Letters, June 8

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/06/2023 (1208 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Trustee’s comments disturbing

Re: Trustee makes anti-trans remarks on social media (June 6)

It was disturbing to read the kinds of things that Louis Riel School Division trustee Francine Champagne has been posting on social media. Coming in the midst of Pride Month, it is distressing to see someone in a leadership role in a school division promoting such transphobic and bigoted views.

Our group was among the hundreds of LRSD staff and students who took part in the Pride Parade this week. It was an environment of joy, acceptance, and positivity, and it was an emotional day for many who spoke of being in a safe place where they felt empowered to be who they truly are. To then hear about these comments from an LRSD trustee just two days later is disheartening and upsetting. What ever happened to the golden rule of treating others as you would like to be treated?

The true irony of the views promoted by Trustee Champagne is that while the hate-filled rhetoric she posts is allegedly in the name of freedom, it actually is meant to end the freedom of folks to be their true selves. She claims to be protecting children, but if her transphobic views ever became policy, they would guarantee an even higher rate of suicide among trans youth than already exists thanks to intolerant and narrow-minded people like her.

How can this person claim to be a “leader” in our school division when she holds views that are intended to harm a large number of students and stop us from being who we really are?

Anora Knox, Winter Olson, and Stitch Parenteau

On behalf of the Dakota Collegiate Gender- Sexuality Alliance (GSA)

Winnipeg

Thoughts on vacant buildings

Re: When no one’s home — permanently (Editorial, June 7)

Many residents in the South Osborne area share the same analysis and concern as this editorial. Our community suffers with the long-vacant Rubin Block, right on the prominent corner of Osborne and Morley. Like many vacant buildings, this used to offer affordable suites and local commercial businesses.

As noted in the editorial, efforts to date have not resulted in the renewal of this property: the annual permit fee, the additional fee for buildings empty for five years or more, property taxes, inspection charges have not moved this owner — nor owners of the many other vacant building all over Winnipeg — to either sell or renovate their holdings.

Various submissions to council over the years did include the options cited in the editorial, but here are others:

• That vacant properties must be renovated within a limited time-frame (perhaps two to three years), or the city will invoke some creative solution (carrot and stick) for dealing with irresponsible property-owners;

• That a limit be placed on the number of property by-law infractions;

• That fees and fines for vacant properties be substantially higher than they now are, and will escalate faster than they do currently;

• Such requirements, and the political will to implement and monitor them, should provide additional spurs to renovate or sell such properties.

Neighbourhoods throughout Winnipeg would applaud, and breathe sighs of relief.

Jean Altemeyer

Winnipeg

Johnston deserves respect

Re: Editorial cartoon (June 6)

Much as I enjoy many of the editorial cartoons in the Free Press, the June 6 cartoon showing the sinking image of David Johnston causes me more dismay than delight. The fact that there are elected representatives in the Parliament of Canada who are too partisan or too lazy to obtain an objective measure of this great Canadian is truly disgusting.

Surely all MPs must know that David L. Johnston served 17 years as Canada’s Governor General, nominated in 2010 for that role by the Right Honourable Stephen Harper.

They may not know that Johnston, a graduate of Harvard, as well as recipient of law degrees from Cambridge and Queen’s, is a well-recognized legal scholar. He is one of the best known principals of McGill University, serving for 15 years (from 1979) and remembered for his integrity and leadership ability. On McGill’s Bicentennial pages, it is reported that he also was the “first non-U.S. citizen to chair the Board of Overseers at Harvard University”.

Now before all those naysayers in Parliament trot out their old whines against “ivory tower” denizens, they should look up Johnston’s other activities, including his outstanding hockey prowess, his writing in legal publications, and his skill in mediating real-world disputes. He likely had little time for political schmoozing, although his children might have met Trudeau children on the Quebec ski slopes.

Lastly, if the 81-year old Johnston is being denigrated because of his age, let me say that there is probably more wisdom in his brain than in all the political party leaders combined, and I think the million Canadian voters in the same age group would agree.

I have confidence in the ability of David Johnston to produce an objective and thorough report — within the limits of the files provided by our security agency — on the issue of foreign interference in Canadian democratic processes. If voters still demand an expensive public inquiry after the Johnston report is completed, they will get one, but hopefully not until after inquiries into interference by lobbyists from the oil industry, from alcohol distilleries, pharmaceutical companies, and others of the usual suspects who might be trying to sway our lawmakers.

Jean A. Paterson

Winnipeg

Keep the cheque

It was with dismay that I received my property tax rebate cheque last week. I have three children in public school and my husband is a teacher. Despite government claims of “historic funding” to schools, both schools at which my husband works lost at least one teacher due to budget issues for the upcoming school year. In the past few years, his elementary school lost most of their EAs, drastically cutting the supports for children with additional needs and putting more stress on teachers. My friend is a library technician in a different school division — all their positions were reduced due to budget cuts.

A “historic increase” still results in cuts if it comes after years of underspending. I don’t know what to do with this money. I want it back in the school system where it belongs — funding EAs and teachers so my kids get a proper education. Donating it to the school directly won’t put it in a pot for more staff.

I don’t know where the government thinks it’s going to get the money to replace this rebate it just gave me, but I am terrified that this will signal further cuts in the future — our society is only as strong as its education system, and I am deeply concerned that the present government is starving the system.

I understand that life is expensive these days and everything costs more so many people really need this money — but since this comes as a percentage of my property tax, it means that the people with more expensive properties (and therefore likely have better jobs to afford those properties) are getting bigger cheques. The people getting the most money, myself included, are the ones who need it the least. If this government really wanted to help its citizens, there are more equitable ways to do it.

I don’t want this money. I want a good education system for my children and for my province.

Elise Neufeld

Winnipeg