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.

Mayor’s plan flawed

Re: Mayor to launch weekly bulletin on bail offenders (Sept. 12)

The recent announcement by Mayor Scott Gillingham, reported in the Free Press on Sept. 12, said that the City will publish a weekly bulletin highlighting individuals accused of breaching bail conditions, raises serious concerns. While community safety is a shared priority, this initiative risks undermining fundamental principles of our justice system, including the presumption of innocence.

While individual names are not published, the practice of publicly highlighting alleged breaches of bail conditions presupposes guilt and risks confusing allegations with proof. The criteria for determining who is selected as the so-called “worst” offenders are entirely opaque and subjective. This lack of transparency undermines fairness and the presumption of innocence.

All in this together

Re: “Help, but don’t enable” (Letters, Sept. 19)

I read Mac Horsburgh’s letter to the editor with some hesitation. Something in his message of helping but not enabling seemed off to me. On rereading the letter it was the use of the terms “hobos,” “tramps,” “bums,” and especially the phrase, “let’s not feel sorry for ‘them’” that disturbed me. Being the son of a “hobo,” who rode the rails in the ‘30s, I never thought of my father in such terms.

Last month, I walked from my home just north of the Disraeli Freeway over the Slaw Rebchuk Bridge and south on Main Street to The Forks. I chose that route so that I would walk by some of the areas inhabited by homeless people. I wanted to experience first hand whether I would feel intimidated or whether I would be accosted on my way. On my route I was joined by a “gentleman,” I use the word intentionally, who noticed that I was wearing a Blue Bombers T-shirt.

Be the best you can be

Re: Steinbach cancels Pride event over safety concerns after threats (Sept. 15)

To the guys who shut down last Saturday’s Pride parade in Steinbach by making serious threats (please forgive the stereotype but I’m guessing you are all young white males): Dudes, I feel sorry for you. You are being badly misled by the likes of Jordan Peterson, Andrew Tate, and whatever other racist, sexist, and queerphobic influencers you follow online. You have so much to give, and it’s being wasted.

Don’t you know? Has nobody ever told you? You don’t have to tear somebody else down in order to build yourself up. You don’t have to hate people who are different from you to prove your self-worth. That’s not how it works.

Don’t overlook Kirk’s views

Re: Shooting tears a new rift in the United States (Editorial, Sept. 12)

Let me be clear. I don’t condone gun or any violence nor gain any pleasure out of anyone killed, any more than I condone the views of Charlie Kirk who was just killed at his own event. We should all be horrified and sympathetic.

However, I don’t think we should disregard the fact that Kirk was strongly against gun reform and even debated it at his events, including this one. Having sympathy for this horrific killing doesn’t eliminate that fact, any more than the fact that he was also known for his incendiary, often racist and sexist, comments at his events.

Correction

The Think Tank article Abandoned buildings and abandoned people (Sept. 9) inaccurately cited a duplex in Glenwood as an example of housing being funded under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF). The unit was not HAF funded. The HAF program only supports rental apartments in multi-family buildings.

Free ride

Re: Why Winnipeg needs low-fare transit (Think Tank, Sept. 11)