Letters, Sept. 18

Efficiency matters

Re: A development infused with personal memory, Think Tank, Sept. 15

Columnist Brent Bellamy mentions “a focus on high energy efficiency and near-zero carbon emissions over the life of the building.”

I hope this means geothermal heating, which is not specifically mentioned. This environmentally friendly feature is highly touted and is supposedly being employed in the new Southwood Circle development. This project at The Forks would also seem to be a prime candidate for the same.

It is important to establish that both of these projects are using an economically feasible form of heating and cooling. These would be benchmarks for showing the practical results of this way of thinking that could be applied to future large projects.

Gary McGimpsey

Winnipeg

Choosing schools

I must reply to Jim Clark’s letter — Staggering issue, Sept. 11 — concerning independent schools. He asserts: “Most private schools are divisive because they also serve to segregate students on the basis of religion, ethnicity, social class or all three.” Also “…they miss important opportunities to interact with and get to know the diversity of Canadians…”

I disagree.

In 1968-69, I attended Tuxedo Shaftesbury High School (now Shaftesbury High School). Early in Grade 11, I concluded the experimental system of “work at your own rate, see you in June” was not appropriate for me (and most of the students there). I had to “sell” my parents that I needed to go to a different school and St. Paul’s High School was the obvious place, right next door.

After some research, they reluctantly agreed, but I had to pay for it. (I was later reimbursed). What I learned was they did not discriminate. Many students were Jewish or some other religion, including no religion. We had many foreign students.

We also had people of many different economic backgrounds. Some were wealthy, some not.

I know of at least two classmates who received subsidies because they could not afford the tuition. Both got a great education and went on to good careers. It was a very diverse group.

Our class of ’71 had a reunion last weekend. We had a tour of the school. It is really quite amazing. They have a very diverse student body and accommodate many needs. There are Catholics, other Christian denominations, Hindus, Muslims, Jews and others. Today St. Paul’s High School subsidizes 22 per cent of the students who attend, based on financial need.

I received an excellent education at St. Paul’s and never felt like I was part of an elite group. It was diverse then and even more diverse now, just like the rest of our society.

One final thought: We live in a relatively free society and can make choices about how we live our lives. That includes (and should continue to include) how we educate our children, whether that is public, private, or home schooling. That choice is nobody else’s business, not Clark’s and not mine.

Ray Hignell

Winnipeg

Peas in a pod

When you think about it, the manner in which Donald Trump has gone about exercising his power and influence during his second term bears a significant resemblance to the manner in which Vladimir Putin corrupted the emerging democracy in Russia upon the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Putin basically pawned off the spoils of what once was Communist Russia to his inner circle, who then owed him a tremendous debt of gratitude and obedience, not to mention the capacity to launder the fortunes pillaged by himself and his willing accomplices.

The degradation of human rights, economic security and the rise of the security apparatus of the state is what many would associate with the ascent of facism and we need not look across the Atlantic to bear witness to what it looks like.

In the case of Trump, the attempted hijacking of the electoral process ought to be enough to raise a red flag, let alone his conspicuously pocketing billions of dollars by means of side deals and tariff threats. His attempts to silence the media which refuses to genuflect before him, the targeting of minorities regardless of colour, the determination to censure artists, academics, scientists, educators and basically anyone who dare oppose his self interest are the hallmarks of not only Trump’s presidency but those of Putin and any number of autocrats who rule our world.

Add the billionaires who surround the president and the congress which dares not cross his path, and it’s rather easy to see that indeed, money talks. Maybe that’s all we truly need to understand in these times.

Americans need to wake up to the fact that they have become the enemy, not only to the likes of much of the world, but to themselves.

Dan Donahue

Winnipeg

Crime and punishment

Re: What constitutes criminal justice?, Think Tank, Sept. 16

I agree that criminal justice is more complicated than just being about punitive retribution. I also believe that restorative justice should play a much bigger role in our criminal justice system as was recommended by the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry many years ago.

And obviously deterrence has to be part of the mix. However, as the Think Tank piece points out, “deterrence is effective only when punishment is certain, severe and swift, which it clearly is not.” And this I think leads some to “advocate for nothing but simplistic punitive retribution” as they don’t see the punishment aspect working like it should and therefore don’t see deterrence in play.

In fact, it may be that before people will entertain less retribution/punishment and more restorative justice, they have to believe that the easier-to-understand retribution/punishment approach is working when it is clearly the appropriate response to criminal behaviour.

So let’s ensure the criminal justice includes all the elements noted above so that it is as nuanced and multi-pronged as it should be and thereby as effective as possible.

Gerald Farthing

Winnipeg

Friends and neighbours?

The citizens and business community in North Dakota are striving to convince Manitobans to resume visiting their state. We have good reason not to.

Almost 65 per cent of voters in North Dakota voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. One of the highest percentages of any state.

Why should we “reward” North Dakota by spending our money there when they voted so heavily for Trump whose policies and demeanor towards Canada have impacted us so negatively and insultingly?

When Trump decided to sign an executive order to rename Lake Ontario, there is a picture of his Interior Secretary Doug Burgum smiling in the background. Guess what? Burgum is the former governor of North Dakota. Another insult by a North Dakotan to Canada.

North Dakota is no friend of ours!

Irwin Corobow

Winnipeg

E-scooters and accidents

My deepest of condolences to the boy who was critically injured in Monday’s accident.

E-scooter accidents have become common place all over North America.

Manitoba is in the midst of enacting safety legislation in the near future. This legislation cannot come soon enough.

Unfortunately, wearing a helmet is only a partial solution. With speeds up to 50km/h, there are other injuries that are occurring. Road rash, skeletal trauma and fractured bones are all common in these accidents.

The legislation must include not riding two on a scooter; riding only on the street (as any other vehicle); and a helmet is a must!

Any legislation short of this will result in more catastrophic consequences.

Ken Campbell

Winnipeg