Letters, Aug 9
Today did it for me. I will not be using Transit unless I absolutely have to.
I have phoned 311 to complain about the removal of bus stops requiring a lot of walking. Wait until our winter weather is here!
I am a senior with mobility issues and with the smoke in the air, the extra walking to make the connections is very hard on me.
Today I had to go to the 1600 block of St. Mary's Road from Henderson Highway. Three buses, two transfers and about four blocks to make my connections.
For the return trip, four buses, three transfers and about six blocks to make my connections. Not to mention the time factor.
What a joke this new system is.
Len St. Marie
Winnipeg
The issue of quality food being provided in our care homes should be on everyone's mind. We are an aging society and whether we want to face it or not, many of us will require care home assistance at some point in the future.
I experienced this situation when my father-in-law had to move into a Winnipeg care home. We visited him regularly, often during mealtimes so that we could sit and talk comfortably with him, and I was appalled at how limited his food choices were. A sandwich of white bread with a thin film of mayo and one thin slice of ham (so thin you could have read the Free Press through it) and a tiny fruit cup is not an adequate meal.
We realized how awful this was for him at a spring visit during Covid. A fence had been erected just outside an exit door where they could wheel out patients and permit family members to talk to them from across the fence.
As my father-in-law was quite deaf, he could barely understand us and became highly frustrated. At the end of this horrific visit, in a desperate attempt to reach out to him, I screamed, 'What can we bring you?'
He heard that and screamed back one word, 'Food!'
His life had been reduced to almost nothing and all he wanted was some tasty food. We began taking him burgers and fried chicken and he was immensely grateful. Care homes are so obsessed with keeping patients alive they have forgotten to let them live. It was pointed out to me that the food we brought was not healthy, to which I replied he was over 90 years old, so why did it matter? It made him happy.
We need to think hard about this, because one day each of us may end up in a care home and have no choice about our food. We should be permitted to enjoy what little of life we have left.
Steve Oetting
Winnipeg
Re: 'New build, big price' (Letters, Aug. 6)
I'm with Alice French regarding her letter to the editor about the unattractive infill houses being built in older neighbourhoods (out of the average person's price range to boot).
I'm not averse to changes in style, and I understand that whoever buys a lot can pretty much knock down and (within building codes) put up whatever they like. But the people who've designed these infill houses haven't used their talents to add elements to help them blend into the aesthetics of the area. Either that or their client in each case forced their hand. ('No! I said dystopian!')
In my neighbourhood, some are two-storey boxes clad in dark corrugated metal and others are 2-1/2-storey, barn-shaped monoliths that block out the sunlight in their neighbours' backyards. They stand out like sore thumbs.
Imagining a future where formerly charming neighbourhoods are filled with expensive corrugated boxes and massive barns, with all the tall, old-growth elms felled by Dutch elm disease, is pretty depressing. These homeowners likely move into their neighbourhoods because they like them as they are, but they're the leading architects of their demise.
Cheryl Moore
Winnipeg
I was pleased to read Pam Frampton's article Ageism keeps rearing its ugly head (Aug. 6).
I agreed when she mentioned that society often renders older adults invisible. Look at TV and print advertising for products and services that older adults use — anything from coffee to pet supplies, yet all the people in the ads are younger.
I have written to some of these businesses, and the responses varied from no response to 'we believe in diversity.' There are businesses I don't shop/buy products from as they don't value older adults. As older adults, we need and deserve to be visible and not fade away as time goes on.
I also like Frampton's suggestion of renaming OAS to the Canadian Retirement Supplement — I would change the word 'supplement' to 'benefits,' as this is close to the current Guaranteed Income Supplement.
Just like her, I am waiting for Manitoba's Seniors' Advocate to start sooner rather than later. Thank you, Pam, for raising this important issue.
Cindy Kelly
Winnipeg
Can we not see what Erna Buffie saw in the July 28 Free Press (Clean energy is the future — why are we investing in fossil fuels?), that wind and solar energy fit easily with Manitoba?
