eno YW - res . By a 2 = DeneE Friday, November 15, 1991 - North Shore News Excess luggage eStiR REPORTS To THe CONTRAAY,.THe GOT. HAS CReATED THOUSONDS OF NEW CON@DIGN JOBS... NEWS VIEWPOINT Bowen battle HE QUESTION for Bowen Island residents tomorrow /s clear: Do they want more say in how their island is developed? Saturday's referendum will ask the island’s residents whether they want Bowen Island incorporated as a municipality or whether they want its administration and development decisions made by off-island administrative bodies. Members of one of those administrative bodies are already on record as supporting an incorporated Bowen Island. Two years ago, members of the Greater Vancouver Regional District board of directors expressed frustration over the amount of time they spent refereeing con- troversial development proposals on Bowen {sland.- One board member called the GVRD’s job as a de facto council for Bowen Island “an outrageous waste of the regional board’s time.”’ The point raised then is just as relevant now: residents who don’t have to take re- sponsibility for what goes on in their com- munity will never work together. In the Nov. 13 News, opponents of in- corporation argued that a Bowen Ssland council would leave the island more susceptible to development pressures than the current system of having the Islands Trust administer land-v<¢ decisions, What thai argument rvally says is that Bowen Islanders cannoi ve trusted (o run their own affairs, that a democratically- elected council cannot be trusted. But it is time to build that trust, and it is long past time for Bowen Island to shoulder the re- sponsibility for its own growth: island issues should he fought on the island not elsewhere. LETTER OF THE DAY Significant cultural differences in Japan Dear Editor: Re: “Canadians stili much bet- ter off than the Japanese,’’ by Michael Walker, Oct. 2. My recent three-week stay in Japan enables mie to see that Walker’s statement ‘‘the purpose of economic activity is not pro- duction but consrmption”’ is often false. In Japan, 1 stayed. with families where tradition and moral values were strongly emphasized. The great-grandmother made me a traditional silk doll, which in a store would cost $3,000. It was Publisher Mani Associate Editor Comptroller Peter Speck ing Editor... Timothy Renshaw Noel Wright Advertising Director . .. Linda Stewart Doug Foot not consumed, but produced, and has much more significance as a symbol of ‘‘wealih’’ ta me, than say a color TV or stereo system, which in Mr. Walker’s eyes is “our’’ symbol of wealth. There is also a cultural dif- ference: many Japanese citizens do not consume as many TVs or telephones as we do, simply because they often have smaller houses and don’t have the room. A recent study shows Japanese citizens have 241 cars per 1,000 people, while Canada and the U.S. have 454 cars per 1,000 peo- ple. Mr. Walker should know Display Advertising 980-0511 Newsroom 985-2131 TE VINCE 0? HOST AND WL ST VANCOUVER Distribution Real Estate Advertising 985-6982 Subscriptions Classified Advertising 986-6222 Fax Administration 985-213? Japan is about 1/10 the size of Canada; if Japanese citizens were to consume the same number of cars as do North Americans, Japan would have a major en- vironmental problem. In addition, Japan is an island: it does not grow, and therefore it can only sustain a certain number of people, never mind their cars. So, Mr. Walker, perhaps in your eyes the world’s economic system is all in black and white, but in mine it’s always in color. Alexis Kernaghan West Vancouver 986-1337 986-1337 985-3227 MEMBER burdens report & on health care A CAMEL, as we all know, is a horse designed by a committee — the latest exampie being this week’s highly controversial report of the B.C. Royal Commission on health care. Over one point there can be no dispute. A $5.4 billion system -—- devouring one-third of the entire provincial budget, yet forcing scores of urgent heart cases to seck treatment in the U.S. for lack of hospital facilities here — badly needs treatment itself. Some of the Commission’s cost-paring proposals make sound sense. A cap on doctors’ billings would lead them to discourage unneeded visits by patients who regard duc’s office as a kind of community drop-in. Defining essential lab tests for specific ill- nesses —- with doctors having to justify optional extra tests — could save a bundle. With too many doctors already in B.C., 2 near-ban on immigrant physicians is fair enough. And the Commission scores full marks for urging greatly expanded at-home care and long term care to in- crease the available number of much more expensive acute-care beds. But new NDP Health Minister Elizabeth Cul? should take her time over some of the Commnis- sion’s other pet ideas, The trouble with all such bodies that soticit wide public input is the excess baggage dumped on them by special-interest lobbies — in this case the anti-smoking, anti-drink- ing and right-to-die fanatics. Agreed, the weed and excessive booze cause additional disease and health care costs some time in the future that could be avoided. But to reduce right away the number of liquor stores, bars and cab--rets, and cut their hours, does notuirg for today’s pressing prob- lem, lt wouldn't affect costs for years to come. Moreover, prohibi- tion imposed by a minority has never worked in a democratic society. On the other hand, education DOES — as proven by Counter Attack and the turning, already, of remaining smokers in- to virtual social lepers. Meanwhile, seniors reportedly account for 46% of the health care bill. The fact makes the slip- pery slope of legal euthanasia — which the Commission also recommends —- loak even more slippery. Doctors have long been quietly easing terminal agony even at the risk of possibly shortening life by a few hours or days. The record suggests their compassionate judgment in individual cases may HITHER AND YON be far more teustworthy than that of MLAs — remembering that . man-made laws exist not only to be obeyed but also to be ex- ploited. . “The heart has its reasons — of (ii which reason knows nothing, "’ noe wrote the French philosopher fy Blaise Pascal. When it comes to : humanitarian morality, the best laws are often the unwritten ones. DATELINES: Known as a distinguished public servant, Patrick Reid, MC, OC, CD, CM — former Ambassador and Commissioner General to Expo 86, now Chairman of Vancouver Port Corporation — has a list of national and international honors and appointments thai would fill half a column, To find out why he’s also one of the dcecade’s most sought-after speakers, call North Van Chamber of Commerce (987-4488) right away to grab your seat at its lunch meeting Thurs- day, Nov. 21, in the North Shore Winter Club — where he'll be the guest orator ... In the meantime learn all about probating an estate at the People’s Law School semi- nar Monday, Nov. 18, from 7 to 9 p.m. in West Van Memorial Library ... And wish happy birth- day tomorrow, Nov. 16, to Seymour Lion John Hilton. WRIGHT OR WRONG: The best way to get anywhere is to start from where you are. North Shore News, founded in 1989 as an omen a independent suburban newsoaper and qualifie: ay Lind Danese under Schedule 111, Paragraph IN) of the Excise North shore Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and a Sunday oy North Shore Free Press tte and bs istributed to every ron the Nort ore. a” * Second Class Mail Re: istration Number ees. SUNOAY * WEONESDAY + FURY subscriptions North ana West Vancouver, per ear. Mailing rates available on request. Mere onsale Avenue, V7M 2H4 ubmissions are welcome but we cannot accept Entire contents © 1991 North Shore Fiee Press Ltd. All rights reserved. SDA DIVISION ELIZABETH CULL... Health PATRICK REID... sought-after & 61,582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) 1 Minister should take her time. speaker for local! businesses. respunsibility for unsolicited material including manuscripts and pictures which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope.