D8

Sleuth

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

One of Sleuth's favourite movie classics is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

It is a wonderful Frank Capra tale of innocent country bumpkin Jefferson Smith, played by that earnest every man's actor Jimmy Stewart, who goes to Washington on a mission and finds more than he bargained for.

We have just had our own version of Mr. Smith here in ol' Metro. But let's call our little movie Mr. LeBlanc Goes to Ottawa.

Mayor George LeBlanc was a virtual tornado in the nation's capital this week, cramming more meetings into his 48-hour visit than Stephen Harper has press conferences in a year.

The list of George's tete-a-tetes included knocking heads with Governor-General Michaelle Jean, Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan, New Brunswick's regional cabinet minister Greg Thompson, Opposition Leader Michael Ignatieff, Lt-Gen. Walter Natynczyk, MP Brian Murphy, MP Rob Moore, Infrastructure, Cities and Communities Critic Gerard Kennedy, former Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, and newly-minted Senator Percy Mockler.

Sleuth hears he may even had slept a few hours while in Ottawa.

Mayor George, along with his two amigos, Dieppe Mayor Jean LeBlanc and Riverview Mayor Clarence Sweetland, was setting the foundation for some much-needed funding and programs for Metro Moncton.

He twisted Van Loan's arm over RCMP subsidies, bent Thompson's ear over infrastructure funding, including the plan for a spiffy new downtown Metro Centre, and invited just about everyone he bumped into to visit our little city.

Let's just call the junket a little early spring seed planting. Sleuth hears some of those seeds will bear fruit later this year.

l l l

Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Brian Murphy learned some good news this week -- that government officials had approved funding for the proposed Sigfreid Janzen Peace Centre in downtown Moncton.

The project still needs provincial funding but Sleuth hears an official announcement is due this spring.

The plan is to convert Central United Church into a peace centre and link it with the back of the Capitol Theatre, using municipal land now occupied by the squished parking lot back of the theatre.

The project won't take all of the parking lot area.

The deal would link two nice performance venues. The Capitol is already well renowned for its acoustics and sight lines, but the venerable Central United Church is no slouch when it comes to acoustics.

l l l

Sleuth made the trip up to the riding of Madawaska La Vallée this week, the site of a hotly contested by-election taking place March 9.

The big question is: how hotly contested?

On the heels of David Alward winning the Tory leadership last fall, their federal counterparts doubling their New Brunswick seat count in last October's federal election, and the provincial Tories winning a byelection in New Maryland, one would think the Tories would be throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Madawaska La Vallée in order to continue their momentum.

Surprisingly, that doesn't appear to be the case.

While the ruling Graham Liberals have had almost a minister per day campaigning in the riding with their candidate Burt Paulin (in fact one day this week, no fewer than five of them were spotted in the riding, and apparently Shawn Graham is yet again spending the weekend in the area), the Tory candidate has repeatedly been spotted campaigning all on his own.

With such important momentum and bragging rights wanted prior to the legislature resuming with a budget the following week, many are wondering where the Tory heavy hitters are hiding. Where was former local Tory MLA Percy Mockler when the Senate was on break last week? Where has Paul Robichaud been? Where are local heavyweight MLAs Madeleine Dubé and Jeannot Volpé?

And perhaps most puzzling, where is party leader David Alward?

None have recently been seen campaigning with the party's local candidate, Jean-Paul Soucy. Are the Tories so confident they're going to win the riding that they aren't worried?

l l l

Sleuth thinks big ideas sometimes come from the most trivial things.

That's why he's such a big fan of two annual trivia contests that raise funds for worthy causes in Metro Moncton.

Sleuth hears the House of Nazareth's annual Trivthon will see a big change this year. The English language competition will be held on Friday evening, April 17, moved from its usual Sunday afternoon spot. The French language competition is in its usual Saturday night slot on April 18, but the Friday session for English speaking players will allow both linguistic groups to make an evening out of the fun. This being Metro Moncton, there will of course be some who will play both nights.

Sleuth also hears Times & Transcript reporter Brent Mazerolle will return with his friend and former T&T colleague Rhonda Whittaker to host the English event. The Trivthon, loosely based on Trivial Pursuit, tests the brain power of teams of up to eight people in a friendly competition that's the major fund-raising activity for the House of Nazareth.

Meanwhile, the Greater Moncton YMCA's annual Battle of the Brains is set for Saturday, March 21. This annual event pits corporate teams in a battle of trivia, with funds raised going to the YMCA's outreach programs. The annual Battle of the Brains has become a hotly-contested event, with bragging rights to the "smartest minds" championship belt in Metro on the line.

n Heard some juicy gossip? Know the latest rumours? Sleuth wants to know. Send your best information to sleuth@timestranscript.com, fax it to 859-4904, or drop it off to Sleuth c/o Times & Transcript, 939 Main St., Moncton.