Letters, July 12

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/07/2023 (1164 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Time for teachers college

Re: Accused teacher worked at two schools (July 11)

In the Free Press, your article regarding another (yet again) accused teacher makes one shake their head wondering how the teachers union will react.

Certainly it is their job to defend their membership. It is the job of parents, school administration, and law enforcement, to protect the children in their care. Arguing against an independent authority reviewing accusations towards teachers, assistants, and even maintenance staff, is simply mind boggling.

A teachers college is long overdue.

Bog Haegeman

St-Pierre-Jolys

Silica mine project too risky

Re: Economics versus environment (Editorial, July 10)

The Sio Silica proposal represents too much danger to the water supply in the region for it to be approved by government.

I lived in Springfield for 30 years. Moving from Winnipeg, with our excellent water supply, caused me some worry and I sought professional advice on well drilling.

In my case the result was successful. This was not the case for all.

Due to careless drilling, fracturing of the rock can occur, resulting in a blockage and the need to drill a second well at significant cost. This was my neighbour’s experience.

Sio Silica wants to drill many wells for their project, which greatly increases the chance of fracturing the rock and contaminating the aquifer.

We have a recent horrible example of the Titan development proceeding to build, despite professional advice that the material was not suitable for the task, and resulting in catastrophic failure.

I hope that the Free Press will continue to advocate against this project.

Chris Goodwin

Winnipeg

Sio Silica does not “want to create hundreds of jobs and generate untold millions of dollars in tax revenue.” What they “want” is to make as much profit as possible for a relatively small number of people.

Of course, their pursuit of profit will require them to pay people to do the work, and to pay whatever taxes are owed. But what Sio Silica really “wants” is to spend as little as possible on those things — wages and taxes cut into profits. It’s just how business works. But for the editor to ascribe, whether intentionally or not, some sort of altruistic motives to this company’s plans is just plain wrong.

It might also be noted that calling this “a classic battle between the economy and the environment” isn’t really accurate either. This is not an either/or situation, where we can either have jobs and tax revenue, or we can protect the environment.

There will always be other businesses and other potential jobs and sources of tax revenue, but we have only one environment. The government of Manitoba won’t have anyone knocking on their door next month or next year offering them a new aquifer to replace a ruined one, but I can guarantee that there will be plenty of businesses pitching plans that will promise jobs and tax revenues.

Unless it can be conclusively shown that the sand can be extracted without environmental damage, short-term gain for a few cannot be put before the environment in general, nor the people of Springfield and area in particular.

Frank Cormier

Winnipeg

Harper’s Orban support no surprise

Re: Orban no role model for Canadian conservatives (Think Tank, July 8)

Thank you, Mr. Adler, for bringing these issues to our attention. Sadly, this is not new news.

I am tremendously concerned and disappointed, though not at all surprised, that a former prime minister would meet with and support Orban. He is just another in a long line of fawning “centre-right” conservatives who are embracing a man whose policies are directed at destroying democratic institutions and creating, in effect, a dictatorship. For many years there has been talk of a hidden conservative agenda, but it has hidden in plain sight.

Orban is anti-democracy, anti-women, anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-any religion other than Christianity (and particularly antisemitic). He engages in conspiracy theories, and quotes Mein Kampf. The American right, including many Republicans; Netanyahu; Trump; and many other world leaders and politicians have glorified him. This should warn us of the danger to our democracy and our human rights. This is white (male) supremacy in (white) sheep’s clothing.

Will Poilievre disavow this connection? I think it’s pretty unlikely.

Daniel Levin

Winnipeg

Looking to Jets’ future

Future change for the Jets is coming, and it’s for the better.

We have been playing pretty much the same core for the past few years with the little success.

Letting go of Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois, but having Rutger McGroarty, and Colby Barlow develop is key to getting a stronger core. But it may take a one or two years and drafts to let the roster get to its full potential.

Plus, trading away guys like Scheifele, Hellebuyck, and Dubois can have a good return.

As an 11-year-old, I have grown up with some of these players, so letting go can be hard.

But none of them have led up to any major success. At the end of the day Dubois seemed like he didn’t want to be in Winnipeg. And the Jets have great prospects developing.

I’m super excited to see where this team goes!

Mathew Rach

Winnipeg

Weak water management

Re: Province unveils 72-point action plan on water strategy (July 5)

We’ve all heard by now that water is life. Without clean water for people and wildlife, we would be greatly imperilled as we would no longer be able to live healthy existences.

Manitoba’s new water management strategy is a weak ploy to make voters believe this government actually cares about water and a bright future for people and all life in Manitoba.

The water plan also needs to have indicators to determine if actions taken are effective in protecting and managing water. The way it currently sits, the only measurement of success is whether the action has been completed or not. We need to know the results and whether it served the purpose as alternatives may need to be considered.

I read with great surprise that the strategy’s action plan doesn’t include the strongest and most cost effective way to protect water, which is the Manitoba Protected Areas Initiative.

Manitoba has no plan or direction for conserving nature, which includes the waters of our lakes and rivers. I understand that many are asking our elected officials and political parties to adopt the goal of protecting 30 per cent of Manitoba’s lands and water by 2030 to align with international agreements signed by over 190 countries, including Canada. Manitoba needs to do its part.

I would like to say that I appreciate the government’s initiative to produce the strategy and action plan but if they were serious about protecting our water, it would be a very different product.

Leanne Koss

Winnipeg