Letters, May 2

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This article was published 02/05/2024 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rules are rules, Poilievre

Re: Poilievre kicked out of Commons after ‘wacko’ comment (May 1)

Thank you Speaker Greg Fergus for upholding the rules regarding parliamentary language regarding Pierre Poilievre.

Poilievre called the prime minister ‘wacko’ and was given four chances to remove his comment —which he didn’t. I feel that this was purposely staged because as soon as they were ejected out of the Commons, CPC were fundraising from this and complaining about censorship.

This was not censorship; Poilievre broke the rules. I cannot imagine him being prime minister with the disrespect for our institutions and media.

Leanne Hanuschuk

Winnipeg

What our taxes buy

Re: Privacy breach ‘absolutely terrifying’ (May 1)

The Free Press has highlighted important issues about how privacy breaches are handled. On April 30, it reported that “a second episode of improper access to personal health information” resulted in a nurse being suspended for two weeks. In most organizations, a second serious disciplinary violation results in a termination of that person’s employment.

On May 1 the Free Press reported that a serious privacy violation by a “health worker” was referred to the Manitoba ombudsman. In keeping with the lack of transparency and accountability characteristic of these organizations the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and the ombudsman have refused to comment in any significant detail.

The reality here is that our tax dollars fund these agencies. We have a right to expect they will be more forthcoming when issues such as these arise. As it stands, we are left with the feeling that health-care employees can violate the Personal Health Information Act legislation with impunity or have the matter referred to an organization where it will die a natural bureaucratic death.

Mac Horsburgh

Winnipeg

Parking considerations

Re: Time to talk about River and Osborne (April 29)

Getting a scramble intersection is a good idea, but more importantly parking should be the issue.

Recently, going to the area for shopping it was discouraging to see that Stradbrook now only has one lane for parking and the lot at the corner of Osborne and Stradbrook has been fenced off. I feel for the consumer and retailers in the area.

Paul Forest

Winnipeg

Signs of change

Re: Developer asks city to change street name honouring former educator (April 29)

Yet again there is a commotion over a Winnipeg street name that was originally named in honour of an individual thought to be deserving.

The city would be well off to prohibit street names using the name of a person. Temporary recognition of people could still happen without the upheaval and confusion of changing addresses, street signs, maps and direction apps.

Ellen Karr

Winnipeg

Enforce the bylaw

Re: Don’t bury the tree bylaws (Think Tank, April 29)

Erna Buffie is absolutely right in saying that we need bylaws to protect trees — whether on public or private land. That said, there is an even bigger issue, in my view, and that is that the City of Winnipeg appears to be averse to enforcing its bylaws.

At this time, the city works with a complaint-based system which requires residents to report on other residents. Would this potential bylaw become one that you and I become responsible for?

Debbie Ristimaki

Winnipeg

Alternate terminology

Re: Poilievre capitalizing on anger, not creating it (Think Tan, April 30)

According to Deveryn Ross, Conservative party Leader Pierre Poilievre is simply “giving voice to, and amplifying what millions of citizens were already thinking.”

Nice euphemisms, I think, for continuing to perpetuate, and stoke, “hate,” “fear,” “malice,” “spite,” and “blame.” Maybe I’m wrong but it still sounds like “peddling poisons” to me.

Ina Baas-Penner

Winnipeg

Paying double

Noted with interest the report that more nurses are moving to private agencies.

When I had two hips replaced, one at a time, in the now-defunct out-of-province program, I called our wonderful health-care system to try to get temporary home care for five days or so following each surgery.

Here’s how it worked: they might be able to send someone out to assess my needs after I had been home for a week, and then possibly assign some care. No, they could not assign care in the immediate post-surgical days, even though they knew exactly what sort of care that surgery requires. But, I asked, the limited care I would need would only be in the few days immediately after the surgery.

Sorry, nope, was the answer.

They would absolutely not send anyone at all if there was a dog in the home. I have three, and part of the help needed was to feed them, since bending for a few days would be impossible for me.

I forked over the money to pay for private care.

Available and bookable ahead of time, no problem helping to feed the dogs.

Too bad I was paying taxpayer dollars for health care I couldn’t access, and double paid to hire my own.

Judy Waytiuk

Winnipeg

Crash landing

Re: Jets go down fighting (May 1)

Here we go again. Another season, another early exit from the playoffs. That’s 13 seasons with very little to show for it.

We the fans deserve better. And the solution? A new general manager. Kevin Cheveldayoff has had lots of time to build a winner. This is his team.

I beg the team owners: give us a new GM!

Joe Leven

Winnipeg

The second consecutive year of losing the opening round 4-1 should set off alarm bells, but we will get tepid shoulder shrugs from Mark Chipman and company.

The regular season is simply a long preparation for playoff hockey, and the present Jets clearly cannot handle playoff pressure. Nobody is afraid of the Jets. In fact, other teams will be delighted to draw the Jets in the opening round.

Rick Bowness has lost this team, he should be shown the door. We also desperately need more character players.

Look at it this way; in the last 10 playoff games, the Jets have lost eight. If that doesn’t tell you something, you’re asleep.

Kurt Clyde

Winnipeg

In the end, they fooled us yet again. The fourth-best record in the league, the second-best record in the west, the best record among Canadian teams, the Jennings trophy, a likely Vezina trophy winner, home ice advantage, and an eight-game winning streak to close out the season meant nothing except more disappointment.

The defence, coaching, and discipline fell apart and it was Connor Hellebuyck versus the world.

They constantly toy with us, giving us tantalizing hints of what may be possible and then fail to deliver when it counts in the playoffs. This is why this can be such a frustrating team to cheer for.

If Mark Chipman and the rest of the Jets’ brain trust are wondering why attendance is down, playoff disappointments are likely a good part of that. A 1-9 record in the last 10 home games in front of the vaunted “White Out” certainly doesn’t help.

Among other things, maybe it’s well past time to put that tired and seemingly ineffective marketing ploy to bed once and for all.

This team needs to show some heart when it counts and aspire to be something more than Leafs West. We’re beyond tired of it.

Bill Craig

Winnipeg

Remembering Pete

Re: Even amid all the empties beat a very full heart (April 27)

It was wonderful to read Rebecca Chambers’ tribute to Pete Barkman. Pete was also a regular visitor to our Wolseley home for over 25 years. He saw our kids grow up, met our families and many of our friends. We met his friends and partners and very recently met a daughter he hadn’t seen since birth.

In the last 10 years, Pete was living in an assisted living seniors block. Pete was very happy with his living arrangement on Goulet. He still made the rounds to visit his many friends across the city.

Pete had a wicked sense of humour. He was intelligent and very conversational. He was honest and direct about who he was. He was a great story teller. He cared about people . We are so sorry to have missed his send off. I believe his resting place is on reserve in Ontario.

Pete was a good person and we are grateful to have known him.

Ellen Karlinsky

Winnipeg