LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Common sense and winter roads

Re. “Tight vote keeps city’s anti-icing road salting project alive,” Oct. 10

Whatever happened to common sense? A reason to keep using calcium chloride and salt is so the city looks less dirty?

Whatever happened to driving to the conditions of the road or getting some winter tires? (Not sure how it’s not mandatory in the province with our road conditions anyway.)

Or better yet, start using that city transit, instead of driving. The city might save some snow-removal dollars now, but Edmontonians will all be paying for years to come one way or another with damage to vehicles and property, and next with years of tax increases to replace the city’s fleet of vehicles and infrastructure.

But let’s just worry about that when it happens, I guess. At least when the wheels really fall off, the car dealerships will be happy.

Hopefully, the city is putting the snow-removal savings in the bank.

D.W. Stolk, St. Albert

Edmonton now a rust-belt city

Edmonton city council and its administration have fired yet another salvo at those of us who use Edmonton’s roadways.

The city has decided to proceed with increased use of salt and calcium chloride despite citizens’ complaints of property damage to vehicles and concrete.

This is in aid of cutting down on use of sand, leading to a savings of $4 million per year for the city. However, the true cost of this program will ultimately be downloaded to drivers and property owners by way of shortened lifespans of vehicles, driveways and garage floors, not to mention infrastructure.

Edmonton has now become part of the “rust belt,” a derogatory term used by western Canadians to describe those areas in Eastern Canada from which a used car should never be purchased.

And while sand can be recycled, all that salt runs into the North Saskatchewan River. Great.

Mitch Lavoie, Edmonton

Finger-pointing by Notley is crass

By publicly speaking so judgmentally about an unfortunate incident where individuals affiliated with an ill-reputed white supremacist group unexpectedly “crashed” a UCP social gathering, allegedly without the attendees’ prior knowledge, Rachel Notley has rather eloquently demonstrated she’s not above handing such a group valuable bonus publicity in exchange for a few quick, dirt-cheap political points.

This is especially crass considering the “dog-whistle” finger-pointing the premier and her party routinely and indiscriminately direct at the UCP.

M.F. Charles, Edmonton

Buy Canadian dairy products

The USMCA allows U.S. dairy producers access to an additional 3.9 per cent of the Canadian dairy market.

All U.S. dairy products contain bovine growth hormone, whose use is illegal in Canada (and the European Union, Australia and Japan, among others).

It’s not clear why U.S. producers should be permitted to sell a product in Canada which is otherwise illegal in Canada. Canadian consumers should endeavour to buy only milk and milk products made from BGH-free Canadian milk. It’s available in major supermarkets, and is distinguished by a clear Canadian milk logo on the container.

In the meantime, it’s to be hoped that our government will enforce the same quality standards on imported milk products as are imposed on domestic products.

Rob Arrand, Edmonton

Trump critic must live in pain

Re. “What everybody knows about America,” Opinion, Oct. 10

After reading Andrew Cohen on Wednesday I was thinking of the pain he must be enduring.

Imagine being so highly educated and yet never having the guts to be a politician or I bet even a successful and profitable business owner.

It must be painful knowing that Donald Trump has successfully done both.

You’ve got to love the armchair critics that have all the answers and can quickly find fault in any situation. What a painful way to live.

Ben Beringer, Edmonton

Thanks for those snowplows

A big thank you to all the Edmonton snowplow drivers who came to help dig Calgary out last week after our huge storm. It was most appreciated, and the cheerful drivers with their Edmonton Oilers flags flying made me smile. I hope Calgary can return the favour some day. Penny Powell, Calgary

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letters@edmontonjournal.com Opinion Editor: Bill Mah, 780-429-5204