6 — Sunday, March 21, 1999 - North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT Slow train S the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GYTA) going to stand up to the province, or is North Vancouver District going do it for them? Light rapid transit to the North Shore has been a song sung in the wilderness by few on this side of our two bridge bottlenecks. North Vancouver District Coun. Ernie Crist has beaten one lonely drum for years about the advantages of commuting to Vancouver by some form of rapid rail system. Not cost effective, the regional district has replied. Wait until you have a much bigger population. In the meantime, the newly estab- lished GVTA is in the process of nail- ing down a capital cost sharing deal with the province. Ona March 15, North Vancouver District council reconfirmed its posi- tion that no property tax increases be imposed to finance SkyTrain exten- sions planned for elsewhere. The council also came close to seeking an injunction against the lat- est extension of the system. Councillors went as far as supporting mounting concerns over the cost implications of a fast-tracked SkyTrain expansion program. Now some may accuse district councillors of peevishness: North Vancouver isn’t getting a slice of the mass-transit action, so nobody should. The truth is, transit costs have been downloaded to municipali- ties. North Vancouver District, with an equal interest in how GVTA money is raised and spent, is rightly waving a red flag. vores Sac) it “The UN was set up to save civilian life. It’s become an instrument of genocide.” North Vancouver resident Linda Morgan, on the results of the UN sanctioned embargo of Iraq. Morgan and her husband are embarking on an aid mission to dis- tribute food and medical supplies. (From a March 19 News story.) “Stop listening to music immediately, especially your own. Sit stock still in the lotus, breathe deeply from the old gut reactor and tune in on some hard-edge electron vibrations and other groovy pataphysical mutterings from the void.” Artist, jazzman and Dollarton beach dweller Al Neil offering advice co musicians in his book Changes. (Quored in a March 19 News This Week feature.) “Everybody should have a voice. We elect these politicians and then they do what they like it seems.” North Vancouver resident Bert Lynn agzceing with the notion ef voter-initiated referenda at the municipal level. (From a March 19 Inquiring Reporter feature.) “Pd be quite willing to jump back in there ... if chey promise to be nice to me.” Loagiime Horseshoe Bay harbour master Billy Lord, on taking the job he held for 20 years back. His replacement’s appointment was rescinded by Transport Canada after a connection to BC Ferries surfaced. (From a March 17 News story.) “Maybe it’s third time lucky. I wish them more luck than I had.” Michael Goldberg, on the appointment of a third board of directors for Catamaran Ferries International. Goldberg was on the first of three boards. {From a March 14 News Sunday Focus.) “I feel like Judge Wapner.” An unidentified RCMP officer commenting to bus pas- sengers after attempting to obtain the facts about a con- frontation between a bus driver and a passenger over a take- out chicken dinner. (From a March 14 News story.) Worth Shore Hees, founded in 1969 as an indepenrient suburban newspaper and qualfied under Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tay Act. is pubkshed tach Wednesday, Friday and Sundtay by Norm Shore Fire Press Lid and assinduted to every unas on ihe North ‘Shore. Canada Post Canadian Pubhiestons Mai Sales Product Agreement Nv. 0087238. SMasling raves evaitable on request Sonathan Belt Creative Services Manager 988-2131 (127) 67.582 (average circutation, Wednesday, Figay & Suncay) The Mosth Shore News is published by Morth Shore Free Press Ltd., Publisher Pster Spe Distribution Manager 986-1237 (124) Docs’ strike teaches a lesson THE docs’ nine-day spring break strike (forget that Rationed Access Days nonsense) teaches us much about the best use of money. Which is, of course, to provide us with what we need and want when we need and want it. Like all essential ser- vice strikes the shut- down of doctors’ offices caused massive inconve- nience, not only to the public — deprived of their doctors’ services for more than a week anda half — but also to the doctors’ overworked colleagues and nurses in overflowing hospital emer- gency wards. Unlike other essential workers, how- ever, doctors cannot be legislated back to work, because they are independent contractors and nobody’s employces. So the outlook becomes even grimmer if they keep their threat to close shop for a further 52 RADs in the coming fiscal year, , When other essential service workers strike, management steps in to minimize the impact on the public until the back- to-work edict comes down from the cabinet room. Public suffering is usually short lived until life returns to normal. And if our favourite supermarket is picketed, we merely sigh with annoy- ance and go its nearby competitor. But our irreplaceable medics are another story. The docs claim government funding shortfalls force chent to work for 12 months, while being paid for only 11. But according to B.C. Health Minister Penny Priddy the true picture is a little different. In order nat to over- run B.C.’s $7.2 billion health-care budget the total zmount available for all doctor services is “capped” in accor- dance with the esti- mated total time doc- tors spend with patients. If the total patient time exceeds the estimate, doctors’ fees are pro-rated to compensate — so that late last year, for example, they received 96.7 cents on the dollar, a cut of 3.3%. This is clearly less than one month's pay out of 12, which would represent a cut of 8.3%. B.C. family doctors make an average of $110,000 upward per year after oftice and other overhead expenses — specialists and top surgeons appreciably more. Many work tong hours after their lengthy and expensive training. Quite justifiably they are amiong the top 10% of income earners. That said, however, they are also clearly exploiting patients as pawns in their battle with Victoria for increased funding. Their message fast week to sick peo- ple needing them and forced, instead, to sit for hours in crowded emergency wards was: “Go, bug the government to give us more money.” Small wonder many abandoned patients are now start- ing to ask whatever became of the Hippocratic Oath? Which brings us back to the best use of money. Specifically, the money we pay in taxes for our so-called “free, uni- versal” medicare — which, of course, is neither free ner universal. How much better might the system work if we paid some, if not all, of thar money to our doctors directly, instead of funnelling it through a complex and wasteful bureaucracy? And let’s be clear right away that this doesn’t necessarily mean the harsh American system of purely private medicine and ruthiess pri- vate health insurance companies. There are numerous other two-tier systems, including successful European models, chat provide basic protection *. : for everyonc, while making you not only your doctor's patient but also his — valued customer. And with that kind of relationship doc is never going to leave you out in the cold at the height of the flu season while he indulges in prolonged RADs in an effort to top up his take-home pay. All it needs is the WILL to change medicare for the better. Doctors are far better value for money than burcau- crats, so fet’s put our health dollars where they work hardest. More on the possibilities in a furure column. eee MANY HAPPY RETURNS of Tuesday, March 23, to Mount Seymour Lion Ken Poon. eee WRIGHT OR WRONG: Be thankful for problems at work. Without them someone dumber than you might have = your job. ; ETER SPECK Publisher 985-2131 (101) Comptroller 985-2131 (177; $85-2131 (133) 1 Valerie Stephenson Photography Manager Classitied Manager Promotions Manager 985-2131 [160) 986-6222 (202) 985-2131 (218) Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rignts res2tved. "Tem Peters. wee Eo ge a Mes pic eet Ue. Achng Display Manager 980-0511 (307) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, fuil address & telephone number, VIA e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca Gail Sneigrove General Office Manager 985-2131 (105) Internet- hitp://www.nsnews.cam Display & Real Estate Fax Newsza0m Fax Classified, Accounting & Mala Office Fax Miclael Becker - Mews Editor 985-2131 (114) Andrew McCredie ~ Sports/Community Editor 985-2131 (147)