Letters to the editor, March 22

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Regardless of the shortage of assist from Albertans, the provincial authorities appears poised to introduce laws to facilitate the entry of events into municipal elections. I’m comparatively impartial on the problem, nonetheless, I do suppose we will construct upon this legislative curiosity to have a look at the method presently used to pick our metropolis’s politicians.

Some massive cities which have political events on the native degree — corresponding to Brisbane in Australia — additionally use preferential voting in order that the eventual winner has the assist (both initially or with the allocation of preferences from decrease ranked candidates) of the “majority” of the citizens.

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To me, this looks as if a strong methodology to make sure that get together agendas must possess wider enchantment than can be the case with the straightforward, undemocratic plurality of the present first-past-the-post methodology. Preferential voting may, after all, even be utilized in non-party elections.

General, this is able to stability the dictates of the electoral competitors with the extra essential position of democratic governance between elections.

Timothy Wild, Calgary

Plans for housing and tree preservation at odds

A letter author on March 21 factors out that our feathered pals want the city forest for his or her well-being, and that town’s rampant growth of infills and tree-cutting by builders are the principle culprits inflicting city forest decline.

One other letter author factors out the approaching high-density, citywide rezoning of all non-public property. Metropolis council doesn’t appear to have a grip on this contradiction in insurance policies. Elevated metropolis “densification” is at odds with citywide tree safety.

What occurs when an irresistible pressure meets an immovable object?

David Morrow, Calgary

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Share the true value of net-zero grid

It will be good if proponents of “net-zero electrical energy” present the general public with correct data.

Alberta’s contribution to carbon dioxide emissions from electrical technology on a world scale is round 0.15 per cent. The accuracy of CO2 measurement is reported at plus or minus 4 per cent, so Alberta’s emissions fall nicely inside the margin of error (the impact of Alberta’s emissions can’t be measured).

It will profit readers to be told as to the price of pursuing net-zero emissions from Alberta’s electrical technology. Absolutely, the proponents of “net-zero electrical energy” could make time to attend and supply Albertans with a projection of the associated fee it should take to succeed in their aim, assuming 2050 is even an achievable goal?

Or, why not simply quote the 2023 numbers from AESO, which pegged the associated fee at $44 billion to $52 billion for reaching net-zero by 2035?

Theo van Besouw, Calgary

Petition prices shouldn’t fall to taxpayers

I’m very upset that town is hiring employees to validate signatures on a petition to recall the mayor that has lower than 100,000 signatures.

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The petition has failed. Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for this.

If this needs to be executed, then the one that began the petition needs to be liable for the associated fee.

Michelle Fluter, Calgary

Advocating for immediate snow removing

Sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, transit stops and pathways which are blanketed in snow and ice pose severe security and mobility dangers for people who find themselves blind, deaf-blind, or have low imaginative and prescient, as they depend on tactile wayfinding floor indicators and different tactile data for protected and accessible journeys. 

Snow removing is a mobility situation, accessibility situation and a human-rights situation. Nonetheless, many group members proceed to come across unsafe obstacles affecting their day by day commutes. 

Snowfall in Calgary typically comes immediately and closely. Please clear the snow close to your property, when potential, and remind your folks, household, neighbours and native companies to do the identical.

When all of us do our half and say #SnoWay to obstacles, we create barrier-free communities the place everybody can dwell, study, work and play.

Taylor Bauer, Consciousness and Neighborhood Outreach, CNIB Calgary

Maintain events out of native politics

I strongly disagree with letting any trace of get together politics into municipal councils. City councils by their very nature are a gaggle of people that work collectively for the municipality they dwell in. 

Have we not discovered from watching the UCP shut out any recommendations by NDP? From the federal Liberals/NDP/Conservatives? 

Possibly the issues with the petition to recall our mayor will give council a clue about what’s to come back in the event that they go forward with plans for get together politics on Calgary metropolis council.

Marilee Sharpe, Calgary

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