Call a BC. election no Tet Wednesday. July 24. 1991 ~- Nortn Shore News - 3 NEWS photo Nell Lucente WEST VANCOUVER-Howe Sound MLA John Reynolds gives the thumbs up sign after the first pallot results were released at Saturday's Social Credit leadership convention, showing Grace McCarthy with a slight lead over Premier Rita Johnston. But a move by former finance minister Mel Couvelier to cross the convention floor to the Johnston camp ensured a Johns: cn victory. THE B.C. Social Credit Party must unite to fight the next provincial election now that the party has elected Premier Rita Johnston as its new leader, several local party members said after Saturday’s leadership convention. But depending on which North Shore Socred you ask about unity, the party is either already united or still split. And at least one North Shore New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate said the Socred party should put aside its internal party squabbles and get on with the job of running the province. West Vancouver-Howe Sound MLA John Reynolds, a strong Grace McCarthy supporter, said at the convention that the Socreds are a united team and that unity is not an issue. “The party is not divided. No one is fighting anyone. Look at this guy, he’s in Grace’s camp and he’s wearing a Mel Couvelier shirt,’’ said Reynolds, pointing to one of the delegates. And Reynolds also reaffirmed his decision to be a candidate in TV star THEY WANNA back. By Michael Becker News Reporter _ Staff at a Lower Lonsdale pet store are scratching their heads in disbelief over the audacity of a young lizard lifter who walked in- to the Pet Boutique Friday after- noon and departed with the store’s four-foot-long mascot ig- uana. ; Dubbed Bonose by his owners, iguana By Surj Rattan News Reporter the next provincial election in the newly created riding of West Van- couver-Capilano. West Vancouver School District 45 trustee Margot Furk, another McCarthy supporter, said she too believes the Socred party is united. When the first ballot results were released, showing McCarthy with a slight lead over Johnston, Furk said she was confident Me- Carthy would be elected the par- ty’s new feader. “Yes, absolutely. I've been behind her since 1986 and she is the most capable candidate,’ said Furk. ‘‘I don’t think the party is divided. We just want to make sure Mike Harcourt doesn't get elected.” But North Vancouver-Capilano M!A Angus Ree said there is division among the Socred ranks. Ree, who will not seek re-elec- tion in the newly created North Vancouver-Lonsdale riding, where former North Vancouver District mayor Marilyn Baker is carrying the Socred banner, hinted that former premier Bill Vander Zalm is to blan:e for the party division. But Ree, who also supported McCarthy, said he will now sup- port Johnston as the new party leader. “There cectainly will be a heal- ing process and that’s because of the last five years. But if Rita wins, then I’ll suoport her,’’ said Ree. North Vancouver-Seymour Social Credit) candidate Gordon Frampton said the party has to concentrate on fighting the next election. Party unity, he said, remains an issue. “{ think we have to become a vided over party unity W, Says NDP’s David Shreck aol NEWS photo Terry Peters B.C. PREMIER Rita Johnston waves off the back of a BC Rail train in North Vancouver Tuesday morning along with fellow Socreds Graham Bruce (Cowichan-Maiahat MLA} and Labor Minister Jim Rabbitt. united force, and | think there is enough time to get it together. | think the best way to do that is to call an election right now,"’ said Frampton. ‘I! think there still is some disunity in the party. But | attended a meeting with the premier and the cabinet on Sun- day morning and I was greeted very warmly by everyone, even though | supported Grace McCar- thy.”* Frampton added that he and his campaign workers are ready to fight the next election. North Vancouver-Lonsdale NDP candidate David Schreck said the Socreds should call an election immediately. “T think the best thing is that it’s (leadership campaign) ‘over and we can now get on with the problems of the province rather than the problems of the Social Credit party,”’ said Schreck. ‘*We couldn't be any more ready for an election, but !'d be surprised if they'd call it in the next couple of weeks. “On Wednesday our office will be filled with people. As fer as we're concerned, the campaign has started.”” Johnston left the BC Rail sta- tion in North Vancouver on Tuesday morning en route to Prince George. She plans to meet with the municipal councils and chambers of commerce of the . communities all along the BC Rail route to Prince George. As a result of changes to the provincial electoral boundaries in B.C., there are now four provin- cial ridings on the North Shore: North Vancouver-Seymour, North Vancouver-Lonsdale, West Van- couver-Capilano and West Van- couver-Garibaldi. lizard lifted from Lonsdale store Winston and Sophie Wing, the missing iguana is a TV star: he appears in a scene of the Neon Rider series shot at the pet store just last week. Said Frank Barazzuol, a relative of the vacationing pet store owner who was minding the business when the iguana was abducted, “Everybody who came here knew him. Kids would come in and sit him on their head. And they're wondering what happened to him.” The iguana was snatched at about 3 p.m. Friday. The suspect is believed to be a white male in his mid-teens, about $°6°°, 130 pounds with tong black hair. He was wearing black jeans and a T-shirt. In his hasty departure he dropped a Los Angeles Raiders cap on the sidewalk near the store. He is believed to have taken the SeaBus to Vancouver. Added Barazzuol, ‘*Somebody phoned from Killarney and he said a guy was getting off the bus about an hour and a half Jater and he had an iguana and it look- ed kind of funny."’ Meanwhile Bonose is distinguished by an unusually flat face and a ‘‘regal’’ bearing. Barazzuol said the thief! would have difficulty in attempting to sell such an animal. “Sometimes what happens is they try to sell them to other pet stores. People would be alerted. Not many of them this big come up for sale,"’ he said. Barazzuol can't understand how the iguana snatcher managed to grab the lizard from his perch atop an aquarium tank without suffering injury. “They've got real sharp claws and they’re really strong. The night before I was lifting him up. He hangs on really tight and he lashed me across the face with his tail. They’re not easy to handle. It wouldn't have been easy for this kid to do this,”* he said. North Vancouver RCMP are investigating the iguana theft. In- formation can be forwarded to Const. David Doyle.