Nick Ternette's Official Website

Welcome to my website! I hope you enjoy your visit. Some of the features on the website include columns I have written, personal history about my family and me, a Photo Gallery, as well as a GuestBook for you to give me your comments and ideas.

"Nick Ternette is not without surprises. Some diehard leftists get flummoxed when they learn that he's an avid fan of competitive sports - but that's sports, as in playing, not the business you see on the boob-tube. He's gung-ho for fair play AND dig your best. It's what I remember him telling me very early on, sometime in the mid-60's. Probably after I'd dragged him to the Third World Bookroom.

And that's the source of the surprise he gave me recently. Nick claims I turned him off whatever politics he was nosing around in then, and pointed him stage left. Oi ve! Just goes to show, you've got to be careful what you say to Mr. Ternette.

So in a nutshell (sorry for the pun!), Nick Ternette is a good left-winger, or out in left field: take your pick. But he wants everybody to have a fair turn at the plate, on the line, in the field."

"Nick Ternette is a fixture in our neighbourhood. He and his wife Emily share my family's love of Wolseley."

"Nick's commitment to the causes he represents command respect among friends and adversaries alike. Although this confident man doesn't seek the approval, he deserves all of the many accolades he's received."

"When I think about Nick, I set aside the typical arguments over whether his ideas are right or wrong. I think about Nick the individual. There is no argument there. He is a person of integrity, character, conviction and compassion. Someone who lives what he believes."

"Nick is controversial. He is not beige. If you disagree with him, you'd better be on your toes! He's also unpredictable. He defies stereotypes. Just try to pigeon-hole him and he'll surprise you. He truly is one of a kind."

-Larry Updike host of the CJOB Morning Show

"From my days as columnist with the Calgary Herald through various and sundry media stints ending up with CJOB Radio in Winnipeg, I have always crossed swords with Nick Ternette. He is a terrible golfer, only a fair bowler, and his politics are in the short, left end of a Stickleback's tail.
But...knowing the guy for 40-odd years, Gabrielle and myself were honored to attend his wedding (thank God for Emily).
Like those of us who open our mouths at the world, Nick has never, ever backed down.

All this makes him important. But more to the point, he is ultra-important to me because he is my friend (even though he is often wrong!)" December, 2006."

I first met Nick back in 1992 when I moved to Winnipeg. My first impression was that while this guy appeared to be an oddball he was a very passionate oddball. But as I got to know him I began to see some real depth in the man. Under the stereotype leftie image there was a willingness to think about the ends, not the means. He understood that the competitive process and small scale, locally focussed governments were compatible with better policy outcomes. Whereas much of the old left establishment is perched comfortably in the well-paid, highly subsidized, but mostly obsolete public sector where self interest rules and folks work to protect and preserve the related privileges, Nick does not hesitate to criticize the gravy train in favour of real change that helps all parts of the community. He is dead wrong on rent control, mass transit, and garden chemicals but heck, that’s why we have stimulating and civilized debates about ideas. Nick is a tremendous asset to public dialogue in a place where intelligent thinking is aggressively discouraged, even punished. You make Winnipeg a better place. Good luck Nick.

Frontier Centre for Public Policy