Post by Jari on Oct 2, 2005 13:03:52 GMT -5
KEVIN DONNELLY is on this list. Kind of scary because he is so against the NHL returning to Winnipeg.
Manitoba's Power 30
Sun Oct 2 2005
By Paul Samyn and Dan Lett
WHO are Manitoba's movers and shakers, opinion leaders, backroom brokers -- the influential people who pull the strings that shape the province's present and future?
We know.
In our first comprehensive list of power and influence, the Free Press Power 30 offers a Who's Who ranking of the province's leaders.
Compiled by our reporters and editors, and based on a broad cross-section of sources, the list was guided by a desire to identify those whose influence affects the province and beyond.
The names may appear to be less than a complete surprise. Skeptics should pay closer attention to the arrows next to the names, which indicate whether the person is rising, hovering or falling in influence.
There should also be some attention paid to those who didn't make the cut. No elected Manitoba Conservative, for example, made the Power 30. And some of you may notice notable omissions of those who, while still well known, have lost their edge.
Power is difficult to define, but there's little doubt that even in a province of more than one million people, a small group is responsible for making things happen.
In Manitoba, as elsewhere, power is about money, leadership and raw clout. It's the ability to make the big phone call and get it returned.
There is no litmus test for power; it ebbs and flows. But our research showed two fundamental truths.
Those who have it fight vigorously to keep it.
And those who have a little want more.
NO. 1.
GARY DOER:
A politician on top of his game, who after six years in power is still riding high in the polls. Not only is Doer strong in Manitoba, he has among the highest popularity ratings of any premier in the country. His profile on the national political stage continues to rise because of strong performances at first ministers meetings. Doer appears to be unopposed, either within the NDP or by the opposition, as he stalks a third-term majority government.
NO. 2.
REG ALCOCK:
As a front-bench minister in Paul Martin's cabinet, the Treasury Board president has been able to deliver big bucks to Manitoba for everything from the Red River Floodway to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. With his cabinet clout, Alcock gives the province the kind of power player in Ottawa it has not had since the heyday of Lloyd Axworthy. Alcock will also be front and centre this fall as part of massive reforms of the federal civil service. However, the precarious nature of Martin's minority Liberal government means Alcock's hold on power could be fleeting. NO. 3.
THE ASPER FAMILY:
Izzy Asper's spawn -- Gail, Leonard and David -- are the province's No. 1 über-family, with interests and influence in the corporate, sporting, cultural and philanthropic worlds. Gail's dogged pursuit of funding for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Leonard's quiet stewardship of the CanWest Global Communications empire and David's rough-and-tumble leadership of the National Post and other CanWest newspapers make this family the most powerful in Manitoba.
NO. 4.
FRANK PLUMMER:
As one of the world's leading infectious-disease experts, Plummer has enough political weight at Health Canada to give Winnipeg a chance to shine on the world stage as the home of Canada's Level 5 lab. Though he failed in a bid to become the country's first national public health officer, Plummer's ability to attract top-notch scientists and funding to Winnipeg makes him a force in efforts to establish the city as the Canadian equivalent of Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control. He controls a $30-million annual research budget and is at the epicentre of efforts to engineer a multimillion-dollar expansion of the National Microbiology Laboratories in Winnipeg.
NO. 5.
BILL FRASER:
The CEO of Manitoba Telecom Services presides over one of the province's largest and most successful companies. Much of its recent success comes from a bold and brash takeover of Allstream Inc., an acquisition that prompted a $300-million lawsuit from former MTS partner Bell Canada. The takeover also helped boost MTS revenues and stock prices. Fraser has announced his intention to leave MTS in the near future, a move that may determine whether his power is here today, retired tomorrow.
NO. 6.
EUGENE KOSTYRA:
The former NDP finance minister and union executive is Doer's economic right-hand man and a key player in all things political within the province. Every big economic file, whether it involves saving a bus giant like Motor Coach Industries or attracting investment to the province, lands on the desk of this member of Doer's inner circle, whose official title is secretary to the community economic development committee of cabinet. You can't do business with Manitoba without gaining Kostyra's blessing.
Continued
Please See INFLUENTIAL B4
NO. 7.
SAM KATZ:
Winnipeg mayor's has grassroots support among voters, but is struggling to learn the laws of the political jungle. His ambitious, populist platform, on which he swept to power in June 2004, is mostly unfulfilled. Katz could be a force to reckon with if he learns how to get what he needs from other levels of government. And don't forget the importance of Katz's sporting side as the man behind the city's baseball team, the Goldeyes (HOLD).
