uSIC matters Dear Editor: Congratulations on vour June 5 editorial entitled “Undervalued arts." [too attended part of the presenta. | tions at Argyle School’s Music ‘Marathon last Saturday and 3 ‘was very impressed by the ‘high standard of the perfor- -mances | heard. Learning to play a musical instrument not only stimulates the brain, but also teaches cooperation and responsibility, improves hand/eye coordina- tion, gives students goals to strive for and a focus in their lives which so many young people today do not have, and instills an appreciation of music that will tikely create serious music audiences for the future. I grew up in Burnaby and started playing the clarinet in elementary school, progressed in the band program at Moscrop Jr, High and was an enthusiastic member of the concert band, orchestra, choir and pep band at Burnaby South High School. At that time 1 was also a member of the New Westminster Concert Band and. The Vancouver Junior Symphony, as well as teaching beginners to play the clarinet. f was inspired by the wonderful § band directors J had and | went pan to the UBC Music Department intent on becont- ing a school band director. That goul was altered some- what as f auditioned for and won a few orchestral posi- tions, and { realized that my heart was more into the per- forming aspect of music, although © still tove teaching the clarinet, | have lived in North Vaneouver for the past 10 years and have two children in the North Vancouver school system, one at Eastview and one at Sutherland. } would not want them to be deprived of the life-enriching opportunity I was afforded by dropping any of the arts programs from the school curriculum. Wesley Foster Principal Clarinet, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Adjunct Professor of Clarinet, University of British Columbia Support your local businesses Dear Editor: My neighborhood IGA is now very crowded with shop- - pers not usually there. _. While I feel badly for the people who do their gracery shopping at Safeway and Save-On-Foods, I have always supported my local Dundarave businesses, espe- cially IGA, which is within -walking distance of’ my home. Today when } arrived to shop, by car, the scene was chaotic, with no available parking spots — unheard of on a “normal” Tuesday. Once I got in the store it was worse: every aisle was crowded with people and buggies, with many people having . difficulty finding where items were, I could have had a job as an informa- tion person, but was happy to do it voluntarily! While | am happy to share “my” store where I have gro- cery shopped since [ moved here 21 years ago, | couldn't help but wonder if any of these “strike” shoppers will remain faithful to IGA when the strike is settled? Let‘s bear it for supporting local business. Jean Lawrence West Vancouver “MAILBOX POLICY LETTERS to the editor must be legible (preferably typewritten) and ‘include your | name, full address and teleptione number. Due to space constraints the North Shore News cannot publish all letters. Published let- ters may be edited for brevity, clarity, accura- cy, legality and taste. Letters can be faxed to 985-2104 but still must be signed and fully addressed. Tito our Gatage : ; bal Ae am { appointing Some puzzling opinions Dear Editor: Your May 31. editorial was somewhat puzzling. On the one hand you call attention to the “socialist dedication to tax. borrow and spend cconomics.” Appropriately, it would seem, But on the other hand, in the same edito- nial, you appear to express concern regarding the possible difficulty in “focusing provin- cial government attention on such pressing focal issues as rapid transit and the Lions Gate Bridge.” Perhaps you might explain haw to do the latter effectively without being guilty of the former. J. Laurence North Vancouver FAMILY TESTED FURRITURELANR 114 East 3rd St. N. van Lifetime Warranty Large Selection ‘Open 7. days: 986-1361 REFORM CONVENTION 96 Partisan politics are an integral and . unavoidable part of the job of being an 3 MP, so from time to time my North 1 Shore News. Report, like the one this , week, has to be fairly partisan in nature. 4 I would be doing a disservice to myself , 7 amd to you as voters, if I did not. ; occasionally clearly identify myself as a Reform MP, committed to Reform policies and principles. It was certainly in a very partisan sense S that | took part in the 1996 Reform Party of Canada Policy Convention, which was held in Vancouver last week, One of my tasks, as the Critic tor Democratic Reforms, was to chair a & workshop on improvements to the Initiative, Referendum and Recail policies of the Party . In the vote which followed the workshop, delegates strongly endorsed the pracess | had developed over the past two years for i Reform MPs to follow when measuring the will of their constituents on controversial bills. Delegates also approved all ot the Task Force | recommendations on initiative, referendum and recatl, clearing the way for final drafting of my Private Member's Bills on those areas of f policy. RESOLUTIONS Most of the resolutions passed during the } Convantion tended to be enhancements to, or j clarifications of, already established policy ‘positions. The Party principles were firmly in place prior to the 1993 election, so there was 8 no need for any maior policy review. Fiscal ¥ responsibility, toughening up of the justice i system, and MPs voting to represent the | wishes of their constituents in Parliament, still | form the core basis for all of the polices. J Fighting “political correctness” is, of course, f also an important part of the underlying philosophy of the Party, and it was clear from f the debates that there has been absolutely NO ercsion of the resolve of the Party to stick to its principles, irrespective of the attacks of E the media and the “old fine” parties. Here are a few of the more | controversial resolutions, along with the § voting result: * Thet the current system for judges should be dissolved, and replaced ‘with a more. democratic and ‘accountable method: (74.6% in favour) “ That there should be a Canada wide referendum on the right-of a Province to succeed. (Narrowly defeated). * That HIV should be a “reportable disease. (84.2% in favour) § |. * That Young Offenders Act should be abolished. (24.4% in favour). * Thai any adult who helps a young offender commit a: Lorine: should pay the same penal?) as if they committed. the crime personally. (92:1% in. favour): _ © That non-Canadians conifeted of a criminal offence should be deported in lieu of sentence at the discretion af the court. (98.1% were in favour.of this: resolution which was submitted by Capilano. Howe Scund Riding Association -.endorsing: 2 Private Member's Bill which | had prepared’ } . on this topic with the assistance of a” North Vancouver lawyer) MOVING on mk Now that the pre-election Convention is over, delegates armed with evarything from artwork samples for election signs, to campalan strategy material ~ and organizational techniques, have returned. home to begin gearing up for the. next election. One of MY major tasks will be to work on a Task Force which will investigate whether electoral reform.should be part. of future Reform policy. For example, whether we should consider switching to a partially or tully proportional system of electing MPs so that Parliaments are more reprasentative of the actual percentage of support for each Party. We started the Convention on Thursday June 6th under a cloud media speculation abou? the. future of the Party. We ended the Convention on a ! high note last Sunday, united and ready’ to fight the next election. personally attended six Reform conventions ard it is hard to think of, one that was as upbeat and positive as this one. We are ready to ride the next wave. " ‘Ted White, M.P. , #302-1200 Lynn Valley Rd., North Vancouver, B.C. V7) 2AZ, Tel.666-0585 Fax: 666-0509 1 have.