& — Friday. December 11, 1998 — North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT shared vision UR years ago four North Vancouver governmental groups hit upon a good idea regarding the shared use of public facilities. Three — North Vancouver City, North Vancouver Recreation Commission, the North Vancouver schuol board — have since agreed to sign on the dotted line and buy into a document known as the Master Agreement on Joint Use of Public Facilities. One — North Vancouver District — has yet to make a move to sign. The agreement comes with a set of stated beliefs and values. Among the basic thrusts of the exercise is to make public facilities, sites and services as available as possible for use by the com- munity at the least cost. Cost-sharing between the agreement in developing subsequent specific-use agreements that would flow from the arrangement. Specific-use agrzements would cover the management of parks and school fields, indoor recreation facilities, municipal and school buildings. North Vancouver District is said to be holding out over a concern of downloading. For example if the part- nership were established in the area of playing fields, the province would be relieved of its responsibility of paying its proper share for school facilities, the argument goes. Yet the shared approach seems a pro- gressive one and long overdue, espe- cially in a jurisdiction such as North Vancouver, where organizational over- lap is endemic. There’s no risk in agree- ing to cooperate. Work out the details | IN DEFENSE OF A TAXPAYER A SUBSIDIZED | PRO SPORTS: YA GOTTA LOOKIT THE BIG FiCTURE: IF PRO SPORTS GOES SOUTH, WHAT CHANCE POES TANS KID HAVE OF CLIMBING OUT OF POVERTY BY ap BECOMING AN eo) NHL MULTEMILLIONAIR CKEY PLAYER PAID Ko in US. DOLLARS? partners is a condition of consideration _Jater. wmaiiioeo x Why coddle kidnappers? Dear Editor: Re: Kidnappers should not be heroes. Leo Knight is absolutely tight in his column. Even by their original, “we're innocent” story, they admitted, according to the news reports I read, to being accessories after the fact to kidnapping. That, at least in Canada, is a crime equal to that of the kidnappers. Kidnapping is a capi- tal crime and in many jurisdictions is punishable by the death penalty. As the facts finally came out, Brazil was right all along and Lamont and Spencer were plain lucky they were not put to death. What boggles me is that they were flown in a RCMP jet from Toronto to Abbotsford. When the head of the RCMP gets unjustified criticism fer using the force's jet, why are they flying convicted kidnappers around in luxury? Why should taxpayers’ dollars be used to pamper these peo- ple? Why the hurry? What’s wrong with a train or bus ride? With all due respect to their parents, and I don't blame them for fighting for their children, I do not feel the least bit sorry for Lamont and Spencer. Leo is absolutely right. Clive V. Nylander Whistler investing in recreation Dear Editor: I hope thac West Vancouver council is not being penny- wise and pound-foolish in its decision to iricrease seniors’ reercation fees. ; : West Vancouver is a community with one of the highest population of seniors in the province and it is increasing. There is an abundance of research to indicate that exer- cise helps prevent discase, and that an active social life pro- motes an independent lifestyle The subsidy for an aquatic pass is a bargain compared to the cost of long-term care and supported housing. Katherine Whittred, MLA North Vancouver-Lonsdale Gfficial Opposition’s Critic for Seniors Nerth Shove News, Founced wi 1969 as an ecuiepenieni suburban newspaper and quakhed under Schedule 11, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Act. is pubtstied each Wednesday. Fliday and Sun.tay by North Snove Free Press, Ltd. and o:stributed to every door on the enh Shore. Canada Pest Car-adari Pubbcations Mait ‘Sales Product Agreeme:: 2. 