Winnipeg Jets ghost haunts Manitoba election

Just when you thought you've heard all the campaign promises conceivable, the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives promised to resurrect the Winnipeg Jets.

If the Progressive Conservatives are elected the next government of Manitoba, they will work to "bring back the Winnipeg Jets," the party's leader announced Monday.

“We need to increase Manitoba's cool factor if we want our young people to stay," he said. "The first step is to bring back the Jets."

Classic! "We need to increase Manitoba's cool factor..." I don't think I've ever heard anyone from any province say that they stayed at home to go to school because their province is "cool". I think the "pragmatic" factor outweighs the "cool" factor for many students and young workers.

But before Pro Bloggers start to call the idea ridiculous, as soon as McFadyen made his announcement Gary Doer fired back saying that it was his idea first. Doer wasted no time in making it known to the public that in early April when he confirmed in the Manitoba Legislature he had been in discussions to bring the Jets back to the city.

NDP leader Gary Doer's first response to the Conservatives' promise was stark.

"Hypocrisy will be seen for what it is," he said, pointing out that the Conservatives were the party in power when the Winnipeg Jets left the city, and the party voted against public funding for the MTS Centre.

But within a few hours, the NDP had refined its message. The issue became which party would be most likely to bring the NHL back to Winnipeg.

"There's one person who can do this: it's Gary Doer," said campaign co-chair Andrew Swan.

The only party that thinks the idea is as ridiculous as it is: the Manitoba Liberals.

"I would love to have the Winnipeg Jets back in Winnipeg, but this is putting the cart before the horse," leader Jon Gerrard said in a release.

"It's bad economics, it's bad tax policy, it's irresponsible, and it shows the Tories have absolutely no vision when it comes to a stronger economy or keeping people in Manitoba."

Gerrard also noted that Conservative candidates promised to keep the Jets in the 1995 provincial election, but that promise evaporated as little as a few weeks later.

Good on Dr. Jon Gerrard for keeping his head above water on this issue! If the PCs want to keep young people in Manitoba, the Winnipeg Jets are not going to be the ticket. Better university education and jobs are! Clearly McFadyen has never heard of TSN or the Hockey Night in Canada.

However, the NDP are clearly afraid of the PC announcement as they fired back with saying, "No, we'll bring back the Jets!"

Both parties are at that point in the election where things are getting ridiculous. Everyone is getting more money: the unions, the schools, the police, the roads, and now - the spirit of the Winnipeg Jets.

The only guy who isn't willing to get the hopes up of everyone in Winnipeg is Manitoba Liberal leader, Dr. Jon Gerrard.

I was at game 1 of the AHL North Division Finals featuring the Manitoba Moose and the Hamilton Bulldogs on Saturday night. Sadly to say, it was a very boring game in which the Moose lost 2-1. The players were not into it and more importantly - neither were the fans. My room mate commented that the reason Winnipeggers are not excited for the Moose is because they are not the Jets.

But even born and bred Winnipeggers are smarter than McFadyen and Doer, keeping their memories close to their hearts and not getting ahead of themselves with dreams of their NHL team coming back to Manitoba. McFadyen and Doer should do the same.