heal health rift Minister appoints consuliant team By jan Noble News Reporter fan@nsnews.com NORTH Shore doctors and the health region have embraced the appointment of outside consul- tants to help mend their tattered relationship. Health Minister Joy MacPhail appointed a “consultation team” Jast week to resolve outstanding issues berween the board, its administration and medical staff. : “I’m confident that with the help of the consultation team, they can move beyond their differences and work together to ensure a more integrated and streamlined system of health care delivery on the North Shore,” she said. The relationship between doctors and the board has soured since April, when doctors called for the firing of region CEO Inge Schamborzki after she fired poplar Lions Gate Hospital chief admin- istrator Lynette Best. _ At the same time, doctors expressed non-confidence in the board and said communication between doctors and the health region’s board had broken down. The doctor’s representative on the 15- member regional board subsequently stepped down over the way the board Schamborz for n late August. ow, a consultant team consisting of medical administrator Dr. Lorne Klippert. senior health management consultant Bert Boyd and Dr. Larry Collins, who was appointed by the British Columbia Medical Association, has been asked to recommend options to both the ministry and the board to resolve outstanding issues “and ensure positive working rela tionships between the board, its adminis- tration, and medical staff.” Both the doctors and the board wel- comed the appointment of the consul- tants. Hutchinson said she is optimistic the process can work. “I’m very hopeful this will get us working together again,” she told the News. Dr. Doug McTaggart, the vice-presi- dent of the North Shore medial society, said he’s pleased the committee is inde- pendent and will view the problems through an external eye. However, McTaggart cautioned: “We continue to feel the atmosphere has been so difficult that we're uncertain that we will be able to evolve a productive work- ing relationship with the board and man- agement as constituted.” MacPhail has given the team until mid-December to report back with rec- ommendations. extended thre Comedian panned From page t crime he did not commit. “It’s going to be a very good film”, says Nielsen. “It’s going to be filled with a lot of laughs and we’re having nothing bur fun.” | The sexy senior, now 72 years old, still manages to command attention from some of Hoilywood’s most glamorous ladies. Kelly LeBrock and newcomer Melinda McGraw star opposite Nielsen. They manage to get him into, and out of, a lot of on-screen trouble. Richard Crenna and Michael York also co-star. Nielsen, originally born in Regina, was raised in the Northwest Territories. He now calls Los Angeles home. “L.A. is a strange city,” he says. “It deals in iso- lation. And when you come from the north, isolation is nothing.” ' Nielsen still performs some of his own stunts and gags. After the interview, director Pat Proft put him to work. “He’s on the run here today as we’re hav- ing him hit with some frying pans that are hanging in the way as he runs through the forest,” says Proft as he sets-up for a take. “Hitting his head, falling down, this is going to be Leslie Niclsen at his best.” The veteran actor managed the scene in less than six takes and never once looked like he was running out of breath. Director and producer Pat Proft was thrilled. Proft, who also wrote the script, has helped create many of Hollywood’s major comedy hits including the Police Academy and Naked Gun movie series. “I’ve lumped together every Harrison Ford movie I could think abour plus a bunch of other movies” he says. Proft says Vancouver is a great place to film a movie. “1 really like being here and I like the locations we’ve found. Right now ¢ thing seems to be working and I’m very pleased with it. Canada Set me hit a bus with a train — now where else would that happen?” “The weather has been co-operating like crazy...We had to manufacture our own rain. Will you pass that along to David (Duchovny) — Bob Rosen, executive producier Executive producer Robert (Bob) Rosen agrees. “It’s been great, for two reasons. One is that I rented a house in West Vancouver and I did (another film) as well as this pic- ture, so I’ve been here forever. I'm