Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 13, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba Steely resolve Most politicians and the many “buy Canadian” movements are promoting and encouraging Ca- nadians to buy Canadian-made products, and that is great. So why doesn’t Canada stop importing steel from China and start using Canadian-made steel on projects in Canada? Then the looming 25 per cent tariff will be reduced somewhat by the sale of Canadian-made steel to manufacturers in Canada. We have to start somewhere, so why not at home? ALFRED SANSREGRET Winnipeg Reframing homelessness issue Re: PC leadership hopeful criticized for homeless comments (Feb. 7) The comment that “When there are serious repercussions for a bad lifestyle, people smarten up very quickly,” which preceded the distasteful and rightly much-criticized joke, is not a joke. It is language, intentional or not, that echoes social Darwinism — the idea that we live in the wilder- ness, and those of us that are less intelligent than others or deficient in any other number of ways that those with power may decide, deserve to perish. The issue is not that I think the speaker is personally a danger to those suffering from homelessness, but that these types of jokes and attitudes make it difficult to get society, and politics, to a point where we can seriously look at the issue and move towards solutions. Let’s not frame homelessness as a problem for Winnipeg to solve, because it is the average person suffering the presence of the people suffering from home- lessness, but solve homelessness for the people suffering it. It is easy to imagine that their being homeless is much worse for them than it is for the person “inconvenienced.” FEDOR SAWAZKI Winnipeg Service to Canada I have veteran licence plates on my vehicle. The other day I went for fuel. The young man that fuelled my truck must have noticed the plates. He made a point of thanking me for my service. While this was mildly gratifying I couldn’t help thinking “And what about you? Are you prepared to serve?” As a demonstration of patriotic spirit booing the U.S. national anthem or rummaging for Canadian-made goods at Walmart or Home Depot doesn’t impress me. At a time when all components of the Canadian Armed Forces are under strength it would be a more persuasive proof of patriotism if those of eligible age would step up and enlist. “Strong and free” doesn’t happen just because you sing the words. LEO NIJSSEN Grandview Housing versus curling Re: Yet another parking lot fiasco for city (Think Tank, Feb. 11); Affordable housing a stone’s throw away (Think Tank, Feb. 6) How gratifying it is to read that some members of the Granite Curling Club support rezoning a parking lot next to the club in order to make way for a proposed housing project that could eventu- ally provide urgently needed homes for some of Winnipeg’s homeless people. It’s the kind of support that could, hopefully, make a difference to at least some of the folks carrying on the best they can in -20 C tempera- tures. At the same time, Jess Klassen’s opinion piece points to this time as an opportunity for the curl- ing club to secure “the best deal possible” with the city to protect the interests of the curling club. Well done curlers, for an empathetic response to a demoralizing situation. Thanks also to Erna Buffie for her com- mon-sense and insightful piece on the same topic. It’s cold, folks! But so heartwarming to see these supporters take the time to stand up for their fellow Winnipeggers. GLORIA TAYLOR Winnipeg Wasteful attitudes Re: ‘Back to plastic’: Trump signs order for plas- tic straws as he declares paper ones ‘don’t work’ (Feb. 10) Obstacles to environmental progress were quite formidable pre-pandemic. But COVID-19 not only stalled most projects being undertaken, it added greatly to the already busy landfills and burning centres with disposed masks and other non-de- gradable single-use materials. Also increasingly problematic is a very large and growing populace which is too overworked, worried and even rightfully angry about food and housing unaffordability for themselves or their family — all while on insufficient income — to criticize various industries for the environmental damage they cause, particularly when it’s not immediately observable to the masses. Meanwhile, too many people continue throwing non-biodegradable garbage down a dark chute or flush pollutants down toilet/sink drainage pipes as though they’re inconsequentially dispensing that waste into a black-hole singularity where it’s compressed into nothing. This was especially reflected in the astonish- ingly short-sighted and entitled selfishness I observed about six years ago, when a TV news reporter randomly asked a young urbanite wear- ing sunglasses what he thought of government restrictions on disposable plastic straws. He retorted with a snort that it is like he’s “living in a nanny state that’s always telling me what I cannot do.” His carelessly entitled mentality revealed why so much gratuitous animal-life-destroying plastic waste eventually finds its way into the natural environment, where there are few, if any, caring souls to immediately see it. Sadly, he’s far from alone. FRANK STERLE JR. White Rock, B.C. Reaffirming our dedication As we approach the 60th anniversary of our Canadian flag on Feb. 15, it is a fitting time for all true Canadians to reflect on our national pride and sovereign identity. Recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump — threatening heavy tariffs on Canadian goods and suggesting that Canada could become the “51st state” of the Unit- ed States — are not only economically misguided but also deeply insulting to our nation’s hard-won independence. Such rhetoric does more than provoke trade tensions; it undermines the very values that define us. Canada has always stood as a beacon of multiculturalism, democracy and respect for individual rights. The suggestion that our country could be treated as a mere appendage to Amer- ican interests blatantly disregards our distinct history and the pride we take in our unique identity. In recent days, there has been a noticeable surge in Canadians choosing to support home- grown products over American imports. This grassroots shift is more than a