Letters, March 19

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/03/2025 (198 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Credit to police

Re: ‘Bringing them home was within our grasp’ (March 18)

I agree full heartedly that the search of the landfill site should have begun immediately upon learning that the murdered women might be located there, however, let us not forget the hard-working, dedicated police officers who arrested the women’s killer and gathered the evidence required to convict this serial killer in court.

These same hard-working police officers, who had no control over the decision made not to search, have had to continue on while sharing in the scorn directed at the police service by the Indigenous community. They should be shown the respect that they deserve and thanked.

Stan Tataryn

Winnipeg

Redirecting outrage

Re: American influencer who caused outrage after snatching a baby wombat in Australia issues apology (March 15)

I would like to see some of the outrage levelled against one American influencer who snatched a baby wombat directed towards the dairy industry which separates thousands of calves from their mothers every year.

Like all mammals, cows only produce milk to feed their young. They are forcibly impregnated with semen artificially extracted from a bull and, after a nine-month pregnancy, have their babies stolen from them shortly after birth. Their grief is palpable. The fact so many consumers are unaware of this is a testament to the effectiveness of the dairy industry’s propaganda.

Debbie Wall

Winnipeg

Trump’s hand not so great

The president of the U.S. keeps on telling Canada and other countries that he holds all the cards. Here are the facts about the oil card. The U.S. ranks No. 11 in the world for oil reserves. If they stopped all imports, based on their current oil consumption in the U.S., they will drain their reserve in five years.

So maybe Canada should tell him to name a date in 2025 when we can shut off the tap and we will do it. Then watch him scramble because the refineries in the U.S. that are designed for Alberta crude oil will take a much longer time to reconfigure their refineries.

So tell me who holds the oil card, Mr. President.

Guyle Milligan

Winnipeg

Caring for caregivers

Re: Bruce Willis’s wife decrees, ‘caregivers need care too’ (March 15)

The article references the perspectives of Emma Heming, Bruce Willis’ wife and primary caregiver since he was diagnosed with aphasia in 2022. Her perspective is that the medical profession needs to do more to direct caregivers to resources that can support them as they care for their loved one.

She also references the terribly tragic death of Gene Hackman, who had Alzheimer’s disease, alone after his wife Betsy Arakawa succumbed to Hantavirus. Ms. Heming offers the perspective that perhaps all of us need to step up a little and be proactive in providing support to caregivers, rather than assuming they have everything covered.

My wife Lynne was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 50, and I was her primary caregiver-giver for 10 years until I had to place her in a care home where I continued to visit her daily until she passed three years later. I worked full time through that period other than for a three-year hiatus while I recovered from a triple bypass. This was back when home care in Manitoba sort of worked, and it made a huge difference. So did Lynne’s specialist doctor and the Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba. I was very lucky to have those resources, and anyone in a similar position should ensure that they have an experienced specialist to help treat the disease, and talk to the Alzheimer’s Society.

From my experience, Ms. Heming’s perspective that we all need to be more proactive in supporting caregivers rings true. I experienced many wonderful acts of kindness during the time that I cared for Lynne, but as longtime friends found it too distressing to see Lynne in her diminished capacity, we became more and more isolated. Is this what happened to Gene Hackman? I don’t know. In the workplace, after initial concern regarding Lynne and I, the focus became less and less supportive.

Realistically for folks that care for people with Alzheimer’s, it is not a sprint to the finish; it is a long and gruelling marathon that saps your essence. Those of you who know someone who is a caregiver should consider what you can do on an ongoing basis to lighten the load. Don’t ask “How can I help?” Just do it and do it consistently.

To those of you in caregiver roles, take care of yourselves. Don’t give up. You are walking the path of least regrets and you are doing important work.

Tom Pearson

Winnipeg

Expand PUB’s mandate

This reader must applaud the recent efforts of our federal and provincial governments to make our lives generally more affordable. The reverse is true with the City of Winnipeg administration.

Our current mayor seems to favor a “zero-sum” arrangement whereby every dollar saved on our federal and provincial taxes should end up in city coffers. The proposed increases to water/waste/sewage fees are scandalously high. Combine these with the latest 5.95 per cent increase to our property taxes suggests that Mayor Scott Gillingham is determined to inflict as much financial hardship as possible during his term in office.

The mandate of the Public Utilities Board must be expanded to force our water and waste department to submit for review any proposed rate increases. The future payments to the Province of Manitoba from the tobacco companies could be split between our health-care system and the City of Winnipeg. The next civic election cannot come soon enough.

Michael Stones

Winnipeg

Appreciating a critic

Re: Incognito and incomparable (March 11)

I was sorry to hear of the recent passing of former Free Press restaurant critic Marion Warhaft. My wife and I were just talking about Marion two weeks back when we were eating at one of the restaurants she introduced us to many years ago.

When my family moved back to Winnipeg in 2001, we had to get to know the city again after a few years of being away. Newspapers, and columnists like Marion Warhaft, were one of the better ways to go about this. She soon became one of my favourite reads in the Free Press for her insight into Winnipeg food culture. And while we didn’t go to every restaurant she highly recommended (budget was a factor for a couple of young parents), there were a number of keepers that we might have passed by had she not covered them. (I’m glad to see that some of her articles are still accessible online.)

In particular, Siam Thai on St. Anne’s was a definite keeper. It was very close to us at the time and I think the hook of the review was that it was authentic Thai, and can you believe it, the restaurant was part of a shopping plaza; don’t overlook this place!

We didn’t overlook it and 20 or so years later, we are still going back, because of Marion. That is where we were when we were talking about her, over some of the same dishes she had specifically suggested 20 years ago, before I read that she’d died. Though it’s been years since her retirement, I realized that I’ve missed seeing her byline in the paper.

So, when we return, we’ll be raising a fork to Marion. Thanks, Marion, for, among other things, helping to reacquaint us with Winnipeg.

Jim Chliboyko

Winnipeg