Letters, June 1

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/06/2023 (887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Better options, fewer cars

I read Ray Kohanik’s opinion piece It’s time to make better transportation decisions (May 29) with interest.

His analysis is correct that widening Kenaston Boulevard is a project out of our budget, whether or not cost-sharing comes through this time from other levels of government. (For those keeping score at home, Kenaston has been twice rejected. Third time’s the charm?)

As it stands, by the city’s own analysis, traffic will have returned to Kenaston, and our commute times will be longer than they are now, before we have paid off the bill. The reality is we already have far more roads than we can properly afford to maintain given our tax base. Unless we want to double our property taxes and cut basically all of our services, we need to find a way to use our transportation infrastructure more efficiently if we want to give future generations a fighting chance for financial sustainability.

I note that Kohanik points to Norway’s investment in EVs as a solution. While he highlights Norway’s similar climate and sprawl, he missed what is being done in cities. For example, Oslo has committed to radically reducing vehicle trips through investment in transit and its walk/bike infrastructure. They might have been inspired by Finland, where Oulu sees thousands of children biking to school through their cold and snowy winters (and a note that Oulu is quite a sprawling city, much like Winnipeg).

As for being “unable to imagine” how people could possibly drive less, I’d encourage Kohanik to reach out to one of the 3,000-plus members of Peg City Car Co-op, which is seeing demand to expand further and faster. It seems like having the choice to drive less is something many Winnipeggers are already doing, or want to do.

I sold my vehicle over seven years ago and am happier, healthier and saving a profound amount of money by walking, biking, busing and, when I need to, driving a shared Peg City vehicle. But I could only do this by living in a neighbourhood with services within walking distance, good bike routes, decent transit and access to the car-sharing co-op.

We don’t need more lanes, we need better neighbourhood design and more transportation choice so more Winnipeggers can drive less if they want to.

Mel Marginet

Winnipeg

Ray Kohanik’s question: “Finally, can someone please explain to me how someone with a bike picks up their kids from daycare and gets them to sports/activities and then home again on a bike?”

Answer: on bikes. Our family did just this until middle school, when kids could bike alone. It was faster than driving.

Heidi Klaschka

Winnipeg

Swimming a vital skill

Re: More calls for newcomer swim lessons (May 30)

As an elementary school student in St. James in 1962, I was enrolled along with the rest of my classmates in a school learn-to-swim program at the YMCA on Ferry Road. We were told at the time by our teacher that swimming is a life skill as important as any other we may learn.

This fact, expressed 60 years ago, is as relevant now as it was then.

I don’t know whether the program I was involved with at that time was a pilot or was part of the provincial curriculum.

I do know, however, every year children die as a result of drowning. I also believe if children are taught swimming as we teach other life skills, far fewer tragedies such as was reported by your paper will be the result.

I urge all school divisions in Manitoba as well as the minister of education to implement a learn-to-swim program and include it in the Manitoba curriculum as a basic life skill.

Michael du Croix

Winnipeg

Assist with cleanup

Re: Mounting garbage, growing frustration (May 29)

Could it be that public works are not conducting “mindful” cleanups as the encampment residents do not want public works anywhere near them?

Could it be that large garbage bins are a fire hazard and even a health hazard if an encampment resident decides to use the bin as a shelter?

And is the city public works department the appropriate department to help to connect encampment residents to community organizations considering their qualifications for the work they do, their responsibility for services for the entire city, and the very obvious fact that there are community organizations being funded to carry out the work of connecting with encampment residents?

And at that, would not the encampment residents better respond to community workers who come to help them clean up, as according to Brenda Vosters, “If we’ve gone up to somebody and said, ‘Hey, we’ve gotten some complaints about this area, and that it’s really messy. We’re going to supply you with garbage bags and some gloves, can you clean it up?’ More often than not, folks are going to clean it up,” she said.

Kirsti Kuuskivi

Winnipeg

Op-ed unbalanced

The opinion piece by Abraham J. Enoa (Cuba is far more fragile than you think, May 29) credits him as co-founder of an online magazine dedicated to “narrative journalism.” He elaborates on the privations being experienced by ordinary Cubans and the fact that some attempt to flee the country because, “life is difficult for Cubans.”

Granting the editor’s headline that Cuba may be far more fragile than we think, it’s a surprise and scandal that not a single reference is made by Enoa to the decades-long and ongoing economic sanctions being applied by successive United States governments.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to the economic warfare by sanctions (most recently in 2021) with only the U.S. and Israel voting against.

The so-called “narrative journalism” espoused by this journalist is clearly the narrative of a particular idealogical interest; Free Press readers deserve a better balance.

Sig Laser

Winnipeg

Nature in crisis

Re: Provinces, territories agree to help feds in ’30 by 30’ goal to halt land, water loss (May 26)

Manitoba missed a golden opportunity to demonstrate leadership in Ottawa last week.

While the provinces and territories committed to collectively help Canada protect 30 per cent of its lands and waters by 2030, Manitoba did not set its own target.

British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia have shown leadership by announcing conservation targets.

Manitoba cannot wait any longer to do the same.

Nature is in crisis. We are in crisis. We need to protect nature because without all its life-giving services, we cease to live.

We no longer have the luxury of ushering good wishes and intentions without following up. Our government must act now.

As political parties ramp up for the Manitoba provincial election in October, they will be releasing platforms and making pledges about what they will do if they form the next government.

Like many of my fellow Manitobans, I will be watching carefully to see if they put nature on their platforms.

Any party that fails to commit to protecting 30 per cent of our province by 2030 is failing to safeguard the well-being of Manitoba’s people and wildlife.

Ron Thiessen

Executive Director, Canadian Parks and

Wilderness Society, Manitoba chapter

Winnipeg