6 - Friday, November 24, 1989 - North Shore News INSIGHTS Patriots’ necks not ali just one color! IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RACIST? A new Vancouver and Toronto-based group — which has itself been tarred with the same brush — slams Ottawa for prac- tising racism when it comes to immigration. The Euro/British Immigration Aid Association, launched early this year, wants to reverse the dramatic decline since the 1970s in immigrants fromm Europe and Bri- tain. Between 1946 and 1966 they made up 92 per cent of Canada’s tota} immigration. In 1987 only 24 per cent came from these ‘‘tradi- tional’ sources, with a mere 5 per cent (about 8,300) from the U.K. Of the remainder, 44 per cent ar- rived from Asia and 22 per cent from the West Indies, Latin America and Africa. That same year, incidentally, 28,000 Brits emigrated to Australia. The E/BIAA blames the im- balance first and foremost on Ot- tawa’s failure to subject ALL would-be immigrants to a universal “‘merit'' test — abandoned to make way for the ‘‘family reunification’’ scheme, which re- quires virtually no qualifications other than relatives already in Canada and now accounts for 50 per cent of the country’s annual immigration. That, plus bogus refugees, of course. The other big roadblock for Europeans and Brits, says the group, consists of an inequitable points system and a ludicrously restricted list of ‘‘open jobs” which slam the door on thousands of well-qualified applicants — among them engineers, chemists, aircraft pilots and mechanics, sur- veyors, architects, computer technicians and skilled craftsmen. London's Canada House, the association charges, rejects outright 80 per cent of applicants at the preliminary questionnaire stage and the resultant frustration environmental costs. favor of the Diamond. it. Diamond decision HE PROVINCIAL highways ministry should take an extremely close look at the Diamond design for the proposed $20 million Westview Drive and Upper Levels Highway interchange. Public support for the Diamond is growing along with opposition to the Loop design, which is also being considered by the ministry for the interchange. North Vancouver City recently threw iis support behind the Diamond after hearing a delegation from Homeowners Aggeinst the Loop Overpass (HALO) that outlined overwhelming area resident and business sup- port for the Diamond over the Loop. HALO opposes the Loop on the grounds that it will have a far greater negative impact on area environment and safety. The highways ministry has said that no final decision on the interchange’s design will be made unti) ali aspects of both options are re-examined. But it has previously indicated a preference for the Loop, pointing to original engineering evaluations that considered it better in traffic-handiing abilities. The ministry has also said the Leop would be less disrup- tive to existing traffic flows during construction. Both interchanges would have similar financial costs; hut both would have entirely different social and Unless financial and technical arguments for the Loop design are overwhelming, it should be shelved in The highways ministry only has to build the inter- change, area residents and businesses have to live with means that many others with much to contribute to Canada no longer even bother to pick up papers. E/BIAA members ~- who label themselves simply as patriots —- vigorously deny any racist tinge. On the contrary, they say, it’s the feds who have introduced sweeping new forms of discrimination against the Europeans and British — on whom Canada’s traditions, customs and shared values are founded. They point out that this discrimination, brought about by radical changes in immigration policy since 1976, has never been sanctioned by the Canadian elec- torate. Nor can the group be dismissed ye Ta ‘yO a y RON Huntington ...fighting racial discrimination. merely as a bunch of redneck nobodies. Until his recent death Hon. J.V. Clyne was one of its directors. Others include Ports Canada boss and former Capilano MP Ron Huntington, former Van- couver mayor Jack Volrich, Aivin Nemetz, Donald Cromie, R. Theo Du Moulin, Reg Meek and A.W.S. Mortifee. If you’d like to check them out for yourself, the address is: 1250 Homer St., Vancouver V6B 2Y5 (phone 681-0296). You might even find that patriots’ necks are not all just one color! tnt WRAP UP: If your son or daugh- ter aged 12 to 18 hankers alter a flying career, there’s an invitation from Pieter Sevensma (926-7441) to visit the ‘Y’, 17th and In- glewood in West Van, at 6:45 p.m. any Tuesday and meet the guys of 526 Air Cadets Squadron. Their weekly get-togethers bring a lot of interest and fun, plus they enjoy special outdoor programs, learn survival techniques and get to fly in Cessnas and gliders. And right now they have one or two vacan- cies for kids who are the Right Stuff. Well worth dropping by ... And here comes Joan Castle again —- last our guest in April -— who might pardonably be described as a born loser. She’s still seeking that kind North Van gent who works in Burnaby and phoned her in Calgary last December after fin- ding her lost diary-address book at Vancouver Airport. Alas, she also lost the bit of paper on which she wrote HIS name and phone. And now, without the addresses in the iost book, she can’t mail her Christmas cards. So if Kind North Van Gent reads this, would he please contact her at Box 506, 1518 Chiico Road, Crofton, B.C. VOR 1RO — or phone 1-246-2666. This Publisher ...—-«.—(i.... Peter Speck at rurct on mows ano weer wamcouses Managing Editor... Barrett Fisher { Associate Editor... Noel Wright Advertising Director Linda Stewart See ea eee 1139 Lonsdale A ™ eee oer and qualilied under Schedule 111, Patagaph ll of the Excise Tax Act. is pubtisned each North prsaale Wwe Wednesday, Friday ana Sunday by North Shore Free uver, BA. Press Ltd. and distribuled to every doot on the North V7M 2H4 Shore. Second Giass Mail Registration Number 3885 Suuscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per yeat 59,1 70 (average, Wednesday Mailing rates available on tequest. Submissions are Friday & Sunday) welcome bul we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited matena. including manuscnpts and pictures s which shouid be ac :ompanred by a stamped, addressed Entire contents © 1989 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. time collect, I venture to suggest! tion doesn’t work if you expect the kak others merely to coo while you WRIGHT OR WRONG: Coopera-__ operate. Photo aubmitted THINK YOU have problems with your Christmas lights? Then pity this crew putting 2,500 twinklers on the 70 ft. tree at Marine and 13th, West Van, in the pouring rain! Left to right: Kay Staley, West Van Chamber of Commerce which co-sponsors the display with Ambleside Business Association, tree man Dave China and helpers Allan and Terry. Display Advertising 980-0511 Classified Advertising 986-6222 Newsroom 985-2131 Distribution 986-1337 Subscriptions 986-1337 SUNDAY « WEDNESDAY © TRIOAY SDA DIVISION North Shore owned and managed