A6-Sunday News, November 16, 1980 editorial page Vision is vital The price of inadequate planning -- or no planning at all -- can be high indeed. This was vividly illustrated last week when the Community Hazards Task Force presented its report to North Vancouver District council. Thereport concluded that the Hooker chemical plant was incompatible with the growing residential area east of the Seymour River and urged all three levels of government to seek a means of relocating the plant away from the North Shore. The estimated cost of relocation: a cool $125 million. The figure, of course, is out of the question as far as the municipality is con- cerned. It’s also highly doubtful that either Victoria or Ottawa would consider spending such an amount for such a purpose, par- ticularly in view of the plant's safety record to date. So North Van, it seems, is stuck with Hooker, which never ought to have been allowed to build there in the first place. The best that can be done for the present is to press for ever improved safety standards and hope the accident statisticians are wrong. The only alternative would be for every District taxpayer to toss up to $7,000 into the “move Hooker” kitty. In fairness, the present council bears no blame for the situation brought about by its predecessor of a quarter of a century ago -- a fact which makes the lesson crystal clear. Councils everywhere have a duty to look many years ahead, far beyond their own brief terms of office. Vision is their most vital function. Un-F.A.1.R. hike? There’s some nasty talk about ICBC premiums going up 40% next year. In the first year of the F.A.I.R. program, which abolished higher premiums for drivers under 25 (actuarily the biggest risks), claims are up by 8.4% and claim costs by 22%. It’s widely held that the F.A.1.R. program aimed at winning the youth vote. If the 40% rumor proves true, Premier Bennett could find the political cost of the youth vote uncomfortably high. TH VOICE OF ROUTH AND WEST VANDOUYER sunday news north shore. news 1139 Lonsdale Ave North Vancouver BC V7M 2H4 (604) 985-2131 NEWS ADVERTISING CLASSIFIED CIRCULATION 985-2131 080-0511 986-6222 086-1337 Publisher Peter Speck Associate Publisher Editor-in-Chief Robert Graham Noel Wright Advertising Director Eric Cardwell Classified Manager Creative Production & Office Administrator Director Rick Stonehouse Berni Hiliard Tim Francis Faye McCrae Meneging Editor News Editor Photography Andy Fraser Chris Uoyd t Naworth Dickson Accounting Supervisor Barbara Keen North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent Gommun ty Newspaper and qualified under Schedule Ili Part it Paragraph I of the Excise Tax Act. is published cach Wednesday and Sunday by North Shore Free Prees Lid and distributed to every door on the North Shore Second Clase Mall Roeyistration Number 3686 Subscriptions $20 per year Entire corntenta ( 1080 North Shore Free Press Lid All rights reserved No reaponsibiity acaepted for unsolicited manuscripta and pictures which should be stamped addressed return envelope matoral tere Wading accompanied by a VERIFIED CIRCULATION 60,670 Wednesday 49,013 Sundny fey Ska DN tara THIS PAPER 1S RECYCLABLE Apathy not far from anarchy By DOUGLAS KNOLL “Let George do it,” is a modern-day expression used frequently to excuse one’s lack of interest or in- volvement. This euphemism is usually resorted to when we are asked to do something that we do not want to do or interferes with our personal life style. This attitude of non- involvement is quite often depicted in the ad- ministration of our right to vote, whether it be local, provincial or federal politics, as was noted in the recent election below the border where only 52.9% of all eligible American’ voters went to the polls. Un- doubtedly those who refrained from voting will still justify their action, after all a fishing trip is more important than voting (“besides they would not miss my puny pencil mark”) and will often complain the most when the elected government doesn't live up to their expectation. Most of these “‘Let- George-do-it"ers would be appalled to think of losing their democratic nghts but really democracy 1s GOVERNMENT-BASH.- ING DEPT.: When 1980 passes into history, it will likely take the Canadian prize of the century for political nuttiness measured in terms of the number of funny new parties with funny new names it has spawned. Ail having one goal in common: to make life hell for our present rulers Leading at the moment in the publicity stakes are the three Western separatist groups Elmer Knautson's Western Canada Federation in Alberta, Stan Bennett's Western National Party and Doug Christie's Western Canada Concept in B.C. -- each with Pierre Trudeau's Ottawa as its prime target Going off at a tangent is Dick Collver’s Saskat- chewan-based Unionest Party which simply wants the four western provinces to join the U.S. and have done with it But separatism isn't the only spicy new political monu being offered. Earher this year a homegrown B.C outfit calling itself the Real Share Value Party (RSVP) emerged briefly to bash BM Bonnett’s Socreds over the BCRIC tssuc This Wed. nesday at 6 pm a group rejoicing in the tithe Tax- payers & Voters Party of B.C. (TVP) ts holding tts introductory meeting at the Astor