Letters, March 25

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/03/2025 (224 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Licence denial right move

Re: Ex-city doctor convicted of sexual assaults loses bid to regain medical licence (March 24)

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba should be congratulated for rejecting Amir Ravesh’s application to practice medicine after having been “convicted of multiple sexual assaults against his patients.”

Ravesh’s application to regain his licence to practice again has provided the public and the college with a rare insight into the dynamics which operate in the case of sexual abusers. What is particularly significant here is the fact that he “denied having done anything wrong.”

Denial is extremely pervasive in cases of sexual assault. The college will do well to remember that when dealing with allegations of sexual assault. In the past they have allowed alleged sexual abuse offenders to continue practicing with certain conditions. These conditions have proven to be ineffective in protecting patients.

There is a lesson to be learned here.

Mac Horsburgh

Winnipeg

Implement real deterrents

Re: Family of woman killed by drunk driver plans to oppose legislation changes (March 24)

I 100 per cent agree with the parents of Jordyn Reimer. There should be no “second offence” for a lifetime ban.

If someone kills another with a firearm, he/she would likely be banned for life from owning a firearm. Right? A vehicle is a weapon in the hands of anyone who is under the influence and they should never be allowed to drive again if they cause the death of someone else.

It seems like the government always feels guilty for having laws that actually punish criminals. We seriously need to put the emphasis on saving and protecting the law-abiding citizens and stick with punishments that are actual deterrents for those who break it.

Chuck Halikas

Winnipeg

Change approach on EVs

Re: PM plans immediate talks with China on massive pork, canola tariffs: Kinew (March 22)

The tariff war with China, which has now led to new tariffs on Canadian canola, peas and pork, is going to cost Manitoba farmers a great deal. And while I understand the logic of suspending the EV tax rebate on Tesla cars, I do not understand the 100 per cent tariff Canada has chosen to impose on Chinese EVs. China is selling EVs at about one-quarter the cost of Tesla’s models.

Why are we not using the current dispute with Trump and his billionaires to make new friends? The saying “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” has been around a long time.

Manitoba has a long history of agricultural trade with China. EV production in Canada, on the other hand, is in the “nascent” phase — which means its survival is anything but guaranteed. The fact is we have already made arrangements with other car producers, like Toyota, which produces cars in Canada and Honda which makes auto parts here.

You have to be careful when your elbows are up — sometimes they connect with a potential friend. The 100 per cent tariff on Chinese EVs makes little sense. Why are we not talking to the Chinese government about a partnership to produce electric cars in Canada? BYD, one of China’s EV producers, is selling electric cars for about $16,000. A successful partnership with China to produce EVs in Canada would serve three purposes — speed up EV sales in Canada, reduce GHG emissions in Canada and undermine U.S. President Donald Trump.

Maybe Americans coming to Canada to get cheaper cars would parallel their coming to Canada to get generic drugs. I am sure the big three U.S. car manufacturers would notice that.

Jerry Storie

Winnipeg

Labour of love

Re: Elder statesman (March 22)

I look forward to reading the Passages column each week, so thank you for that. We have so many great Manitobans whose lives and contributions have touched so many of us. Yude Henteleff was one of those people.

I met Yude when I was a teenager. We lived in the same River Heights neighbourhood and I became friends with both of his sons. I reached out to Yude in my third year of computer science for his advice. I had developed a program for a professor at the University of Manitoba who refused to pay me for it, even though he was using it every day to present his material to his students. It was only a few thousand dollars but to a poor student with a wife and daughter, that was a considerable sum.

Yude immediately drafted a letter that he sent off to the U of M, who promptly decided they did not want to lose ownership of the program and paid me in full.

When I insisted on paying Yude for his assistance, he refused to accept it. I will never forget what he said to me. “Let’s just call it the labour of love and leave it at that.” That was the kind of generous and thoughtful man Yude was.

My deepest condolences to Saul, David and Beth on the loss of your father. He was a lovely person.

Steve Oetting

Winnipeg

True north

Re: Room for a new view (March 22)

With the reopening of Portage and Main in Winnipeg scheduled for July 1, Alison Gillmor takes a closer look in this article at Ivan Eyre’s sculpture North Watch located at our most iconic intersection. As usual, her column was excellent. Gillmor gets five stars in my books.

What this brings to mind for me is the foresight of Manitoba over 100 years ago in installing the golden boy atop our legislature facing north. Even then, we knew that our future lay in that direction. With the way that things are unfolding in the U.S. these days, we would be wise to keep looking north and ignore what’s happening southside.

U.S. President Donald Trump believes that Canada should become the 51st state of the United States of America. This wouldn’t work for the ‘Peg. Winnipeg is made from what’s real, and The Donald believes in lying and gaslighting.

In the True North Strong and Free, we believe that honesty is always the best policy.

Rich North

Winnipeg

Why productivity suffers

Re: Focusing on the things that really matter (Think Tank, March 22)

I am a little disappointed in the opinion piece on Canada’s lower productivity, which should indeed be a major campaign issue. I completely agree Canada has lagged in this area for at least a decade and a half and the issue must be addressed ASAP as part of the fight against Trump’s tariffs.

However, the author missed the opportunity to help educate his readership.

The author refers to the drop in “labour productivity” which most will think of in terms of workers not working harder, which entirely incorrect. Most workers are in fact working harder and longer.

But, in fact, labour productivity is more about venture capital investment, investment in research and development, corporate reinvestment in newer, more efficient equipment and technology and corporate reinvestment in training and education of their employees to help them and the company more efficient and productive.

Until corporations invest and reinvestment in these critical areas, Canada will continue to lag the G7 in productivity.

And, the press and authors complaining about Canada’s low “labour productivity” must educate the public on what productivity really means and not lay by inference blame on workers who are only working harder every year! I would suggest using the term “national productivity” in reference to the GDP of the nation or “corporate productivity,” as it is the corporations who control the levers of national productivity!

Darrell Marleau

Winnipeg