Letters to the Editor

Tory attack pamphlets are bullying

Upon reading a recent article on Conservative attack tactics, I would like to voice some concerns.

I do believe many good citizens in our community and other communities likewise hear a lot lately about bullying tactics and the harm they put on our society. READ

Looking for hit-and-run witnesses

On Tuesday, April 16, at approximately 6:50 a.m., in the left turning lane of 77st Street and Gaetz Avenue, I was second in line at the red light. There was a white truck in front of my silver/grey Chev Cobalt. I was rear-ended hard, enough to lift my car up in the back end. The vehicle that hit me was a green Ford Taurus. Behind the Taurus was a white work truck with a business logo on the window right behind the driver. READ

Premier cynically uses children

Recently, Official Opposition education critic Bruce McAllister delivered a timely member’s statement in the Alberta legislature on the abuse of taxpayer dollars by the Progressive Conservative government. The premier cynically used Alberta school children as political props in a highly partisan attack on the Official Opposition in what was supposed to be a taxpayer-funded government announcement for new schools. READ

Prime minister bullying Trudeau

The most effective tool in the fight against bullying is a society value that trumpets the worth and capability of all of our citizens. This value is grown and modelled first in the home, then school, community, workplace and society as a whole. READ

Condo law changes help Albertans

It’s not every day that the Wildrose Official Opposition can congratulate the government for a job well done. With the passing of the Condominium Property Act, I applaud this government for listening to the calls of the Albertans and Wildrose Official Opposition to take action to protect condominium owners from unaffordable special assessments. READ

Harper eats away at democracy

When I was a young man, Canada was a parliamentary democracy. MPs rose in the House of Commons to make speeches on matters that concerned them. MPs elected the chairs of House of Commons committees. READ

Long-term care information hidden?

Seniors issues and long-term care have been part of Red Deer for many years. The 2005 Auditor General’s Report highlighted poor conditions needing improvement, and many other government health care changes and reorganizations have come and gone. READ

Take another look at expressway

I would like to thank Jim Marke, for his common sense approach to the 20th Avenue expressway opposition. I concur with his concerns especially for the residents who live on the eastern side of Rosedale, Deer Park, Devonshire and Lancaster subdivisions. READ

Hospital staff were great

I have had the unfortunate/fortunate privilege of being hospitalized a number of times in the past months at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre. READ

Return junk mail to sender

I can not speak for others but personally I am tired of sifting through all the junk mail Canada Post delivers to my door on a daily basis. READ

No need for wards in Red Deer

A ward system for our small city? What a joke! Surely our city councillors are each fully capable of making decisions based on the needs of the whole of Red Deer city. That’s one reason why they get our vote. To expect them to only represent one little corner of the city is naive and impractical. READ

Closing Michener Centre best choice for all involved

Re: Support for the closure of Michener Centre and community living I commend Premier Alison Redford and her government for doing the right thing — closing down Michener Centre is long overdue! Let’s not forgot the heartbreaking stories of neglect, abuse and indignity. Many former residents share haunting memories of the time they spent there; it is those stories that would have me feeling devastated if someone ever suggested my son would be better served there. READ

Dyer falls prey to warmist apocalyptic thinking

Dyer typically analyses the political climate of current events, and as such has often impressed me with his insights. I once went to a lecture by him and was challenged by his thinking. But his latest screed of apocalyptic economic/cultural doom linking fossil fuels and climate change is not acceptable. READ

Using waste water for fracking is not sustainable

Re: Rimbey selling wastewater, Red Deer Advocate, April 12, 2013 The selling of waste water for oilpatch use should give pause as to where we are going with our water supply. One just has to search ‘fracking’ to understand how common it is to use water for extracting natural gas; and we’re talking a lot of water. A local company reports of piping water from an ‘isolated lake with no road access.’ One only has to look along the Red Deer River to see the practice occurring right in our backyard and yet, there seems to be no outcry. READ

Attack on private education misrepresented the facts

I would like to take this opportunity to share some thoughts about a guest editorial written by Kelly Ernst and published in the Advocate on Monday, April 15, under the headline Albertans don’t support privatizing public education. In particular, I would like to share my concerns about the manner in which information pertaining to the funding of private schools was presented, and the alleged neutrality of the study referenced by Ernst. READ

We must do more to combat pollution closer to home

Cameron Kennedy’s article, Power switch needed now, in the Red Deer Advocate, Friday, April 19, outlines the Pembina Institute’s concerns that the emissions from the province’s six coal-fired power plants may be killing us. READ

Justice bullying correctional officers

One morning this week, driving to work, I listened to our local radio news reports. It was a very brief news cast regarding our correctional officers being out on strike and the Alberta government will have to use other tactics to force them back to work! Deputy minister of Justice refuses to talk until they go back to work! Now this sounds like bullying and the use of scare tactics. READ

Funding for disabled pulled out from under them

An open letter to Doug Horner, Alberta minister of Finance: My husband and I have just attended a meeting with the agency that cares for our disabled son. The meeting was called to participate in the webinar given by Frank Oberle, deputy minister of Human Services. Of most concern to us was the $42 million cut to community access for the clients in care around the province. We found the plans for the future of our adults very unrealistic. READ