Letters, June 24 – Winnipeg Free Press

No personal attacks

It is ironic that the Free Press editorial “Putting your best words forward — briefly” and Ms. MacIntosh’s letter “Get on your bike, Gail” both appeared on June 22. Ms. Asper’s earlier letter made some valid points regarding construction planning. As a South Osborne resident I’ve seen two lanes of Osborne closed well in advance of construction, then torn up and then left closed with no further activity. This has created havoc. Point made with no personal attacks.

Ms.MacIntosh’s letter also makes some good points regarding active transportation but violates one of my fundamental rules, which I think the Free Press should consider; “attack the argument, not the writer”. Ms. Asper may have some very good reasons/needs relating to driving versus cycling. The Free Press could do a better job on this front and prevent unnecessary cheap shots.

Tom Pearson

Winnipeg

More than just housing

Re: Supportive housing key to ending homelessness (June 22)

Thank you to Abe Oudshoorn for his article on the importance of supportive housing in addressing the homelessness problem. We all know that the lack of affordable housing is an issue in Winnipeg and many cities across Canada, but that is only one piece of the problem.

Supportive housing is really the key to addressing the homelessness issue.

Much of our homeless population in Winnipeg are not living on the streets because they can’t find an apartment, it is because they need more supports at this very difficult time in their lives. Mental health and addiction supports are critical to success.

As the article stated, even help with meal planning, budgeting and just someone to talk to will all play into the success of battling homelessness of our fellow Winnipeggers.

I hope that all levels of government work together on this, looking at the huge need (and lack) of supportive housing that is available.

If we really want to help our citizens, supportive housing must be a priority.

Melissa Dvorak

Winnipeg

Privacy at the polls

Re: “Real-time voting reports to be game-changer in Manitoba’s next election” (June 22)

Until I read this article I naively thought my vote was private. Choosing to vote should have the same anonymity as spoiling a ballot. I have always voted in an election but that is my choice.

Knowing that candidates know if I have voted or not and have the ability to harass me for not voting further erodes my trust in politicians and the system. Ideally everyone should vote as every vote sends a message to the candidates.

Thinking your vote doesn’t or won’t count is misguided. The only message that shouldn’t be sent to the candidates is whether I voted or not. It seems OK to trample on freedoms when it’s beneficial to the politicians we elect.

Gary Fraser

Winnipeg

No apparent ideas

Concerning the Portage-Lisgar byelection: once again, the Conservative Party of Canada has seen one of its members elected as a federal MP without having any ideas on how to improve life for average Canadians other than repeating the tiresome policies of the leader of the party.

Branden Leslie got elected in a constituency with a population of 100,000 people by 20,000 people who cast ballots out of 70,000 registered voters. His platform to be elected is led by his denial of carbon pollution being a major contributor to manmade climate change and his first job would be to eliminate the carbon tax. Hopefully the people in this constituency will remember who was responsible for eliminating their refund checks from the revenue neutral carbon “tax”.

It seems important to him to also oppose plans for federal gun legislation to remove assault weapons from the farming community in which he was raised, with no regard to safeguard the general public from the perpetrators of crime who use these particular weapons.

Mr.Leslie is also in opposition to federal government efforts to reduce the reliance of farmers on the use of fertilizers. Due to the high prices of fertilizer worldwide, I see many articles on farmers who are initiating programs voluntarily to reduce costs by using drones to attack specific weeds and altering tillaging practices to increase productivity and reduce costs.

Lastly, for whatever reason, he has vowed never to attend a meeting of the World Economic Forum. This forum is a worldwide public/private forum with no political affiliation, whose agenda is to improve living conditions for all people on our planet. As such I see no reason to invite anyone to participate in this forum unless they have something positive to offer.

Congratulations to Mr. Leslie on his win and good luck in negotiating his way through the complicated world of federal politics.

Brian Dyck

Winnipeg

Not bottomless cash cows

Re: Civic report recommends road-renewal tax hikes for years (June, 22)

If the City of Winnipeg has its way, increases in property taxes to fund road renewal will continue well into the next decade. Councillor Janice Lukes, chair of the public works committee commented “…it’s good for city staff, it’s good for contractors.”

Her concern for city staff and contractors is touching. She has none to spare for property owners.

The time has come for property owners to take a collective stand and oppose this long standing misuse of property taxes. Mayor Scott Gillingham and councillors must stop raiding property taxes because they have the power to do so. They must look into levying an annual weight-based road-renewal tax on motor vehicles (including transport/freight hauling trucks): weight of vehicles is directly related to road damage. Please stop using property taxes as your convenient bottomless cash cows.

Shashi S. Seshia

Winnipeg

No cakewalk

”NDP slip shows long way to go before possible victory party”, June 21. That headline is from a Dan Lett column.

The NDP party is sadly mistaken if they think that dyed-in-the-wool blue PC voters are all of the sudden going to vote the NDP into power. The October election will have the same result as the last election with the PCs forming a majority government.

The NDP are running their campaign based on the popularity of the current premier and nothing else.

Are they already out of ideas this early into the campaign?

Alfred Sansregret

Winnipeg

Park passes and call centres

I couldn’t agree more with the letter from Lionel Mason (Odd system, June 21).

Why are we sending our money to a foreign country to pay for our Manitoba park pass?

And if anyone from the government is listening, please bring back those pretty passes with the wonderful photos of our great parks.

I was always so proud to have it hanging from my rear view mirror and now all I get a lousy photocopied piece of paper that I shove into my glove compartment.

I’ve saved all of those passes from the good old days and they adorn the wall of my garage!

Bruce Fast

Winnipeg

End run?

Re: Sand mine fight pushed back to Manitoba Municipal Board, June 21.

A failed development agreement will be appealed to the Manitoba Municipal Board,

a lawyer for Sio Silica says.

Governments are by the people — for the people.

Will democracy prevail here?

Or will the appointed Municipal Board members overrule the democratically

elected council decision?

How many ways can you spell hypocrisy?