As Monday’s deadline looms in the labour dispute involving support staff workers, a shutdown of schools in many districts is becoming a disturbing pos- sibility. The B.C. Teachers Federation president, David Chudnovsky, also announced this week that his union will be demanding a substantial wage hike in its next collective agreement. For parents, that means inquiring next year they will endure another angst-ridden bar- gaining session and another possible strike. That leads to this week’s question: should education be declared an essential service, therefore banning lega! strikes? Rarely does Inquiring Reporter come back with results as overwhelmingly in favour of its proposition. Even when we polled people last year about whether doctors should be allowed to withhold their services we got a wider range of opinions. The concensus in this issue seems clear: educators and their employers should find solu- tions to their disputes without holding children hostage. NORTH SHORE DEMOGRAPHICS YES NO 100% 93% 91% 99% 94% Horseshoe Bay Dundarave/Ambleside Fritish Propertics Norgate/Pemberton Heights Capilano/Delbrock Highlands Lower Lonsdale Central and Upper Lonsdale Lynn Valicy Biueridge/Deep Cove COMBINED AVERAGE . -- 94% 3% NO po OPINION KNOW N’T Rosemarie Davenport North Vancouver Yes. because it’s really important that our children be taughe. They are our Most important resource. 0% 0% Robin Delany North Vancouver Absolutely it should be. | don’t think there is anything more important than our children’s would be surprised if most educators don’t feel same way. They take serious- ly what they do and are proud of it. Toronto [ would say so. The children of tomorrow will be looking after us in the future. Good education teaches people values, without which saci- ery becomes more barbaric. So, there is both an eco- nomic and a social reason. education, I the i Bronwen Ledger bO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE INQUIRING REPORTER? E-mail your comments or question ideas to: mmille >: mmillerchip@nsnews.com | com - West Van counci ‘Angela Ma MacKenzie ’ Contributing Writer WEST Vancouver District council saembers refused ko express their full support for the arts and cultur- “al development strategies Presented to them during their Monday night meeting. - Oksana Dexter, the cultural services superintendent for the dis- trict, outlined the four major strategies of a report developed by the Greater Vancou... Regional District's (GVRD) regional cui- tural plan steering committee and asked the council for an expres- sion of support. But several councillors hesitated to do so and told Dexter the plans appeared to be an attempt by the GVRD to extend their powers into municipalities. ~ Dexter. tried to reassure council members that she was fully _ aware of the municipality’s concerns. '. “Dm particularly very sensitive because [ believe that culture is -hore:grawn and has to come from there and serve its own citi- zens first and foremost. ‘ :“This project has always been an inter-raunicipal project and is “ Not coming from the GVRD in any way, shape or form.” In. 1995, the GVRD board approved the formation of a steer- ing committee composed of staff fom each of its member munic- “ipalties that would tackle regional cultural dev elopment. ‘But Coun. Victor Durman maintained his opposition to the commitee’ s initiatives. He said-he wanted to see a completed business plan outlining “how much fuinding would go to developing arts and culture specif- _ teally in West Vancouver. He is concerned the committce’s strate- gies will not necessarily benefit their communities. Ball Gown” ‘(as seen available in blue, pink & green) $139.99 "Many, other styles to choose from Special Grad Offer Receive $30 off your grad ‘purchase. of $200 or more Offer expires April 30, 2000 Durman said the steering committee’s involvement in cco- nomic and teurism issues would only create a farger bureaucracy and allaw dhe GVRD to exercise its influence in each municipality. “You've got a conmnittee of all these cultural people,” Durman said. “And what do they all want to do? They want to create more policy that creates more bureaucracy and expand their view of the world into a bigger and bigger program.” Durman said he disliked the GVRD’s defining culture in West Vancouver and wants Dexter to spend more time developing the community’s already existing arts and cultural centres. “I'd like her to spend her time in this municipality and not be co- opted i into the GVRD’s greater plan and their web of influ- ences,” Durman said. His concerns were echoed by fellow councillors Allan Williams, John Clark and Ken Haycock. But Dexter was not upset by council’s decision to withhold its support. “L think it just brings forward our awareness that cach of the municipalities in this whole process is very sensitive to the GVRD,” Dexter said. “They have some real issues around the way the GVRD deals with the municipalities around certain things and they’re always aware that there’s a cost involved.” Dexter said a business plan outlining the allocation of finds would be completed at the end of June at the carlicst. “I think the work we've done to date has been really worth- while,” Dexter said. “Now we need everyone’s perspective at the table st so we can make a really good business case for what we need to do.” The GVRD’s report included the following action plan: @ improve funding for regional arts and culture to ensure their quality and provide for growth; For everyday... Top Skirt Cowboy Hat Snake Print Pink Bag GVRI *32.998 aris poucy B develop a network for the region to improve access to informa- tion about arts an culture; @ develop ; and implement a cultural tourism strategy to enhance the region’s cultural attractions, increase the growth of cultural tourism and increase its economic and social benef.*s; \ Mi review the challenges and obstacles for performing and visual arts groups touring the region and increase access to arts and cul- ture activity in existing venues. Parks for Vista Place debated Angela MacKerzie to build play areas for children, : “~ Contributing Writer gardens or install jacuzzis on the greenbelts. WEST Vancouver’ - . Fred. Russell, a director of District Coun. Victor the Martin Corporation, asked Durman wants the council r ppprove. changes 1 to_ es +14) yreenbelt : boundaries ‘in: their greenbelts in Caulfeild’s Caulfeild subdivisions ‘cast, of Vista Place housing development dedicated Headland Drive.: : Russell believes . only: one as municipal parks. councillor. is standing’. in® the: way of shaving | the: greenbelts Durman said Monday night | maintained -: by. resident that doing anything else w: ould - through a registered covenant, give homeowners tacit consent “We don’t care which way it goes,” Russell said. “We're try: _ing to tell council to listen to their staff.” . Kevin Pike,’ West Vancouver’s director of Parks and Recreation, said his staff do not regularly patrol residential : homes built alongside. ‘green- belts. He said the maintenance of these aréas would be difficult because “access to: the: greeit: belts. is limited. If ‘the. areas. were protected. by covenant, the ‘costs’ of removing . trees. posing a danger to the commt-: -nity would fall on the home owner =: rhe : “The problein i is, “ Russell: added, “and I can say. it quite: frankly, » that: the Martin Corporation.” d But. Durman said he’s only trying to protect the. trees." 9) > “T° got. into “politics. over: exactly this issue and I’m not. : “going to back ‘down. over it, because I. believe: that ‘public: ownership presetves green- ; - belts.” . " "* Durman said Russell and : the Martin:Corporation ' would benefit if ee eae were! Coun. Views, ~ Durman has a vendetta against :