NO. 8. BOB BRENNAN:
The head of Manitoba Hydro has the heft to go toe to toe with the likes of Gary Doer. The multibillion-dollar Crown electrical utility has long had its own corporate culture and agenda, which at times has been out of step with its political masters. No matter; Manitoba's waterways awaiting development give Hydro the economic clout to justify the grief. With the Wuskwatim generating station a go and the Conawapa megaproject a distinct possibility, Brennan will be even more powerful. (UP)
NO. 9.
RAY MCFEETORS:
The president and CEO of Great-West Life has led Manitoba's largest publicly traded company back to the title of Canada's largest insurance company. The man from Newdale, Man., has added billions of dollars in assets to GWL's holdings while reaping millions of dollars in bonuses in the process. McFeetors is also honorary colonel of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Western Canada's oldest infantry unit. As a result, he was a guest of honour at the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles this spring at St. George's Chapel in London. GWL's continued profitability makes McFeetors more than a guy who looks good in an honorary uniform. (UP)
NO. 10.
ANNITTA STENNING:
She took over as Winnipeg's chief administrative officer in 2003 after running CentreVenture, the city's downtown development agency. In charge of overseeing the city's massive bureaucracy and planning, she's the most powerful employee at city hall. As Mayor Sam Katz struggles to learn the subtleties of managing power, she and her senior officials are powerful forces. (HOLD)
NO. 11.
HARTLEY RICHARDSON:
As the scion of one of Winnipeg's wealthiest families, Richardson has the ability and deep pockets to move mountains when he wants to. Richardson somehow seems to find the time to support every major cultural and philanthropic campaign launched in Winnipeg. The Richardson clan has quietly contributed millions to his causes. As chairman of last year's United Way campaign, Richardson presided over a record-breaking effort that raised $16 million. (hold)
NO. 12.
CHERYL BARKER:
After Manitoba Telecom Services expanded with the purchase of Allstream Inc. last year, Barker became president and chief operating officer of MTS Communications, the company's Manitoba operation. This promotion makes Barker easily the highest-ranking woman among Manitoba's business elite. (UP)
NO. 13.
MARK CHIPMAN:
Don't think of Chipman as just a successful car salesman via the family's Birchwood Automotive Group. Instead, see the lawyer-turned-entrepreneur as the guy who was not only able to bring pro hockey back to Winnipeg after the Jets headed south, but also the driving force behind the new downtown arena. Early success of the MTS Centre has put Chipman's name on the lips of provincial and federal politicians, who are reportedly interested in wooing him to run. (UP)
NO. 14.
BOB SILVER:
The successful garment maker would be powerful even if he wasn't part-owner of the Free Press. As chairman of the premier's Economic Innovation and Technology Council, Silver is an entrepreneur who always has Doer's ear. The president of Western Glove Works Ltd. is also part of a powerful Manitoba foursome which has joined forces to create a private equity fund they say could buy $1 billion worth of businesses. (HOLD)
NO. 15.
GREG SELINGER:
Since the NDP came to power in 1999, Selinger has been the man responsible for keeping the province out of the red, and he now ranks as the country's longest-serving finance minister. The former Winnipeg mayoral candidate, who has a strong background in social services, is seen as a potential premier-in-waiting. But he still has to prove his influence is not derived just from his current office. (HOLD)
NO. 16.
RICK FROST:
As the man in charge of the Winnipeg Foundation, Frost presides over the second-largest do-good community group in the country. Since its creation in 1921, the foundation has distributed more than $140 million to charitable organizations in the community and Frost is not only the public face of that legacy but also the link between donors and those who decide where the money goes. (HOLD)
NO. 17.
LLOYD AXWORTHY:
The former Liberal cabinet star and Nobel Prize nominee is using his new platform as University of Winnipeg president to speak out, ruffle feathers and lead a new round of downtown revitalization. Full-time residency in Winnipeg makes him more influential than as Canada's foreign affairs minister, when he was preoccupied with international matters and constrained by the dictates of diplomacy. Axworthy must find the money to make his bold vision of an expanded, revitalized U of W campus a reality, or he will slip from the power radar screen. (UP)
NO. 18.
MARTY WEINBERG:
Founder of Winnipeg's Assante Group, Weinberg currently serves as non-executive chairman of Loring Ward, a U.S.-based personal financial services giant. Weinberg hit the jackpot in 2003, selling Assante to a U.S. partner for $846 million. Weinberg remains a powerful force in Manitoba in the business and philanthropic communities. (UP)
NO. 19.
