Letters, Nov. 7

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/11/2024 (327 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Election reaction

With the apparent election of Donald Trump and the ascendancies of Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States’ place in the world is much diminished. A weaker U.S. is not necessarily a bad thing for the rest of the world, however. The three branches of U.S. government have made a mess of things for years.

For Canada, this creates opportunity — to lessen our dependency on the U.S., to drive productivity and economic prosperity, to attract the best and the brightest, to restore our international role and reputation. It will be difficult, however, and it will require strong leadership from the federal government.

Both major federal political parties have people of vision and courage who have the best interests of the country at heart. Unfortunately, none of these stalwarts is currently a party leader. The vacuous, vainglorious Prince of Canada is self-absorbed and focused on his short-term success. The petulant, pouting, populist, Pierre Poilievre communicates by perpetually parroting “rhymie stymies.” Neither is fit to be prime minister in troubled times.

One can only hope that our elected MPs and the backroom brain-trusts of our federal parties find ways to replace these men with leaders of vision, backbone, virtue and courage. Time is of the essence.

Robert Sproule

Winnipeg

And we thought the coronavirus was bad! A new virus has struck millions of American voters. There is no vaccine yet so let’s hope it doesn’t spread too quickly.

Ben Salnikowski

Winnipeg

Eight years ago on Nov. 9, 2016, I sent a letter to the Free Press after Donald Trump was elected president for the first time. My husband and I did not sleep last night.

“Both of us are assessing how the results of the U.S. presidential election will affect us and the rest of the world,” I wrote.

The text of that letter is truer today than it was then. In that letter I provided a litany of reasons that should disqualify him from ever holding any elected office. Since then, that list has only grown, as the evidence against him has increased. However, I will not list what has been well reported in your paper and in many others worldwide. When did character not matter in those who aspire to public office? When did lying, cheating and bold-faced self-interest become acceptable traits for office?

Trump’s first election unleashed a dark and fearful trend in American politics: Those who disagree are enemies to be reviled. It gave licence to those who harbour hatred of “the other” to openly express and act on that hatred. This trend is not unique to Trump’s politics: It characterizes autocracies throughout the world. I never imagined it would take hold in the country of my birth.

I am an American citizen by birth, who became a Canadian citizen by choice. In 2016 I wrote, “I have voted in every U.S. federal election, save one, since I achieved voting age. I voted in this election by absentee ballot to my last U.S. voting home in Pennsylvania. I now know that I will not likely live long enough to see a woman as president of the United States.”

Not even one in Kamala Harris, who has the character and record to be an outstanding president. I may have lived long enough to see the democratic republic of the U.S. diminished by a demagogue.

Linda M. Wilson

Winnipeg

Poor analogy

Re: “Handling social media” (Letters, Nov. 6)

“Asking Facebook, for example, to monitor and take responsibility for its users’ malicious verbiage is analogous to asking the post office to open and read every letter to ensure that hate mail or other illegal content is stopped.”

The analogy would be complete if the post office also supplied the paper, made the content of the letter widely available at no cost, manipulated and multiplied the content of information that the writer subsequently received and profited immensely from the enterprise.

Ken Clark

Winnipeg

Machete law misguided

Re: Provincial legislation to take aim at machete violence in Winnipeg (Nov. 4)

The provincial government’s Long-Bladed Weapon Control Act (Bill 39) may seem, on the surface, like a step toward community safety. However, this legislation is misguided and overlooks the deeper issues at play. While the control of long-bladed weapons may provide a temporary sense of security, it does little to address the root causes of violence within our communities.

The reality is that violence does not stem from the type of weapon used, but rather from the conditions that drive individuals to such extreme behaviour. A machete may be the tool of choice in one incident, but an axe, kitchen knife, screwdriver or any other sharp object can easily replace it. This legislative focus on specific weapons fails to tackle the fundamental problems: poverty, addiction, mental health crises and systemic neglect.

Community advocate Sel Burrows’s testimony, recounting incidents involving individuals high on methamphetamine wielding machetes, underscores a vital point — the real issue lies in substance abuse and the lack of adequate support structures.

This legislation risks being an administrative burden that diverts attention from more impactful measures, such as investing in rehabilitation programs, increasing access to mental health services and fostering community outreach initiatives.

To truly make our city safer, we must address the root causes of violence with compassion, comprehensive social policies and proactive police community engagement.

Marc Robichaud

Winnipeg

In remembrance

Every year Canadians acknowledge an important day on Nov. 11. This coming Monday, Canada will be honouring those who had given their lives in the Great War, a minute of silence marking the end of the war at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Originally this day was called Armistice Day, the name was officially changed to Remembrance Day in 1931.

As Canadians we honour the courageous women and men who fought for freedom and sacrificed their lives. On Remembrance Day we take the time to think of those Canadians who have given so much. We remember what they fought for — freedom and a world of peace.

We pledge to remember what was the real reason of Canada’s involvement, freedom for world peace. No matter how the world is today, Canadians annually pledge one special silent moment of reflection, signifying the poppy for peace. Let’s not forget, Canada remembers.

Peter John Manastyrsky

Winnipeg

Cost overrun not surprising

It should come as no surprise that reopening Portage and Main will cost more than originally stated. I can’t remember a project that the city contracted out or did in house that didn’t end up costing millions, and in many cases tens of millions, more than the original price tag.

It’s hard to believe that the contractors bidding on a multi-million dollar job don’t know exactly how much it will cost. To believe that, one would have to wonder how such a company stays in business. It’s almost as if they under bid, get the job started and then reveal the true cost, knowing that it’s too late to stop the project. Be that as it may, you would expect that city council would have enough sense, after a litany of cost overruns on almost every project contracted out, that they would insert a simple clause that would prevent this type of thing happening.

It seems the only projects that come in on budget and on time are P3s where the contractor pays for everything and then rents out the finished product to the city for a substantial fee; so it’s clear the contractors know exactly what the costs are. The difference is, of course, on a P3 the contractor is spending their own money, while on a city contract they are spending your money.

It’s shameful that the city councillors that we elect to manage our city are so cavalier with our money as to forgo basic contractual safeguards that any business does as a matter of course.

Gilles Nicolas

Winnipeg