Opinion

Kenaston redesign doesn’t go far enough

Re: Breaking the bottleneck (May 6)

I read with interest your article on widening Kenaston between Taylor and Ness. I think it’s long overdue from a driver’s perspective and I was happy to see that it included cycling paths on both sides of the street.

But I was dismayed that it didn’t mention a grade separated active transportation path that runs east-west. As a cyclist who lives in Charleswood, I cringe every time I cross Kenaston. I’ve had some near misses and know of fatalities that have happened to pedestrians crossing this major artery.

It’s my hope that the city will consider enhancing this design. When the Ikea intersection was built a few years ago an opportunity was missed; now is the time to make it right.

I will be attending the open house on May 18 at the Viscount Gort Hotel to give my input and I hope others will as well. There must be more attention given to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians co-existing and moving safely and efficiently around our city.

Joan Anderson

Winnipeg

No need for military weaponry at home

Re: Federal Liberals move to speed up gun-bill debate (May 8)

I support the idea of a strong democracy and also the ban on ownership and use of military-style weaponry by non-military persons, and I would include handguns in the ban. In my view, the licence to kill should not be enshrined in a democracy. If debate that shortens the regurgitated rhetoric about gun rights spouted so often by the right leads to passing laws to limit their sale and use sooner rather than later, kudos to the powers that made that happen.

Most people will agree that those with criminal intent will still find ways to obtain weapons. However, if there are no laws to prohibit them, what can be used to prosecute those individuals or groups? In spite of all the hyperbole by manufacturers and gun lobbyists, weapons made purely to kill other humans are weapons of war and sadly, it appears a war has been declared on the innocent.

The wild-west mentality of our neighbours to the south should be resisted with every available effort in Canada. That mentality has created chaos in the U.S. and it appears they want the same privilege here. After all, what is the value of a human life compared to the quest for profits for shareholders?

Marjorey Dwornick

Winnipeg

Beading’s value

Re: ‘Can still bead, but they can’t sell’ (May 9)

I was deeply disturbed to read this article about Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen defending the change in this beading program.

I am a friend of a young woman who was incarcerated there, and having Sandra Burling’s selfless organization, Women Helping Women Beadwork, sell her beading allowed her to remain in regular contact with her children during her incarceration.

As well, during COVID inmates were in their cells for 21 hours a day, and beading was helpful to alleviating the boredom of that. Last December, the Manitoba Arts Council had a special show and sale of the beadwork from Women Helping Women. It was amazing and beautiful.

All of the money from the sales go directly back to the women serving their sentences and therein lies the rub.

Although COVID has been declared over, why are these incarcerated women still in their cells for 21 hours a day? Why have the former communal activities not been resumed? No outdoor time, no television, no communal activities such as playing cards. I think this “Progressive” Conservative government wants to ensure these women are punished for their crimes, not just doing their time, and taking away their ability to sell their beadwork is just one more example of this.

Beading saved my friend, and gave her the ability to remain in touch with her family during her incarceration. She is now on the right path out of the correctional system. A rethink of this decision is required, or at least an explanation of the concerns which precipitated this move.

Gisela Rempel

Winnipeg

Park permit system a waste

Well it’s time for the annual parks permit fiasco and it’s good to see that the more things stay the same the more insane they continue to become.

Last year I dealt with an online agent from Florida to receive my parks permit, and this year I dealt with an online agent from Tennessee. This government has absolutely no clue on how to run the operation. There must be businesses and agents from Manitoba who would be happy to accept the $4.50 fee for doing business. There are no shortage of U.S. agents willing to absorb the offering.

There is no end to the waste of money that this government continues to display. This year, to date, I have received five notices about my $10.50 boat permit that must be picked up before June 15. The government of Manitoba along with the Department of Conservation and Climate can waste more of the taxpayers money so they can support private enterprise and pay the head of MPIC in excess of $350,000 plus six weeks holidays and benefits.

The average worker would be happy to receive such a sum once in their lives and they would never have to work again.

Norm Norris

Winnipeg

Commendable effort by doctor

Re: Health-care system mired in red tape (May 8)

Thank you Dr. Dan Roberts for your op-ed article.

I am one of the people who relies on our current neuro-opthalmologist for support and have been increasingly concerned about the huge gap in care that will be left when she retires.

Your efforts to find a candidate to take over for her are commendable and greatly appreciated. My hope is that the person you’ve identified will be able to work here in Manitoba after all, and that their office and equipment requirements will be properly met.

It must be endlessly frustrating for you and your colleagues to have to face this kind of uphill climb every time you attempt to meet the health-care needs of Manitobans. And it is beyond frustrating — even frightening — to those of us who need these important health services.

Matthew Barry Craig

Winnipeg

Shared Health CO must be dedicated

Re: New Shared Health CEO to juggle two high-powered jobs (May 2)

So the CEO of Shared Health is going to wear two hats? Who thought this was a good idea?

The Shared Health mission statement includes a commitment to “upholding… the prudent use of public resources to continuously achieve improved outcomes and ensure sustainable delivery of safe and high quality services.”

Having a Health Services CEO who is moonlighting is hardly consistent with these goals. Which job is going to be super woman’s first priority? Either way, the taxpayer is being short-changed. Our sick system is on life support and Shared Health needs a CEO who is dedicated, alert, and focused. We need a full-time person at the helm who can give undivided attention to the urgent matters at hand.

The people of Manitoba need and deserve a better health-care system and the premier and minister of health need to make it happen. There is no justification for an arrangement such as this and it needs to be fixed now.

Carol Gee Guicheret

Winnipeg