Letters, Oct. 25

Traffic safety everybody’s responsibility

Re: Distracted, impatient drivers put school bus passengers at risk: MPI (Oct. 23)

Reading about an article about the number of “kids” (assuming this means children who are under 18) struck by vehicles. In reading this article it states 36 children have been hit by vehicles this year — seven of these collisions occurred since the school year started.

A vehicle hitting a child is devastating whether it be by car, train, truck or school bus. It can have a profound effect on both the driver and the pedestrian. And yes, there are drivers out there that whiz by stop signs both on the road and ones attached to a school bus. Some drivers are speeding or distracted and impatient to get to where they are going.

While driving a vehicle you need to be diligent about your surroundings, paying attention to other vehicles, lights, pedestrian crossings, etc. But what about the “kids” who are distracted and seem to think they have the right of way? Such as those who jut out to cross a busy highway, road or intersection when they should be using pedestrian crossings, or walking while on their cellphones. I’ve witnessed “kids” slowly walking across busy roads in the midst of fast-moving vehicles almost being hit by a vehicle without any regard about the consequences for them or the driver. Like it is their “right.”

I agree motorists need to slow down, especially around school buses, but I believe the onus is also on the “kids” who need to pay attention to where they are crossing and obey rules of the roads and the street signs. If we all do our part, there will be fewer motor vehicle/pedestrian accidents.

Debbie Painter

Winnipeg

Economic and environmental harmony

Re: Action plan the next step on environmental goals (Think Tank, Oct. 23)

I’m encouraged to see more people recognizing the connection between protecting nature and tackling climate change. The forests, wetlands, and grasslands around us are already doing the heavy lifting when it comes to capturing carbon, far more effectively than any technology we’ve invented.

The carbon captured and stored in undisturbed ecosystems needs to be front and center in any climate or net zero plan. I’m glad to see our government seems to get this and is making it a focus. It’s inspiring to know that tens of thousands of Manitobans have already called for a clear action plan for nature. I hope that plan is released soon.

We need to have a strong economy with well-paying and stable jobs which work in harmony with protecting the hand that feeds us — our natural environment. Leaving enough areas alone will allow them to keep doing their job to produce clean air and water, ensure habitats for wildlife, provide recreation opportunities, and help with food security.

Leane Koss

Winnipeg

League can learn from Bombers

Re: Big Blue sell out (Oct. 23)

Our Winnipeg Blue Bombers selling out all their home games illustrates intelligent management, deep fan loyalty and avid enthusiasm. Some reasons seem easy to identify, others elude our understanding and are clearly more complex. Were it easy, perhaps more or all CFL teams would have similar fan participation.

If other owners and marketing people were to study the holistic approach leaders of our organization and use systematic analysis to learn, employ and share findings with one another with ongoing dedication to learning, perhaps enthusiasm and attendance would rise for them.

The foolhardy belief that the league will woo new fans by shortening the field and moving the goalposts, and significantly increase fan attendance, is both insulting and unconvincing.

I can only speculate that there is a long-term plan to alienate older, long-standing diehard fans and to woo younger NFL fans. I doubt we’ll ever know the down-and-dirty truth.

Garrett Loeppky

Winnipeg

Worse leader may follow Poilievre

Re: Poilievre’s Trump-north routine reckless, dishonest and disgraceful political theatre (Oct. 23)

To say that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is the Trump of the north is wrong — it’s more like Trump-lite, also acceptable: lightweight. The gaffes are numerous, the braincells? Not so much.

Tom Brodbeck lays out the case convincingly, and we now know that at least four MPs in the Conservative caucus are openly saying Poilievre should not be leader after the leadership review in January. I agree. The problem though is that whatever comes next will be just as bad, if not worse. The political-rage-farm machinery that is the Conservative Party is never going to reverse engines and suddenly become reasonable and devoted to facts and politeness. That’s not how you farm rage and rabblerouse.

The fact is that the average Conservative voter doesn’t care about the rule of law (except when it benefits them), they don’t care about policy — just outrage and having someone to blame for all their problems that is tangible, not “global issues” or whatever. This is why Justin Trudeau continues to be a target. He’s someone the rage farmer can plow their fields to — and hey, Trudeau could care less, he’s Netflix-and-chilling with Katy Perry, a pretty decent outcome for taking all that abuse from these people for years.

Will Jones

Winnipeg

Not a fan of halftime pick

Regarding the Canadian Football League’s recent announcement of the act to perform at the annual Canadian classic, the Grey Cup, I strongly assert that the CFL made the wrong decision in booking American singer/rapper MGK (a.k.a. Machine Gun Kelly) as the halftime act. Don’t misunderstand me, my opinion is not based on the style of music that MGK performers. And it’s not a boomer thing of wanting a retro classic rock band wheel out for a tired old set of hits.

For the last nine months, we in Canada have been vehemently promoting a Canada-first policy. Buy Canadian products and boycott American products. Lots of Canadian pride, flag-waving and elbows up. I support this nationalism in the face of the current U.S. president’s drastic and vengeful tariff measures and talk of Canada becoming the 51st state.

So, in this overwhelmingly atmosphere of pro-Canadian, what does the CFL do? They book an American act for the halftime act. Really? Do these people live in a cave? Have they been deaf and blind these last months? What were they thinking?

Canada has always suffered a collective inferiority complex when it comes to our artists in all genres of the arts. We don’t recognize our own homegrown talent unless or until these artists are validated south of the border. Sad, but true. So here we are at a time of positive, widespread nationalist fervour and the CFL falls back on our inferiority complex once again. The reality is that we have plenty of world-class Canadian talent in a wide variety of genres to choose from. I’d even take Nickelback over MGK. They have taken Canadian hard rock around the world and are superstars.

I am also aware that the argument for choosing MGK is to draw a young crowd to the annual game, which has served as a massive uniting event coast to coast to coast for over a century. I get it, although I think it’s rather misguided to assume that a large number of younger people will suddenly discover how great the CFL is because of the halftime act.

But even if that is the motivation, there are plenty of younger Canadian recording artists who could better fit the bill. Shawn Mendes, Alessia Cara, Drake or The Weeknd, for example (and there are many more that I am not aware of). Geez, what about Justin Bieber? What about a showcase of young Canadian country music artist or a sampling of our many great Indigenous artists?

Bottom line: the CFL made an incredibly myopic decision and should make haste to dismiss MGK and get a Canadian artist for the halftime show this year.

John Einarson

Winnipeg