Letters, July 19

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This article was published 19/07/2023 (1054 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Landfill search worth it

I can’t think of a wiser expenditure than to proceed with the excavation of the Prairie Green landfill.

While the road to reconciliation remains long, it has begun to carry us towards what I hope will one day, bear witness to a true awakening. That path is however, fraught with fragility and much progress stands to be lost when we lose sight of the much larger picture.

Even at a cost of $200 million, it’s an investment we cannot afford not to make.

Dan Donahue

Winnipeg

Before the premier so defiantly dismisses the option to search the landfill on the grounds of employee safety, they might consider the plight of thousands of impoverished and marginalized people worldwide that grow up and live, some for decades, on the proceeds of scrounging public landfills daily, including many, many children.

At the very least, it gives humbling perspective to the privileged and entitled attitude that can dismiss the passion and advocacy of 500 years of First Nations suffering.

Ron Janzen

Winnipeg

 

Search the right thing to do

Re: It’s a waiting game right now (July 17)

By my count, the Saturday, July 15 edition of this paper had 81 obituaries. Whether it contained 10 words or 10,000 words, they all had one thing in common — the deceased was laid to rest in a place of his/her choosing or chosen by a loved one. And to no surprise, no one’s final resting place was a garbage dump.

Why? Because good and civilized peoples just don’t do that.

Premier Heather Stefanson, and her cabinet colleagues, were in effect the honorary pallbearers of two beautiful Manitoba sisters. And they chose to leave them in a garbage dump, which is now their final resting place.

I am sure the premier can rationalize that decision. She can rationalize, wasting money on a computer system or she can rationalize spending money on advertising the pre-election treats she is giving taxpayers with their own money or she can rationalize granting a member of her government $500,000, or she can rationalize eviscerating our health-care system.

But when all is said and done, the stench from the garbage dump will forever linger over Premier Heather Stefanson and her cabinet colleagues.

Barry Elkin

Winnipeg

 

Don’t risk lives to find remains

In regards to searching the landfills, I read and hear of these so-called experts saying it can be done safely. I can’t comprehend as to why you would put someone’s life in danger? All you need is one tiny fibre of asbestos to start the process of growing mutated cells.

You see, our father in 1990 received a death sentence from getting mesothelioma, asbestos cancer. He was 64 years old. He never worked with the material directly, but did work in some of the old buildings in downtown Winnipeg, the Exchange area and the past Canada Post building which have known to have asbestos.

He was given six months to live but only survived five months, it was at times unbearable to witness especially near his final months.

I’ll spare you the details.

So for people to think that “Oh just put a mask on and suit up”, do some research on how deadly this form of cancer is. As a message to our Premier Heather Stefanson, I believe you have made the right choice.

William Olchowecki

Winnipeg

 

NATO not innocent

Re: NATO not the aggressor (Letters, July 18)

In regards to Mr. Boss’ letter to the editor, I would say I agree on most of his points.

But to say that a NATO country has never invaded another sovereign nation is completely and utterly false. NATO has done so on at least three occasions in the past 25 years alone.

Only those hiding under a rock or ignorant of world issues, doesn’t remember a certain 20-year occupation.

Steven Bilodeau

Winnipeg

 

Kudos to Ukraine

Re: Russia targets Ukraine’s port of Odesa and calls it payback for a strike on a key bridge to Crimea (July 18)

Putin is mad and vows to attack the Ukrainians because they damaged his new bridge that connects Russia to Crimea.

Putin is mad at what? Aren’t the Ukrainians allowed to fight back?

He has been murdering Ukrainian citizens and destroying their cities, towns and infrastructure for over 500 days. I take my hat off to Ukraine’s ingenuity by using an underwater drone to severely damage Putin’s valuable bridge. Damage it some more!

Robert J. Moskal

Winnipeg

 

Downtown no wasteland

In response to many of the opinion pieces recently published in the Free Press on the state of the downtown area, I find that some of the mentioned issues are somewhat overstated. My wife and I recently moved from a suburban house to a downtown apartment. It has been a revelation to us. We had looked at apartments in our suburban area but found that we could get a roomier suite for less money than what was offered in the suburbs.

Without minimizing the issue of personal safety and property crimes downtown, I’d like to point out that the same issues exist in the suburbs but are less visible. Violence, vandalism and drug use are societal issues that are admittedly more concentrated in areas adjacent to impoverished neighbourhoods with higher population density, but they are more prevalent in the suburbs than many people realize.

We thought we would have a problem with noise downtown but find the general level here easier to deal with than the drag races that occurred most nights in our “quiet” suburban neighbourhood. Our lifestyle has become much simpler as we don’t need a second car anymore. It takes little time to get anywhere in the city and I’ve been able to use transit as our second vehicle because I can catch a bus just outside our apartment to go most places within 30 minutes or less.

There is also a wealth of cultural activities and restaurants nearby, unlike our sterile former suburb. Furthermore, there’s a great sense of community in our building so there’s less need to travel for social activities.

The biggest myth about downtown living concerns grocery shopping. There are several well-stocked supermarkets in closer proximity to our location than when we lived in the suburbs. We also don’t need to even go outside in the winter to pick up milk or a few groceries, as there are small grocery stores nearby.

I look forward to the promised initiatives to improve the amenities, infrastructure and social services available to people in our downtown area, but I wanted to say that this is not the wasteland or battleground that some make it out to be and should be considered a viable residential option for people who value what downtown living has to offer.

Eric Hemmerling

Winnipeg

 

Hang up and drive

Re: All must heed road rules (Letters, July 15)

Letter writer Ray Hignell is upset that, by his “casual observation,” 98 per cent of cyclists do not stop at stop signs.

Well, my casual observations have told me that 30 per cent of drivers are actually on their phones. How’s that for “society breaking down”? Bicycle riders, with no blind spot, no entertainment system, and no soundproofed capsule around them can be better attuned to approaching traffic, and should be tolerated if they bend the rules a bit to try to get themselves separated from motor vehicles.

It can be done with due consideration to other users of the road.

Mark Doerksen

Winnipeg