Letters, August 29

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This article was published 29/08/2022 (1365 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Add turnstiles to buses

Re: Murray unveils extensive plan to increase safety on city buses (Aug. 19)

As a daily bus rider for over 30 years, I can say overall the service has been quite satisfactory, although certain issues have cropped up over the past six years since provincial funding for the system was reduced, and attempts to fix these problems were made within the available budget.

Based on experience with transit in other cities, I would suggest adding an additional item to Glen Murray’s list to improve bus service: fitting the buses with a turnstile system. This would prevent entry of individuals who do not pay. It would also make riders use the rear door to exit the bus, since persons using the front doors often slow entry.

Peter Zahradka

Winnipeg

Poilievre knew of secret deal

Re: From optimism to disgust in the time it takes to remove a headdress (Opinion, Aug. 22)

Thanks to Niigaan Sinclair for speaking out on news of a secret 2015 deal between Stephen Harper’s government and Catholic leaders to “forever discharge” the church from its legal obligations to raise $25 million for residential school survivors.

I am outraged about the Conservative Party of Canada and the deceitful way this occurred. Shame on Harper and the government that included Pierre Poilievre. As the CPC leadership race nears, any Canadian voting for Poilievre must be aware of this history.

Thank you, Niigaan. Your words inspire. Please keep sharing truth with us.

Yvonne Lewis-Ballantyne

Winnipeg

Taxpayers already pay

Re: Cyclists should be licensed (Letters, Aug. 26)

Letter writer Robert Collings believes cyclists in Winnipeg make no financial contribution to the infrastructure changes made for cyclists. Excuse me, but I call B.S.

As a homeowner, therefore taxpayer, my property taxes contribute to those infrastructure changes no matter whether I drive or cycle to work. Apartment dwellers contribute their rents, which contribute to the owner’s tax bill.

When I purchase fuel and licences for my car, I pay taxes that help maintain infrastructure in the city and the province. It’s true only one commute in my vehicle creates much more wear and tear on that infrastructure than a whole season of cycling, so it’s only fair that I pay for that.

My actual licence costs are insignificant compared to the fuel and insurance costs. In fact, under Collings’ proposal, I’d be paying more for my bicycle licence than for my driver’s licence.

And yet again, we are forgetting the city’s economically disadvantaged, who cycle because it is the most cost-effective transportation for them, given the costs of transit and vehicle ownership. Good luck imposing a bicycle licence structure on them.

Jacqueline Cassel-Cramer

Winnipeg

Many years ago, in another city, at the start of each school year, police would arrive. They would check each of our bicycles, record the manufacturer, colour and serial number, and apply a small licence plate, at the cost of $1.

In one year I had my bicycle stolen twice and was able to get it back each time. The first time, the woman in whose driveway my bicycle was left contacted the police, who provided her with my address and she contacted me to inform me where it was. The second time, the owner of the house where it was left delivered it to the local police station. They loaded it into a cruiser and it was delivered to my house.

Bill Ewing

Winnipeg

It’s fascinating reading the debate over bicycles and pedestrians on shared paths or sidewalks. It’s a lot like the debate between motorists and cyclists. There’s clearly a lot of anger and frustration among folks who just want to travel safely to their destinations.

It raises several questions. Why is there even a debate? Shouldn’t our cities be designed to meet everyone’s needs? Don’t we all have the right to travel safely, no matter our age, our income or our physical abilities?

Perhaps we should design our transportation system starting with the basic principle that everyone has a right to travel safely. Perhaps we could adopt the philosophy that there are no preferred ways to travel. Maybe we could agree to design systems that safely separate cars from bikes, and bikes from pedestrians. Then maybe we could stop arguing and enjoy our city a little bit more.

Rachel Morgan

Winnipeg

Stop spending on non-essentials

We need common sense to return to city hall, if they ever was any, and for council to realize that at the end of the day, taxpayers foot the bill and they can no longer afford non-essential spending on wasteful pet projects in the quest to make us a “world-class city.”

We don’t need more bike lanes, 311 services, calming circles, Peggo bus cards, unnecessary street and transportation projects, artificial Christmas trees, free injection sites, charging stations and whatever other projects the majority of taxpayers won’t benefit from.

Taxpayers need to be listened to and respected for the money they contribute. They deserve recreational facilities such as fully-staffed arenas and wading pools, a safe transit system, bus shelters where one’s personal safety is not a risk, a safe downtown where one is not frequently assaulted either verbally or physically, well-maintained parks and boulevards, better policing and the removal of tent cities.

It’s time councillors woke up, listened to taxpayers and addressed priorities that have been ignored for far too long.

Kim Trethart

Winnipeg

Police spending too high

Re: Couple shaken by police apathy after burglars ransack home (Aug. 16)

River Heights resident shaken after run-in with thieves in garage (Aug. 19)

I wait for a bus for an hour after my shift at the Health Science Centre, Manitoba’s biggest and busiest hospital, while the Winnipeg Police Service has both a helicopter and a drone unit.

While the city spends more and more on Winnipeg Police Service, the violent crime rate continues to increase and the Free Press has published recent articles about break-ins that were reported but the WPS didn’t bother to show up and investigate.

If we are not careful, the Winnipeg Police Service, the Winnipeg Police Association and the politicians who use fear to gain votes and cut taxes will not stop until the WPS budget squeezes out other city services.

The 20-year experiment of trying to police our way out of problems created by poverty has failed. Time to go in a different direction.

Mike Edwards

Winnipeg

Grape leaves prompt memories

Re: Harvesting grape leaves to make Kurdish dolma is a way of connecting past and present (Aug. 19)

I enjoyed reading Eva Wasney’s article about foraging for grape leaves. I was given three grape vines by a neighbour almost 25 years ago, and they flourish in my backyard. There are Concord style grapes, enjoyed by not only myself, but also a few birds, a red squirrel or two, and one petite grey mouse who climbs the trellis every morning to pick just one grape, eat it, and then depart.

But best of all are the grape leaves. As a person of Palestinian descent on my father’s side, I have been picking, rolling and eating stuffed grape leaves my entire life.

I remember, as a child living in the Middle East, women gathering to roll grape leaves together, a task which could take a couple of hours in order to make enough for large, hungry families. They would chat, tell jokes and sing, and when there were no more leaves to be rolled up, they would cover their pots and drink tea together before making their way home. I think of them, my grandmother, aunties and cousins, every time I sit at my kitchen table to put together a pan of stuffed grape leaves.

Zana Lutfiyya

Winnipeg