Letters,

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!

Case in point is the shabby treatment given to Dr. Mohamed Elgadi, a Ukrainian refugee, fleeing his ravaged war-torn country with his wife and two children, hoping for a better life in Canada.

Sadly, all doors, including volunteer positions in the medical field, have been closed in his face, despite his many attempts to reach the minister of health and the premier’s office, with a simple request; to be informed of the courses and programs he would have to take to become certified as a physician in Manitoba.

It’s hard to believe that a province so sadly lacking in physicians does not even recognize his 12 years of experience as an emergency doctor in Ukraine. At the very least, he has not even been given the courtesy of a reply to his question, “what must I do?”

Such lack of compassion to someone earnestly asking for help is cruel.

It certainly isn’t friendly!

Irene Howard

Winnipeg

Minister a no-show

On Oct. 30, I attended the release of of the Manitoba Human Rights’ Commission’s report on the right to read for students in Manitoba. Tracy Schmidt, Manitoba’s minister of education, did not.

She’s “listening” according to her comments in the Free Press news story Parents seek delay to English curriculum revamp, Aug. 26.

Pretty slogan, plays well on social media. Unfortunately, dishonest.

Minister Schmidt’s choice not to attend Thursday night is an astonishing demonstration of disrespect to the kids of Manitoba who are fighting for the right to learn to read, with clear evidence showing how that can be achieved. It puts the lie to all this government has said about their “commitment to strengthen the K-12 curriculum with a focus on reading outcomes.”

Dyslexic kids, parents, and evidence-based educators deserve more than lip service.

Alexis Kanu

Winnipeg

A local treasure

Re: The art of neighbourhood life, Oct. 30

As an older adult who returned to art after decades, I was moved by Steven Borys’ Think Tank article on the Forum Art Institute. As a teenager in the 60s I painted at its location in an old house on Roslyn Road. It was a messy, magical world of paint-spattered floors; of casual guidance artistic and otherwise; of kumquats and chocolate at the open house.

Beyond art lessons, Forum Art offered connection and community. It’s found a perfect home in St. Boniface, Winnipeg’s coolest neighbourhood.

Lesley Sisler

Winnipeg

Gord speaks

The name’s Gord. I’m a normal, life-long Winnipeg guy.

I’ve earned 1.6 million logged, accident free, long-haul semi-truck-driving miles throughout my life exploring our wild nation from Victoria to St. John’s and all stops in between.

From these, and other international highway experience, I feel thatt I am the right man to make the following point: photo radar isn’t our ‘Citizen Kane’ of the 21st century, but in truth, it’s not a bad idea.

None of us want to drive like a jerk.

We get these tickets because we’ve momentarily forgotten our place on public roads. But the fines with which we are flogged only serve to impede our rent or mortgage payments, cause undue stress toward our family and home life, and hinder our investment into our fine city’s culture (It’s not my wish to pad the purse of a bloated bureaucracy when I could be enjoying a nice meal in the Exchange District with my mother).

This past month, I’ve received two tickets. I had to get a payday loan. My log book proves that I’m an average or even above-average driver, so these two instances of mild infraction against the Highway Traffic Act despite their concentration, must be considered independent of driver ability nor safety record; they happen to us all. There are better women and men than I who have received bank-busters like these and it’s simply unfair to lay such a heavy charge on an oversight that happens and will continue to happen to human beings the world over.

When I was in my 30s, I toured Germany with a professional Canadian punk rock band. Their stationary photo radar “Blitzers” are present all over the country and their consequences are similar to ours here in Winnipeg, that is to say, no demerits but a kind of misdemeanor fee. The cost is about $50 for 10 kilometres over the posted speed limit. The costs go up from there, as the speed becomes more aggressive and negligent to public safety.

So to my fellow Winnipeggers, let’s speak up!

Let’s make our voices heard that will no longer abide what should be a reminder by the law to “chill-out”, rather than the gouging of what little disposable income we have. It seems to me the city has at this point, perfected their tech, so why not: reduce these near extortion-level fees down to something reasonable. We are all suffering to pay our bills. Fifty dollars for a basic ticket seems fair, $75 in a school zone.

Install photo radar on other city vehicles like city buses and checkstop vans. The thought here is to go for breadth rather than depth. Charge more of us less and you’ll increase your revenueIt’s fair to rip open the wallet of a driver who thinks they can get away with driving 100 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. This is no longer an oversight. It’s careless and should be charged accordingly

Finally, to my dear City of Winnipeg, the time has come. You’ve had the chance to really rake in some tax dollars and while the construction around town since COVID is a palpable pain-in-the-butt, it’s begrudgingly nice to see you’re investing your revenue in our infrastructure. Detours aside, we appreciate this.

You would do your fair citizens well to rethink your photo radar policy.

Gordon Taylor

Winnipeg

Your call is important…

If you ever need proof that our health-care system is hanging by a thread, look no further than my recent adventure in phone tag.

I received a surgery intake form so confusing it could have been written by a committee of cryptographers.

Naturally, I called the number listed — only to be greeted by a voicemail informing me the person was “away” and suggesting I call someone else.

So I did.

The next number led to a five-minute message that sounded like it was recorded during a hostage negotiation. After a few loops of background static and sighs, the takeaway was clear: “Don’t call me — I only work three days a week.”

If our health-care system were a business, it would be bankrupt by now. Then again, maybe it already is — we’re just the loyal customers still waiting on hold.

Matt Vinet

Winnipeg

Dealt new cards

It appears that Andrew, King Charles’ brother, has now lost most if not all of his royal titles and has been basically abandoned by the members of his titled family. Being left out in the cold, as it were, his present plight certainly gives new meaning to that well known playing card term, a royal flush.

Spencer Schell

Winnipeg