8 — Friday, February 28, 1997 — North Shore News Controversy and contemptibility Dear Editor: Hass off to Doug Collins! Really Doug, vour strategy is quite brilliant! Create contro- , generate interest, upset people, get them to write to you a long and prosperous career spouting contemptible garbage that most parents would (like fam doing now) and ... voila! ... spank their child for uttering. Oh, and Doug, the wa SAD EEIN Nore & you twisted the discussion sur- rounding your vile little racial slurs into the defense of a foun- dational element of liberal democracy — freedom of speech — is one for the records! Yep Doug, I gotta hand it to va, vou sure put one by us there. But then most of us are just a bunch of dumb immigrants controlled by the thought police anyway ... right Doug? T can only thank God that there is someone ike you, sonic: one public! ‘ing voice to all the lowest, pettiest, and most vile of human emotions, so thar all in all, the rest of us don’r look too bad. But hey, that’s just my opinion ‘Thanks again Doug {I've always had a soft spot for anachro- nisms). Keith Sution West Vancouver Forge a coll Dear Editor: Doug Collins, to his credit, didn’t wimp out in his Feb 12 response to my letter. If the reference to his demographers reflects his own position, Mr. Collins clearly promotes a maxi- mum non-white immigration of 15% so that they can be “absorbed” (his quotations). Mr. Collins also presents his rationale in defense of traditional Canada, national identity, culture and her- - itage. Alas, the only firm criterion offered as remedy is his quota on non-whites, with the inescapable con- clusion that Mr Collins views non-white color as the single greatest threat to Canada’s institutions. Could skin color really be the magic sieve that . Maintains Canada in the desired state of cultural preservation? Mr. Collins says that the Magna Carta (and other ood things) came from England and not from Aftica, India and China. It also did not come from France, Scandinavia and many other places, so this statement, if it carries intent, would form a mighty fine immigration sieve. Tam not, by the way, defending present immigra- tion policies with my letters. Nor am I] knowledgeable enough to be an effective critic. But I am as equally concerned as the next citizen of policies that allow the entry of criminals and subversives, and I am not an apologist for Asian gangs and Sikh temple violence. T suspect Mr. Collins. and I would agree that Canadians, immigrants included, have a right — no, an obligation — to protect the traditions and institu- tions that are most dear and fundamental to Canada as a nation. . Consensus on fair and practical immigration crite- Don’t bind sense of © free spirit in red tape ective cultural visi ria that contribute to this objective, however, will remain elusive as long as we Canadians ourselves are divided about what Canada is and should be If, as a more immediate example, preserving 2 white Canada is fundamentally more important to some than fairness, judicial process and parliamentary democracy, such people will have a problem with more than just Sheila Copps! Many people may be dissatisfied with today’s immigration policies: all the more reason why we must collectively forge a vision of what Canada will be tomorrow instead of lamenting over what it no longer is. By doing so, we can only hope for policies that improve the future of all Canadians whose lives are now inextricably intertwined. Warren Yau West Vancouver publis school meddiers Dear Editor: Twe ts company and three is 4 crowd at the bargaining table. North Vancouver's stu- . parents, teachers and . staff can be considered fortunate to have averted a lengthy school shut-down. as 2 resuit of the interference of the BC Public Schools Employers’ Association (BCPSEA). I have sat at bargaining tables for both management and unions. Negotiations between these ovo parties is always a challenge. BCPSEA has inserted itself as a third party in negotiations and made a difficult.task more difficulr. It invokes settlement guidelines as if they were wage controls. What if national CUPE had adopted a similar stance, assertin, that it would not approve any local settie- ment that was under a 10% increase? Teachers also have suffered from BCPSEA meddling. An agreement negotiated nine months ago between West Vancouver teachers and the local trustees awaits the BCPSEA stamp of approval. Victoria must rein in BCPSEA before 40,000 of the Province’s teachers begin negotiations on March 1. Kit Krieger President West Vancouver Teachers’ Association Dear Editor: The recent death of three snowboarders on the local mountains has brought about some interesting but also arrogant opinions. - In your Feb. 14 paper, Mr. Ron Royston of the North Shore Rescue was quoted as saying that “you can’t construct great infrastructure to offset total stupidity,” implying, I suppose, that these people and others like then are suf- fering from a lack of intelligence. 1’m sure this diagnosis of decreased intellec- tual capacity goes a long way in assisting with the grieving of those left behind. Maybe an apology is in order? Later in this same article, Mr. Jones of the same rescue outfit calls for fines to people who stray “out of bounds.” He says “the government’s gor to step in and legislate this.” Ts this man for real? Are we now going to section off the whole province into safe and not-so-safe zones, inter- connected with crosswalks, safety railings and rubber bumpers all to be patrolled by a swarm of out-of-work school monitors empowered to levy a stiff financial penalty designed to keep all of us “stupid” peuple out of the forests and in our houses? T now quote from an article by George Jonas: “There are, of course, people who would endorse legislative action against any risk-taking. “T consider such people meddling fools, and I dread the kind of society they would build more than I dread Russian roulette. “T hate big nannies with a passion and con- sider a tyranny based on health and safety only marginally better than one based on race, class or religion.” Search and res about being pulled away from ’s Jones alse complains ull-time job. Well, not to state the obvious, but I would suggest to anyone involved in volunteer work to take care of their domestic concerns before engaging in an event that would impact these negatively. We all appreciate the effort your team puts out, but please spare us the hardships. We all carry our own bags. Mr. Mike Pidlisecky of Cypress Bowl takes a more sane approach. Instead of building walls and spanking us, he suggests education — the time-honored method of giving an individual the tools and knowledge to weigh out the risks against the benefits to make an informed choice. I suggest Royston, Jones and Co. leave the making of bad legislation to those elected to do so, and to concentrate on their primary mandate of searching for and rescuing the lost and injured in a unbiased and non judgmental manner. I'm sure everyone appreciates your efforts, but please, don’t call us stupid, fine us or tell us where and when to go. Unfortunately, every now and then there are untimely and unfortunate deaths and we all grieve for those involved; but let’s not cheapen the spirit of the deceased nor get into a circle of finger-pointing trying to lay blame. Sometimes things just happen and this'is reali- ty, happy or sad. In our country, adventure and free s to be promoted and not chastised or puni Jeff Olsen North Vancouver MAILBOX POLICY LETTERS to che editor must be leg (preferably typewritten) and include your name, full address and telephone number. Submissions can be d to 985-2104. , “plus (optiona me transportation: from. ~ beatile oe t " Please.call 925-2222 & mention that you saw this ad-in the: 7 . as : oe "Sorre. nO upgrades to Suites. Os - ‘ASK ABOUT-OUR 2: NIGHT. WEEKEND CRUISE. - "_ (Seattle to Seattle +« May 2-4 + VERY LUMITED SPACE!) "THIS OFFER SOLD EXCLUSIVELY. BY RENSHAW TRAVEL ‘ North Shore News-to receive a:complimentary oie category upgrade