Letters, March 29

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/03/2025 (187 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A fight for dignity and justice

Re: ‘The landfill is not a burial ground’ (March 28)

Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe (Buffalo Woman) has now been identified as Ashlee Shingoose. Her name, Ashlee Shingoose, evokes a sense of softness that is belied by her death. Ashlee, when alive, was a daughter, who when she went missing was searched for by her family. We have found out that she left St. Theresa Point at least in part due to a shortage of housing.

She feel victim to a predator, like other predators, a male, white, without a true conscience, but with an ability of seek out victims.

I have been greatly impacted by the response of the Shingoose family and especially, Albert Shingoose’s response to the ordeal that the family has endured. When it came to light that four women were likely buried in two of Winnipeg’s landfill sites, this led to a battle to get governments, federal and provincial to “do the right thing,” and search the landfills.

The Indigenous leaders and relatives of the victims fought hard to have a search begin. Largely led by female relatives and advocates, one of the main aspects of their ongoing demands and logic being that it is unjust and dehumanizing to dismiss the suffering of our daughters, sisters, and aunties in such a heartless manner.

These arguments eventually overwhelmed the naysayers, whose arguments cited, financial and safety issues a reasons to not proceed with a search of the landfill sites.

The headline of the March 28 Free Press lead story reads “The landfill is not a burial ground.” This is dramatic but it is incomplete. Albert Shingoose’s statement, also included two very inclusive words. Those being “for anybody.”

The process that began as being a fight for dignity and justice for Indigenous women and their families, was with two words expanded to be all inclusive. Would any of us wish that one of our loved ones be buried secretly and anonymously in a landfill, shallow grave or other similar location? Clearly the answer to this is no.

Dick Forbes

Winnipeg

Don’t punish grocers

Yes, I now look at labels to establish Canadian products but yesterday at my local supermarket I asked where certain oranges were from. They’re from the U.S., was the answer. However, the thought struck me that this produce was ordered well before the Trump nightmare. So, I bought some.

Why? We need to be careful not to jeopardize our stores and leave them with fruit and veg that will rot on the shelves because of our good intentions. The good stores have cancelled a lot of U.S. goods, so we won’t have to ask in future, but don’t penalize them in the meantime.

Gerry Ward

Winnipeg

Comparing resumés

I’ve heard a lot about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s background and experience lately, but not so much about Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s.

Maybe it’s old news but I would like to know more about Poilievre’s qualifications for the job of prime minister.

My own limited research seems to indicate that he has done nothing in his adult life other than work in the Ottawa political bubble. Is this true?

What gravitas does he have? Am I missing something?

J. Buchwald

Winnipeg

Difficult position

Re: As a threat, Canada doesn’t warrant a mention (Editorial, Mar 27)

What to do? What to do when a friend you thought was trustworthy turns out not to be. A friend who seems to think that what he/she said previously, even just the day before, doesn’t matter or has any import. A friend who you thought had some shared values and goals now seems to think otherwise. Or worse, doesn’t anymore seem to care about things like shared values and goals.

Such, it seems, is the state of our current relationship with the United States, or at least the Donald Trump administration. It is, it seems, in their eyes now a purely transactional relationship based only on perceived self-interest without any regard for the mutuality of friendship.

So, what to do? Two things, it seems to me, that many others are also talking about. First, become as fast as possible as self-sufficient and self-reliant as possible (i.e., eliminate interprovincial trade barriers now). Second, find other more reliable and trustworthy friends and partners, even if they are much farther away (i.e., countries in the European Union).

So, it seems, to the United States of America we must say, if this is how you are going to be, we cannot be the good friends we once thought we were. And know this is not what we wanted.

Gerald Farthing

Winnipeg

Laws working against us

Re: Minister firm on DUI legislation despite criticism it lacks teeth (March 27)

Manitoba’s Justice Minister Matt Wiebe is quoted as saying, “The important advice that we’ve been given is that a lifetime suspension after a first offence could be seen as a disproportionate response,” in reference to impaired driving causing death.

A disproportionate response to taking someone’s life? Apparently a lifetime driving suspension, for killing someone as a result of an irresponsible decision to drive while impaired is considered too harsh. What about the all of the things that the victim lost, that the perpetrator will still get to enjoy? In the case of Jordyn Reimer, she lost getting married, having children, building a career, buying a house, going on vacation, family gatherings, Christmas celebrations, holding her babies, holding her grandchildren and growing old like all of us have a right to do. Her family were denied many of the same things. They too won’t get to hold Jordyn’s babies.

What makes all of this more reprehensible is the fact that Jordyn, whose behaviour was responsible and legal, loses everything and the guilty party, who left the scene of the accident, gets some prison time and then is back to a normal way of life. The Reimers will never to get to leave their prison.

Wiebe goes on the say, “We are concerned that there could be challenges in the courts.” Our laws are being weaponized against us, to allow impaired drivers to bring heartache to responsible citizens and allow violent criminals to walk the streets. Our politicians need to show some fortitude and (win or lose) take on the court challenges because the citizens of Manitoba deserve it.

Wally Barton

Winnipeg

The Bay’s downfall

Re: The Bay — a piece of history becomes history (Editorial, March 24)

The editorial says it like it is. And we regret the Bay’s demise. It is one of the oldest companies in the world!

Yet for much of its history, it was operated out of London, England. I lived and worked for six-and-a-half years in the Northwest Territories, plus shorter stints in Whitehorse and Norway House. In all these places the Bay was a focal point of the community. The locals joked that “HBC” meant “Here Before Christ.”

Were two actions in later decades (rarely mentioned) affecting today’s situation? The Hudson’s Bay Company was sold to an American firm, and it pulled out of the North.

I often wonder.

We must continue to treasure its archives and exhibits, including the Nonsuch replica in our city.

Hilda Wagstaffe

Winnipeg

No half-measures

I made a recent trip to a Liquor Mart outlet on Sterling Lyon and found that rather than remove American products from the shelves we have just draped over them with black plastic. I was amazed! We have been sucked into a trade war with our American neighbours, not by our choice. We have limited means to strike back and removing American products from the shelves was a good start.

I enquired from the Liquor Mart clerk why it was just covered not removed. The response was because we do not know what April 2 will bring.

Are we kidding ourselves? Look no further than our Manitoba canola farmers, our ranchers, our Canadian steel and auto sectors. We anticipate more pain.

Come on Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries! Remove the product and let everyone see empty shelves.

I hope this isn’t just a simple lazy way of protesting.

Gary Gaiser

Winnipeg