What Will Happen Next

I wish I knew the answer to that question. It has been quite a difficult period of time that we have been living through in the past little while. 

I do not want to discuss a lot about it because I have felt so tragic about what I have seen recently. You know as well as I do about the horrible situation in Edmonton and now in Las Vegas. They are merely a few of the terrible events that are taking place around the world these days.

I have done a little bit of investigation about other worldwide incidents and there have been many of them merely in the month of September as an example. Thankfully, we have not been made aware of how many have taken place. Otherwise, our lives could well become horrific as far as I'm concerned. There have been so many of them.

I think the tragedy about what has happened recently, to me anyway, is that more of it may well take place now in our part of the world.  Can it happen again here? To be exact about it, can it take place in the area where you and I are now living, dear reader? 

Clearly, I do not have an answer.  

Let me try and get us all back to "normal," dear reader. I will let you know about some of the stories that have interested me over the recent past and give you my comments on them.

ARE THE MOROUNS NOW BECOMING OUR FAVOURITES

Has the world suddenly changed towards the Moroun family?  Are they now "nice" people whom we should respect in their business?

It may happen, believe it or not, after reading some of the stories in the newspapers these days. It seems as if the granting of the order to the Ambassador Bridge Company to build its new bridge may have changed the attitude of some people to the Morouns.  Take a look at this article: John Gallagher, Detroit Free Press, October3, 2017:  

"Matthew Moroun has a big job ahead of him.

Not just building a new bridge to Windsor to replace his family’s aging Ambassador Bridge. Not just cleaning up the derelict McLouth Steel site in Trenton that his family is buying from Wayne County. And not just running the vast trucking and logistics network that provides his family’s considerable wealth.

Matt Moroun’s biggest task may be rebranding — "rescuing" may be a better word — his family’s reputation from decades of noxious relations with the community. Under his father, Manuel (Matty) Moroun, now 90, the Moroun name came to stand for endless lawsuits, antagonistic relationships with neighbors and bitter opposition to any move that appeared to threaten their business in any way

But in recent years, as Matthew Maroun took over day-to-day control of the family’s companies from his father, he’s tried to take a more positive approach, one that would heal some of the divisions created in the past…

Of course it remains to be seen whether Matthew Moroun will actually change the narrative and take a more conciliatory approach. But in the past couple of years he’s sent some good signals…

The family has a lot of ground to make up. Repairing the Moroun brand may take a full generation. But it appears at least that a change for the better may be in the works."

Of course, just before this, there have been a number of positive comments about possible changes to the Michigan Central Station which have been owned by the Morouns for a number of years in which very little has changed:

"Matthew Moroun, has indicated recently he wants to bring passenger trains back to the former Amtrak station, which the family in recent years has taken small steps to restore by replacing windows and installing new elevators.

As part of his wish list, Moroun included hopes for a connection to Canada so passengers could travel through the rail tunnel — which exits next to the station — and be able to travel through Windsor from on a Toronto-to-Chicago route." (Dave Battagello, Windsor Star, September 20, 2017) 

It seems that if the business is operated by the son, then others will not be so negative about it. It should be interesting to see what happens.

WHAT WILL THE AAR PAY AS RENT

So much for Premier Aviation paying rent to Windsor for its operation at Windsor Airport. Mind you, I do not think that the amount being paid to the City by Premier was all that high anyway.  

Now, that airport location along with the one that Premier used to have in Trois-Rivières is being leased by "AAR…a global aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 5,000 people in over 20 countries."

Its rent has not been reported so far has it.  I wonder what it is. Do you think that Windsor will ever tell its taxpayers what that amount is?

NEW NUMBERS

I saw these figures in a report that just came out. What do you think about them and how well is this area doing:

WHEN WILL AMALGAMATION TAKE PLACE IN THIS REGION

Oh, I know that Windsor and all of the towns in this area will be joined together, probably after the next election, into an amalgamated area. I doubt that they will be permitted to remain as such small governing areas as they are now. We just have to watch what is happening.

Here is the latest example of where everyone may come together now to help convince us that we need to have all of the populations combined:

"Dilkens has been reaching out to the county’s seven municipalities, trying to get a commitment to a regional transit system. It’s something that Amazon deems a major requirement for its new location and a weak point for both Detroit and Windsor. “One of the areas we can strengthen is regional transit,” the mayor said.

Windsor’s efforts over the years to spread bus service out to the county has been met largely with disinterest.  

That changed Sept. 1 when LaSalle began a transit service through the town, run by Transit Windsor and linking to the Windsor transit system with no extra charge to transfer. Tecumseh also has a contracted bus service that stops at Windsor’s Tecumseh Mall, though riders have to pay extra to get on a Transit Windsor bus.

In recent weeks, both Lakeshore and Amherstburg have responded positively to Dilkens’ request." (Brian Cross, Windsor Star,October 4, 2017)