Letters, April 11 – Winnipeg Free Press

Opinion

Uninterrupted sleep is not a nightmare

Again: Sleep, maybe…all night (April 10)

People suffer because they do not enjoy an uninterrupted night's sleep. Both ancient diaries and modern studies have shown that it is natural to have varying degrees of alertness, known as segmented or polyphasic sleep.

Many of my acquaintances are less concerned about this, and part of our natural sleep cycle includes a short afternoon nap. Education and self-awareness can go a long way to reducing anxiety about the fabled eight hours.

Ed Laboisiere

Winnipeg

IT standards are required in the province

Again: W of W cyberattacks lesson for province: experts (April 10)

Establishing uniform IT security standards for government agencies may be worth pursuing. Perhaps, if not more importantly, the province should consider ways to minimize the information it collects and stores.

Barry Elkin

Winnipeg

Some number crunching

Again: The NDP broke an election promise, and that might be a good thing (April 9)

I have learned that education property tax credits will be attacked, reduced, or eliminated entirely. With their new system, it will be based on the value of your property under the “homeowners' affordability tax credit.”

If this is true, then it can be assumed that it is based on the age and income of the owners, not the value of the houses. A person can live in a $400,000 home and have a better retirement income than someone who lives in a more expensive home. It is assumed that the owner of an expensive house will have a high income.

And we all know about assumptions.

Joachim Zimmermann

Winnipeg

I agree with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation that the budget must be balanced at some point, and the sooner the better. We owe it to future generations.

I disagree with the one-sided and unbalanced approach – the fiscal challenge facing Manitoba is not just mismanagement of spending. Many informed commentators have pointed out over the past few months that this situation has been caused by gross revenue mismanagement.

Indeed, as Tom Brodbeck recently pointed out, “The only reason the province is in deficit is because the previous Tory government cut taxes, including income tax, during the deficit. He borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars (to be repaid by future generations) to cut taxes. It was reckless and fiscally irresponsible.” Therefore, the solution lies in adjusting both the expenditure and the income, not just one or the other.

And one more thing. I don't know who the people at CTF hang out with, but I don't know who would “pack up the mini-van and move to Regina or Calgary” or whatever because of differences in tax policies.

Gerald Farthing

Winnipeg

Little attention is paid to personal education

Again: Manitoba saves a significant number of international student places (April 8)

While the Advanced Education Minister is patting herself on the back for increasing the allocation of study permit applications to Manitoba, what is not being said is that the lion's share is distributed among public institutions, with little attention paid to the many private institutions that accept international students and are important. Manitoba to the international education ecosystem.

In British Columbia, 47 percent of them were sent to private institutions. Despite the Ontario government facing some of the deepest cuts of any province, nearly two percent of Ontario has been allocated to private language schools. In Manitoba, only a small portion was allocated to private institutions, and none to private language schools in the initial distribution.

This is a clear sign that the Manitoba government does not value the contribution of private institutions to international education in Manitoba. They underestimate English language skills, even though it is an important skill for international students to succeed.

Gary Gervais

President of Heartland International English School

Winnipeg

Walking in the heart of life

As a downtown resident, I have been asked survey questions by Downtown Biz staff and patrol members on several occasions. Each time, I asked the questioners whether they lived downtown, near downtown, or in the suburbs. Each time they answered that they were from the suburbs. Their perspective and mine seemed completely different.

I walk everywhere in the city and a few kilometers from the city center where I live.

I always wear a 65 liter backpack for errands and food.

For a number of reasons, I prefer to walk outdoors and avoid the covered walkways between the bank buildings and the Portage and Main Underground Circus.

I feel much safer walking outdoors where I have room to maneuver when I encounter problematic individuals or groups.

I prefer fresh air, views and activity to indoor spaces with artificial lighting. Cold, heat, rain, snow and inclement weather are nothing to a properly dressed hiker.

To be outdoors and cross covered sidewalks, I walk a few extra city blocks to use traffic lights and crosswalks. Anything to stay out.

I believe that city centers should be pedestrian-friendly centers first and foremost, and there are many reasons to walk everywhere you can.

Holly Bertram

Winnipeg

Don't complain about the carbon tax, please

Stop grumbling about the cost of a carbon tax and use an environmentally friendly energy source. Rural consumers of heating oil are the worst group. They have to pay by the teeth to use it. Wake up! It's time to toss out the oil burners and install geothermal.

Change takes effort and yes, it costs money, but it has to happen. We respond when we spend money, the almighty dollar is the biggest motivator. How many people would obey the speed limit if there were no traffic laws?

Double the carbon tax, make it really painful and people will respond.

Bill Allan

Winnipeg

Wood smoke makes breathing difficult

Re: Harmful effects of wood smoke (LettersApril 9)

Respect Free press For publishing Serge Massicot's letter on the effects of forest smoke on Winnipeg residents and the environment.

I, along with other Winnipeggers, struggle with respiratory problems caused by my neighbors' penchant for burning wood inside and outside their homes. Unfortunately, between April and October I have to keep my windows closed.

I agree that the city administration should solve this problem as soon as possible. But I wonder why lung health groups, environmentalists, and “green” political parties have remained silent on this issue.

Jane Capac

Winnipeg

Trams, electric buses are a wise idea

Again: Budget opportunity wasted (Thinking Center, April 10)

Column by Peter Denton Free press on Wednesday talking about using the inland rail lines and the streetcar tracks still buried under Portage and Main.

This would be the right decision for our city and region. What a unique way to put Winnipeg on the map with a system that was so successful when it was first introduced many years ago.

We have electricity, we have roads (albeit still buried) and we have electric buses made in Winnipeg. We only need a city and a province to show this.

Ken Butchart

Winnipeg