SANDY RILEY:
The former Investors Group CEO is now president of Richardson Financial Group Private Equity, a $325-million venture capital fund. Riley continues to be touted as possible leadership material by supporters of the federal and provincial Conservative parties. High visibility in the philanthropic community helps solidify his lasting influence. As chancellor of the University of Winnipeg, Riley played a key role in luring Axworthy back to his troubled alma mater to take over the president's job. (HOLD)
NO. 20.
EMOKE SZATHM RY:
Not a household name like Axworthy, but as president of the University of Manitoba, which has an enrolment that makes the Fort Garry campus the third-largest city in the province, she is a woman who matters. A tireless promoter of the university, Szathmáry continues to perform research and teach. The wildly successful capital program she helped organize has helped to modernize and refurbish a school growing in reputation. (HOLD)
NO. 21.
ART MAURO:
This long-standing and well-respected businessman continues to make his mark on the province as chairman of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, which has launched its boldest expansion ever. Mauro continues to work to support his favourite cause, the University of Manitoba. His $1-million gift helped establish the Arthur Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice, a one-of-a-kind research centre at the U of M. (DOWN)
NO. 22.
JIM BURNS:
At 75, the gravel-voiced executive who helped build Great-West Life and Power Corp. into international powerhouses still commands attention in the business and philanthropic communities. His recent gift of $1 million for a Forks Market skateboard park shows he's a man still working to leave his mark on the community. However, Burns needs to show his interests extend beyond the half-pipe if he's to remain a power broker in this province. (DOWN)
NO. 23.
PHIL FONTAINE:
The Sagkeeng First Nation resident and former Indian Affairs bureaucrat is Canada's top native chief as head of the Assembly of First Nations. Fontaine possesses influence not only in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Ottawa but also Gary Doer's Manitoba. The Order of Manitoba recipient will play a pivotal role in this fall's upcoming meeting with Martin and the premiers on aboriginal issues, in which billions of dollars are on the line. Recent reports about an additional $1 billion in federal funding, if confirmed, will no doubt increase his stock in First Nations politics. (HOLD)
NO. 24.
KEVIN DONNELLY:
The former promoter with House of Blues Concerts Canada in Vancouver and Winnipeg's Nite Out Entertainment is vice-president of operations at MTS Centre. He's one of the few venue managers to have genuine input in the design of a new arena, as MTS Centre was built with an unusual number of concert-friendly features. More importantly, Donnelly's intimate knowledge of the concert industry has allowed him to bring more concerts to Winnipeg than the market would seemingly bear, thanks to creative deals cut with promoters and the aggressive pursuit of certain acts. During the first half of 2005, MTS Centre was the fourth-busiest concert venue in Canada, and 23rd-busiest in the world, according to Pollstar magazine. (UP)
NO. 25.
DR. BRIAN POSTL:
As the top doctor at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Postl makes life-and-death decisions that affect the health of an entire city. As Prime Minister Paul Martin's newly appointed czar on waiting lists, Postl will lend his experience and credibility to a highly complicated and politically charged national file. (UP)
NO. 26.
DR. NARANJAN DHALLA:
An internationally renowned cardiovascular researcher, who is also a member of the Order of Canada and Order of Manitoba, Dhalla heads the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences at St. Boniface General Hospital. Dhalla's influence on the federal and provincial governments, which provide the money to fulfil his medical vision, is helped in no small part by the fact his dynamic daughter, Ruby Dhalla, is now a Liberal MP from Toronto. (HOLD)
NO. 27.
KEVIN WALTERS:
Officially in charge of sound programs at Manitoba Film & Sound, an arm's-length provincial funding agency, Walters is unofficially the czar of Manitoba's music industry. As chairman of Winnipeg's Juno host committee, Walters was instrumental in bringing Canada's music awards show to town in April. The well-connected Walters, who counts Canada's top music-industry executives among his friends, also works behind the scenes on behalf of a diverse set of interests ranging from up-and-coming recording artists to multinational concert promoters and government ministries. More power is listed in his Rolodex than in anyone else's in the Winnipeg music industry. (HOLD)
NO. 28.
PAUL VOGT:
The Rhodes scholar sits atop the provincial civil service as Clerk of the Executive Council. The boyish-looking former university professor, 45, not only has Doer's trust, but also the respect of many within government for his brains and his influence in running the province. Vogt has yet to put his personal stamp on the job and demonstrate whether he is a quiet aide or a power behind the throne. (HOLD)
NO. 29.
