Letters, Oct. 13

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/10/2022 (1370 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nursing shortage unsafe

Re: Nurses union issues ‘S.O.S.’ for Grace ICU (Oct. 11)

As the story reports, the normal level of care is one nurse for every patient on intensive care units but, because of a shortage of nurses, Grace Hospital is “tripling” the patient load of nurses.

Having worked many years in ICU settings, I cannot dream of caring for three critically ill patients at once. Not only is it extremely unsafe, it is inhumane treatment.

Adding 250 more seats to train nurses at five post-secondary institutions sounds impressive, but it takes four years to train a nurse. With the rate at which nurses are quitting, plus retirements, in 2026 that impressive number will not even cover the unfilled positions.

Nurses have been sounding the alarm regarding staffing for years. In every unit, in every hospital, in every health-care setting, there is a dangerous shortage of trained bedside caregivers.

As aging baby boomers require more medical care, these demographics demand a more aggressive approach to restore our health care to an acceptable level in Manitoba.

Karen Zurba

Winnipeg

Counting COVID-19 casualties

Re: Manitoba has highest COVID rate in Canada (Oct. 12)

Prof. Tara Moriarty, co-founder of the research group COVID-19 Resources Canada, said the estimate of 10,000 infections per day in Manitoba is likely about 1,000 less than the daily total in January “because a lot of the most at-risk Manitobans have since had a booster dose or have died.”

Finally, an acknowledgment that when you kill off the most vulnerable, there are less of them to die in the future. Great for improving the statistics, not so great for the deceased.

Jim Smith

Winnipeg

Premier Heather Stefanson said on Jan. 13: “This virus is running throughout our community and it’s up to Manitobans to look after themselves.”

Enough said!

Bob Sales

Winnipeg

Sex assaults reflect on parents

Re: Hockey Canada CEO Smith out, board of directors resigns (Oct. 11)

The recent revelations about sexual assault scandals in Hockey Canada’s programs and the millions of dollars set aside for uninsured liabilities is very disturbing, and even more disconcerting is that a board of directors would hide that. One question that hasn’t come up: where are the parents in all this?

As they raised their sons, and taught them about work ethic, team spirit and discipline, did they not teach these teenagers and young men about respect and how to keep their emotions and libidos under control? Did parents not teach their sons why sexual assault and abuse are totally unacceptable in becoming a man and holding your honour? Or how such assaults could destroy your future forever?

Volker Beckmann

Thompson

Learning from ‘real persons’

Re: Educators put traditional spin on video games (Oct. 8)

As a retired educator, I was intrigued to read about the use of video games as a tool to teach the “foundational Anishinaabe principles on conducting oneself towards others.” Given the strong motivational power of digital gaming, I have no doubt students can grow in their awareness of the traditional teachings through this instructional medium. However, I would offer a cautionary note.

Broadly speaking, teaching involves both receiving information and applying newly acquired knowledge. It seems to me that the critical human-relations skills mentioned in the article (e.g. honesty, respect, truth) require interactions between and among “real persons.”

The digital medium, by its very nature, has an impersonal and distancing quality, and so it would be important for educators to ensure the application phase of these teachings involves other persons. Role-playing and capitalizing on those teachable moments that arise in the classroom and playground come to mind.

Edwin Buettner

Winnipeg

Gift of the Bay was affront

Re: Transforming the Bay downtown (Opinion, Oct. 11)

Like opinion writer Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, I share fond memories of what Portage Avenue was like when both the former Eaton’s store and the Bay were thriving enterprises. There was a vibrancy on Portage that had a New York feel.

With due respect to Grand Chief Daniels, however, I don’t share his enthusiasm for the so-called act of corporate reconciliation by the Hudson’s Bay Co. Their “gift” to the Southern Chiefs’ Organization was a masterpiece in marketing and public relations and a final affront to First Nations people.

What else could you call the gift of a derelict old building that has an audited asset value of zero? The HBC, now an American company, off-loaded the ongoing costs of taxes, security, utilities, insurance and upkeep onto the Indigenous people and the taxpayers.

The cost to upgrade and renovate this heritage building to contemporary standards will be several hundred million dollars. In a stroke of marketing genius, HBC wrapped up this “gift” in a package of corporate reconciliation that fooled politicians and the media and left the rest of us with the bill. Modern-day colonialism!

Wally Barton

Winnipeg

Frontage levy needed

Re: Marked difference between candidates’ plans, wishful thinking (Opinion, Oct. 11)

I agree with columnist Tom Brodbeck with regard to the mayoral candidates’ wishful thinking. Most hopefuls would have us believe we can have these wonderful programs, without informing us where the money is coming from.

I applaud candidates Shaun Loney and Scott Gillingham. Even though Brodbeck states that both make “questionable assumptions,” I applaud them for being transparent. Both have stated they will need to raise taxes.

I have concerns when candidates say they are going to freeze taxes and wages, and discontinue photo-radar ticketing while increasing funding for arts and recreation. It doesn’t add up.

In my opinion, it’s clear the city has to generate more revenue. It seems we play the “shell game” every time there is an election. It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

I believe the only way to get ahead of these costs is to apply a one-time frontage levy until our roads are fixed. At some point, we need to, as a community, decide infrastructure is important and we are going to fund it adequately.

Ken Campbell

Winnipeg

Not treaty language

Re: Signposts on the road to reconciliation (Editorial, Oct. 10)

Regarding the editorial that commends Saskatchewan for erecting signs that welcome Highway 11 drivers to the boundaries of Treaty 6 and Treaty 4, and notes the signs contain this phrase: “As long as the sun shines, grass grows and rivers flow.”

Nowhere in treaties 4 or 6 — or in treaties 1 or 2 for that matter — does the phrase “as long as the sun shines, grass grows, and rivers flow” appear, although it has frequently been attributed to several treaties. It is not treaty language, so is not a phrase binding on us treaty people.

This phrase comes from Thomas Berger’s 1964 book made into the 1970 movie Little Big Man, uttered by the character Old Lodge Skins, played by the late chief Dan George. In short, it is fiction.

James Busby

Winnipeg