Letters, February 8 – Winnipeg Free Press

Opinion

Do not repeat past mistakes

Again: Problems of sand replacement, installation (February 2)

The new government seems to be in danger of repeating the mistakes of its predecessors on the Vivian silica sand mining project.

According to the Environment and Climate Change Minister, six of the eight detailed recommendations made by the Clean Environment Commission (CEC) for the sand mine could be “baked in” if an Environment Act license is granted.

Manitoba EcoNetwork and Our Network in the Sand argued strongly against this backward-looking approach at a CEC hearing last year because it goes against best practice standards for environmental assessment. The CEC recommendations for this project are designed to help fill critical information gaps in the project proposal and address public concerns prior to the issuance of a final license for this project.

It would be a mistake to wait for most CEC recommendations until the project is approved. This may mean that important processes recommended by the CEC, such as cumulative impact assessments to improve understanding of potential adverse effects on the environment and human health, are not carried out until after project approval.

Cumulative impact assessments consider the combined effects of past, present and future activities, the effects of which may be individually small but collectively significant. In short, it is the only way to understand project risks in their proper context.

Delaying consideration of important information such as the potential cumulative effects of a project until after the license has been granted is unreasonable and unreasonable. This approach ignores more than 20 years of sound advice from the CEC, which has long recommended improvements to Manitoba's environmental assessment process. This includes proposals to require or strengthen the government's practice of cumulative impact assessment in at least nine separate reports since 2003.

On record, there is insufficient information to adequately address concerns that drilling thousands of wells through one aquifer and into another, extracting tons of sand and leaving permanent voids and voids underground will have harmful effects on our groundwater and groundwater. surrounding areas.

The new government has an opportunity to correct long-standing failures in Manitoba's environmental impact assessment and licensing process. We believe that the government's decision will reject the status quo of poor environmental decision-making and instead focus on protecting this vital aquifer and the people whose lives depend on it.

Heather Fast and Tangy Bell

Winnipeg/Anola

If ever there was a time for common sense, it's now.

Water is not a game that can be used like Russian roulette. Water is our life, our future generations.

This is the result of reckless policies by governments and irrational practices by agricultural and commercial operators who have the right to run the show. What happened to the public good as a guiding principle?

About 750,000 Winnipeg residents use drinking water from Shoal Lake, Ont. reservoir. Two aquifers in the proposed Sio drilling area provide Winnipeg's water source.

Has anyone ever considered: What happens if potential economic development destroys water sources? Is there a plan for such a devastating disaster? Money does not quench the thirst for water!

Let's hope for the future, work for a future that is not full of disasters and floods for our children and generations.

John Fefchak

Virden

Alert for Alberta Premier

I am the parent of a grown transgender son and 18 years ago I helped start the PFFoTI (Parents, Families and Friends of Transgender) support group at the Rainbow Resource Center in Winnipeg.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith should be ready to provide more mental health support for those who request puberty blockers and hormones but are denied because of their age. My experience, and that of other parents in the group, is that children are very aware of their sexuality at a young age and whether or not their bodies match the feelings in their brains.

Without proper medical care, children with gender dysphoria often use street drugs to mask their pain, drink, and act out, which sometimes results in mental health issues because their brains and bodies are out of sync. Those who are allowed to take prescribed medication at a young age, dress as their chosen gender, and participate in activities consistent with their chosen gender have a much better chance of living a wonderful life.

The worst option is those who are not allowed to make their own choices, they end their lives. I'd rather have my baby alive than in a box.

Naomi Finkelstein

Winnipeg

A very difficult thing without penalty

Again: Car owner buried under $380 ticket, tow even without snow (February 5)

What a shame this city is going after the taxpayers. Get cash at its best.

People are struggling with housing, food, gas, and many other financial burdens, and the city decides to charge this homeowner an astronomical $250 for towing and $130 for parking on a snow lane in the middle of the “plus.” ” temperatures.

They continue to hand out these fines like a drop in the bucket.

Just a shame!

D. Liebrecht

West St. Paul

Problems related to railway traffic

CPR has been discussed several times about shifting rail yards Free press explaining all the benefits of moving them out of the city core; however, no one has ever discussed the logic behind this move.

The first issue is cost. in the previous article Free press was estimated to cost $1 billion to move, but in reality it could be closer to $2 billion in today's dollars, and those costs will increase the longer the move takes. Since CP won't pay that amount for them to move from their happy place, this means Manitobans are on the hook for the cost of the move.

Now the problem is where to place the new facility. CP could decide to move some or all of its facilities to other areas, such as Portage la Prairie, Brandon or Weyburn, in which case Winnipeg would lose taxes and workers.

Even if they were to move to an industrial park in the northwest suburbs of Winnipeg, I think Warren owns most of that land, so Warren would get some of the tax revenue. Once a decision on a new location is made, CP has to go through several steps such as an environmental assessment to move its facility, and since it is a heavy and dirty industry, this assessment will be very detailed. If it passes this assessment, CP will have to deal with both NIMBYs and then First Nations who may fight in the courts to move to their ancestors, and that will add years to any proposed move, so our upfront cost will increase. more than that.

Manitoba has a history of groups fighting to keep industry, especially heavy or dirty industry, from being located in their “backyards” or ancestral lands. Why would switching CP rail yards be any different? If CP is going to relocate, I think they'll go where they want, and it's not Manitoba.

Arthur Matthews

Winnipeg