Letters, Aug. 21

Opinion

Housing considerations

Re: Social housing improvements a must (Editorial, Aug. 19)

I’m very much in favour of more public housing not only because it is desperately needed, but also because private enterprise has not been filling this need by building low-cost affordable housing.

There’s always better profit margins on a bigger house. They simply don’t fill this area of need unless there is sufficient government funding. Having said that, unless the rules surrounding building more social housing are amended to prevent future, almost exclusively conservative governments, from privatization, the problem will simply resurface.

As voters and taxpayers who promote and financially support the expansion of social housing, until the law is enhanced to prevent privatization, we need to keep in mind from the onset that if we build it, they will sell it.

History shouldn’t be allowed to repeat this cycle.

Robert Gordon

Winnipeg

Plenty of beauty out there

Re: Light posts a triumph of utility over beauty (Think Tank, Aug. 18)

I support Brent Bellamy’s argument about not replacing character streetlights with soulless galvanized metal.

But I don’t share his opinion that, lacking mountains, et al, “Winnipeg is not a naturally beautiful city.”

I see much beauty in our rivers and lush tree canopy. Many a day affords a spectacular sunrise or sunset and expansive, deep-blue skies.

After my grandfather moved from the Scottish Highlands to flat Winnipeg in 1908, he said often, “The mountains were nice, but they got in the way of the view.”

Greg McLaren

Winnipeg

Credit to flight attendants

Kudos to Air Canada flight attendants and their CUPE executive for standing firm in the face of a government order to go back to work, even in the face of potential jail time for the executive.

Congratulations on a well-run, classy and somewhat entertaining strike campaign and the courage to stand firm on your beliefs in the face of big business and government.

You now have an agreement that will no doubt be mirrored by other Canadian airlines. Bravo! You walked the walk.

Tom Pearson

Winnipeg

Parking before people?

Re: Municipal board to decide fate of proposed housing development next to curling club (Aug. 18)

Winnipeg has people living in bus shelters and unsafe encampments, through minus-40 winters and plus-40 summers. Families raising children without walls, heat or running water.

The proposed solution? A 111-unit affordable housing project with rent-geared-to-income suites. The controversy? Curlers might lose parking stalls.

Only in Winnipeg could a debate about affordable housing turn into a debate about prime parking spots for a recreational club.

Apparently, the idea of walking across the street from a parking lot is too much to bear. Never mind that these are people whose sport is literally sliding on ice. But the sidewalks? Too slippery.

If a century-old club collapses because its members might have to take transit, carpool or step out of an Uber at the curb, then it’s not about parking, it’s about privilege.

We don’t have a parking crisis. We have a housing crisis.

Jules Neuf

Winnipeg

Bus problems

What’s happened to Winnipeg’s bus service?

What used to be pretty good bus service is no longer there. What used to take me 45 minutes now takes me almost an hour. At one point I could get there and back on the same transfer, to some places I no longer can.

Just to let you know, I am a senior citizen and come winter this will be a lot harder on me. I used to go to the Grant Park mall quite regularly. I no longer do because of poor bus service. What used to be a short wait for buses is no longer. My average wait time is now about 20 minutes in between stops. It used to be about 10 minutes. Once winter rolls around and we get those cold blustery days it will become a lot more difficult for anybody (nobody likes to wait in the cold).

I’ve also had the experience of being on time for the bus and sometimes they don’t even show up. Well, I’m not saying that Winnipeg Transit needs to go back to its old ways, but they could at least put back some of the stops they eliminated. I really don’t feel like freezing once winter rolls around. Drivers could be a lot more considerate and stop where people need to get off instead of just ignoring them and driving on way past the stop. So please think of those people who might have disabilities or are senior citizens and be more considerate of them. If they need to get off or on please think about them instead of just driving on.

There’s nothing wrong with being kind and helping those out who are less fortunate.

Stuart McCuaig

Winnipeg

Planning difficult, but valuable

Re: To fight wildfires and heat waves, Manitoba needs a climate plan (Think Tank, June 9); Public patience wearing thin waiting on NDP health fix (Aug. 1); Social housing improvements a must (Editorial, Aug. 19)

The first piece states that: “We urgently need a strong provincial climate action and adaptation plan …” The second that: “The NDP needs to start setting clear, measurable goals …” The third that: “But it is also a promise that cannot be realized without a comprehensive plan …”

Planning is challenging and hard work, but it is that which is most likely to lead to the most thought-through and sound consequential decisions and actions with the most likelihood of success. So I suggest the following:

That there be an announcement from the provincial government that the strategic initiatives unit in Treasury Board (the central agency responsible for overseeing all government expenditures) will be re-tasked with the responsibility to ensure that there are strategic plans addressing the most urgent matters we face, obviously including (but not limited to) climate change and health care.

Such plans would identify priorities and then outline the actions and measures to be taken to address them. They would also be made public as would be regular updates regarding outcomes.

Gerald Farthing

Winnipeg

Remembering Dieppe raid

On Aug. 19, I reflected on what happened that day in 1942 at Dieppe, France when Canadian troops, transported by the Royal Navy, attempted a landing raid on beaches spanning roughly 16 kilometres to secure the airport and acquire a German decoding device.

They consisted of 4,963 Canadians, 1,075 British, and 50 U.S. Rangers, and 15 French nationals.

Following nine hours of fighting, Canadians suffered fatal casualties of 56 officers and 851 other ranks. No fewer that 1,946 Canadians became prisoners including 568 wounded. Those who returned to the U.K. totalled 2,210 with many wounded and dead. Seventy-four Allied air squadrons participated. The RCAF lost 14 planes.

Canadians everywhere should pause to reflect on the high cost of freedom.

Harry F. McFee

Winnipeg