Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 27, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A9 Winnipeg free press thursday july 27, 2006 Freedom of Trade comment editor Liberty of religion Gerald flood 697-7269 Equality of civil rights editorials an impasse on Lebanon e Ven the smartest bombs can do stupid things. Even the Best trained pilots miss their tar gets. Even the most diligent artillerymen can set the wrong co ordinates. One of the above is the most Likely explanation for the israeli destruction of a United nations observation Post in the Middle of a Battle zone in Southern Lebanon on tuesday that left four people dead including one Canadian. It is not impossible but it is highly improbable that Israel would deliberately target a in Post. Israel has apologized for the Accident and will investigate that should shed some Light on How this misfortune occurred. The United nations will look into it As Well. In Secretary general Kofi Annan however says he already knows what happened. He has condemned it As a deliberate attack by Israel on a in position. That casts some doubt on How objective any in investigation might be and it further complicates the already difficult task of finding a solution to the War Between Israel and Hezbollah. In Rome yesterday United states Secretary of state condole Ezza Rice met with ministers from the european Union Russia four Arab states ? Canada was invited As an observer ? to find a formula for ceasefire. They did not have much Luck. Everyone agreed that there must be a ceasefire. The euro peans the russians and the arabs demand one immediately which simply Means a return to the status quo a formula for a renewed War in the near future. The . And Britain argued that a ceasefire must wait until it can provide an effective and per manent separation of the combatants. The group also agreed that there must be an inter National Force with a mandate to enforce a Buffer zone along the israeli lebanese Border. That will be difficult to implement. None of three possible suggestions seems workable. All agreed on a in Force but the in record diplomatically is almost uniformly anti Israel its peacekeeping efforts almost universally feeble unless both sides to a conflict have agreed and or. Annan a verdict on the bombing heightens suspicion of in Bias against Israel. The . And Britain suggested a muscular nato Force but As French president Jacques Chirac pointed out they might be seen As crusaders by neighbouring arabs. Canada has suggested a Force drawn from Israel Sarab Neighbours which would be Ideal except that Israel is unlikely to agree to leave its safety in the hands of nations that More commonly seek its destruction. It is possible that a combination of the three might produce a workable Force with nato and Arab soldiers combined under in command but or. Annan has complicated even that idea. In the midst of the most threatening Mideast crisis in years the International Community gathered in Rome was unable to respond. Israel and Lebanon can Only despair of any real help at least today. Cynical ploy councillors Donald Benham and Jenny Gerbasi might have launched a legitimate debate had they asked City Council this week to consider the mayors wide Access to advertising on the taxpayers dime during an election period. But they did to do that. Instead they wanted councillors to Send a City bureaucrat on an unwarranted fishing expedition by reviewing that spending. Council speaker Jae Eadie appropriately ruled their motion out of order. Or. Benham and is. Gerbasi believe Sam Katz is spending Money inappropriately. They take Issue with an opinion poll the mayors office conducted in Spring. They also believe a full Page and the Winnipeg free press ran this month congratulating the mayors Marathon run and fundraising looked a lot like a donation in kind to or. Katz a re election Campaign which has yet to begin officially As he has not yet registered As a candidate. The councillors can have such spending reviewed by the City a senior elections official if they believe it is designed to Aid or. Katz electorally. What or. Benham and is. Gerbasi wanted City Council to debate yesterday was a motion to expand that officials mandate to have him review All spending by the mayor in the six months leading to election Day. Besides being outside councils Purview it was a cheap Way to score publicity. Or. Eadie dismissed it allowing or. Katz a chief critics to get their two bits Worth of Media coverage claiming democracy had been curtailed. No elected official is permitted to spend taxpayers Money for election purposes. Election spending is restricted and regulated by a variety of rules in the Campaign periods which begin in May for the mayor and june for councillors in an election year. City councillors also cannot use their representation allowance for any form of advertising during an election period. Newsletters to constituents and updates to their websites for example must cease. The mayor does not have such an allowance but he does have extensive latitude within a variety of big budget lines including his own office budget to buy promotional items civic advertising pictures in Community activity programs or brochures Media blitzes ? All of which can be legitimately defended As continuing the business of City Hall and the mayors role in representing the City. Some of that spending might on occasion be seen by some As undue promotion during an election period. That Case would have to be made on specifics. Setting a bureaucrat to comb through months of mayoral spending is a cynical ploy have your say the free press welcomes letters from readers. They must include the authors name address and Telephone number. Letters May be edited. Letters to the editor 1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg r2x 3b6. Fax 697-7412. Email tears shed for Muslim kids re hear the cries of pain july 25. Shahina Siddiqui asks Why the israeli lobby in Winnipeg is immune to the suffer ing of Muslim children i would remind is. Siddiqui that while Many members of Winnipeg a Israel lobby do indeed shed tears for Muslim children myself among themis seems to we zionists that we Are the Only ones who do. Their Muslim leadership democratically elected by their parents seem to think using them As weapons and human Shields for terrorism against jews is a very Fine thing and they proudly proclaim their own children to be heroes and martyrs when they Are killed by jews defending them selves. Israel has been trying to negotiate a just Resolution since 1948, but Israel has always been answered by War terrorism and the Vio lation of any agreement they make with democratically elected terrorist groups. Natalie Gordon Winnipeg we re All Brothers Sisters re hear the cries of pain july 25. It is with sadness that i express my objections and take exception to letter writer Shahina Siddiqui swords in her opening statements