ALLAN MCLEOD:
The CEO of Tribal Council Investments Group has quietly helped build the investment fund, using money from Manitoba First Nations, into a reported $50-million portfolio of investments. TCIG is now a viable force in the Manitoba economy, with holdings in real estate, manufacturing and the service industry. Its investments include wholly-owned enterprises such as Arctic Beverages, which supplies much of northern Manitoba and the Arctic with Pepsi products, and shares in airlines, trucking companies and financial services. (UP)
NO. 30.
CHARLES ADLER:
The self-proclaimed "Radio Rottweiler" has expanded his sphere of influence with a national radio slot on the Corus Radio Network, a Winnipeg Free Press editorial column and an evening spot on Global Television. His dynamic, argumentative style has won listeners and his political contacts have made him the first stop for federal and provincial politicians with something to say in Winnipeg. (HOLD)
TEN OTHERS TO WATCH
This list of notable Manitobans identifies a group on the cusp of achieving real power.
Elections, changes in corporate hierarchy and accomplishments not yet realized will determine over the next 12 months whether these fascinating individuals make the Power 30 or recede into anonymity.
This list reflects the changing face of Manitoba, as more women and aboriginals rise in the power structure.
RON EVANS:
The new grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is the political leader of Manitoba's First Nations and a force in federal politics in Manitoba. A former chief of Norway House and a candidate for the Liberals in northern Manitoba, he is highly respected by the Prime Minister's Office despite his lack of electoral success. As a northern chief, he also bridges the north-south gap in Manitoba First Nations politics.
IDA ALBO AND RICHARD BEL:
The successful owners of the Hotel Fort Garry are viable advocates for downtown revitalization, in part because of their bold, decade-long effort to return the grand railway hotel on Broadway to its former glory. Albo and Bel are downtown power-brokers, people who must be dealt with when any downtown issue is to be decided. (UP)
MARCEL DZAMA:
He's like the Neil Young of young artists -- enigmatic, ultra-cool, prolific and influential. Drew Carey owns his work. The was recently featured in the New York Times Magazine and on the front of Now Magazine in Toronto. If Winnipeg has a reputation for producing interesting contemporary artists, it's largely because of Dzama.
DONETA BROTCHIE:
This successful business consultant was the brains behind the outrageously successful Bears on Broadway campaign this summer. Next year, she's on track to become the first woman to serve as president of the exclusive Manitoba Club, the 100-year-old downtown oasis for the province's rich and powerful.
ELAINE COWAN:
Founder of the Anokiiwin Consulting Institute, a major aboriginal training and human resource agency in Winnipeg, Cowan is finding more politicians turning to her for answers to the underemployment of Manitoba's aboriginal population. The focus on this area has helped her agency attract significant attention and funding. A failed bid to win a seat on Winnipeg city council in 2004 has done little to slow her growing business influence.
DON PLETT:
Throughout the political drama in Ottawa over the past 36 months, this gregarious Tory from Landmark has served as president of the Conservative Party of Canada. Plett remains an accessible and articulate spokesman for his party and a true believer in the united Tory front. Plett's star will rise exponentially if the Tories can pull off a political miracle in the coming months and win a federal election.
CHRIS HENDERSON:
The grand chief of the Southern Chiefs Organization is a media favourite and a viable force in politics at all levels. He continues to be heavily courted to leave First Nations politics and enter the mainstream, either at the provincial or federal level. Many political insiders believe he will have to seek higher office, either in First Nations or mainstream politics, to cement his influence.
MIRIAM TOEWS:
The award-winning author of A Complicated Kindness is a few bestsellers from filling the enormous shoes left by Carol Shields as Manitoba's principal cultural icon, but she's moving in that direction. She has won the Governor General's Literary Award and the Libris Award from the nation's booksellers. A Complicated Kindness is fast approaching more than 100,000 copies sold. Her national success is quickly building an international profile.
JOHN LOEWEN:
After being ostracized by the provincial Tories for criticizing the Crocus Investment Fund and then being somewhat vindicated by the provincial auditor general's recent investigation, Loewen took the big chance of jumping from the Manitoba Conservatives to the federal Liberals. He is now the Grits' top recruit in Manitoba, and with his close relationship to current Liberal honcho Reg Alcock, he could be destined for great things should the Liberals win the next election.
TINA LEVEQUE:
The chief of Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation shocked other aboriginal political leaders when she spoke out about political corruption on Pauingassi First Nation. She also earned high praise from various levels of government who have been asked to help stem the tide of substance abuse on the northern Manitoba reserve. Her quiet guidance also helped Brokenhead open the second aboriginal casino in the province, a project many believed could never be done.
