Have your say

Garbage in and out

Re: Firm may get fine for waste-collection startup woes: Katz (Oct. 11). It is so very wonderful that various city councillors and our esteemed mayor are on the job and ready to penalize Emterra Environmental for the difficulties it is experiencing as this city makes massive changes to its garbage and recycling system.

One can only wonder at the appropriate penalties Mayor Sam Katz and his executive policy committee buddies deserve after their years of so-called public service that has mired this city in the smell of incompetence and garbage leadership.

As they say, "Garbage in, garbage out."

SHANE NESTRUCK

Winnipeg

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Imagine my surprise at reading Stewart Fay's Oct. 9 letter and discovering that refuse collection was a left- or "right-wing issue. I had previously been under the assumption that garbage collection was simply a basic service.

The issue in question is the early hiccups in a new delivery program. I have total faith that the kinks will be worked out as our elected officials answer to the people of Winnipeg and we have shared our concern to the tune of 5,400 calls to the 311 system.

Finger-pointing and name-calling will not move any civic issue forward in a positive fashion, and I would invite us all to elevate our level of dialogue.

TERI POLO

Winnipeg

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Let's see -- 243,782 residential garbage pick-ups and 652 failures. This equals a success rate of 99.74 per cent. What do we read in the letters to the editor (Failure to react, Oct. 9), nothing but Loserpeg opinions?

I agree with only one thing, and that is I tried to drop out of the system to save the 14-cent-a-day charge, because I am an impoverished senior citizen and can throw my one small plastic bag of garbage into the Assiniboine River, or into a parked pickup truck. The paper, I recycle always.

PHILLIP ROSEN

Winnipeg

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So we now have a new waste-collection system that costs me 14 cents per day and I must also purchase sufficient paper bags for yard waste. And these bags are required for City of Winnipeg trees that shed their leaves on a city boulevard next to and onto my property.

I examined the paper bags provided by the city and could not find an indication that they are made from recycled paper. Does this mean they are made from virgin wood fibre? If so, is this the city's interpretation of a sustainable and green environment?

I find it difficult to rationalize the merits or any savings from this new system when you factor in that during yard-waste-collection season there will be three trucks performing the work of what was previously performed by two trucks. Oh well, if the economics do not work out, the city can either increase our property tax or the waste-collection fee.

Perhaps if I would have been given a free meal voucher to Hu's on First at the time the new waste carts were delivered, I would not be writing this letter.

ELMER PAWLIUK

Winnipeg

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Let me get this straight. We changed the garbage pickup because the new way is going to be more efficient. Are you kidding me?

The garbagemen still have to come out of the trucks, line up the garbage cans, watch the arm go up and then come down, and then they place the carts back.

The garbagemen worked fast and hard before they changed the system, and now it takes them how much longer to toss the trash.

JOHNATHAN HART

Winnipeg

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How prepared was the city in undertaking a city-wide auto-bin collection program? What I see is a collection process that now takes much longer than the old system did.

When the collection of yard waste is factored in, the process lasts well into the mid-afternoon. What has now occurred is the yard waste isn't collected as per schedule and sits for collection until the following day. Was the new system not designed so that the same truck picks up both bins on the same trip?

This would signify some semblance of cost savings. However, as things exist now, trash is collected on separate trips, not counting yard-waste pickup, which is now also done on a separate trip.

Not only is this worse than the old system, but this is in no stretch of the imagination more cost-effective to taxpayers.

VIKTOR LEWIN

Winnipeg

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A quick study of the public's stormy reaction to the revamped trash collection system says volumes about civic planning, or lack thereof.

Is it a double negative to say that the new program is a poor plan, poorly implemented? Or is the idea just a load of rubbish?

DON WARKENTIN

Winnipeg

Amazing contrast

I must commend William Dobson on his critique of Hugo Chávez (Weakened Hugo Chávez still not likely to mellow, Oct. 10). This is man is acting like a totally irresponsible dictator, though he has the support of a mere 54.5 per cent of the electorate.

He is using the profits from the oil companies, which he has nationalized, to mollycoddle the lazy indigents and give land to would-be farmers.

What a contrast with our Stephen Harper, who is having to use subterfuge to ease through a recalcitrant House of Commons his programs of dismantling our exorbitantly expensive welfare system so that he can buy the successful, state-of-the-art aircraft, which are essential to establishing our Arctic sovereignty, and sending incorrigibly criminal youths to jail for long periods instead of being free to reoffend.

This, though he has the support of a full 37 per cent of the electorate. We are so fortunate to be living in a true democracy.

BILL ROLLS

Emerson

Lack of attention

The photo Little soldier (Oct. 6), taken in Venezuela, is not of "a boy dressed as a soldier," as the Free Press caption reads.

If Canadians paid a bit more attention to Latin American politics, writers and readers alike would know the boy in the photo is clearly dressed up as Hugo Chávez.

CHRISTINA LìPEZ

Winnipeg

Poor Justin

Brian Mulroney says Justin Trudeau is competent and capable. Not that I'm ever going to vote Liberal again after Jean Chrétien betrayed the country, but poor Justin.

To be praised by lyin' Brian the White House lawn jockey, by the tax-evading "sweetheart of Revenue Canada" -- poor Justin Trudeau.

TIM SAYEAU

Winnipeg

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 12, 2012 A13