A - Sunday, February 13, 1983 - North Shore News HS editorial page At the inquest? The News does not yet have access to all the budget figures considered by members of North Vancouver District council in reaching their decision to terminate the fire department's mini-pumper program and lay off nine firefighters. But common sense alone | that the move — opposed only by Alderman Ernie Crist — could prove a dangerously false economy. The mini-pumper with its crew, presently costing $300,000 per year, is primarily a life- saving tool. It functions as an ambulance (a service notoriously deficient on the North Shore). It is the only fire truck equipped to operate the “jaws of life”, used to cut free can significantly reduce the response time in areas through which the bigger fire trucks have difficulty in manoeuvring — thereby providing manpower quickly at the begin- ning of a fire. In these tough times a $300,000 saving admittedly is not to be sneezed at. Seen in perspective, however, it is less than 5% of the fire department budget of around $6 million and under 1% of the District's total provisional budget of $30.7 million. After sewerage, water and police costs, the District’s other biggest spenders are Parks and Recreation, and municipal hall departments (including staff salaries). The two latter, which have no direct responsibility for the safety of life, limb and property, éat up over $7 million. Why couldn’t THEIR fat have been cut by a modest 4% to provide the $300,000 needed to keep the mini-pumper? What is the price tag of even a single life lost unnecessarily? And what will council say at the inquest? Beating the killer Over the past 25 years the under-65 death rate from heart disease has dropped 31%. Research has brought dramatic advances in diagnosis and treatment. And heart education has led to healthier living — less smoking, better eating habits, more exercise. Research and education cost money but they're beginning to win against the No. 1 killer. Give generously this month to your Heart Fund canvasser. sunday news Display Advertising 980-0511 north shore Classified Advertising 986-6222 news Newsroom 985-2131 Circulation 986 1337 1139 Lonsdate Ave North Vancouver BC V/M 214 Publisher Poter Sopred h Assoactate Publisher: WAcaboeert cat abv t ditor in < niet Novest Wragghat Advertising Otr octor Taety bor carve ass Personnel Dtractor Ar. Eberrcus tb falbveae ct Circulation Otrector thin A Fis Production Olrector Office Manager ‘ots toh ous Pope Cott, Photography Manage: “estry Peters ree Now- oo . ’ de pee te Men rn} 1 per tererta Henn tte At ghtn pene: vend Mente, s 1 FR NE) WNertreecday 24 OD) Sunday sx. & THIS PAPER IS RECYCLABLE YOUNGSTERS IN TROUBLE—PART1 By JUDITH McINTOSH (... a professional counsellor who acts as a consultant to the West Vancouver Family Court Committee.) KIDS COMMIT the same kinds of crimes as adults and in approximately the same kind of ratio. It’s a pyramid of misdemeanors with motor vehicle and liquor offences at the top, closely followed by shoplifting. Only, because the of- fenders are juveniles, their crimes are not called crimes; they're called “delinquencies” and, unlike their adult counterparts, if “arrested”. Juveniles are apprehended. Dozens of North Shore youngsters go to juvenile court every month. Many are handled out of court; they're diverted from court proceedings on the basis that it is more appropriate for children to return goods, apologize and make reparation in other ways such as working for the victim or others in the community, than to be punished per se. In West Vancouver last year, 137 kids were seen and “tried” in juvenile court. Almost double that number, 240, were diverted from the court system. The numbers for North Vancouver are in a similar ratio (171 to 278). What actually happens to these kids? Why do they commit crimes OF Should we delinquencies? STRANGER THAN DEPT.: North Van's David Ballantine, a former City aldermanic candidate, fell to chatting the other weck with a fellow employce he hadn't known) previously in the safeterra of ther = firm, Microtel Pacific Research of Burnaby, which has a payroll of around 200 The other guy. John Allper of Maple Ridge. was an cx Brit like David. but had arnved in Canada only a litte over a yeas carher (David has been here since 1959) It soon emerged that both came orginally from the southern England resort town of Bournemouth And that John’s mother sull byed there yust four oon five blocks from Davids old home broo that they went on te talk about other ESeouae nemouth streets wheeb they Miss overed were well hoe wn ter Lots coh thre en Poucvatly Poa Mac tlie tre od thie Cle amcCurlaay ne teased tee ah atte taded Wetec yen ever tit ty oa cat” asked Joba Wes Pdasacl ware tit by oa cae whiabe polayoange ner thre reed by a bus stop whee bootin had witncasecd at And thea suddenly it all came together: Not only had they been at the same school, but actually ino the same class Thirty four years ago around the age of sis care? The probation officers I talked to in both North and West Vancouver told me that periodically they have to deal with a child of eight p rehen nde e a” for r a delinquency. Juvenile of- fenders