Letters, Jan. 8

Building capacity

Re: Military sought to help First Nation (Jan. 7)

The military is being asked to help a First Nation in distress. Yes, I agree that damage has been done and people have been affected. The damage must be repaired as quickly as possible to minimize potential future impacts. The military may have the capability, but really it should not be their primary role. How much in-house skilled-trades capacity exists on reserves?

The chief mentioned 12 plumbers, which seems like a small number for the size of their community. Indigenous communities have had electricity and water systems for years. Do they have the capacity, operators and skilled tradespersons to operate and maintain these systems with minimal external support? How much in-house capacity has been developed? Is it a focus for the band? What can be done to expand this capability with programs in their schools?

Yes, a major power line failed and a community lost its supply of electricity in cold weather. These events are rare, but they can happen. This community once had a local generating plant prior to being connected to the grid. Why was it not maintained for emergency standby use? Short power interruptions do occur. In an isolated community, it simply takes longer to restore. Our society has a huge dependence on electricity for essential needs. Having a backup to provide for essential needs is a great comfort. Many Indigenous communities in northwest Ontario now have grid power. How many have retained their existing power plants for emergency back up to avoid a similar crisis?

With respect to the damage reported, there are a few simple steps that can be taken to mitigate and minimize damage. Living in the North it should be obvious that water will freeze when the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius.

To avoid damage, a simple solution is to drain the tanks and water lines if there is risk of freezing. Was the piping designed and installed to allow the lines to be drained?

It appears that this community would be better served by sending a delegation of professionals to perform a critical risk assessment that would make recommendations to help mitigate risks for all reserves across the country in the future.

John Frostiak

Balmertown, Ont.

Double standard of care

Re: Province slashes use of private nursing agencies (Jan. 7)

Once again we see the phenomenon of the nurse as the eternal scapegoat of everything that is wrong with the health-care system. The current government believes that the health-care system is reliant on this one factor while ignoring other factors. It is caught up with pitting the private and public sectors against each other.

Meanwhile, it has no issue with privatizing many other aspects of the system. For example, care once provided by ophthalmologists has been shuffled to optometrists. The difference is that ophthalmologist care is covered by the public system, while optometrist care is private.

Thus many people with eye conditions such as glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, can only get eye care if they can afford it. Previously they were told monitoring of their condition was essential, that the condition was manageable but not curable, hence the reason for coverage in the public system. Now they are being told something else, as they are turfed to the private system.

Clearly a double standard is at work here.

Ariel Lee

Winnipeg

History of hate

Re: Police investigate after swastika spray-painted at Kelvin High School (Jan. 6)

I am appalled and shocked to hear about the swastika spray-painted at a high school. I believe the perpetrators have no conception of what the swastika means and how it represents a totalitarian regime responsible for atrocities committed against millions of people of many denominations.

I hope that when the perpetrators are caught, there is no need to fine them or put them in jail. Such punishments would do no good and would only fuel more hate and anger.

I believe they should be put in a room with Holocaust survivors and told stories of what the survivors experienced, the loved ones they lost and the cruelties they suffered. Making it personal would make a bigger impact than any judicial punishment.

Only then would the perpetrators understand the consequences of their actions, the meaning of the swastika and the awful feelings and fear they’ve awakened.

Leon Cygman

Winkler

Failing grade on trust

Re: Alone, afraid and betrayed (Jan. 3)

First of all, if anyone questions a child having their own phone or electronic device at a young age, that is a mentality that deflects the blame. Besides, our technology-driven world that includes the early years of childhood education exposes children to all of these devices as a means for teaching.

As a parent of now-adult children, I can attest that it was always an ongoing challenge to monitor and decipher. Regardless, the serious misconduct of this teacher is the only place to lay the blame. No parent should ever feel guilty in these situations where the obvious isn’t so obvious at the time.

What is in question is: when the allegations of this teacher’s serious misconduct became known, with evidence of the continuous messages he sent to this young child, why was nothing done?

While no “sexual” words were used in his messages, all of his messages and behaviour towards this little girl were definitely grooming in that nature. How much more has to happen? Does it really need to get to that next step before anything is done? Are we not trying to prevent that next step for the protection and safety of our children?

What is obvious is that the school division, the Manitoba Teachers’ Society, the Winnipeg Police Service and the legal system all failed the parents and the student to protect this teacher.

But above all, the teacher failed the student in the worst possible way. He deserves a failing grade that is not an F, but is a J, for jail.

Darcia Albrechtsen

Winnipeg

Canada needs a deal

Re: Carney’s reaction to U.S. ‘running’ Venezuela too soft (Jan. 6)

Normally I would agree with Dan Lett’s comments. Any other U.S. president at the helm and he and Lloyd Axworthy are right in saying we are too soft on Trump. We should be stronger in condemning the U.S. actions.

But right now, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s job is to get Canada through this presidency with the least impact. He needs to keep us out of Trump’s sights and get us the best CUSMA deal we can hope for.

What filters do you think Donald Trump is listening through when other leaders speak to him? If the conversation is not about bettering the U.S. and flattering to the president, he simply shuts off and you’re left with no deal. Carney knows that and he does it better than any other political leader in Canada. He’s the scapegoat and when Trump is gone, we can elect any other hot-head to “bring the elbows back up” and make us look tough.

For now though, let’s try to avoid poking the bear.

Chuck Halikas

Winnipeg