With global warming, we see that Hudson's Bay will be open for more months of the year to export grain, potash and meat to the world. Fossil fuels will be out of date by the time an oil pipeline is built, as fewer consumers will be using oil and natural gas as their energy sources, perhaps since solar and wind will be less costly. Manitoba has resources to export, a rail line to get to port and a good terminal to ship these resources to those in need.
Fossil fuels are becoming an older energy source. Let us look ahead to what Manitoba does best.
Nature is our greatest resource. Let us continue to use the resources which Manitoba has. Farmers, fisherpersons and forests, as well as the creative people, are what we have in abundance. Let us stick with our strengths and forget the out-of-date fossil fuels.
Barrie Hammond
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is finally having to pay the piper for its neglected infrastructure needs!
We read almost daily that the City of Winnipeg is struggling with its attempts to catch up with our major accumulated infrastructure deficits, including our rapidly increasing costs for water and sewage treatment plants, rapidly deteriorating roads and dilapidated bridges, most of which are close too or have now exceeded their 'shelf life.'
By and large, this is a result of its councils' irresponsible decision to choose 25 years of unwarranted tax restraints, which was exacerbated by Winnipeg's 14 years of property taxes being frozen, which finally came to an end in 2012. In fact, since 1998, Winnipeg's compounded property tax increase has only been 35 per cent while other major Western Canadian cities have seen increases ranging from 129 per cent to 189 per cent over the same period.
Rick Lambert
Winnipeg
Real Canadians should abhor any Canadian leaving Canada to visit family, friends or just vacation in the good old U.S.A. because of President Donald Trump's recent tariff increase from 25 per cent to 35 per cent against Canada.
Give your head a shake, people.
He hasn't mentioned us becoming the 51st state lately but his recent actions push Canada closer to this ultimate end. Spend your Canadian dollars in Canada first and anywhere else on our planet, but not in the U.S.A. The good old U.S.A. is just not good anymore.
R. J. Moskal
Winnipeg
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Letters, Aug 9
Opinion Today did it for me. I will not be using Transit unless I absolutely have to. I have phoned 311 to complain about the removal of bus stops requiring a lot of walking. Wait until our winter weather is here! I am a senior with mobility issues and with the smoke in the air, the extra walking to make the connections is very hard on me. Today I had to go to the 1600 block of St. Mary's Road from Henderson Highway. Three buses, two transfers and about four blocks to make my connections. For the return trip, four buses, three transfers and about six blocks to make my connections. Not to mention the time factor. What a joke this new system is. Len St. Marie Winnipeg The issue of quality food being provided in our care homes should be on everyone's mind. We are an aging society and whether we want to face it or not, many of us will require care home assistance at some point in the future. I experienced this situation when my father-in-law had to move into a Winnipeg care home. We visited him regularly, often during mealtimes so that we could sit and talk comfortably with him, and I was appalled at how limited his food choices were. A sandwich of white bread with a thin film of mayo and one thin slice of ham (so thin you could have read the Free Press through it) and a tiny fruit cup is not an adequate meal. We realized how awful this was for him at a spring visit during Covid. A fence had been erected just outside an exit door where they could wheel out patients and permit family members to talk to them from across the fence. As my father-in-law was quite deaf, he could barely understand us and became highly frustrated. At the end of this horrific visit, in a desperate attempt to reach out to him, I screamed, 'What can we bring you?' He heard that and screamed back one word, 'Food!' His life had been reduced to almost nothing and all he wanted was some tasty food. We began taking him burgers and fried chicken and he was immensely grateful. Care homes are so obsessed with keeping patients alive they have forgotten to let them live. It was pointed out to me that the food we brought was not healthy, to which I replied he was over 90 years old, so why did it matter? It made him happy. We need to think hard about this, because one day each of us may end up in a care home and have no choice about our food. We should be