Letters, Feb. 23

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This article was published 23/02/2024 (933 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Shame on Tory leader

Re: Poilievre against transgender women in female bathrooms (Feb. 22)

I’m curious about whether Pierre Poilievre and other Tory leaders have actually thought through the implications of this policy. Or are they merely fishing for votes from a certain sector of society knowing they can never implement it?

Why not? For one thing, the courts would strike it down. But mostly because it would create havoc in public washrooms.

Here’s why: even the most finely tuned “gaydar” can’t always tell the birth designation of the person standing in front of them. If you think transgender women look and sound like lumberjacks in dresses, think again.

Transgender women have appeared in lots of movies, including at least one Bond movie in a bathing suit — and no one knew at the time. The vast majority of transgender women look, act and sound like other women. And many women designated female at birth can be mistaken for men.

This means some sort of screening will have to be done at the door to every public washroom.

Your ID states your sex designation at present, not at birth. Under the Tory proposal, everyone would have to be issued new ID that states their sex designation at birth. Unless they want to implement an honour system. But probably not. I sense the Tories don’t trust transgender people to be honest.

And what if you forget your ID in the car? Would you have to submit to a physical examination? Which wouldn’t prove anything — transgender women have breasts and vaginas. Or just do it in the hallway?

To be fair, this would also apply to transgender men who were designated female at birth. Now, imagine you’re a woman in a public washroom and in walks someone who looks, acts and sounds like a man. Or you’re a man standing at a urinal and in walks an attractive woman. What’s your reaction? Remember, Poilievre says they belong there.

We all know about the lineups at women’s washrooms at airports and during intermission at theatres and other public events. Under the Tory proposal, and with security checking ID at all public washrooms, men would experience the same long lineups — at airports and at Jets, Bombers, Goldeyes and Valour games, for example.

Would that curtail beer sales at sporting events, or would venues be forced to construct more washrooms? Or would fans simply stay home to avoid the hassle?

One last thing, while it’s admirable for Tories to want to protect women, do they really think a person designated male at birth would undergo a physical change, including hormone therapy and removal of male genitalia, just to get into a women’s washroom?

Rachel Morgan

Winnipeg

Pierre Poilievre’s attack on the transgender community is little more than a cowardly assault upon a small and vulnerable segment of society he deems expendable for purely opportunistic political purposes.

As history begs the question, who’s next?

Dan Donahue

Winnipeg

Hoping for better nursing future

Re: Pros, cons of hospital schools (Letters, Feb 22)

Thank you Debbie Ammeter Sipley and Ariel Lee for your excellent letters about education for nurses.

At the turn of the millennium, I was 50 years of age and at loose ends. The one occupation in which there was a desperate labour shortage was nursing. I considered two options — the two-year registered nursing program at Red River College and the one-year licensed practical nursing program delivered by Assiniboine Community College at the Misericordia Health Centre. I decided on the LPN program because it is pleasant walk to the Misericordia Health Centre from my home in Wolseley and I wouldn’t be working a lot longer.

When Gary Filmon became premier of Manitoba, he thought it was a great idea to hire an American consultant for big bucks to prepare recommendations to make our health-care system more efficient. This consultant recommended eliminating LPNs. In the 1990s, we trained only RNs and health-care aides in Manitoba.

By the turn of the millennium, we had a desperate shortage of nurses in Manitoba. We also had a new NDP government. The NDP brought back LPNs and supported the two-year RN program at Red River College.

Our health-care system in Manitoba is now in good hands. Uzoma Asagwara is deputy premier of Manitoba and the minister of health in our province, who worked as a registered psychiatric nurse before entering politics.

Somebody upstairs was smiling on Manitoba when they gave us Asagwara and another NDP government.

Rich North

Winnipeg

Reflect, Sen. Plett

Re: Safety concerns escalate for elected officials (Feb. 20)

It’s baffling that Sen. Don Plett is bemoaning the need for “panic buttons” by politicians after his vehicle was accosted by protesters on the hill.

He supported the protesters of the 2022 occupation “convoy” of Ottawa that terrorized citizens for weeks, even though the leadership of the convoy had a clearly written MOU which demanded the immediate overthrow of the sitting government of Canada. (The current Conservative leader bought them coffee and doughnuts, of course.)

Mr. Plett personally has a history of violently throwing down equipment in the red chamber, then charging across the room to loudly berate two female senators who were “frozen with fear” at his behaviour.

It’s difficult to understand how Plett is surprised by the results of violent political rhetoric when he enthusiastically endorsed Donald Trump for reelection in 2020, referring to the famously violence-endorsing Donald Trump as “my good friend.”

Perhaps Mr. Plett would benefit from some “sober second thought” of his own… but I’m not holding my breath.

Sherry Bellamy

Winnipeg

Good reads

Re: Revisiting books that shape our lives; and There’s more to news than profits (Think Tank, Feb. 21)

As I read the Feb. 21 Think Tank, I am reminded how crucial it is for journalists like Pam Frampton and Rochelle Squires to have a platform to inform and share their thoughts with the general public.

Ms. Frampton’s examples of great books and the power they have to connect with the reader struck a chord with me that can sometimes be overlooked in our chaotic and frightening world. Her last words, “happy reading” are not a cliche. They are a gift we can give ourselves.

Ms. Squires made an excellent case for government to be transparent if we want to know the truth. How can this be accomplished without involving reporters? As imperfect and biased as this may be, the alternative is a recipe for disaster.

Eileen Gibson

East St. Paul

Transit officers necessary

Re: Transit officers take to streets on Day 1 (Feb. 21)

Transit officers are a vital new initiative in the City of Winnipeg aimed at promoting community safety, protecting the vulnerable and helping where needed. Arresting and detaining dangerous people is necessary in order to provide security.

Why is the Winnipeg Police Association opposed to this initiative? The present police force is not able to provide this kind of service. We no longer see police patrolling on foot. We support this new service and will feel safer travelling downtown by bus.

Judith and Francisco Valenzuela

Winnipeg