Letters, July 31

Of heart attacks and wait timesShortly after midnight on July 17, I experienced heart attack symptoms, which I recognized from an earlier heart attack 27 years ago.

Paramedics arrived quickly, at about 1:30 a.m. They were very professional and caring. I arrived at St. Boniface Hospital at about 2:30 a.m. and after a blood test and vitals I was in the waiting room at 3 a.m. We were told the wait-time was 16 hours.

The room was not quite full of mostly elderly people. While waiting, I was impressed that a nurse was doing the room, talking to people, taking blood pressure and offering snacks and water. At about 6 a.m. I had another blood test. By 8 a.m. I was in an examination room — within five hours, not 16.

By 10 a.m., after tests, it was determined that I had had a minor heart attack. After X-rays and the visit of the cardiologist confirming my heart attack, I was admitted and scheduled for an angiogram. I was on the ward at 11:30 a.m. At 12:15 p.m. I was taken to the CAT lab, had an angiogram, a stent was installed and I was back on the ward at 1:30 p.m. This was all done on the same day — five hours waiting, five hours for treatment.

Letters, July 30

The reaction to Manitoba Hydro CEO Allan Danroth is predictable. Mr. Danroth has stated a clear-eyed assessment of the green power options. A cursory review of the wind, battery power and solar options bears out Mr. Danroth’s assessment of the facts.

Letters, July 29

I was excited to see the cover of (the July 27) Free Press. However, it appears the Canadian Press reporter, Ian Bickis, missed key aspects of the story. Purpose Construction not only bought the lot: they built the home Mr. Bettcher now lives in using labour from the neighbourhood as a part of a trades-training program. And they helped build the financing model.

Letters, July 28

Thank you for sharing the news of Blizzard’s passing. I walked the path (near the bison enclosure) many early mornings and was always compelled to say “Salaamelykun” (“Peace be with you’) to him. He would often walk to the wire fence, and we would just look at each other.

Letters, July 27

It would appear to me that Tom Brodbeck and the Free Press suffer from some of the same symptoms of ignoring the trends and facts that inflicts Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives.

Letters, July 25

After reading about Mike McKenna’s unfortunate collision with an e-scooter, I fully appreciated the expressed need for rules to regulate the use of such vehicles.

Letters, July 24

In all the recent letters and articles telling us what we already know about climate change and rising carbon dioxide levels related to our fossil fuel consumption, there is one aspect seldom mentioned — the magnitude of the contribution of the world’s militaries to fossil-fuel pollution and the accompanying destruction of our planet.

Letters, July 23

As a longtime resident of West Broadway who lives less than a block away from the Pen-Eve Apartments at 35 Balmoral Street, it boggles my mind that “the city is forcing private property owners to deal with a problem they didn’t create.”

Letters, July 22

Coun. Janice Lukes talks about a $5 million study to replace the bridge (and then likely another $300 million to actually do it). There is only one feasible solution for Arlington Bridge — don’t rebuild!

Letters, July 21

How ironic that Donald Trump is talking about raising tariffs to punish Canadians for the smoke from our forest fires, when efforts to combat global warming — the cause of these fires — are being thwarted, reversed and cancelled by him and his administration!

Letters, July 20

Erna Buffie’s recent commentary was a breath of fresh air and a much-needed reality check for our city’s leadership. I strongly support her assertion that true public service requires prioritizing people, communities and the environment over an outdated, debt-fuelled model of endless expansion.

Letters, July 18

Now the Arlington Bridge is being torn down, hopefully small pieces or chunks of the bridge could be sold to the public not only as memorabilia, an artifact or a piece of history, but also to raise some money for the City of Winnipeg to help pay for its replacement.

Letters, July 17

The world is on fire! The world is on fire and forests are being lost; animals are trapped and dying. We cannot breathe because of smoke.

Letters, July 16

Thanks to Dan Lett for clarifying the settlement of the dispute over the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge.

Letters, July 15

The federal Conservatives are puzzled why they can’t win enough seats to become Canada’s government. The article and the accompanying photo of Tory MP Raquel Dancho says it all.