Letters, March 19

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/03/2015 (4215 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Funeral coverage disrespectful

The service that was held to celebrate Kelsey Brewster’s life on March 14 was a public event, intended for people who wished to gather together to show their support and love for the Brewster family (Re: Young Kelsey mourned, buried, March 15).

The service was, as all funerals are, a place for a family and a community to come together, ease the pain of their grief through the sharing of memories, and to say goodbye to someone they love.

Your staff was not in attendance for any of those reasons — they attended solely to get a story. And the story they got was not theirs to tell.

The family’s wishes for the interment service at Greenwood Cemetery to be private were clearly expressed in Kelsey’s obituary, published in the Winnipeg Free Press on March 13. For a photographer to intrude on such an intimate family moment is distasteful — and for you to include that photo in a publication is reprehensible.

It is our hope that the next time a similar situation arises, you will consider the consequences before increasing the immeasurable pain a grieving family is already suffering.

Karen Letts

Member and public affairs,

Manitoba Funeral Service Association

 

New NDP delegates disappointed

As a first-time delegate at the NDP convention, I received a huge education in party politics (NDP looks backwards with Selinger win, March 17).

I went with hope for a vision of real change; I left disappointed with what can only be described as bully politics.

In Selinger had to step on toes (March 17), Kelly Gorkoff got one thing right — both sides made their point. And the “steel-toed boots” sure taught their punitive lesson. The only reason Greg Selinger faced this test was not about stepping on toes, it was about choosing to use boots instead of ears.

Karen Toole

Winnipeg

 

As a first-time NDP convention delegate and someone new to politics, maybe I’m missing something.

I believed Premier Selinger would focus on reconciliation and bringing everyone back together after the convention — a convention where two-thirds of members voted against him.

Instead, we’ve seen vindictive, bitter actions from him that are making things worse, not uniting us: Oswald supporters fired and MLAs excluded from caucus.

Where is the olive branch Selinger promised?

Jennifer Friesen

Winnipeg

 

Details on Dalnavert deal

Contrary to Bill Redekop’s article, the agreement between the Manitoba Historical Society (MHS) and the Friends of Dalnavert Museum was not “tough to swallow” for the MHS (Mothballed museum saved, March 18).

The MHS always wanted to do as much as we could to get the Friends off to a good start, so we decided to sell the house and property to them for $1. There is also a trust fund, set up in the 1990s by donors, as an endowment for Dalnavert.

We realized that like the house itself, the MHS held these funds in trust, and that the money was part of the package. So we agreed to transfer most of the trust fund to the Friends as well.

We will keep about 10 per cent of the fund, which will help pay off our remaining Dalnavert bills. It will also allow us to start new heritage projects that have been on hold while the Dalnavert House issue was being settled.

The MHS is proud of Dalnavert House — we feel privileged to have had the responsibility for this heritage jewel for over 40 years and are happy to contribute substantial resources toward its future.

There were no dissenting votes when the agreement was voted on at our council meeting Tuesday night.

Harry Duckworth

President, Manitoba Historical Society

 

Selinger buying seniors’ votes

Doubling the tax credit for seniors should only be seen as yet another ploy by the Selinger government to buy votes (NDP has budget goody for seniors, March 18).

After ruthlessly taxing everything and everyone with a vengeance, as well as borrowing on future generations, they now start to create an illusion they will give tax breaks to groups who have supported them in the past. It’s as transparent as it gets.

Jack Scott

Winnipeg

 

As a senior, I appreciate the $235 school tax rebate.

Now, if they would just reduce the lease fee on my Whiteshell cottage, which has nearly doubled in two years.

Any answers for that, Premier Selinger?

Tom Johnstone

Winnipeg