Letters, Oct. 27

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/10/2023 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Give minister a chance

Re: ‘Turning over a new leaf’ reveals climate inexperience (Oct. 25)

From the vantage of an environmental organization that works across the country, we see first-hand nature under stress and climate change accelerating.

Here in Manitoba, major environmental projects and policy have stalled or regressed under a previous government blind to the importance of environmental stewardship. We expect this short-sightedness will change under Wab Kinew and the newly elected government. An encouraging step is the appointment of Tracy Schmidt in the role of minister of the Environment and Climate Change. While this paper makes some hay of her relative greenness in the portfolio, Ms. Schmidt comes to the new job with a reputation as a hard working and skilled lawyer.

These qualities lend themselves to cooperating with other governments and communities to build and implement a new Manitoba plan for the environment and climate change. The expansion of clean energy, responsible watershed and terrestrial conservation, and a recognition of Manitoba’s often ignored role as an ocean province require will require strong leadership and a commitment for all corners of this new cabinet. Environmental stewardship, done right, strengthens the economy, improves the health and wellbeing of Manitobans and advances reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and with the land itself.

Before passing judgment, let’s give the new minister a chance to develop this critical work. To paraphrase Premier Kinew, let’s turn a new leaf in Manitoba.

Christopher Debicki and Paul Labun

Oceans North – Manitoba office

Winnipeg

Try again, Pierre

Pierre Poilievre’s introduction of a bill against vaccine mandates is nothing less than an absolute howler. Its defeat most likely stung him, as well as sparing Canada the spectacle that has befallen our southern neighbours (and, no doubt, a few other countries in the world).

He should take stock at this defeat, and reconsider such reactionary idiocy, as this will undoubtedly soil the Conservatives’ chances at credibility among those seeking an alternative to Justin and Jagmeet.

Furthermore, to propose so paleolithic a proposal as to hamstring public health and safety through banning such measures as may be required to stifle the spread of COVID-19 or any future pandemic would set our country, any country, to a calamitous state of affairs all round.

Count your blessings, Pierre, and take the hint.

David Martineau

Winnipeg

Must spread mask knowledge

Re: Why I wear a mask (Think Tank, Oct. 25)

It is encouraging to see someone in the medical profession recognizes that diseases can be spread by aerosols, and the role respirators can play in reducing the spread of disease. However this is not a new discovery as implied in the editorial comments. It has been known for a long time.

One of the earliest studies on “airborne contagion” was carried out by a Harvard engineer and his physician wife in 1935. This work suggested that disease could be spread by aerosols smaller the 100 microns, not five microns as currently thought.

In 1945 engineers in Pennsylvania measured the profile of particle sizes produced by an infectious person.

In 1975 a study carried out by a team of doctors in the United States and Wales showed how particles were distributed in the respiratory system, large particles in the nose, smaller particles deeper in the lung.

In 2003, during the SARS outbreak, it was demonstrated that disease could be spread through aerosols.

As can be seen, we have known about how diseases can be spread for a long time. Over the past three years, I have watched how this knowledge has been slowly getting into the healthcare system.

It should be noted that NIOSH approved N95s are not masks, they are respirators, and as such they protect the wearer unlike masks. Care should be used in selecting a respirator; there are many fakes out there, particularly among the Chinese KN95s. I have seen only one KN95 used in a hospital setting, and it was a fake.

Now the question is, how do we get this knowledge into the healthcare system so that nurses, doctors and others are properly protected and not just given masks or uncertified KN95s and told they are protected?

John Elias

Winnipeg

Time for new concepts

Re: Canada needs to improve faster on renewable energy: minister (Oct. 26)

It is positive that federal Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson suggests Canada needs to move faster.

But he and all of us have been and are deluding ourselves when we cling to the concept that building our present concept of an economy will save the Earth.

“Building the economy is the problem”, not the solution. We must move beyond entrenched conventional wisdom. The world (governments and individuals) is lost in its commitment to a consumption economy and the truly bizarre belief that governments may not tax extreme (and grotesque) wealth.

All of our political parties are captured by the idea that Canada must attract capital and therefore must subsidize enterprises that consume and produce and produce and produce ever more stuff while killing life on Earth.

All of our political parties seem unable to conceive and work for a national community where poverty is not tolerated, where every every child has the right to a free education, where every citizen has an inalienable right to equity and justice.

Bill Martin

Gimli

Kinew’s choice was clear

Re: Honeymoon over for miffed MLA Wasyliw (Oct. 24)

I was shocked that Fort Garry MLA Mark Wasyliw wasn’t appointed to Wab Kinew’s cabinet, thinking he was a shoe-in to be minister of justice.

Well, we now know why — he lacks the temperament and professionalism to hold such a high office. When he doesn’t get what he wants, he publicly refuses to shake the premier’s hand and declares he’s going to ramp up his legal practice instead of devoting his time fully to serving his constituents, as he should.

The premier has a solid majority and he and the NDP caucus should seriously reconsider whether they want someone like Wasyliw in it.

Sean Petty

Winnipeg

I moved to Mark Wasyliw’s constituency three years ago, and I recently voted for him for the first time in the provincial election. I was speechless with disappointment when I read the Free Press article describing how he refused to shake our new premier’s hand and his plan to “take on more cases now that he’s not in cabinet and will have more time to devote to his law practice.”

I realize that Mr. Wasyliw is discouraged after being left without a cabinet position. However, the optics around his childish statements and actions are absolutely awful. I wonder if he realizes how this looks to his constituents?

I urge him to reconsider his position and apologize to both his constituents and our new premier. I had such great hopes that he and his colleagues would start to turn around this province. But his seeming desire to make this all about him instead of the people that he is supposed to serve leaves me wondering if I voted for the wrong party in Fort Garry.

I recently retired after 33 years working in a provincial Crown corporation, most of it as a manager. I tried to always make sure that my staff knew that we were there to serve both the ratepayers and front line staff in our organization. It was not about us.

Mr. Wasyliw needs to understand his role, or step down and let someone else run in his stead.

Mr. Wasyliw, I ask you to be the man that I believed you to be when I voted for you. It’s not too late to make this right. And you will be more respected when and if you do so.

Patrick Dirks

Winnipeg