Letters, Nov. 10

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/11/2023 (1036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fortunate to have Dr. Reimer

Re: Running because of — not away from — depression (Nov. 9)

Dr. Joss Reimer is quite obviously a woman of heart, courage and conviction.

She also knows a great deal about that which she speaks and her willingness to share her own life experience is a testament to both her humility and dedication to her profession. We are most fortunate.

Dan Donahue

Winnipeg

I read the article on Dr. Joss Reimer with great interest. As a senior, I have had the experience of family members and friends who have experienced depression.

I agree with Dr. Reimer that medication is most helpful. However, in my recent experience with a depressed friend I found that they were not taking the medication in the proper manner. Please make sure that you follow the doctor’s advice!

Understanding family members, kind friends and colleagues, the ability to face your problem — plus the correct medication — are key to maintaining a productive and satisfactory lifestyle.

I applaud Dr. Reimer for her revelation of her illness and her willingness to share, and hopefully help others who are in a similar situation.

Sandra Caplan

Winnipeg

Joining call for peace

Re Time to do more for peace (Think Tank, Nov. 8)

I’ve always appreciated and enjoyed reading Peter Denton’s opinions which are often printed on the Think Tank page of your paper.

Mr. Denton consistently approaches his topics in a well thought out and sensitive manner. His latest opinion piece is no exception. His comment that in any conflict, there is a polarizing push to choose the side you want to win even if there is likely to be no clear winner is so true and has also been shown to ring true throughout history.

When I was younger, during the Cold War, my business interests took me to eastern Europe regularly. Often in meetings with officials in those areas, over time, once we got past the flag waving and finger pointing, I realized their personal aspirations were no different than those we shared at home; they were, and are today, universal.

Collectively, it has been the leaders who have followed their own agendas and been deaf to the goals and aspirations of their citizens whose desires are to live and prosper in peace; to provide a safe and secure environment for their families and loved ones; to provide for a better life for their children and grandchildren. Until that changes, we will all suffer.

Lorne Weiss

Winnipeg

Many thanks to Peter Denton for Time to do more for peace. While the world is dealing with the killing of many innocent victims in Israel/Gaza and Ukraine, the article reminds us that “our silence or neutrality in the face of such oppression is therefore unacceptable.”

Canadians need to speak up and be more consistently and actively engaged discussions with allies regarding global conflicts such as Israel/Hamas and Russia/Ukraine. While I appreciate the good efforts of Canada’s foreign minister and many ambassadors and UN officials, it is abundantly clear to me that finding new ways forward is never going to be easy and requires significantly more time and energy from many foreign governments and our Canadian officials.

In the Middle East conflict, I completely agree with Mr. Denton that “the people of Israel and Palestine instead need to reject the leadership that has brought them to this point, the leaders who have promoted both the long, slow violence that set the stage for inevitable war, and those who have provoked and fought it.”

To find a new way forward is in everyone’s interest. While Canada is more engaged now, because of the current conflicts, a much more active foreign policy stance is required.

Canada has been far too silent, for example, about Palestinian rights and working with others to make a two-state solution even a remote possibility. Canada needs to do more for peace. Thank you to Peter Denton for this timely reminder.

Robert Granke

Winnipeg

Treat unhoused as neighbours

As the former Executive Director of Osborne Village BIZ, I had the issue of persons living under the Osborne Bridge. Unsightly garbage was an issue, in fact there had been a fire under the bridge in the previous year. I decided that I would try to get some buy-in from the persons living there.

I provided a few extra bins and made a deal with the persons occupying the space under the bridge. The deal was I would not bother them if they kept the area clean. Eventually the persons realized that I was not there to harass them and that I was giving them an opportunity to be “good neighbours.”

It was amazing how these persons appreciated the chance to keep the area clean, after all this was their living space. It was amazing how they bought into the deal and while the area was not spotless it was definitely much cleaner. I did have to visit them on one occasion when there was a large accumulation of garbage.

I spoke with them and it was they that cleaned up the area that day.

Sometimes we need to realize a great number of people do not choose to be homeless and everyone just wants to be treated with respect.

Brian Timmerman

Winnipeg

Don’t walk back promises

Re: Gas tax holiday doomed to fail (Think Tank, Nov. 8)

Michael Durand-Wood argues that the NDP should scrap plans to temporarily eliminate the provincial gas tax and redirect that money elsewhere.

However, I think it is more important for the NDP to actually keep the campaign promises they made, rather than backtrack once they are elected.

Greg Selinger lost all credibility with voters when he promised not to increase the PST if re-elected, only to flip-flop once he was re-elected. I’m not a huge fan of the NDP, but if Wab Kinew continues to keep the promises he made, I might be convinced to vote NDP in the next election for the first time in over 40 years.

It’s not often that I would use the words “honest” and “politician” in the same sentence, but Premier Kinew might be the one to change my opinion.

Bill Parkes

Winnipeg

Joining gas tax chorus unwise

How deliciously ironic. The premiers of every province west of the Maritimes howling for a change to the federal carbon tax, when only a few days previous not a peep.

In fact only a few days previous — aside from the protests from planet Albertchewan — there was grudging acceptance of a tax that is neither a magic bullet to slay climate change nor a malevolent one to slay our economy; a minor nuisance that as long as we give the money back (Canada) or dump it into the maw of general revenue (BC) will not meet its potential to change individual and corporate behaviour or contribute to urgently needed mitigation.

Had Canada simply stayed the course and figured out a way to help home heating oil users by other means, the carbon tax ship would have remained on course rather than on the rocks.

Manitoba has unwisely joined the chorus, thus putting to bed the notion this may be a particularly green government, and missing a golden opportunity to set itself apart from the other dismally parochial provincial governments.

In the meanwhile I’m switching to oil to heat my home so I can apply for a free heat pump.

Norman Brandson

Winnipeg