Letters, May 30

Opinion

Irresponsible commitments

I thought banker-turned-Prime Minister Mark Carney was sold to Canadians as a responsible manager? Why is it, then, that he is leading our nation down a treacherously expensive path towards arms deals with Europe and potentially joining the sure-to-fail “Golden Dome” project?

He’s also already committed us to $38 billion for “NORAD modernization,” $19 billion on American-made F-35s, $5 billion for American Reaper drones, and $22 billion for naval destroyers. This is a ludicrous amount of money that should be put to use repairing infrastructure, building houses, and providing life-sustaining services amidst a plethora of social crises.

At a time of major international turmoil and an existential climate crisis, Canada needs to become a voice for peace and negotiation, not continue to be a party to Western chauvinism and warmongering. A “responsible manager” would recognize that the path to prosperity and security is not war and conflict, but instead diplomacy and constructive co-operation.

Evan Marnoch

Winnipeg

Tories should support bill

Re: NDP asks Tories to co-operate on passage of interprovincial trade bill before next week’s summer break (May 26)

As stated, getting Bill 47 passed before the summer break deadline, would take fast tracking that only happens if the provincial Tories agree to it.

Derek Johnson, Progressive Conservative House leader, provided his excuses for why they shouldn’t help the NDP — and that should be no surprise in any political circus — including one that stated the NDP didn’t pass a similar bill put forward by the PCs because it didn’t contain protection for Crown corporations (not a small objection in my view ).

But now the PCs are being asked to do what is right for Manitobans, Canadians and all businesses and agencies on which a bill would have major, positive impacts, and is one of many bills being passed across the country, allowing our economy to grow and strengthen internally.

I would urge the PCs to do what is right for the majority of Canadians, not just Manitobans, and allow its quick passage. Maybe there’s a way to leave room for fine tuning at later dates. Either way, PC leader Obby Khan has promised that his party has promised Manitobans his party will do better, and behave better this time around.

Putting aside political games for the betterment of Manitobans, at this moment in history, is the best time to prove it.

Ian Campbell

Winnipeg

Canada Post CEO must go

Full disclosure: I am a employee of Canada post and a member of CUPW.

With the uncertainty of the future of Canada Post and the public postal service, it’s time for the government of Canada to remove the CEO, Doug Ettinger, and the board of directors.

It’s under the direction of Mr. Ettinger that Canada Post has suffered continued loss of revenue the last several years that has the corporation in financial ruins.

Canada post claims they deliver two billion letters and 300 million parcels yearly and are losing over $1 billion a year.

Canada Post is a business and a service provider and, like every other business, if they need more revenue to operate and survive then they need to do what other companies do, and that is to increase their rates for providing delivery of the public postal service.

Nobody likes price increases, but when the fuel companies, grocery stores and so many other businesses need revenue to survive, up go the prices and we, the users, pay.

Based on the numbers Canada Post reports of what they deliver of letter mail and parcels, a small rate increase of 25 cents per letter and a increase of $3 per parcel would almost generate close to $1 billion in revenue.

It’s time for Mr. Ettinger to do his job and find ways to generate revenue to keep Canada Post in business and not drive business away to Purolator, which is owned 91 per cent by Canada Post. Mr. Ettinger is also a director on the board of Purolator — talk about a conflict of interest.

Mr. Ettinger is not capable of doing his job time to replace him with someone who can.

Canada Post belongs to the public and should remain a public postal service.

Everyone is well aware of the ongoing labour dispute between the CUPW and Canada Post under the direction of Mr. Ettinger. This dispute is not helping with business for Canada Post.

It is time to get the labour dispute settled and have the public postal service back on track.

Mike Kryshewsky

Olha

Reconsidering the military’s function

I’ve often wondered why we have never really looked at the function of the military in Canada. Historically (and by default), the military’s existence and purpose is to defend and protect our country. And, I truly believe it is critical to have and maintain a strong and efficient military force.

However, we have always looked at the “defend and protect” as being from traditional threats of war, invasion, and so on. But if we look at what is threatening us now (in addition to the political challenges), we are constantly being challenged by nature with forest fires, floods, and major storms.

Sure we will deploy the military to support, but only at the last option. Why aren’t we also using our military for frontline firefighting, flood fighting, etc.? We could then incorporate all firefighting into the military, which would justify increasing our military size.

Providing firefighting and other types of training, will only make our military forces stronger. Just a thought on a new way of looking at utilizing our country’s assets for the betterment of our country (yes, the military is an asset).

Garry Lang

Winnipeg

Thanks to hospital staff

My three stays to St. Boniface Hospital lately were more than wonderful.

In May-June 2023 I suffered dizzy spells; urgent care at Concordia suspected stress heart failure, and sent me immediately by transfer ambulance to St. Boniface where I received a pacemaker the next day. There was great post-operative care also.

On Sept. 3, 2024, I fell onto a marble floor and broke more than one rib; went into emergency at St. Boniface. Within a couple of hours of sitting, I was put on a gurney, hallway overnight, next morning into observation, then into a fourth-floor room; 10 days total. While there, staff took several tests. On discharge papers, “we noted an anomaly on right kidney, recommend CT scan.”

My family doctor had scan done, and my Stage 3 right cancerous kidney was removed laparoscopically on Dec. 30, 2024, and I was in the step-down unit for a week. I sing their praises.

The staff that are working in hospitals are going above and beyond, offering great care. More are needed in every hospital in every province, in every country, it seems.

It is too bad that occasionally a patient falls through the cracks — I feel for them, but I’m sure governments here and everywhere are doing their best to find and keep all the medically trained people that they can find.

Flo Olson

Winnipeg

Treaty matters

Since 1931, with the passage of the Statute of Westminster, and through the constitutional process that concluded in 1982 with the adoption of Canada’s Constitution and section 35 on April 17, 1982, all treaty obligations now rest with Canada — not the United Kingdom.

In 1981, Lord Denning of the English Court of Appeal ruled that legal issues related to treaties in Canada are to be dealt with in Canadian courts, not in the courts of the U.K.

As for King Charles reading the throne speech — a role usually performed by the Governor General — it should not be assumed that this act changes the legal and constitutional facts described above.

Any treaty matters that require resolution are Canada’s responsibility, not the U.K.’s. The Crown that holds responsibility is the Crown in right of Canada — not King Charles in right of the U.K.

King Charles has no legal authority over First Nations people or section 35 rights in Canada, whether treaty-related or otherwise. His role is only symbolic and moral — not one of legal power.

Kenneth B. Young

Winnipeg