6 - Sunday, April 2, 1989 - North Shore News Do principles handicap a politician’s career? ON THURSDAY THE SUN SHONE a little at last for Premier Bill Vander Zaim as his Finance Minister Mel Couvelier brought down the first balanced budget anywhere in Canada in the past six years. Major credit for this remarkable feat belongs to Couvelier himself, probably the ablest member of the present B.C. cabinet, and it hasn’t been achieved painlessly. The forest industry is mad at Mel over heavy extra royalties. Hoteliers bemoan the doubling of taxes on their industry — this year over $100 million. Thirsty pub patrons resent his 10 per cent sales tax on draft beer. Overall, however, the B.C. economy is in a boom mode. Over the past three years serious Jabor unrest has been minimal —~ paradoxically because labor’s boycott of the Industrial Relations Council set up under the govern- ment’s tough labor legislation is forcing unions and management to settle on their own without outside help. Unemployment is gradually eas- ing, even if still not fast enough. PREMIER VANDER ZALM ... How many bet on Mulroney? vironmentally conscious. smoke produced. with the costs and possible Burning issue EST VANCOUVER’s burning regulations must change to accommodate a community that generates a great deal of garden waste, and a population that is increasingly health and en- With the highly vocal pro and anti-burners bran- dishing facts and figures to fuel their arguments, the question of how to improve the present burning bylaw has heated up into a highly emotional issue. Neither side is happy with the current law. Those promoting a total burning ban point out that the practice is not only a nuisance, but bothers the 10 to 15 per cent of the population with respiratory prob- lems and contributes to general air pollution levels and the dreaded greenhouse effect. The pro-burners want to keep their garden refuse out of an overburdened waste disposal system and are arguing against having to burn on specific days when weather corditions can contribute to the amount of while, residents must exercise responsible burning practices and neighborly consideration. While a total ban on burning, as imposed in other urban municipalities, may still be premature in West Vancouver, the municipality must take a cold look at a hot issue to come up with a viable solution. Education Minister Tony Brum- met’s sweeping reform of the school system — if it works as well in practice as in theory — could be a vote-catcher. Initiatives on hous- ing and the environment at least offer hope to two other .inportant constituencies. In fact, last Thursday suddenly made the Socreds look like a gov- ernment that knows what it’s do- ing. So where does that leave em- battled Bill Vander Zalm himself during the election countdown? Laying negatives aside for a moment, he’s entitled — as head of the government — to share its ups along with its downs. Its “ups’’ today are coming, moreover, from loyalist ministers like Couvelier and after the tur- moil of the past year the caucus as a whole is now starting to make the “united party” label stick. To be fair, the Premier’s very human ‘‘faults’’ are shared by many of those who enthusiastically voted for him in 1986: thinking aloud; second thoughts; undue trust in, and loyalty to subor- dinates. All of which are no noes for seasoned politicians — whom we constantly accuse of putting votes ahead of principles and pur- suit of power before everything. It’s odd, therefore, that we are so rough on Bill Vander Zalm for being a politician who puts princi- ples (whether or not we agree with them} before votes. Isn't that just the kind of political leadership we're always vainly seeking? If he can learn from his goofs to combine principles with a little more sensitivity — and given the form that the team he heads is now Special pick-up service for garden refuse and trans- portation to the chipping plant in North Vancouver is an alternative for West Vancouver to weigh, along uses for the chips. Mean- showing — it might be premature to count him out yet. How much money would you have risked as recently as last April on a second big Mulroney victory? she POSTSCRIPTS: A sad day last Monday for the North Shore's big Cragg family with the passing, at age 97, of its gracious matriarch Sarah Ann Cragg. I first met Ann and husband Arthur two years ago in the Westview Drive home he’d built for them 40 years earlier. It was their wedding anniversary and, even then, must have set a near- record, They were married in Prince Albert, Sask., on July 20, 1912, and on that July day in 1987 it looked as if it had been a 75-year love affair all the way. The affair was still going strong last July as they joked and held hands at Westview Mall’s Safeway, which celebrated the 76th anniversary of its two loyal customers with an in-store party for them. She was a lovely lady who tempted one to believe a little in fairy stories ... That April 6 public meeting to present designs and costs for the Lions Gate North Enhancement Project being coordinated by Joseph Cantafio is now set for 7:30 p.m. in the new activity build- ing of the Capilano Trailer Park — go see, ask, suggest! ... And happy second anniversary Tuesday, April 4, to West Van’s Bob and AnneMarie Graham. ene WRIGHT OR WRONG: Nostalgia is longing for a place you wouldn't want to move back to. NEWS photo Cindy Bellamy REMEMBRANCE DAY POPPIES sold by West Van Legion Branch 60 provided $3,500 for this commercial freezer presented to West Van Seniors Centre. Handing it over to the centre's Florence Shepherd and Bea Gray @) are Branch 60’s vice-president Jean Coull and seniors’ coordinator Zmilly Stedman. waee, oF ONE VILAGE. OF Lions BAY. HUNDRED AND TH iy OUSAND, TAREE Hyp ORED. AND. THIRTY THRE Epoxy. 8. 102,333. ARS C/ Re) VE Cy NEWS photo Cindy Betlamy LIONS BAY Ald. Dale Kiagt, Mayor, Gordon Prescott and Village Clerk/Treasurer Bernice Pullen Cleft to right) were recently presented with a $102, 333 GO B.C. award by West Vancouver-Howe Sound MLA John Reynolds (far right). The money will be used to help construct a multi-use emergency facility in Lions Bay. welcome envelope. North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111. Gpragraeh itl of the Excise Tax Act, is published each ednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Prose Ltd. and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Second Class Mail Registration Number 3835. Subscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per year. Mailing rates avaitable on request. Submissions are bul we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited materia) including manuscripts and pictures my which should de accompanied by a stamped, addressed Publisher ........... Peter Speck — Treroict ov worm ann west ancousen Display Adve’ 980-0511 Managing Editor... . Barrett Fisher classified Adv: * ope ean Associate Editor .... - Noel Wright Distribution 986-1337 Advertising Director Linda Stewart Subscriptions 986-1337 SUNDAY = WEONESDAY + FRIDAY eax 985.3227 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C: V7M 2H4 §9,170 (average, Wednesday Friday & Sunday) SDA DIVISION Entire contents © 1989 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. MEMBER see North Shore owned and managed