iail fraud U have to admire the nerve of Canada Post, even if you are less than enthusiastic about the speed of its ordinary mail delivery. In the samie week that six stamps fea- turing ice hockey greats like Rocket Richard and Wayne Gretzky were unveiled amid much hoopla to com- memorate the 2000 NHL All-Star Game, Canada Post quietly suggested that it should be allowed to raise the price of those same stamps every year — without asiing anyone. Sure, the amount doesn’t sound like much at first because there is no figure attached to it. Two-thirds the rate of inflation is the proposal. But pause for a moment while vou lick that glue on the back of Gordie Howe and consider the math. If 1999's inflation rate is an arbitrary and unsci- is 1.13%. Still doesn’t sound like much, does it? But 1.13% of today’s 46-cent Bobby Orr is 2.45 cents — more than twice the fast increase. And will Canada Post be rounding that up or down in their insulated little mail boxes? Either way, the stamp gnomes are asking for permission to jack up our mail costs by a minimum of 2% a year in perpetuity —— assuming that inflation doesn’t go away. What else will busi- nesses do with that 2% increase but pass it on to their customers in some form. We all pay in the end, whether we bought the stamp with mask-wear- ing goalie Jacques Plante directly or not. How much longer in this new cen- tury will Canada continue to persevere with its costly government monopoly on mail delivery? Who is really wearing entific 1.7%, two-thirds of that amount you said it “We'll probably work at Oasis. WVe’d make good car- washers.” CFI shipyard worker Philip Kincaid muses on an uncer- tain future once the third PacifiCat ferry is complete. (From a Jan. 30 News story.) ; 7 200° “We live in the ‘now’ generation. It’s the McSonald’s culture. It’s all drive-through and right uow. There are times we should wait (to visit emer- gency). but we are not used to waiting any more.” ‘Lions Gate Hospital emergency. room nurse Shirley Henderson, on the tendency for patients with minor prob- lems to seck help in the EK rather than going to their fam- ily doctor. (Fram a Jan. 30 aude Focus.) : ag 2 ’ KDE got my E-Trade. account open. I'm going ve follow their advice and make big bucks!” ‘Hilary Matts, International Baccalaureate co-ordinator at West Vancouver secondary, hopes to take advantage of - the stock tips offered by Grade. 12 students who topped a ‘North -America-wide competition. (From a -Feb. 2 News story.) .. . — 909 ‘. “They. get teased about their name, the way they _ dress, their accent. And they want to fit in. Sometimes they get in with the wrong crowd.” . .,An-anonymous Iranian-Canadian mother talks about the difficulties faced by second generation teens. (From a Feb. 6 Sunday Focus story.) gua : a cy! “What really is most difficult for parents is that they come here foz their children, to provide them with bet- , ter opportunities — and then they feel like they're los- ing them.” a : - North: Shore Multiculeural Society executive director Margaret Third, on what some Iranian parents face after emigrating to Canada. (From the same Feb. 6 Sunday Focus “story. jo hen QQaQ- ». “Pm not poing to hide to talk about free speech in -my country.” |: ve ; “Victoria lawyer Doug Christie, on: the option of meet- -ing secretly in face of the difficulty the Free Speech League has. experienced in trying to meet ai: public librazies and private reiital locations., (From a Feb. 4 News story.) Nord Shore Mews, Sounued at 196% as an independent suburban rewspaner and qualtied under Schedule 117, Parageaph 111 cf the Exuive Tax Aa), is publshed each Wednesday, Friday ard Sunday by HON Publcatons Company and destributed to every doct on the North Shoes. Canada Past Candice Publeatons, Mad Sales Product Agreementt No. 0087238. @ Conierasien % Tis feaspane corte" mecestot Distrebution Manager 98S -1337 (124) ThacWorth Shore Mews:s 9 _ infancher@asnews.com G1SE? faverage crostatn, Wednesday, Friday & Sunaay) the mask here? Ue Vow se SPRY TOU “TM ESTEE OA AG IMG “AVES Eee ero Churches face financia HOW can many of our churches escape sale to the top bidder with his bulldozer parked outside — the threat from soaring lawsuits by former native inmates of residen- tial schools? The some 3,000 suits to date seek com- pensation for alleged sexual or physical abuse while