6 — Sunday, March 8, 1998 — North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT Healih is wealth ITY the politicians. Be they federal, provincial or munici- pal, those elected to manage society’s affairs often run into con- flicting messages. This past week it’s been North Vancouver District coun- cil’s turn to ponder the illogical. On Monday night council approved in principle a plan to pub- licly finance construction and opera- tion of an indoor tennis facility in the Fullerton area. Some have questioned why council, on the heels of approv- ing a public-private partnership to build three ice rinks in the Seymour area, has reverted to the dark days of government spending with the $2- million tennis facility price tag. Two days following council’s deci- sion, the Canadian Pediatric Society released a study concluding that Canada’s children are pitiful couch potatoes. Too much TV, computer and video game time. Not enough exercise. See the connection? The ol’ “you can pay me know, or pay me later” thing. Recreation facilities today, or extended health care costs tomorrow. Council’s next recreational hurdle will be a proposed rollerblade court near Karen Magnussen Arena; nearby residents have voiced loud opposition to the plan. Council’s dilemma in such instances is clear. The overtaxed citi- zen cries for fiscal responsibility and in the process ties the hands of deci- sion-makers seeking to provide much- needed recreational facilities. Money inay be what makes the world go round, but a wealthy society that is unhealthy is no civilized soci- ety at all. mailbox Cat tale reveals Good Samaritan Dear Editor: * These days one hears often of stress and people leading busy lives. We read about financial crises and about murders. It can be heartwarming then to know of kind, Good -Samaritans who, as it turns out, live in your neighbor- hood. — . .. Qur beloved cat was struck by a car on a dark, rainy night last week. I called the West Vancouver SPCA when he did not return in the morning. They told me they had heard of a cat that was brought into the 24-hour. emergeacy hospital at Pine and 4th in Vancouver the night before. Several phone calls later and a.visit to the SPCA Hospital (in Vancouver) — I learnevi that a lady named “Jill” was driving up the hill that night. saw our injured kitty in the middle of the road, stopped, put him in a box she got from a nearby house, and drove all the way across ie to the hospital. (The vet advised me she saved his ife). The next day Jill walked around our block knocking on doors hoping to find the cat’s owners. She called the hospital ro find out the cat’s progress. Jill now knows our cat underwent hip surgery and is recovering at home. We want her to know all our sincere, heartfelt thanks and appreciation. Susan Gillmore West Vancouver Mailbox policy LETTERS to the editor must be legible (preferably type- written) and include your name, full address and tele- phone number. north shore North Shore News, tounded in 3969 as an independent suhurban newspaper and qualhed uncer Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of me Earsse Tax Act. 13 pubishod exch Wednestay. Fiday and Sunosy by Horth Shore Free Press Ud ant distributed to every door on the North Shore Canada Pust Canadian Pubkcadoris Mat Sales Product Agreement No 0087238. Maring rates avatahie on request, , _ Barbara Emo Distribution Manager 986-1337 (124) teative Services ul 985-2131 (127) 61,582 {average careulation, Wednesday, Fintay & Suncay} Your representative owes you, not bis industry only, bur his judgment; he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion, —Edmund Burke MP (Speech to electors, 1774). IF ever an elitist addressed the great unwashed, it had to be Britain’s distin- guished 18th centu- ry parliamentarian quoted above. No nonsense about “recall” stuff in Burke’s day. His constituents were mostly uninformed and many were illiter- ate. Thev’d little choice but to blindly depend on their “betters,” Burke happily being among the best. Today’s literate and ccucated electors — able to catch up on current affairs every hour on the hour — are a very different kettle of fish. Ail of which brings us to North Van Reform MP Ted White’s vigorous defence of recall as a tool of direct democracy (Recall keeps democracy honest, Mailbox, March 4). Ted accuses your scribe of opposing it, which [ don’t. The theory of recall —- backed by 80% of the B.C. electorate in 1991 and used periodi- cally in California since 191] — is pure democratic motherhood. It’s the present practice of recall, as Prince George and Skeena voters discovered during the recent failed recall bids there, that’s badiv in need of some skilled political engineer- ing. Let’s be clear about the objective: the PETER SPECK Publisher 985-2131 (101) Himan Resources Manager 985-2139 (177) Terry Pate Photography Manager ‘Stepherson Classified Manager 905-2131 (160) 906-6222 (202) 985-2131 (133) Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Lid. Ail rights reserved. ITS ANOTHER CALL PLEADING FoR you To RECONSIDER ability of voters tu fire an MP or MLA for disgraceful conduct or for deceiving them. The former grounds are simple. If he injures or kills someone because of drunk driving, or is found in bed with someone's teen daugh- ter, he'd better be replaced pronto. The latter grounds — deceiving the electorate —~— are more important, as well as more fre- quent. You elect your MP/MLA on the strength of information he/she gives you that you assume to be cor- rect or because he/she promises to promore your interests. Later you realize your rep- resentative lied to you or will do only what the four-year dictator called prime minister, premier or party leader orders. Those are the on/y legitimate grounds tor recall. Simply because you voted against him/her at the previous election is vot a reason for recall. You can’t have been misled or deceived when you voted for someone else. One of the biggest flaws in the current B.C. recall legislation is that it omits to spell out precise reasons for using it. Disliking the shape of an MLA’s nose is not enough. The other highly debatable area is the recall “threshold” — in B.C.’s case, sig- natures of 40% of eligible last-time voters collected within 60 days. In California only 15% of registered voters need sign. Add to this the problem of registered voters who die or move away between elections. In the case of Prince George it was estimated that LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. VA e-mail: trenshaw @ divect.ca imethy Renshaw Managing Editor 985-2137 (116) Comptrolier a Trial Agrios Promotions Manager Display Manages 980-0511 (166) 885-213) (218) Gail Sneigrove ‘General Ottice Manager 988-2131 (105) internet- http//www.nsnews.com a Rees CeorcETY —— How can recall be made to work? between 50% and 60% of the by-then -. faulty 1996 list would have to be covered. in order to be sure of the minimum num- ber of signatures. ‘ But what do such percentages really mean? Under our tirst-past-the-post election system relatively few individual candidates win more than 40% of the vote — ieaving some 60% opposing them in any case from election day onward. Hence the importance of defining specific person sins by the MP/MLA to prevent recall « from becoming merely a replay of the las election between elections. - - If these practical problems with recall can be ever solved under our outdated ° parliamentary system, I will agree com- pletely with Ted White's view of it as an invaluable tool of direct democracy. But while we're waiting, we shouldn’t over-, look alternative ways to deteat our four- year dictatorships. vet Like the American-style separation of. powers between cabinet and legislature. . .; Or the preferential vote or modified pro: portional representation successfully adopted by our cousins Down Under. Or even an odd latter-day Edmund: Burke who'd stand no nonsense from an PM or premier! : 000 WISH HAPPY 85TH birthday Tuesday, March 10, to North Van (Woodcroft) resident Marion Waine ... And many happy returns of that same day to West Van’s Eve Kemble. . gong WRIGHT OR WRONG: Admire the postage stamp. It sticks to something, - until it gets there. Administration Display Advertising Real Estate Advertising Ctassitied Advertising Newsroom Distribution Display & Real Estate Fax Michael Becker - News Editor 985-2134 (114) Andrew McCredie - Sports/Community Editor 985-2131 (147) North Shore News is published by North Shore Free Press Ltd., Publisher Peter Speck, from 1139 Lonsdale Avenue Worth Vancouver, B.C., V7M 2H4