Have your say:

Turning a blind eye

I read with interest the letter by Jack Hamulka (No part, no fault, March 10) in which he states, "Canada is populated with a wide base of people who had nothing to do with the harm that the native people suffered," thereby somehow absolving himself and his forefathers of any responsibility. I, therefore, assume neither Hamulka nor his forefathers ever voted in an election. By electing governments that supported the church-run institutions, Hamulka and his forefathers played an indirect role in perpetuating the injustices against these individuals. If neither he nor his forefathers ever voted in an election, then it might be viewed that they turned a blind eye and did not voice any opposition to this injustice. This, in my opinion, is just as bad if not worse.

CHRIS JOHNSON

Winnipeg

Soccer school exclusive

Re: Schooling future soccer stars (March 11). The Manitoba Soccer Association's idea to bring all the elite athletes in the province together is not an unreasonable one. I have personally experienced the benefits of such a program as a member of Manitoba's provincial fencing team. It is unacceptable, however, for such an idea to be linked to the school system. High school is not about competitive sport, it is about gaining an education on a level playing field. This program is designed to create inequality and while it might benefit the members of the team at Glenlawn, it will be a detriment to the soccer programs at every other school in the city. Those players who possess talent but may not be national team material will have lost their chance to play with the elite athletes. This program is attempting to gain results by implementing a policy of exclusion in an environment where the message is supposed to be exactly the opposite.

ADRIEN DESSENS

Winnipeg

Cost of concussions

Recent hockey articles dealing with bodychecks to the head have been dominating the sports news lately. On March 10, I received a call late at night telling me my son Reggie had suffered a concussion due to a bodycheck delivered to the head area during a playoff game. My other son Marty plays on his line and he told me Reggie was unconscious before he crumpled to the ice. He wasn't responsive for five minutes and when he came around, he had no clue where he was and didn't remember anything.

Did the other player hit out of anger because his team was losing badly? Did he really think it was a clean hit? The referee certainly didn't think so and promptly ejected him from the game. One second's bad decision is all it took for this event to unfold. Whether the guilty player gets a suspension or gets charged for this hit doesn't fix my son's problem. At the root of all this is a lack of respect being shown by some hockey players. Changes need to occur. For the sake of all hockey players playing our wonderful Canadian game, it can't happen soon enough.

Paul Bilodeau

St. Norbert

Poor cat, poor name

Re: the article Woman charged with poisoning cat using sanitizer (March 6). I think we can all agree cruelty to animals is abhorrent and one of the most heartless acts a person can commit. However, I was further shocked and disheartened to read the staff of the Winnipeg Humane Society felt it appropriate to name this poor cat "Purr-el." What an unbelievably insensitive and tasteless name to bestow upon this innocent animal.

AMBER COOK

Winnipeg

Flying past Winnipeg

Last year, I contacted Mayor Sam Katz's office about the unconscionably high airfares to/from Winnipeg and the U.S. The mayor's office contacted me and suggested I contact the airlines and complain. Maybe Winnipeg's economy doesn't need a boost from visitors?

My wife and I were planning on visiting family in Winnipeg in June. The airfare from Houston to Winnipeg is more than going from Houston to Amsterdam, Holland. Amazingly, the airfare from Minneapolis to Winnipeg, a less than 90-minute flight, is more than the fare from Houston to Winnipeg, a trip of over five hours. I can't help but think Winnipeg is getting unfair treatment from the airlines. I guess we won't be going to Winnipeg this summer.

ELI BENSKY

Houston, Texas

Taking too many fish

Gwynne Dyer nails it again. His Facing threat of empty oceans (March 10) was spot-on. Why are animal rights groups like PETA, IFAW and the American Humane Society protesting the seal hunt when overfishing is a far greater threat? The cry should be "Ban the trawl fishery." The European Union is willing to boycott seal products but won't support a ban on fishing the endangered bluefin tuna. Talk about self-interested hypocrites. All the top predators of our oceans are under siege. If we don't start a campaign similar to Save the Whales very soon it will be too late. Wake up, animal rights groups, show some leadership in fighting a real threat, not just an easy target to raise funds.

TERRY STEAD

Winnipeg

Enforced PC

Re: Gordon Sinclair's column On second thought, some mistakes are beyond stupid (March 6). Sinclair's comments on the thought processes of the people involved in the publication of the Red Loin need some followup. The dean of engineering, Douglas Ruth, and Megan Lusty, who had final say on the content, are mentioned. Both made it clear they thought the publication was acceptable. Sinclair says he doesn't know what they were thinking. I'd suggest they were thinking what they wanted to.

Prof. Susan Prentice is now going to "educate" the people involved, it seems. Sinclair and Prentice are working from the premise that there's only one correct way of thinking about these things. If I were any of the people that are to be "educated" I'd take the stand that I can have any opinions I like. Enforced political correctness has a long and very nasty history. Such forced "education" is useless, as it won't change opinions, it will only arouse resentments.

Freedom of speech and opinion are fundamental to Canada's democracy. The dean and the students evidently get that!

PETER LACEY

Winnipeg

People before pets

Re: Shannon Smith's commentary Pets are a health benefit, not a risk to tenants (March 10). When I lived in rural Manitoba 30 years ago with my three children, we had a dog, a rabbit and a cat. We loved our animals dearly. But I lived in a house on five acres. My choice to have a pet affected no one. I had to deal with the "training" accidents on my carpets. I had to deal with the rips in the couch when our cat loved it as a scratching post more than the post. If the dog barked all night, the closest neighbour was a quarter-mile away. In other words, it was my problem.

Today I live and work in a pet-free building. I've developed allergies to fragrance and cats over the last year or so. They are not severe but they are becoming increasingly irritating and may require prescribed medication soon. Fragrances come and go from my office as people come and go. What do I do if the building has lots of cats? What happens if my allergy becomes more severe? Do I quit my job? Do I move? If I have no choices of pet-free buildings from which to choose, where do I go?

I loved my pets, but I have to agree people should come before pets. If one of my children would have become ill due to our pets, it would have broken my heart and theirs, but we would have had to find it another home. My children would have come first.

As far as Smith's attack on the landlord, maybe Manitoba Housing should have a two-year test study. If it works for the taxpayers and tenants, then there would be concrete evidence that pets in apartments work. After all, having a pet-friendly building is a choice.

CAROL HUNTER

Winnipeg

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 16, 2010 A11