would like to know more please shoot me an email and we can chat. If you don’t think I work hard, just google it bro. I am sooo very excited for this new challenge and I am up for it. I have lived in Elmwood/EK for my whole life and there are so many positive things I want to see here. I want to work with all parties, all nations and all ages to make our area the best it can possibly be! I don’t want to win this thing for myself, I want to win this for our city, our province and our country. I’ve had to work extra hard for anything I’ve received in my life because of people like you who think I’ve been handed it. I did not win the nomination because I’m a Native woman! If I were a white man I still would have won, because of my work ethic, my vision for the area and the fact that I want to work for EVERYONE! I hope people can choose the best HUMAN BEING for the job, not because I’m a strong, educated, young First Nation Woman, but because I’m the best person for the job. Let’s not make this about race, age or upbringing. Let’s make this about democracy and having equal opportunity for our City. I’m ready to rock n’roll and I have an amazing team to support me! P.S-I love Firefighters!
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June 23rd, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Shaneen on Facebook: “What better day … to come one step closer in electing the first Aboriginal woman to Winnipeg’s city council.”
Shaneen’s comment above “Let’s not make this about race”
These two comments should get together and talk about how to reconcile their obvious differences!
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June 23rd, 2010 at 4:56 pm
The point is to unify Winnipegers and to be representative of the people who live in our city. Aboriginal Peoples are the fastest growing population right now, I think it is a fine time to have the first Aboriginal woman at city hall, however I want to be chosen for the content of my character and my hard work, Aboriginal woman or not.
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DowntownWpg Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Then why keep bringing it up?
“content of character,” you say…
IMO, somewhere, MLK Jr. would be rolling in his grave.
Shaneen, to view society with such ethnic-based units of analysis certainly is not helpful if we want people to see each other based on “content of character.” It instills a notion that a person can be socially/psychologically/politically/economically/spiritually defined by their ethnic or racial background, which also is sanctioning the use of stereotypes. It is a mindset that leads to groupthink bringing a perpetuation of indolent-themed excuse-making over striving with an individual effort. It imparts an ‘us vs. them’ mentality; and further institutionalizes our differences.
Individuals with an Aboriginal herritage are not a homogeneous group, and the continuation of advocating for ethnic-based policy and the use of such units of analysis is actually doing us all a disservice. You do have the right, of course, to govern yourself and run your campaign as racially divisive as you wish.
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June 24th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Honestly I think the “rah rah native” thing might work against a person in a campaign. I know most tax-paying voting Winnipeggers are annoyed with the focus of colour/race when it comes to stories in the news. Naturally I’ll be called racist for my statements, but I would have the same opinion of any group constantly wanting a platform to complain about the unjust world they live in. Be it black, homeless, gay, unemployed — if it was in my face all the time (even if I was part of that group) I’d feel the same way.
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June 24th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Lillian Thomas is a Metis women, she is therefore the first Aboriginal woman to be elected to Winnipeg City Council. Please get your facts straight!
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June 25th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
“I don’t want to win this thing for myself, I want to win this for our city, our province and our country.”
I’m sure our city, our province, and our country is just itching for the day we have an elected official who tells constituents to “google it, bro.”
In the meantime, Facebook is full of photos of Shaneen boozing it up. I’m confused. Is this what you mean by the “content of your character”? Every corner of your life becomes an open book when you run for office.
Let’s call a spade a spade. There is a lack of substance with Shaneen. She tried to work in the TV news big leagues. When she couldn’t compete, she quit trying. That reeks of no heart, no determination, and not enough work ethic to pay her dues or push through tough times. In TV, people’s reputations make or break them. People with a solid work ethic find work, period. She’s no longer working in TV – nuff said.
