Letters, April 4

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/04/2022 (900 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Developing Point Douglas

Re: Warehouse to be demolished after a series of arsons and break-ins (March 30)

Unfortunately, Winnipeg has not encouraged investment in upgrading and repurposing some of its beautiful historic architecture in Point Douglas and other areas of the core. If this happened, people would come and crime would be reduced.

So many of those old warehouses in Point Douglas would be perfect for subsidized/managed housing, following the example of Finland, where they solved the problem of homelessness through the support of a basic minimum income and appropriate social services. Much less expensive than the policing and clean-up required now.

The city has instead promoted continued expansion into the faceless, featureless suburbs.

With serious investment, and with the addition of decent grocery shopping, the downtown and Point Douglas area could be a vibrant welcoming place for all.

Glenda Osnach

Robson, B.C.

If Gateway Industries is vacating its large holding at the southeast tip of Point Douglas, the time is right to create a campground area to help with Winnipeg’s homeless situation.

The Free Press story mentions a homeless camp already exists nearby, so why not give those people and others some dignity and build a campground, with basic washroom and shower facilities? Let someone down on their luck find shelter in a park, instead of along river trails, bus shelters and core-area shantytowns. The camp could even be winterized to an extent.

Kevin Ferris

Winnipeg

Remedy for health workers

Re: Pandemic front line ‘living nightmare’ for nurses (March 26)

Manitoba nurses have put their lives and well-being at risk over the past two years to care for us. To this point, the provincial government has turned a blind eye to the impacts that working in the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the nursing profession, and on the health workforce more broadly.

We should not forget other health-care workers are also suffering, including health-care aides, respiratory therapists, laboratory technicians and housekeeping staff. The Stefanson government’s lack of action on this issue is not acceptable.

So, what should be done? First, the government should immediately establish a working group to investigate the toll the pandemic has had on Manitoba’s health-care workers and put forth solutions as to how we can better support them. This working group needs to be independent from both the government and the regional health authorities and be led by someone health workers have full and complete trust in.

The working group should be tasked with providing an interim report within six months of its creation, so much-needed supports can start flowing relatively quickly. While the working group should hear from health administrators and union officials, a priority should be placed on hearing from front-line workers — who should be provided with anonymity to encourage participation and candour.

Second, the government should set aside funding in its next budget to start implementing the working group’s recommendations. While there’s no way to know what the exact costs will be to address the suffering of health employees, a reasonable down payment will show the government’s commitment and speed up the implementation of solutions proposed in the interim report.

Finally, the government should call a full public inquiry into Manitoba’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The working group’s findings can be used to help assist the inquiry’s work.

Sean Petty

Winnipeg

Disunited right

Re: Alberta’s Kenney defends calling party opponents ‘lunatics,’ comparing them to bugs (March 26)

It is very sad to observe what is currently happening in Alberta, as Premier Jason Kenney fights to hold onto his job as leader of the United Conservative Party.

The once self-proclaimed “unifying voice” of the right, who initially embraced fringe elements of the conservative movement to get elected, is now “determined to ensure that such hateful, extreme and divisive voices do not find a home in this mainstream broad conservative party.”

Putting aside the allegations of collusion and voting irregularities during the 2017 UCP leadership race, for which Kenney is still under investigation, voters are again being asked to trust Kenney as their “saviour” in the upcoming 2022 UCP leadership review.

This all reminds me of the 1975 film One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, which brilliantly portrays the thin line between the residents of an asylum and the staff who supervise them.

Is this the depths to which democracy has fallen in Alberta?

Evelyn Fletcher

Winnipeg

Opposition needs better plan

Re: Tories face uphill climb digging out of current support hole (Opinion, March 26)

The NDP, as official Opposition, represents the logical government-in-waiting. Yet, in the Fort Whyte byelection contest, the absolute votes for the NDP dropped significantly, proportionately almost as much as for the PCs. This situation transpired despite having a credible candidate and, at the same time, increasing apparent poll numbers for the NDP as reported in the Free Press.

These results lay bare some ongoing weaknesses for Wab Kinew. His approach primarily has involved an overly simplistic reliance on “not being Brian.” This is becoming less convincing.

Mr. Kinew has also shown little aptitude for, nor interest in, the details of how to run an economy. His other apparent theme of “spending a lot more than Brian” is becoming less viable. Governments are already deeply in debt across Canada because of the pandemic, and now inflation is rearing its ugly head, signalling that borrowing costs are on the rise. Governments, especially at the provincial level, need to be very careful not to let debts and rising debt payments get out of hand. Anyone who doubts such concerns only need look back at Bob Rae to see the brutal consequences.

If Mr. Kinew desires to lead Manitoba, he needs to demonstrate leadership capabilities, especially relating to how he can manage the economy and not be easily walked over or cowed by the federal government.

Robert Parsons

Winnipeg

Homes should build own dikes

Re: Severe flood fears diminish as weather co-operates (March 28)

With severe flood fears diminishing as the result of a slow thaw, one has to assume the 16 homes in Winnipeg forecast “to be impacted by river flooding and may require temporary dikes” are the same properties that have their land surveyed, sandbags delivered, and dikes built and removed by city workers, all at the taxpayers expense, every year there is even a slight chance of flooding.

The fact is we live on a flood plain, luckily somewhat protected by the Red River Floodway, so if your property is prone to flooding, I do not believe the taxpayers of Winnipeg should continually pay for protecting it. Most homes affected by overland flooding are required to pick up sandbags, erect a dike with or without volunteer help and dispose of all materials, without taxpayers’ money.

If the same homes are affected every time there is a hint of a flood, then it is time for the city to give them an ultimatum. You have two or three years to build a permanent dike on your property, or you are on your own like everyone else.

Kim Trethart

Winnipeg