Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 15

Calgary Herald I'm just carrying on as if this is a normal birthday. TOMORROW: Dying to look thin VOXPOP Today's question Liberal Leader Stephane Dion says he thinks the country is in the mood for a fall election. Are you? Here's how readers responded to the question: Liberal Leader StephaneDion says he thinks the country is in the mood The recent death of a young mother who had liposuction performed on her by her family physician is a wake-up call to everyone on many levels, states a Herald editorial. 1 Louise Brown, the world's first test-tube baby, on her 30th birthday. To vote goto calgaryherald.comoplnlon LETTERSTHEHERALD.CANWEST.COM QUIBBLES QUIRKS Monday, July 28, 2008 A15 I N0 83.

1" ERIE -INBOX Going backward on democracy YOUR TIME a ilili IIIIIIIIIMII. YOUR SPACE -r i Calgary Herald Archive Reader says ramps are a huge problem on Deerfoot Trail, like the on-ramp from Peigan Trail, where this motorcycle crashed last year. Drivers play Russian roulette on Deerfoot Trail ramps Know your place on the road Paula Arab is dead on when she states that reducing speed is not the answer. When some of the nitwit drivers learn how to operate a vehicle on highways designed to keep the traffic flowing quickly, then collisions would cease to be. Having driven extensively on European autobahns where the speed limits are anywhere from 8o to 120 miles per hour (128 to 193 kmh), the drivers know the correct procedure of keeping to the right except to pass, and the truckers stay in the right-hand lane not the middle lane or the left.

Teach the driver! C.H.EIford, Calgary Just a kid Re: "When it comes to Khadr, Canadians aren't so split after all," Susan Martinuk, Opinion, July 25. I honestly have no opinion on whether Omar Khadr should be brought back or left to the integrity of the American justice system. But what's difficult to read is supposedly mature, educated adults, such as Susan Martinuk, writing profoundly flawed views. A 15-year-old cannot have yet developed the character and mindset to be committed to anything at all, let alone to something as grandiose as "fighting against western values and our very way of life." What a silly thing to say about a 15-year-old. When it comes to matters of ideology imposed by adults, a young person is a prime candidate for rehabilitation.

That's especially true when compared to those youths who commit random violence in our own cities every day, often indicating a predisposition to violence, making them harder to rehabilitate. And yet we try. Every negative view Martinuk quoted against Khadr is nullified immediately by his age when he committed his alleged crime. It would be a different story had he been an adult One would expect a little more thought from Martinuk. Hesham M.

Sabry, Kitchener, Ont Hesham Sabry is a professor of psychology and anthropology at the University of Waterloo. LARRY BOOI Even though they might not have voted for Ed Stelmach's Conservatives in the March election, a considerable number of Albertans still hoped the premier would move ahead with some badly needed democratic reforms. Those hopes were heightened by some modest reforms in the legislative assembly in Stelmach's first year in office, as well as by his public commitment during the campaign to more openness and transparency in government. But with the completion of a post-election session of the legislature under the new government, a different picture has come into focus one that is beyond disappointing. Rather than moving forward, our government took several steps back.

In terms of democratic renewal, the developments are absolutely dismal In too many ways, the legislature reverted to the "business as usual" approach of the Klein era, with numerous examples from the spring session: The spectacle of rushing through anti-labour legislation in the final days of the session, with late-night sittings, minimal discussion, and the rapid use of closure of debate, despite having an overwhelming majority; The anti-democratic nature of and process for the decision to dramatically increase cabinet ministers' compensation, which graphically illustrated the arbitrary power of the executive and weakness of the legislature; The decision to continue to delay the release of the recommendations of the Mintz commission on the province's approach to financial investment and planning, so that MLAs could not consider its potential effect on key important financial issues during the session; The loss of some reforms regarding the operation of the legislative assembly previously agreed to by party house leaders, including scheduling changes and cutting back on night sessions, all of which had been designed to improve the legislature's effectiveness' The return of old rules for the important budget estimates debate, to the particular disadvantage of opposition MLAs and, again, making it harder for all of our elected representatives to do their important work. These backward steps were disappointing and disturbing, and made worse by the failure of Stelmach's government to address other much-needed aspects of democratic renewal For example, the government's approach to consultation with citizens and civil society groups has long been criticized as tokenism at best, with limited scope and perfunctory processes which seem designed to reinforce pre-determined outcomes. Any hope the government would move to a more open and effective approach to public consultation was put to rest with the recent announcement of the new consultation on the thorny issue of the future of seniors' programs. The process was quietly announced at the end of May, and has two main elements: an opportunity to make online comments over the summer, and a series of invitation-only, closed meetings with the committee responsible for the process, which is charged with bringing back recommendations in the fall Clearly, it is the same old inadequate consultation process rushed, relatively exclusive, and almost entirely held behind closed doors. So much for a commitment to more openness, transparency, inclusive-ness and citizen engagement in crucial decisions that affect our lives; instead, we get the anemic process of business as usual In addition, the premier has -US' 0 ,4 then reach the acceptable speed of the flow of traffic before the merge.

