A6-Wednesday, November 12, 1980 - North Shore News editorial page RE PE The French facts The West Vancouver Parents for French group has launched a survey to test the waters for possible French immersion teaching throughout the school system up to Grade 12. In a province where French-only speakers amount to 0.1% of the population, and where a mere 4.6% is bilingual, they are seriously suggesting that ALL subjects — math, science, socials, the lot — might be taught throughout a West Van student's school career in French instead of in his mother tongue. Such a program, if ever it came about, would, of course, be optional. Nevertheless, it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that the Parents for French are losing touch with r . Beyond becoming bilingual, the practical advantages for high school graduates who will be pursuing their careers almost ex- clusively in English-speaking Canada are obscure. The possible effect on the teaching of other subjects calls for careful examination. As well, there is the question of where sufficient qualified French-speaking teachers of specialized subjects for senior school grades could be found. Above all, the mind boggles at the cost of such a dual program to serve a small minority at a time when property-owners are already being warned of possible “horren- dous” school tax increases in 1981. We're all in favor of French as a second language being a compulsory subject throughout a student's school career. But the Parents for French proposal — which may also have a political tinge — goes far beyond that commonsense concept, and with an open-ended price tag. The PFF would be wise to recognize the facts of life. Governed by ads? Ottawa, it is revealed, has become the country’s biggest advertiser — spending three times more than giant General Foods Led. to tell us how good it is. Or is it just the telling that’s so good? Is it possible the ad agencies themselves might make a better job of running Canada? TH VOCE OF NOWTT: ALT WEST VANCOUVER sunday | news 11 99 Lonsdale Ave North Vane ouver 4 ¢ VIM 2b414 (604) 985-2131 north shore news NEWS ADVERTISING CLASSHIED CIRCULATION 985-2131 980-0511 986-6222 986-1337 Publlaher Peter Spec k Associate Publisher Editor-in-Chief Advertising Director Robert Graham Noel Wright Eew (Cardwell Classified Managa: & Office Administrator Bern: Hilhard Creative Ot ector Tarva Bb taarye bes Production Hack Stonehouse faye Me cae Managing Editor Andy Fraser Nowns Editor ( tris tdeoryed Photography EVs we oe tt Con bm ssc or Accounting Supervisor Barbara Keer North Shore News fouodedi UO an ar depended tye Ty Newapaper and cpaaltfieve) aden Soe feercduabe WE bee OM bee Ayah ob the fxcise Tan Act on prubhated each Wodrenday and ‘oat Jay hey North Shore bree Proms. tt act Bete tbte dd te even Me on Mie North Shore Second Clann Man Heginteatin | Nuits vesen? Subaceiptions $20) pen yom bite bogs de tre tae icc tree Prean Lid) Albughts (one: oad Noor tegen reorient ae eg rtend 7 Re LALO Is Ee) O10. es Ce ee OC wat st marge) ackirenseodl eluant cn eke: VE RIFIEO CIRCULATION 60,670 Wodtenta, ap bry on oan xo JF SK * THIS PAPER IS RECYCLABLE Bilingualism in disguise Ottawa (SF) - There are two basic aspects to the constitutional debate which has been hung like an albatross around the country’s neck and daubed with the label “crisis”. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau 1s a republican-type democrat, who wants things written down and struc- tured. He wants his bill of rights together with a role for the courts, in the con- sutution. He also wants language rights but that's a separate story. This fixation with a written constitution is anathema to many English- speaking Canadians, seeped in the tradition of the British Parliamentary tradition. in British common law, there ts no constitution, merely the dictum that all rights belong to the people, except those rights specifically withdrawn from them by legislation. You can't steal, for example, because that infringes on the rights of others. A bill of rights is also a way of getting through language rights’ for Canadian Comment BY PETER WARD education, with the courts deciding what percentage of a regional population must be French or English speaking to warrant schools in the other language. Mr. Trudeau has jong held the dream of making it possible for Quebec's French- speaking citizens to be totally mobile in all of Canada; to move. for example, from Trois- Rivieres to Red Deer. and enjoy the nght of educating their children in French. That provision is. of course, coupled with the legal obligation of govern- ments to offer services in both languages’ wherever population percentages, in the view of the courts so warrant. It's the route to eventual bilingualism. If that is the kind of Canada which is preferred by the majority of Canadians, sobeit. A case can be made for a bilingual Canada, for a nation 50 years from now speaking a sort of “Franglais,” providing the best bulwark against ab- sorpiion of Canada by the United