Letters, Feb. 24

Proud of Team Canada

Re: Hockey heartache: Canada finds no solace in second place (Feb. 23)

Canada is grieving its loss to the U.S. in the Olympic gold-medal game. The outcome of the game wasn’t an indicator of the U.S. team being better. Three-man overtime is often a case where a lucky bounce determines the outcome. I love hockey, but it’s sad when Canada’s national identity and self-worth seems to depend on the outcome of a single hockey game. Granted, this game had a special importance because it would be a way of sending a message to the orange bully in America.

Canada’s reputation all around the world, and particularly in Europe, is that of a country that is safe, dependable and a reliable ally. There are places throughout Europe where Canadians fought and died for freedom and their memory is still revered by local residents. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Davos speech, which exhibited courage in the face of intimidation by an American president, brought us new respect around the world.

Winning the Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey did nothing to take the current stain off of the reputation of the United States. Winning the Olympic silver medal in men’s hockey did nothing to take the shine off of Canada as a country which is admired, respected and loved around the world.

I know whose jersey I’d rather be wearing.

Wally Barton

Winnipeg

Although the Canadian men’s hockey team lost in overtime to team U.S., we should be very proud of their performance.

They gave it their all, and many times would win with such a game, but this time it was not to be. Although one could sense their disappointment, they should hold their heads high.

Leon Clegg

Lac du Bonnet

How far we’ve come from the Olympic ideal. Instead of celebrating the competition, the effort, the sheer exuberance of physical excellence, it’s only about winning.

Canada is neither a better or worse country based on the number of medals our athletes win, nor am I inflated or deflated thereby. I’m proud of all of our Olympians whether they won or lost.

After the men’s hockey final, smiles rather than frowns and tears should have been in evidence; what a game! That’s what it’s all about — everybody was a winner.

Norman Brandson

Winnipeg

Thoughts on Cuba

Re: Winnipeggers rise up in support of Cuba (Feb. 21)

In 1975, myself and two other Winnipeg school teachers visited Cuba at spring break of that year. The country was very buoyant and on an upward development arc. Each day a Soviet tanker was seen in the harbour in Havana unloading oil.

One early morning we witnessed a bus transporting workers to their jobs. They were singing in unison. We visited the Isle of Pines, renamed the Isle of Youth, where young people were going to school and spending part of their time working and harvesting sugar. Many were studying to become doctors.

Everywhere we went there was hope and the promise of better days to come. And those halcyon days did arrive, but were slowly extinguished by an American trade embargo and now a punishing energy blockade. The country is unfortunately on its heels.

It is indeed time for Canada, long time friend to Cuba, to step up and provide real aid, yes energy, to a country that has been a guiding influence in Latin America.

Robert Milan

Victoria, B.C.

Sticking up for the animals

Re: Selective outrage and animal cruelty (Think Tank, Feb. 22)

I applaud Jessica Scott-Reid’s opinion piece about the selective empathy our society has for animal suffering.

As former executive director of The Winnipeg Humane Society, I had the opportunity to learn first-hand about many common practices used in industrial animal agriculture and was shocked at the inherent suffering imposed on the animals, all accepted as legal within the Animal Care Act in Manitoba. Most people are not aware of the clause within that act which allows this. It’s called “accepted activities” and spells out that no one will be charged with cruelty to animals if they are conducting their actions consistent with generally accepted practices or procedures for such activity. There is quite list of accepted activities, section 4.1 of the Act, for those who want to learn more.

Every living being (human or animal) experiences pain at various times in the natural course of life. But over the years, I have come to believe that most of the suffering endured by animals other than what would be expected in their natural flow of life, is imposed by humans for the benefit of human gain. And I have also come to understand that it doesn’t have to be this way. In the case of animal agriculture there are ways to raise animals for food that do not involve confining thousands to small, stench filled spaces which do not allow the animals to behave as nature intended but rather respects their instinctual drives.

Fortunately, we still have some family farms raising smaller numbers of animals in barns and outdoors when weather permits. I hope that many more people will support these farms and in doing so, decrease the suffering of thousands of animals.

Vicki Burns

Winnipeg

Jessica Scott-Reid’s thought-provoking article raises fundamental questions about our relationship with animals: Who do we eat? Who do we pet? And why?

John Youngman

Winnipeg

Agricultural use is but one of 15 so-called “accepted activities,” encompassing every conceivable way we (ab)use animals in our society, that are exempt from Manitoba’s Animal Care Act, the last being, “any other activity designated by the regulations as an accepted activity” just in case they forgot something.

Included on that list are activities as frivolous as exhibitions and fairs. This is why in rodeos it is perfectly legal to yank calves running at full speed off of their feet with a rope thrown around their neck, slam them to the ground and then tie their legs together. But the average citizen would be charged under the Act if they thought it fun to do the same thing to their dog. Incredibly euthanasia, defined as “providing a painless, peaceful death for hopelessly sick or injured individuals as an act of mercy” is also exempt, making it a most cruel contradiction.

Our laws should be based on science and not emotion. It makes no sense to provide a modicum of protection to those animals we are emotionally attached to, those lucky enough to be considered companions, while science informs us that all are sentient beings who are capable of suffering.

Debbie Wall

Winnipeg

Hold manufacturers responsible

Re: Stop flushing flushable wipes (Feb. 23)

So, we allow the manufacturers and marketers of these products to continue to mass produce these unnecessary, non-water-soluble products; and continue to falsely advertise them as flushable?

Please tell me that there is a system in place to shut down companies displaying this callous disregard for municipal infrastructure and our shared environment.

The company profits from these “flushable” wipes carry a huge price tag on the environment and the rest of us.

Marilyn Bird

Winnipeg