Letters, March 23

Safety delayed

The opinion piece Putting the cart before the planning horse (Think Tank, March 18) is an excellent case study on the bumpy ride of a project designed to protect all citizens regardless of their modes of transport. Despite the best professional advice of Winnipeg’s public service, politicians have again put the proverbial stick in the spokes of the Wellington Crescent bike lane pilot project, sending it crashing to the curb.

Public calls for a safer Wellington date back about two decades, many referring to the city’s own policy documents and neighbourhood plans that cite a better walk/bike environment as a critical component of a vibrant Osborne Village. I frequently use Wellington by car, on foot and, until a transit bus driver imprudently changed lanes and nearly hit me, on my bike.

Ironically, the same day the above-mentioned op-ed appeared, a serious two-vehicle collision occurred at the intersection with Gertrude Avenue. This is where one of the pilot project’s key safety interventions, the closure of a dangerously angled slip lane, would have been in place had the project been implemented as planned last summer.

Now, there is an uncertain timeline for any kind of safety improvements on a road that 83 per cent of city survey respondents feel is unsafe for cycling. My wife, who walks along Wellington daily, has also had frequent close calls with inattentive, speeding drivers at this location. She calls it “the corner from Hell.”

We neighbours now worry about who will be the next victim of preventable road violence on this dangerous, 1.2-kilometre stretch of road. Council must take the responsible path at its March 26 meeting and consider public safety over a few seconds’ delay, without further hand-wringing and kicking the can down the road.

Steve West

Winnipeg

Great … and small

To the city officials who have sanctioned the cruel absurdity of poisoning, of all creatures, ground squirrels, a reminder is in order: humanity does not exist outside the natural world, nor above it. When we justify needless suffering for the sake of convenience, we diminish not only the lives we destroy, but our own humanity.

As Albert Schweitzer observed: “Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.”

Howard Warren

Winnipeg

Siloam and service

Few organizations reach unanimous consensus on every decision and differences of opinions can lead to healthy dialogue. Unfortunately, it is not constructive when select viewpoints are shared in the media without the full context or all the facts.

As a volunteer at Siloam, I have read in the Free Press about tensions within Siloam’s administration and the board. As John Smith writes in “Time for review” in Letters, March 19, questions remain on funding non-profits when there are internal battles.

I am concerned that the tone of Mr. Smith’s letter will prevent donors from supporting non-profits. Internal disagreements should not overshadow the good they do.

Each day Siloam helps hundreds in need with free beds, meals, health care, clothing, housing services, employment and training programs, shower and laundry facilities, addiction support (and more). These services are free because of the huge support from community donations and volunteers.

My hope is that those who rely on these essential services will not become unintended victims.

Jan Kushnier

Winnipeg

The struggles at Siloam and the letter to the editor from John Smith (“Time for review,” March 19) raise interesting points that can be looked at from a slightly different lens.

Firstly, let us not confuse the functioning of a board with the work that the staff are doing. The staff in these organizations are incredibly hard working, committed people whose caring literally saves the life of people and families and at a pay rate barely above minimum wage. Do not judge until you listen to what they do in the course of day.

Secondly, absolutely every non-profit wants a healthy, functioning board to provide the structure for their work. However, let us be clear that we are typically talking volunteers. Every week we see the call for board members for different organizations. Volunteers with skills in accounting, human resources, technology, grant writing — and skilled at knowing board roles and how to work collaboratively. How many of us rush out to volunteer? (Oh, I know….we are too busy.) Thank you to those who do volunteer.

Thirdly, it is not like organizations are functioning with zero oversight. They have financial reviews by an accounting firm. Funding through bodies such as United Way involves a complex review process with the agency. And let us keep in mind that reviews should not be about finding what they are doing wrong but approached as a supportive process seeking to strengthen the organization.

Fourthly, a full independent sector-wide review would have fascinating results. In my experience we would find some incredible non-profits providing services on budgets and salaries that would make most people choke. We would find boards crying for help for themselves and their organizations. And when it’s all over, we would weep over spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on ‘another study’ that could have gone directly to saving lives and families.

We absolutely want to feel our donations are being well used. It is a fascinating process to think about how that $100 you generously donated is spent. That $100 is so appreciated by agencies but really it might amount to covering four hours of staff time, but nothing left for benefits or nothing left for food for that family. In short, one realizes how fully a donation is utilized and sadly, how much more is needed.

If you wonder where your donations are going, there are many things you can do. You can seek information from the organization. You can donate through bodies that do additional oversite. You can volunteer. You can find ways to say thank you and show appreciation to the people who do the work that most of us cannot imagine. Get involved and go be the person who makes the change you want to see in the world.

And, a final comment, one has got to love the call for oversight of poorly funded nonprofits, given the current review of the multi-million dollar public monies used in dysfunctional shenanigans to line private pockets. And now how much it will cost to analyze that.

Val Kellberg

Winnipeg

No thanks

I tried, I really tried.

I saw Pierre Poilievre was on Joe Rogan’s podcast, I clicked on the YouTube link and began watching.

I couldn’t stand even five minutes of it, five minutes of the nearly three hours of two thoroughly unlikable people talking about thoroughly horrible things.

The point at which I clicked away was when Rogan said of Poilievre “You’re a very reasonable, intelligent person that makes a lot of sense.” That was a bridge too far for me.

Will Jones

Winnipeg