Letters, April 23

Conservatives hiding Poilievre

The latest Conservative Party ads make no mention of Poilievre. He is now a liability for the party and voters are being asked to just vote for the Conservative party they have always supported.

This is not surprising, given the fact that ever since he became leader of the party, Poilievre’s rantings have been lacking in anything of substance. He railed against the carbon tax, then Mark Carney did away with it. He railed against Trudeau when he was prime minister and then when Carney came on the scene, tried to convince voters that he was just like Trudeau. That didn’t work either.

The problem with this latest Conservative campaign tactic is that Poilievre is still the party leader and would implement his damaging plans on Canada if he gets elected. Don’t get drawn in by this ploy, Conservatives! Accept the fact that Poilievre is not the leader for your party now.

Art Quanbury

River Hills

Poison a cruel tool

Re: “Leave the squirrels alone” (Letters, April 19)

Shame, shame on the City of Winnipeg as it demonstrates yet again a backward approach to any issue involving the environment or an innocent creature, and kudos to Mary-Jane Robinson for her common-sense letter, in the same edition in which Alex Lambert further elaborated the city’s plans to “control” the squirrel population with a lethal pesticide, claiming no other option.

That the city would condone and plan to inflict this type of poison (Giant Destroyer) on any animal, which by all accounts causes significant and prolonged suffering taking up to an hour, is extrememly disappointing. Why is the only solution to someone not watching their step, the wickedly cruel and lazy overreaction of unleashing poison in city parks?

Is there any guarantee the squirrels will remain conveniently in their burrows and out of public sight while they suffer a horrible end, as the city no doubt hopes? When more humane options exist, it is unconscionable to claim they are too “expensive” or “cumbersome,” and thus that a cruel poison is the only answer.

It is simply the easy and convenient answer. I am concerned that no sincere effort has been invested in pursuing a more humane alternative.

Katharine Schulz

Winnipeg

I am totally in agreement with Mary Jane Robinson’s well-documented and scientific commentary concerning the poisoning of squirrels in Winnipeg parks as a protective measure against injuries caused by tripping over a burrowing hole.

I am appalled at the idea of poisoning ground squirrels or other burrowing animals such as ground hogs or prairie dogs because someone may get injured by stepping into a hole. These animals are part of creation and should be respected and protected, not poisoned. Speaking of falls, the city seems to have a blind eye when it comes to sidewalks which have raised surfaces.

I speak with experience when I tripped on a protruded sidewalk in May 2024, fell and broke a femur bone and still experience the effects from that. The fall was a lot harder than falling in a park.

I wonder what are the other unknown effects of poisoning the squirrels — for instance, do predators such as owls or foxes become poisoned if they eat a dying squirrel?

It is time we learn to live in harmony and respect for other sentient beings who share this earth. It is time to adopt a new ethos of respect and care for the environment. Please, do not poison!

Mary Jane Eason

Winnipeg

Remembering a pontiff

Re: A life of humble service (April 22)

In the news and in commentaries this morning there are references to Pope Francis’s many accomplishments. He had a deep concern for social justice; for the marginalized and poor. Creation care and environmental stewardship were high on his agenda. In Canada, he will be particularly remembered for his penitential tour and apology to Indigenous peoples. Yet no mention was made of Francis’s heartfelt passion for world peace and an end to war.

He had deep committment to peace and non-violence. This theme is strongly evident in the the many messages and prayers written by Francis brought together in the 2022 Orbis Books publication: Against War — Building a Culture of Peace. As we hear the call for ever-increasing military budgets and meeting NATO’s demands for more of our GDP, and as we see our political leaders and parties acquiesce to and echo these demands, we would all do well to pause and reflect on just a few of the many words by Francis on the subject of war and peace:

“There is no such thing as a just war: they do not exist.”

“All wars must be stopped, and they will only stop if we stop ‘feeding’ them.”

“It is up to us, today’s humanity, especially those of us, believers of all religions, to turn instruments of hatred into instruments of peace.”

Thank you, Francis, for your legacy of peace.

Ernie Wiens

La Salle

Reasons for a paper ballot

Re: “Slow roll at the polls” (Letters, April 22)

As an IT professional, I sympathize with Mr. Lopuck; with a suitable application of technology, the voting process could be made substantially faster.

However, I would like him to consider two things: (a) any further introduction of technology would be expensive and much more prone to troublesome failure than pencil and paper, and (b) the current method is highly resistant to voter fraud and interference from nefarious foreign actors. Paper is hard to hack en masse.

Think of your wait in line as doing your part to continue Canada’s tradition with reliable elections, and to defeat those who would try to corrupt our election results.

Kevin McGregor

Winnipeg

Speed limits not the problem

I am writing to you about the speed limits in Winnipeg.

As I am an automotive professional, I have gone to school to learn specifically how traffic occurs, how to diminish the amount of collisions, as well as all safety equipment on vehicles.

Over the past few years I’ve noticed a few things in Winnipeg. Drivers are impeding traffic more and more, as well as the speed limits are being lowered all across the city. This happens at the same time that vehicles are becoming safer, easier to control and stop from highway speeds. Last time I went to college, I learned that our highway traffic act hasn’t had a single law updated since we used drum brakes on all four corners of a car.

With that being said, keeping the math simple, travelling at 100 km/h in a car with four drum brakes will take 100 feet to come to a complete stop.

A car with four disc brakes will take half the distance, which means you can increase the speed limits on highways to above 100 km/h.

In the city of Winnipeg we have had a few speed changes. Waverley is now 70 km/h all the way down, instead of changing from 60-80-70-80-50.

Then we have the south end of Osborne after the bridge, which is now a 60 zone.

There is no scientific reason to lower speed limits. The only thing I can think of as a professional is that the aging population of Winnipeg needs to have yearly driver tests.

I’ve seen more people over the age of 60 crash a car than any 18-year-old boy. I have a customer who has crashed his Ford three times in one year — all fixed out of pocket so MPI doesn’t take his licence.

My solution to the impending traffic and low speed limits is very simple: do what Germany does. Yearly tests, and the driver’s licence in Germany has a steep price tag.

If you can’t afford it, don’t drive. Take the bus.

Alex Kohanik

Winnipeg