Sunday, March 8, 1998 - North Shore News - 9 north shore news OX MAIL B The BCTF is promoting homosexuality Dear Editor: The BCTF is at it again. Parents of children in B.C. schools hold your hats. Your children are in for a rough ride. Last vear at its annual general meeting, the B.C, Teachers’ Federation resolved to combat homophobia. They said that there was harassment and discrim- ination in the schools, wo wondertully “politically correct” terms. Their resolutions were adopted immediately with hardiy a dissent. | was quoted in this newspaper as saving that this was a clever guise for actually promoting homosexuality in the schools. Unfortunately, Iam being proven correct. This year, the BCTF, “with strong recommenda- tions from GALE (Gay and Lesbian Educators) will ~ take the issue one step further and try to combat het- crosexism. Look that one up in your dictionary! It doesn’t exist. In essence, the GALE educators do net want vou to believe that heterosexual sex is normal. “Phev are determined to teach vour children that to be homo: sexual is ta be normal, healthy and indeed a desirable thing. Gulp. The insidious thing about these AGMs of the BCTF is that the deck is stacked beforehand. The minister of education in Victoria, as well as the pres- ident of the BCTF, both have sympathetic cars to their resolutions and recommendations. It is called “social justice,” and indeed it stinks! The agendas are set well in advance, any alternate view or dissenting opinion is quickly guashed and they slam-dunk the resolutions through and then call it democracy, when in fact it is anything but. If you were to be so bold as to show that this litestvle is abnormal, unhealthy and undesirable, you would be branded as a *homophobe.” Try writing to the Department of Education in Victoria and you'll see what IE mean. In summary, then, [am warning vou of a dis- tastetul, reprehensible program which is coming into our B.C. schools and we will be one step closer to adopting iton March 14 through 17, as the repro- bate BCTF gathers again. [ourge all sane, decent parents in pritish Columbia to storm their local school boards before it is too late, and demand that the promotion of homosexuality i in their schools be stopped. Nothing iy politically right that is morally wrong. Dulcie Baxter West Vancouver N. Shore needs public trails committee diverse Dear Editor: trail system in the the construction of one “old right across the trail, which searcher Ralf Kelman, and I With regard to the North Shore News article dated Feb. -15, “Cyclists mar Seymour Trail”: Friends of the Watersheds are disappointed thar the GVRD did not recommend the formation of an indepen- dent public trails committee as we requested on November 21, 1997. This-committce should be separate from the Seymour Advisory Committee (SAC), whose interests since 1985 are . geared toward continued log- “ging, and clearly they have not - been interested in promoting a trail system in the 5,600- hectare Lower Seymour Valley. There are many wonderful Lower Seymour Valley, even though recreation is part of their “multiple-use” mandate. The top, north sections of the Fisherman‘s Trai] have been in a state of disrepair for several years, and are testimony to the lack of priority which water district. staff and their advisory committee have placed on the use of its most popular trail. On the one hand, the water district has recently received about $150,000 for growth” trail near the Seymour dam, vet on the other hand they have avoided mivor fund- ing for public safety concerns on an existing tail. On one piece of the trail lies a number of windfall trees stacked up three ro four tect high. Any elderly person or someone not careful trying to get over these trees could run into some real problems. In another section, a creck flows Dr. Bers Lee is pleased to announce the opening of the makes completing the trail impossible. Most of the work done on the trail has been below Twin Bridges. PE would like to challenge the water district statement that the flagged and rough trails promoted by the Western Canada Wilderness Committce lo some graves of towering trees in the Lower Sevmour are a public fiability. T have hiked these trails which were pioneered by tree- can tell you that any person in average physical condition would have no problem get- ting around on them, As in any hiking situation, individuals are both responsible for being properly equipped and tor attending to their own satety. These trails in the Lower Seymour finally open up some important recreational areas to the interested public. Ross Muirhead, director Friends of the Watersheds Owner’s right to cut trees Dear Editor: Re: Mary Grav’s letter to the editor, Feb. 13. Perhaps Ms. Gray would like to send me a cheque to cover some of my property taxes if she feels [ doen't have the right to cur down a tree on my own property. As for being a “windy privileged property owner,” she's partly correct. [ own my property. Some people just don’t get it. Lawrence Barry North Vancouver Custom designed engagement tings quality at an cffordabie price 28 in business in Dundorave #2-2435 Marine Or. (W.V.) 922-3014 (Back tane) Seymour Dental Centre Parkgate Village Shopping Centre 200-3650 Mt. Seymour Parkway {above the Bank of Montreal) ° ‘opportunities for trails leading to old-growth stands of giant fir, cedar and sitka spruce, but . when your readers realize that the Lower Seymour Valley is controlled by a. committce with strong aes to the B.C. » forest industry it should come as no surprise that the last thing they want the public to sce is the difference between one of their clearcuts and man- _ -aged stands versus the diversity “and beauty of a 1,000-year-old « forest. In 1983 there was a pro- posal by the three North Shore municipalities to -have the Lower Seymour become a regional park, a _ process approved by the GVRD and one which the water district did not like as they had other plans for the area. ~The committee looking into the park option was dis- banded by the water commis- sioner of the day, and a new “unauthorized — committee” ‘was trected in its place — one with an agenda to turn the val- ley into a demonstration log- ging show. Because the major- ity of SAC members have been advocates of the forest indus- try, with no representation from public user groups, the GVRD water district continues to deny the average citizen direct access to the planning of the area. This situation needs to be changed. Since Advisory the Seymour Conmmitice — was formed in 1985, and the Seymour Demunstration Forest established in 1987, more than $8 million has been spent on its operation, half of that money coming from Greater Vancouver taxpayers. Yer, we have seen fitde funding to the establishment of 3 924-8289 Appsintments 8am-fpm Tues. to Sat. woor?aps’ See Cur Yellow Page Ad General & Specialty Dentistry RBC DoMINION SECURITIES SALUTES Brian Bassett, Vice President and Director is proud to announce thar two North Shore investment advisors have been named Vice Presidents of RBC Dominion Securities. 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