Letters, Oct. 28

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/10/2023 (1050 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The way things were

Re: Let kids walk – and clear the way for them (Editorial, Oct. 27)

I am in my 60s. I grew up in Winnipeg when walking to school on foot was just what we did. If we had parents driving kids to school, I don’t remember it.

We had no sidewalks as we lived on a large bay and then finished the trip on sidewalks. We had school patrols to guide us safely to and from school. We actually loved the walk to school as we met up with friends and walked in groups.

I am not sure what motivates a parent to not allow their child to walk to school.

Is it a fear of traffic? Well, then teach your child how to cross streets safely. Is it a fear of your child being abducted going to school? Well, then teach them how to respond if they are approached by a stranger. We must keep in mind that children abducted on the way to school is extremely rare. Don’t have children fear all strangers, just instruct them on what to do. School zones for elementary schools have reduced speeds to make it safer, it’s not for the cars it’s for the children.

Why cars became the favoured way to get to school escapes me. Parents, let your child have some freedom and part of this freedom is to let them walk to school.

Brian Timmerman

Winnipeg

Made-in-Manitoba scandals

Re: Answers on WPS headquarters are overdue (Editorial, Oct.26); Truth ditched in long-running Project Nova drama (Oct. 26)

The editorial calling for a long overdue “all-encompassing” inquiry into the WPS headquarters scandal is on the mark. The roles that former Mayor Sam Katz and other high ranking civic officials played in the “possible widespread fraud,” is very much in the public’s interest. Let’s hope it’s not too late to file criminal charges against those found responsible.

MPI’s Project Nova has the same rotten smell as the WPS headquarters scandal. There is sufficient information for the Manitoba government to order an urgent investigation to establish the cause of project Nova’s massive cost overruns; the possibility that fraud played a role must not be overlooked.

Such scandals should not be allowed to become the norm.

Shashi Seshia

Winnipeg

Time to shift away from meat

Re: The meat you eat – and its impact (Think Tank, Oct. 26)

Full marks for The meat you eat – and its impact and its recommendation that we eat less meat. Thirty-two years ago, I stopped eating meat entirely and this past August celebrated thirty years as a vegan. Over those years, health professionals and researchers have increasingly reported on the impact of our diets on our health and the benefits of meatless diets.

A compelling example was the lead editorial of the Oct 1, 1990 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology. In it, longtime editor-in-chief, William Roberts MD, made the convincing case that our bodies aren’t even designed to eat meat. explaining that our clawless hands, flat teeth and extensive gastrointestinal system are poorly suited to tearing, chewing and digesting flesh.

The message is simple: Eating less meat profoundly reduces the risk of chronic disease, leading to less pain, suffering and premature death. But be aware of the pleasant side effect: Considerable financial savings in our crumbling healthcare system!

November is World Vegan Month, a great time to try making the shift. Compared to 30 years ago, it’s so much easier to go vegan. Do it for your health, you’ll also be doing so much for the environment (think climate emergency!) and the animals themselves!

Dennis Bayomi, MSc. (Community Health)

Founder, Winnipeg Vegetarian Association

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Carbon is carbon

Re: Liberals pause carbon pricing on heating oil, double rural carbon price rebate top-up (Oct. 26)

With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent announcement that the carbon tax is being removed from home heating oil but not from natural gas used for home heating, I look forward to hearing from Ben Carr, Terry Duguid, Kevin Lamoureux or Dan Vandal to explain why this is a fair and effective policy.

Perhaps carbon molecules from oil are more benign than those from natural gas? Surely this has nothing to do with protecting Liberal seats in Atlantic Canada. Perish the thought!

Johnston Smith

Winnipeg

Where’s the outrage?

I want to appreciate the Western world political leadership for their quick and instant response to the Hamas attack on Israel — that is what good politicians do especially for our allies. We Canadians grieve for the Israeli civilians and pray for their families as we do for Palestinians and the people of Gaza.

I am compelled to ask our political leaders why have we not seen your statements and moral outrage on behalf of Palestinian civilians, youth, children, women, and the elderly who are being killed, starved, and injured along with the embargo on water, fuel, medicine, and food?

Why this hesitation to call for an immediate ceasefire?

Do our leaders support the inhumane treatment of Palestinian civilians and the collective punishment and war crimes being committed against them? Is Canada not bound by international law? Does our leadership consider Palestinian civilians as subhuman? If not, then why the silence?

I am asking our leaders to please clear up any misunderstanding just in case Palestinians are hoping for compassion and justice from Canadian leaders — just tell them the truth — Palestinians will understand. After all, they know that Canada is built on spoils of war, colonization, land grabs, persecution, oppression, separating families by force, burying babies in unmarked graves to hide the truth, building settlements on land that was not theirs to take, and assigning the Indigenous of this land to “reserves.”

Do you care that Canadian Palestinians, Arabs, Jews, and Muslims are facing rising Islamophobia antisemitism, anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab hate because of their irresponsible statements? Your indifference has resulted in employers, colleagues, schools, and universities silencing and punishing any expression of solidarity with Palestinians and Gaza. Why are you silent? Why are you not calling for an immediate ceasefire?

Antisemitism is as abhorrent and as ugly as is Islamophobia but it seems our leaders have washed their hands off from addressing hate by appointing envoys for antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Our communities are hurting and there is no effort to bring Canadians together to stop the hurt and hate and there is no acknowledgment from our leaders of the harm their words have caused and the fire of hate they have unleashed with their omission of compassion for Palestinian children and their families who are being killed every hour on the hour.

I am thankful to MLAs and MPs and Jewish Canadians who are standing for human rights and justice for all — they give us hope!

Remember, history will judge us. As it has inhumane atrocities of the past

Shahina Siddiqui

Winnipeg