Exiting is just as problematic with the short ramps causing a traffic back-up in the fast lanes. I acknowledge that slow drivers are often a problem, but to suggest that the speed limit be increased is ludicrous. I have heard drivers on low-throughput, and high-cost much like the IETF's tongue-in-cheek IP over Avian Carriers protocol (RFC1149). Chris Momot Calgary Savings a pittance All this press coverage over the anticipation of new players in the cellphone business providing more competition has many people getting excited. I suggest they not get too giddy with anticipation, as the competition will be more like the way gas stations and insurance companies compete lots of choices with miniscule price difference.

Melvln Argue, Calgary Shortage of options Re: "Teen youngest' victim of I would like to give my support to the police and their use of Tasers. Every time someone dies after being Tasered, people call the police murderers and act like they tried to kill them. What do you want them to do wait until someone stabs or attacks them before Tasering them? If you take one step toward a police officer, he should have every right to shoot. If not for the Taser, they would have to use a gun. The other option is pepper spray, but that often fails to stop the criminal.

Jeff Attwood, Calgary Bundle up Re: "Schools weigh four-day week," July 25. I have a better idea for saving a much larger amount of heating fuel in all buildings in all countries. We should all wear long winter underwear and operate our buildings at lower temperatures. This would not only save huge amounts of heating fuel, but would have the ancillary advantage of helping to protect the virtue of vulnerable young ladies from overly aggressive males. Special arrangements could be incorporated for those young -v.

i TW" failed to deal with criticisms of the operation of Alberta's Pub-lic Affairs Bureau, which has been widely la r- 5- 1 Larry Booi belled too centralized, politicized, partisan, and dominated by the premier's office. Instead of addressing these concerns, Stelmach's government has continued to use the PAB for purposes that appear to many people to be political Moreover, it has actually increased the PAB budget substantially, with $25 million added for the "branding" campaign to deal with mounting international criticism of the government's energy and environmental policies. Looking back at the spring session, it is hard to escape the conclusion that any early flirtation with democratic reform was a temporary and purely political expedient that served its purpose by creating a more attractive image for the purposes of an election. The only small exception in terms of government action was the modest sum in the budget to provide support staff for the new policy field committees of the legislature, but that simply amounted to paying for last year's preelection initiative. Ironically, the only meaningful move toward democratic reform during the legislative session came from a Conservative backbencher in a bill proposing fixed election dates a move which was quickly pushed aside by the government majority.

Meanwhile, a host of other important needs in the area of democratic renewal are ignored: reforming our electoral and political party financing, strengthening the role of the legislature and MLAs by increasing the power of and support for legislative committees and officers, enhancing the role of women and minorities in our political processes, dealing with problems related to our first-past-the-post system, and taking action to address falling voter participation. No one realistically expected action from Stelmach on high-profile democratic issues such as holding a citizens' assembly on proportional representation, since he did not campaign on that basis. But given the premier's talk about the need for more openness, transparency and democracy, concerned people did not expect that he would simply walk away from the topic of democratic reform, let alone take backward steps. In many ways, Alberta's premier is in the best position in the country to promote at least modest democratic renewal he has an overwhelming majority in the legislature, opposition parties that are substantially reduced in their ability to criticize effectively, and years ahead of him in his mandate. If ever a premier could afford to move ahead in this important area, it is Stelmach he has an unparalleled opportunity to do the right thing, with very little financial or political cost.

If he fails to do so over the next few years, we can only conclude that he has the same lack of commitment to a stronger democracy as his predecessor. Larry Booi is a former president of the Alberta Teachers' Association and current board chair of public Interest Alberta, a non-partisan organization that seeks to foster an understanding of the importance of public services, institutions and spaces in Albertans' lives. 1 1 A TV who suggest such a change, stating it is a highway or freeway. It is neither. Those well-designed roads are in the U.S.

and Europe, and they work. Design improvement is necessary, better signage, and a decrease in the speed limit. Shirley Ann Mooney, Calgary ladies who didn't want to be protected. Carl Stephenson, Calgary Scared to spank Re: "Ganging up on lax parental discipline," Naomi Lakritz, Opinion, July 25. Naomi Lakritz makes a good point on how parents fail to discipline their kids adequately, but fails to mention the public pressure to prevent them from doing so.

