Letters, Oct. 15

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/10/2022 (706 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Murray’s tenure acclaimed

Re: Murray continues to deny sexual harassment allegations (Oct. 3)

As a city councillor and mayor, Glen Murray developed some of the best and most collaborative relationships with the public service and with labour we’ve ever experienced. He was engaging and respectful with both of us and our management and labour teams.

Murray worked with and met regularly to develop strong relationships with each member of city council. Both of us found it very helpful and constructive to have a mayor who maintained such a strong and positive network in the community, with business, labour, Indigenous leaders and communities, non-profits, arts and culture groups and citizens.

Most of us who have been involved in the city recall Murray’s tenure as one of the most constructive, positive and engaged in memory. He met frequently with premiers and the federal regional minister, and intergovernmental relations were positive, allowing great things to be done in our city.

It is noteworthy that Murray met regularly (and still does) with an Indigenous leader and elder, whose guidance and mentoring he valued in discussing issues and bringing Indigenous sensitivities to the work of city-building.

Murray also built the C5 initiative with mayors, business, labour and community leaders from major regional cities in Canada. He was elected three times as chair of the Big Cities Mayors Caucus. On their behalf, Murray worked with the federal government on new funding arrangements that led to the “New Deal for Cities,” the granting of the five-cent-per-litre gas tax and GST exemptions to cities.

We both believe the portrayal of Murray in some recent news stories does not represent the character, skill sets or demeanour of the man we worked with when he was mayor and in collaborations since then and felt it important to state this publicly.

Annitta L. Stenning, former CEO of CentreVenture, former CAO of City of Winnipeg

Paul Moist, former president of CUPE Local 500, CUPE Manitoba and CUPE National

Winnipeg

Parents lobby Hockey Manitoba

Re: Sex assaults reflect on parents (Letters, Oct. 13)

In commenting on the Hockey Canada scandals, letter writer Volker Beckmann wonders why the parents of the abusive hockey players did not teach their sons that sexual assaults are “totally unacceptable in becoming a man and holding their honour,” and could destroy their futures.

Yes Mr. Beckmann, sex assaults reflect on parents. The assaults also reflect on social media, music, television, movies, the law courts and many other facets of life, because we live in a culture that generally disbelieves victims, glorifies male virility and turns athletes into infallible heroes. The Hockey Canada scandal reflects on us all.

Parents like me work very hard to counter the pervasiveness of rape culture as we raise our boys. We have instilled in our kids that men should not commit sexual assault because of the lifelong damage to victims/survivors, not to maintain their honour or protect their own futures, as you suggest.

Some of us contacted Hockey Manitoba criticizing its support of Hockey Canada’s weak action plan and governance review. The Hockey Manitoba board did not respond to my request that they seek a refund of the portion of decades’ worth of hockey parents’ registration fees previously paid to the National Equity Fund and donate it to local rape crisis services. That is surely a better use of the money.

Ciara Shattuck

Winnipeg

Election workers unmasked

Re: Manitoba has highest prevalence of COVID in Canada: study (Oct. 11)

I voted at the advance poll on Oct. 3 at city hall. I was surprised, as I entered the room where the voting would take place, to see none of the workers was wearing a mask. There were about 15 people sitting close to one another in this small room with the voting booths.

I was wearing a mask, and I mentioned a few times how surprised I was that nobody else was wearing a mask. All the workers were older and I received no answers from anyone. They just looked down or away from me.

I wasn’t surprised to read about Manitoba having the highest rate of COVID-19 infections.

Andrea Kohuch

Winnipeg

Where will money come from?

Re: Tories introduce ‘very straight up’ budget bill (Oct. 12)

The question needs to be asked: if, as Finance Minister Cameron Friesen says, the education property tax will be reduced by 50 per cent in 2023 by amending the Income Tax Act, where are the dollars committed to ensure a robust and vibrant public education system?

Voters were led down the path with reductions to health care. Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us.

It’s time to stand up to this government’s shell games. There is little that seems “very straight up” regarding educational funding.

Lori Tighe

Winnipeg

Fertilizer target bad idea

Re: NDP joins Tories in ‘standing up for farmers in Manitoba’ by opposing federal fertilizer-emissions target (Oct. 7)

I applaud NDP and PC members of the Manitoba legislature for jointly opposing the proposed federal fertilizer reduction target. The measure is a decidedly bad policy from the Liberals at a time of increasing world hunger, food insecurity and food inflation.

Hopefully, this example could inspire federal opposition parties to also, briefly, set aside political differences to jointly address and put an end to a bad idea.

The Liberals are becoming increasingly out of touch. Industry reports confirm the proposed 30 per cent reduction target by 2030 is unrealistic. Federal reaction suggests the target is not mandatory, but, given experience with the Liberals, voluntary quickly becomes mandatory. Notably, no such measure has been contemplated in the U.S. under President Joe Biden.

The policy appears driven more by back-room computer models of nitrous oxides, rather than in-the-field science or experience. It forces costs on Canadian farmers that they end up just passing to consumers, pushing up food costs even more.

Robert Parsons

Winnipeg

Vital to review officers

Re: Officers must be independent, accountable (Opinion, Oct. 8)

Columnist Paul Thomas never fails to educate and inform. His article on officers of the legislature was both of those things.

I am sure that others are like me and, although pleased to have the services of such officers as the ombudsman and auditor general, among others, have never stopped to consider that although their annual reports are released, they are seldom reviewed, and that the auditor general is the only officer who reports to a standing committee.

Our democracy must be preserved and continually monitored to ensure we have the best interests of our citizens in mind. I hope the legislature heeds the information presented in this article and works to negate the stated shortcomings.

Margaret Mills

Headingley

Proper place for video games

Re: Educators put traditional spin on video games (Oct. 8)

There is absolutely a place for video games in the classroom. They help build connections and relationships between students and with the teacher. I’ve used Sim City to teach about urban planning and Minecraft to reconstruct Upper Fort Garry circa 1870.

I’d urge my fellow educators to tread with caution, though. Part of our job, in my view, is to broaden horizons and open our students’ eyes to things they might not otherwise have the chance to experience. They may not be engaged or think it’s fun at first, but they just might in time, if we are doing our job right.

Trust me — kids are going to find video games without our help!

Gordon Fritzsche

Winnipeg