Letters, February 14 – Winnipeg Free Press

Opinion

There is no wasted change

Again: Pay now or pay later (Thinking Center, February 13)

I read a short biography of Chris Lorenk. It is commendable that he has been and is on the boards and chairs of many organizations. However, his involvement in many infrastructure groups reflects his contributions to many think tanks.

I'm sick and tired of what he always says about your and my taxes getting more to fix roads and highways. The free money in our pockets will now forget the difference between heat and food this winter. Only so much blood can be extracted from the stone. As he pleads with governments to spend more money (tax dollars) on roads, one has to wonder how much money he raises to support these groups.

Raymond Muller

Winnipeg

Get the police on the ice

Re: Imperfections in Ice (LettersFebruary 13)

Agree one hundred percent with Gary Hook's comments.

Maybe it's time for the police to get involved in serious cases like the Morgan Reilly investigation.

Isn't this workplace violence? If this happens on the ice, on the field, or in any other workplace, not on the diamond, the police will be called.

Let's hope it doesn't have to be something tragic to end this stupidity in professional sports.

Perhaps, if the authorities intervene in such incidents, human lives will be saved in the future.

Ron Robert

Winnipeg

A government that insults the call

I remember that 30 years ago the CRTC made a decision forcing the telecommunications company MTS, a Crown corporation, to allow other companies to use the company's infrastructure.

This increases competition and lowers prices.

MTS already has the lowest rates in the country. Fast forward some 30 years and Bell became a Crown corporation in 1980, taking back what was “taken from them” by the then Conservative government. Bell has virtually no competition, and the CRTC is once again forcing the big companies to allow smaller companies to use their infrastructure.

The federal government currently gives Bell $40 million a year, an amount that Pierre Polievre and Jagmeet Singh had voted for but now denied.

Their control over the market and profits is not enough. Bell bullies the government to get his way. The solution is simple: give up $40 million and give them a small share of the $100 million in media funding coming from Google.

In retrospect, I believe the CRTC failed to keep prices low and promote the competition it intended. This cannot be done when the government allows mergers that concentrate industries into a relatively small number of companies.

Gill Nicholas

Winnipeg

Points for Premier

I don't think a recent Manitoba premier, nor a current premier, could have spoken with the same compassion and honesty that Premier Wab Kinew did on Monday about the Carman tragedy.

All of us benefit from the strength that her spiritual tradition and indigenous heritage give her.

Jamie Oliviero

Loretta

Fear of missing out on local news

Again: Bell will end some CTV newscasts, sell the radio stations in the media during layoffs (February 8)

I am writing to express my concern about Bell Media's sudden termination of CTV's local newscasts during most of the midday and evening newscasts. Since retiring about six years ago, I've learned to spend most of my workdays sitting in front of the television and watching CTV Channel 5 at noon. I was surprised to find a game show instead a few days ago.

Yes, I can read the news Winnipeg Free Press or on the CTV website, but having CTV newsreaders and weathermen come to my living room was part of my day. And what about the work of these good people?

I can't believe I'm the only Manitoban out there with this rash act by Bell Media. I have seen the greedy profiteering of this company for several years and when I had Bell as a good company my grandfather told me about BC. I'm ashamed to say that I have a few stocks that I bought.

Maybe the federal government should investigate Bell, who are lining their pockets at the expense of services to Canadians.

Ellen Carr

Winnipeg

The radio environment is very important, a vital service to many people in our community and around the world.

The beginning and end of the First and Second World Wars were announced on the radio. Canadian citizens learned about the military achievements of men and women over the radio. All communications of the nation's fighting forces were also carried out by radio.

On the radio, announcements were made about the great achievements of mankind, such as the first man's steps on the moon, the election of great leaders, the Great Depression, the creation of the United Nations, the civil rights movement, and the end of the Cold War. even the advent of the internet.

There is a lot to say, but everything has been published and discussed on our radio waves.

Radio is vital to many of our local communities, a lifeline to what's happening, how and where public services are available and, most importantly, a place where ordinary citizens can have their say and discuss issues that matter to them. and help build their community through radio.

Radio in Canada has been under attack for some time now, where profit is more important than community values, democracy and community rights. Bell will cut about 5,000 jobs and sell off a large portion of its radio business.

Various financial interests buy many of these stations and replace the current operations and programming with special interest programming such as right-wing religious shows, various religious operations, special business projects, and talk shows that are mostly right-wing, pro-business ones. and anti-labor as in the US

Do you prefer to call a station and talk to a real person? Companies like Bell find such operations expensive and attract them based on their profitability. Artificial intelligence has replaced humanity with machines to figure out what you want to hear or discuss. Machinery then offers a program approved by the local demographic, which the corporation endorses with its values, motivations, and plans.

What happens when there is a coup or a revolution? All the media, especially all the radio stations, have been taken over. Why? Because radio is symbolic of an important means of building and sustaining democracy (like most mass media).

Stand up for your local radio stations, support them, or even subscribe to them. Once democracy is silenced, the ability to choose who you want to listen to, what music you want to listen to, will become a historical oblivion.

Don't believe me? Talk to anyone from Russia, Nazi Germany, Latin America, India, China, or any other nation ruled by power and tyrants.

Stephen Kaszab

Bradford, Ont.