Letters to the editor, July 22: We’d like a Commonwealth Video games referendum

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We’d like a Video games referendum

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The article within the Calgary Herald on July 18 couldn’t have been higher timed. The identical time as I examine Alberta wishing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Video games, the Australian state of Victoria (notice the state of Victoria) pulled out from internet hosting the 2026 video games. Why? Large price range overruns with three years to go!
Now, the province of Alberta desires to share the Video games between Calgary, Edmonton and Tsuut’ina nation. Constructing new amenities and ancillary prices (assume safety) have made these spectacles ludicrously costly. The occasions have turn out to be too costly for what they’re price.
If the Commonwealth Video games and the Olympics are unable to have earlier host cities stage the Video games with most re-use of present amenities — and slicing down on the ever rising variety of sporting occasions — then don’t maintain them. Since taxpayers are on the hook for prices, maintain a referendum with accountabilities clearly acknowledged. Allow us to resolve!

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— Frank van der voet, Calgary

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Fingers off our Canada Pensions!

We “child boomers” are the quickest rising phase of Alberta’s inhabitants. We could disagree with 99 per cent of federal authorities insurance policies however what we do acknowledge is the monetary stability of our Canada Pension Plan and Previous Age Safety. Though we’ll by no means break even with the quantity of revenue tax now we have contributed on the finish of every month for the 55-plus years of our working lives, these steady funds — mixed with what our kids are at present paying and our grandchildren are about to pay — assure the soundness of our retirement funds. Buying and selling that stability for a dependency on the volatility of “one trick pony” vitality costs is a non-starter. Threatening our monetary properly being and that of our kids quantities to political suicide. Fingers off!

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— Harry B. Chase, Calgary

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Re: July 20 – What lies forward for the College of Calgary

In my view, adopting a tradition of entrepreneurial pondering is an efficient factor for the College of Calgary. There’s a large false impression that entrepreneurship is about beginning a enterprise. Relatively, entrepreneurship is the method of taking an concept via a improvement course of. Entrepreneurs search the assistance of others on this course of. Generally the assistance is transactional, typically it’s free. Analysis is entrepreneurial. Investigators increase capital (i.e. grants) and produce merchandise (i.e. mental property). In analysis initiatives, college students are uncovered to entrepreneurship as a part of the issue fixing course of. When college students encounter issues, they typically ask friends for recommendation. Nevertheless, probably the most entrepreneurial college students will transcend their circle by searching for assist from different departments, Schools, or Universities. This will result in collaboration and teamwork expertise. Certainly, within the new optics of data translation, investigators are even being advised to have interaction potential information shoppers (i.e. prospects) first earlier than even beginning a venture. Therefore, searching for suggestions from the neighborhood isn’t a foul concept and may even get college students observed.

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By dipping their toes in entrepreneurship, college students study to drive their very own careers. Futurists, corresponding to Seth Godin, counsel that the basic job and profession are disappearing. Corporations now rent consultants relatively than workers to maintain prices down. Sooner or later, many college students should run their very own consultancies. Godin, actually, means that the perfect consultants might be artisans who’ve a coveted ability that they will provide to the neighborhood at a big worth. College students could wish to contemplate placing their distinctive skillsets to work as a marketing consultant (or artisan). Via entrepreneurial pondering packages provided on the College of Calgary, college students now have the chance to place an concept via a improvement course of, whereas remaining inside a sheltered college setting.

— Derrick Rancourt, Professor at Cumming Faculty of Medication; College of Calgary

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Re: July 20 – What lies forward for the College of Calgary

The article’s authors appear to need a plan that follows the self-serving needs of tenured, scholarly professors relatively than getting ready graduates for significant employment. U of C’s new strategic plan shows a commonsense method to post-secondary training that’s each refreshing and sorely wanted. Allow us to not be fooled by the rhetoric {of professional} intellectuals.

— Bob MacLeod, former U of C scholar and profitable entrepreneur (retired)

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