in) Burnaby, having (according to its manifesto) “declared war on the Pederal Government dependent on the volvement of the people. Anarchy is not very far removed from apathy. In fact, where continued apathy exists, that is: lack of interest, unwilling to become personally involved or greater interest in own affairs, then anarchy, lawlessness, lack of government, is just around in- the corner. Societies in the past have had a habit of deteriorating as each successive generation became less and less involved in its affairs. This is not only true of governments but equally true of businesses and churches. Some people believe a war is necessary during each generation to “It needs a rest.” sunday brunch by Noel Wright because of its reckless spending. irresponsible taxation and bias against the Wester provinces”. TVP president, for those who like to know the host is a 30-year- old gentleman called J.V.L. (Casey) Grant. Hardly had we digested the TVP release when the latest handout arrived just two days ago -- this time from a Toronto-based group with the fascinating name The Unparty, led by a lady called Mary Lou Gutscher and dedicated, says the blurb, to “one purpose -- massive cuts to government atalllevels. to reduce taxcs and government in- terference in people's lives” It all makes the dear old Gnts, Tories, Socreds and NDP seem remarkably dull, even if they're not yet exactly ondangcered specics But never again complain that you have no alternatives the funny farm is now breeding them at the rate of one or more a month oo Talking of politics closer to home. the {friends of former North Van City alderman and Noigh- bourhood House employce John Brafthwatte are holding a dinner in his honor neat Sunday (Nov 23) at the Canyon Gardens call Martha Pow, 988-8425, if you'd like to partake of an $8 plate and, doubtless. learn interesting things at the same time Reasons for John's recent abrupt resignation at 52. from Neighbourhood House, which he'd served for some 25 years. have had the rumor-mill working = over- time. Some of the veils may be shed from the mystery over the Spanish coffee oee All those scare about robberies and muggings of toumsts in Hawaii proved groundless as far as Rev. Douglas Knoll is concerned. The pastor of North Van's Canyon Heights stores Chape! and wife Helen returned recently with a glowing account of their Waikiki holiday to celebrate their 25th anniversary -- and a nice little truc story to cap wt ooff. Seems a Canadian woman visitor misplaced her purse containing $2,000, her group's entire spending money. It was found by an Hawaiian local who promptly took it to the police He was rewarded by the gratcful lady with a $100 bill ANIMAL LOVERS are rallying once again to the support of the North Shore's heroic “Dog Lady”, Dorts Orr, who was successfully acquitted on two City dog bylaw charges carher this year, but faces tnal on oa third next month Legal feces are already nudging $2,500. with more lo come Meanwhile, the Dons On Needy Animal Trust (DONATE) has had one of ite most successful) ycars with some SOO) homes keep people from not being uninvolved in its own affairs. Whether military” in- volvement is the answer to our decadence is debatable but other ancient societies crumbled when its people became self-indulgent and found no reason to stand up for what is right. It has been said that if you do not have a strong enough faith to stand up for, you will fall for anything. The Rev. Jerry Falwell of Lynchburg, West Virginia, and his “Moral Majority” rallies at many American state capitals is a good example of getting involved, that is, telling it like it is. The story in St. Luke's gospel, chapter ten is another example of getting involved when the good Samanitan, unlike the priest and Levite, put aside his own personal interest to help someone else. There its no room _ for lukewarmness either in our society or in our churches. Both were started and are maintained with a fervent spirit of total commitment. ‘Rev Douglas Knoll is pastor of Canyon Heights Chapel. North Vancouver ) reported found for lost and abandoned pets. 375 animals spayed and 400 vaccinated At this time, however, some 60 pets are still being boarded and awaiting homes Donations to DONATE, a $10 annual membership or whatever. continue to. be urgently needed for the good work to carry on If you'd lke to help. with cash or a home or both, call Hellen Meijer at 988-9336 When the operators of West Van's Copa West disco (formerly Clyde's) an nounced a “Ladies Night Special” with male en- tertainers, it was a bit too much for Mayor Derrick Humphreys, who summoned them to his chambers for a fireside chat and a hittle mayoral advice All very well on Scymour Street, that kind of thing, but in the heart of Ambleside well really. tellows! Operators retired to consider options Returned next day to inform the mayor his advice was Exit Ladies Night accepted oe And to cnd on a happy scasonal note, how about adding “Here Comes The Bride’ to this years Christmas carol repertory when North Van City Alderman Gary Payne weds former Vancouver com munity schools coordinator Rose Marie DePaoli December 20 in Caulfeild’s St. Prancis ino the Wood Church WRIGHT OR WRONG: Some people are doggedly determined Others are just plain stubborn