0087236 ‘Maving rates avatab¥e on request. Sarbara Emo Distribution Manager 988-1337 (124) Jonathan Bell Creative Services Manager S8S-2131 (127) 61.582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) Public locked out of the legislature CLIPPINGS from the garden: Imagine what would happen if a sup- posediy modern Western democracy excluded its citizens from their own par- liament or legislature — and not just any old time, but when legisla- tion is before the house — on the basis of their race, ethnicity, color, religion, whatever. Imagine the uproar. Wouldn’t people be furi- ous? Wouldn’r someone, or some groups — like the B.C, Civil Liberties Association, or Mary-Woo Sims’ Humorously Named Rights Commission — launch a hot court challenge? No need to imagine. That’s exactly what happened last week in Victoria. Big Brother's Little Brother, Premier Glen Clark, threw open the ceremonial front doors of the legislature — normally a ges- ture reserved for the monarch or the monarch’s rep ~~ for about 166 Nisga’a Indians, led by Chief Joseph Gosnell. Then the Nisga’a — transported to Victoria for five days of accommodation and meals at taxpayers’ expense — sat exclusively in the public gallery, except tor their leadership. Chief Gosnell spoke from the legisiature floor, an extremely rare honor. Parliaments jealously guard their exclusive turf. So your New Democratic Party gov- ernment undemocratically prohibited anyone bur Nisga’a from occupying the public seats. The government, after the various speeches and ceremonial breast- beating, then gave first reading of the legislation to approve the Nisga’a treaty. a : PETER SPECK Publisier 885-2131 (16%) Tarry Poters Stephersoa Photography Manager Classitied Manager 985-2131 (160) 985-0222 (202) Gaug Foot Comptroller 985-2131 (232). Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Lid. All rights reserved. I'd call that a big fat violation of Charter rights — the right of any and all citizens to attend the public business of the legislature. Ir also shows Clark’s contempt for the larger public. Implicitly he’s saying: “This issue involves only the Nisga’a. The rest of you, just sign the cheque and get the hell out of the way.” 900 News, as I recalled the other day to a friend, can be defined as something that someone doesn’t want to sce in the papers. Apparently [ upset some readers with my item last week stating that some kids were buying drugs only a few feet trom West Vancouver's Ambleside Youth Centre. It’s “logical.” What better place for a drug dealer to skulk around than close to a youth centre, which helpfully concen- trates a potential market — just like a schoolground is the natural habitat for pedophiles? It’s no criticism of the youth centre to report on soincthing happening nearby for which the centre statf aren't responsi- ble. But when I’m phoned and told, as I was this week, that what F reported “never happened,” I lose all patience. My sources are rock-ribbed. What’s contemptible is that many peo- ple must have known what was going on, and turned a blind eve. Readers, it’s simple. Would you rather know, or do you prefer official handouts and sunny ignorance? I never underestimate the popularity of the latter. That explains why many people must have been aware, long before I was, of these contemptible deals that can lead to addiction and death, but chose silence. 900 The Bulldog still bites. And re-bites. Doug Collins has issued his latest book, a collection of his North Shore News columns called Here We Go Again! , and the fearless Collins — recovering trom a knee operation — gets right off with a reprint of the column that got him and the paper into some $200,000 worth of hor water with the B.C. “human rights” apparatus. The book is as rough and ready as the old boy himself, about as slick a produc- tion job as a newsletter printed on a Gestetner in a church basement. But the content will cheer his many fans (yes, some of whom trouble rae — but of course by Doug's standards I’m a wet- noodle liberal) and annoy his fewer but powerful detractors and would-be silencers, who are far scarier than Doug. Q At this writing another tough old bird, Derck Humphreys, is gamely struggling to get back into circulation after being hit by a series of angina attacks and some nasty cye trouble. The former North Vancouver council- lor and West Vancouver mayer was barely out of Lions Gate Hospital when he was back in again. His praise of the Lions Gate staff is unbounded — “magnificent” is his favorite description. OQ Goodnight, The Three Divas, wherev- cr you are. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must inciude your name, full address & telephone number. Managing Editor 85-2151 (116) Trial Agries Promotions Manager 985-2131 (218) Aven Evers 880-0511 (307) Gall Snelgrove Acting Dispiay Manager ‘General Office Manager 965-2431 (105) interast- http://www.nsnews.com Vi e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca Michael Becker - News Editor - - 885-2131 (114) Andrew McCredie - Sports/Community Editor ~ 985-2131 (147)