are usually between the ages of 12 and 17. After their 17th birthday people are considered “adults” and are dealt with in adult court where, of course, the consequences are more severe and more punitive. Violations of provincial statutes, that is, violations of the Motor Vehicle Act and the Liquor Control Act, constitute almost half of all juvenile offences on the North Shore. Shoplifting (theft under $200) is third, comprising about 35 per cent of all offences. Because it is a Criminal .Code offence, shoplifting is considered to be more serious although people in probation say that for many kids it is “a one their first offence they never see most of them again. On the North Shore all Motor Vehicle and Liquor offences by juveniles are diverted. That is, if it is their first offence, these kids do not go to court. Most sunday brunch by Noel Wright All of which gocs to show what interesting things can happen to sociable people in cafetenas — and how hard it is fo remember what your schoolmates looked = like back in 1949 Reappeanng ths Wed nesday, at 915 a.m on CBC IV (Channel 2/Cable 3) 1s West Van Fire Inspector Tom Payac with another coatmbution to West Van producer Fred Engel's weekly Golden Years show “From Now On” This time Tom will be talking about fire safety ino highrises. a top of no small interest to the thousands of | senmions whose front door as oan clevator NO VIKGINIA you re mol om very pooud state bo otrespond with A Neorgh Naan badly whee wastes be roomate manele ss cage bast weeks story of Croorsge White whose sisters better fron West Norpinia fomoh SOR weeks to teach him via Warsaw Poland Sand lady s Fe tten from Vargaanaa waas mathe dd there Dee aad teached ber last Monday (het ) beanng an ad Mttonal Kansas postmark and scat round to ber for some uncKplained reason at lO pm by special dctvery from Canada Post) where wonders also never cease Register your opposition to the Cruise Missile by phoning 112-613-992-4211 said the fetter m_stast Wednesday's Mailbox from the . North Shore Dhisar- mamenat Coahtion Karin Weber of North Van did just that and found hersell talking to an aide of Prime Minister Trudcau in the latter's Ottawa office A very rude aide. added Mrs Weber Fuming with in dignaton, be cut her off in mid scntcnec HITHER AND YON: That $00 000 super insulated starter home Chat Could Cost as litth as $s oa month to heat now om cute by the Housing and Urban Developmen: Navan of Canada at Jowntlown Groorgia and Ph otow as the brainc hid ot iaard-ladcn West Vani oar tect Rick Malbert 2 yp car Nurth Van District canplovees Joan McLeod, Jack Craser and Norm Pennuckh together with oretteinyg camployecs Leuben Keremidschiefl and CUM Sadler were honored Tuesday at «oc uncidls annual awards banquct ino Canyon Gardcas where tributes were also paid to cx mayor Doe Bef and cx alderman Why the courts ‘divert’ kids commonly these violations range from failing to stop at a stopsign, to speeding, to driving without due care and attention and, in the case of liquor offences, being a juvenile in possession of liquor. In both North and West Vancouver probation departments a letter is sent to the parents who are regarded as the ultimate authority on their children and their behavior. Some sort of in-family con- sequences are expected, For licence “grounding” ofr disciplines worked out by the individual family. temporarily , a other Shoplifters are often handled in a similar manner. It is usually an out-of-court (diverted) consequence. For example, a letter of apology to the store manager and a return of all stolen goods. Marg Garnett of the West Vaneouver probatieon department says that these youngsters are usually so frightened after they have been fingered by the store detective, held, taken to the police station by the police, where they stay until their parents come to get them, that the humiliation and fright of this whole process 1s often consequence enqugh. Most say “Ill never shoplift again and apparently most “TO. BE CONTINUED) Peter Powell North Shore high schools boss Bill McGown reports there are now more students attending his classes in North Van school district than there are in tts day schools __. Meanwhile, SFU has named seven North Shore secon dary grads to its honor roll for outstanding academic achievement. to wit: Peter Kayll (Argyic). Corinna Lee ang Waterte Weénderson (Carson Graham), Vincent Micallef (Handsworth). Gordon Chaimers, Janet Foster and Maureen Parkinson (West Van Secondary) North Van's Rafe Mais, cabinet minister turned talk-show host, also ects henored tomorrow as Communicator of the Year by the North Shore Joastmastcrs alia Valentine dinner oat Frank Bakers wath North Van Douglas An Toastmasters fellow couverite derron Bb ¢ dBtnet govemor presenting the award Pree vanes North Sdreste trees baa been Cordon Cfbson Jer Ate Ron Pour ibehay tes aod Caplan Hun thageonm Chiayyry Ron stinging you today And finatly all the way tothe lark 2 are Newih Vans Charles Maanwecll aiul Nioletta Duke winne ts respectively of STOO OOO on the Western Eapress 9° OOO On Supe|er bh ote ' demon | and WRIGHT You OR WRONG. hardly capect a man lo see cye to cye with you when you keep looking down on him cao