Calgary Herald letters for April 16

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With the return of nice weather, I think it's time to get back on the soapbox and encourage people to clean up locally. Yes, there are bigger issues that need attention, but when we all get back to hiking and riding the trails and using the parks, we're going to see a lot of trash build up over the winter. This greatly reduces the positive experience and endangers the wildlife.

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My wife and I did our first cleanup around St. Patrick's Island while walking our dog and expect to do a few more around Inglewood over the next few weeks. All it takes is a plastic bag, a pair of rubber gloves, and a few extra minutes (although I found a $15 trash can on the internet that really helped).

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Every little bit helps, and everyone who uses these public spaces benefits.

Bob Swan, Calgary

The prime minister's desire for control comes at a cost

Our Prime Minister thinks it's necessary to control your health, your sex, your education, your pensions, your law enforcement, your water – what's next?

His main reasons for wanting to control federal funding to municipalities are his lack of support for major climate change measures and his love for the oil industry.

The Conservatives introduced a carbon tax – the only way the industry agreed, but selective memory loss is their calling card.

Record droughts, wildfires and temperatures are here, but the prime minister wants to kick the can for 30 years while everyone responsible for the disaster is dead.

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Those around us do not lose the ability to selectively remember the path of its destruction.

Ian Wishart, Calgary

We don't need UCP to play bartending

Alberta Services Minister Dale Nally doesn't like four-liter vodka bottles. So don't buy one. I wouldn't buy one. I understand some of the health implications of drinking vodka, but why shouldn't the market decide?

If these vessels are not suitable for the distiller, they will be removed from the market in time. If the government doesn't like the price, put an extra tax on four liter containers to make them more expensive.

Next, what's wrong with restricting Costco from selling large bags of junk food, or regulating large, unhealthy soft drinks from McDonalds? Or limit your cigarette purchases to one pack at a time, no cartons.

Doesn't he have better things to do?

Ken Backes, Airdrie

Misinformation in the housing debate

Our mayor and city council acknowledge widespread misunderstandings in response to their citywide rezoning initiative, but they stop short of responding to a misleading narrative.

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By calling the proposal “affordable housing,” they've chosen a term largely defined as low-income housing initiatives (even on their website). However, in the context of the citywide rezoning plan, the administration decided to expand that definition to include housing options below $700,000, which is roughly the median home price for a single-family dwelling.

Furthermore, given that their statistics show that the housing gap is confined to the underserved low-income sector, it is not surprising that practical Calgarians question how “mass redistricting” can meet the need for subsidized housing.

Tara Stewart, Calgary

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