Friday’s letters: Environment Minister Nixon needs to do his job

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Jason Nixon’s April 2, article does not contain one word that indicates he is able to understand his job. Perhaps he should become minister of energy or economic development, as he fails realize that his role as minister of the environment and parks is to promote activities that reduce the environmental strain, not increase it.

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He believes technology will save us (it wont), or that economic impacts can be devastating if his job is done well (not true). He doesn’t realize that Canadians are among the most polluting and wasteful people on the planet, with Albertans the worst. It is not about reducing emissions. It is about overall pollution reduction and reducing waste. Economic growth is not the goal. We are using more resources than we can repair and are poisoning our land, sea, and air.

He believes that today’s fuel costs are too high, but he doesn’t see the huge costs we face if we do the same thing as always. Nixon is like most politicians. He can’t see beyond the next election cycle and even the next generation.

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Nixon is an embarrassment to his portfolio. Nixon should resign. Or, he could look at his title and see if it really means.

Darcy Holden, Edmonton

Summer is too short for swatting

To this day I can still recall the 1984 summer and the inability to go outside because of the mosquito infestation. The city ordered mosquito control spray, but it was incorrectly shipped as ready-to use liquid. The city mixed it as usual before spraying, but it was ineffective.

These disgusting insects can be found everywhere, so it is difficult to go outside and breathe without getting bitten. The city council, in all its wisdom, has decided to ban mosquito larvae spraying. They believe that bat houses and dragon flies, as well as fans, will save summer. This Council decision must be the pinnacle ineptitude. Because our summer outside is only three or four months, I don’t wish to spend it inside to avoid being harassed from those disgusting little creatures. We need to get the spraying started so that we can enjoy summer after a long, cold winter.

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Jim Holowchak, Edmonton

Remember to vote for mosquitoes at the ballot box

Council made a very, very poor choice. Edmontonians now face a summer full of slapping and scratching, as they have to curtail what has been proven to be an effective way of controlling mosquitoes.

Edmontonians are looking forward to a spring or summer of terrible annoyance, and much less enjoyment, for a paltry $507,000. Council followed the questionable example of Coun. Michael Janz has chosen to rely on dragonflies and bat boxes to give Edmontonians a summer that hasn’t worked anywhere else. Evidently, the current city council doesn’t value learning from other experiences. Coun. Sarah Hamilton appears to be in touch with her constituents, when she stated that citizens support the current approach.

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A vote for mosquitoes must result in a vote against all city councillors who support this wrong-headed approach.

Bob Thompson, Edmonton

Canada must do its part to help refugees

The government is worried that it may not have the resources to support all the Afghan or Ukrainian refugees who want to come to Canada. Our government should be ashamed when we see that countries in Europe (mainly Poland), are accepting over two million Ukrainian refugees. Canada, take up the challenge and do your part.

Leslie Rivet, Edmonton

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