Bente beeeeet | Veaws by. by oe NEWS VIEWPOINT Young and aimless tinue his vocation until he was 12, | ONCERNS about the state 5 our once sturdy social fabric seem (to be ever- more justified. > In the most recent example of its conspicu- ous unraveling, the. West Vancouver Police engaged in a car chase last Tuesday that ended in the arrest of two 18-year-old males on auio theft-retated charges. Not so unusual, jaded readers would agree. But what appeared to be unusual, howev- er, was the apprehension by the police of an jl-year-old boy, who, according to the police, freely admitted to being a car burglary spe- ciatist. The West Vancouver Police spokesman said the child had said he had been breaking into cars since he was nine. Knowing the Young Offenders’ Act all too well, the Li-year-cld said he planned to con- & at which time he would stop because he could legally be charged with a criminal offence at that age. it would, perhaps, be predictable to start wagging fi fingers and deiivering social ser-. mons in tight of the foregoing. But, predictable or not, the reality remains that too many children are getting too little parental guidance and too little familial instruction in basic social values and respon- sibilities. Video and cinematic fantasies have replaced social realities. The framework for developing responsible citizens is in dire need of repair. And that repair begins in every home and with every family. Without it, Ll-year-old car thieves will no longer be unusual, they will be the norm. NEWS QUOTES OF THE WEEK North Vancouver District social planner Erica Bell-Lowther, on an “If there’s one thing they aren’t getting enough of, it’s activity.” News story.) North Shore Health's community nutritionist, Margaret Broughton, on unnamed newspaper columnist. (From a March 23 News story.) “We will fight to the death if an automobile solution is found for “WILE NOBODY rid meof this turbulent priest?” asked a petulant King Henry Hf. Shortly afterwards four of his nobles assassinated Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, in his own cathedral, The technique has changed little since (170. The boss man wants 0 rid himself of someone without soiling his own hands, Word is leaked to his sycophants, who carry out the dirty deed swiftly and effee- tively, Boss man magnanimously recalls his victiin'’s virtues, Thus, last Monday --- a dark day for parliamentary government in this province, Politically assassinat- ed was Joan Sawicki, Speaker of the B.C. legistature, on the say-so of Premier Mike Harcourt, who appointed her two years ago as part -of his gender-equality drive. Mikey's determination to dump Sawicki and replace her with veter- an NDP MLA Emery Barnes, her Deputy Speaker, had been widely known and discussed in the raedia for several weeks. it was the process, no! personality factors, which attracted heavy criticisin. Hitherto, the Speaker was cho- sen by the premier with the approval of his own party, an Appointment traditionally made unanimous by the legislature as a whole. Once so named, the Speaker had tenure until the dissolution of the legislature prior to the nexi ' election. He or she could be temoved only for cause by a vote of the entire house. There was no question of “cause” in Ms.. Sawicki's case. She was catapulted as a rookie MLA into the most dif- ficult and responsible job in the {egislature, and inevitably made honest mistakes. But she worked : hard and even her critics concede that she steadily improved. Under existing rules she would have con- tinued until 1995-1996. Enter Mikey’s brains-trust with a brilliantly creative solution. “Democratize” the Speaker and have him or her elected (a3 in Ottawa) by secret ballot. Do it by turning the screws so hard on Sawicki that she resigns rather than obstruct such a motherhnod “reform.” With a tremble in her voice dur- ing her short resignation speech the poor lady complied. Opposition Liberals protested by boycotting the secret ballot which replaced her with Barnes. Even Becket had been HITHER AND YON over his own execution. So now we have an exchisively NDP speaker — unsupported by the opposition —- chairing this Icg- islature’s final years. Bye-bye, also, to gender equality. Yet Mikey's hands remain as clean as Henry ; I's. He didn’t personally ask Sawicki to step down, he told reporters, But he allowed that his aides or ministers “may have tafked to her about quitting.” One never knows what those guys are getting up to. Provided things work out OK, boss men know better than to ask! | WRAP-UP: St. Martin's Anglican Church, 195 East Windsor, cele- brates Holy Week from 7:30 to 10 p.m, tonight. and Tuesday, March 29, with a special presentation of © St. Mark's Gospel by noted stage, film and TV actor Roger Barnes — call 985-5919 to reserve seats ... Wednesdays through Saturdays until April 9 First Impressions Theaire presents “Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?" at 8 p.m. at Deep Cove Shaw Theatre —929- . 5 9456 for reservations ... North Van_ Youth Band needs flutes, low brass and percussions for its senior band, students aged 14 to 18 with three to four years’ experience — call.980- 1934 ... Many happy returns of tomorrow, March 28, to Mt. Seymour Lion Dave Elphick ... And heading into his 50th Season in the sun is Tuesday’s birthday boy, West Van composer and envi- ro-crusader Terry Jacks. WRIGHT OR WRONG: Minds, like parachutes. work best when the bridge.” spared the indignity of presiding West End Traffic Committee spokesman Marie Hietakangas, opposing a replacement for the Lions Gate Bridge that would pro- mote automobile use. (From a Marci 27 News story.) children and their needs. (Froi a March 23 News Lifestyles story.) “I'm ecstatic, and !’m exhausted.” Marion Keys, the executive vice- president of the Motor Dealers* Association of B.C., on Victoria's move to reinstate the vehicle trade- in allowance. (From a March 25 “Racial intolerance is all around us. We just have to read a certain individual’s column: ‘in the news- paper.” | Publisher Managing Editor Associate Editor Sales & Marketing Director Linda Stewart Comptroiter...... «Doug Foot North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and quatitied urder Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Snore Free Press Ltd. and Gistributed to avery door on the North Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sates Product Agreement No. 0087238. Mailing rates available on request. Submissions are welcome bul we cannot accept responsibihty for unsolicited material including manuscripts and pictures which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope. 986-1337 986-1337 985-3227 985-2131 980-0511 Distnbution 985-6982 Subscriptions 986-6222. Fax 985-2131 Adrninistration Peter Spack Timothy Renshaw Noel Wright Dispiay Adveriising Real Estale Advertising Classitied Adverising Newsreom MEMBER Gu s SDA DIVISION 61,592 (average circulation, Wednesday, Fnday & Sunday) 1 139 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver B.C. 7M 2H4 Nonh Shore Managed a Spears EMERY BARNES... chairing Legislature's final years. TERRY JACKS... haif-century Entire contents G 1994 North Shore Free Press Ltd. Ali rights reserved. birthday boy.