6 — Friday, June 2, 2989 — North Shore News INSIGHTS ‘Leak’ charge adds yet more egg to gov't faces THE KEYSTONE COPS atmosphere of the RCMP in- vestigation into the budget leaks would be hilarious, were it not for the attempted threat to one of our most cherished freedoms. The Mounties have solemnly charged Global TV reporter Doug Small with “‘ and told them its contents a day ahead of Finance Mixister Wilson's scheduled budget spesch in the Commons. What has hap- pened since that first famous leak, plus all the others now uncovered, is history still in the making. Whether the nickel’s worth of printed paper handled by Mr. Small, which Ottawa distributed nationwide 24 hours later, was in- deed stolen (and if so, whether be KNEW it was stolen) is for the court to decide. But his trial has nothing to do with the REAL reason why the government wants to punish Mr. Small. Iv’s for broadcasting ‘‘stolen informa- tion.”* Happily, that is NOT a crime. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that informaticn cannot be “‘stofen’” because it cannot (in the sense of property) be ‘‘pos- sessed.”’ To quote the ruling: “One cannot be deprived of con- fidentiality because one cannot own confidentiality. One enjoys it.”? Thus the Court recognized that there are cases where exposing “‘confidential’’ information is in the public interest. With rights go responsibilities, of course, and in this instance it might be argued by some that Doug Small was more concemmed with a scoop for Global TV than with the public interest. But it’s equally arguable that the budget was of vital concern to all Cana- YOUNG ROTARACT MEMBERS Uke those in this 1988 photo will again serve the pancake breakfasts that kick off West Van's Community Day tomorrow, Jane 3. criminal West Coast The report is a recyclability. poratiors. Strait pollution (gone tes Canada’s recently released rt on the pollution of Georgia Strait makes for some pretty gruesome reading that should shock industry and individuals alike into changing the imi: most have for our environment. Entitled ‘Dire Straits’, the Greenpeace document lists the staggering pot-poarri of poison spewed into the Strait of Georgia from sources as diverse as the itself: pulp mills, wastewater runoff, the Fraser River, pleasure craft, tanker traffic, air pollution and on and on. searing indictment, not just of in- dastries Ioathe to invest in cleaner processes and better environmeatal standards; but of governments, riddled with imeptitude, under the influence of political loyalties; and of individuals, blinkered by apathy, supporting philosophies of disposability over _ Itisa story that correctly delivers the blame for our pathetic environment record to ALL areas of Lower Mainland life, not jast on the doorsteps of large cor- The Strait of Georgia, according to Dire Straits, is fast approacking the ecological catastrophe that is the Residents om all sides of the waterway have a duty to adjust their lifestyles and their concerns to make sure that prophecy never comes true. The only time we kave left is the time to act. sewage plants, dians and that a reporter receiving, its highlights in advance had no right to suppress them simply to suit a government timetable. It’s just one more example of why governments and the media tend to be natural enemies. It’s why freedom of the press is en- shrined in the Constitution and has since been reinforced by the Supreme Court. It’s also the reason why Doug Small — whether or not convicted — could lcave the Mulroneyites with even more egg on their faces than they’ve col- lected already in this affair. What their Keystone Cops act — aimed at intimidating the 1aedia — boils down to is the equivalent of charging Mr. Small with possessing half a candy bar passed to him by someone who may or may not have shoplifted it from the drugstore! ane TAILPIECES: Two generations of Rotary will again feed and water revellers at West Van Community Day tomorrow, June 3. Starting at 9 a.m., Rotaract — the youth branch — wil] be serving $3 pan- cake breakfasts at 18th and Marine. And from noon onward their seniors in West Van Rotary (tub dish out their famous suds- *n-sausages lunches in the beer garden at the Rec Centre... In North Van every St. Thomas Aquinas student and teacher recently took part in a [0km walkathon. At the end of the day the event brought the school community of about 280 over $10,000 in pledges -— to be do- nated to a summer camp for men- tally handicapped children! ... Congrats to North Van's Juan Carlos Cereno on winning a grad- uate gold medal from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., for the highest academic standing in graduate social work. He'll serve this summer with Ed- North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an i wees Peter Speck Managing Editor... Barrett Fisher Associate Editor ..... Noel Wright Advertising Directur . Linda Stewart independent hfied under Schedule 111, gach North Vancouver, B.C. North Shore eee V7M 2H4 monton social services ... And an- niversary greetings to Bert and WRIGHT OR WRONG: When Hilda Sammers of North Van who _ two people agree upon everything, notch up their 63rd tomorrow, only one of them is doing any June 3. thinking. MANY MORE NEEDED...like North Yan Big Brother Das Griffith, pictured here with little brother Jeremy ai a recent fun ‘‘sleepoves”’ event sponsored by the Hyatt Regency. If you'd like to help as a North Shore BB, call 434-1411 for iafo. gMenseRURCER ==, «9B BALON BURCEP » NO - VERISEN BURGER 150 BEAR BURGER / 120, MEWS photo Cindy Goodman SPARMRD OY DEEP FRICD ELK SERVER MTRUGEETS «WO. “EACACOLALLETTE | 80 SUNDAY - WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, 59,170 (average, Wednesday rales avaiable . i : j berrvic) ies os request. oN ae Friday & Sunday) unsobcted paternal including ipod and pictures e emrekpe. a SDA DIMSION Display Advertiing Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution 986-1337 Subscriptions 906-1337 | Fax 985-3227