Letters, June 22

Opinion

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This article was published 21/06/2022 (820 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Axworthy’s stance cheered

Re: Canada Day changes out of focus for The Forks: Axworthy (June 21)

I agree wholeheartedly with Lloyd Axworthy regarding The Forks’ changes to Canada Day.

We need to be able to come together and celebrate being Canadian. There is nothing inherently wrong with listening to music and having our children enjoy fireworks.

At the same time, we need to still respect and acknowledge Indigenous culture and their tragic history. This would still be a focus incorporated into the day.

Canada has made mistakes in its history but Canada has also accomplished a lot to help others, too. Welcoming new immigrants is an example of this.

July 1 should be a day to focus on the good in this country. And after a long brutal winter, we need this.

Kathy Learning

Winnipeg

I am very disappointed with the change of plans for Canada Day at the Forks, the one day we Manitobans collectively celebrate being Canadian. Such a loss.

I think of my four grandparents, who were all immigrants. My grandparents from Scotland dreamed of a better life with more opportunities for themselves, their children and future grandchildren. My grandparents from Ukraine escaped dire poverty and the constant threat of persecution to find a better life for themselves and their future family.

To me, Canada Day is the day to openly celebrate and honour our ancestors who paved the way for us to have the lives we have today.

Dale Ward

Winnipeg

Lloyd Axworthy says: “Our city has become focused on minority grievances — as awful as they are — and has left out the rest…”

Could not have said it better. Canada Day is to celebrate Canada as a whole. I for one will be home flying my Canadian flag proudly to celebrate living in the world’s best country, warts and all.

Barbara Pomarenski

Fraserwood

The Forks’ cancelling of Canada Day, yet capitalizing on the date to push a New Day, is a divisive, tasteless slap in the face to patriotic freedom-loving Canadians, who simply wish to celebrate a return to normalcy after two long years of restrictions.

The waters become truly muddy in realizing that The Forks is ultimately government-owned, and New Day is being propped up generously by public funds. Using government money to undermine Canada Day is a perverse abuse of taxpayer dollars.

John Chase

Winnipeg

Perhaps Assiniboine Park could have Canada Day celebrations complete with fireworks. Then those of us who want to celebrate Canada can go there and those who don’t want to celebrate Canada can go to The Forks.

Ron Robert

Winnipeg

Wherever you go in this great country of ours, you’ll observe the Canadian spirit alive and well as it encompasses the people from east to west waving their Canadian flags, setting off fireworks and generally smiling from ear to ear as we celebrate Canada’s birthday each year.

I recall the Canadian spirit being unknowingly heard in a two-year-old girl on July 1 while camping with her family in St. John’s, N.L.

She’d learned the words to O Canada and, ensconced in the confines of the camp outhouse, she decided to sing it over and over again at the top of her lungs, totally unaware of the lineup of people outside the door standing and waiting for her to finish.

Diane R. Unger

Cooks Creek

Cancelling Canada Day celebrations is not the right direction. What’s next? Remembrance Day? Heaven forbid!

Brad Harlos

East St. Paul

Infill, but not on green space

Re: Residents rally against Tuxedo apartment (June 21)

Commenting on a proposal to create three buildings with a combined total of 58 housing units at 490 Shaftesbury Blvd., Dylon Martin, spokesperson for Yes in My Backyard Winnipeg, states “Adding to the housing stock of the city in these existing infill areas…”

His definition of an infill area and mine are radically different. To me, infill means that if you have empty housing lots or parking lots, you should infill them. His definition seems to say if there’s nothing there then it should be built on.

Using his reasoning, why don’t we build on all of our green spaces? The Assiniboine Forest would make a wonderful housing development, and all the infrastructure is right there.

Just because it’s empty doesn’t mean we should fill it. As our population continues to grow, empty green spaces become more and more valuable to the well-being of all of us. Sticking apartment blocks on empty green spaces is bad judgment and short sighted.

Ken McLean

Starbuck

Yet another situation where we are told the project is “perfect” for this piece of property, with the only drawback that it is not zoned for such a project and the residents are made out to be bad guys for opposing the rezoning.

James Roberts

Winnipeg

Make AFN accountable

Re: Assembly of First Nations suspends National Chief RoseAnne Archibald (June 17)

The fact the AFN felt it necessary to suspend its national chief for calling for a forensic audit and independent inquiry into the conduct of the AFN should set warning sirens wailing in Ottawa.

AFN is funded with millions of Canadian taxpayer dollars annually. As such, it should have always been subjected to regular independent audits, as should all the separate Indigenous reserves that are funded by our federal and provincial governments.

Canadians are obviously willing to help support our Indigenous population, but I doubt many taxpayers agree with handing over money to the AFN without followup oversight.

Cal Paul

Winnipeg

Doctors protecting doctors

Re: Broken, secretive system leaves patients in the dark against doctors under investigation (June 20)

The College of Physicians and Surgeons consists of medical doctors protecting medical doctors even if there is negligence. I have known for years the college is broken, given case complaints rejected. This occurs even with clear negligence having caused patient harm deserving of legal damages.

The point of the college is to defend the entire medical profession, regardless of fault.

David Albert Newman

Winnipeg

Cost of changing chairs?

Re: New leaders take posts at pair of Crown corporations (June 21)

We now have new chairpersons of Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries because the previous chairs of these two huge Manitoba jewels, Marina James and Randy Williams, had their positions revoked earlier this month by the provincial government.

Did James and Williams both get a nice severance package? Just wondering.

Ken Butchart

Winnipeg

Shakespeare tradition a gem

Re: New play explores meaning of theatre (June 11)

I attended my first performance of Shakespeare in the Ruins, and loved the production of The Player King. I felt like I was truly drawn in to an 18th-century theatre troupe, struggling to get by in dockside pubs and muddy squares. The one-person show (with musician) was masterfully executed by Rodrigo Beilfuss.

If this play was intended to explore the survivability of theatre and the arts, then it succeeded because I will definitely attend more performances in the future. Shakespeare in the Ruins is truly a Winnipeg gem.

David Jacks

Winnipeg