at the schools — operated for Ortawa until 1969 by the Catholic, Anglican and United Churches. Even with the hitherto 40% gavern- ment payout, the eventual claims against each denomination are estimated in the low to high eight-digits bracket — many millions more than the churches’ current financial reserves. In an earlier column we also consid- ered the reliability of claims based mainly on the complainant's own oral testimony many years after the alleged events, espe- cially when the actual perpetrators of the abuse could ‘no longer be found, even if still alive (would mandatory lie-detector tests be in order?). Each individual suit, of course, is for the court te settle. Rut with duc respect ta the courts, their “activist” ruiings in certain recent cases have clearly favoured native litigants repardless of the effect on today’s wider community. Hence, anoth- er vital question: Who should pay the compensation? Obviously, the individual abuser or abusers, if identified and convicted. But even then it might often be impossible HRVPromations 985-2131 (101) 85-2131 (218) ddialiwalensnews.com pspeck@nsnews.com Tory Photography Manager $85-2131 (160) ipeterseansnews.com Penne eennener beonwserteesensesessussaeeeseres janager 985-2451 (133) doolensnews.com : yslephensonénsnews,com Entire contents © 1999 HCN Publications Company. AN rights reserved. for plaintiffs to collect, say, an awarded $100,000 from the abusers themselves. Thus, the legal failback position: sue the employers responsible for hiring such pedophiles and sadists — in this case the Roman Catholic, Anglican and United Churches. Fair enough in theory, - maybe, bue much more questionable in practice. Partly, because church folk, whose whole approach is to love and trust fellow humans, hisher | and yon may often have lacked the tough-minded — approach of secular personnel managers in assessing, supervising and disciplining employees. But do the pedophiles and sadists who slipped through the net now justify bankrupting national church organiza- tieas, with churcit ouildings razed to the ground and congregations left with tio place of worship, in order to meet the | looming multi-million-dollar demands of their long-ago victims? OF course not. The real sinner was Ottawa with its fatally flawed bid to assimilate native kids into mainstream Canadian society in the first piace, using the. churches as its sub- contractors. Otta’ a, therefore, is where: the buck must stop — not just 40% of it but the whole 100%. The churches — with their many other humanitarian commitments — don't begin to have such moncy. They do, however, have what inrerests our political masters mightily: VOTES. Although only about 20% of Canadians aow regularly attead church, more than 70% unhesitatingly claim to be Christian. They arc baptized in ~~ churches, married there and return cher in death. : wer The idea, therefore, of churches ba rupted and sold because of their sub sidiary role years ago in a failed experi ment initiated and directed solely by Ottawa is likely to be totally unaccep: able to most Canadians -~ even those o! other faiths who revere their own, syna: gogues, temples and mosques: °°. Many of them, including churchgoers themselves, have so far been ‘unaware of * the financial sword of Damocles poised -' tu fall on Canada’s mainstream ‘places of worship. ead ue Now the facts are emerging, they; should grab their. MPs by the coliar‘an make one thing, crystal clear to all politi cal parties. nr ooh As long as the federal government squanders billions of tax dollars keep itself in power, why should: Canadian taxpayers tolerate the deat the auction block of their three“maj churches? ~ en O00 HAPPY BIRTHDAY today, West Van Kiwanian Geoff B: 1 Wish it again tomorrow, Feb.7; to’ fellow Kiwanian £ Coles '..2 Als that day to West Van’s Rachel Jeanne: Wardeil ... And many happy-reeu ¢ Tuesday, Feb. 8, to West Van's-75¢h birthday boys Willy Brueckei and Hu Addison. pee LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. Timothy Reashaw Managing Editor 985-2134 (116) trenshaw@nsnews.com oT ay Ing Marie 300-0511 (317) dwhilmangnsnews.com Geaerai Ohne Manager 985-2131 (105) gsnelgrovegnsnews.com web sile — wwW.0enaws.cOmM ne VIA e-mail: trenshaw@nsnews.com - 885-2731 (114) Neos tps Usa i from 1439 Lonsdale Avenue Worth Wancouver,,, ee ee ae sews ate ers.