Letters, Jan. 17

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/01/2024 (987 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Congratulations to prof

Re: U of M scientist recognized with prestigious prize (Jan. 15)

Many thanks to the Free Press and to Maggie Macintosh for this report on work by U of M Prof. Dorthe Dahl-Jensen on ice cores from ancient polar ice sheets, and on their revelations about climate history.

Not only is it interesting to learn about her original work providing evidence that human industrial activities have had roles in climate change, but also it is exciting that international recognition is being bestowed on her research with her European colleagues.

We in the public too seldom applaud this valuable knowledge-creation by dedicated scientists. Worse still is to ignore its significance by — for example — allowing such activities as bulldozing mature forests at a time when we need urban trees to mitigate losses from heat and flooding.

Jean A. Paterson

Winnipeg

Tories need a tone change

Re: Khan, Klein eyeing Tories’ top job in post-Stefanson era (Jan. 15)

All of these potential candidates mentioned were part of a narrative of division among Manitobans during the last election. Even the two rookie MLAs who understand they are not ready for prime time still stood by the messaging of the party that ultimately caused its own implosion.

Candice Bergen Harris was a party chair for the election and would have been involved in or signed off on all of the planks in the party platform. Her tone for the election she wanted started months before the writ was dropped with the attacks she launched at the current premier, and I highly doubt, after Brian Pallister, Manitobans would have much interest in another former Portage MP running the province any time soon.

Khan was the party’s voice and face of parental rights throughout targeted riding where the Tories thought that messaging would play well… but it didn’t. And Klein and Squires were each part of the Tory party and regularly turned a blind eye to everything pre-campaign and on the campaign trail, but since losing their seats have found salvation and their sight again in a post-election reality. I believe this should firmly plant them in the “too little, too late” category unless either of them have the ability to rewrite history.

But to say these possible leaders come with baggage is an understatement. The legislature would need to become part storage warehouse should any of them win because they would need so much space to stow their menageries of misdeeds and missteps. Any one of them would be manna from heaven for the NDP in the next election.

Although, until the Tories admit there is something wrong with their party, the tone it has taken with voters, and the paths it has chosen for itself, it really won’t matter who is leading them because they will be leading a lost cause.

Brian Spencler

Winnipeg

Remember your mask

Re: The unwelcome unvaxxed (Think Tank, Jan. 15)

I feel discouraged by the low levels of vaccinations, particularly for COVID-19. Even worse is the refusal by my fellow citizens to wear masks when they go to health-care facilities. Shared Health did make masks mandatory for staff at heath-care facilities, but failed those workers by not extending mandatory masking for all patients and their accompanying family members.

I understand mask mandates cannot be kept in place indefinitely for all gathering places like grocery stores, schools, etc. As a vulnerable senior, I choose not to go inside the grocery store or attend any gatherings, indoors or out, to protect my health. But I must be assured that I can safely access my health-care professionals.

Going to my family doctor fills me with anxiety when I see unmasked patients in the waiting room. I am grateful to the staff who allow me to wait separately in a different room. Despite that, I still see some patients coughing without wearing a mask. Clearly some people learned nothing from the CoOVID-19 pandemic, which hasn’t ended, as some may believe. And COVID-19 isn’t “like the flu” either. Have you ever heard of long flu?

The attempts made by Manitoba Public Health officials to encourage vaccination have not been sufficient in getting the required response. But getting vaccinated and wearing masks cannot be the sole responsibility of Public Health and health-care workers. It requires participation from all citizens to stem the tide of the viral soup we have created and are allowing to thrive. It’s also not fair to carelessly expose oneself to these viruses and expect the health-care system to pick up the pieces.

Please, at the very least, and in consideration of health-care workers and your fellow patients, wear a mask when you go to the doctor’s office, hospital or any health-care facility. Is that really too much to ask?

Kim Tyson

Winnipeg

Seniors need better clearing effort

Re: City deems storm cleanup success (Jan. 12)

I fully agree with Coun. Janice Lukes.

I live in Osborne Village, an area that is densely populated by young and old. Most people who live in the Village, because of its proximity to downtown, walk to work or use public transport. We also have many seniors living in the Village (I too am a senior) because of its convenience to shopping, pharmacies etc.

This past snowfall sidewalks were not properly cleaned as usual. Many of the seniors who live here are therefore trapped in their apartments, afraid to go out due to the sidewalk conditions.

Seniors need to exercise and have access to groceries and medical appointments. Those who use walkers or who are in electric wheelchairs have no option except to stay in. Running a mini-plow along the sidewalks with its blade six inches above the sidewalk creates a worse situation and does not meet the definition of cleaning.

I have called both the past and present councillors for this area to report this all to no avail.

Rev. Gerry Ward

Winnipeg

Sidewalk snow clearing has improved with the additional equipment acquired and more funding allocated to the task. It took the city five days to get to doing Portage Avenue sidewalks in 2022. Sidewalks and other active transportation paths weren’t even properly prioritized back then.

There’s still room for improvement. Currently, all sidewalk snow-clearing equipment that serves the west side of the city is located in the Pacific Avenue maintenance yard. An operator spends over a third of the shift just traveling to and from the yard on to the scheduled work area when sidewalk snow clearing is required in St. James. This exercise is a waste of time, resources and money. Add in the additional carbon emissions for this unproductive travel.

The city needs to place equipment in secondary locations throughout the city in order to reduce the travel time to get the job done. More work would then get done faster and cheaper.

The city also needs to stop under-funding the snow-clearing/ice-management budget in order to reduce the annual deficit. There are savings and efficiencies to be realized in many areas for proper funding allocation.

Kelly Ryback

Winnipeg