permitted to enjoy what little of life we have left. Steve Oetting Winnipeg Re: 'New build, big price' (Letters, Aug. 6) I'm with Alice French regarding her letter to the editor about the unattractive infill houses being built in older neighbourhoods (out of the average person's price range to boot). I'm not averse to changes in style, and I understand that whoever buys a lot can pretty much knock down and (within building codes) put up whatever they like. But the people who've designed these infill houses haven't used their talents to add elements to help them blend into the aesthetics of the area. Either that or their client in each case forced their hand. ('No! I said dystopian!') In my neighbourhood, some are two-storey boxes clad in dark corrugated metal and others are 2-1/2-storey, barn-shaped monoliths that block out the sunlight in their neighbours' backyards. They stand out like sore thumbs. Imagining a future where formerly charming neighbourhoods are filled with expensive corrugated boxes and massive barns, with all the tall, old-growth elms felled by Dutch elm disease, is pretty depressing. These homeowners likely move into their neighbourhoods because they like them as they are, but they're the leading architects of their demise. Cheryl Moore Winnipeg I was pleased to read Pam Frampton's article Ageism keeps rearing its ugly head (Aug. 6). I agreed when she mentioned that society often renders older adults invisible. Look at TV and print advertising for products and services that older adults use — anything from coffee to pet supplies, yet all the people in the ads are younger. I have written to some of these businesses, and the responses varied from no response to 'we believe in diversity.' There are businesses I don't shop/buy products from as they don't value older adults. As older adults, we need and deserve to be visible and not fade away as time goes on. I also like Frampton's suggestion of renaming OAS to the Canadian Retirement Supplement — I would change the word 'supplement' to 'benefits,' as this is close to the current Guaranteed Income Supplement. Just like her, I am waiting for Manitoba's Seniors' Advocate to start sooner rather than later. Thank you, Pam, for raising this important issue. Cindy Kelly Winnipeg Can we not see what Erna Buffie saw in the July 28 Free Press (Clean energy is the future — why are we investing in fossil fuels?), that wind and solar energy fit easily with Manitoba? With global warming, we see that Hudson's Bay will be open for more months of the year to export grain, potash and meat to the world. Fossil fuels will be out of date by the time an oil pipeline is built, as fewer consumers will be using oil and natural gas as their energy sources, perhaps since solar and wind will be less costly. Manitoba has resources to export, a rail line to get to port and a good terminal to ship these resources to those in need. Fossil fuels are becoming an older energy source. Let us look ahead to what Manitoba does best. Nature is our greatest resource. Let us continue to use the resources which Manitoba has. Farmers, fisherpersons and forests, as well as the creative people, are what we have in abundance. Let us stick with our strengths and forget the out-of-date fossil fuels. Barrie Hammond Winnipeg Winnipeg is finally having to pay the piper for its neglected infrastructure needs! We read almost daily that the City of Winnipeg is struggling with its attempts to catch up with our major accumulated infrastructure deficits, including our rapidly increasing costs for water and sewage treatment plants, rapidly deteriorating roads and dilapidated bridges, most of which are close too or have now exceeded their 'shelf life.' By and large, this is a result of its councils' irresponsible decision to choose 25 years of unwarranted tax restraints, which was exacerbated by Winnipeg's 14 years of property taxes being frozen, which finally came to an end in 2012. In fact, since 1998, Winnipeg's compounded property tax increase has only been 35 per cent while other major Western Canadian cities have seen increases ranging from 129 per cent to 189 per cent over the same period. Rick Lambert Winnipeg Real Canadians should abhor any Canadian leaving Canada to visit family, friends or just vacation in the good old U.S.A. because of President Donald Trump's recent tariff increase from 25 per cent to 35 per cent against Canada. Give your head a shake, people. He hasn't mentioned us becoming the 51st state lately but his recent actions push Canada closer to this ultimate end. Spend your Canadian dollars in Canada first and anywhere else on our planet, but not in the U.S.A. The good old U.S.A. is just not good anymore. R. J. Moskal Winnipeg
