Opinion

In defence of the Jets

Some post-mortem theories on the Jets demise include: a depleted lineup due to injury, inability of the coach to neutralize the strong transition game of Vegas, inferior depth of talent, the failed attempt to improve the team culture, and the list goes on. However, the predominant band wagon of criticism, surprisingly, is a direct attack on the personal character of the Jet players themselves.

In We expect hard work (op-ed, April 27) the team was chastised for having “no work ethic” and slammed for “not leaving it all on the ice.” Keeping Bowness (letters, May 3) suggests the selfish players develop “a team first attitude and a desire to make the Jets a team we can all be proud of.” Bowness saying it like it is (letters, May 3) surmises that the players were “overly sensitive” when an emotionally highjacked Bowness threw his team under the bus and accused them of not playing with any pride. Jets need grit (letters, May 4) concludes that the Jets need “players with grit and character and who play for pride.”

The Jets finished the regular season with an impressive, strong push in the home stretch, and clinched a playoff spot with a gutsy, brawl-filled victory vs the Wild, including an epic scrap between Lowry and Reeves. Game 1 of the playoffs was a complete team effort as the Jets dominated the Knights. They followed with an epic push-back in the 3rd period of game 3, which was an overtime goalpost away from being the greatest comeback victory in franchise history.

Things went sideways after that as the team sputtered, and the Jets elimination at the hands of the Vegas Knights spelled the end to a disappointing and mysterious season that seemed so promising in January. Remarkably, the same mysterious fate befell the Bruins, the Avs and the Lightening. Crazy sport!

During the series, Baron took 75 stitches to his face and jumped back into the game, Morrissey suffered a suspected ACL tear that took him out of the series, Scheifele crashed into the boards sustaining an upper body injury and was scratched from the lineup, Ehlers wanted to go in game 1 but the medical staff wouldn’t give him the green light until game 5, and several players competed through their injuries (Schmidt, Dubois, Wheeler). Clearly a group of selfish, gritless players without a sense of pride or work ethic, and void of any character.

The obvious solution is for Cheveldayoff to start drafting and trading for players with personal substance and “character.”

John Barrett

Winnipeg

Time for a change-up

Well, Paul Maurice’s Florida team’s win against Toronto on Thursday pretty well settles the debate as to whether the problem with the Jets is the coach or the team.

We now know for sure it’s the team, and its management. Heads must roll!

Raymond Hébert

Winnipeg

Demand changes to impaired driving law

Re: No End to Family’s Pain (May 1)

According to police Tyler Scott Goodman, while allegedly driving impaired, struck designated driver Jordyn Reimer. Then according to police, allegedly fled the scene and left her there to die. Think about that and let it really sink in… Left her there to die.

Driving impaired is no accident, it is a decision. A decision that could have been to split a small cab fare with the other occupants reportedly in the vehicle.

Society’s view of impaired driving has changed. Recently, an Ontario judge likened impaired driving to brandishing a loaded gun. And she is right. A weapon of death is a weapon of death. It doesn’t matter that it is a vehicle, not a gun. Impaired drivers are no less culpable because they are behind the wheel, not behind the trigger.

The problem is that while society’s view has changed, the laws have not. Impaired driving causing death is still a separate charge from manslaughter or second degree murder, with sentences that are a joke. Prisons are essentially waiting rooms with killer impaired drivers held inside long enough to basically have a coffee and read a magazine. And the average Canadian is mad as hell about it! We need a government that is willing to look at impaired driving for what it really is… a decision, not an accident and increase sentencing! And we also need judges willing to set down the maximum penalties allowed.

I would urge all Canadians to contact their MP. It’s simple to do, just go to OurCommons.ca. All the ridings, names and contact information are there. Make a call, or send an email.

It’s time that our elected officials change the laws to reflect what mad as hell Canadians think of impaired driving, and the ridiculous penalties it carries.

Adair Lisso

Brereton Lake, Man.

Proper education for pregnancy prevention

I feel it’s not enough to try remedying the societal problem of unwanted pregnancies via terminations alone, including with abortion pills.

It is similarly irresponsibly insufficient to just give students the condom-and-banana demonstration, along with the address to the nearest Planned Parenthood clinic, as their sex education.

As liberal democracies, we cannot prevent anyone from bearing children, including those who insist upon procreating regardless of their inability to raise children in a psychologically functional/healthy manner.

We can, however, educate all young people for the most important job ever, even those high-schoolers who plan to remain childless. If nothing else, such child-development curriculum could offer students an idea/clue as to whether they’re emotionally suited for the immense responsibility and strains of parenthood.

Given what is at stake, should they not at least be equipped with such valuable science-based knowledge?

Frank Sterle Jr.

White Rock, B.C.

Re: Runaway prices could mean rocky road for city street projects (May 5)

City street project bids coming in at 25-30 per cent more? What to do? Either we pay more taxes, or the city dials back the spending. It’s a supply and demand thing. The real problem is inflation. Since inflation can be defined as too much money chasing too few goods and services, the solution is to reduce spending. That is the purpose of high interest rates: to discourage spending.

The solution is less spending, and citizens should take personal responsibility to do so. By extension, and even more so, government should reduce spending. It is governments’ responsibility to sooth economic pressures, eg: practising asphalt politics when times are poor, and cutting back spending when inflation needs controlling. Basic conservatism.

Government competing with the private building sector for construction projects in a time of high demand, high costs, worker shortages, and supply chain issues is plain foolishness. Bids coming in at 30 per cent premium means the entire bid process needs to be scaled back to bare essentials. (E.g.: demand for home renos is so high, contractors are booking for next year.)

Feeding contractors extra taxpayer cash in times of inflation, contract uncertainty and high demand is stupid. Can city council convince taxpayers to pay more tax, or to wait for economic pressures to abate before their asphalt dreams come true? I am not holding my breath on this one.

Gregory Teleglow

Steinbach, Man.