~ HOW DO you like living i ina “free and democratic soci- ety?” You shouldn't like it at all, because it is an ilusion. Take the court judgment iti Ontario that gives homosexuals and lesbians the right to adopt children, The judge ruled that a law prevent- ing them from doing so cannot be "justified “ina free and democratic society.” Pardon, me judge, | may be olds fashioned and you may be new- . fashioned, but it seems to sae that “an issue as important as tat should, “not be decided by you. Like every- . "one else, judges can have weird whims. Children shoutd | not be exposed to the risks of homosexual “love.” As has been mentioned in this here subversive column before, we are all free but some are more free -than others — thanks to Pierre “Trudeau's little trick known as the * Charter of Rights und Freedoms. Thus, we can say and do what ‘we like unless some judge decides we shouldn't, as in the above case. It also works in reverse, of course, so the Chartists have got the poor: peasants coming and going. . To add to the confusion, parlia- . ments and legislatures can do what “they like — provided the judges approve when a law is challenged. That's why Mike Harcourt and his - Merry Men and Fems have such a spiffing time. : We're the only ones who are not Jaughing. : Consider the buffer zones for the abortion clinics. In a free and democratic socicty _ you would think that picketing by” “ anti-abortionists should be legal. _ According to the NDP, though, “such pickets are by their very : “nature “harassment,” and we all - ‘know that in the NDP’s Holy Land “harassment” is a no-no, Except “when it's OK ina free and democ- ratic society, of course... Ina free and democratic society, - harassment is usually OK in labor _, disputes. », Remember the last post office Sastwike? 7! ~ pickets would not allow members “of the public their free and democ- “spatic right to enter the main post -office, but the police were not about to interfere. Past expericnce had taught them there is no lack of louts who want to exercise their « free and democratic rights. Up in Prince George or some place like that a female picket was injured when she got in the way of T. ASHTON, B.C, HLS. #217-1940 Lonsdale (next,to London Drugs) | 988- 4477. r I iP | In. Vancouver, loutish post office: eae ee SL GREE GA AD eet iy ED mes Siva SOE etree GER SAE Com Om tee tn ere -a truck that was on its way in to the post office, and trom all the fuss that ensued you would have thought that Hitler had arrived on the scene complete with storm troopers. Nobody seemed to care about the truck driver's free and democra- tic right to drive his vehicle on a public road, Peaceful picketing is peaceful picketing, and unpeaceful picketing is something else. In the first case, there is no threat to life and limb. Ht therefore comes under the heading of democ- ratic rights. In the second case, we have a police force, supposedly to maintain order, Su what's the beef? Where do we go from here? Restrictions on freedom start smalland end large, as with the buniwin rights nonsense, which began with irying to get cid of dis- crimination in housing, etc. and now embraces freedom of speech. IL was the same with abortion. When it was tnade legal we were told it could only be done if the health of the mother was at stake, Ha! Inno time at all it became abortion on demand, sind for some a means of birth control. The result is that we are now performing, if that is the right word, over 100,000 abortions a year and each abortion costs about $1,000, including doctors’ visits and other expenses. That's a cool $100 million a year that would be better spent on other things, seeing that medicare costs are going through the roof. But is there a single politician who will say that abortion has damned little to do with health care? Making the rest of us pay for someone else's foolishness is an infringement of evr democratic rights and freedoms, if you ask me. But try telling that to today’s politi- clans or judges... | So what’s the answer? An effec- tive referendum system, which the NDP managed to avoid giving us. That would be taking democrat ic rights and freedoms TOO far. The Reform party listens Deur Editor: Does the Reform party listen to_ ‘the p¢opte? My answer is ‘an’ unqualified “yes.” f recently wrote a fetter to (North Vancouver MP) Mr, ‘Ted White (expressing my concer over spon- sored immigrants who are suing the government for increased welfare benctits) and he telephened me from Ottawa to respond. I want to say a big “thank you" to KEN BAXTER LAWYER : 24 Years Experiance , Mr. White for taking the time and the initiative to respond in this way, He is the first politician ever to telephone me, let alone from Ottawa, and all within a week of my letter to him. If this is typical of the level of interaction we- can expect from Reform. politicians, — you We cer- tainly get my vote! Weil done, and thank you. Elaine Lewis North Vancouver g LONSDALE QUAY NORTH VANCOUVER 988-6321 ORT CONTA ES Better Hearing Though Professional Care ' One Beltone Electronic Hearing Test | 1 Over 55? Bnng this ad plus one penny in to your Baltone Hearing Aid Centre and get a Beltone electronic heating 1 evaluation. One of our trained hearing care specialists will conduct this thorough electronic evaluation which will determine the degtee of your loss, if any. We do (rea in-office Repairs for all makes & models. Expires May 3195 1 . Government iconced Hearing Insirument Spociansts and Audrologisis; wagstared under the Hearing Aid Act B.C. CUSTOM DRAPERIES, TRACKS AND VALANCES Labour $8.50 per panel untined, $9.50 lined. CUSTOM BEDSPREADS & BLINDS ' At low, low prices. For FREE Estimates call 987-2966 (Ask about Seniors’ Discounts) Serving the North Shore for 24 years Defieux-Saxelby insurance Services Inc. 105-200 West Egplande, North Vancouver (Located beneath Famous Players Theatre of Monthly Income if Liquid (A Flexible —&@f RASP/ARIF Eligible MIDLAND WALWYN BLUE Cite THIN KING™ Call Kathy Sager :° - ° Vice President..: Financial Advisor 604 925-5552" ™ BLUE CHIP THINKING is a tradomark of Midiand Walwyn Capilal inc. “Rates as of May 2495 annual equivatant. Yield (0 maturity 7.79%. Subject to change and availabilty Assumed hald to maturity, Average term of 7.9 years. Based on six bonds with average term of 7.9 years. Member Canadian Investor Protection Fund. fle’ areas: Please ' set’ aside ‘BR ‘couple: of ‘hours’'on’ Saturday morning to join in and clean, up your community. "May 27 (Saturday) - tain or shine’ “8:30 am = ‘ coffee and donuts: available * Santinel Secondary School : 1250. *.. Chartwell Drive 4 : : Refuse bags and gloves will be pr vided “Roadsidas, ditches, baulevards, parks -“schoolyatds and other Public places. Bottles,’ cans, paper, plastic and obvious refuse. and litter.” ‘Assigned ‘Toutes and detalls to be picked up .on Saturday morning. : _ {Clean n Sweep” Cops to to, the first registrants (CLEAN-UP AREAS: WHat To ‘COLLECT: “INSTRUCTIONS: : Please telephone: “Denis Creighton, “ (922-6469) : George Tetjon ‘. (925-1732) ':