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} Seniors
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56 Pages

Changes
debated

Michael Becker

News Editor
mn becker@nsnews.com

A small hospital room
meant as a place of refuge
and reflection is at the
centre of a skirmish over

religion.

The North Shore Health Region's
spiritual-care advisory group is trving to
better serve che mulu-faith needs of a
demographically changing North Shore.
In the process, Lions Gate Hospital's
chapel may soon become ao mald-raith
quiet room.

_ Said Keith Hamlin, North Shore
Health Region director of spiritual care,
“This is nothing new for Canada. Most
of the other hospitals in major centres
have already gone through this process.

“We had Christian chaplains here all
che wav through and the majority of the
people on the Shore were at the time
Choistians, the majority of the staff were,
and it.just became, sort of by default, a
Christian facility, We're trying, to get
back. to the beginning now to find out
what the original intent was and also
look forward to find out what the funire
intent should be. f must stress there was
never any intent to remove the Chrisnan
presence from this room,” said: Hanlin,
an Anglican priest.

|

See Christian paac 13

Ferry w

Katharine Hamer
News Reporter hamer@nsnews.cam

' WHEN then-premier Glen Clark steod
before a media scrum at Vancouver Dry
Dock on April Fool’s Day, 1996, to
announce the construction of three fast
ferries, many observers believed a sea-
change would follow for the B.C. ship-
building industry.

In focus a3
A day in the life of LGH’s
emergency department

Getaways p42
Special teature on
romantic destinations

Giant slalom results
from Cypress
qualifying races

Sports p42

FREE

NEWs photo Juiie iverson

Quick wits

Buoyancy of local fast ferry
industry increasingly at risk

Four vears on, the PacifiCat construction project has pro-
vided employment tor around 700 workers -~- bat the long
term prospects of BC Ferries subsidiary CFI (Catamaran
Ferries International) and the industry as a whole are less cer-
tain

“We were very optimistic in “96,” said Scott Simpson, a

HANDSWORTH students will be heading to Ottawa this April for the Canadian Improv Games. The North Van schooi placed first
in the provincial finals last weekend. Carson Graham, which placed second, wiil also send a team to Ottawa. See story page 5.

rkers’ future uncert

foreman on the construction of all chree boats. “As things
stand, Pm out of work ina few months.”

Simpson, who works on the accommodation deck of the
third, as yet unnamed, PacifiCar, is employed by CFI subcon-
tractor ASF Aluminum Catamarans.

The imminent conclusion of the project represents the end
of the fine for shipyard workers. Their colleagues on Vancouver
Island have already been issued fayotf notices.

“Plove this job,” Simpsen said, shaking his head. “It’s a
good challenge. [ wish there was a future in it.”

See B.C. pane 26

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