8 — Wednesday, October 16, 1991 - North Shore News The real dope on. the referendum recall question FOR THOSE of you who have been on the nod and have not kept up, there are two referendum opportunities avail- able to the Great B.C. Voting Public (GBCVP) tomorrow. This space is devoted to discuss- ing them. Last week we hoped that when we brought our brilliant powers of analysis to the proposed referen- dum on ‘‘Recall,” that would sat- isfy all need. Apparently not. Some readers have suggested that they could do with more informa- tion. Well, then ... Recall: this is the process that would allow us to reach into the legislative assembly at any time and turf out individu- al rascals. We would not have to wait until a general election, which of course gives us the opportunity to turf them out en masse. (No one seems to have noticed that the GBCVP does not actually turf out rascals. We vote them in again, presum- ably to keep them off the streets. Indeed, viewed in that light, it is noble work we dc.) Anyway, if enough people vote yes in a referendum — a simple majority suffices — the govern- ment is bound to put in some leg- islation. _ FT suggested in a previous col- - umn that it was legislation that would only affect Social Credit MLAs. In spite of my usual " . cogency of phrase, this analysis seems to have been misunderstood. Some sensitive readers have suggested I was unfairly picking on the ruling party. Not so. In fact I was suggesting that NDP members are far too prissy a crew to do anything interesting enough to warrant recall. (Being terribly upset does not constitute ‘cause for removal.) And, of "course, we may never know what the Liberals’ table manners are. We were prepared to stick with that analysis, and press on. But there were those who ". wanted a glimpse of what. would happen if we voted yes, we want . the legislation. Would we actually get some measure of control over the caprice of individual members? (My goodness, there are some silly Billys, arer’t there?) The quick answer is: Not really. There is adequate safety for the legislators in the fine print, which states that ‘‘an impartial commit- tee”? would give the matter a little laying on of hands. Does anyone doubt that this committee would see to it that by the time Recall became law its fibre would have disappeared; it would be rendered to 2 consti- tuency of legislative mush, the ’ dealing with which is the legislators’ principal art. Now, then, on to Referendum Two. This one asks, should the Great B.C. Voting Public be given the right ‘‘to propose questions that the Government of British Col- umbia must submit’’ to the GBCVP by referendum? In short, Brian Swarbrick SECOND OPINION it is a referendum on the propriety of referendums, which ought to tell you something right there. I see it as a sop to the trouble-makers, the yellers and shouters and viewers with the gravest alarm. It is a kind of safety valve, which permits them to think they’re actually getting some- where. They do not realize, you see, that a body of elected politicians is an enormous soft dalloon. You can whale away at it with your mightiest blows, and all it does is absorb, absorb, absorb. Or maybe the trouble-makers do realize it, and are quite as cynical as you and me. Yelling and screaming and view- ing with the gravest alarm may be, for all I know, no more than a kind of therapy for them, pro- viding them with the precarious emotional equilibrium that keeps them off the streets. If so, then yes indeed, this referendum would also qualify as a noble piece of work. But for those who want a glimpse of what would actually hapyen if we voted yes on Refer- endum Two, the answer is that we would be keeping the trouble- makers off the streets by, um, well, putting them out on the streets. See them in your mind. There they are, scurrying up and down the block, patiently door to door, getting us to sign petitions for this week’s favorite flavor in VSIs. (In my own mind.I have leapt for- ward to that sunny day when Voter Sponsored Initiative has entered the lexicon as VSI, and every schooi child is mindlessly babbiing it.) Thus, I also see it as specially attractive to the funsters, the Greens and all, and those whose healthy 2pproachk to politics is that it’s all loony and essentially a waste of time, but it’s cheaper than going to movies and not as gritty as sculpturing sand castles. -COMPANION*WANTED- : Due to a massive overstock situation, Singer Sewing machine is offering for sale to the public a limited number of 1990 Singer Ultra Lock model 14U32 sergers. It has everything you need to sew, trim and finish all in one easy step. Sews an overlock seam and flat lock stitch © exclusive free arm e swing away knife. The Perfect Companion to a sewing machine! 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TO PRE-REGISTER PLEASE CALL 687-5154 ROYAL LePAGE RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE == 40 OFFICES IN BC. 370 OFFICES IN CANADA } NORTH VANCOUVER-LONSDALE, A Proven Record _ Gary Bannerman (Columnist, North Shore News) "The most solid candidate from this area - and arguably the best..." Noel Wright (Associate Editor, North Shore News) "...could be expected - in any direct clash of interests to put (her) constituents first, the party line second." Stella Jo Dean (North Vancouver City Alderman) “The only candidate qualified to look after the interests of the residents of North Vancouver - Lonsdale. Her ability, integrity and fiscal responsibility has been proven as Alderman and Mayor. " On October 17th, Elect Marilyn REDIT Sd Campaign Office #115 - 1433 Lonsdale 986-0043 2? abn? Ao ee Me