Sound Off -- July 21, 2012

Go Granny go!

Regarding “A little too uptight.” I totally agree, perhaps he should have stopped and listened to the giggles and laughing, it would have put him in a better mood, is there anything better than a child’s laughter, I think not. Also grandma putting the cup on her head looked stupid, that was the whole point. You go grandma! Now if the child is throwing a tantrum and screaming and nobody takes them outside, that is another matter.

Avoiding discrimination

Regarding “No harm in Off Campus program.” To that writer … thanks, you said it well. The discrimination from the first writer was so obviously apparent. Discrimination is also one of the reasons people attend N.H.C. Peer pressure, ignorance and as I said “discrimination.” I have seen amazing results from N.H.C. and the staff and the students are to be commended. If that writer had been at their graduation, he or she would have seen how proud they were of what they had achieved. Many of these students will go on and become the force of our community and future.

Tip line for animal rights

I was pleased to hear that the Winnipeg Police Service has now implemented a tip line to catch people involved with puppy mills and dog-fighting rings. With all the recent cases of horrific animal abuse reported on the news, maybe this will help to catch these monsters. We need to start valuing animals and not treating them like toys — when you’re finished playing with them you throw them out or take out your anger on them.

No room at the General Museum

The letter to the editor from Coun. Jeff Harwood regarding the Hales Collection is interesting. I was willing to make a donation to the general museum and was told they do not have space to store it. It is obvious that the administration and council of the City of Brandon does not fully support a general museum because if they did they could have made use of the Convergys building and/or the old fire hall building to operate the museum and give them space. Until there is local support why would people consider giving donations to the general museum.

The numbers are still the same

I read in the Looking Back column from July 4 Brandon Sun where 30 years ago, 45 graduates received their nursing diplomas from Brandon General Hospital School of Nursing. My question is why is the same number graduating today with a shortage of nurses and a state of the art hospital and a great university for students to take their courses? Time for change Brandon!

Roads here will never get fixed

About those highways down by Goodlands. I used to ride my bicycle, when I was a kid in the 1970s, over to Bottineau, N.D. and the roads over there were like from another planet. That is because North Dakota equals California in political clout. Out here, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia don’t mean nothing — it is just Ontario and Quebec. There is no political power here so there won’t be any roads fixed here at all. Remember, North Dakota equals California. It would be nice if that happened in Canada but it never will because Quebec can take Ontario — it’s ugly sister — and Western Canada can join the United States.

Take a look at me now

Regarding the Sound Off, “Not teaching them the ways of the real world.” As one of the 412 graduates of Neelin High School Off Campus, I find it very offensive to be told that I won’t be able to handle the “real working world.” I hold two jobs, one in construction and the other doing respite work. Both these jobs are run on very strict time lines. So to say that graduates of this program would not be able to handle the real world is way off the mark.

Totally embarrassed

What a beautiful photo in the Monday, July 16 Brandon Sun of the main beach at Clear Lake. If, however, you actually want to go in the water you will be absolutely disgusted. I “tried” to go swimming there July 11 to cool off and beat the heat with friends visiting from out-of-province. As I walked out past my ankles, I sunk almost to my knees in “gunk and debris!” As I kept walking out farther, I kept sinking more and more. Many people were talking about how horrible it was. Can you imagine what is “living” in that debris? The triathlon (swimming portion) for children and adults is at the main beach in August — I hope that the park people will take a few rakes there and clean that up. Such a beautiful place and it could be so nice for people to swim with a bit of effort from the park. I was ashamed to call this area a public beach in our National Park to my friends who were visiting from the east coast. I am sure swimming in a slough would have been better!

Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition July 21, 2012