@ — Sunday, December 13, 1992 - North Shore News AS TIE. FIRST MARINE. To LAND IN ‘SOMALIA WHAT'S THE FIRST THING You Do “Td PREPARE. THE BEACH FoR {800 TRoops? be LOOK FOR MINES IN People AViD MITCHELL'S abrupt departure from the provincial Lib- eral caucus on IMonday could signal a grassroots departure fram the beaten political path in B.C. _ Mitchell, the MLA fer West Van- couver-Garibaldi, said he quit the caucus because it had become virtually impossibie for him to serve his constituests effective- jy. His decision also had a fot to do with toeing the party line and becoming ‘‘ossified’’ in the inertia of government bureaucracy. Mitchell’s cry in the wilderness is a shout for changes in the way politicians do their jobs. Because right now they, for the most part, do not do the job they were elected to do: serve the voters. Instead, they serve their political parties, which are hardly representative of anyone. politi Thus far in their umexpected role as of- ficial Opposition, 8.C.'s Liberal MLAs have spent foo muck time Iscked in petty in-party squabbles and not enough time in keeping the NDP government honest. Media and public scrutiny has therefore been focused on the ineptitude of the Lib- eral Opposition rather than on the far more dangerous ineptitude of the ruling NDP government. The Liberals have become mired in party politics while the NDP socia! esgineers have been free to tinker with B.C.’s prosperity. Mitchell's frustration with government is a frustration shared by most of the people in this province: we are being ruled by pol- itics for the party ivstead of politics for the people. NEWS QUOTES OF THE WEEK — North Shore News Associate. “This week, Joan Smallwood's riding of Surrey-Whalley received $200,000 for traffic lights. That makes five announcements in five weeks; oaly 46 more NDP ridings to go before non-NDP areas have their turn.” West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Jeremy Daltan, complaining about the overwhelming percent- age of highway improvement pro- jects approved by the NDP gov- ernment for NDP ridings. “The guy has been chairman of the Rip Van Winkle caucus ever since he got in there. He is cer- tainly of retirement age, and I think he saw the handwriting os tbe wail.”’ North Vancouver New Demo- crat riding association president Terry Simpson, on the decision by NV Tory MP Chuck Cook not to seek re-election in 1993. ‘I feet it (election) is a compliment and an honorz for the paper. It’s very interesting to be on the side of the angels.”’ Editor Noel Wright, on his elec- tion to the B.C. Press Council. “I'm sort of a biack and white person. When you know what is right you'd like to see it done and see it done quickly, but that just doesn’t happeu in government at any level.”’ North Vancouver Tory MP Chuck Cook, on the frustrations he faces as a Member of Parlia- ment. Publisher Peter Speck Managing Editor... Timothy Renshaw Associate Editor... -Noel Wright Sales & Marketing Director Linda Stewart Comptroller... .Doug Foot North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualitied under Schedule 111, Paragraph Ilf of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday ard Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lia. and distributed to every door cn the North Shore Second Class Mati Registration Number 3885 Subscriptions North and Wes! Vancouver, $25 pet year. Mating tales available on request. Submissions are welcome but we cannot accept responsibility for unsolictied material inciuding manusciipts and piciures which should be accompanied by a stamped. addressed envelope Newsroom V7M 2H4 Display Advertising Real Estate Advertising 985-6982 Classified Advertising 985-6222 Tek ORCL OF OOM T NANO WELT VERCOUVE 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. 980-0511 Distribution 986-1337 Subscriptions 986-1337 Fax 985-3227 Administration 985-2131 9 Printed on 10% recycled newspreat North Shore managed MEMBER