States. It would certainly make us different. It is, however, incumbent on those who govern us, to present an accurate picture of the intent of the new rules for Canada. It is also in- cumbent on Canadians to take the trouble to un- derstand the far-reaching implications of the changes proposed. Election issues just packaging Election issues are the equivalent of the TV dinner package in the supermarket freezer. Normally, the latter is sufficiently eye-catching and attractive to make you buy the contents. After which, you throw away the packaging before discovering whether you like the product. At. election course, time, of the product is the pohtician wooing your vole And if the local candidates in this Saturday's municipal and school board elections fried chicken or Salisbury steaks. their In MoM cases. Cause Swanson or were packaging. wouldnt Manor House to lose a wink of sleep With very few caceptions the assues on which North Shore candidates are campaigning to warmed over date are “motherhood: themes which have been around as long as the councils and school boards themsclves now clutched once again by the hopefuls as a drowning man clutches a straw Thats not to say theres anything wrong with such issues though they don cracthy make the — pulse quicken The truth ts that there are virtually no new Mayor isucs on the North Shore at the present time Thats presumably why the mayors oof North Vaneouver Ddastract West together and Van with all Wenstl teturned by CON CE three iaeumbent Van aldermen were acclamation three weeks before polling day There doesnt have ta be a bun hb oof brand new issues for covery cleethon of course There s plenty of work stall needed con the cold tannabeae soTde Ss NNOCUEY ' \ Nooeth Nan Coaty oir tl where only oa Stage seats age tor prates thins year — there's the perenmial traffic problem, for example. and the urgent need to reheve the burden by getting some progress on the still stalled Low Level Road project. There's Upper ment. the question of Lonsdale develop. with one candidate that single-family homes in that area must be saved from the fate that has overtaken them in the Lower 1 onsdale apartment zone And there's the whole matter. of Lonsdale itself the insisting Lower development urgent need for greatly increased recrcational facilities (including a swimming pool) and the vision oof a mayor Lower Lonsdale shopping centre which could provide a big lax revenue bonus for many other services the city cannot presently afford NV DISTRICI In North Van [astract there are calls from can didates for more reasonably proved housing espectally for sentors and the han dicapped Chemical hacards ( hick crul another Ive cles thom teopras Hooker 1 are as arc stern warnings that the line trast be held on mune ipal taxes trust t at always’) As well in both City ane Ldastract there are can didlates UE RII trhore open feos al gosecrnment witha wicatler ciliven gran tre Vpratbeon va Ge iston making Spee ttic Jemanas rie bude neigh troor Deemed co coummeuds ota quan ward svster aed a povato ba Noel Wright question penod prior to cach council mecting SCHOOL BOARDS In the se hool board contests by far the hivelhest scene in these 1980 clechhons motherhood again rcigns supreme bevery candidate wants the best possible return for the educational Geollar though penny pinchers add sthe significant rider from available resources” Almost all support Concentration on educational basws and the core curnculum while the more Keonerous spenders want the educational frills heptas well There. understandable enthustaso for the MieMath Coommisston reports fe commendation (hat Nos teoptan sdroubal font OS, of Vere ard Se dbcrcek becom toalds and herteces over the provincial KoOsecrmment s proposed financial Ad MN alien At whose hh would remove fiscal control from locally elected trustees School — discipline. ticularly oan par- relation to alcohol and drug abuse ts high on most candidates list So, too. as “community involvement” ino the work- ings of the school system Some candidates are vigorously opposed to the concept oof schools as vehicles for “social change” PERSONALITIES Overall this years North Shore elections boilkdown to seven incumbent - standing basically on “heir records challenged by 1} beheve they could come to grips better with that been quite a outsiders who problems have around = for time In the end therefore it comes down to personahtes rather than issues You have to look eyes and bisten to his vone into a candidate c before you can really form any truc idea of whether he can do the yob he laims be can Meanwhile there are only candidate two of thiec mectings eft) plus a Couple of all candidate on Channel 1O TY (Now bats the West Van hopefuly tomorrow UNas 14) the North Vaan District both starting at phone tins tonight contenders Mp Anything you den can the short remaining time be strip off the packaging and caamine the produc ts themsclyes in the flesh or on the tube should be helpful when you de your cri duty Saturday at the preod beng slalbeoon