Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 20, 2007, Winnipeg, Manitoba Status quo untenable t he Bright lights who run the North Atlantic treaty organization these Days have decided that it is counterproductive to ask nato members to fulfil their obligations in Afghanistan. The Alliance admits it has Only half As Many troops in Afghanistan As it needs and far less than that in the hotbeds of Taliban activity in the Southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand but now believes that hammering on countries to provide More people is counterproductive. The strategy if one can Call it such was unveiled at a nato meeting in Scotland on the weekend. It consists of maintaining and justifying what is essentially an untenable status quo namely that Canada the Netherlands Britain and the United states will Bear the Brunt of the fighting in Afghanistan while the troops of other major nato Powers such As France Germany Italy and Spain will confine themselves to the soft jobs support functions reconstruction training and social work in the pacified regions of the country. Astonishingly defence minister Peter Mackay seemed to find no problem with confining Canadian soldiers almost alone to the killing Fields of Kandahar where they die in disproportionate numbers compared to their nato allies More than 70 have been killed already. Nato itself recognizes that there is something wrong in the death rate. Canada lacks the equipment notably helicopters that would provide greater safety for soldiers in the Field. In response nato has offered to lend Canadian troops helicopters and other gear they need if Ottawa will commit to a continued combat role. That would be a useful thing but it is hardly enough although or. Mackay seems agreeable to it suggesting that gun shy europeans could pick up some of Canadas non combat duties such As economic development and reconstruction which would free up Canada to do other things. By doing other things or. Mackay would appear to be referring to maintaining the status quo that nato affirmed in Scotland. The problem there is that this status quo canadians fight and die in Kandahar while the French and germans Hunker Down safely in Kabul May not be tenable for much longer. This country has a commitment to maintain a Force in Afghanistan until 2009. The government has promised to ask parliament whether or not to extend the Mission. If the vote to extend it were put today it would be a Tough sell. It May be tougher in 2009. Canadians need to consider not Only their role in Afghanistan in the years to come but their role in nato now. There is a disproportionate Burden that Brussels has put and now wants to maintain on a handful of willing nations such As Canada in the actual fighting of the afghan War. There is the Cavalier attitude that the Alliance demonstrated to its treaty responsibilities in Afghanistan on the weekend. These make it almost unavoidable that the nature of Canadas participation in nato will Colour the debate Over the War and inevitably that the War will Colour the debate Over nato. Despite the fond fancies of the europeans the status quo is no longer tenable. Stop blaming Canada in response to Jim olivers letter canadians behaving badly dec. 18might i say that i do not believe that canadians go to grand Forks to stand in the aisles to Chat with friends. I would think they prefer to spend time shopping the whole Point of the trip. Second if the service in restaurants is deserving of tips we canadians do tip. Question does Oliver really believe that Only canadians leave clothes lying around dont control children and Arentt courteous perhaps some of the folks in grand Forks need to look in a Mirror before making accusations about canadians who Are improving their Economy. Nadine Bazylewski Winnipeg floridian appreciates us i am in Winnipeg for the Christmas holidays and want to state How much i am enjoying my visit. This is not just about friends and family it is about All the very Nice people who live Here. Whether it was the various times i have been shopping at a Gas station out driving or simply walking about its been Way below Zero As usual people Are invariably Friendly considerate and helpful. I have not encountered a situation where i asked directions or needed help that it has not been offered in a Friendly manner. Yours is a great City with great people. We in the United states Are Lucky to have Winnipeg and of course the rest of Canada As our Northern Neighbour. Victor Oakes Naples Florida realtors doing Well what often goes unreported in stories about the residential real estate Market Here new faces Talent coming dec. 18 is the vibrancy of the private Sale Market. Your Story quoted Industry sources As predicting two per cent growth in Winnipeg Home sales in 2008 and an 11.4 per cent increase in average Price to $ 190,000 for Homes on the Winnipeg real estate Board. But com frees private Sale Market is part of the equation too. So for the record Here Are some private Sale markets stats with an 80 per cent sold Success rate co free sold 1,200 Homes in 2007. But the average com free Selling Price was $ 194,000, already exceeding by $ 4,000 what has been projected for real estate Board Homes in 2008. If prices do Rise by 11.4 per cent the average co free listed Home will go for $ 216,000 next year. So while co free will still charge $ 699 for our Complete service real estate agents will reap an automatic 11.4 per cent raise for Selling the same House in 2008 Over what they would have gotten in 2007. Which Means that Over the current six year Boom in which Home prices have doubled agents Are now receiving twice As much for Selling a Given House As they used to. That Little fact has made a lot of Home Sellers Stop and think. Bryan Dunlop president co free private sales Winnipeg sparing the Rod fails kids i agree with Paul v. Jacuzzi regarding his letter hold parents accountable dec. 18. However How can parents be accountable for the discipline and teaching right and wrong Good and bad of their children when they themselves Are not allowed by society to do this. The last two generations have not Learned what its like to take responsibility for their actions. They a vent been allowed to find out what the consequences of their actions Are. If they were not taught these things How can they then teach their children society does not allow a Parent to discipline their children teachers Are not allowed to discipline students this could be seen As abuse. Students who do poorly in school Are passed at the end of the year so their inner self is not damaged. What message does this show Why should i worry nothings going to happen anyway. That is the mentality of to Days youth. Thatus Why we have More Street gangs and bullies. I dont blame the parents entirely i blame society and the Powers that be that decide How people should live and How to raise their children. Obviously their plan to