6 — Friday, February 6, 1998 — North Shore News "EALTH Minister Joy =a MacPhail’s actions in firing .dithe North Shore Health Region board is a good first step in helping. nurse’ Lions Gate Hospital back to good community health. But her actions. also. illustrate that Victoria’s goal of ‘bringing health care closez.1 ‘to home:has failed. . .~ As much ‘as Victoria and the health region brass previously tried to dress ' up the role of the board and local health agencies in shaping ‘the kind of " health system we have on the North. Shore, ‘the fact remains that every- thing done locally must be approved Provincially. : “The report on the local health care mess released earlier this week by a three-member panel of consultants ‘made''much heavy weather of the north shore news VIEWPOINT Casting blame sibility in the affair. But the lion’s share of that responsibility resides elsewhere. The government all along wielded the only kind of responsibility that really counted: the kind backed by the votes of the people. The board was appointed by ‘the government, and the appointed board hand-picked CEO Inge Schamborzki, even though, at the time, it was clear doctors did not sup- port her rise to the position. With’ a first-class fiasco loosed in _the region, the panel, appointed by the government, pointed the finger at everyone but the government. Leadership changes must be made, thundered the consultants in their teport. They were right, but the leader they are looking for sits in _ ASGOVERNMENT, To ENCOURAGE North Shore Health Region’s respon- mailbox Columnist’s S views rile News reader Dear Editor: I first fhoticed it in Japan; and. now Pm seeing it here: a major obstacle in achieving equality of men and women is --awomen who were raised in the old school, such as News - columnist Shannon Humphreys. & ‘Unlike’ Jean’ Lawrence, I feel that Ms. Humphreys docs os. ‘indeed owe’an apology to the police woman whom she thor- 7 oughly distespected in her Jan. 16 article. - “>. Even from’ Ms. Humphreys’ side of the story, the police “ woman behaved ina more mature and reasonable manner oe than ‘did Ms, Humphreys. “Asa female engineering student, I take offense at her ishplication that anyone under 42 is a “girl” and therefore _- Not worthy of respert. I certainly hope that I do not encounter anyone with Ms. ‘Humphreys’ mentality as I look for work in my field. A sense of humor is one thing, but disrespect is another ’_. and Ms. Humphreys has certainly crossed the line. Congratulations ‘for replacing Doug Collins with an equally. controversial columnist; she has recently insulted » young female professionals, her son’s s teacher, other parents, ‘and “our elders” who are trying to “grasp hold of modern technology.” ; Only middle- -aged mothers scem safe from the wrath of Shannon’s unenlightened babbling. - Caro! Newton North Vancouver _ MAILBOX POLICY ~ LETTERS to the editor must be legible (preferably rype- written) and include your name, full address and telephone number. Due to space constraints the North Shore News cannot publish all letters. Submissions can be faxed to 985-2104 _. bur still must be signed and fully addressed. anorth shore rf ‘ ¥ Worth Shore News, founded in 1969 2s an AR EEN OECTA: wade Sete 118, Paragraph 111 of the EMER MEBEEERERG = seer tuic nines arene a} . Ltd. and destnbuted to every door on the North Shose, Canada Post Canadian Pubicanons Mad ‘Sales Product Agreement No. 0087238. 906-1337 (124) Victoria. 585-2131 (101) teative Services Nonooe cree ia (127) 61,582 (average citcutaron, Wednesiay, Friday & Sunday) FIVE hearty bus drivers told me I was wrong. At an over-coffee meeting at Park Royal's White Spot arranged by Dave DeGryse, I heard DeGryse, Peter Appleton, Graham Kitchen, Brian Erickson and Bob Rogers denounce recent claims that cheating by.transit riders is ripping off the system, large time. These were steamin’, smokin’, guys, eyes blazing with anger. They were hotter than a Saturday Night Special. Ah, no, they weren’t. You know how journalists love to dramatize. I liked these guys. They were forthright, pointed, and funny. I five drive for West Vancouver's proud Blue Buses, which have a sepa- rate management and union from BC Transit, operating in the rest of the Lower Mainland. They claim a total of 80 years behind the wheel among them. They, and doubtless others, are out- raged by one newish driver’s estimate that “fare evasion” — cheating — on Lower Mainland transit systems is cost- ing $50 million a year. BC Transit’s official estimate is $3.7 million, tops. At the Lonsdale Quay Hotel meet- ing last month to explain the proposed PETER SPECK patiwal 0g Foo Batch Resources Comptroller 985-2131 (133) seus QiCl Photography 965-2131 (160) Enlire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. Greater Vancouver transit authority, Blue Bus driver Susan Falls made fear- less allegations of rider ripoff far beyond that. Later she appeared on Bill Good’s KNW program and Vancouver Television. (The five point out that Blue Bus manage- ment didn’t object to the TV segment, even though Falls was on holiday, wore her dri- ver’s uniform, and went up the aisles checking passengers” fares, They stress that in fact the rules pro- hibit drivers from leaving their seats for such purposes.) Falls has said that it’s common for five or six passengers on a bus to try to beat the system, through dated trans- fers, riding into more zones than they’ve paid for, and simply not putting enough in the box. The drivers I met said: Not. They know regular would-be cheaters and don’t let them get away with it. “I'm not as green a cabbage as I look,” said the witty Kitchen. “I don’t get into hassles. I keep a smile on my face, like the old British bobby,” said Appleton, a Liverpudlian who looked as if he’d have made an admirable bobby. People who couldn’t pay at the time have later “even come to my door” with the money, Erickson said. Since Falls’ claims, DeGryse said “Dve been very, very tough watching LETTERS T0 THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. VIA e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca Managing Editor 985-2131 (116) xi ios Promotions Manager 980-0511 (166) 985-2131 (218) 905-2151 (105) latornet- bttp-//eww.nsnews.com —— Drivers doubt bus cheats abound the fare box. ... (In one sampling) on found one cheater among 200 riders.” “I can’t remember when I fast caught someone cheating,” said. . Rogers. : They cited one defiant women: who. repeatedly refused outright to pay ‘the ; re ‘ She was identified and sent a warn- ing letter. (But no prosecution.) _°*: I loved a story about a stockbroker who regularly rides the Blue Bus. One day he didn’t have the fare. He apologized, and next day“ dropped a fiver in the box. What! An honest stockbroker! You’re funnin’ me, guys! : (Just kidding, Tom. I'd trust you. Bos with my investments and my wife.)°.°" Collectively, the five are burned up ©: by the implication that drivers ignore . cheats, and that management always: backs riders in fare disputes. cea But this Jan. 16. Blue Bus bulletin. : to drivers — obtained through other” sources — shows how ultra-sensitive «..:- the issue has become. a Regarding complaints, it reads: “In the absence of our judgment, the cus- tomer would always be right! Those who arc in the habit of wanting or needing to continually. : correct others are often resented, avoided, and their authority diminished by their own desires to tlways be right. “Remember to choose your approaches wisely as life is rarely per- fect or fair and you will go a long way to reducing stress, unhappiness and frustration.” Whom do you believe, reader? ERCHEUS, | 985-2131 960-0511 905-5982 986-8222 85-2131 _ 986-1397 985-1435 995-2108 HO WETOzE Michae! Becker - News Editar 985-2131 (114) Andrew McCredie - Sports/Cammunity Editar 985-2131 (147) The Worth Shore News is published by Worth Shore Free Press Ltd., Publisher Peter Speck, from 1139 Lonsdsie Avenue Worth Vancouver, B.C., V7M 2H4