part of the community now — I’m ready to vote.” Rosen has produced over 50 films including hits like Littl Big Man which starred Dustin Hoffman and the North Shore’s own Chief Dan George. He has some extra advice for those who don’t appreciate Vancouver's changeable weather. “The weather has been cooperating like crazy with us. We had to manufacture our own rain. Will you pass that along to David (Duchovny}?” — asked Rosen. Nielsen, Proft and Rosen undoubtedly make a great team. They all recently fin- ished filming Disney's Mr. Magoo in Vancouver. Nielsen remains impressed with — the region, especially We Vancouver. “T Vancouver is something else. it’s just beautiful. You have forests here right in the city. And then there’s the people, my fellow Canadians.” While filming a comedy can be a lot of hard work, Nielsen’s good nature and natural humor have been infectious among the crew. Nielsen is well-known for his practical jokes. His favorite gag is rumored to be the whoopie cushion — a prank he pulls with some regularity. But on this occasion, the crew of Wroungfully Accused is well prepared to fight back. Armed with over 140 hand- held noise makers, the group forces back giggles as they launch random whoopic attacks on any unsuspecting passerby. Even as director Proft calls for a wrap, the star himself becomes a target. Leslie Nielsen fans will not have to wait long to see him in action, Mr. Magoo is scheduled for release svon and Wrongfilly Accused will be in theatres in May 1998. bhi Sunday, October 26, 1997 — North Shore News — 3 Pedal patrol 3 r Cw News photo Terry Peters CONST. Paul Skelton of the West Van Police patrolled the Lions Gate Bridge Thursday in the wake of a worker-cyclist collision that led to a criminal charge for the worker and a hospita! bed for the cyclist. Skelton GiGmotes awareness of the responsibilities of javben i evctisns, | ciuaing their obligation to dismount when nearing pedestrians. Driver nearly clips cop From page 1 After that, Nguyen hit his brakes and nearly went out of control. Crown lawyer Nescou said this move forced other cars to do the same thing. By this time, another Port Mann RCMP constable, Jess Bodner, was pursing Nguyen in his marked police car. Police said Nguyen was forced to slow down to negoti- ate the sharp turns on the Lloyd Avenue turnoff, This allowed Con to catch up. Nguyen was taken into tody at gunpoint. guyen’s lawyer Deborah Harden said her client was forced to lie on the ground where a police officer stepped on Nguyen’s back to handcuff Ain. ¢ the time of Nguyen’s arrest, he was serving an eight- month conditional jail sentence after being convicted in Nanaimo on two counts of pos- sessing cocaine for trafficking Bodner purposes. Nguyen told the officers that he was trying to drop off a car passenger who needed to catch the 5 p.m. ferry. The Crown lawyer called for a “lengthy” driver’s prohibition of 12 months and a “substan- tial” fine for what she called one of the worst ser of circum- stances of a dangerous driving charge she had dealt with in court. Nascou said that nearly 200 drivers had to be alert and make moves to stay in control of their vehicles during the incident, which could easily have resulted in someone being killed. Neuyen’s lawyer said her client was sorry for his driving, had pulled over when he saw the police lights and had plead- ed guilty to the charge at the first opportunity. Defence lawyer Harden said her client had been driving for two years. Nguyen was in Grade 12 at John Oliver secondary in Vancouver, bur quit school recently and is now a laborer in Richmond. Harden said = Nguyen’s mother was on welfare. Nguyen had been in Canada for seven years and was originally from Vietnam. Judge Moss pointed out that Nguyen’s eight-month condi- tional jail sentence levied on April £7 required him to stay out of trouble with the law. “Your driving could be, a best, described as outrageous,” said Moss. Moss said the fact that Nguyen or anyone else was not dead because of Nguyen’s dri- ving was fortuitous. “This is the most irresponsi- ble driving in that location that E have heard of in all my years on the bench,” said Moss. Moss said Nguyen didn’t deserve to be behind the wheel of a vehicle. The judge suspended his licence for 18 months, si months more than was reco! mended by the Crown lawyer. Moss fined Nguyen $750.