Letters, March 25

PWHL considerations

Re: ‘The city would really rally behind it’ (March 24)

My wife and I attended the Ottawa-Montreal PWHL game on Sunday, and there is truly reason to believe that this brand of hockey would likely be supported well by fans of all stripes, including older purists who love the game for its own sake. The atmosphere at the game approached the frenzy of a “white out,” and fans cheered every hit, two-on-one breakout, and each goal with aplomb.

One has to consider the logistics for a team to be established in Winnipeg. Could the city support three pro hockey teams? Probably not. The Moose, a family weekend favourite, does not draw well on weeknights, as Monday’s game indicates. Only 1,600 people turned up. This is hardly the first time this has happened. The PWHL would simply draw better, even with a shorter current schedule. As the PWHL expands, it is likely that the schedule would be extended.

Therefore, what becomes of the Moose? The Brandt Centre in Regina seats 6,000, which would be adequate for an AHL team, and is conveniently only a one-hour flight from Winnipeg. North Dakota, like Saskatchewan, is a hockey mad territory. This poses the question of believe or not “The Ralph” arena in Grand Forks housing the Moose, as well as its University team. This would require a good deal of market research. Would Fargo fans travel an hour north, thus reducing the Fargo Force fan base and would people from Winnipeg shopping on weekends be interested?

True North is likely considering all of these questions as we speak. If not, it should be.

David Cohen

Winnipeg

Tackling complex issues

Re: Lessons from school attendance (Think Tank, March 23)

Once again, kudos to Ken Clark for another comprehensive addition to our public discussion of student attendance and absences in his article and to the Free Press for its continued nurturing of meaningful community dialogue. We are fortunate to have a newspaper so deeply committed to its role and responsibility as a member of the fourth estate in the support of democratic ways.

We are equally fortunate to have citizens willing to give of their time and effort in contributing to important public dialogue.

Those, such as Ken Clark, John Wiens and others, as knowledgable elders, offer vital voices of sober thought and wisdom.

With regard to attendance and engagement issues in public education, I can say from many years of experience with a view to continuing systemic improvement that there are many from all layers and aspects of public education committed to systemic change and specifically invested in the issues of attendance and engagement.

People care, from parents and guardians, to teachers and school administrators, to school boards and those in our current government. There are many working to understand and find paths to improvement, paths that include small initiatives as well as comprehensive systemic change.

This is not to suggest that much more cannot be done. However, the complexity and breadth of issues and factors contributing to absenteeism and lack of engagement make for slow progress, in large part due to the many social services and governmental departments involved, each with their mandates and perspectives. Educators themselves have varied perspectives and ideas for innovation.

I count myself as one among those who are impatient and who wish for greater courage and clarity of commitment to improvement in public education. Increased focus and dialogue at all levels emanating from reseach and including the voices of praticing teachers could go a long way to finding effective creative solutions.

I believe public dialogue, such as that ongoing here in Manitoba is critical, both in its presentation of varied perspectives, beliefs and values and in its role of promoting increased focus on the issues.

Our students and their families deserve it and the well-being of our communities and culture depend on it.

Garrett Loeppky

Winnipeg

Essential solution

Re: A well-oiled machine (March 21)

Thanks to Dan Lett for one of the first pieces on recent oil/gasoline price increases that actually digs into oil supply chains. Most media, politicians, oil corporations just say something like “20 per cent of oil goes through the Strait of Hormuz, sea traffic through the Strait has slowed, therefore oil supply is restricted, therefore prices must go up.”

No one gives any specific details or does any research on actual oil supply. Which oil refineries have received/are receiving less oil now than before the war? As Dan Lett indicates, quoting economist Jim Stanford, there is “no fundamental economic reason for gas prices to go up here because of something happening in the Persian Gulf.”

Oil corporations seem to be up to their old tricks. The post-COVID inflation spike, driven by oil price increases, was similarly blamed on oil supply chain disruptions. In his 2025 report, Stanford showed the 2022 oil price spike was not caused by oil supply disruptions. Rather, it was tied to oil futures gambling. Oil corporations were the main beneficiaries as their profits spiked. The rest of us paid the price.

In the current round of oil price increases, the ‘supply chain’ theory is being repeated ad nauseam. Not only did oil prices start rising immediately after the bombing started, we are also being told that it may be six or more months, if ever, after the bombing stops for oil prices to start to decrease. This all looks suspiciously like war profiteering. Again, the rest of us pay the price for huge oil corporation profit spikes.

In the past, war profiteering was treated as illegitimate. It should be treated the same now. Our governments should either control prices or take back the ill-gotten oil corporate gains.

The “get off the oil addiction” strategy Lett proposes is an essential but long-term solution. Taking back the illegitimate war profits and giving them to the rest of us is much more immediate. It is also a real action instead of the constant, but empty, refrain from politicians of all stripes that they will do something about the cost-of-living crisis.

Wayne Antony

Winnipeg

Tired of mistreatment

All I wanted was to safely cycle to work and walk to the grocery store, now I spent my days off advocating at city hall for a safe Wellington Crescent while being insulted by councillors.

Our roads are funded through property taxes, not through MPI insurance, nor do we have a system where road funding is tied to vehicle ownership. My inner-city neighbours and I are paying some of the highest taxes and in return we get derelict sidewalks, unsafe crosswalks, and defunded transit.

While our city-centre councillors are fighting an uphill battle against other councillors who believe money is better spent in their ward, I continue to feel like a second-class citizen. The roads in my inner-city ward seem to be meant to move people in cars to the suburbs at high speed. They don’t keep me safe.

Linda van de Laar

Winnipeg