Letters, June 9

More than an investment

Re: City starting to see the forest through its trees, June 6

For many of us who love trees as our relatives, it was encouraging to see the article about increased tree planting/care in Winnipeg along with explanations about their value to human well-being, the earth and life in the city. I appreciate the efforts of city crews to plant and care for trees and for Julia-Simone Rutgers for sharing the research with us.

What also struck me about the article is the economic/financial language used around trees, their value as investments and assets,

“Valuing trees based on their size and condition would provide a better indication of the true cost of replacing Winnipeg’s tree assets and the cost avoided by investing in maintenance to maximize their safe useful life expectancy.”

Indigenous knowledge keepers along with some western paradigm scientists have shared about trees having cultures and language, trees being part of our collective circle of life, trees as our relatives.

When walking beneath the incredible variety of trees in our neighbourhoods, we can reflect on the wonderful and reciprocal nature of our relationship with them, one where we are responsible and care for each other. As Braiding Sweetgrass author Robin Wall-Kimmerer has shared in her learning from elders, trees are not fundamentally “its” or assets or investments, rather they are “Aakibmaadiziiwin”, “a being of the Earth.”

Humans and trees are beings, sharing the world together in what can be recognized as a good way.

Peter Krahn

Winnipeg

New drug policies needed

Re: Seize control of drug supply, rather than seizing drugs by Jerry Storie, Think Tank, June 4, and “Be like Portugal and Scandinavia” by Andy Maxwell, Letters, June 6.

Our electoral system preempts the life-saving, money-saving drug policies Andy Maxwell admired in Portugal and Scandinavia in his letter to the editor.

Premier Wab Kinew is smart not to go too far with European-style drug policy.

Without political consensus on the way forward, when the PCs eventually take power, they will undo his policies.

The countries in Europe with stable, life-affirming drug policies, agree on a way forward via proportional representation, which aims to find consensus..

Here, in Manitoba, drug policy has to be a political wedge issue due to our winner-take-all electoral system which animates two governing parties, not to find agreement, but to find disagreement.

As neither of our two governing parties supports a politics based upon finding consensus and a fair vote, we’re stuck with the divisive, stalled-out drug policy we have.

One possible work around would be for the Kinew government to set up a Manitoban citizens’ assembly to hear the evidence, the experts and the experiences of other locals and then draft drug policy recommendations. This deliberative body would be a randomly selected group who works like a jury.

Randomly selected citizens were key in ancient Greek democracy, so this is a long tradition in the west.

To work towards a drug policy that survives a change in government, the jury’s recommendations could then be put to Manitobans in a referendum, which would be a form of direct democracy. Maybe then we could move on with a better battle plan for the war on drugs..

Sheri Oberman

Winnipeg

Re: “Be like Portugal and Scandinavia,” Letters, June 6

I also support the need for action regarding the drug crisis in our province and am also a strong supporter of the Portugeuse approach.

However, Portugal’s success in reducing drug related harm and death was linked to shifting from a criminal to a public health approach to drug use.

Possessing drugs remains illegal and drugs would be seized, but without a criminal charge. A person in possession of drugs would receive a ticket and report to a health committee, where an assessment and options would be offered.

A shift in funding occurred, and cost savings in the criminal justice system were directed to fund detox, treatment and recovery.

I have heard from people trying to stop using drugs that it is much easier to continue to use than to stop. We should have barrier free detox, recovery services and support workers available, a safe consumption site as one entry point for connection with services, and start taking the toxic drugs off the street.

This could help to shift the tide in the current drug crisis in our city and province.

Anne Durcan

Winnipeg

Economy versus environment

One Sunday as I drove home, I listened to CBC’s Sunday afternoon radio program Just Asking, and the topic was: what is more important, the economy or the environment?

I was struck that the two were even equated. With the environment, we’d like to think we control it, but in reality the environment is just a balance.

I see our role as stewards to keep it in balance, but clearly we are not good stewards.

On the other hand the economy is man-made. If it were to be destroyed tomorrow we could recreate it the day after. So what is truly more important?

Something we could recreate on a whim or something we can lose forever?

Jamie Bonner

Winnipeg

Empowering pharmacists

Tom Brodbeck’s column (Allowing pharmacists to do more immediately improves access to health care, reduces strain elsewhere in system, June 2) is a desperately needed call for action by the provincial government.

Plenty of Manitobans are suffering from long-term or permanent health issues specifically caused by a lack of access to time-sensitive medications (such as antivirals), which are available via pharmacist prescribing in more-progressive jurisdictions.

Pharmacist prescribing is also a crucial access need for members of those communities who are often subjected to medical harassment or abuse when trying to access care in clinical settings.

But one important issue not touched on by Brodbeck’s piece is the cause of this miserable state of affairs: doctors lobbying for monopolistic control over healthcare. One would hope that the government, as elected advocates for the people, would stand in firm opposition to this. Instead, our minister of Health very publicly breaks bread with physicians’ lobbyists, at the expense of Manitobans’ health and, sometimes, our very lives.

Ethical governance requires our elected leaders to fight for the people’s needs, not for a profession’s greed.

Kristen Hardy

Winnipeg

Better together

Recently my wife and I visited the International Peace Gardens for the day and while walking through the Peace Chapel, came across some profound and moving words. The author was Sir John A. MacDonald: “Whatever you do, adhere to the union. We are a great country and shall become one of the greatest, if we preserve it. We shall sink into insignificance and adversity if we suffer it to be broken.”

We don’t always remember that “peace” is not only about our relationships with other countries; it is also about our relationships within our country.

I suggest that Danielle Smith and the separatists in Alberta take heed of MacDonald’s words. Together, we are a powerful country, respected by most of the world, but divided, we will face the grave consequences of insignificance and adversity.

Eugene Brokopiw

Winnipeg