Business knows what time it is

Re: Considering a unified prairie time zone (Think Tank, June 1)

I must reply to Bryan Oborne’s op-ed regarding a unified prairie time zone. There is absolutely no reason to have a unified prairie time zone. Oborne suggests it will be better for business and help make Manitoba a “have province”, an assertion that has no evidence to back it up, in my opinion.

Time zones do not interfere with business. Big businesses operate around the world and time zones are not a problem. I know of many very small businesses (five employees or less) that have done business in Asia (10 to 12 hours difference) for 30 or 40 years with no problem. If there is a good business case for doing business in a different time zone, businesses will find a way to do it.

Funding defence

Re: “Snowbirds can wait” (Letters, May 26)

Gerald Farthing’s claim that there are greater priorities for Canadians than funding the Snowbirds is dead-on, and what’s ironic about the fuss some Canadians are making over the issue is the fact no one has seemed particularly concerned as successive governments during the past half-century continually underspent on the nation’s military in general.

Most of this neglect began when Pierre Trudeau was prime minister. He pointedly avoided service during the Second World War; then, as prime minister, he was quick to criticize American involvement in Vietnam while cynically claiming Canadian defence spending could be minimized since the U.S. would protect us regardless. Former prime minister Jean Chretien was no better, as he stated that any money designated at all for the military was too much from the outset. Other national leaders, from Brian Mulroney to Justin Trudeau, were in much the same category with the result being that, after 50-plus years of neglect, the new defence commitments might take even longer to rectify, especially as the Canadian government has the reputation of consistent foot-dragging and indecision when it comes to modernizing its armed forces and attracting new recruits.

Up the creek without a…

Last Sunday I launched my kayak in the Red River for the first time this season, late as it may be (thanks, spring). The launch, from St. John’s Park, my home base, was quite muddy and is usually quite awkward. The next available and accessible kayak launch/dock is at The Forks Historic Port and that isn’t in yet.

Sure, there are other options. Louise Bridge has a concrete pad, there’s the Canoe and Kayak Centre on Churchill Drive, the Main Street launch at the Perimeter. The only other easily accessible launch is at John Bruce Park on the Seine River, on the other side of the city from me.

There are future options, such as Little Forks, the proposed new federal park development in Point Douglas, and The Forks’ plan for Alexander Docks, but neither is underway.