Fresh face seeks te

bridge generat

Katharine Hamer

News Reporter
katharine@nsnews.com

AT the ripe old age of
26, Marcel Loretan is
already planning for
the future — not just
his own, but the entire

commiunity’s.

Loretan, who has lived in
North Vancouver “all my
fife,” is running as a candi-
dace for the District of North
Vancouver council] in next
month’s municipal elections.

Borns at Lions Gate
Hospital, he — artended
Fromme Road tlemeniary
school and Argyle secondary,
where he was voted valedic-
torian and graduated with
honours.

Loretan sill lives in. the

“same Lynn Valley house he
grew up in.
. “My parents — haven't
kicked me out yet,” he grins,
“so I rent: out the base-
ment.”

Leretan says ‘he’s “always

: , been i interested in communi-

“ty affairs..: Twas one of those
-eddballs who actually
watched council meetings on
TV and talked about it with
umy friends.”
He. decided to run as 4
B.C." Youth Coalition candi-
date after reading about

Delta-based Fabian- Milat’s "
attempts <o get more youth

volved in local politics.

‘Milat’s umbrella organi-

been trying to

CencOurage candidates” under

the age of 36 — “mostly stu-
dents,”
Shy u

BE eean t took a segre | in

CAMPAIGN
TRAIL °99

hogar

MARCEL Loretan ho

to be a voice for yout in
North Vancouver
District.

involved with the ecological
inventory of local watersheds
currently being carried. out
by the GVRD — and water-

-shed issues are at the rop of

his election platform. ;

“Our water is a precious
resource,” he says, “and we
should not allow any logging
within our three major
watersheds.”

Loretan believes we need
to “stop ‘the short-term solu-
tions” and develop “a vision-

ary plan for utilizing our’

Water | resources in the
furare.”.
voretan is also strongly in
favour of direct democracy.
“parents ‘are. both

Free ring inspection
& porenins

HS

experience,” he says.

“U think ar a municipal
level there’s room for (direct
democracy} to play a role.
Um amazed by the number
of questions people approach
councif with. They bring in
all thei frustrations and

“desires ata municipal Sevel

because that’s what they have
experience with.”

But most of all, Loretan
sees himself as a “fresh face”
in focal politics; able to reach
out to both young and old.

“To hope to bring new
ideas to the table.” he says,
“and create a bridge to con-
Neer generations,”

Loretan says he recog:
nizes the substantial role he
could play as an advocate tor
youth issues.

He was impressed with a
recent youth presentation to
council urging the installa-
tion of a skateboard park in
the District.

“Yhey care about what
they believe in,” he says.

“Their voice should be
heard. Youth are growing up
even quicker now. They’re

facing the same zealities we .

as adults have — and they’re
the future of the district,
whether they become entre-
preneurs, sportsmen, or any-

thing else.

“If experience is simply
defined by the number oF
committees you sit on or the
number of societies you
belong to, then I don’t have
a lot of experience,” says
Lerzran.

. “But if experience is also
defined as helping a ncigh-
bour with the groceries, or

DELTA-based Fabian Milat, of tha B.S. Youth ‘Coalition, has been founding uP

young candidates to stand in the forthcoming municipal elections.

coaching softball at church,
then I believe ‘Ive already

~ Offered a lot the community
and I have a lot to bring in
the future.”

1545 Marine Drive,

West Vancouver. .

4694 * 913-3449

NORTH SHORE’ Ss
HIGHEST. VOLUME

The ‘ome of the Hifetime _
> Guarantee.

Also ‘Mechanical Dision.
makes of Cars ‘ane

‘Altenotive transpertalion arranged.

fo all
fk Para ret Se ad -& ESTIMATES «

sales a eeople ‘make your
Suite Dealttt