ROAD RAGE

I don't understand the reasoning behind city planners' decision to allow vehicular traffic on the new city plaza ["Enter The Driven", Oct. 6-19]. It really dumbfounds me - it's very short-sighted and panders to Regina's car-centric, lowest common denominator.

Even Max Zasada's quote makes no sense: "…the overall goal is indeed that it's a pedestrian-first place…Cars are invited but they don't necessarily have the right of way," he says. Yeah? If the overall goal is to make it a pedestrian-first place, why the H.E. double hockey sticks are they even letting cars drive through it?

Allowing traffic to tear through the new square is a bad idea, plain and simple. From the costs of upkeep due to the wear and tear from the weight of traffic to the understandable safety fears (Regina's drivers are notoriously bad - signal lights, anyone?), the idea that cars belong in a pedestrian-oriented area is laughable.

Way to dumb it down for us lowly Reginans, city planners. We couldn't handle a place in the city without cars anyway.

Tom Westoll
Regina

THE GRIT DIVIDE

I quite agree with John Conway's conclusion that the Saskatchewan NDP will be reduced to less than 10 seats in the upcoming election.

However, I can't agree with his search for blame. Like so many, he fails to recognize Roy Romanow's sad role, which is the reason persons of my age and Conway's age (I was a student in a Physical Sciences Lab instructed by John Conway in 1963-1964 at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and he is now just short of 70) will never see a left-of-center government in our lifetimes.

Conway points out that the NDP has had a stable 40-plus per cent slice of the popular vote. It was able to gain, and hold, government because the provincial PCs and the Liberals split the remainder of the vote.

When Romanow formed his 1999 coalition with the Saskatchewan Liberals, it meant the end of that party. Thus, Saskatchewan came to have a two-party system. In a two-party system the NDP will not form a government in the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, Romanow neglected the NDP in rural Saskatchewan. In 1971 Blakeney had a cabinet which included more than six rural ministers and for the most part they were cabinet heavyweights. By the time of Romanow's leadership, rural Saskatchewan's representation in the Cabinet was scarcely more than one: Berny Wiens. Perhaps rural conditions had changed since 1971 but it is certain that Romanow as leader neglected to seek support in rural Saskatchewan and antagonized it with health deform. For that matter, he did little for trade unions as well. He was more concerned with having a microphone in his face and being on national TV talking about the Charter and constitution. As Ross Thatcher said: if Saskatchewan had 100 problems, the constitution would be the 101st.

One could see that in the recent Manitoba election the NDP were successful because the right-side parties split 50-plus per cent of the vote. I believe the situation is the same in BC when the NDP wins there, but I'd have to go back to the numbers to assert that as fact.

My conclusion: the NDP needs a Liberal party that can garner 25 per cent of the popular vote so that its core support at 40-plus per cent - including rural support - will be sufficient to get it elected. That's the point Conway missed.

I think his contributions to elucidating political issues is needed, and significant. However, he got off track, IMHO, on this one.

H.R. Kloppenburg
Saskatoon

THE NEED FOR SEED

Thank you prairie dog readers for voting Seed Regina's Best Eco-Business (hooray in the greenest of ways!), Best Hip and Trendy Clothing (Gals) and Best Stylish Yet Casual Clothing (Gals) in this year's Best of Regina poll. I'm tempted to debate blurb writer Lois-Anna Kaminski's suggestion that these last two categories are redundant - they're not, since "Hip" and "Trendy" clearly refers to younger fashionistas while "Stylish Yet Casual" is obviously the chic, professional woman's choice.

And although we question the relevance of the "beautiful women" comment in the "Best Eco business" blurb, we accept it as a compliment - Liam (official Seed dog) thinks perhaps that it was simply a typo and LAK really meant to write "beautiful greyhound".

All that aside, what's important is that prairie dog readers' continued and valued support for Seed helps us nurture the next generation of creative thinkers in independent Canadian design and alternative retail. We're so grateful to be supported in our concept, which gives the mass-product selling, big chain stores a run for their money and supports local artists too.

Once again, thank you, thank you, thank you from us Seedonists! Come and play with us in an eco- and fashion-friendly way any day!

Lisa Wicklund
Seed, Regina

ACTIONS MEAN NOTHING WITHOUT WORDS Or something like that. Yeah. Send letters by e-mail to feedback@prairiedogmag.com or snail mail to #201-1836 Scarth St., Regina, Saskatchewan, S4P 2G3. Letters will be edited for grammar, spelling, style and length (300 words maximum). This page isn't an open forum - we only print letters that are at least tangentially about prairie dog stories. Please include your full name, city of residence and a daytime phone number. Letters sent to prairie dog may also be printed in Planet S, our sister publication in Saskatoon. Next letters deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 9.