Letters, Aug. 5

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Growth stopped Re: ‘This is, in fact, a reckoning’ (Aug.4)

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Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/08/2023 (795 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Growth stopped

Re: ‘This is, in fact, a reckoning’ (Aug.4)

In my early 20s, during an evening university class, the professor stated, “We can grow through our ears” as the topic of critical thinking was being discussed. Those six words were then translated to — we learn through active listening.

Active listening focuses on actually hearing and digesting the words coming through the air to our ears. It does not generate a counter argument in our minds before the person has completed his/her thoughts. Should you listen actively, you might very well end up telling that person, “You made a number of points I had not considered.”

So when a fellow shopper at a local paint store finished talking about Donald Trump, I acknowledged Trump and his administration had passed some worthy, meaningful laws. However, when I mentioned my grave concerns about the ex-president, he announced in a very loud voice, “Fake news has tried to destroy one of the best presidents in U.S. history.” The discussion ended abruptly.

Unfortunately, should that paint shopper hear the excellent ideas written by James McCarten and appearing on the front page of Friday’s Free Press — ‘This is, in fact, a reckoning’ — those ideas would fall on deaf ears. Sad for him, sad for the million of voters who react in exactly the same manner as he does and sad for the United States of America. They stop growth in its tracks.

Dennis McGavock

Winnipeg

 

What’s good for the goose

The government cannot seriously think that government workers are not gonna want the same percentage of wage increases the politicians gave to themselves.

Stefanson and her cronies should have thought this through a little before being so generous to themselves.

If they expect the liquor employees and soon-to-strike MPI employees to take two per cent increases, then they should have given two per cent to themselves.

You know the saying; what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

All future, or current government, or Crown corporation employees who are looking for new contracts should stick to their guns and don’t accept less than what the politicians gave to themselves.

Ron Robert

Winnipeg

 

Relieve ER pressure

Re: $1.5-B revamp set for Health Sciences Centre (Aug. 3)

The supposed magnanimity of the Stephenson government includes the announcement of a huge $1.5-billion construction project at HSC. Decanting outpatient clinics to a reworked Manitoba Clinic building makes sense, especially as the planning work (no small task!) has predated the announcement.

Even more reasonable to my mind, would be to relieve stress on an above-capacity ER at HSC during its further expansion by reopening previously closed ERs around the city and province.

Even as urgent care centres, patients, staff, families, and ambulances wouldn’t have to navigate the mass of construction and road closures for five years.

Just a thought, for whatever awaits on Oct. 4.

Judy Anderson

Winnipeg

 

Not for sale

Watching the largesse scattered like confetti by this government in an attempt to buy our votes, I am filled with revulsion and disgust.

It was fine letting people die in care homes, pushing nurses to the breaking point, under-funding schools, under-spending the infrastructure budget, leaving addicts to die on the street and on and on. Now, it’s election time and there is no limit to what they will spend. How dare they!

My vote is not for sale. I don’t believe a tiger changes its stripes. I am not fooled. I hope we all cast our minds back over the last four years or so before we cast our vote.

Ingrid Ostick

Winnipeg

 

Spend more, get more

While I do greatly appreciate that the walkways are finally being redone all around Assiniboine Park, I question the use of blacktop as the material of choice.

While I do know it is cheaper, it is certainly not appreciated by our dogs as it is extremely hot and dogs are unable to walk on it without burning their paws. Many of use take our dogs for a walk in the park, but now won’t be able to do that during the hotter days.

Why ever would the Conservancy cheap out on the critical walkways versus what we had, which I believe is a mix of concrete and stone but a much lighter colour?

I love this city but do I ever get tired of doing things on the cheap!

Jan Weedon

Winnipeg

 

Show of empathy needed

Re: Like father, like son: PM splits with wife (Aug. 3)

“Like father, like son: PM splits with wife” is not a joke, but rather sad. There are many “like father, like son” situations involving alcoholism, drug addiction, spousal and child abuse, and all need to be treated with appropriate care and understanding. The job as PM must be difficult to say the least. You are never right, usually wrong no matter the issue.

Trudeau has put up with physical assault, things thrown at him, plus idiots who have signs of “F” Trudeau on their vehicles, many from the Western provinces, like the clowns who thought they could take over Ottawa. All of this must play havoc with his family.

His kids need support, and no doubt will be somewhat scarred by the separation. You do not have to be a Liberal to care, just have some empathy for the family.

Don Halligan

Winnipeg

 

Leave Winkler out of it

Re: Rainbow coalition needed (Letters, Aug. 3)

We read, with interest, letter writer Will Jone’s note, regarding Lundar’s crosswalk vandalism. He is rightfully upset regarding Lundar’s Pride crosswalk once again being vandalized. He goes on to write that Interlake communities have a problem “it’s not just Winkler anymore.”

Really, Mr. Jones.

I am a former resident of Winkler and still have some good friends in that city. Perhaps Mr. Jones could provide us with dates of the incidents and names of the vandals who damaged crosswalks in Winkler. If such damage occurred, I have never heard of it … Mr. Jones pleads for tolerance and acceptance for Rainbow communities, but apparently has no problem displaying a remarkable lack of same for the good folks of Winkler.

He closes with a little flourish, by calling on all of us to “reject hate and bigotry” On that, we agree completely. When he insults the good people of Winkler, or any other town and or group, we do not agree.

Surely, Mr. Jones can make a case for the Rainbow community without insulting others.

Larry Wiebe

MacGregor

 

Nobody’s perfect

There is one aspect of current social justice initiatives that I find perplexing.

We all accept and are forgiving of the imperfections of our family and friends. We seem to realize that these people are not perfect and that we should treat them magnanimously.

Yet the same failings in society at large are often greeted with rage and protest.

This seems incongruous as society can be conceived as our family writ large.

We should realize that society will never be perfect, because humans are not perfect. It is time we treated our society with the same tolerance and forgiveness that we extend to those dear to us.

Kurt Clyde

Winnipeg

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