Letters, July 17

Full investigation of death required

Re: Mental-health crisis ends in man’s death (July 15)

Why? That is my question as a former pastor who has sought to support people with mental/emotional health issues. I know of the dangers that law enforcement officers encounter.

But why was the Linden Woods resident killed by police? Are police only trained to shoot to kill? What about shooting to injure or maim?

What about trying to talk with the person? Why escalate? Why were the police not using video and audio equipment so there is a record of what unfolded?

Why did a brother have to die because he apparently had locked his brother out of the house? Was there any kindness and understanding offered?

Why was the team trained in de-escalation not involved? I thought that was usual protocol. Police had been told this was a mental-health issue. Why did they not incapacitate the man with a Taser?

Why does it seem to me that the police seem to be following the example of Trump’s ICE agents — killing the innocent, and/or shooting first and asking questions later.

There must be a thorough investigation, and not just by fellow police officers out to protect their buddies, who might claim that those with the guns were under threat of death by a stressed man with a sharp object.

As a resident of Whyte Ridge, next to Linden Woods, I expect ethical behaviour and sadly ask “Why?”

John Wesley Oldham, Winnipeg

For the greater good

Re: Gun owners rally at city hall (July 14)

If an individual wants to own a firearm for protection, target practice or collection, and does not pose a public safety concern, that individual is allowed to possess a non-restricted firearm, subject to proper training and education. I absolutely agree with that. There are additional restrictions on carrying or possessing restricted and prohibited firearms.

I’ve owned firearms and hunted for 60 years and still do so legally. I was constantly trained to use all types of firearms for over 35 years as a provincial police officer. I also spent six years managing the Northwest Regional Chief Firearms Office in Ontario and have testified in Toronto as an expert on federal firearms legislation.

Having said that, I feel the need to express my opinion concerning statements in the press about firearms use.

A long-barrel bolt-action, lever-action or pump-action firearm is much more accurate and reliable than any semi-automatic assault-type of rifle. That is a fact.

Firearms laws are used to successfully support applications for search warrants and prosecute criminals more than you can ever imagine. There has never been any indication in any firearms legislation I have ever read that would lead me to believe the federal government wants to seize everyone’s firearms.

I sympathize with firearms owners who find themselves having to sell their assault type firearms to the government. (However) we are in a democracy and sometimes we have to give in for the public good, as it’s not just about you — it’s about all of us.

Fewer assault type firearms will help reduce the number of civilians and police officers shot each year. That’s a fact.

Doug Carlson, Kenora

Setting things straight

Re: “Carney a charlatan” (Letters, July 15)

The letter’s claim that Germany was “de‑industrialized” by a “NATO proxy war in Ukraine” is not just wrong — it inverts reality.

Russia launched an unprovoked invasion of a sovereign neighbour on Feb. 24, 2022.

Its actions have been so clear-cut that Vladimir Putin has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for the war crime of unlawfully deporting thousands of Ukrainian children — a charge that also applies to other Russian officials. Additional war crimes and crimes-against-humanity charges are pending.

NATO didn’t start the war, didn’t engineer it and isn’t using Ukraine as a proxy.

European states reduced their reliance on Russian oil because depending on an aggressive petrostate — one that has levelled cities, executed civilians and carried out mass deportations — had already proven to be a strategic and moral disaster. Those decisions were responses to Russia’s actions, not the product of some imagined NATO scheme.

Calling Russia’s invasion a “proxy war” erases the basic fact that Ukrainians are fighting for their own country’s survival while documenting atrocities that shocked the world.

If we’re going to debate Canada’s defence spending, fine.

But rewriting the origins of the largest European war in decades doesn’t strengthen the argument: it only signals that the facts are being bent to fit the story.

Martin Zeilig, Winnipeg

More wind, solar power options

When everyone talks about wind generation, they are only thinking of the giant windmills we currently have.

With a bit of simple investigating, I learned there are many different kinds of power generating wind options out there. Already there are European companies that have different ways of creating wind-generated power. There are some Archimedes screw augers in varying sizes. There are vertical turbines installed next to high-speed rail tracks that are charged by the air from the trains passing. Similarly, vertical turbines can be installed in high-wind areas including subways, underpasses — even the backyards of Prairie homes, as in Winnipeg. (Goodness knows my backyard gets lots of wind.) There are even wind and solar combinations shaped like trees.

These already exist and do not create the bird kill or sound pollution that giant windmills do.

Then there is solar itself. Anyone who has walked across a large parking lot in summer here in Winnipeg can tell you that if there was a solar power canopy over them, those parking lots could generate electricity. Now imagine, interspersed with such a canopy, support pillars at section corners with pole-like vertical turbines for wind as well!

Let’s keep wanting both solar and wind options and stop wanting the fossil pollutants.

This 75-year-old wants to leave a cleaner, safer world for the next generations.

Linda Ross-Mansfield, Winnipeg

Beds are burning

The world is on fire! The world is on fire and forests are being lost; animals are trapped and dying. We cannot breathe because of smoke.

The world is flooding and farmers’ crops are dying. Where will our food come from? The world is heating up. Temperatures are rising.

What do we do? Nothing. We pretend it’s just a blip in the weather. We pretend that everything will be OK next week.

What we are doing is leaving the problem for our grandchildren to solve. But will it be too late?

The world is on fire now.

Beverly Suek

Winnipeg