Letters, Aug. 2

Carney made right move

Re: Canada to recognize Palestine (July 31)

Hurray Prime Minister Mark Carney!

This is the right path for Canada.

Time to stop Benjamin Netanyahu’s intent to annex the West Bank, and long past time to bring aid to the appalling situation in Gaza.

Thank you Mark Carney for your gumption and strong leadership in aligning Canada with allies of a similar mind.

Marilyn Bird

Winnipeg

 

Outdated methods

Re: Doctors prescribe referral system upgrade (Aug. 1)

I almost laughed out loud reading that it took till 2025 for someone from Doctors Manitoba to act on the realization that using fax machines for communication between health-care providers is a touch outdated. And, wow, a “summit” will be held to discuss it. How important sounding. A cookie for them. Post-summit, expect it to take two decades further for adaptation away from this ’80s technology.

Due in part to this antiquated system, the details of which are too tedious, I had a chronic pain condition go untreated for a decade, which then caused a co-occurring condition that may only be resolved with nerve blocks and then surgery. It makes you wonder how many people have died over the years, waiting for treatment, while fax machines whirred and paper jammed.

Cheryl Moore

Winnipeg

 

One improvement to the system should be referring people to the closest specialist or test to where they live. This would be very helpful to people who are 60-plus or children.

Many times my elderly mother has been referred to a doctor or hospital (for test) very far from her home and it has been difficult to co-ordinate getting her to her appointment or test on time due to weather or traffic or time required to travel. Would it not make sense to get a test done at St. Boniface Hospital if you live in that area, rather than going to Grace or Seven Oaks much further away?

The less time it takes to travel would equal fewer problems. Referrals need to start with closest doctor or test area and work your way out if need be. This would solve a lot of problems I think. I am sure the people we have in government could figure out a way to do this, could they not?

Ron Robert

Winnipeg

 

Transit troubles

Re: Transit overhaul troubles persist (July 31)

The fact the massive changes to Winnipeg Transit are proving to be problematic should not surprise anyone. The logic as to what constitutes a “net improvement” was flawed from the start.

Many times we have heard City Hall representatives state that a majority of Transit riders will see improved service, while a much smaller group will see worsened service. The problem seems to be how the terms “improvement” and “worsened” were defined by Transit and City Council.

If someone already had a relatively efficient Transit trip, and the new scheduling reduced their travel time by an additional five minutes, that is hardly a counterbalance for someone who saw their schedule completely upended and their ride time increased by 20 minutes or more, with multiple transfers. The former does not “net out” the latter — yet it seems that may be how the city determined their improvement metrics when deciding to move forward with these very unpopular changes.

Steve Teller

Winnipeg

 

Good old Winnipeg put the cart before the horse again. If this was private industry, the powers that be would be fired immediately. My boss once told me years ago if you want to propose a new system or design, that’s fine, but if it doesn’t work then neither do you — so do it right the first time.

There are so many mistakes made in the overhaul of the transit system that it’s impossible to list them all. Obviously those involved did not take into consideration of the very existence of transit and that is to provide service, not take it away.

Time to make it right, Winnipeg Transit and Mayor Scott Gillingham. Not next week, or next month, or next year on a “let’s see how it works when students go back to school or over the winter months” scenario. How can you be this cruel to the citizens of Winnipeg?

Who was the ingenious one who did not have the forethought to foresee some very obvious problems? Like “let’s not run any buses down this street,” or “let’s cut the running time in this area,” or “let’s remove some of these bus stops,” or “let’s see if an obsolete GPS system will still work on this bus.”

Good grief I could go on and on, but I’m running out of patience just writing this, never mind trying to navigate it.

Good luck citizens, it’s going to be a cold winter so bundle up, there doesn’t appear to be any help on the way this year.

James Hannah

Winnipeg

 

Lukes serves well

Re: “Poor local leadership” (Letters, July 31)

Janice Lukes is a very involved and caring councillor in her ward. If other area councillors were as involved in their community, being seen and participating in community events, talking to their neighbours and willing to listen to their constituents, more would be done in other areas of the city.

If you feel your ward is missing out, maybe it’s time to hold your councillor accountable.

I ask, “What have they done for you lately?”

Marla Olinyk

Winnipeg

 

Nursing woes

Re: Nurses union got wrong information from province: health minister (July 30)

First off, I’d like to say I’m a very strong advocate for the nursing profession. My late wife started her working career as a nurse, but left to become a stay-at-home mom, and a back injury prior to leaving the profession. During her illness, and at various points in my life, we both relied on the care and compassion of various nurses and healthcare professionals.

All of that being said, I’m a little disappointed in Manitoba Nurses Union president Darlene Jackson’s continued attacks on Wab Kinew’s government. I understand her role, it is to defend her members in all matters — not an easy task. I am however dismayed when she states that the announcement of the province’s hiring of more nurses than what she estimated, was all of a sudden not an important matter in the big scheme of improving health care. This is on the heels of her own announcement that the system was suffering because the province had failed to hire enough, and this was a major reason for the burnout rate of nurses.

So, now that it appears the correct numbers are out, a more accurate and transparent plan is in place, and Jackson, rather than accepting the information, backpedals and discounts the importance of the very numbers she originally sought.

No, the number of nurses and other health-care workers is not enough, but they, like money, don’t just grow on trees. Education and recruitment take time.

Qualifying nurses from other locations, (even with new modifications recently announced) takes time. Yes, nurses have a finger on the pulse of health-care issues, but it can’t constantly be, “the government doesn’t understand, only the nurses do.” This system needs collaboration to get better.

Constant, attacks on the government is not holding their feet to the fire, it feeds the frustration of those it’s meant to help. It doesn’t allow for the receiving of those rare moments of positive information, nor even a glimmer of light at the end of a very long tunnel.

Work together, that’s what’s right for the public that both parties claim concern for.

Ian Campbell

Winnipeg