Reader out

raged over

drunk driving charge

Dear Editor:

Very seldom ‘in my life have I felt the sense of
Outrage that 1 feel following the ludicrous sentences
handed out in recent weeks to drunk drivers whose
Stupidity has resulted in death for their victims.

Got drunk? Killed two young. men? Well, that cer-
tainly is a serious offence: here is a year in jail and a
two-year driving suspension.

Is this'really to be accepted as appropriate punish-
ment? Is this a deterrent that will make other potential
drunk drivers avoid the consequences of their stupidi-
ty? ood
~ Qur courts continue to treat injury and death caus-
ed by drunk drivers as ‘accidental’ as though the pain
and suffering inflicted by these people is somehow
excusable because alcohol was involved. The facts are
that we all know what the possible outcome of drink-
ing and driving. is; we ‘all. know. that we’ therefore

- should not combine the two. And yet the ‘Slaughter on
our roads and highways continues. Why?

Perhaps the answer is that as long as the legal
system trivializes death and injury. by giving out
sentences that cannot be. interpreted as punishment,

ys

"DO IT & DIAL IT!
oma

the message being given to drunk drivers is that their
offences are misdemeanors. ;

It is time to take a tough stance on drinking and
driving. Take the discretionary powers away from
courts, and establish minimum standards of punish-
ment which truly do reflect the magnitude of the
crime. I offer the following as my personal view on
what those might be:
¢ DWI (driving while impaired) causing death: 10
years, no parole, permanent revocation of driving
privileges.

e DWI causing injury: 5 years, no parole; permanent

revocation of driving privileges.

© DWI involving property damage: 2 years; no

parole, 5-year suspension of driving privileges.

© DWI: -1 year in prison/jail. (not to be served on

weekends, etc.) and a 5-year suspension of driving
privileges.

This may. be the only avenue open to us if we wish
to protect ourselves not only from the predations of
the moronic minority, but from lenient courts as well.
Richard M. Steele . .

North Vancouver

| Equity promised

in cost recovery

Dear Editor:

In recent months a number of
boaters in North Vancouver-Bur-
naby have expressed concern to me
over a cost recovery program for
certain Coast Guard services pro-
posed by Bill C-75,:An Act to
Amend the Canada Shipping Act.

‘f -conveyed these concerns to.

federal Transport Minister Don
Mazankowski in February. On
April 16th he replied that Bill C-75
is only being introduced now to
provide legislative authority for the
introduction of cost recovery

measures in future. Indeed, Clause ~

4 regarding charges for naviga-
tional services will not come into
effect until January, 1987,

More important, Mr.
Mazankowski assured me_ that
“there will be no implementation
of charges without: full user. con-
sultation.’’ An amendment to Bil}
C-75 requires the government to
publish each regulation setting | out
new or revised .charges in the

_ Canada Gazette at least 90 days

~Wednesday May. 26th

The One. Decision Fund i is not ‘an Equity Fund, not,

Bond.

und, nota. Money: “market: Fund, ;but, by

“nnorote your RRSP ‘or RRIF i return the. coupon

“Or oF phone :

Qj Street
“City
«Province -
- Postal | Code:

609 Granville: Street ,
Box:10330

Pacific Cen
‘Vancouver, BC:

vat bu prices. ;

prior to their introduction. This

provision will ensure that interest-
ed individuals or groups have a re-
asonable opportunity to advise the
minister of any objections they
might have.

Another amendment stipulates
that no charges would be imposed
where and when the corresponding
services are not generally provided.
Thus Vancouver area boaters
would not be charged for services
provided only to other regions. ..

. Although Mr. . Mazankowski
aims to: generate an additional $20

Million’ in’ net. revenue | by 1988
“through a cost recovery program,

the Coast Guard’s ‘revenue-to-
expenditure ratio would still only
increase from 3.per cent to APPFOR-
imately 7 per cent. .
Mr. Mazankowski has promised
that ‘‘fairness and equity will be
the guiding principles in the |

‘preparation of any cost recovery

program.” As a West Coast boater.,
myself, I. found his reply reassur-
ing. .

Chuck Cook, M.P. |

North Vancouver-Burnaby