Manitoba's Power 30
Sun Oct 2 2005
By Paul Samyn and Dan Lett
WHO are Manitoba's movers and shakers, opinion leaders, backroom brokers -- the influential people who pull the strings that shape the province's present and future?
We know.
In our first comprehensive list of power and influence, the Free Press Power 30 offers a Who's Who ranking of the province's leaders.
Compiled by our reporters and editors, and based on a broad cross-section of sources, the list was guided by a desire to identify those whose influence affects the province and beyond.
The names may appear to be less than a complete surprise. Skeptics should pay closer attention to the arrows next to the names, which indicate whether the person is rising, hovering or falling in influence.
There should also be some attention paid to those who didn't make the cut. No elected Manitoba Conservative, for example, made the Power 30. And some of you may notice notable omissions of those who, while still well known, have lost their edge.
Power is difficult to define, but there's little doubt that even in a province of more than one million people, a small group is responsible for making things happen.
In Manitoba, as elsewhere, power is about money, leadership and raw clout. It's the ability to make the big phone call and get it returned.
There is no litmus test for power; it ebbs and flows. But our research showed two fundamental truths.
Those who have it fight vigorously to keep it.
And those who have a little want more.
NO. 1.
GARY DOER:
A politician on top of his game, who after six years in power is still riding high in the polls. Not only is Doer strong in Manitoba, he has among the highest popularity ratings of any premier in the country. His profile on the national political stage continues to rise because of strong performances at first ministers meetings. Doer appears to be unopposed, either within the NDP or by the opposition, as he stalks a third-term majority government.
NO. 2.
REG ALCOCK:
As a front-bench minister in Paul Martin's cabinet, the Treasury Board president has been able to deliver big bucks to Manitoba for everything from the Red River Floodway to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. With his cabinet clout, Alcock gives the province the kind of power player in Ottawa it has not had since the heyday of Lloyd Axworthy. Alcock will also be front and centre this fall as part of massive reforms of the federal civil service. However, the precarious nature of Martin's minority Liberal government means Alcock's hold on power could be fleeting. NO. 3.
THE ASPER FAMILY:
Izzy Asper's spawn -- Gail, Leonard and David -- are the province's No. 1 über-family, with interests and influence in the corporate, sporting, cultural and philanthropic worlds. Gail's dogged pursuit of funding for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Leonard's quiet stewardship of the CanWest Global Communications empire and David's rough-and-tumble leadership of the National Post and other CanWest newspapers make this family the most powerful in Manitoba.
NO. 4.
FRANK PLUMMER:
As one of the world's leading infectious-disease experts, Plummer has enough political weight at Health Canada to give Winnipeg a chance to shine on the world stage as the home of Canada's Level 5 lab. Though he failed in a bid to become the country's first national public health officer, Plummer's ability to attract top-notch scientists and funding to Winnipeg makes him a force in efforts to establish the city as the Canadian equivalent of Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control. He controls a $30-million annual research budget and is at the epicentre of efforts to engineer a multimillion-dollar expansion of the National Microbiology Laboratories in Winnipeg.
NO. 5.
BILL FRASER:
The CEO of Manitoba Telecom Services presides over one of the province's largest and most successful companies. Much of its recent success comes from a bold and brash takeover of Allstream Inc., an acquisition that prompted a $300-million lawsuit from former MTS partner Bell Canada. The takeover also helped boost MTS revenues and stock prices. Fraser has announced his intention to leave MTS in the near future, a move that may determine whether his power is here today, retired tomorrow.
NO. 6.
EUGENE KOSTYRA:
The former NDP finance minister and union executive is Doer's economic right-hand man and a key player in all things political within the province. Every big economic file, whether it involves saving a bus giant like Motor Coach Industries or attracting investment to the province, lands on the desk of this member of Doer's inner circle, whose official title is secretary to the community economic development committee of cabinet. You can't do business with Manitoba without gaining Kostyra's blessing.
Continued
Please See INFLUENTIAL B4
NO. 7.
SAM KATZ:
Winnipeg mayor's has grassroots support among voters, but is struggling to learn the laws of the political jungle. His ambitious, populist platform, on which he swept to power in June 2004, is mostly unfulfilled. Katz could be a force to reckon with if he learns how to get what he needs from other levels of government. And don't forget the importance of Katz's sporting side as the man behind the city's baseball team, the Goldeyes (HOLD).
