Have your say

Middle class ailing

Re: Triple whammy hits homes (May 16). The Canadian middle class is mortally ill from disproportionate taxation, from clawback of earned benefits, from government-supported wage levels that don't keep pace with inflation and from job loss in the current global economic disaster.

The quality of life of middle-class families has dropped like a rock. People are living on credit, a sure recipe for disaster. No one outside the middle class is taking effective steps to help us.

At the same time, the wealthy are thriving, with better incomes and more savings. Governments at all levels need to acknowledge this situation and begin to treat us fairly. If they don't, Canada will become a two-class country: the very poor and the very rich.

BARB EASTVELD

Winnipeg

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There is a widespread but incorrect belief an increase in the assessed value of a property means a corresponding increase in the taxes on that property; it is quite difficult to dispel this belief.

The reality is changes in assessed value may shift tax burdens, but they do not cause, in themselves, an increase or a decrease in the taxes. By referring to the municipal tax changes as a triple whammy, you have reinforced the mistaken belief about reassessments.

It is quite fair to say a property tax hike and a school tax hike, taken together, constitute a double whammy on homes; it is dead wrong to suggest the reassessment adds a third blow to homeowners. For every dollar extra paid by a homeowner because of reassessment, there is a dollar less paid by some other homeowner because of the same reassessment.

Your sidebar correctly describes the effect of a property tax reassessment; your headline does not. Please do not help to perpetuate the myth about the effect of reassessment.

ROGER KINGSLEY

Winnipeg

Listen to experts

Re: Tighter curbs on criminally insane mulled (May 17). As awful as the killing of Carol de Delley's son, Tim McLean, was, Vincent Li is a man who is mentally ill; he is schizophrenic. We should be listening to the mental-health professionals and not to the opinions of people who do not understand mental-health issues.

The last time this came up, MLAs reacted to the lobbying of de Delley and disregarded the opinions of professionals. I agree de Delley appears to want revenge and punishment for the killing of her son; to lose your son, and in such a way, must be awful, but she is not the one who should be deciding Li's fate.

CAROL CLARKE

Winnipeg

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I invite Harry Wolbert (Appalling portrayal, Letters, May 16), with his Pollyanna promises of giving Vincent Li "the benefit of the doubt" and showing him "mercy and forgiveness," to move to Selkirk.

We'll see then just how "willing" he is toward this man. Talk is cheap when you live 30 miles away.

LYNDA MILLER

Selkirk

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On the one hand, I can applaud our justice minister, Rob Nicholson, for looking to change the law so public safety trumps an individual's rights, but isn't that just simple common sense?

TIM CONNELL

Carman

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I am absolutely disgusted at the May 16 letter from Roger Kingsley. Perhaps if he had ever suffered the loss of a child in this manner, he would show a little humanity.

If he is so interested in the welfare of Vincent Li, he could offer to become his full-time caregiver and take him into his home when he is released completely, which, I am sure knowing the way our mental-health professionals conduct themselves, will be very soon.

CHRISTINE SPENCER

Headingley

Dishonest life

Re: Smuggler ill, wants to go home (May 17). Ian "Whitey" Macdonald chose to lead a life on the lam and didn't make things right by turning himself in to the authorities. Had he done what was right, he could have served his time and then led a reasonably normal life afterwards.

By doing this, he would have demonstrated to his children and future grandchildren that even though we make bad choices in our lives we can make things right by owning up to our mistakes and dealing with the consequences.

Instead, he chose to live a dishonest and unauthentic life, looking over his shoulder all the time and hurting his children in the process. And to what end? Well, we all know to what end. Karma's a bitch, isn't it?

DIANA AMEY

Winnipeg

Ambiguous signs

Re: Common courtesy decreasingly common (May 16). Part of the problem is the ambiguity of the priority-seating signs on our buses. They should read, "Reserved for..." (in both official languages) rather than just having a pictorial that is subject to interpretation.

As a lifetime transit user, I have seen far too many seemingly able young people hopping on the bus without any problem and then proceeding to occupy the dedicated front seats. And I pity the drivers who have to time and time again beg the lazy and inconsiderate passengers to get off their butts.

JESSE VORST

Winnipeg

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The problem with "common courtesy," like "common sense," lies in the definition. What's common to one person is not common to everyone.

Having said that, last month when I was riding a packed No. 18 bus, a very pregnant woman got on board. I'm happy to report that as I was standing to offer my seat, a teenager in front of me jumped up quicker and beat me to it.

Even though I was annoyed the young man was showing me up, my faith in humanity was restored. All is not lost.

MURRAY MOMAN

Winnipeg

Defaming messenger

Emerson Dobroskay (Invoking Warhol, Letters, May 12) displays the symptoms of the typical Conservative drone; if you can't dispute the message, then attempt to discredit and defame the messenger.

If more Canadians emulated Brigette DePape's strength and conviction to stand up to the Harper gang, we wouldn't be watching from the sidelines as our country is dismantled by his cadre of self-serving, self-righteous egotists.

You go, girl.

ROBERT L. BAGAMERY

Winnipeg

Bogeys and beavers

Re: Concern grows over the fate of city-owned golf courses (May 12). I urge the city to keep open what few public golf courses we have. Last year at Niakwa, we saw deer, turtles, racoons, beavers and birds of all description.

This year, we have golfed at Windsor Park a few times, and we have already witnessed a mother fox and her three babies playing on the riverbank. I am sure that by the end of the season, we will have seen many other forms of wildlife. By destroying these golf courses within our city, we will be destroying and driving out what little wildlife we have left.

DARLENE WARNER

Winnipeg

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 18, 2012 A13