NUTNONUTNEERE TE AN aes = borg VAL TRTIA Bee ThaDe: SS NEWS VIEWPOINT Horror without valor “AOR those who harbor concerns about © ‘the increasing limitations being placed “on freedom of expression in Canada, “the recent court decision in The Valor and Horror defamation lawsuit.is good news. -- The.$550 million action was originally filed on behalf of 25,000 Second World War’ airmen by the Bomber Harris Trust. The group objected strenuously to the CBC-TYV series, claiming, among other things, that it was inaccurate and defamed . Canadiar: veterans involved in Second World _ War bombing raids over Germany. ‘But an Ontario'judge has decided ihe suit *: lacked enough legal merit for trial.- ; Regardless of the group’s claims about the y series, the’lawsuit, had it been successful, - y would have opened the door for other disaf. “ fected groups. to: launch class actions against media over any issues they might disagree with. Already in Ontario — heland of the socialist nightmare in progress — recent leg- islation allows groups to bring civil libel suits against media, who were previously protect- ed from such civil actions because 4 class of people cannot, under law, be libeled unless that group has a small enough membership that its members could be cach be identified. . Groups could presumably be’ made up of any like minded folk — politicians, perhaps, who might object to how they are being por- trayed in the media. At that point, critical comment, analysis and investigative news pieces would run into an insurmountable roadblock. We would then face the horror without the valor. - Disobedient owners ignore ‘no, ‘dos’ signs "Dear Editor: ' After work in Vancouver most days, I get off the bus at Marine Drive and {7th Street in West Van and walk. the rest ofthe. way home : along the seawalk.. My timing is usually between 5 and 5:30 p.m. But last night I : walked the seawalk at about 8:30 “pam. ] average about five walks : a. week. Until recently I saw about one dog a week on the parts of the sea- "and never the same dog twice. But in the last month [ have observed a dramatic increase in the number of dogs being Ied along the seawalk, averaging now about three each time | walk. The disturbing thing is that the people with the dogs are not young misfits thumbing their noses at- authority, but respectable middle- aged citizens. I suspect they have seen other “people using the seawalk with their dogs and think therefore they can My problem i is not tLe dogs but “the disobedience. | would Jike to see cither the removal of the “No dogs” signs or the bylaw enforce- “ment officers patrolling the scawalk in the evening more often. Do any of your readers agree with me? Why, with almost the whole of the North Shore available to them, would they choose to walk: their dogs in one of the very few areas where dogs are not welcome? Jobn Peirson walk where dogs are prohibited, do likewise. Publisher. ceed Peter Speck Managing Editor . . Timothy Renshaw Associate Editor... . -Noel Wright Sales & tarkeling Director. Linda Stewart Comptroiler sence chee eee Coug Foot Worth Shore News, ‘founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and quatified under Schedule 111, Paragraph til of the Excise _ Tax Act, is published ‘each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid. and distributed to every door: on She North Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No, 0087238. Mailing rates available on request. Submissions are welcome but we cannot accept fesponsibility for unsolicited materia! including manuscripts and pictures which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope. : . : ' Newsroom . ‘V7M aH4 ‘ Display Advertising Real Estate Advertising 985-6982 Classified Advertising 986-6222 Fax West Vancouver Distribution 988-1337 Subscriptions $86-1337 985-3227 . Administration. 985-2131 980-0511 985-2131 SUNDAY * WEDMESOAY © FRIDAY 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, . North Vancouver, B. c. 61, 582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) Entire contents ©. 1994 North Shore Free Press Lid. All rights reserved. ‘| Justice on the | edge of a very slippery slo) ONE SUSPECTS that the first two weeks of the New Year may have left Ontario Justice Francis Kovacs a sadder and wiser man. Since Christmas a torrent of crit- icism has engulfed His Honor over his ban on publishing details of the Karla Teale manslaughter trial. Not least because of the case with which the ban is being flouted by listeners to U.S, radio stations, by fax machine and TV dish own- ers, and by subscribers to computer bulletin boards. ‘The ban will shortly be contest- ed in the appeal court by the Toronto Star and other media heavyweights. One brave litle Victoria paper has already defied it. And Victoria's Monday Magazine is seeking a court ruling that the ban does not apply outside Ontario. As it is, enough details of the triat have already leaked out in today’s electronic village to whet the appetite of the sensation-hungry | public-at-large for the full story, After all, in this egalitarian age why should ANY citizens be deprived of all the titilating tidbits simply because they are dish-less, fax-less or computer-less? Isn't that a form of blatant discrimination against a visible majority — suffi- cient to justify hauling Justice Kovaes before the Human Rights Commission? Seriously, however, there's more to the public outery than that, Those protesting out of mere idle or prurient curiosity are still doing the right thing, albeit for the’ wrong reason, ; Because the Karla Teale trial, story has brought to lighteven more dangerous examples of “Star Chamber” court procedures i in today’s Canada. The Teale trial — only one among an increasing number, of tri-. als in the recent past at whicti the judge has banned the publication of details — was at least widely known to have taken plaice. But trials also take place in Canada which the general public never even hears about — because the preliminary application fora publication ban has itself been con- cealed by a publication ban. The right of the media to report fully all arrests, charges and trials before courts of law is one of the most vital safeguards of a free and democratic society. : Its denial is the foundation on IC HITHER AND YON which alt dictatorships and tyean- : nies are built — the kriock on the.”: door in the night, the arraignment before a closed tribunal, the: ut unrecorded dispatch of the accused ~ to the labor camp or execution chamber, f This right to completel ly open trials should take precedence over all other claims and considerttions — with the SOLE exception of wi- als which could jeopardize national” security. And judges should be ¢ among i : sternest defenders. Otherwise, Your: : Honor, we're teetering on the edge: of'2 very slippery slope. ‘ SCRATCHPAD: Wheelchair basketball kicks off the Kinsmen Mothers’ March’at 1:30 p.m. :.° Saturday in Capilano Mal! — with B.C. Lions, cheerleaders, North -! Shore mayors and Vancouver 86ers‘ in attendance ... Enjoy an Evening .. * Of Gospel Song Sunday, Jan.i6, af, 7:30 p.m. in West Van United Church — tickets from Sid Mann (925-1017) or Jean Matrick (926 3690) ... “Nature's Fantasy::" Through The Mists,” 1 mixed media. and 24 karat gold paintings by North Shore artist Lyane Green, is at West Van Library until Jan. 30 And happy 70th birthday today,”. Jan.14, to Wellington Crescent’s energetic Block. Watch captain - Louts Williams. ae : ~ WRIGHT OR WRONG: Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. BIRTHDAY GIRL Louise Williams ase hood safe.