Letters, Aug. 30

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/08/2023 (949 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Poor polling

Re: Most Manitoban parents want to be informed about student gender identity changes (Aug. 29)

Given that LBGTTQ+ remain marginalized and a minority population, what role do “most Manitoba parents” even have in this discussion?

This poll and title is disingenuous and just adding more fuel to an already brightly burning fire. It seems ludicrous to have poll from a majority population regarding a minority issue.

Perhaps we should start asking bigger questions, like why these marginalized folks might not want to have these conversations regarding their identity in their own home.

Cameron Green

Winnipeg

 

Something for nothing

Re: AI horse is long gone (Think Tank, Aug. 29)

While Meta is refusing to pay Canadian journalists for their content and blocking links to Canadian media and Google is going to do the same thing, their thoughts on AI using their content exposes their true nature.

It’s fine for Meta and Google to use others’ work for free if it is to their advantage. However, if someone tries to use their work to enrich someone else, it’s unacceptable. As the author of the article states, “they want to put a stop to open AI taking content that doesn’t belong to them, or in other words getting their content for free.”

That’s what the Canadian government was attempting to do, stop Meta and Google from getting some of their content for free.

Gilles Nicolas

Winnipeg

 

Do away with liquor system

Re: New contract in hand, Liquor Mart doors reopen after strike (Aug. 29)

Excellent! Now we can be treated like cattle again, lining up and shuffling through a chute where we can be identified like the criminals that we must be, “Papers please!” And once we are allowed to enter the barn we are milked dry, spending our grossly overtaxed dollars, to purchase grossly overtaxed alcohol.

I imagine that there are liquor stores in South Central Los Angeles that have man traps, but they may also have another layer of security, sawn-off shotguns under the counter, within reach of the owner, who has skin in the game. But I see this nowhere else in the civilized world. And we have meekly accepted all of this. Just approaching one of our friendly liquor marts puts me into a foul mood, and unlike my normally cheerful demeanour, it shows.

It’s time for Manitoba to grow up, shutter this antiquated system of government-controlled alcohol distribution, and although I like the “buy local” movement, I’d buy my whisky from Amazon in a heart beat. Or is it Heart Beats?

Wade Wawryk

Winnipeg

 

Leaders of low ambition

Re: Democratic governments aren’t businesses (Think Tank, Aug. 28)

John Wiens points out some of the limitations of governments adopting a “business” approach to governing. What he perhaps misses is that businesses start with a clear ambition to generate value to their shareholders. Many very successful businesses consider a wide variety of values that all governments should aspire to — customer and employee satisfaction, product quality, innovation and environmental stewardship.

The current Manitoba government’s business model and corporate vision, however, neglects many of these considerations and adopts instead the simple ambition to do less. This should be their election slogan: WE DO LESS! We spend less. We tax less. When you need us, we will deliver less, but maybe it will be enough for you.

Regardless of individual views about government as a business, everyone should be concerned about politicians who have consistently done less over a seven-year mandate and who are suddenly now boasting about spending more.

My preference is for a government that seeks to balance the entire breadth of values that citizens seek, and that engages meaningfully with them about how they can be achieved.

If the Conservatives’ goal is less government say so. Lots of people will applaud you. Yell it loud and clear… We will continue to do less! If that is not the Conservatives’ goal, they should say so as vigorously.

This charade of boasting about new spending, when the ultimate objective remains to invest less, is patently disingenuous.

Jeffrey Frank

Winnipeg

 

Good job, Bob

Re: Bob Barker remembered as ‘strong voice for animals’ in Canada, says wildlife advocate (Aug. 27)

I knew that Bob Barker was an animal advocate, but had not a clue he had generously donated to help build Manitoba’s first black bear cub rehab. Perhaps he was equally disgusted to learn of the province’s spring bear “hunt.” (I apologize for the inadequate size of the quotation marks.)

Bait stations loaded with calorie-dense, fatty foods such as doughnuts are set up to attract bears who are in a state of semi-starvation after hibernation. Very “brave” “hunters” fire down upon them from stands in the trees above. This is somewhat akin to shooting fish in a barrel, but takes much less talent.

It is illegal to shoot mother bears but, given the fact these are dark hairy animals and gender is almost impossible to determine, untold numbers are killed every year. A few of the orphaned cubs will be lucky enough to go to rescue, but the majority will suffer lingering deaths due to starvation. Even hunters who consider themselves to be ethical are opposed to this so-called “sport.”

This planet could do with fewer humans, but is in great need of more men such as Bob Barker. Thank-you for all that you’ve done. The animals have lost a good friend and passionate voice.

Debbie Wall

Winnipeg

 

AI program straddling fine line

Re: Manitoba teachers benefit from AI helper (Aug. 26)

Maggie Macintosh describes how teachers can have access to ByteAI, a chatbot platform that can write everything from seating charts to specific classroom activities tailored to any grade and provide students with extensive research opportunities.

That is a fairly general description of what human teachers actually do. In the article, Kirsten Thompson, president of the Manitoba Association of Educational Technology Leaders tells Macintosh: “I really like the saying, ‘You should use technology to replace things that should be replaced.’” ByteAI seems to be straddling a fine line between assisting teachers and replacing teachers.

Perhaps the educational technology leaders of Manitoba should review the history of digital technology’s unintended consequences.

John K. Collins

Winnipeg

 

Promises, promises

Both the NDP and Conservatives have pledged billions of dollars to staff health care in Manitoba. Where are these people going to come from? Where is the money coming from? Are salaries going to be competitive?

Both parties have taken decades to create this mess and neither one is saying anything about changing their way of doing business.

They recruit the best specialists by promising them the moon and giving them nothing so they leave. Newly graduated specialists can’t get a job in Manitoba because there isn’t money for new positions and they have to wait for someone to retire. They go elsewhere.

The golden years for health care in Manitoba were 1960s to early 1990s. Then LPNs were pulled from hospitals, they were making too much money. We had too many doctors and nurses, positions weren’t filled and training numbers were decreased.

Both parties are equally responsible. Pledging all this money is a joke. Whoever comes to power will plead poverty and blame the other party for the mess.

Rochelle Litvack

Winnipeg