6— Sunday, May 28, :1989 - North Store News Any future for leaders who do not play games? PRESSURE ON THE SOCREDS today to get rid of Bill Vander Zalm before the 1990-91 election comes, paradox- ically, from some of those who have benefited the most from his 31 months as premier. By and large, the Vander Zalm government’s first two and a half years have been good years for business and the economy in gen- eral. They have seen a provincial deficit of almost $1 billion wiped out, and this March Finance Minister Mel Couvelier brought down the first balanced budget anywhere in Canada since 1983. Overall, B.C.’s economy is pres. ently in a boom mode. Unemployment, though still high, is gradually easing. And so far from bringing industrial chaos — as opponents predictcd at the time — the tough labor legislation in- troduced in Bill 19 has, in practice. kept serious labor unrest to a min- imum and encouraged successful collective bargaining free of gov- ernment intervention. Privatizing BILL VANDER Zalm ...a dif- ferent breed. is proceeding smoothly. A sweep- ing reform of the school system and an all-embracing transporta- tion plan, both now in the works, also look promising. Along the way, of course, have come the inevitable pratfalls that plague all governments. But on balance, the record of the Vander Zalm administration to date has considerable substance. Any image problem with its boss is purely one of style. Bill Vander Zalm came to office with two politically naive assump- tions: (1) that a leader should lead, not follow; (2) that he should not sacrifice personal convicticn to expediency. In short, he wasn’t about to play games with us. Wily political pros from King to Mulroney could have told him that such quaint ideas can bring you a tot of trouble. They did — although, in the event, his original strong-willed exuberance has proven pretty harmless. The main item on his personal agenda which could still be an election problem is his hard line against abortion. On that emotion-laden issue the Pro Choice majority can be as un- forgiving to its opponents as Pro Lifers are to theirs. This is what has a faceless business clique of indeterminate size scared. Logically they should be applauding Vander Zalm as head of a government that has given them much. Instead, they're hell-bent on dumping him for fear that Pro Choice voters could elect the NDP — but rather than stand up to be counted, they manipulate the media with carefully concocted anti-Vander Zalm ‘‘leaks.’’ Until Bike rights HE NEEDS of the growing number of cyclists they come out of the closet, their own credibility has even mcre leaks. The electorate as a wh-!- ~~ course, will have the last We’re always beefing abc. . Jliti- cians who put votes before princi- ples and power before all else — which may explain why B.C. free- enterprisers rallied enthusiastically to 2 cat of a different breed in Oc- tober 1986. And look what hap- pened to them! Could it mean we aren’t really ready yet for political leaders who talk straight and don’t play games with us? TAILPIECES: Off this weekend to Merry England are Capts. Jim Happer and Mike Wood of 6 Field Engineer Squadron as guests of the U.K. sister regiment, the Mon- mouths, who visited with them here a couple of years ago. Jim and Mike will represent their North Van unit at the ceremonial opening of the Monmouths’ new museum in Monmouth Castile by the Duke of Gloucester ... Nothing on this Sunday evening? Try the Spring Variety Concert by Roy Cornick'’s West Van Concert Band with guest soloists Robert Shef- field, clarinet, Don Stagg, organ and mezzo-soprano Kelly Crook — 7:30 p.m. at the new Mt. Seymour United Church, 1200 Park Gate Avenue in North Van, admission $5 (students and seniors $3) ... Many happy returns tomorrow, May 29, to two West Van birthday boys — Ken Macpherson who celebrates his 91st and West Van Fire Chief Colin Evans, who not- ches up his 56th ... And oh yes, greetings tomorrow as well to B.C.’s birthday boy of the week (who gets one less candle on his WRIGHT OR WRONG: Of ali the things you wear, the most impor- tant is your expression. cake than Colin) — Premier Bill himself! MEWS photo Cindy Goodman REWARDS OF SAFETY ...prizewinners in safety events during the re- cent West Van Police Week: (left to right) Jeremy Clark, 9; Lane Clark, 7; Niki Strang, 11; Heidt Strang, 8; Jennifer Tait, 7. Behind them, Cst. Harry McNeil (left) and Chief Constable Hal Jenkins. MA U POPOFE od MOOSEBRETH BLVD, H can no longer be ignored by government. With ever more bikers taking to the streets and to local trails — one North Vancouver bike store sold clase to 2,600 mountain bikes in 1988 — it becomes increasingly important to strive for a harmo- nious co-existence among pedestrians, drivers and bikers. Understandably, drivers and pedestrians are often irritated by what they see as the jarring presence of bicycles in their domain. But until bikers are given their own turf, the battle will continue to escalate. Calls to municipal and provincial parks departments will garner warnings of where not to bike, but little help is forthcoming as to more appropriate biking locations. In fact, one bike store employee opines that the Californian habit of closing parks to bikers altogether is now taking hold in B.C. While there are positive examples, such as the Seymour Demonstration Forest bike road and West Vanccuver’s bike route alternative to the Sea Walk, they are far too few. It is time that bikes were given their due — not only do they promote physical fitness of the individual, they are one of the few nen-polluting methods of transport. The sooner decisive action is taken to provide bikers with their own trails and street lanes, the sooner un- necessary confrontations and accidents are quashed. SPUD BO, . EAA NaS by HOA HM. ‘OAR TOW NL NINBER OF § of sTHves Bap ‘am OF POSTAL OMTLETS . VEER OF sO LAR PAREN Bass 980-0511 986-6222 985-2131 THe VOICE OF WORT ANO WERT VeNCOUVE Display Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution 986-1337 Subscriptions 986-1337 Fax 985-3227 MEMBER Publisher Peter Speck Managing Editor... . Barrett Fisher Associate Editor Noel Wright Advertising Director . Linda Stewart North Shore News, lounded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper anc qualified under Schedule 111, Paragraph ill_of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free press Kio. ang Gistribuied to every oo! on the North ore. Secon lass Mail Registration Number 3885 Subscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per year. 59,170 (average, Wednesday Mailing rates available on request. Submissions are Friday & Sunday} welcome but we cannot accept responsibilty for unsolicited material including manuscripts and pictures a which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed SDA DIVISION envelope Entire contents © 1989 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. bere recy 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 North Shore owned and managed