Letters, April 26

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/04/2022 (1391 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HBC ‘gift’ without value

Re: Reconciliation in the air as HBC hands Bay over to Manitoba First Nations group (April 23)

What the Southern Chiefs’ Organization and various governments have agreed on with this deal is indeed remarkable and exciting, for the many reasons stated in the various articles. As for the contribution of Hudson’s Bay Co., I wonder how much of a “gift” it was to unload a building which “HBC had admitted, that based on the costs of redeveloping it for some other purpose … was valued at $0.”

For HBC to include the $100 million needed to bring the structure up to snuff before repurposing — now, that would have been a meaningful gift, even if still a tiny fraction of the billions in profits that HBC made during colonization.

Sara Jane Schmidt

Winnipeg

I commend the decision of a gift by Hudson’s Bay Co. of the downtown building to the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, as opposed to it quickly becoming another “white elephant” and a blight on the city’s landscape.

My problem is that the $100 million price tag is coming from “multiple levels of government.” Here we go again, taxpayers picking up the tab for a “feel-good” project.

With the state of the health-care system across this country, government money is better spent to alleviating our health-care crises.

Brian Short

Winnipeg

Since when does reconciliation have to have a dollar sign behind it? Isn’t reconciliation about changing attitudes toward each other for the better? Am I wrong?

Jane Middlehurst

Sandy Hook

Construction projects always seem to underestimate the full costs of completion and refurnishing. Maybe there is room for ideas to generate revenue or reduce costs for the project.

For example, why not let contractors advertise their work at the scene and on their websites for a nominal fee? Or let furniture stores donate items for the living quarters and day care with “donated by” credit on them? And have an LED ticker-tape advertising strip running along the north and west sides of the building to raise revenue, similar to the hockey arena? And an official charity recognized by Canada Revenue to accept tax-deductible donations wouldn’t hurt, either.

I know business is sort of the antithesis of the aims of the new center, but as long as it remains on the outside, it should not affect the ethos inside.

James Wingert

Winnipeg

For those of us who live downtown, the Southern Chiefs’ Organization’s presence in the area, along with the new 300 affordable housing units, medical clinic, day care, meeting area, museum and rooftop garden, are exactly what this community needs.

When I went onto social media after the announcement, I encountered a sickening amount of racism and hate directed at the project and Indigenous people. Much of the racist rhetoric came from people who stated the project will be the “final nail” in the coffin of downtown; implying an increased Indigenous presence downtown will only add to what they see as chaos downtown.

I would like to remind my fellow Winnipeggers that Indigenous people have been living in the area that is now downtown for thousands of years, and they will continue to live downtown for thousands more.

This narrative that downtown needs the money of people from the suburbs to “survive” is a false narrative, created by a “business-first” culture that has taken over mainstream society. Economies will boom and bust, businesses will come and go, but Indigenous people will always live downtown. If you do not want to come downtown, please stay home, and keep your racism to yourself.

Mike Edwards

Winnipeg

Time to move past grudges

Re: Bay built on exploitation, to be rebuilt on reconciliation (Opinion, April 23)

As much as Niigaan Sinclair offers a very useful historical perspective on the history of HBC, his positive statements or paragraphs are followed by a “but,”, consisting of very strong criticism of the past. The historical past has been acknowledged time and time again and is slowly, and hopefully surely, moving toward “rebuilding.”

Let us all take pleasure and satisfaction in reading more positively expressed sentiments about the changes to come and not have to search for good words that seem to be few and far between in this supposedly informative column. Time to move on and “reconcile,” and not harp on the same grudges.

Prabha Menon

Winnipeg

EVs come with ramifications

Re: EVs not a ‘silver bullet’ solution (April 25)

Cheers for Brent Bellamy’s column. The topic of electric vehicles should be given extensive coverage, as there are so many issues needing discussion. How can we assume an endless supply of electricity when last year Manitoba Hydro reduced output due to drought? From where will come the minerals needed for EVs? What will happen to the used batteries? Why subsidize the wealthy who can afford EVs instead of using the money toward improving public transit?

Dianne Cooper

Winnipeg

Keep ban on cosmetic pesticides

Re: NDP to delay bill that ends pesticide ban (April 22)

The 2014 ban on cosmetic pesticides was a positive step for human health in Manitoba’s urban centres. True, these chemicals were approved by Health Canada. But the testing regime did not consider the 24/7 inhalation of chemical volatiles by children, which is exactly what happens when weed killers are used in urban areas. I thank Manitoba’s Opposition party for delaying this bill.

Martin Entz

Winnipeg

Premier should show up, or resign

Re: Skipping question period is not the answer (Opinion, April 23)

I agree with Carl DeGurse’s column that it’s disappointing to see Premier Heather Stefanson is again a “no show” at question periods. She is paid by taxpayers to lead our province, not disappear when put on the hot seat. She is supposed to be accountable to Manitobans and needs to be answering hard questions. It’s ridiculous to listen to her backup MLAs, in her absence, give the same stupid answers over and over.

If she can’t stand the heat, she should forfeit her position.

Leah Durham

Winnipeg

Flattened by Kenaston potholes

Re: Pothole repairs last only hours (Letters, April 22)

Kenaston Boulevard and the St. James Bridge are a minefield of potholes. Last night in the rain, we hit a pothole that immediately flattened two tires. Along the route, we witnessed several other vehicles along the side of the road which had met the same fate.

The damage being done to vehicles travelling this high-traffic route and the potential for serious accidents as a result of the condition of the road is serious, yet the city cannot seem to make adequate repairs to resolve the problem. Route 90 serves a large population that deserves to see long-overdue action from the city.

Elaine Toms

Winnipeg

Crossword creator mourned

Re: Free Press crossword author Adrian Powell dead at 74 (April 22)

Thank you to Kevin Rollanson for his special obituary on Adrian Powell, who created Free Press games such as the daily crossword puzzle, Sudoku and Cryptoquotes.

I have shared the start of my day with Powell for many years. I appreciated his sense of humour and the Canadian tone of his clues and answers. How wonderful to find out what a kind and caring person he was to his family and friends, both human and animal. I do indeed feel I have lost a friend.

Margaret Campbell

Winnipeg