Have your say: Hockey and war stir the emotions

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This article was published 16/07/2010 (5918 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Negative nabobs

It’s really disheartening to read all of the negativity surrounding Jonathan Toews and the honours that have been bestowed upon him. Finally a feel-good story that is good for the city, yet people are so quick to bash it.

We have weekly shootings, daily stabbings and numerous beatings in our province. Finally, there is a role model for kids to look up to and what do we do? Publicly bash this decision because he’s an athlete and not a war hero/doctor/healer of the world.

 

Michael Epp

Winnipeg

 

Get your facts straight

Manitoba’s chief protocol officer, Dwight MacAuley, is in charge of ensuring that protocol is followed for naming of geographical features in the province of Manitoba — one for soldiers such as my son, Lane Watkins, in the Commemorative Names Project and one for Memorable Manitobans, under which Jonathan Toews recently was named. MacAuley is quoted in the Free Press as saying "there is a mandated three-year wait period before we can go about naming." This morning on CBC radio, he stated the wait period is five years. Manitoba soldiers killed in 2006 were honoured with a lake naming in 2007. I completely support the waiting period of one or three or five years, whichever it is, before taking the decision to honour Manitobans in this way.

If protocol was consistently followed, perhaps Premier Greg Selinger would have been forced to choose a more appropriate accolade to bestow on a talented hockey player at this time. After the required wait period — an opportunity to carefully consider the long-term consequences — it could then be awarded. In his haste, Selinger has managed to insult the families of the fallen soldiers, taint Toews’ celebration, embarrass our province on the national stage and left Manitoba with the quandary of how to deal with all the other sports stars that have gone before Toews.

The Commemorative Names Project is a legacy for all Manitobans that will outlast a one-day photo op and Selinger’s premiership. It is his duty to lead this government in a more thoughtful manner. It is MacAuley’s job to ensure that protocol is followed.

My heart goes out to Toews and his family and friends. They should not be made to feel that they have to defend Jonathan’s reputation or accomplishments. It is right and important to celebrate outstanding effort and positive role models for youth. How unfortunate for Jonathan that he has been put in this position through no fault of his own. In the future, I’m certain Toews will be more wary of politicians bearing gifts.

If there is a silver lining to this fiasco, it is that perhaps more Manitobans are aware of the Commemorative Names Project. My son, Pte. Lane William Thomas Watkins, was killed in action in Afghanistan on July 4, 2007.

 

Wanda Watkins

Clearwater

 

Too early to tell

The issue is not whether Jonathan Toews deserves some honour, but the virtual permanence of such an honour. The measure of human beings cannot be determined until they have left this life. Only then can their achievements be fully evaluated and considered for permanent recognition.

Applying this rule to the naming of streets, lakes and public buildings would also eliminate the embarrassment that comes with the downfall, during their lifetime, of so-called honourable persons.

 

Jesse Vorst

Winnipeg

 

What about the others?

I am thrilled about the accomplishments of Jonathan Toews, especially this early in his career. On the flip side, other than to give us Winnipeggers a chance to get up close to Lord Stanley’s mug and be proud of our son, I am not sure what other positive impact this has on our city.

He is lauded as a role model and now has a centre and a lake named after him as a result of winning the cup. How about the other Manitobans playing in the NHL and who also had a great season? Are they not role models because they did not bring home a cup?

On the issue of our fallen soldiers having to wait for years before they can have a lake or even a memorial named after them, I find this ridiculous. This protocol needs to be addressed. Given the volatile nature of sports stars, the city should make sure their career is over before honouring them. That is why there is a three-year wait to get into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A soldier goes out to fight and maybe die for his country. There is hardly any personal and selfish gain in this. I am not so sure that making Winnipeg proud was the main reason for Toews choosing a hockey career. Let’s get our priorities straight. After all, it’s still only sports. I am still waiting for Terry Fox Lake.

 

Carlos Walcott

Winnipeg

 

A society of whiners

Unbelievable, we regressed to a society of whiners. Instead of complaining that a lake has been named after an athlete, put forward suggestions on names for our lakes.

 

robert newman

Winnipeg

 

Desperate for success?

Jonathan Toews is a talented hard-working young man. He is brilliant in his chosen sport, and at least hockey fans appreciate his achievements. However, it is revealing and embarrassing that the so-called leaders in our province and city are so desperate for photo ops with success, that they publicly expose the knee-jerk shallowness of their decisions for all to evaluate. Way to go Jonathan! Way to go voters… you elected these media-circus performers!

 

Shane Nestruck

Winnipeg

 

Toews a class act

With all the recent controversy regarding the naming of lakes, buildings and such to honour our heroes I felt compelled to write. To me I can understand the feelings of the families of the fallen soldiers. I am myself the son of a soldier who served in the Second World War. I can also understand the feelings of all connected to the two firefighters who gave their lives. I also think professional athletes have a place among heroes. Jonathan Toews has proven to be a class act. He is the kind of hero that our youth need as an example. I also think a fitting tribute to the two fallen firefighters would be to name one of the four new fire halls after them.

As for the soldiers, lakes named in their honour are coming and they do receive the thanks of the whole country every year on Nov. 11. It all comes down to perspective.

 

Leonard Turton

Winnipeg

 

Klassen, Hughes waited

Just curious: How many years did Cindy Klassen and Clara Hughes have to turn out great performances on an international level before they got recognition from the province and city? Pardon me for having thought that the two firefighters who died on the job had been recognized by the city and the province. Do the city and the province plan to do so within the next little while?

