Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 21, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba Ridiculous rationale Re: Charter rights override on trans laws to prevent ‘medical experiments’ on children: Smith (Nov. 20) Alberta Premier Danielle Smith talking about “science” and “data” is an absolute joke. Smith’s government has spent the last sever- al years brushing aside all evidence and data regarding public health, vaccine safety, mental health care, addictions treatment and prevention, climate change, Indigenous history and rights … the list goes on and on. The very fact that Smith thinks science is something that can be blindly believed in, like a religion, rather than properly understood as a framework for creating and furthering knowledge about how the world works, is proof (as though more were needed!) that she has no business butting into the expert fields of pediatrics, endocrinology, psychiatry and family medicine. As a physician, I am appalled and insulted at the vile accusation that compassionate physicians providing evidence-based and patient-oriented care are conducting “medical experiments” on children, with all the Josef Mengele connotations in that phrase. Stay in your lane, UCP. Stick to funding and leave the health care of transgender children, youth and adults to the individuals, families and professionals who know what they are doing — those who actually care about the well-being of their families and patients. I wonder how the UCP government would have reacted if their new favourite human rights-de- nying notwithstanding clause had been imposed by the federal Liberal government in 2020 to mandate public health measures? No wonderment needed — they would have shrieked! In fact, the federal government did not impose that draco- nian piece of legislation precisely because the public health measures taken were — and were subsequently adjudicated to be — lawful, reason- able and necessary. By contrast, stomping on transgender health care is unreasonable, unnecessary and an affront to human rights. Only cowards hide behind the notwithstanding clause. SOWMYA DAKSHINAMURTI Winnipeg Abnormal circumstances Re: ‘Quiet, piggy’, Trump tells female reporter (Nov. 19) Under normal circumstances an article like this would shock me and probably most of your readers. But these are not normal times with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House. These rude comments to reporter Catherine Lucey are unacceptable, but mild compared to past and ongoing behaviour of this president. The American people elected this rude man despite the many felony charges against him, and, not to mention, his many undesirable characteristics as a narcissistic, xenophobic, racist, homophobic and bigoted man who has a history of sexual miscon- duct and misogynistic behaviour. Not to mention his cabinet of unqualified syco- phants who support his rude behaviour. This is the new norm in the Trump administration. It’s only a matter of time before they will all self-de- struct, making the world a better, safer place. TERRY MEINDL Winnipeg The howling class Re: Two reports, two views on crime, zero solu- tions (Nov. 17) In spite of the somewhat misleading headline (the second report cited in fact does offer solu- tions), columnist Dan Lett lands some well-de- served punches on the dishonest discussion around crime and bail reform. Beyond that, he also introduces a new and potentially useful category of analysis, namely that of the “howling class.” The North American political economy has been notoriously averse to a class analysis, preferring more ambiguous terms such as “middle class,” “lower class/ upper class” or the “one per cent.” That said, “working class” does seem to be having its moment. As a category, “howling class” is more descrip- tive than analytical and doesn’t capture the social dynamic of the classic pairing: working class/ proletariat versus capitalist class/bourgeoisie. It does, however, provide us with an interesting (and dare I say, entertaining) lens through which we can observe and consider the fearmongering largely perpetrated by provincial and federal Conservative politicians. Howling class, indeed. SIG LASER Winnipeg Costly solution Re: Fifteen highlights from the throne speech (Nov. 19) While it’s nice that the people of Carberry are getting a new $100-million overpass, is it really necessary? Wasn’t the collision caused by human error when the bus driver didn’t do that thing our parents taught us — looking both ways before crossing the street? So, a new overpass will fix driver error poten- tial (at that spot only), but at a pretty high cost. Couldn’t that money be better spent on prenatal care, doctor recruitment or — God forbid — low- ering the deficit ? DEREK ROLSTONE Winnipeg Literacy of utmost importance Re: Health first, reading second (Think Tank, Nov. 17) It is disheartening that Jordan Laidlaw seems quick to dismiss science-based evidence about literacy scores. Part of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission’s findings are directly related to students with dyslexia, dyscalculia and similar conditions that are going undiagnosed or un- recognized. Teachers should be provided with literacy tools that help identify these conditions early, so support can be provided, as too many children are reaching middle years and high school undiagnosed. I agree that mental health supports need to be created by the province to improve access for families. However, this can occur outside of the school system. Laidlaw quotes that one in seven students deal with mental health issues. A tragic number, but those students will benefit the most from strong literacy skills, as well as the other six of seven in knowing how to access health care, improve economic opportunities and more, later in life. Literacy is not only the foundation of education, but the foundation of a healthy society. KEVIN TOMANEK