4 - Friday, February 5, 1993 - North Shore News

‘anted:

anti-

READER, I warn you. Ali right, I can’t warn yeu — what
am I going to do, come and hit you with a wet newspaper

if you disobey?

Start again: [ urge you: do not
look at the last sentence of this
item.

Just wait. Be patient. All will be
revealed in good time.

The story begins with a lunch I
had a while ago — no, not ‘tyour
peanut butter sandwich or mine,”’
a nice junch at the Park Royal
Hotel — with a well-known senior
statesman of provincial politics.

(Throttle that man who jeered
that a ‘‘senior statesman of pro-
vincial politics’? can be defined as
one who has never been in jail.
Cynic.)

Lingering over a beverage, we -

' were turning over names of pro-

spective leaders of an anti-New
Democratic Party coalition by any
name.

After about 3% minutes | sug-
gested, airily: ‘‘Hew about Rafe
Mair?" | ;

The senior statesman did not
smile, neither did he sneer. He
discussed the matter as if it were
not beyend the realm — that
would have to be a monarchy, in
Rafe’s case ~~ of possibility.

I went away thinking: “So why
not?”’ :

For it is'a ‘well- known fact that

i “ithe North Shore’s most powerful

pair of lungs has a huge following
all over British Columbia through
his CKMW talk show. Great
recognizability — wouldn't have
to go around explaining who he
- was at every bake sale in the pro:
‘vince for the next three years, like
many leaders, Electable,

Oh, yes, trifling though it may
be compared with the foregoing:
he also has political experience.

Former Social Credit cabinet

‘minister. And before that,

Kamloops councillor.

Finally: on the winning side of
the constitutional referendum on
Oct. 26.

And this: he’d have the fly

, fisherman vote sewn up. And the
Labrador vote. Not the place —

the dogs: He’s famous for his love .

of Labrador retrievers.
Actually, extending the vote to
dogs has long been one of my ..
hobby-horses, if | can put it that
way.
The i idea 2 of ‘Rafe Mair as
”. premier was so enticing that a

Trevor
Lautens

GARDEN OF BIASES

wrote him and put it to him di-.
rectly. Here is his letter in reply:

“Dear Troublemaker,” he
begins, none too auspiciously for
my brilliant idea.

“My wife (Patti), on secing
your letter, immediately put a -
contract out on you — be warned,
you are in very dangerous ter-
titory indeed!

**The thoughts you tossed
around — obviously after much
strong drink — have been
vouchsafed to me on occasion. I
take some of these thoughts. half
seriously, as | do yours, and my
answer is an emphatic NO!!’

‘There are a number o o
reasons, not least of which is the
practical one that I am @ ‘man |.
without a party — nor am I ever
likely to find one which is suitable
to both it and ine. «

‘Lam not, popujar rumor to
the contrary notwithstanding, a
wealthy person, and, frankly,
could not afford to live on an
MLAA’s salary,-which is what I
would get if I'got involved’ but
only made it-as far as the, :
legislature. :

“Lastly! I have no recognizable
political philosophy — my only
consistency (if there be‘any virtue
in that) is that I oppose both
abortion and capital punishment.

“tam a wimp on immigration
and not wildly enthusiastic about
recall and only mildly enthusiastic
about referenda. ;

“At 61 I can, health permitting,

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jook forward to perhaps a decade
of good earnings, a bit of squash,
and lots of flyfishing, to say
nothing of travel.

“If T thought for one moment
that [ stood between my beloved
British Columbia (and as you may
have noticed, | am a tad parochi-
al) and disaster, that would be one
thing. | am not so persuaded,
however.

“Tl fear {am cynical enough to
believe tha? under our system we
wilt always have government with
an agenda {o match the length of
their term, and that political
payoffs will always come before
consideration of the public weal
and long-term planning.

“T rather think that I can do
more for my province by yapping
on the sidelines and holding toat-
sies to the fire than | could i in of-
fice.

“Which is the coward’s way of
saying that public estimates of my
income being on the low side if
any, and my personal resources
being estimated by the same
sources much higher than they are
. T think PIlstay put.

“In the meantime I’H thank you
to put that (I’ve omitted a couple
of flattering words out of sheer
modesty —— T.L.)} undisciplined

mind of yours to work on more
worthwhile projects!"”

So that’s it, readers. Right from

’ the equine’s lips. The definitive

statement.

And, if you read it caref ully,
you’ll come to the same conclu-
sion I did:

Put him down as “undecided.”’

|

Turning to less important but.
more annoying matters:

Will someone please identify tie

. genius who redesigned the parking

lot and especially the entry/exit/
ramp lanes at the west end of
Park Royal Shopping Centre’s
spiffed-up north mall?

It’s an unbelievable Russian
Roulette of trying to guess who's
turning where, a guessing game of
(a) which car might hit you on the
tight (b) or which might hit you
on the left or (c) with practice,
you'll be able to hit both. .

My suspicion: It’s been designed

as a slalom course to re-test ICBC
interim president Robyn (Boom!
Boom!) Allan.

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