Canadian kindness

I recently arrived back in Canada after being away for a couple of days. I was traveling alone as an unaccompanied minor and was glad to see that Canadians are still so friendly. While purchasing a water bottle, a woman overheard me asking how much it cost and whether the store accepted my airline voucher. When she realized they didn’t, she kindly offered to buy the water for me since I was on my own. This reminded me that, at our core, we Canadians still look out for one another.

Later, when my flight was delayed, I got into a conversation with two retired Canadians. They were also very kind, and we talked about our travels. Before long, more people joined in on our conversation.

These experiences reaffirm the true Canadian principles of kindness and empathy.

Carney’s error

Re: Carney wins on oil, loses a minister (Nov. 28)

The resignation of Culture Minister Steven Guilbeault from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet marks a sad day for the future of our planet and exposes Carney’s promise to achieve our targets under the Paris treaty as a fraud. Carney has abandoned the little that was achieved on climate over the past 10 years, and is moving us back in time by committing billions of tax dollars towards expanding the fossil fuel industry. The downsides to building pipelines are so obvious that even Big Oil is unwilling to invest.

While economies around the world — with China at the forefront — are abandoning fossil fuels in favour of clean energy at breakneck speed, our federal government is preoccupied with pacifying Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Carney needs a reminder that Smith’s supporters are never voting for him.

Don’t subsidize unsafe drivers

Re: NDP re-introduces bill to preserve MPI insurance model (Nov. 24)

The provincial government is only telling part of the story in defending its decision to introduce legislation contrary to Public Utilities Board orders.

Sure, the current auto insurance model where premiums are based on the driving record of the registered owner results in lower premiums for many “deserving” groups such as young people living with parents and new immigrants. However, do we really want drivers to enjoy this substantial financial benefit for more than five years?

Overbearing oversight

Re: Municipal Board needs oversight (Think Tank, Nov. 21)

I’m writing to say thanks for Daniel Leonard’s opinion piece.

Actually the problem here may be too much oversight. It’s strange that the previous Progressive Conservative government, which campaigned against “red tape,” actually expanded the oversight powers of the Manitoba Municipal Board in 2021’s Bill 37. That bill granted the board the power to override the city of Winnipeg’s planning decisions — like their proposed affordable housing next to the Granite Curling Club.

Sentence an outrage

Re: Man given 5.5 years for drunken high-speed hit-and-run that killed mom of three (Nov. 13)

The sentence handed down for the death of Akuch Machuor should outrage this province. She was a 43-year-old mother of three, new to Canada, struck and killed by a driver who blew through a long red light, kept going, and then stopped to pump gas.

He received five and a half years. With credit and standard release, he’ll serve about three. Three years for taking a woman’s life and leaving her children without their mother.

Trouble in the ranks

Re: Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont leaves Conservative caucus to join the Liberals (Nov. 4)

With MP Chris d’Entremont crossing the floor, it makes one wonder about the Conservative problem. The elephant in the room is Pierre Poilievre.

After 20 years as an MP, (some of those as leader of the party) all he has accomplished is making noise. This noise was ignored during the last election where the Conservatives not only lost the election, but Poilievre couldn’t even win his own riding. Now, there is talk of more Conservatives jumping ship.

Trump’s actions about ego

Re: Trump makes us look — again (Think Tank, Nov. 4)

U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent sabre-rattling concerning Nigeria doesn’t come as a surprise for two reasons. There are two things Trump needs to massage his ego. The winning of a Nobel Peace Prize, for no other reason other than the fact Barack Obama has won it. The other, to be a wartime president. Most people have forgotten this. Trump has articulated in the past that he would like nothing more than leading a victorious nation through a wartime experience.

Igniting hostilities with Nigeria is more than just the obvious. Polls show support for Trump crumbling even among his base. How to regain that support especially with the evangelical community? By using the religious violence in Nigeria as a pretense for starting a “crusade” to rescue the persecuted Christian community. A “war” would do two things: it would distract his base from focusing on the economy and the current social conditions and would re-energize his support among the right wing Christian community.

Not so friendly

Re: “Just show me how I can do this,” October 21

We are a province that proudly proclaims the motto, “Friendly Manitoba.”

Sounds good, but it comes with a responsibility to treat everyone new to Manitoba equally, never selectively!

Evolution of the game

As the old saying goes, you can evolve over time or become extinct. Extinction is something the CFL has been on the verge of for decades. It’s time for CFL fans to get off the ledge and relax.

All sports leagues evolve, and it doesn’t signal a threat to national sovereignty. Let’s look at some examples. Hockey eliminated the centre ice two-line pass, put a trapezoid behind the net so goalies couldn’t play the puck wherever they want, and completely changed the icing rules to reduce injury.

Baseball introduced a pitch clock and eliminated the requirement to throw four lollipop balls to intentionally walk a batter. Basketball introduced a three-point line, completely changing the game. The NFL moved its goal posts back 40 years ago, changed their kickoff rule for safety reasons, and this year introduced electronic measurements for first downs.

Squirrel strategy

Instead of using poisonous slow acting gas to kill the ground squirrels, why not use contraceptives combined with feed?

I have heard of other cities effectively implementing this method. It would take a little longer but it would be a humane alternative.

Marie Carrington

Stefanson’s legacy

Re: Is Stefanson’s fine fitting punishment? (Editorial, Oct. 17)

It’s appropriate to thank outgoing politicians for their service. For many reasons, my thanks to former premier Heather Stefanson are highly qualified and grudgingly offered.

The fine that she will pay certainly does not match the gravity of her offence. At the time she remained the caretaker premier, it was on her to behave with integrity and she deliberately chose not to do so. She wasn’t forced into anything; she made a deliberate choice to try to circumvent an important rule.

No consideration for businesses

Re: Graham Avenue stretch ‘circling the drain’ (Oct. 15)

This is just so maddening!

These businesses were given absolutely no consideration when our city council approved the rerouting of transit away from Graham Avenue.

Trust violated

Re: Former WRHA nurse ordered to pay up (Oct. 4)

It was reported in the Free Press Oct. 4 that the lead public health nurse at the Ma Mawi Indigenous COVID-19 vaccination centre resigned and was fined $7,000 with costs by the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba after pleading guilty to professional misconduct.

This was a person placed in a position of trust that she violated. This is a person who had lied, accessed her own and other medical files of her friends and deliberately altered these medical files. My question is: where can this person work in the medical field as a registered nurse? It appears she is currently working as a nurse in Manitoba.

The sepsis experience

Re: “Cabinet minister returns, talks openly about health scare”, Oct. 1

A heartfelt thank you to Rene Cable for sharing her journey with sepsis.

Her bravery and strength in opening up about her experience with both her health and the challenges she faced are truly inspiring. It was reassuring to hear positive things about our healthcare system.

Get postal service back in black

Re: Posties retaliate by resuming strike (Sept. 26).

Finally, the government is taking action to put an end to the financial mess at Canada Post. This started years ago when Trudeau capitulated to a few whiners about loss of door to door delivery, and has just gotten worse year after year.

While I admit that the postal service is still important and necessary, the level of service currently delivered has not been required for many years. Delivery should be changed to every second or third day as there is nothing coming by regular mail that you can’t wait one or two more days for. Fact is that many people with community mailboxes only pick up their mail once or twice a week.