Letters, Sept. 28

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This article was published 28/09/2023 (971 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Let counsellors do their job

Re: No more silence (Letters, Sept. 26)

Robbie Scott nailed it in his letter addressing the pieces Parental rights not a new rallying cry and Misleading messages undermine education.

If I may add to this, outing students to their parents, when the student who is exploring their gender is not ready, is absolutely not the way to go. There is a reason a child confides in their teacher and not their parent. Sad, but true. Heather Stefanson said “parents know what is best for their child.” Again sad, but that is not always the case.

Heather, this isn’t about picking a winning hockey team for your child. Let the guidance counsellors do their job. They could be the difference between life and death, as we all know the stats on unsupported gender non-conforming individuals. Guidance counsellors are not taking your child for gender affirming surgery, but, instead are offering a listening ear and giving them the time they need to navigate a very confusing time in a very safe and welcoming environment. Let them do their job.

As a teacher, I had many students confide in me. When I referred them to guidance, I knew they were in good hands. They should be thanked, rather than criticized.

Do not support this dangerous legislation. Vote wisely!

Andrea Sever

Winnipeg

 

Rota wasn’t alone

It is hard to fathom that the entire House of Commons gave standing ovations to a Second World War Ukrainian Veteran. Liberal, NDP, Bloc, and Conservatives apparently had no knowledge of the history of Ukrainian and Canadian involvement during and after this war. No one stopped to think, not even the president of Ukraine, that a Second World War Ukrainian veteran must have been fighting Russia, our ally then, and was in the German Army. How could these politicians be so ignorant of our history?

We even have Nazi war memorials and streets and parks named after Nazi heroes and collaborators several in Edmonton Albert, Oakville Ontario and Quebec. Google it. Yes, yes, I know what’s important now, Taylor Swift is coming to Canada.

Too bad Mr. Rota took the fall all alone because he was joined by standing ovations from the whole House of Commons politicians who were as ignorant as he of our recent history and politics.

Don Bailey

Winnipeg

 

PCs playing cards badly

I guess the PCs forgot to mention in their platform that they are going to remove the right to a fair trial and the assumption that one is innocent until proven guilty. Just a minor oversight in all the busyness of undermining trust in the elected officials and further eroding the chances anyone would run for political office.

So Mark Wasyliw is a “wild card” because he conducts an essential role in the system of justice upon which the vanguard of Canadian human rights is based. He is a lawyer. It is insightful to learn that the PCs have issues with legal representation for people charged with crimes.

I guess Heather Stefanson, Audrey Gordon, Rochelle Squires, Obby Khan, Jon Reyes and the others don’t believe if their children or grandchildren are charged with a drug or sex related offense that they should have legal representation.

Hold on to your rights, folks, when you go to vote.

Caryn Douglas

Winnipeg

 

I was disgusted by the election ad that was on page A12 that stated “Don’t gamble on the NDP, You will be dealt a very bad hand.”

You had to look at the small print to see that it was from the PCs. Overall, you couldn’t tell just by looking at it. It had some lies on it, such as ‘The Trudeau-NDP coalition’. For those in the back; it’s not a coalition. It’s an agreement. There are no NDP ministers. Wanting safe supply for addicts would to help to make sure that they stay alive until they get into treatment. ‘Giving away hard drugs’ sounds like we’re giving hard drugs to everyone.

I’m just as disgusted by the PCs deciding to campaign on a firm no to the landfill search. It just feels to me that they believe that these missing women aren’t worth the effort.

By campaigning on this, they are slapping the families in the face. Sorry Heather. I can’t vote for that.

Leanne Hanuschuk

Winnipeg

 

The PC party conveyed an ugly side to their campaign. The “Card” ad in Wednesday’s paper will not sway voters from ether side.

Shame on them!

Bud Ulrich

Winnipeg

 

The last page in the first section of the WFP of  Wednesday’s WFP reminded me of the words of a song How Low Can You Get?

I found it disgusting, uncalled for, sickening, revolting, offensive and abhorrent. Has the PC Party sunk that low? I read earlier that all humans are prone to mistakes in their past. Why does the Free Press allow such garbage to be printed? Is Manitoba politics parodying the Republican Party under Donald Trump?

Oh! I forgot, money talks!

Ralph Paul

Winnipeg

 

Today’s Free Press had a full page attack ad from Heather Stefanson and company. It was really ugly. Heather Stefanson believes in fighting dirty.

They say that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it. Methinks that this is going to happen to the PCs in Manitoba’s upcoming provincial election.

In 1993, the federal Progressive Conservative party gave Canada our first and only female Prime Minister in Kim Campbell. In the federal election that followed, the PCs ran an ugly attack ad which mocked Jean Chretien for his facial paralysis on one side of his face. The PCs were reduced to two seats in Parliament in that election. The rest is history. Canada now has a very right wing Conservative party at the federal level.

Heather Stefanson is the first woman to serve as premier of Manitoba. Since 2016, Manitoba has had a very right wing conservative government. There is nothing progressive about it. Come Oct. 4, I predict that history will repeat itself in Manitoba.

Our provincial election is next Tuesday. According to the polls, it looks like Manitoba will have the first First Nations premier in Canadian history. Yahoo!

Manitoba has the largest Indigenous population in Canada. Downtown Winnipeg is now largely Indigenous. Many are homeless and victims of addiction. Wab Kinew is Indigenous and NDP. If all goes well, after the election we will have the perfect government to begin dealing with Indigenous issues. Wab Kinew will finally deliver justice to Indigenous people that is long overdue.

My life partner Chris Vogel and I voted in the advance poll on Saturday. If you believe that the time has come to deliver justice to our Indigenous population, please vote for Wab Kinew and the NDP on Oct. 3. Thank you.

Rich North

Winnipeg

 

Poor sloganeering

Re: A strange political choice (Editorial, Sept. 26)

I fully agree with your editorial “ A strange political choice.”

The Manitoba PCs always have had a tin ear for the public mood. The party is battling the public perception that it lacks compassion. To use a slogan of “Stand Firm” comes across as a defiant shout which doubles down on the impression of rigidity and lack of heart.

Stand firm would be an excellent slogan for the American Revolutionary army at Valley Forge, but a terrible slogan for the PCs. A phrase like “ Consider Carefully” perhaps would have been better in that it advocates common sense and prudence rather than defiance.

Kurt Clyde

Winnipeg