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Re: Boom and bust is just a part of Calgary’s DNA, Opinion, Aug. 17
I was disgusted to read Chris Nelson’s column claiming that housing is “United Nations Kool-Aid” and thus not a human right. The lack of compassion required to gleefully deny housing in a city with a climate as harsh as Calgary’s is astonishing. Basic housing is not akin to “a smartphone and designer jeans.”
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Nobody is suggesting that we move folks without homes into downtown highrises or mansions. Please, have perspective and compassion, especially in an article where you praise Calgary’s “hog of providence,” (which, despite what you may think, is not always good for everyone).
Next time you meet one of the 2,782 Calgarians experiencing some form of homelessness, please shake their hand, look them in the eye, and say, “Hey, it’s just Calgary.”
Dan Harrison, Calgary
Speed up the energy transition
Subsidizing or expanding fossil fuel infrastructure in 2023 is a death wish. We’re already paying the price for these companies’ reckless pursuit of profit at the expense of people and the planet. This summer should make it clear that our futures depend on phasing out fossil fuels.
We must make polluters pay for a transition to a 100 per cent renewable power system. It will be more affordable, reliable and resilient — and help us turn the tide of climate chaos before it’s too late.
It is also an opportunity to do things differently, such as give communities control over their own energy systems, respect Indigenous sovereignty, and serve the public interest while generating hundreds of thousands of unionized jobs.
It will not only help us avoid catastrophic climate change, but also pave the way for a more equitable future for all people in Canada.
Jocelyn Beyea, Edmonton