Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 31, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A16 OUR VIEW �o YOUR SAY WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2015 Freedom of Trade Liberty of Religion Equality of Civil Rights A 16 PERSPECTIVES AND POLITICS EDITOR: Shannon Sampert 204- 697- 7269 shannon. sampert@ freepress. mb. ca winnipegfreepress. com EDITORIAL LETTERS FP COMMENTS TWITTER VOL 143 NO 81 Winnipeg Free Press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 2015 Winnipeg Free Press, a division of FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership. Published seven days a week at 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 3B6, PH: 204- 697- 7000 Publisher / BOB COX Editor / PAUL SAMYN Associate Editor Engagement / JULIE CARL Associate Editor Enterprise / SCOTT GIBBONS Associate Editor Production / STEVE PONA Associate Editor Digital News / WENDY SAWATZKY Night Editor / STACEY THIDRICKSON Director Photo and Multimedia / MICHAEL APORIUS W What's your take? The Free Press wants to hear from you. Email: letters@ freepress. mb. ca Post: Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, R2X 3B6 Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Follow us on Twitter @ WFPEditorials For a how- to video on writing letters, visit winnipegfreepress. com SCAN PAGE TO LEARN HOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY . Racism's roots run deep Winnipeggers should take a pause to not critique, analyze or dissect the Maclean's article on racism in Winnipeg for its inaccuracies, but rather to listen to the stories of real people ( Racist label provokes mayor , Jan. 23). This should be an opportunity for creating a more united Winnipeg, yet has turned into a forum that questions why we were labelled as the most racist city, diverting discourse away from the listening that is so crucial to change. When I listened to Dave Wheeler's interview with Maclean's writer Nancy Macdonald on 92 CITI FM, I felt a pain for my own generation. The sentiments raised show how our educational system failed to properly educate us about colonization and the treaties signed. Future generations will judge us for our actions ( or, rather, inactions) to make our city a better place and free of institutionalized racism. I feel sad that so many don't truly see a connection of how stories from residential schools are linked to pain and suffering today, and how systemic racism is just as much a part of our society as overt racism. If anything, I hope the Maclean's article has inspired others to educate themselves on indigenous perspectives and question stereotypes. Our stance can't be us vs. them, but rather one rooted in unity and equity. HEATHER ECKTON Winnipeg Water, water everywhere The walkway at The Forks now floods multiple times a year for extended periods of time. The new stadium sprung a leak last spring. A transformer at the new cop shop was disabled because of rain. Flooding is worse than ever, we have a continuous brown- water problem, frozen pipes, and now the recent boil- water advisory. Do you get the feeling that the quality of life in Manitoba, and Winnipeg in particular, is going down the drain? PAUL NAJDA Winnipeg NDP's green smoke and mirrors Premier Selinger, while promoting Hydro's grand plans and his views on the " advantage" of Manitoba hydroelectricity, says " natural gas prices go up and down - there is a great deal of volatility" ( Hydro seeks big rate hikes to cover costs , Jan. 27). Perhaps Premier Selinger could explain to us why his purportedly " green" Manitoba Hydro is spending money promoting the economic advantages of heating with natural gas to Manitobans. It would appear Manitoba Hydro has not received his message, given its marketing strategy to have Manitobans, in making a long- term purchase decision, choose a natural gas- powered furnace over an option that would use Manitoba- generated electricity. The green record of the Manitoba NDP is largely one of smoke and mirrors - lots of spin. There is good reason that Sapotaweyak Cree Nation and Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation are peacefully protesting the Bipole III transmission line. DAN SOPROVICH Swan River A way forward for Ukraine Oksana Bashuk Hepburn writes that her father " hoped Ukraine would ' one day be more like Canada' " - a worthy goal ( Ukrainians forgotten heroes of Auschwitz , Jan. 28). By referendum and continuing opposition to direct rule by Kyiv, the citizens of Eastern Ukraine have demonstrated that another model of affiliation is needed if there is to be an end the ongoing humanitarian disaster. The Canadian federal- state model could be a useful basis for negotiation and peace talks. And if concern for women and children and the destruction of homes is genuine, a good first step might be to have the Ukrainian military and volunteer battalions cease the shelling of Eastern Ukrainian cities, towns and neighbourhoods. SIG LASER Winnipeg Encourage mental- health dialogue It is encouraging that more and more people are speaking openly about their personal challenges with mental health ( A Happy Light just isn't enough , Jan. 29). In her column, Jen Zoratti discusses her struggles with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Talking about one's mental health to family and friends often results in a response of " me too" or " my mother/ brother/ cousin/ neighbour experiences something similar." This leads to people feeling less alone and more connected with the one in five Canadians who experience a mental illness every year. There are effective psychological and pharmacological treatments for mental- health conditions. Seeking help is not a sign a weakness, but an opportunity to take control to ease distress and improve one's quality of life. To quote Dr. Frasier Crane, " I'm listening." DR. ANDREA PIOTROWSKI President, Manitoba Psychological Society Reform welcome at city hall Sorry, @ WFPEditorials, but after a decade of mayor Sam Katz, there's no such thing as too much reform. @ robgalston Questionable @ WFPEditorials angle. FYI Winnipeggers voted to end backroom deals, not expedite them. @ matthew_ bzura @ matthew_ bzura @ WFPEditorials alas, it is the editorial board that needs to get a grip. @ Aaron_ L_ Ingram The @ WinnipegNews editorial board: " Yes, we elected you as mayor, but we don't want you to actually take charge. You're not the sheriff." @ sarahebroadfoot @ sarahebroadfoot @ WinnipegNews I finally read that. Who wrote it and was it perhaps blatant sarcasm/ parody/ tongue- in- cheek? @ MOSKALelectric @ sarahebroadfoot @ WinnipegNews Shorter editorial: " Transparency threatens this really great deal that we only know of through transparency." @ Gramiq Mayor's moral compass Re: Mayor Bowman and the moral majority, ( Editorial, Jan 30). I'd rather have a sheriff than anarchy at city hall. If Brian Bowman insists on doing business by following all the rules, not just those that suit his friends, I'd say it is a good day for democracy and ethics as a whole. Words like " sorta" or " kinda" are not found in legal documents. I guess that's why there wasn't a contract in the first place. If you are going to use public monies, you are opening yourself up to scrutiny, so let the chips fall where they may. I would love to see CentreVenture take their case to court. My guess is they would not want that public scrutiny. - MinerMetal �� " It's a shambles, but one directly attributable to the mayor's selfappointment as the sheriff of city hall." Brian Bowman has been mayor for three months, and now this editorial board is trying to blame him for cleaning up the messes left for him by the previous administration? Give me a break. This city has spent a decade beset with corruption at the highest levels, and now the editorial board is actually chastising Bowman for trying to put a stop to it? Why on earth would an editorial board that spent the last three years exposing Katz's crony capitalism suddenly turn around and start defending - nay, promoting - the same crooked practices? - 23539022 �� At least this mayor has a moral compass, as opposed to the previous mayor. Bowman has my permission to investigate this and any other deal worked on under the previous administration. - BM Station changes its tunes Re: Power 97 FM playing different tunes today ( Jan. 30). I switched to satellite radio some time ago and won't go back: no ads, no nonsense and I can listen to any kind of music or news I want to hear. I just got tired of hearing one song every 10 minutes, just to have the DJ cut it off at the end. Life is much better now. - TakeItEasy �� I don't mind the old classic rock, but I would never listen to it 24/ 7. No wonder they are at two per cent in the ratings. This change will not get me to move my radio dial. - AJ9000 �� Meet the new boss - same as the old boss. Video didn't kill the radio star. Radio killed itself. - Mr Zabava �� Now playing - What Kind of Love Is This by Streetheart. Were the " big" changes cancelled? - Woofers I F there's anything good to take away from last Tuesday's final followup on the Phoenix Sinclair inquiry, it's the fact it appears the province and Manitoba's chiefs have come to some sort of a middle ground on the issue of children in care. Let's face it, nothing good can happen if the two sides remain entrenched in their ideological camps. Last Tuesday, Manitoba chiefs seemed to acknowledge the province has done the best it could in following up on the recommendations made in the shadow of Phoenix's murder to fix the child welfare system. The 228- page report - Options for Action: an implementation report - outlining how the province will put into action 31 of the remaining recommendations from the Hughes inquiry was unveiled Tuesday. With it, the Manitoba government showed it is moving forward on revising the funding model for CFS agencies, hiring an indigenous children's advocate and giving the Office of the Children's Advocate more independence. Unfortunately, these " options for actions" set up a time line for implementation that some have critiqued as far too long - ranging from five to seven years. One has to wonder if the Selinger government will even be around to see their final implementation. However, it's clearly not for lack of caring. Instead, it may be simply realistic because of how incredibly complicated the societal factors are regarding children in care. Aboriginal leaders are sympathetic toward Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin- Ross who they feel has done a good job. Ms. Irvin- Ross has pointed out consultations need to occur before some of these steps can be implemented, and those consultations no doubt will involve aboriginal leaders. Thus the slight thaw in the relationship between the two groups can be viewed as positive. Both groups recognize just how difficult solving this problem is, given its roots in the fallout from the residential school system, poverty on and off reserves and high unemployment rates. The situation does not appear to be resolvable in the very near future. A Canadian Press report released Thursday indicates Manitoba is one of the worst places in Canada for First Nations people to live. While 25 per cent of First Nations children live in poverty in the rest of the country, in Manitoba 62 per cent live below the poverty line. Domestic violence and family dysfunction remain significant issues on reserves, particularly those in the north. Aboriginal children make up 87 per cent of the kids in care in the childwelfare system. The federal government, responsible for aboriginals living on reserve, has shifted money away from infrastructure on reserves to education and social programs, with the outcome below- standard housing and overcrowding, potentially exacerbating family dysfunction. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt would not say what the Harper government is going to do to improve living conditions in Manitoba. Instead, a spokeswoman wrote Thursday the government believes aboriginal peoples should have the same quality of life as all other Canadians, but went no further. Grand Chief Derek Nepinak expressed frustration with the federal government's inability to address issues such as housing and safe drinking water. Perhaps this is why the divide between the province and its chiefs seems to be narrowing. Perhaps because the provincial level at least seems interested in trying to make things better. This April, Phoenix Sinclair would have turned 15. Unlike the Hughes report, which had a photo of Phoenix looking into the camera and smiling shyly, Tuesday's report is devoid of her image, replaced instead by the image of the howling Phoenix Sinclair wolf. But her memory and her legacy remain. The legacy of Phoenix Sinclair A_ 16_ Jan- 31- 15_ FP_ 01. indd A16 1/ 30/ 15 7: 38: 53 PM ;