Letters and comments, July 12

Blue about Bombers

Re: Stamps just too much to handle (July 8)

Not sure why the "expert" pregame radio pundits keep giving unrealistic hope to the Bomber faithful when an objective observer can see the impending doom. It just ticks fans off. After squeaking by one of the worst teams in the league "in their hostile environment," many aspects of the Bombers’ weaknesses were exposed.

And then the build-up for this game: "this is a better Bomber team, and Calgary isn’t as good as last year, plus they have many key injuries." And the Stamps were playing in "hostile territory" at Investors Group Field. So by the experts’ logic, we could win in this litmus test against Calgary and send a message to the rest of the CFL that we are for real. We failed, again.

Maybe next time, before overhyping a game, the "experts" should wait a few more games until we prove something against a few good teams, rather than fill fans with very false hope.

Ken McIntyre

Winnipeg

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I was so pumped to attend the first Blue Bomber game of the year; getting to the game 75 minutes before game time was extremely easy and my parking perfect. Live music fuelled the energy of a very happy crowd and Wade Miller was beaming in welcoming fans at the gate. The weather was simply outstanding! A completely perfect setting.

And then a football game I’d rate 1 out of 10.

It was excruciating and boring to watch as there was very little on-field excitement — two, three or four plays followed by never ending TV timeouts from start to finish. The teams are not to blame, as it is impossible to get into any sort of a flow when the pause button is being hit over and over and over and over.

Eliminate the TV timeouts completely so that teams are allowed to play fan-friendly football — the networks will figure out how to get their commercials in during injuries, challenges, span between scoring plays and subsequent kickoffs, halftime, team timeouts and so on.

Thank you for a spectacular evening last night — it’s just too bad the main reason we were all there turned out to be a snoozer.

Brad Rich

Winnipeg

Re: Blue Bombers’ new bus system scores points with fans (July 8)

Unfortunately, neither the new bus system nor Bombers scored many points on July 7. Clearly this article was written after interviewing fans who travelled to the game by bus and not after, on the way home.

"Considerable confusion" is the best way to describe the post-game bus logistics. I discovered the bus I have been taking for the past five years does not run any longer. It took me much longer to get home than previously, and included a walk because the stop requested was not available on that bus route.

I called the Blue Bombers and they noted my issue, suggesting I call to the city’s 311 line. Both have record of this now and it will be interesting to see if they do end up comparing notes and addressing the gaps.

I truly hope this to be the case, as there are not many good options in getting to and from a facility constructed in a location inherently not at all good for taking care of the transportation requirements of 30,000-plus people.

Robert Granke

Winnipeg

The change you wish to see

Re: Small acts add up to big change (July 7)

The writer suggests we take our own mugs to coffee places, instead of getting our coffee in disposable cups — an excellent idea.

I am still using a plastic coffee cup with a lid I got many years ago from a café near my workplace. I think it cost $1 and I got a discount when buying future drinks. The only disadvantages are its round shape and rigidity.

Why doesn’t the plastic industry develop a recyclable coffee cup that will fit in pockets or a purse? It shouldn’t be that hard to invent something.

Hilda Wagstaffe

Winnipeg

Who pays?

Re: Khadr deal a bitter, but necessary pill (July 6)

Omar Khadr’s lawsuit against the Canadian government conveniently picked the party least to blame for his past troubles, but, as it turns out, most likely to pay.

He could have started with his father, Ahmed, a terrorist associate of Osama bin Laden, who raised his family in his own image. But his father is deceased. He could have blamed the U.S. military for keeping him in a military prison and depriving him of sleep. But that was a long shot, given that he had taken up arms against the U.S. and killed a military medic.

So, he went after Canada, which he says should have sprung him out of jail more quickly and should not have interviewed him under there. Finally, Canada should not have shared the information with the U.S.

Khadr was a minor during his fighting days, but was fully of age when he sued the country that took him back after he took up arms against it. The prime minister’s father, Pierre Trudeau, once asked who will stand up for Canada. We now see, to our dismay, who will not stand up for Canada.

Peter Hildebrand

Stonewall

Polluted waters

Re: City wants province to amend sewage plant licence to save $30M (July 6)

The City of Winnipeg’s proposal to go from a "never-to-exceed" level for ammonia to "rolling averages" is pure folly, environmentally unsound and dangerous. The "never-to-exceed" level for ammonia has nothing to do with total nitrogen in Lake Winnipeg and everything to do with lethal and non-lethal toxicity in fish and other aquatic organisms. The reason you need a filter on a fish tank is for exactly the same reason: to keep ammonia from killing your fish or making them sick and more susceptible to disease. The lethality varies with temperature and the size and species and life stage of fish, mussel or other aquatic life.

Three hundred thousand dollars is a drop in the bucket compared to the legal costs and compensation the city would incur should it cause a major fish kill due to an ammonia die-off. The Red River downstream of the discharge point is a major spawning and rearing area for most of the species in Lake Winnipeg, and is also the most heavily fished areas for recreational local and tourist fishers.

Leave ammonia discharge decisions to experienced biologists, not engineers. In my view, we need ammonia levels to be lower during some critical times, not higher. I trust the province will keep the licence as it is.

Duncan B. Wain, MSc

Fisheries Biologist

Selkirk

The opinions of the many

Re: Manitobans not on board with genderless ID: poll (July 8)

This article falls short of the mark. Was this poll commissioned by anyone in particular, with a view to promote? What was the question exactly; was it loaded in any way?

But most importantly, not introducing the inherent problem with asking the majority about minority rights is hugely problematic. You are measuring someone’s right to self-determination against xenophobia and ignorance; and while the article points out that older Canadians had stronger opinions, the article as a whole implies that this poll result has some kind of significance. It doesn’t.

Why should I have any opinion, let alone a voice, in how someone else chooses to identify themselves? At least have an op-ed piece that points to the problems with the concept of majorities determining minority rights!

Glenn Morrison

Winnipeg