6 - Sunday, November 23, 1997 — North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT Snail ma ‘T again, Canadians are being held hostage by that most men- acing of union species: the dis- _ gruntied postie. Much has changed in Canadian society since the four corners of this vast country first became reachable with envelope and stamp. These days, telephone lines are the telecommunication tentacles that _ make everyday facets of life. in the - 1990s.— e-mail, faxes, videcconfer- ‘ encing —- possible. aa “+ It-would follow that our postal sys- tem -—‘snidely dubbed “srail-mail” _by. the cyberocracy. — should be stumbling . from. the _ steadily ‘encroaching electronic delivery sys- tems. But it isn’t. oe Today, company officials boast of “record profits, qustomer satisfaction, To listen to them, the company has never been more relevant and more essential to the Canadian public than it is today. Indeed, the postal strike has knocked the APEC summit off the front page, further underscoring the relevance of the institution. Despite the skeptics, Canada Post has done well in the past five years to right its sinking fortunes. Not surprisingly, the unionized employees of the company are demanding longterm security — financial and otherwise — in light of .these accomplishments. The employees know all too well that the next fledgling step in the evolution of Canada Post will be full privatization. Maye not today or tomorrow. But one day soon. And for most Canadians, the sooner the better. "and high-technology -advances. erie tate eth a: Bar's - THE ‘North Shore News Free Speech Defence _. Fund keeps on growing. To press time Friday, donations from over 2,000 News readers and free speech supporters to the fund stood at. ec ~. «$144,191. Legal fees expen ~. already exceeded $200,000. ‘c. , All funds received will help defray the legal costs faced £ by the News in its battle with the Human Rights - Tribunal over a complaint laid against the news- paper ‘and ‘its coiumnist Doug Collins by the d thus far by the News have x Canadian Jewish Congress. ’ The hearing into the matter, which began on May «12, conelvded on June 27. “Fhe decision trom tribunal chairman Nitya Iyer “was handed Cown on Nov. 12. Full coverage of ‘the decision appeared in the Nov. 14 News. Tyer found that Collins’ column was not hateful, bur also ruled that, while the legislation under which the News was prosecuted infringes upon “the.Charter’s guarantee of free expression, it was “constitutionally valid, * “Extra copies’ of the News’ Free Speech - Supplement, which was originally published in the "Aug. 20 News, are available at. the News offices. =. Another excerpt from; the thousands of respon- - dents'to the cause: * o, ; oe O00. vie.) “Please accept our donation towards your defince “fund. I wish it could be'more but I wanted you to know there are people out bere that support what you are doing and appreciate the opportunity to see Dong Collins’ articles, although being in Ontario we don’t see too many.” a — John and Linda Mortl of Bala, Ontario 000 Donations to the fund can be sent to: 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7M 2H4. Cheques should be * made out to the North Shore News Free Speech Defence Fund. a _ — trenshaw@direct.ca north shore North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and quaktnad under Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Yax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press. ‘Utd. and distnbuted to every doot on the North ‘Snore, Canaria Post Canadian Publications Mal Sales Product Agreement No. 0087238. Mailing rates avaitable on tequest. Distribution Manager 866-1337 (124) me: Te, Merce! reative 985-2131 (127) 61,582 (average crrculation, Weanesday, Friday & Sunday} ITS THE POSTAL UNION WITH ANOTHER JOB SECURITY DEMAND THEY WANT US To BAN FAXES AND E-MAIL rae Z q A \y ~ | * OIRICE1 a. oe | ml i. A house with many mansions? THE MODERATOR (read head) of the United Church, Canada’s biggest Protestant denomination, is in the doghouse with some of his flock for straight talking. The Right Rev. Bill Phipps has my sympathy. Any unorthodoxy in matters religious has always invited a whole heap of trouble — from the torturers of the Inquisition down to today’s Islamic fanatics who slaughtered 60 innocent tourists at Luxor last week merely for being “infidels.” Things haven't-quite got to thar stage yet in Canada, thank heaven. But never- theless the Right Rev. Bill is now being castigated as “a heretic” who has aban- doned his faith and called upon to resign by some of his ministerial colleagues. His “sin?” A newspaper interview in which he advised Christians to worry more about poverty than about whether Jesus Christ was the son of Gad. He also admitted he didn’t know if heaven or hell exist, and didn’t accept the Bible as always being historically accurate. So a rift is now reportedly developing berween UC conservatives who swallow traditfonal doctrine neat and liberals like Phipps in search of new ways to express God's presence. As i understand it, the former sec heaven as a joyous, sunlit place — some- where in outer space where everyone is PETER SPECK Publisher 985-2131 (101) Bes Dhaliwal == Cinda $ Human Resources Manager Sales & Marketing Disector 905-2131 (177) 980-0511 (319) _ Terry Photography Manager 985-2131 (160) Valerie Stephenson Classified Manager 996-6222 (202) Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Lid. Alt rights reserved. an eternally happy angel — and hell as a flame-filled pit where Lucifer prods the roasting wicked with a three-pronged fork. I can at least respect such a personal concept, even if I’m a little confused about its geography. As also, it seems, is the UC Moderator, He appears far more interested in what his church can do for the suffering here on earth than in counting how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. And if he doesn’t always take the Bible ouite literally, I suspeer he is by no means alone, even within the church itself. For your humble scribe (rushing in where angels fear to tread!) the Testaments are history books recording events of ancient times as the writers of those days chose to present them. ; Though they may sometimes lack his- torical accuracy, they more than compen- sate with a wealth of moral guidance. Morcover, I believe unquestioningly that a supremely good man named Jesus Christ, embodying the spirit of divine love for mankind, lived on carth as described. Whatever the circumstances of his birth, it’s clear that if many more pco- ple today were like him, we'd have few problems left. Whar a church can do today to help humanity outside its walls as well as with- in them is clearly far more important than expending time and energy playing doc- trinal scrabble with its own faithful. And the fact of the matter is that the United hither and yon Church, with its vast range of “outreach / activities, already has a sterling record helping all kinds of pcople in need : who’ve never yet entered its doors, So I think its new-age Moderator h: his basic priorities right — just as long he remembers a church must always be “MORE than a thrift shop or a soup: kitchen. Because its members roll up sleeves and don their aprons in so, mati} worthy causes doesn’t mean they have abandon the ritual and symbolism insepa rable from their faith, nor their own pe _ Sonal concepts of that faith. If some believe everything in the is literally true, while others (like the Moderator) interpret it more loose; surely that’s a purely individual matter in both cases, calling for mutual respect and tolerance on each side while they ¢ bine to do the church’s work. Brawlin; “conservatives” and “liberals” beloiig i knock-’em-down-drag-’em-out politica forums, not in the Sanctuary. © I haven’t the slightest doubt th hearts of both the Right Rev. Phipps‘and his attackers are in the right place, Wh: are not at the moment, it would seem,’ are their public words. Maybe it’s time for them all to re-read that bit in the © Bible about my Father's house having many mansions. esting “Journey Through Color” displa: of photds by Sam Short and Sandi Wilson at West Van ‘Library gallery con- =. tinuing until Nov. 30. oo . a . _ WRIGHT OR WRONG: I? you think you’re all-powerful, try ordering around - ©: somcone clse’s dog. fe LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. VIA e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca Managing Editor 985-2131 (116) 1G Foa Comatrolter 985-2131 (133) Trix] Agrios Promiations & Acting Display Manager 98S-2131 (218) Genera! Otfice Manager 985-2131 (105) internet: http://jwww.nsnews.com Michael Becker - News Exciter 985-2131 (194) Andrew McCredie - Sposts/Community Editor 985-2131 (147)