Letters, June 16

An appalling outcome

Re: Despair, spelled with the letter of the law (June 13)

The harm perpetrated by the justice system in the case of Ethan Wildcat was appalling and avoidable. My heart sank when I learned that Ethan, once my fellow participant and member of the Morberg House “family,” was dead.

The judge in his case could have sentenced this bright, kind and impressionable young Indigenous man to serve time in the community under the care and supervision of St. Boniface Street Links. I witnessed him flourishing in this setting, where he was healing from complex trauma, learning to become a better father and contributing to the welfare of the community as part of the street outreach team.

Instead, Ethan — a first-time offender — was sent to a federal penitentiary for multiple years. He gained trust in others during his time at Morberg House, only to have his hopes dashed and his worst fears realized. Meanwhile, the same judge granted a community-based sentence to a white, middle-class offender with similar charges and a prior criminal record. This screams systemic racism, and yet these days I wonder if that falls on deaf ears.

As we as a society increasingly embrace a “tough on crime” stance, let’s remember what actually makes us safer: investment in restorative justice programs that give the Ethan Wildcats of our world a real shot at rehabilitation.

Robert Lidstone

Winnipeg

Global power of soccer

Years ago, when I worked with Mennonite Central Committee, I was asked to engage in a trip to Zambia to evaluate some projects we had there.

Since I would be going into the hinterland — two hours from a decent road — there were some strange requests from the Zambia MCC unit. The biggest request was to bring two or more soccer balls for a very poor and isolated school — which I did. I bought the best soccer balls I could find, deflated them, and tucked them away in my luggage.

When the local bus deposited me about a mile or so from the school, I had already inflated the balls. I then carried them through the village to the school. Soon I had about 100 kids following me, cajoling me to sell or give them the balls.

Anyway, I made it to the school and the headmaster met me, grinning from ear to ear. The sad thing was, he told me, that the balls would be worn out from constant use in about two weeks on their rough and stony playing field. But he also encouraged me — those balls I brought were like the biggest Christmas present ever for the school. I asked him, “What do you use after the balls wear out?”

He explained that they would go back to their usual balls, made of strips of fabric or plastic, which would be used until they, too, were in tatters.

So, when your Free Press correspondents say soccer is a world sport — from what I experienced I would say “Yes, it is.” And when you hear of some great soccer player coming from some remote part of this world — I can imagine that, just thinking back to my experience.

Ken Reddig

Morden

New tariffs insincere?

It’s all fine and good the Trump administration has recognized the need to confront the issue of forced labour as part and parcel of trade negotiations.

I would thus suspect they are prepared to address the matter of the plight of those incarcerated in American prisons, both privately and publicly administered, as well as the abysmally low minimum wages being paid to many millions of workers throughout the U.S.

American corporations such as Target, Walmart, Home Depot, McDonalds, Burger King, Cargill and Costco are but a few of the corporate interests which directly benefit from the labour of the imprisoned by means of arrangements made with various state governments and private corporate interests.

Given the U.S. possesses the greatest incarceration rate in the western world, one has to wonder as to what degree its tariff announcement represents a genuine attempt to mitigate crime as opposed to stoking a money-making apparatus.

Before genuflecting to American demands with respect to proof of the origins of manufacturing, I would hope Canadian negotiators would point out the hypocrisy being played out across the negotiating table.

Dan Donahue

Winnipeg

Analysis fails to convince

Re: Sala fails budget test (Think Tank, June 13), Gage Haubrich of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation provides some information about Manitoba taxation and debt, intending to signal that things in Manitoba are poor, albeit improving slightly.

Among issues with the analysis is that it is selective, using western provinces as a comparison because, presumably, going any broader would impress less. Also, its target is personal, despite addressing a complex issue involving many individuals, organizations, sectors and factors. These are tactics to create drama and ire beyond what fairly balanced facts and context could sustain, and are a first sign that the content needs to be ingested with care.

Also notable is the failure to address the impact of cutting taxes and spending. The federation needs to include some degree — any degree — of realistic appraisal of where rates of taxation are aberrant, where spending is aberrant, exactly where spending cuts are justified, and what the effects of cuts would be including, in particular (because this is its focus), the potential for increased costs later on. This might include effects on costs for health care and in the justice system, were there to be cuts to education, housing income supports and other social services.

Until the federation comes to the media with analyses as eager to be balanced and critically nuanced as to be influential, these occasional tirades fail, unfortunately, to contribute materially to our understanding of opportunities for fairer taxation and more effective and efficient government programming.

Ken Clark

Winnipeg

Health-care workers deserve respect

Re: CancerCare MDs, staff call attention to specialist’s resignation, dire consequences (June 13); and Nurses’ vote makes Seven Oaks hospital fourth facility on safety-focused grey list (June 13)

Reading Saturday’s paper, I was immediately saddened by the news of a radiologist resigning and another hospital being grey-listed.

It saddens me that those in the health profession seem to be less valued and more at risk. These highly qualified, compassionate, caring people choose a profession where they care for their fellow humans. To me, it is the noblest of all professions.

I have been journeying with cancer since 2013; prostate was removed in 2014; had 33 radiation treatments in 2019; started anti-hormone treatments in 2021; and am currently receiving a second round of chemo in Neepawa. I have first-hand experience with the care and compassion of health professionals. I can’t say enough good things about the people I have met.

I feel it’s a double crime when health professionals have to worry about their safety and then have to put that aside so they can deliver the utmost care. I guess what I’m saying is that I highly respect, appreciate and value the people in the health community.

John Lackey

Gladstone

Musk’s ridiculous wealth

I’m disgusted by the fact Elon Musk is a trillionaire. It is very obscene that one man would have so much wealth while millions of people have very little and are starving.

Musk is responsible for the many cuts to the United States Agency for International Development that many people relied on. Musk also helped Trump get re-elected.

I don’t understand the need for wealth-hoarding by the ultra-rich. We need to shame them, and governments need to tax them.

Leanne Hanuschuk

Winnipeg