I can imagine being that father at the airport (indeed I have been) watching my boys screaming around, but feeling powerless to do anything for fear that I will be reported as an abusive parent It has already happened in Canada. Only once we tell parents a swat on the bum is a loving action done for discipline, will we see parents feel free to set the proper boundaries for their children that a civil society needs. Qulnn Barreth, Calgary Unwieldy Re: "Recycling has seniors singing the blues," Letter, July 25. I agree with Janet Campbell that those large blue bins will cause problems for some people, and not just seniors. Our home is on a hill and has many steps going down to the street, so we're not sure how we'll manage dragging it around when it's full of recyclables.

Where are we going to keep this container? We have a small home and there's not a lot of room on the main floor to keep it inside. We have no room in the front yard due to landscaping and the slope of our property. We use our garage for storing recyclables and live only minutes from the nearby landfill where we recycle what we can for only a $5 fee. Maybe they should think about those smaller blue boxes in use by the private companies. Those would be ideal easier to lift, store and take outside.

Come on, council you need to come up with something that will suit everyone's needs before you start charging us for a service all of us won't use because it is so cumber- some. Diane Galley, Calgary Re: "Slowing the Deerfoot 500 won't solve the problem," Paula Arab, Opinion, July 24. It does not take a genius, (or an engineer) to figure out why the majority of accidents occur at interchanges. The exit and entry ramps are too short. It is next to impossible to slow down for a break in traffic, and sent fact as fact and opinion as opinion.

Mark Sears-Gamache, Calgary Beef it up Re: "Parents told to wake up to gangs," July 23. I am greatly concerned by the level of violent crime in our cities. In recent months, we've seen a shootout at an Edmonton strip mall, a double stabbing in a Calgary neighbourhood I visit regularly, and escalating gun and gang violence. I've advocated persistently that the government should seize the vehicles of gang members transporting guns. Heck, after the police seize the vehicle, let's sell it! Let's hit them in their pocketbooks! I recently met with Police Chief Rick Hanson and he informed me that to keep up with other Canadian jurisdictions, Calgary needs approximately 400 more police officers.

That's a big part of the solutioa However, let's do something right now while we wait for more police officers. Let's give the police the resources and legislation they need to deal with gang and gun violence. Sure, we need effective crime prevention strategies, but we also need strong enforcement We don't have to live with violent crime. It's not some inescapable fact of life. With the right legislation and communities committed to safer streets, we can come out from under the shadow of the gun and live without fear.

Let's give the police the tools they need to battle crime. Kent Hehr, Calgary Kent Hehr Is the MLA for Calgary Buffalo and the Liberal shadow minister for justice and public safety. Nomenclature Re: "Canadians gouged over cellphones," Ben Li, Opinion, July 25. Ben Li's column on the topic of inane cellular pricing models is laudable, but omits one point: the messages are widely known to be unreliable, often being delayed for hours or even lost outright. Taking this into account, the service provided would be called high-latency, Head for home Are the Khadrs Canadians out of convenience? Likely! Do I like such opportunism? No! Was Omar indoctrinated by his family? Very much so! How old was Omar when he allegedly killed a U.S.

soldier as a terrorist (U.S. interpretation) or child soldier? Fifteen! At what age can you get a Canadian driver's licence? What is the legal drinking age? OK, bring him home. Jurgen Kraus, Calgary Polls useless I read the Herald opinion page daily and while it usually makes my blood boil, I seldom feel the need to write a letter to the editor. After all, these are opinions and everybody has one. However, Susan Mart-inuk's piece was especially detestable.

It wasn't the case she was making that upset me, rather it was her cavalier attitude toward evidence. When describing Canadians' opinions in the Omar Khadr case, she weighs five online polls against a single, scientifically based polL As anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of statistics knows, an online poll has no statistical legitimacy. Presenting online polls as representative of national opinion is either disingenuous or sloppy. Shame on Martinuk in either case. I disagree with Nigel Han-naford about pretty much every opinion he holds, but at least he has the integrity to clearly pre- Keep it to 250 words max.

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