“I am sure there are more efficient ways to improve safety without so severely diminishing circulation.”
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Re: “Deadly intersection near MUHC to be revamped” (The Gazette, Oct. 15)
I cannot believe the borough of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce plans to cut off de Maisonneuve Blvd. at a busy, albeit dangerous, intersection when we know what is likely to happen next: more traffic at another busy intersection: Sherbrooke St. and Décarie Blvd.
That intersection, too, is confusing and dangerous — serving as a key access point to the Décarie Expressway (in both directions) as well as to the busy intersection at Girouard Ave.
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And that doesn’t even hint at the extra traffic to be expected on Addington St. and Côte-St-Antoine Rd. — the former a small residential street, the latter also residential and with schools, churches and daycare centres.
It would seem to have been so simple — years ago when the railway bridge was rebuilt — to add an extra bridge for cyclists to cross Décarie Blvd. Instead, we ended up with one of the most complicated intersections in the city.
I try to avoid it as much as possible, but unfortunately there are times when that is not so easy.
Andy Dodge, Montreal West
Reflexive action against cars
The plan to reconfigure the intersection at Décarie and de Maisonneuve Blvd. for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians comes after a portion of nearby Terrebonne St. was made one-way eastbound in order to accommodate the new bike path.
I expect the two measures will now combine to severely restrict access to N.D.G. and Montreal West, and will add to the traffic congestion along Sherbrooke St. and Monkland and Somerled Aves.
I am sure there are more efficient ways to improve safety without so severely diminishing circulation, but the borough mayor and her counterpart at Montreal city hall seem to respond reflexively to any problem by targeting cars.
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Ian Copnick, Côte-St-Luc
Policing requires complete overhaul
Re: “City officer faces charges of assaulting Indigenous man outside shelter in 2022” (The Gazette, Oct. 5)
For far too long, marginalized communities — particularly Indigenous and Black populations — have borne the brunt of abuse at the hands of law enforcement. And yet, every time we read about another case, we find ourselves asking the same question: How does this keep happening?
It is a heartbreaking reality for those who have been continuously pushed to the margins to face violence in spaces where they should feel safe.
While it’s encouraging to see that, in this case, an officer is facing charges, how many other cases are swept under the rug, shielded by a system that mostly polices itself?
The fact that we need an independent bureau to investigate police conduct speaks volumes about how deeply mistrust runs between law enforcement and the public.
Policing in this country requires a fundamental transformation, one that shifts away from a reliance on force and toward community-based approaches that prioritize de-escalation, mental health support and cultural sensitivity.
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Officers need to be trained to serve and protect all members of society, regardless of race or background. And those who fail to uphold that duty must face real consequences.
We often hear the argument that “not all cops are bad,” and while that may be true, the system itself is undeniably broken.
Lindi Ross, Carignan
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