NO. 8. BOB BRENNAN:
The head of Manitoba Hydro has the heft to go toe to toe with the likes of Gary Doer. The multibillion-dollar Crown electrical utility has long had its own corporate culture and agenda, which at times has been out of step with its political masters. No matter; Manitoba's waterways awaiting development give Hydro the economic clout to justify the grief. With the Wuskwatim generating station a go and the Conawapa megaproject a distinct possibility, Brennan will be even more powerful. (UP)
NO. 9.
RAY MCFEETORS:
The president and CEO of Great-West Life has led Manitoba's largest publicly traded company back to the title of Canada's largest insurance company. The man from Newdale, Man., has added billions of dollars in assets to GWL's holdings while reaping millions of dollars in bonuses in the process. McFeetors is also honorary colonel of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Western Canada's oldest infantry unit. As a result, he was a guest of honour at the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles this spring at St. George's Chapel in London. GWL's continued profitability makes McFeetors more than a guy who looks good in an honorary uniform. (UP)
NO. 10.
ANNITTA STENNING:
She took over as Winnipeg's chief administrative officer in 2003 after running CentreVenture, the city's downtown development agency. In charge of overseeing the city's massive bureaucracy and planning, she's the most powerful employee at city hall. As Mayor Sam Katz struggles to learn the subtleties of managing power, she and her senior officials are powerful forces. (HOLD)
NO. 11.
HARTLEY RICHARDSON:
As the scion of one of Winnipeg's wealthiest families, Richardson has the ability and deep pockets to move mountains when he wants to. Richardson somehow seems to find the time to support every major cultural and philanthropic campaign launched in Winnipeg. The Richardson clan has quietly contributed millions to his causes. As chairman of last year's United Way campaign, Richardson presided over a record-breaking effort that raised $16 million. (hold)
NO. 12.
CHERYL BARKER:
After Manitoba Telecom Services expanded with the purchase of Allstream Inc. last year, Barker became president and chief operating officer of MTS Communications, the company's Manitoba operation. This promotion makes Barker easily the highest-ranking woman among Manitoba's business elite. (UP)
NO. 13.
MARK CHIPMAN:
Don't think of Chipman as just a successful car salesman via the family's Birchwood Automotive Group. Instead, see the lawyer-turned-entrepreneur as the guy who was not only able to bring pro hockey back to Winnipeg after the Jets headed south, but also the driving force behind the new downtown arena. Early success of the MTS Centre has put Chipman's name on the lips of provincial and federal politicians, who are reportedly interested in wooing him to run. (UP)
NO. 14.
BOB SILVER:
The successful garment maker would be powerful even if he wasn't part-owner of the Free Press. As chairman of the premier's Economic Innovation and Technology Council, Silver is an entrepreneur who always has Doer's ear. The president of Western Glove Works Ltd. is also part of a powerful Manitoba foursome which has joined forces to create a private equity fund they say could buy $1 billion worth of businesses. (HOLD)
NO. 15.
GREG SELINGER:
Since the NDP came to power in 1999, Selinger has been the man responsible for keeping the province out of the red, and he now ranks as the country's longest-serving finance minister. The former Winnipeg mayoral candidate, who has a strong background in social services, is seen as a potential premier-in-waiting. But he still has to prove his influence is not derived just from his current office. (HOLD)
NO. 16.
RICK FROST:
As the man in charge of the Winnipeg Foundation, Frost presides over the second-largest do-good community group in the country. Since its creation in 1921, the foundation has distributed more than $140 million to charitable organizations in the community and Frost is not only the public face of that legacy but also the link between donors and those who decide where the money goes. (HOLD)
NO. 17.
LLOYD AXWORTHY:
The former Liberal cabinet star and Nobel Prize nominee is using his new platform as University of Winnipeg president to speak out, ruffle feathers and lead a new round of downtown revitalization. Full-time residency in Winnipeg makes him more influential than as Canada's foreign affairs minister, when he was preoccupied with international matters and constrained by the dictates of diplomacy. Axworthy must find the money to make his bold vision of an expanded, revitalized U of W campus a reality, or he will slip from the power radar screen. (UP)
NO. 18.
MARTY WEINBERG:
Founder of Winnipeg's Assante Group, Weinberg currently serves as non-executive chairman of Loring Ward, a U.S.-based personal financial services giant. Weinberg hit the jackpot in 2003, selling Assante to a U.S. partner for $846 million. Weinberg remains a powerful force in Manitoba in the business and philanthropic communities. (UP)
NO. 19.
