Letters, Dec. 26

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/12/2024 (513 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Something’s missing

How curious. Yog Rahi Gupta writes in his letter to the editor Dialogue over destruction, Dec. 14, about the “ongoing Russia-Ukraine war” without once mentioning that this is a war of aggression waged by Russia’s dictatorial regime.

The writer expounds on the losses and disillusionment of Ukrainian defenders and the destruction wrought, yet not once mentions the obvious solution to the senseless horror — Russia is long overdue for retreating from the evil folly of ever having entered Ukraine.

What would Canada do should our increasingly unfriendly neighbours decide “to annex” Canada?

Would Yog Rahi Gupta berate Canada for not falling to its knees?

Should we enable the ludicrous ambitions of deranged leaders?

Let us not confuse defenders of freedoms with destructive aggressors!

Let us celebrate goodness and creativity, not evil and destruction!

Christina Sikorsky

Winnipeg

 

No support here

Re: Already-strong support in Manitoba for federal Tories inches up in latest Probe-Free Press poll, Dec 14

I have to wonder why Manitoba polls are showing “growing support for Tory leader Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives.”

Could it be because of his substantive policy statements and detailed action plans? Hardly.

Or is it due to his “clever” penchant for name-calling, the latest being “Carbon Tax Carney”?

If so, should his opponents retaliate (Petty Pierre, Polarizing Pierre, come to mind)?

But no, that would be sinking to his level.

Instead, I would suggest that if disenchantment with all current political leaders is the real issue, everyone should be urged to focus instead on local candidates and support the best of them, regardless of who their party leader is.

Ron Menec

Winnipeg

 

I am disappointed to hear that Conservative fortunes seem to be rising. I have no trust in Pierre Poilievre.

Why hasn’t he got his security clearance? All the other federal leaders have. What is he hiding?

So far, all I have heard is three-word slogans and that everything is Trudeau’s fault. So if Poilievre ever becomes prime minister, then I’ll blame him for everything.

I feel Poilievre will cutting a lot of programs. Remember Harper? Poilievre hasn’t been clear about what he will cut.

He has voted against measures to help Canadians including a school food program. He consistently voted against help for Ukraine. Poilievre is also the the only MP with a compliance agreement with Elections Canada.

He has also said that he would use the notwithstanding clause to push “his” laws. This is another red flag for me.

I don’t trust him with negotiations with the Trump administration. Why do Modi and Russia or even Elon Musk want him in?

I’m not buying his slogans and lies. I also find it worrying that Poilievre doesn’t allow reporters to freely ask questions.

Leanne Hanuschuk

Winnipeg

 

Where does glass go?

I just finished reading your article in the 49.8 section of Saturday’s edition (Code Blue, Dec. 14).

Loved it. Very interesting indeed.

I know the focus was on plastics but near the end of the article you said “only glass and steel cans are processed within the province.” I know we have a steel recycler in Selkirk but I’m not aware of a glass recycler in the province.

Prior to the opening of the 4R recycling centres in the city, I would attend the Brady Road dump a few times per year to dump garbage from my small construction business.

At that time, I would drive past a literal mountain of crushed glass on my way to the dump site.

My take on that was that although Winnipegers were putting their glass into their bins, it was being crushed and then dumped at Brady Road,therefore not truly being recycled.

My question is, were you able to determine whether or not this crushed glass is being shipped to a recycler, used in some other way or simply being “dumped” at Brady?

Or are our efforts to recycle glass products going to “waste”? Thanks for your time.

Don Johnson

Winnipeg

 

Economic bullies

For months, I have been drafting and editing a potential op-ed piece on some of the pressing realities in our city.

I have been unable to capture the twin realities that we are by many measures a wealthy city and yet seem unable work collectively in response to much of the unnecessary suffering and struggle we see around us.

Andrew Lodge’s piece, Pervasive poverty demonstrates an unjust society, Dec. 16, has gone some way in articulating many of my thoughts. We are being sold a promise of individualism that serves as an agenda for dividing and conquering forms of collective and care action.

Our economic system is ultimately a bully, making us fearful to act out of line to its interests leaving so many to be mocked and excluded.

Rev. David Driedger

First Mennonite Church of Winnipeg

Winnipeg

 

A hybrid system?

Regarding Gerald Farthing‘s letter to the editor, No desire for U.S. style care, Dec. 14.

Mr. Farthing makes some good points about the terrible things that have happened in the American health system, but the health system in Canada is not working as it should.

We are presently travelling down a path where we have equality in healthcare but a deteriorating system where neither the rich or the poor get the healthcare they deserve.

Standard of healthcare in the U.S. for those who can pay for it is excellent and, from my experience, superior; they are competitive and concerned that you get the absolute best treatment available, because they want you to come back to their clinic after you’ve had your procedure or consultation with them.

You get follow-ups to see if you were happy with the service and if there’s anything the clinic could do to improve. Competition is key here.

If you need a MRI, you can get it within a week and get the results within a couple of days.

This brings me to the opinion that we need a hybrid system where there’s competition and more value.

There is a danger of the best doctors migrating to the private system but this could be mitigated by having the doctors work equal time in both the public and private sector.

We have been trying to patch up the existing system for decades with little or no results.

This hybrid system may not be perfect, but if the present one isn’t working well, let’s look for a new solution.

L. Verville

Winnipeg