Letters, May 17

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/05/2025 (313 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cheering on the home team

Re: Jets stand tall (May 16)

We are very proud of our Winnipeg Jets. The Game 7 Miracle was the best and most thrilling hockey game we’ve ever seen. They played with so much heart and they never ever gave up! The Jets continue to do the same in this series. Whatever happens next, we are behind them.

They have filled our city with pride. Go Jets!

Freda Tsouras

Winnipeg

Symbolic gestures

Re: Carney says he won’t make a pact with NDP, confirms King Charles to launch Parliament (May 2)

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s request that King Charles read the next throne speech was a brilliant act of symbolism. The King’s quick acceptance shows the importance he has placed on the familial bond between our nations. While King Charles would never admit it, I am sure that he is happier about delivering the throne speech than he is about hosting a state dinner with Donald Trump. Also the trans-Atlantic travel cannot be good for his fragile health.

May I propose a solution? Following his return to the U.K., King Charles could not be faulted for taking some time to rest, and perhaps delegating the state dinner to his brother Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew and Trump have a lot more in common anyway, and I am sure they would welcome the opportunity to reminisce about their friend Jeffrey Epstein.

Considering that the tariffs on Britain are still going to pose an economic challenge for the U.K., perhaps a bit of economic belt-tightening might also be in order, but in a fun way. Picnic tables could be set in front of Buckingham palace. Guests could be served fish and chips along with chicken tikka masala, washed down with glasses of English bitter. Yes, I know Don doesn’t drink, but he hasn’t tried English bitter, has he?

I suppose, if necessary, a McDonald’s food truck could be parked discreetly away from the palace, with a supply of big Macs and diet Coke. That plan worked in Saudi Arabia; I’m sure it would also work in England.

Symbolism can be a powerful force.

Les Hanson

Winnipeg

Concerned about zoning changes

Winnipeggers need to be aware of the mayor’s plan to allow drastic changes in their neighbourhood.

In an effort to take advantage of a federal housing accelerator fund worth $122 million, city council is leaning towards voting in favour of a rezoning of the City of Winnipeg. This rezoning is being pushed by many councillors even though it is unknown whether the new Liberal government will follow through with the housing accelerator fund initiated by the Trudeau government.

This rezoning essentially says any lot in the city 60 feet wide or more can be used to put up a 39-foot-high fourplex. My neighbours and I are very concerned that this will destroy our neighbourhood. We love where we live because of the sense of community we have on our bay. Ownership encourages people to stay in their homes for many years while they raise families. Replacing single family homes with fourplexes will change and over crowd the neighbourhood. The current infrastructure is not set up to handle the increase of traffic, electricity, water, and sewage that will be required by increasing the density of the neighbourhood. Parking for four families will mean a large parking pad in the backyard and reduced greenspace in the area as a result.

Replacing single-family homes with fourplexes will reduce the stock of homes in the city available to young families to buy. How much worse are the bidding wars going to get when a young family gets out bid for a home by a developer/investor who wants to tear the house down, and put up a fourplex in order to squeeze as much revenue from a lot as possible?

A better plan to increase affordable housing in this city is to continue building multifamily homes in areas such as Sage Creek and Bridgwater. These newer areas are already zoned, and have multi-family homes, and fourplexes fit these areas better. Another option is to revitalize the core area by replacing dilapidated homes with new units.

I urge people to register to speak at the public hearing that starts June 2 to voice your displeasure of the thought of seeing a 39-foot-high fourplex blocking the sun from your 1,200-foot bungalow.

Ryan Poetker

Winnipeg

Wildfires a wake-up call

The current wildfire crisis ravaging Manitoba is not only a natural disaster — it is a stark reminder of our failure in preparedness, governance and environmental stewardship.

As thousands evacuate from Nopiming, Whiteshell, and beyond, and as vast hectares burn uncontrollably, one must question how we arrived at such a point of vulnerability. The Manitoba Wildfire Service itself noted that the cause of all but one fire was human. What proactive steps were taken to prevent this predictable surge during a dry, hot season?

We have seen states of emergency declared in multiple municipalities, including Lac du Bonnet and Piney, but too little, too late. The response, while earnest from frontline workers, highlights systemic underinvestment — especially concerning when questions are raised in the legislature about cuts to Emergency Management Organization (EMO) funding.

While Premier Wab Kinew assures that “nothing will stand in the way of saving lives and livelihoods,” words are not enough. The people of Manitoba deserve better than last-minute evacuations, inadequate infrastructure, and a hope-for-rain strategy.

Further, this crisis underscores the dangerous cost of climate inaction. As dry conditions and extreme heat worsen year after year, fire seasons become longer and more intense. Without a strategic shift toward sustainable land management, proper funding for emergency services, and robust climate policies, we will face this chaos again — perhaps sooner than we think.

Let us not treat this fire season as an anomaly, but rather as a wake-up call.

Yog Rahi Gupta

Winnipeg

Interprovincial teamwork

Re: Manitoba, Ontario vow to cut trade barriers (May 15)

Both of these premiers have hit gold with their partnership in breaking down provincial barriers. This makes total sense to have this signed by both Ontario and Manitoba, eliminating many barriers and freedom with trade and labour between these two provinces. One has to wonder that if Ford, who is a conservative politician, and Kinew, an NDP politician, can work together, then why can’t the rest of Canada take notice and follow suit, thereby making Canada stronger?

The current U.S. administration has, in my opinion, made Canadians realize that as a sovereign nation we can not only survive but become stronger as a country.

Kenneth Butchart

Winnipeg

So happy to hear the premiers sing from the same song sheet. While they are at it, could we also standardize the quality of road repairs?

Winnipeg has the worst. There must be better.

Tom Hardern

Winnipeg