fleeting trend — it is a powerful statement of loyalty and a direct response to attempts at economic coercion. By prioritizing Canadian-made goods, consumers are not only bolstering local businesses but also reinforcing the idea that our nation’s sovereignty is non-negotiable. Furthermore, it is important to recognize that any move toward such tariffs would have a reciprocal impact, potentially driving up prices and limiting choices for U.S. citizens as well. At its core, trade policies should aim to foster mutually beneficial relationships, not to create divisions or undermine national dignity. It is in- cumbent upon us, as Canadians, to remain united in our commitment to protecting our economic and cultural sovereignty. We must resist any efforts to erode our independence, even under the guise of trade negotiations. On this significant day, as we celebrate our flag and all that it represents, let us also reaffirm our dedication to a strong, independent Canada. We must continue to support our local industries and stand firm against any external pressures that threaten our cherished way of life. Sincerely, YOG RAHI GUPTA Winnipeg LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WHAT’S YOUR TAKE? THE FREE PRESS WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. The Free Press is committed to publishing a diverse selection of letters from a broad cross-section of our audience. The Free Press will also consider longer submissions for inclu- sion on our Think Tank page, which is a platform mandated to present a wide range of perspectives on issues of current interest. We welcome our readers’ feedback on articles and letters on these pages and in other sections of the Free Press ● Email: Letters: letters@winnipegfreepress.com Think Tank submissions: opinion@winnipegfreepress.com ● Post: Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, R2X 3B6 Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. OUR VIEW YOUR SAY COMMENT EDITOR: RUSSELL WANGERSKY 204-697-7269 ● RUSSELL.WANGERSKY@WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM A6 THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2025 Measles — the unwelcome return of a scourge W ELCOME back, measles. We’ve been expecting you. Well, perhaps “welcome” isn’t the most aptly chosen word, because no one is happy to see this most confounding disease resurface. But as a result of the troubling societal shift in attitudes toward communicable diseases and the preven- tion thereof, it’s fair to say measles’ return was pretty much inevitable. Last week, provincial Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara took the somewhat unusual step of urging the public to get vaccinated against mea- sles, after an outbreak was reported in southern Manitoba. The cluster of cases was linked to a re- cent outbreak in Ontario, and several local sites, including a church in Winkler and two hospitals in Winnipeg, were subsequently identified as locations where others could possibly have been exposed to the virus. Asagwara’s underlying message — and the message of health officials wherever the latest in a widening wave of measles resurgences occurs — is that this is a very dangerous disease whose spread can effectively be halted by community- wide vaccination. “It’s very, very important,” Asagwara said, giv- en the rampant online dissemination of misinfor- mation and disinformation, to advise all Manito- bans that “vaccines are safe, (and) vaccines are effective.” Unfortunately, in Manitoba and in many other jurisdictions across Canada and beyond, vaccine uptake has declined to well below the 95 per cent at which so-called “herd immunity” is considered to have been achieved. And as a result, measles — a disease that infects the respiratory tract and can spread throughout the body, causing severe complications and even death — is making a comeback. In an interview this week on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Dr. Adam Ratner, head of pediatric infec- tious diseases at New York University, called the recent measles upsurge “very alarming and sadly predictable,” noting the disease is more conta- gious than influenza, COVID or even Ebola. “Because measles is so contagious, it’s the first sign we see when something has gone wrong with our public health system,” said Ratner, author of the newly released Booster Shots: The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children’s Health. He predicts upsurges in other vaccine-preventable diseases, from pertussis (whooping cough) to polio, are likely to follow. It doesn’t have to happen. The vaccines to prevent such outbreaks are proven, safe and widely available. But vaccine hesitancy among parents has risen sharply in recent years, fuelled by masses of internet-spread misinformation and the rise of anti-vax communities that repeat and reinforce that which is not true — including the thoroughly debunked association of measles/ mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccines with autism. We live, rather lamentably, in an era in which celebrity is somehow equated with credibility, and wide swaths of the public are more inclined to believe the fevered rantings of a faded real- ity-TV star or a former centrefold model than information from a trained medical professional. And once a conspiracy theory gains a foothold in the online realm, it’s all but impossible for actual experts armed with facts and research to reverse the momentum of misinformation spread by those who defiantly proclaim they “do their own research.” As Ratner puts it, “it is much easier to scare people than to unscare people.” Here’s some frightening food for thought: before the introduction of the vaccine in 1963, measles was responsible for more than 2.5 million deaths — mostly children — annually. Widespread vaccination and herd immunity all but eliminated the threat, until the recent (partic- ularly post-COVID) rise of ill-informed skepti- cism and hesitancy made the current resurgence possible. Measles is most definitely back, but it doesn’t have to be welcome. There’s an easy way for com- munities like ours to make sure it doesn’t settle in for a long stay. EDITORIAL Published since 1872 on Treaty 1 territory and the homeland of the Métis MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara ;