LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Calgary spending heading north

Our family attended an outstanding Paul McCartney concert in Edmonton. In my first visit to Rogers Place, I was both awestruck by the magnificent facility and angry at the same time. I am tired of Mayor Nenshi finding ways to prevent a new entertainment facility in Calgary. (Please do not call it a hockey arena, as it is so much more than that.)

Almost everyone we talked to at the concert was from Calgary. It is time our mayor and council start looking for ways to allow a new facility and stop opposing every opportunity presented to them, including working with the Olympic bid committee. We need to ensure one is built in Calgary so Calgarians can spend their entertainment money here, rather than giving us no choice but to spend it elsewhere.

Kevin Angus, Calgary

We need to address health system woes

Re: Fix EMS and emergency wait times, Oct. 3

The Herald recently covered budget overruns by Alberta hospitals — a worry to both government and Alberta residents. But are we getting timely and appropriate care? Not so, say the Alberta Liberals as they claim “systemic issues” and “mismanagement” are causing staff shortages and ambulance delays. Added are further delays in emergency room care and then waits for a hospital bed.

This is not new news or fake news. Our Alberta wait times doubled in two decades and our infrastructure and staffing capacity is so marginal one can only expect waits to worsen. Early diagnosis and treatment still bring the best results and costs.

Alberta is not alone in health care shortfalls. Agencies score Canada ninth out of 11 advanced nations. Budget cuts and hospital closures are not remedies for the issues facing the sick! Ralph Coombs, Calgary

Consider other funding models

I’ve been a health-care consumer for 38 years in Alberta. The best GP care I’ve received is through Crowfoot Village Family Practice (CVFP).

Their model provides funding per patient instead of funding per complaint/ visit. I let the receptionists know what my complaints are, and the appropriate time is booked. Thus, there is no financial incentive for a physician to rush through visits. I can also chat with my GP by email and phone.

CVFP are participants in research the government insisted on. This 10-year study demonstrated that CVFP patients visit the ER 13 per cent less than the average Calgarian, and are admitted to hospital 17 per cent less. Carole Elliott, Calgary

Hosting Olympics not worth the cost

I am proud of the legacy of the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, and I would love for my children to look back on a similar experience. So, as a taxpayer, I’m willing to spend some money to make this happen. But how much will it cost?

Well, the estimates are $4.6 billion. Although history shows cities underestimate true costs to host, even if true, that is roughly $5,000 per Calgarian, or a $25,000 commitment for my family of five. Is it worth $25,000 to my family to host the 2026 Winter Olympics?

In a single word: No. Collin Heggerud, Calgary

Consultation vital but it’s not a veto

Re: Moe pans feds’ Trans Mountain decision, Oct. 4 Indigenous groups are under the mistaken impression that the right to be consulted means the right to a veto. It does not; a read of The Constitution Act of 1982 will tell you that very clearly.

Local concerns can be addressed, but not always accommodated if it is neither feasible nor practical in a project being developed in the national interest.

Nancy Marley-Clarke, Calgary