SANDY RILEY:
The former Investors Group CEO is now president of Richardson Financial Group Private Equity, a $325-million venture capital fund. Riley continues to be touted as possible leadership material by supporters of the federal and provincial Conservative parties. High visibility in the philanthropic community helps solidify his lasting influence. As chancellor of the University of Winnipeg, Riley played a key role in luring Axworthy back to his troubled alma mater to take over the president's job. (HOLD)
NO. 20.
EMOKE SZATHM RY:
Not a household name like Axworthy, but as president of the University of Manitoba, which has an enrolment that makes the Fort Garry campus the third-largest city in the province, she is a woman who matters. A tireless promoter of the university, Szathmáry continues to perform research and teach. The wildly successful capital program she helped organize has helped to modernize and refurbish a school growing in reputation. (HOLD)
NO. 21.
ART MAURO:
This long-standing and well-respected businessman continues to make his mark on the province as chairman of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, which has launched its boldest expansion ever. Mauro continues to work to support his favourite cause, the University of Manitoba. His $1-million gift helped establish the Arthur Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice, a one-of-a-kind research centre at the U of M. (DOWN)
NO. 22.
JIM BURNS:
At 75, the gravel-voiced executive who helped build Great-West Life and Power Corp. into international powerhouses still commands attention in the business and philanthropic communities. His recent gift of $1 million for a Forks Market skateboard park shows he's a man still working to leave his mark on the community. However, Burns needs to show his interests extend beyond the half-pipe if he's to remain a power broker in this province. (DOWN)
NO. 23.
PHIL FONTAINE:
The Sagkeeng First Nation resident and former Indian Affairs bureaucrat is Canada's top native chief as head of the Assembly of First Nations. Fontaine possesses influence not only in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Ottawa but also Gary Doer's Manitoba. The Order of Manitoba recipient will play a pivotal role in this fall's upcoming meeting with Martin and the premiers on aboriginal issues, in which billions of dollars are on the line. Recent reports about an additional $1 billion in federal funding, if confirmed, will no doubt increase his stock in First Nations politics. (HOLD)
NO. 24.
KEVIN DONNELLY:
The former promoter with House of Blues Concerts Canada in Vancouver and Winnipeg's Nite Out Entertainment is vice-president of operations at MTS Centre. He's one of the few venue managers to have genuine input in the design of a new arena, as MTS Centre was built with an unusual number of concert-friendly features. More importantly, Donnelly's intimate knowledge of the concert industry has allowed him to bring more concerts to Winnipeg than the market would seemingly bear, thanks to creative deals cut with promoters and the aggressive pursuit of certain acts. During the first half of 2005, MTS Centre was the fourth-busiest concert venue in Canada, and 23rd-busiest in the world, according to Pollstar magazine. (UP)
NO. 25.
DR. BRIAN POSTL:
As the top doctor at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Postl makes life-and-death decisions that affect the health of an entire city. As Prime Minister Paul Martin's newly appointed czar on waiting lists, Postl will lend his experience and credibility to a highly complicated and politically charged national file. (UP)
NO. 26.
DR. NARANJAN DHALLA:
An internationally renowned cardiovascular researcher, who is also a member of the Order of Canada and Order of Manitoba, Dhalla heads the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences at St. Boniface General Hospital. Dhalla's influence on the federal and provincial governments, which provide the money to fulfil his medical vision, is helped in no small part by the fact his dynamic daughter, Ruby Dhalla, is now a Liberal MP from Toronto. (HOLD)
NO. 27.
KEVIN WALTERS:
Officially in charge of sound programs at Manitoba Film & Sound, an arm's-length provincial funding agency, Walters is unofficially the czar of Manitoba's music industry. As chairman of Winnipeg's Juno host committee, Walters was instrumental in bringing Canada's music awards show to town in April. The well-connected Walters, who counts Canada's top music-industry executives among his friends, also works behind the scenes on behalf of a diverse set of interests ranging from up-and-coming recording artists to multinational concert promoters and government ministries. More power is listed in his Rolodex than in anyone else's in the Winnipeg music industry. (HOLD)
NO. 28.
PAUL VOGT:
The Rhodes scholar sits atop the provincial civil service as Clerk of the Executive Council. The boyish-looking former university professor, 45, not only has Doer's trust, but also the respect of many within government for his brains and his influence in running the province. Vogt has yet to put his personal stamp on the job and demonstrate whether he is a quiet aide or a power behind the throne. (HOLD)
NO. 29.