 

Kathy Taylor

Winnipeg

 

Keep it in perspective

With regards to the assertion that we are being negative, we have absolutely nothing against Jonathan Toews. We watched Jonathan score two goals during the world junior championships and watched him mature into a top calibre NHL superstar and a role model for the young. Notice I say he is a superstar — not hero — the honours that have been bestowed on him are well deserved, if rushed, for he has worked hard to achieve what he has.

Our issue is with the appearance of elected officials tripping over each other to honour Toews, while our troops, police, firefighters and EMS personnel who have given their lives for this country seem to be forgotten. These are the true heroes — our soldiers, police, firefighters and EMS personnel who, one day, have to face imminent danger and threats to their well being and their very lives.

All we are asking for is that accomplishments such as winning a sports trophy be kept in perspective, and that people know what is truly important. If this is being negative, we seem to have a lot of company.

 

Jim Seggie

Winnipeg

 

A double standard

It is disgusting that some readers are practising a double standard by complaining when a male athlete is honoured. Where were they when Cindy Klassen and many others were honoured! Not a word of opposition or disapproval was uttered by the very same readers at that time. I challenge the naysayers to explain this disparity in honouring our very own athletes and sports stars who bring pride and joy to millions of Canadians.

For God’s sake, take full pride in honouring our athletes of the stature of Toews. Honouring the likes of him by no means diminishes the glory of our soldiers by any stretch of imagination!

 

Michael chodu

Winnipeg

 

Blame the politicians

While I agree that it was entirely inappropriate to have queue-jumped the process in naming a lake after Jonathan Toews, we should take caution in where we direct our ire.

He should be lauded as a fine role model for our youth; a hard-working, dedicated individual who has shown skill, leadership and modesty. If anyone is at fault here, it is decidedly the bandwagon-jumping politicians who seek to make political hay from Toews’ timely arrival in town with the Stanley Cup.

We’re proud of Toews and his connection to Winnipeg, but cynical politicos have found a way to sully the poor young gentleman by dragging him unaware into a muddle. Let’s not allow the shine to rub from Toews or his hard-won achievements. The tarnish is firmly upon the over-eager politicians seeking to capitalize on his good reputation.

 

Al Shankie

Winnipeg

 

A positive role model

I’m shocked! Every day in our newspapers we are hit with another bad incident. Name a lake for a hometown kid and everybody is up in arms.

Get a grip! He deserves it. End of story.

Congratulations, bravo, well done Jonathan!

Friendly Manitoba? More like Negative Manitoba!

 

yolande vincent

Winnipeg

 

Many possibilities

It should be acknowledged that not all military, police and fire personnel die performing heroic deeds. Indeed, many live on with physical and mental reminders of the events that put their lives in danger for the rest of us.

Talented sports stars are most entertaining and exciting, but heroes they are not. With our abundance of landmarks (lakes, ocean and small mountains), we Manitobans should be willing to share these sites and give recognition to many others who contribute to Canada and the world. The late Duff Roblin quickly comes to mind, but there are so many others.

 

Harry F. McFee

Winnipeg

 

Going overboard

Regardless of whether Jonathan Toews is deserving of all the recent accolades, the entire incident is indicative of the desperation of this city to associate itself with a winner, especially since Winnipeg teams are experiencing a prolonged dry spell.

The Bombers have gone without a Grey Cup for 20 years; the Moose, despite their strong showing in the 2008-09 season, have never won the AHL title; the Jets’ glory days are more than three decades past; the Goldeyes’ only Northern League championship was in 1994; a Winnipeg team hasn’t won the Memorial Cup since 1959 and doesn’t even have a Junior A representative at present. So it’s no wonder it has gone overboard honouring Toews’ achievements.

 

Edward Katz

Winnipeg

 

Meech Lake anyone?

I agree that Jonathan Toews should not have been allowed to jump the queue ahead of our fallen war heroes in having a lake named after him. The province, of course, resorts to its usual defence mechanism in explaining the delay for veterans: Blame the federal government.

If, however, there is to be an expedited process for local Stanley Cup heroes and others, the province should move forthwith to honour hero and former MLA by naming Meech Lake in Elijah Harper’s former constituency.

 

Grant Rodgers

Winnipeg

 

Convenient timing

A segment on CTV news included the father of Cpl. Mike Seggie expressing his disappointment over the fact that as of this date, nothing has been done to honour his son in the same manner as Jonathan Toews. Those watching that newscast were informed that the government has made plans for a ceremony honouring the last five casualties in November.

Convenient at this point in time to have a date set? Yes. However, why not inform the families of these soldiers of this important happening privately. Instead, Seggie has to hear it at the same time as the public!

 

Fran Manary

St. Andrews

 

Time for Gardiner Arena

I would point out that Jonathan Toews is not the only Chicago Blackhawk to warrant such admiration. My uncle, Charlie Gardiner, was the captain and goalie for the 1934 Chicago team that won the Stanley Cup. He played for Chicago from 1926 to 1934. He was on several all-star teams and a Vezina Trophy winner twice. For a number of years he was reputed to be 75 per cent of the team!

It is strange that we now have Toews Community Centre along with Billy Mosienko Arena and Terry Sawchuk Arena, but no mention anywhere in Winnipeg of Gardiner. Last winter, I contacted Coun. Gord Steeves with the possibility of renaming the St. Vital Arena the Gardiner Arena and was referred to the St. Vital Minor Hockey Association. I contacted the president with the request that I attend an executive meeting to present this proposal. As of this date I have not received a reply to my request. Recognizing that this hockey hero dates back almost 80 years possibly is not of interest to many. However, if you read the book Before the Echoes Fade — The Story of Charlie Gardiner you will recognize the hero that he was.

 

GEORGE E. POULTER

Winnipeg