4 - Friday, April 2, 1993 - Nortn Shore News oisiatur Trevor LaUuZens GARDEN OF BIASES A MUGGING occurred. ft happened in broad daylight. And in the heart of Vie- toria. Hundreds witnessed it. Scores of thousands more saw it on television. No one was arrested. Nobody’s been charged. Does anyone care’? And you, reader — will your interest drop like a stone on learn- ing that this mugging, this assault, was not on a human being, but on the privileges of the British Col- umbia legislature? That assault — by about 200 eco-loons, some wearing the ban- danas of urban guerrillas, whose mighty feats of derring-do includ- ed pushing to the floor and break- ing the hip of a member of the. legislature security staff and smashing an ancient pane of col- ored glass — is already ‘ald news. It happened at the opening of the legisttive session on March 18, the wilderness wackos storm- ing up the steps of the legislature and held back only with great ef- ’ fort by the mostly elderly security staff after they had briefly pushed open the “‘galden gates’’ to the chamber itself. _ Lieutenant-Governor David Lam, who had to enter through a back door because of the swelling protest that began on the Parlia- ment Building's lawn, delayed reading the government’s throne speech for a couple of hours. The MLAs,in effect,were under siege while the crazies yowled and - tried to force.their way in. The Victoria police — finally — arrived, (One of the many, many ques- tions: Why weren’t they called right away? Uneasiness about causing a dreadful scene and in- terfering with right of free speech and of assembly, Ud guess.) The freaks withdrew, a leader having declared that they'd made their point and all that. No arrests. No charges. Victoria police are still investigating. To repeat: Anyone care? Anyone care, especially, about the larger issue —- the attempt to intimidate the B.C, Legislative Assembly, the assault on purlia- ment’s privileges hard-won over centuries of struggle? David Mitchell cares. And last week the in- dependent-Liberal MILA for West Vancouver-Garibaldi singlehandedly achieved the rare success of winning the unanimous approval of the nervous legislature. of his motion upholding those privileges. Nervous, | say, because | suspect the New Democritic gov- ernment is caught between a forest fire and dry bush. The NDP stroked the en- vironmental lobby with en- thusiasm when it was in opposi- tion, How happy the New Democrats were, setting the dogs on the wicked Socreds. Now they find they‘re getting bitten themselves, having prom- ised the moon — unpolluted, of course — to those same baying dogs. In fairness, though, the NDP's Moe Sihota was the warmest of the three party house leaders in supporting Miteheil’s motion. That motion replaced an earlier — and somewhat stronger — one that Mitchell raised in the legislature the day after the riot or near-riot, But it is still potentially strong stuff, Did you know, citizens, that our legislature can constitute itself as 2 court to deal with alleged abuses of its privileges? Can sub- poena witnesses? And that its decision is final — not subject to appeal to any higher court, there being no higher court to appeal to: in such matters? . Mitchell’s motion affirmed “the undoubted rights’? of assembly; demonstration, and lawful dissent. But it condemned “the abuse of those rights.”” And it asserted that it is ing contempt and high breach of its privileges’’ to interfere with its proceedings, adding pointedly that its right ‘‘to take further action with respect to the interference with the proceedings occurring on March 18 last is hereby reserved.”’ Too dry? Too abstract an issue? City approves recyclers’ sale of 3,000 composters NORTH Vancouver City will be supporting the sale of 3,000 back-yard com- posters through: the North Shore Recycling Program (NSRP). By Stephen Wisenthal Contributing Writer Councillors voted recently .10 spend up to $5,000 on the pro- gram and approved an application to the provincial government for more funding for the NSRP. In 1992 alf 3,100 composters offered to North Shore residents sold out within two weeks of be- ing advertised, and there is al- ready a waiting list of 600 people who have submitted their cheques for this year. The program — with a total budget ‘of more than $160,000 — sells the units at half their $50 cost and recovers most of the dif- ference from the provincial grant, leaving the North’ Shore ‘NORTH VANCOUVER - CITY COUNCIL municipalities with a bill for about $34,000. This compares with a potential saving of nearly $50,000 in annual tipping fees if the composters are used, an NSRP report states. North Vancouver District is budgeted to pick up 61.4% of the cost ($20,796), West Vancouver 23.4% ($7,926) and the city 15.2 Yo ($5,148). Open House] Sunday 10-3 Out of town seller 1 day only 960: Esquimalt WV , $499,000 Inquire 1-748-9929 ‘ Dy enviro-loons With an exception or two — notably Jim Hume of the Victoria Times-Colonist, whose retirement this year will silence a respected member of the Victoria press corps —- the media has yawned. The public? Predictably, sone voices were raised defending the breakers of men's bones and old colored glass in the name of sav- ing Clayoquot Sound’s forests — the trigger issue of the violence. Mitchell found little initial en- thusiasm among the legistators themselves. For reasons other than the | aforementioned: for instance, some had taken part in an- ti-government demotstrations themselves in carlier lives. Perhaps too they've been weakened by the awareness that politicians generally haven't been held in such low regard in living memory — a point that may well have emboldened the crazies. Mitchell's speech merits much longer quotation than f can give if. Forcefully, he pointed out that any prospective action Gf Vic- toria’s police won't respond to the Gel a Jump on Easter Reserve Now Easter Sunday Brunch or Dinner fram Tam on Wey l 485-138h StS West Van centeul issue — the breach of parliamentary privileges. “Weare, and must be, masters of our own house,” he said. In an engrossing hour and a half of interview, Mitchell added many other points: the need to reassess legislative security in its totality, the desirability of having both this specific occurrence and the broader issue of legislative Privilege — imprecise in present legislation and dimly understoad even by most MLAs — studied by a legislative committee, away from the partisan glare of the house. Mitchell’s best Tine in his legislature speech was: Cur system of parliamentary democracy is alot like love: it can survive almost all attacks except indifference or negiect."" Moe Sihota, as mentioned, was most generous, He expressed grat- itude for Mitchell's initiative, and added a good point: the legislature's security staff “are more than employees of this place. They are our colicagues."* So they deserve protection — and their views about proper steps should be canvassed. Liberal House Leader Jeremy Dalton (West Van- couver-Capilano) echoed Sihota's thanks to Mitchell, but cautioned that ‘l don’t want this partiament to think that it should necessarily act on its own.” And his Social Credit counter- part, Cliff Serwa, dropped at least an octave lower. “A most serious event,’” he said, but “an anomaly, It is not an event thal | am unduly con- cerned about, [tis a rarity.” Yes — but will it remain one? It might not, if the perpetrators get off scot-free, As the increasingly cynical public thinks: if one car is caught going 80 clicks in a 50-click zone at2a.m., that's speeding, UF 25,000 cars are driven at 80 over Lions Gate Bridge, that's the rush hour. And if one out had seriously in- jured a security guard and dam- aged property trying to barge in to the legislature, instead of 200 nuts « Well, need | complete the anal- ogy? DUNDARAVE BAKERY German Owners Specializing in: Excellent Sourdough Bread Fresh Pretzels every day! 2454 MARINE DRIVE and delicious Cakes & Pastries. fel. 922-7533 WEST VANCOUVER 3441 Lonsdale, N.Van only 980-4433 Some prices in effect at Cap Mall location.