So instead, she suddenly gets the idea to run for office. This, despite never having run for a school board or even volunteered on a student union council while in college. This seems desperate. She wants a career which she has no previous experience in. In fact, she has even less experience in this field than she had in her previous field. It’s rather insulting to the public. It’s akin to walking into a job interview and arguing, “Well, I would be great at this job, even though I’ve never even worked in a role like this before.” It’s the same attitude that resulted in her not being considered for continued work at CTV.
The “don’t make this about race” comments are laughable, when no one even brings it up. Her insistance on saying she’ll be the first-ever Aboriginal woman at City Hall smacks of desperation and complete ignorance of those who’ve come before her. If you want to work at City Hall, how about learning who’s worked there before? Honestly! The “first Aboriginal woman” ship already sailed long ago. Way to advertise how little you really know about your city and your riding.
Let’s not forget that when her term ended at CTV, she personally endorsed this:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Supporters-of-Shaneen-Robinson/146840814717
Always the professional. Luckily, word travels fast during election time.
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June 25th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Wow eric, seems like you have an axe to grind. She’s running for office, whats the beef. She’s native and she wants to leverage that, so what.
Is running for “anything ” a prerequisite. I don’t know, I hope not. Last I checked it was still a free country.
Are you running ?
Good luck Shanneen. Do yourself a favor, don’t get into skirmishes on the internet. There are a whole bunch who just like to tear just about anything down. A sort of superiority complex.
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June 26th, 2010 at 10:48 am
as Shaneen points out..”Aboriginal Peoples are the fastest growing population right now”…yes, we all can see that by the number of 16 year olds pushing double baby strollers through Portage Place every day.
Really, Shaneen…you need to grow up, get your facts straight, get a work ethic, and realize what a tremendous disservice you are doing to the Aboriginal community by getting them all to back you just because you are Aboriginal. Don’t insult anyone’s intelligence by saying this is not about race….you were the first to bring it up.
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June 28th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Usually Aboriginal people must identify as such if they would like to be recognized as “Aboriginal”. When exactly did Thomas identify as “Aboriginal” was it her great great great grandmother who was a Cherokee Princess story? Please. Either Way Robinson would be the first First Nation woman would she not? I know that Ms. Robinson is very involved in the political activism and is at dozens of the events I go to promoting equality and being a very positive person. I say may the best person win. Its sad there is still so many ignorant people in this city. Tragic really.
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DowntownWpg Reply:
July 7th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Shaneen Robinson didn’t say “first First Nations woman,” she is now on record with “first Aboriginal woman.”
As for promoting equality, I’ve gotta disagree. It seems that she supports parallel policy based on ethnic heritage, which is quite the opposite of equality.
It could be quite an interesting campaign in that ward. Her opponent(s) would already have so much of this stuff on record to be rehashed closer to the election. It does seem that Shaneen Robinson intends to represent those of an Aboriginal background first and foremost, rather than all of the residents of Elmwood-East Kildonan.
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June 28th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
I just looked at her facebook and I don’t see any pics of her “boozing it up”. I see her at a whole lot of events that look like grassroots fundraisers. There are only a couple of photos with her having a drink with some friends. I would like to know what you think is so bad about that Eric? Is it because she’s a native woman? Have you had a look at Councillor Browaty’s page. Now that guy looks like a lush.
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DowntownWpg Reply:
July 7th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Not on her personal Facebook, but rather pictures featuring her that other people uploaded on Facebook “pages” or “groups.” It has all been archived by now, no doubt.
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June 30th, 2010 at 8:48 am
My understanding of Shaneen’s “content of character” is that she cares less unless it benefits her. Her work ethic is that she is lazy shows up for work anytime she likes and not only expects but demands days off at the cost of her fellow workers. Yes no doubt that is why she is no longer working for CTV. I believe Eric’s point to consider what Shaneen endorsed after leaving CTV is important.
Regardless gender, race, color, religion, marital status would anyone want this type of person representing them. I doubt it.
As for the FireFighters endorsement it is tied with NDP so don’t put too much weight in this.
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July 7th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Regan Wolfrom should run and win.
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