Thursday’s letters: Edmonton has a stingy UCP problem

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Re. “Rein in reckless city spending,” Letters, Oct. 22

Contrary to the opinion expressed in this letter, I do not agree that spending by the city is reckless. I have lived in Edmonton for about 60 years, went to university, worked, raised my family here and used many of the facilities and services that the city offers. Until a few years ago, I was a year-round cyclist and appreciated the opportunity to travel by bike around the city, long before there were dedicated bicycle lanes. I also drive a car.

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With improved bike access to city streets and multi-use trails, bike trips are safer. I appreciate the forward-thinking for putting these measures in place. If the province would pay its tax bill like every other responsible property owner and take responsibility for services the city provides that fall within the jurisdiction of the province, the city’s economic outlook would be considerably better.

The city has a revenue problem exacerbated by the stinginess of the UCP, who will make things worse by imposing such silly and unnecessary measures like hand-counting ballots in the upcoming election that the UCP should pay for.

No, the city does not have a spending problem, Edmonton lacks the support a capital municipality should have from the government in power and the blame should fall on the shoulders of the UCP.

Joanna Miazga, Edmonton

Double-standard in treating homeless

Tuesday’s front-page article regarding the City of Edmonton and EPS cracking down on homeless encampments cited one of the reasons being the risk of tents catching fire. Immediately below that article, is another front-page story telling how Alberta will build 250 modular homes for displaced Jasper residents, due to the recent wildfire.

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On one hand, society is forcing the poor from the only shelter, being tents, that they can muster while, on the other hand, society is providing shelter to others who are displaced from their homes by nature, but are not necessarily destitute as are Edmonton’s street homeless. These two front-page stories strike me to be an oxymoron.

Almost every city in North America is battling homelessness and it needs to be solved, in a humane way, and for the sake of humanity.

G.C. Meering, Spruce Grove

UCP should concede CO2’s impact

Yes, carbon dioxide is necessary for photosynthesis and, therefore, life. It also acts as a greenhouse gas without which the Earth would be a frozen rock circling the sun. Mankind, however, is dumping huge amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere and changing the world’s climate. Both its benefits and its risks can be true at the same time.

Water is also foundational for life on Earth. But it also bears risks. It is estimated that 320,000 people drown every year worldwide. We all remember the flooding in Calgary and Canmore in 2013 and the cost to our economy. The goodness of water doesn’t mean that it is only good.

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Is carbon dioxide foundational to life on Earth? You bet. Is excess carbon dioxide a risk to our climate and therefore our economy? A strong consensus of experts thinks it is. Nature and science will not change because the Alberta government passes a bill. And so, UCP, let’s acknowledge the impacts of carbon dioxide. Let’s reduce the amount of CO2 we dump into the air and that will “contribute to the health and prosperity of all Albertans.”

Alexander Adamson, Spruce Grove

Enforce traffic laws year-round

Re. “Single-day traffic blitz tops all of September, police say,” Oct. 22

One “traffic-blitz” day has given us a clear idea of the shocking number of traffic violations recorded in just the one day. Why is the serious business of traffic enforcement considered an occasional one-day event and why isn’t this level of enforcement routine? Rather than being extraordinary, it must, instead, become the norm.

Patricia Hartnagel, Edmonton

Cartoonist misrepresents teachers

The cartoon in Tuesday’s paper really paints the wrong message about support staff and teachers appearing divided. Teachers fully stand with support staff across Alberta. Cartoons are supposed to be funny and this image makes teachers look like villains.

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The people standing behind the woman should be Danielle Smith and her government. If the provincial government can work in an indexed raise every year to meet the cost of inflation, then they can do the same for teachers and support staff alike.

Amanda Fyfe, Edmonton

Call a vote on local election changes

A “dangerous precedent” is how proposed amendments to Bill 20 were described by representatives of the 265 Alberta villages, towns, and cities in April. I will go a step further to suggest this is a form of election-meddling by a UCP government that is just as desperate and dangerous as our premier suggests our prime minister is at this moment. I find it interesting that the municipalities targeted for the pilot project happen to be the two largest municipalities in the province, and that both municipalities are clearly not willing participants, voicing concerns over the associated costs expected to be in the millions.

We already know two facts: that hand counting will be a financial burden on municipalities and that 85 per cent of the 265 Alberta villages, towns, and cities oppose these changes. I suggest the pilot projects could be tested in the 15 per cent of the municipalities that support the initiative. It would at least place the costs and the burden of proof onto the taxpayers who support the changes.

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Are Alberta taxpayers prepared to let the UCP government make these changes even though 85 per cent of Albertans oppose this initiative? I believe the premier should call for a referendum on this matter, if she has the guts.

Jeff Toffin, Calgary

Staples column distracts from climate crisis

Re. “The right should openly question climate alarmism,” David Staples, Oct. 18

David Staples once again distracts readers from the climate crisis through numerous incorrect statements. It’s like having a five-alarm fire and sending a couple of fire trucks. Trudeau’s climate narrative is mild compared to the what the science tells us, which Staples continues to ignore. Would he ignore his cardiologist if he or she recommended replacing a faulty heart valve?

Although we should be worried, let’s keep in mind that most of the solutions to climate change already exist. Experts are telling us that electrifying as much as possible, and as fast as possible, should be central to our efforts in transitioning from the fossil fuels responsible for climate change to clean sources of energy. Although true that batteries have been subsidized of late with billions of dollars, the very rich oil industry has been and continues to be subsidized far more, to the tune of hundreds of billions over the past couple of decades. Let’s tell the truth, including the solutions to the climate crisis, and help leave a livable world for our kids and grandkids.

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Victor Dorian, Edmonton

Cartoon paints Trump as angelic

In his Oct. 23 editorial cartoon depicting Donald Trump and Kamala Harris as McDonald’s servers, Malcolm Mayes missed one important detail. He neglected to include Donald Trump’s halo.

Ray Rohr, Edmonton

Mayes way off on Trump, Harris

The talent of the Journal cartoonist Malcolm Mayes has been on display for many years and he has produced some very funny and insightful cartoons but his latest – really? Donald Trump, the babbling baboon whose cognitive decline is on view for all to see on a regular basis and is literally threatening the safety and security of his countrymen, is portrayed as someone normal while his opponent, Kamala Harris, is offering only a “word salad?”

Ken Tkachuk, Edmonton

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