Winnipeg Pleasure to visit the city Thank you, Winnipeg. I have just returned home, here in Indiana, after my third trip to your fair city this year. My first trip was back in May when my wife Arlene (McPherson, formerly of St. James) and I came north to help our daughter, Peggy Glassco, with her annual fundraiser for the Winnipeg Children’s Hospital, sponsored by her business GymKyds Gymnastics Centre. My second trip was in July when my wife and I, along with my brother and two sisters, came to enjoy a surprise birthday party for Peggy put on by her staff at her gym. It was a special birthday, but I won’t say for what year. Whenever I am here in the sum- mer, I always attend a Goldeyes baseball game. I have been in several baseball stadiums, both major and minor leagues, and your stadium is the only one that I have been to that has a section especially for customers who have an allergy with peanuts. That is a great consideration for baseball fans. My third trip was this past week with my brother so we could be in Winnipeg for the Grey Cup festivities, but the main reason was to watch our daughter Peggy, who was a Blue Bomber cheerleader back in the 1980s, and her other cheerleader alumni, perform their routines in the convention centre. Your convention centre is second to none. What a great building and event centre it is. The people who worked at the convention centre along with the volunteers were so helpful to my brother and I that I can’t say thank you enough. I have been coming to Winnipeg every year since 1961. You have every reason to be proud of your city, which is a shining star in the middle of North America. JOHN TRIBBLE Brazil, Ind. 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 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2025 The throne speech: an oft-predictable event I T’S hard — really hard — to speak harshly about the perennial chicken-in-absolute- ly-every-pot that is the long legislative trad- ition of the throne speech. It’s like dissing free candy. But, here goes. Throne speeches have always been pomp and circumstance more than anything else — an opportunity for promises and governmental self-praise. But as the years have gone by, throne speeches right across the country have devolved more into pump and circumstance, becoming al- most exclusively an opportunity for governments to shamelessly blow their own horns. The best part, of course, has to be that they get to use the King’s representative as their delivery system, quite literally putting words in the mouth of the vice-regal representative. We say this with years of experience, covering years of throne speeches. Editorial writers are often long in the tooth media veterans who have covered different administrations of varying political stripes. (The author of this particular editorial has experienced at least 75 throne speeches, including federal offerings and provin- cial throne speeches in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and can legitimately claim to be an expert, but jaded, witness on the topic.) They truly are a form of performative legis- lative art — and get more so, it seems, every year. The stage-managing is regular. Like provincial budgets, tasty tidbits of the throne speech are often selectively leaked to different media orga- nizations to garner the most possible coverage of government initiatives. This, despite the fact the speeches themselves don’t even have the commit- ment of a budget, where there are hard spend- ing numbers in the accompanying Estimates document. In some ways, they at least recycle. “My ministers are determined that the level of services provided to Manitobans shall be main- tained and improved, but the uncertainties that exist surrounding federal intentions are a cause for serious concern among all members of the legislature. I am told that you will be informed of the progress of federal-provincial negotiations on this important subject,” one vice-regal represen- tative read. Guess the year. If you picked 1980, you’d be correct. But to be fair, it could be one of many years. “We are committed to a renewed partnership with the Government of Canada, as we pursue our mutual economic objectives. We will only succeed as a nation if we work together.” — 2021 “As new storm clouds gather in some of the world’s leading economies, our government will work closely with Manitobans to monitor the implications for the provincial economy, and with the federal government to formulate appropriate policy responses.” — 2011 If you think you’ve heard it before, chances are, you have. Arguably, the throne speech serves a role in saying what the government intends to do in the coming year. But, as is often the case in throne speeches, this year’s version included 48 things the government has already done — blurring the lines between self-promotion and any pretence of laying out a plan for the near-term future. To add insult to injury, a motion will be read to thank the vice-regal reader and accept the speech, which will succeed, while the opposition traditionally moves an amendment, which will fail. And all of this will take eight days of legislative debate, beyond the speech itself. The debate often features lengthy orations about individual political districts: here’s a sam- ple of one piece of debate. “Langruth is a great little community and hosts a harvest festival, which includes children’s activities. The graffiti station was a hit this year where kids could go paint an old relic car. And another unique game to play was the cow patty bingo, something for everyone there.” The process is a ritualized political theatre, with its own rules and styles, but not much in the way of actual deliverables. And much legislative time wasted. EDITORIAL Published since 1872 on Treaty 1 territory and the homeland of the Métis MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville prepares to deliver the speech from the throne. ;