Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 10, 2014, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A8 EDITORIALS WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014 Freedom of Trade Liberty of Religion Equality of Civil Rights A 8 COMMENT EDITOR: Gerald Flood 204- 697- 7269 gerald. flood@ freepress. mb. ca winnipegfreepress. com EDITORIAL H OW many government employees does it take to compose a message with no more than 140 characters, or about 20 words? Well, according to documents obtained by The Canadian Press, the tweets in Industry Canada are the work of dozens of bureaucrats following a 12- step protocol that can involve days or even weeks of planning, writing, rewriting, editing and political oversight before a single message hits the twitterverse. The finished product is often an inane public service announcement. The documents outlining the process were for Industry Canada, but a spokesman said the department was merely following " the Treasury Board standard on social- media account management." The policy would be laughable if it wasn't for the fact taxpayers are on the hook for the army of ciphers that toil in basement offices, churning out useless information for the masses. It's the kind of activity commonly seen in totalitarian regimes, where even simple tasks evolve into complex machines. It also explains the proliferation of so- called communicators in the federal government, which employed nearly 4,000 communications staff in the 2011- 12 fiscal year, according to the Parliamentary Budget Office. That's an increase of 15 per cent since the Conservatives came to power in 2006. And yet it seems Ottawa has never been weaker in explaining its programs. Social media can play a useful role in government. Platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are also effective tools for politicians. The problem with the Treasury Board's model, however, is it fails to separate the political from the bureaucratic. Civil servants should have the power to distribute information without waiting for their political overseers to massage the message. Obviously there is some overlap in functions, but the federal process has defeated the very virtue of social media, which is immediacy. The federal government last year issued a tender for a firm to monitor social media around the clock, including blogs, message boards, YouTube - anything moving in the digital world. It all sounds a bit paranoid and obsessive- compulsive, more evidence that the speed of modern technology may be driving people silly without a corresponding increase in efficiency or effectiveness. Hopefully there's an app for that. Police priorities misplaced Re: Police raids on head shops deflate Wild Planet owner , Feb. 7. I wonder about the so- called police shortage in this city when we see the tremendous waste of police resources used in attacking legitimate businesses like Wild Planet. Has all of the real crime in Winnipeg been cleaned up? Is there so little for police to do that they must manufacture crimes against business owners? Perhaps further cutbacks to the police service are needed. WAYNE ASHLEY Winnipeg Smudging student has options Compromises very rarely cannot be struck. In the case of student Stephen Bunn, a slight change to the order of his morning ablutions may suffice to solve the smudging/ scent- free school policy impasse he ( and perhaps other aboriginal students) may still have with the Brandon School District ( Student told not to smudge before school , Feb. 7). If Bunn were to consider showering and changing clothes after his home smudging ceremony, having already packed the burnt sage in plastic for his later attention, neither his cultural observance nor other students' olfactory sensitivities would be compromised. The school day could then proceed without incident. ARTHUR ELLIS Winnipeg A unified home ec program As a professional home economist, I winced when I saw Nick Martin's article The wreck of home ec ( Feb. 1). University of Manitoba president David Barnard wants fewer faculties, with a strong, high- profile medicine program under the banner of the faculty of health sciences. In the proposals given serious consideration toward this move, no existing faculty has been dismantled - except human ecology. All other proposals bring existing faculties together in a new cluster. Clustering this smaller faculty with another faculty would likely result in administrative savings over the long term. In a larger cluster with more human and financial support from the university, even more research funding could be garnered and the educational courses promoted. There are two dramatically opposing viewpoints: those who think of the faculty of human ecology as a unique, much- needed asset, and those who think home economists aren't competitive or valued in today's workplace. An integrated, holistic program of food preparation and development, nutrition education and therapy, financial management, consumerism and family social science as well as clothing care and construction should be retained as a unit, not pieced up and distributed across other professional educational programs. DEBORA DURNIN- RICHARDS Past president, Manitoba Association of Home Economists Winnipeg Election bill lacks teeth Re: Election bill helps Tories exclusively , Feb. 7. With Stephen Harper stripping Elections Canada of most of their investigative powers, he has shown Canadians that he has more in common with Vladimir Putin than just an overpriced haircut. JOHN ALKSNIS Winnipeg Fix city's riverbanks While I support the Festival du Voyageur 100 per cent, I'm disappointed money is being taken from the riverbank stabilization fund for its annual river trail program ( Cash for river trails , Feb. 4). I remember reading about plans to connect Kildonan and Assiniboine parks with a river walk back in the 1990s. As recently as last year, it was announced the city was looking for funding to beautify our riverbanks. I realize $ 40,000 is a small drop in the bucket when compared to the millions required to repair the considerable length of crumbling, weed- infested riverbanks, but it represents a step backwards in attaining what city council keeps telling us they want to achieve. TOM ELLIS Winnipeg Remembering Phoenix Sinclair While anyone involved in the injustice done to Phoenix Sinclair has to be held accountable, the past can't be undone - it's now time to move on ( Front line failed her: report , Feb. 1). Let's remember her by honouring her short life in a positive way - by naming a daycare centre or children's playground after her. We do it all the time for sports figures and others who have contributed to the good of Winnipeg - now let's remember this dear little girl. In this way her name can leave a lasting legacy. LINDA GERRARD Neepawa Melnick misled legislature Deveryn Ross states that many people, including some in the NDP, believe that Christine Melnick was " punished for telling the truth" ( Glory days fading for NDP , Feb. 6). I don't think so. Rather, the ombudsman's report and her own subsequent admission clearly show she misled the Manitoba legislature. SIG LASER Winnipeg Getting around downtown I live downtown and, needless to say, walk to most places I need to go. I just want to say thank you to the crews clearing the sidewalks in this area. In my view, they are doing a great job. HELEN STERZER Winnipeg HAVE YOUR SAY: The Free Press welcomes letters from readers. Include the author's name, address and telephone number. Letters may be edited. Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, R2X 3B6. Fax 204- 697- 7412. Email letters@ freepress. mb. ca Letters represent the opinions of their writers and do not reflect the opinions of the Winnipeg Free Press or its staff. �� LETTER OF THE DAY Re: Tories kill motion to keep veterans offices open , Feb. 4. The song Till the Boys Come Home was originally written in 1914 during the First World War, and was later renamed Keep the Home Fires Burning . It would appear that the federal government is now torching eight Veterans Affairs offices across the country, saying veterans can get assistance quite readily online, through Service Canada offices or to by going to the nearest " regional" office. With all the staff reductions and amalgamations, Service Canada officers are unable to keep up with their duties thanks to a near- skeleton staff. As for the government websites, they're nearly impossible to navigate. Even if you can find a phone number, it's nearly impossible to speak with a person. The Conservatives were all about the photo ops on Remembrance Day, laying wreaths to commemorate our heroes. Now it would appear they are laying kindling to burn the Veterans Affairs offices and the services veterans deserve, further disrespecting the men and women who offered their lives to allow us the freedoms we enjoy. Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino and the Conservatives should hang their heads in shame. It would appear that the commemorations on Nov. 11 were a mockery of our veterans and their sacrifices. DON DUPUIS St. Adolphe Closures an affront to vets F IRST Nations leaders have won a pivotal battle with Ottawa in the fight to improve schools on reserves. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, laying out reforms to First Nations education, committed the cash to get it done: In 2019, annual increases for education will more than double to 4.5 per cent. The absence of such a deal sparked chiefs across Canada to reject outright the act's first draft last year. The proposed First Nations in Control of First Nations Education Act largely recreates the aborted draft bill. Teachers will have to be certified; students will be required to attend a set number of days; and curriculum will have to meet or exceed provincial standards. But now it also will establish a joint council of educators to advise First Nations and Ottawa on the implementation and oversight of the act. This appears to address criticism by chiefs that the original draft, in creating a national superintendent to oversee compliance of band education authorities, simply maintained federal control of education on reserve. The deal shows the federal government concedes First Nations education has been shortchanged. Mr. Harper committed to $ 1.9 billion in spending in the next few years, with cash for infrastructure. The commitment to annual hikes of 4.5 per cent is recognition that federal funding did not keep pace with a rising enrolment or the extraordinary challenges bands and teachers face to improve the learning of First Nations students. The appalling graduation rates for First Nations youth have been Canada's shame. The Assembly of First Nations sees that the act, and the cash promises, can help change that. Manitoba's chiefs should work to make this act their own, to put First Nations students on stronger footing. Now get to work Ottawa's Internet clutter Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino places a wreath during the 2013 Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa. A_ 08_ Feb- 10- 14_ FP_ 01. indd A8 2/ 9/ 14 5: 00: 26 PM ;