a ar ea ITED A tear for ‘poor " punch- drunk Premier , Harcourt — counting his fast disappearing windows of | opportunity in the wake of the Abbotsford byelection _ and the disgrace of his envi- ronment minister. ' . ’ Circle now the spring of 1996, "rather than this fall, as the most “likely date for the provincial elec-. tion the Premier had once thought he'd be holding right at this moment. In Abbotsford, where ‘the NDP “was resigned to placing third from " the outset, he’d made no secret of “his hope for a Reform win. He saw . such a result. as hera‘ding a , Reform-Liberal split of the right- wing vote on E-Da*, with the NDP anne back to power up the mid- le. : ‘Inthe event, the narrow Liberal win added new momentum to: Gordon | Campbell’ 's party. If main- ‘tained, it’will leave the NDP slug- "ging it out with Reform for second . or third place on the big day. : Meanwhile, to lose a cabinet » minister involved in an uncontested sex scandal is distressing. To lose a second one involved in an uncon- tested money-plus-legal-ethics scandal just over a month later is little short of disastrous. It has vot- ers asking how many other skele- tons are rattling around:i in the NDP cabinet closet. If Harcourt winds up next year where 65-70% of British UH HUM, 100 GOT AN OPENING FOR A POSITION AS NNGHT CLERK AT A IN BALINORE... ANYTHING ELE? I'VE NEVER PUMPED GAS BEFORE, BUT Ih ULUNG YO LEARN. Columbians want him to — writing personal job applications — the names of Robin Blencoe and Moe Sihota will be high among the numerous Others etched on his memory of how it all unravelled. Those latter names include failed NDP candidate Ron Johnson ‘and his PR firm, NOW Communications. Still awaited is an audit of the ‘multi-million-dollar benefits NOW ° “reaped from its NDP connection without any apparent benefits to the citizens of B.C. Another name is Karl Struble, the Washington, D.C. spin doctor ‘ for Clinton’s Democrats, retained - by NOW to advise Harcourt daily. ’ This, despite U.S. industrial inter- ests with the ear of the White’ . House that are intent on driving B.C. competitors out of business. Add to the list the Commonwealth Holding Society, LEENA ERNE NE PEPE Z A ATE PRONE BAG CBC PLANS for an insurance-rate hike for high-performance “muscle” cars will penalize the wrong people. North Vancouver-based ICBC is currently investigating a proposal to link insurance rates to a car’s likelihvod of disappearing at the hands of thieves. Mustangs, Camaros, Hondas, Acuras, Nissan 300ZXs and Volkswagen GTIs are ail models high on the list for the average lowlife car thief. Fairness is the issue, according to ICBC public affairs manager Ken Hardie. ICBC does not want one group of motorists heavily subsidizing another. Right now Mustangs and Tauruses cost about the same, and the two cars have the same insurance rate. But Mustangs, far more salable on the hot car and car-parts market, cost ICBC a lot more. Rather than nailing those able to own cars favored by thieves, energy should be directed at providing meaningful consequences for those.who stea! them. ‘There’s no real risk involved for a thief. Loss due to theft in general is accepted as an - unfortunate but inevitable social cost. Ubiquitous property crime is simpiy not treated as seriously as crime involving physi- . cal injury. , It should be. The victims of theft are no less victimized. More effort should also be made in manu- facturing cars that are more difficult to steal in the first place. And car owners who install effective secu- rity devices in their vehicles should be given a: .’ break come insurance premium payment © time. arvniliar already convicted, as a corporation, of bilking charities it allegedly served. Since no Society officers have yet been indicted, full details of that scandal have still to emerge. Finally, hanging over the Premier like the sword of Damocles, are the Indian land claim negotiations. Public suspicion and anger are mounting weekly about the govern- ment's secretive arrogance in the matter — especially its rejection of referendums by non-natives on the draft treaties. For the NDP this is THE big electoral time bomb. To Mike Harcourt the tide of misfortunes engulfing his govern- ment seems unfair and confusing. But not to voters —- for whom any earlier confusion about the NDP is now being replaced by a familiar pattern. ; __ The same patter that dogs ANY government after three years or so in power. That's why we so often fire them every four or five years! ; SALUTE 86-year-old Margaret Bradley, the 1995 North Van Eagles’ Mother of the Year, whose six children have given her 18 grandchildren and 38 great grand- children. She'll be honored by City and District mayors at a Mother's Day Banqu .t Saturday, May 13, in i the Eagles Hall, 170 West 3rd — | call 987-8815 for tickets. WRIGHT OR WRONG: Eat, drink and be merry — before the next news bulletin. mation Careless drivers up car insurance rates. Dear Editor: - am hoping that this letter will alert careless drivers of a poten- tial danger to other drivers and - pedestrians. A couple of months ago, the right-hand, southbound lane of Westview (at the Queens intersec- tion). was changed to right-hand turns: only (onto Queens) except for buses. Every morning on my way to work, the centre lane is used by considerate drivers who are pay- ing. full attention to road signs and the right-hand lane is being used by those who are totally asleep at the wheel. ; These residents, who are pass- ing by the sign daily and electing to drive. as fast as they can through the intersection (So as not to be caught), should realize that they are one of the reasons why LETTERS TO the editor must be legible (preferably typewritten) and include your name, full ‘address and telephone number. Due to space constraints the North Shore News cannot publish all letters, Published letters may be edited for brevity, clarity, accuracy, legality and taste.. our automobile insurance is so high. If they cannot read a clear. ‘| two-month-old sign, they cannot; possibly read “stop,” etc. - * Perhaps North Vancouver District should have the police; monitor this dangerous intersec- tion.on weekday momings. They». would definitely “make their - limit” in tickets and might‘ Pre- vent a serious accident.’ « ./ A special “thank you”: to dri vers who are obeying the street signs. To those of you’ “who are’ asleep at the wheel —wake up! If - you can’t be responsible enough « to read road signs, take the. ‘bus , instead, f ve You could , be ‘the person. 7 responsible for’ seriously i injuring. } someone. 7 Barbara Smallwood - North Vancouver : ‘Worth Shore News Mailbox policy Submissions can’ be’ faxed: to po 985-2104, but ‘still-must be signed . and fully addressed. z 7 Letters can also be sent by com- puter to the FirstClass. bulletin)” board system. The user ID is mail- box and the password | is letters. | Further instructions are found - in: News cenference. the covert NDP fundraising vehicle Trixi Agrios Promotions Manager, © 985-2131 (218).| . Linda Stewart Sales & Marketing Director 980-0511 (319). Pater Kvarnstrom Display Manager 980-0511 (103) Timothy Renshaw . Managing Editor 985-2131 (116) North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedute.111, Paragraph 111 of- the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wodnesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid. and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agrearent No. 0087238. Maiting rates availdble on raquest. Submissions are wolcome but we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited materia! including manuscripts and pictures, which should be accompanied by a stamped, salf-addressed arvelope. ‘Chris Johnson ~ Operations Manager 985-2431 (166) Peter Speck ” Publisher ay 985-2131 (101) Valerie Stephenson Classified Manager 986-6222 (202) MEMBER Comptroller : $85-2131 (133) 985-2131 980-0511 985-6982 986-6222 985-2131 980-1970 986-1337 985-1435 985-2104 Administration Dispiay Advertising Real Estate Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Newsroom Voice Mall Distribution Display & Real Estate Fax Newsroom Fax . Classified, Accounting & Main Office Fax 1139 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver B.C. V7M 2H4 Norih Shore Managed SDA DIVISION | 61,582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) 986-3227 ’ Entire contents © 1995 North Shore Free Press Ltd, All rights reserved.