Letters, June 26

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/06/2024 (648 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Child-care models from abroad

I write this in response to your recent series on the topic of child care in Manitoba.

About 20 years ago I worked in a large international school in the Middle East. There were more than 100 employees — professional, clerical and custodial. The school operated a nursery, free of charge for all employees. The children were dropped off when employees arrived and picked up at home time. The nursery staff were also employees of the school. As one of the school’s administrators, I was usually able to assign staff members who were nursing mothers to a classroom in close proximity to the nursery.

I relate this because such a child-care model is seldom part of the discussion here in Canada. For us, it was essential. It made us more attractive in a competitive market for high quality employees. There was no government support for the nursery. Its cost was entirely borne by the school, and the school’s income was entirely derived from student tuition.

There would be many regulatory and structural difficulties to be overcome before such a system could be transplanted to the Canadian workplace, and I don’t see it as a universal solution — merely worthy of consideration. But, in an environment where companies are increasingly required to compete for employees, imagine the advantage a company would have if such an employee benefit were offered, especially if government incentives were offered for the establishment of an in-house program.

Terry Dann

Winnipeg

Preserving special places

Re: Historic church vital part of city’s past, should remain in its future (June 23)

Brent Bellamy’s article is a beautiful piece of impassioned persuasion for the saving of this architectural gem in the midst of our city.

I don’t think any one else could have informed and thus educated us as to what a value we would lose if this building were to be demolished. I had not realized the significance of its history in Winnipeg and the significance of its history in architecture , not only for Winnipeg but also North America. The people of Winnipeg built this. It is a monument to and a representation of who we were at that time.

We should be so proud of this part of our history. The hope, industry, craftsmanship, optimism and artistry were all at work here. Bravo to that.

Surely we cannot view its possible demise as a concern only for its parishioners. We have an opportunity to try and save this treasure — a treasure that could never be replicated.

I hope 100 years from now people will be thanking us for preserving this special place. We don’t get many opportunities like this.

Bob Sydor

Winnipeg

After reading Brent Bellamy’s brilliant opinion piece, I agree with him that Holy Trinity Church should be preserved. Hopefully, the government will come forward with funding and a committee could be formed to receive donations from the public. “It’s one of the finest buildings ever constructed in our city’s 150-year history.”

Manitobans, let’s make this happen!

Sandra Caplan

Winnipeg

Prison priorities

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Manitoba Library Association – Prison Libraries Committee book and bake sale, which raises funds to provide books and other library services to people who are incarcerated in provincial jails. While munching on a very tasty oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, I spoke with one of the volunteers, and I was saddened (but not surprised) to learn that the provincial government does not provide regular funding for prison libraries. As a result, the program is entirely volunteer-run and depends on donations, small project grants, and the book and bake sale to cover its costs, with the latter bringing in about $3,000 each year.

This morning, I opened up the Free Press to learn that our provincial government has committed another $387,000 to increase policing. I don’t need to ask what the government’s priorities are, because the numbers make it absolutely clear.

Despite its small, cobbled-together budget, the committee is doing great things for prisoner education and literacy. But imagine what they could do if we redirected even a tiny percentage of that $387,000 towards their work. Imagine the contribution the committee could make to prisoner rehabilitation and to reintegration after release — which are ultimately contributions to the safety of our society as a whole —- with regular, meaningful funding.

People talk and talk about the need to address the root causes of crime, yet our government consistently underfunds (or doesn’t fund at all) the organizations trying to do so. While I can appreciate the fear and frustration that drive people to call for more policing, we know that this doesn’t fix things in the long run.

It’s well past time to invest in the things that do.

Susan Cuvelier

Winnipeg

Seize property, then auction it

Re: ‘Enough is enough’ (June 22)

While I applaud Mayor Scott Gillingham’s stance on “problematic properties,” why is the only solution presented in this article to have the city take the property over and clean it up at a cost of $30,000 to $50,000? Why any cost?

Gillingham points out the owners aren’t paying their taxes, so yes, seize the property but make money by auctioning off the property with a caveat that any new owner has to clean it up within a specified time or it will be auctioned off again. After three auctions, the city could have enough money to clean up the lot. The province sold cottage lots with caveats to build within two years, so why can’t such a system work here?

Janis Arnold

Winnipeg

Kudos to kids

Re: All hands on deck at city school (June 20)

Bravo to the fine young citizens of Kent Road elementary school for their service to the community! In picking up litter with open and cheerful hearts, they practice stewardship of their neighbourhood and feel good about themselves into the bargain. And bravo to their teacher, Lynne MacDuff, for introducing these future custodians of the city to the recognition that good citizens go out of their way to volunteer to perform tasks for society that need doing.

As they do, I also frequently find myself “getting kind of frustrated and mad” that people throw their garbage in public spaces. One very recent summer, from my living room window I observed a pastoral scene of a young man being dropped off at his fancy large black pick-up truck, with his fishing rod and tackle, by a car of his confrères. “How nice, a fishing trip,” I mused, but my feelings quickly changed to outrage as I observed the young man open his truck passenger door and sweep a good 10 empty beer cans onto the boulevard in front of my house. I wish the Kent Road school children had been with me to raise a chorus of disapproval to the young man. I think they would be proud of me at least to know that I loudly declared something to the effect of, “How dare you! You don’t even live on this street! Take those beer cans with you!” And, indeed, he scurried around without a word, throwing his beer cans back into his truck, and then peeled away pretty quickly.

When I was a school child in the 1970s, a “Don’t be a litterbug” advertising campaign had the desired effect of modifying littering behaviour and it became truly unacceptable to toss garbage carelessly in public. The Kent Road school kids have spoken loud and clear: Don’t be a litterbug!

Well done, Kent Road, good and faithful servants of the Earth, and of Winnipeg!

Christina LÓpez

Winnipeg