Police credibility concerns

When will the City of Montreal handle the problems with our police department? The way they dress should be questioned. They look like a bunch of clowns. How can they ask the youth of our municipalities to respect the uniform they wear, when they don't respect it themselves. Mayor Gérald Tremblay, you have the money to pay them, but it is in the wrong file. First, the department has a media division which is costing the tax payers millions of dollars. Cut this department, take the money and use it for their contract. Let the men and women do real police work, which they were hired for. In each station, you have one commander and two community relation officers. Some of their duties consist in handling the media. That is exactly what they are doing in the West Island. And then, you have the Chief Inspector Paul Chablo working at headquarters. He does handle any major crisis as far as the media is concerned. I would also strongly recommend Town of Mount Royal Mayor Vera Danyluk, former chairperson of the MUC, be given once again the mandate to help out the city by taking care of this problem. She had wonderful relations with our police department at the time. The situation has been dragging long enough, please do something about it.

The tone of The Chronicle’s Dec. 31 editorial ‘Let's knot these loose ends in 2009’ was a little gloomy, so here is some bright news.

Even though the revamp of Quebec’s public education system did not make any list of ‘top news stories of 2008,’ I do think it deserves a spot somewhere. Here's why.

In autumn 2008, Bill 88 was adopted that redefines the role of elected school boards. The law swings the pendulum of power toward parents by allowing greater decision-making at the school-level, and boards are now required to be more accountable and open to the public.

Fairness matters will be dealt with by an ombudsman, and obedience to the rules of the bill will be monitored by government overseers.

Besides Bill 88, reappointed Education Minister Michelle Courchesne promised by September 2009, students in English schools, following the curriculum reform, would have the required English textbooks. Furthermore, last June, the minister promised smaller class sizes.

In addition, in November, Premier Jean Charest, who is also Minister responsible for youth issues, promised $20 million to be invested in culture and sports programs to help students “flourish and stay out of trouble.”

The overhaul of the education system, and the promises made intended for better classroom management, is the number one Quebec news story of 2008 because it promises a more efficient public education system in 2009.

Your editorial ‘Drivers beware,’ (The Chronicle, Dec. 17) supports the law requiring winter tires but fails to note the many negative aspects of this unnecessary law. As per your editorial, the vast majority of Quebec drivers were already installing winter tires and I would bet that those who weren't were people like myself who had the option not to use the car whenever the roads were not cleared and salted. For us, it is now an unnecessary expense not only to purchase the winter tires, but to pay for having them changed twice a year. In addition, there is the matter of storing a set of tires year round when one has only a one car garage or a carport (or neither) in which to store them.

This again incurs unnecessary expense.

Lastly, I'm not sure that winter tires are the answer to drivers who do not change their driving habits in the winter. I have driven on all season radials my entire life, including daily trips downtown from the West Island when I worked there, without a single accident, and now I am being mandated to unnecessary expense for no valid reason.

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