Letters, Oct. 7: Session on metropolis housing plans is a sham

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 A shiny brochure from the Metropolis of Calgary arrived in our mailbox not too long ago looking for our “enter” into the planning course of for the West Elbow Communities Native Space Plan. The brochure is worded in a manner meant to drive the outcome metropolis council needs, which is densification at any value. It doesn’t search our enter, however our acquiescence.

Nowhere is that this extra evident than within the record of “vital matters” on the suggestions kind in the back of the brochure. The primary subject is “increasing the sorts of houses within the space to higher swimsuit peoples’ altering wants.”

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What biased wording. This isn’t our precedence. What’s vital to us and our neighbours is strictly regulating new growth to protect the standard of life in our space and defend our property rights. We’re adamantly against blanket rezoning and the “construct something wherever” insurance policies that the town helps, all within the identify of “affordability.” The costly infills, row homes and flats being crammed into our space now aren’t reasonably priced for many younger households however they do severely pressure our present infrastructure and providers, and detrimentally have an effect on the rights of those that dwell close by.

What can be by no means talked about in any of those coverage discussions is compensation for current homeowners whose property values are harmed by these multi-unit developments. Patrons is not going to be inclined to buy a single-family residence subsequent to row homes that shadow its neighbours, with strangers parked in entrance on a regular basis.

The brochure additionally speaks of forming “working teams” to offer suggestions on the planning course of however, after all, the town will select the members of these working teams.

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The entire course of is window-dressing. Town goes to impose what it needs. Sadly, by the point the following municipal election rolls round and we’ve got a possibility to exchange the present mayor and different “woke” members of council, the harm will likely be executed. 

Susan Burns, Calgary

Column struck the suitable chord

Re: We nonetheless have plenty of causes to be grateful; Our nation definitely isn’t good, however let’s cease to depend our blessings, Opinion, Oct. 4

I’ve learn Catherine Ford’s articles for years. I’d’ve appreciated them, would possibly’ve not. May’ve agreed together with her, would possibly’ve not. Her current pretty column on the approaching Thanksgiving Day goes positively to the sure group.

Effectively stated Catherine — let’s deal with “what makes us the identical, not what makes us totally different.”

However this isn’t the one purpose for my letter. Catherine, I like your notation on faith and God: “God belongs in a single’s coronary heart, not legal guidelines.”

If all of us solely might perceive that. Particularly these of us who imagine — and past all, governments of among the nations.

Possibly this world can be merely higher.

Stan Majcherkiewicz, Calgary

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Metropolis missed mark on Reality and Reconciliation Day

Think about my shock once I started working and checked out Rose Kahn Area on Heritage Drive on Saturday morning. Often packed and overflowing into our car parking zone at Bitter Sisters Brewing Co., I walked over to research. There was no signal on the door, simply darkness inside. Strolling again it lastly hit me. Did the Metropolis of Calgary shut down all leisure services for Reality and Reconciliation Day?

Sure, it did. Oddly sufficient, I left work to go watch my son’s basketball sport at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on Tsuut’ina Nation. Open for enterprise and packed to the rafters. Maybe they realized that closing down rec centres for households was sort of dumb that day.

It seems the town shut down all leisure centres on Saturday. For what, you ask? Undecided, besides to lose taxpayers a fortune on the busiest day of the week. Did each metropolis employee go residence and take into consideration the horrible methods we’ve got handled Indigenous Canadians for the previous 500 years? I extremely doubt it.

Might they maybe acknowledge this superb day by not mechanically turning it right into a paid vacation for metropolis employees? Maybe the town might have used this as an academic alternative. Hand out some orange stickers, educate children on residential faculties.

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By the way in which, Ottawa didn’t shut down their services for the day.

Tracy Johnson, Calgary

Ottawa’s net-zero grid plan all ache, no achieve for Alberta

Re: Ottawa’s colonialist vitality plan each offensive and unlawful, David Staples, Oct. 4

Federal Atmosphere and Local weather Change Minister Steven Guilbeault’s plan to drive Alberta’s electrical grid to web zero by 2035 is simply one other instance of the unconventional environmental mindset that has gripped the federal Liberals. He’s fully oblivious to any ache this plan would trigger Albertans.

In his misbegotten perception, he thinks he’s saving the planet, however the actuality is Alberta’s pure gas-powered electrical grid has completely zero impact on local weather change.

All ache for no achieve.

Jim Gehl, Calgary

Imperial failing on local weather obligations

Re: Imperial, regulator knew for years about tailings seepage at mine, paperwork present, Oct. 3

Imperial is one in every of six members of the Pathways Alliance. What does it take to punt Imperial from the group?

Not a peep from Pathways as Imperial besmirches it.

Ben Macht, Calgary

No scarcity of well being employees in Alberta

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Re: Canada loses 1000’s of health-care employees to U.S.; Extra alternative, full-time work could assist, Opinion, Oct. 5

The argument I typically hear is that there are merely not sufficient certified health-care professionals to workers a parallel personal sector, and {that a} personal system would intestine the general public system of employees. Then I learn articles like this about professionals leaving the nation to search out work of their area.

I appeared up the stats on what number of medical doctors, nurses, LPNs, and many others. that Alberta universities graduate annually. Docs by the lots of; nurses by the 1000’s. It appears we’ve got greater than sufficient certified folks to workers each a private and non-private system.

Dale McGonigal, Calgary

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