ALLAN MCLEOD:
The CEO of Tribal Council Investments Group has quietly helped build the investment fund, using money from Manitoba First Nations, into a reported $50-million portfolio of investments. TCIG is now a viable force in the Manitoba economy, with holdings in real estate, manufacturing and the service industry. Its investments include wholly-owned enterprises such as Arctic Beverages, which supplies much of northern Manitoba and the Arctic with Pepsi products, and shares in airlines, trucking companies and financial services. (UP)
NO. 30.
CHARLES ADLER:
The self-proclaimed "Radio Rottweiler" has expanded his sphere of influence with a national radio slot on the Corus Radio Network, a Winnipeg Free Press editorial column and an evening spot on Global Television. His dynamic, argumentative style has won listeners and his political contacts have made him the first stop for federal and provincial politicians with something to say in Winnipeg. (HOLD)
TEN OTHERS TO WATCH
This list of notable Manitobans identifies a group on the cusp of achieving real power.
Elections, changes in corporate hierarchy and accomplishments not yet realized will determine over the next 12 months whether these fascinating individuals make the Power 30 or recede into anonymity.
This list reflects the changing face of Manitoba, as more women and aboriginals rise in the power structure.
RON EVANS:
The new grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is the political leader of Manitoba's First Nations and a force in federal politics in Manitoba. A former chief of Norway House and a candidate for the Liberals in northern Manitoba, he is highly respected by the Prime Minister's Office despite his lack of electoral success. As a northern chief, he also bridges the north-south gap in Manitoba First Nations politics.
IDA ALBO AND RICHARD BEL:
The successful owners of the Hotel Fort Garry are viable advocates for downtown revitalization, in part because of their bold, decade-long effort to return the grand railway hotel on Broadway to its former glory. Albo and Bel are downtown power-brokers, people who must be dealt with when any downtown issue is to be decided. (UP)
MARCEL DZAMA:
He's like the Neil Young of young artists -- enigmatic, ultra-cool, prolific and influential. Drew Carey owns his work. The was recently featured in the New York Times Magazine and on the front of Now Magazine in Toronto. If Winnipeg has a reputation for producing interesting contemporary artists, it's largely because of Dzama.
DONETA BROTCHIE:
This successful business consultant was the brains behind the outrageously successful Bears on Broadway campaign this summer. Next year, she's on track to become the first woman to serve as president of the exclusive Manitoba Club, the 100-year-old downtown oasis for the province's rich and powerful.
ELAINE COWAN:
Founder of the Anokiiwin Consulting Institute, a major aboriginal training and human resource agency in Winnipeg, Cowan is finding more politicians turning to her for answers to the underemployment of Manitoba's aboriginal population. The focus on this area has helped her agency attract significant attention and funding. A failed bid to win a seat on Winnipeg city council in 2004 has done little to slow her growing business influence.
DON PLETT:
Throughout the political drama in Ottawa over the past 36 months, this gregarious Tory from Landmark has served as president of the Conservative Party of Canada. Plett remains an accessible and articulate spokesman for his party and a true believer in the united Tory front. Plett's star will rise exponentially if the Tories can pull off a political miracle in the coming months and win a federal election.
CHRIS HENDERSON:
The grand chief of the Southern Chiefs Organization is a media favourite and a viable force in politics at all levels. He continues to be heavily courted to leave First Nations politics and enter the mainstream, either at the provincial or federal level. Many political insiders believe he will have to seek higher office, either in First Nations or mainstream politics, to cement his influence.
MIRIAM TOEWS:
The award-winning author of A Complicated Kindness is a few bestsellers from filling the enormous shoes left by Carol Shields as Manitoba's principal cultural icon, but she's moving in that direction. She has won the Governor General's Literary Award and the Libris Award from the nation's booksellers. A Complicated Kindness is fast approaching more than 100,000 copies sold. Her national success is quickly building an international profile.
JOHN LOEWEN:
After being ostracized by the provincial Tories for criticizing the Crocus Investment Fund and then being somewhat vindicated by the provincial auditor general's recent investigation, Loewen took the big chance of jumping from the Manitoba Conservatives to the federal Liberals. He is now the Grits' top recruit in Manitoba, and with his close relationship to current Liberal honcho Reg Alcock, he could be destined for great things should the Liberals win the next election.
TINA LEVEQUE:
The chief of Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation shocked other aboriginal political leaders when she spoke out about political corruption on Pauingassi First Nation. She also earned high praise from various levels of government who have been asked to help stem the tide of substance abuse on the northern Manitoba reserve. Her quiet guidance also helped Brokenhead open the second aboriginal casino in the province, a project many believed could never be done.