such As it seems to it appears that is. Siddiqui has some kind of ability to quickly Survey and know How mus lims feel and no idea about How non muslims feel about such tragedies. In my Neighbour Hood in Transcona predominantly christians we do talk about and feel sad about the death of innocent people. Palestine a children Are no less dear to us than Christian or jew ish children. Addressing each tragedy As a Muslim tragedy or a Christian tragedy is not going to build a Bridge it is going to destroy Hopes of uniting humanity As one species ? children of one god. We Are All Brothers and Sisters. Bidhu Jha Winnipeg premise is unsupported re hear the cries of pain july 25. Shahina Siddiqui states the death of pales Tinian and lebanese civilians is not a big Deal to some in the Media and the larger Public and asks Why. The premise of the question is unsupported and insupportable. She asks Why is the israeli lobby in Winnipeg immune to the pain of the palestinian and lebanese children there is no evidence whatsoever for the Assumption underlying her question. She asks Why Israel is still under threat after 50 years when it possesses great Mili tary strength. That is because it is surrounded by countries led and populated by people dedicated to its destruction. She asks Why palestinians continue to suffer. That is because they teach their children to think of themselves As victims and to hate jews and because they elect leaders who do not want peace but rather the destruction of Israel. They Are More concerned with killing than education. Michael g. Finlayson Winnipeg letter of the Day Don to move to Calgary while visiting Winnipeg last weekend i was shocked to see the full Page and enticing people to move from Friendly Manitoba to the land of Opportunity ? Calgary. Before anybody decides to make the move to Calgary you need some important information. First ask the employer if they Are going to pay you 20 to 30 dollars an hour because the Cost of housing in Calgary has surpassed that in Toronto. My own Home its of to question re who retaliated first july 19. In my Short letter i questioned the repeated use of retaliation used by the Media to describe the current assault on Lebanon by Israel. I asked whether the kidnapping of the three israeli soldiers was already a Retalia Tion for earlier israeli injustice. On july 22, three people responded critically to my question. Everybody who knows me knows that i understand that the jews need their own country. I am not in favour of destroying their country. To question the cur rent relentless bombardment of Lebanon is a legitimate question and deserves a proper answer not an escape by Labelling the questioner. Everyone knows that the trouble in that area did not begin with the kidnapping of three soldiers. There is a Long history of aggression. I thought democracy was about an openness to different views rather than brainwashing or bashing a person who asks questions. Jake Letkemann Winnipeg consider need not race re beware the term race based july 24. Colleen Simard seems to suggest that Only the far right is suspicious of race based policies in the Fraser Valley. This is very misleading for such policies also concern the political left. Traditionally since Rousseau thinkers of the left have admonished those who would Structure political society around bloodlines and bloodlines play a Large role in aboriginal rights. To invoke aboriginal rights is to talk of a Legal category. However at Bottom its a racial category. This is Why some May shudder when they hear original inhabitants of the land in the context of political discourse As it is a Clear attempt to unite bloodlines with political and economic privilege which abhors the most Basic understanding of human Equality. Perhaps the political right is trying to win support As is. Simard claims by playing on the popular disdain for racism. Has gone up $250,000 since september of last year. Many new residents Are staying at campgrounds and can to find a place to live. In the land of Opportunity we pay for health premiums. Is the employer going to pay for them $90 a month per family in the land of Opportunity we have school fees. While Premier Ralph Klein was paying off the debt he Cut school boards to the Bone and they Are still underfunded. Cuts to programs for Spe Cial needs students was another result. Never mind the private insurance rates and sitting in traffic forever. Just to get into the Calgary zoo will Cost $16 per per son. Plus getting into the movies in Cal Gary costs More. Stay in Manitoba if you can. Embrace the Light traffic Friendly smiles friends and family Public insurance no health premiums school system and affordable family activities. Stay Home and remember Winnipeg is a great place to live. Ill be Back. Paula Matikainen Calgary yet she too is guilty of using race for her own ends and once we recognize that we can begin to discuss a social policy based on some thing More fundamental than race something More human something such As need. Brad Hartle Winnipeg retired teacher a superstar re Den Mother retires from r. B. Russell july 24. Nick Martins article about recently retired teacher Brian Mackinnon was a wave of Joy. Here is a Man who in other venues would be considered a developmental innovative economic superstar. His influence on the Young adolescents he has taught has had an immeasurable influence on them personally on the school climate and the local Community. He has worked to encourage his students to forage beyond the negative attitudes about poverty and the Lack of a Strong positive male influence in their Young lives. He was that influence. Alan Holl Winnipeg red Baron top fighter Ace re who shot Down red Baron july 25 Don to forget Billy Bishop july 26. Both Randy Boswell and letter write Patrick Lynes need to get their facts straight. The top scoring fighter Pilot of the first world War was without any doubt Manfred von Richthofen. He is credited with 80 victories. Billy Bishop is no. 2 on the Allied list three victories behind French Pilot Rene Fonck while third place goes to British Pilot Edward Mick Mannock with 60 victories. Unfortunately Bishops achievements As a fighter Pilot have been open to doubt in recent years. Many of his victories were claimed on Lone patrols and were not substantiated by his colleagues. Andrew silk Winnipeg Winnipeg free press. Today a question previous question Are you doing enough to protect your car and its contents from theft have you Ever had your car broken into or stolen in Winnipeg yes 77% / no 16% / unsure 7% / total 304 vote online at poll ? 2006 Winnipeg free press a division of up Canadian Andrew s. Ritchie / publisher newspapers limited partnership Bob Cox / editor published seven Days a week at 1355 Mountain Avenue Patrick Flynn / Deputy editor Winnipeg free press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 Winnipeg Manitoba r2x 3b6, pm 697-7000 ;