spare the Rod and spoil the child a snot worked. Joanne Schiavoni Winnipeg East indians ill served having grown up in Winnipeg As a member of a minority group i have always Felt accepted and proud to be a Winnipeg Ger. Though this City offers a variety of cultural festivals including Fol Loramai have to express my disappointment with regard to the options available for wedding ceremony reception venues for those of minority groups. As an East Indian woman attempting to plan a wedding i have quickly found that numerous hotels and country clubs cannot or will not accommodate a request for East Indian cuisine. I like any other Bride to be have imagined my wedding since childhood and have expectations and wants and desires. I too understand that hotels country clubs Are a business and in business service and customer satisfaction Are essential. Why then is no business willing to extend this level of service though the Issue of catering an event seems Small in reality it stems from something far greater. Its a Clear indication that Equality has not yet been achieved. I am certain that in a City like Toronto this would not be an Issue. Though Power does come in numbers Equality should not. Equality is a right and unfortunately is still a work in Progress. Bavy Gill Winnipeg cheap liquor pricey milk re transportation rising medical costs linked dec. 14. Barry Prentice takes great Liberty to skewer tribal Council investments group Over its celebrated business Success with the Pepsi distributorship across Northern Manitoba. If someone is to make Money off of the diabetes inducing foods and beverages that inundate Northern communities Why not let it be northerners themselves can Prentice or any other Manitoban support the unethical stand of our provincial government As it continues to resist a simple amendment to the milk prices review act that would cause the milk prices review Board to establish uniform retail prices for fluid milk across Manitoba and thus ensure the affordability of healthy fluid milk for Northern children this while the same provincial government enforces a uniform Price for All alcohol products throughout Manitoba under the terms of the Manitoba liquor control act cheap Beer not cheap milk the hand of government is prevalent across the North and often delivers questionable and immoral policies. Prentice might be better advised to direct his critique to those who legislate the twisted policies rather than to those who simply operate beneath them. Raven Thundersky Winnipeg Zumas bitter win members of South africans african National Congress the nations ruling party clearly expressed their weariness with party president Thabo Beki on tuesday. At the Ancus leadership convention they handed or. Beki who is also the president of South Africa itself a humiliating defeat. His bitter rival to Lead the party Jacob Zuma took 60 per cent of the vote despite the fact he faces possible criminal charges has a career plagued by allegations of scandal and has political affiliations that worry South africans business and Industrial sectors and the International Community. Or. Zumas Victory virtually guarantees him the presidency of South Africa when or. Be kids term is up in 2009 even sooner if he can use his control of the party to Force his rivals Early departure. The nature of South african politics and the immense popularity of the Anc make it almost certain that the party president is National Leader As Well. Not since majority Rule however has the Anc experienced such bitter political divisions As surfaced during the Beki Zuma contest. Or. Zuma faces possible criminal charges for bribery and was fired by or. Beki amid charges of corruption. Although he Calls himself a socialist now his roots and his support Spring from the country is powerful communist party. He is no Friend to or. Be kids Brand of free Enterprise that has been both the Bane and the Blessing of Black South africans Economy. Or. Be kids eccentricities Are Well known. He recently suggested that 200 Black babies dying annually in one Hospital was just business As usual he thinks aids is a Western fabrication and that Blacks who take medication for it Are slaves to their colonial mentality and he has single hand edly propped up the incompetent and brutal regime of Zimbabwe eds president Robert Mugabe. Neither Man is a poster boy for african democracy but the fact that these two sadly flawed characters could fight it out on their part yes convention floor without trying to subvert the process is an indication that while South african democracy May be far from perfect it is also far from dead. Bob Cox / publisher Margo Goodhand / editor Patrick Flynn / Deputy editor Winnipeg free press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 vol 136 no 41 � 2007 Winnipeg free press a division of up Canadian newspapers limited partnership published seven Days a week at 1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg Manitoba r2x 3b6, pm 697 7000 a member of the Manitoba press Council 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. E mail letters free press. My. Ca letters represent the opinions of their writers and do not reflect the opinions of the Winnipeg free press or its staff. H ave y our s a Winnipeg free press poll to Days question vote online at wow. Winnipeg repress. Com yes 66% / no 34% / total 857 previous question have you finished sending out your Premier Gary doer is considering a ban on cellphone use Christmas mail yet while driving. Do you agree Freedom of Trade Liberty of religion e editorials Equality of civil rights a 14 w Winnipeg f ree p Resst thursday december 20, 2007 comment editor Gerald flood 697 7269 Gerald. Flood free press. My. Ca Winnipeg repress. Com blame Canadian Winter re canadians behaving badly dec. 18. As a frequent Cross Border shopper i have to say i was a bit offended by the new attitude formulated by some bad experiences of grand Forks shop owners and local patrons. Please remember we Are there on holidays. We have the time to leisurely Chat in the aisles. Please do not mistake this As self cent redness. You May have noticed us a few years ago there was Only a few of us though. We were quietly standing there calculator in hand trying to figure out if the item was Worth it or not. Please forgive our children they re animals up Here in Canada. Our Long Winters make them a bit rambunctious and All the excitement of being away a mall a water Park can be a bit overwhelming for the heathens. Ism sure you Southern Folk dont have that sort of problem. And tipping. Even global destinations such As grand Forks or even Fargo Arentt immune to Standard rules such As Good service and Good food equal a Good tip. I did not make that up. But dont worry grand Forks things will change. In a few years months even our Dollar will drop and youll never see us again. What a Relief. Nadia Dias Winnipeg letter of the Day Paul Sakuma / associated press ;