Letters, February 9 – Winnipeg Free Press

Opinion

Let the system deal with the suspect, not the civil society

Again: Police are asking for help in finding a suspect in a 2,021-bedroom home shooting (February 8)

Am I reading this correctly? WPS wants us, the public, to help us find a 6-3, 235-pound known drug dealer who has been denied bail on several gun-related charges, including two counts of attempted murder. Faced with these very serious charges and a history of ignoring court orders, he was granted bail, of course, don't you think? He missed it. Perhaps more dangerous than ever, the Winnipeg police now want us to go find him because they can't.

Is it an early April Fool or did someone put something in my warm milk last night? Police should be police officers and not untrained civilians. It's time for them to step up and be the good guys who take on the bad guys.

Randy Clinch

Winnipeg

Therefore, the police are asking for the public's help in finding this guy. Have you seen the rap sheet he has accumulated and his previous convictions? Maybe the police should ask for help from the court system and the judges who keep putting this guy back on the street.

When will these people on the street answer?

Brian Short

Stonewall

Stopping Convoy's protest is the right thing to do

So the Emergency Act that Trudeau launched to end the trucker protests in Ottawa was wrong. So what!

The truck protest got out of hand and turned into other protests. It was like a circus. They camped out on the streets of Ottawa, hung out in hot tubs, and harmed residents and businesses. Something had to be done.

Goofy Trudeau did the right thing, not the wrong thing, to stop the chaos in Ottawa.

Robert J. Moskal

Winnipeg

Skip the car

We all know it is here and here to stay. Unless you've been living under a rock or in a mushroom plant and haven't been keeping up with upcoming world news.

Now, as an old man, it doesn't really affect me, because I and other old people are behind the nines, and our days are numbered. But the young generation will witness it all. and hope to survive and do what is necessary to eliminate the problem.

With that being said, I suggest that these fast food customers get out of their cars, get out the back, enter the fast food establishment, get what they want, but turn off the car. It's time for fast food establishments to implement this recommendation by turning off all drivetrains. Just common sense.

Sure, you could say electric cars are on the horizon, and I agree, but can you afford one? When that happens, there will still be gas-guzzling cars polluting our atmosphere.

Dan Herzog

Winnipeg

Here's a tip…

Re: “Check” (LettersFebruary 7)

Poor Brad Enns, unfairly blamed for tipping, is making an urgent appeal to us as a society: Stop this blatant abuse of the 15 percent tip, or Brad's generosity will surely be destroyed the next time he visits Happy Dog's Grooming.

Remember: this is for the community.

I suggest a much more effective tool: the next time Brad is struggling with those fancy touchscreens, he can click the No Hint option. He may also try to make a $0.00 tip using old things called “buttons”. (Hint: Press the “0” key three times.)

Paul Robertson

Beusejour

Poor show from Tori

Again: The House of Commons has approved a new Canada-Ukraine trade deal without Tories (February 7)

I have been following the situation in Ukraine for the last few years, especially after Russia's unjustified invasion of the democratic state. Within two years, many countries, especially Canada, pledged to help war-torn Ukraine. Canada's overall commitment has been to be a world leader in providing support to Ukraine, becoming an ally, providing support through financial aid, military equipment and housing for thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

On February 6, in the House of Commons, Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Québécois MPs, including the Conservatives, read an article on the Canada-Ukraine Modernized Trade Agreement. PC deputies decided not to support Ukraine, a sad sight, lack of joint collective support for Ukraine. The new trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine has been discussed and debated several times in Parliament. On the other hand, the federal Conservatives do not see or understand the full format of Canada's free trade agreement with Ukraine.

Personally, I am surprised and not surprised to see that some federal Conservative members of parliament, representing various constituencies, do not support a new Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. As the article says, I think Conservative leader Pierre Polievre is playing right-wing American politics in Canada. Unfortunately, Tory MPs representing the large Ukrainian communities in Canada who support their leader have come under intense pressure. Does Polievre realize how many Ukrainian Canadians live in Canada now?

Peter John Manastyrsky

Winnipeg

About the future of hydro

Again: There is no time to tilt at ideological windmills (Thinking Center, February 6)

Deveryn Ross's article pinpoints the urgency of renewable energy development in Manitoba. However, using Manitoba Hydro's debt ratio as evidence for privatization is incorrect. The private sector will also need to raise money for these developments through debt, perhaps to a much greater extent than Manitoba Hydro.

In addition, they must pay our shareholders and executives, who are typically paid much more than our power grid employees. Risk is also priced into their bids, meaning ratepayers pay whether or not expected problems occur.

Manitoba Hydro has many ways to increase and diversify its generating capacity while working to reduce the demand side through storage and geothermal developments. Let's not sell the store yet.

Tom Pearson

Indian Wells, California.

There is a simple solution to the onerous interest rates that the Manitoba government could charge to publicly expand our electricity infrastructure. Go to the bond rating agencies, “Trump” the value of Hydro's assets and keep interest rates as we have them now!

Gary McGimpsey

Winnipeg

Income may come second to health

We Canadians are the envy of our “universal” health care system abroad, but our health may soon come second to profit maximization, especially those amassed by the pharmaceutical industry.

As a result, we remain the only country in the world that has universal health care but does not provide equal coverage of prescription drugs, even when needed. Therefore, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh really needs to demand that the government follow through on its promise to implement the “dispensary” plan.

Not only is the drug less accessible, but studies show that many low-income outpatients who can't fill prescriptions end up back in the hospital system, costing provincial and federal health ministries far more than the drugs themselves. was closed.

Consequently, for the industry to continue to make huge profits, Canadians and their health as individual consumers and as a taxpaying collective must lose big time.

So while we are often envied overseas for our universal health care, our health may soon take second place to profit maximization, specifically the insatiable hoarding of the pharmaceutical industry.

Frank Sterle Jr.

White Rock, BC