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PREMIER CLARK'S FIRST DAY IN OFFICE

news viewpoint

eae, A RO

Off to the races

OTER ALERT: the NDP stand a

‘chance of returning to office with at

least a minority government.

The socialist machine is reinvented with a
new leader at the helm. From the perspective
of mid-1995, 1996 promised to be a hot year
on the native i issues front. But that mountain

“on the provincial political landscape now

stands on less shaky ground. Time has been
bought as British Columbians must digest the
implications of the Nisga’a deal.

Environmental conservationists across the
province have been placated just enough with
numerous park: dedications.

Most importantly, the B.C. economy is in
relatively good shape despite the inept social-

‘ist tinkering that’s taken place during the

Harcourt years and the government’s inabili-
ty to deal with the province’s debt.

According to Ministry of Government.

Service statistics, British Columbia’s econo-
my grew 4.7% in terms of real GD? in 1994,

/

Statistics for the year also show a significant
hike in personal income (4.6% or double the
national growth rate of 2.3%).

Bui because of the NDP’s cutalogue of new
taxes and tax increases, the average British
Columbian family’s take-home ‘pay is less
today than it was wien the NDP as elected.

Given a choice of NDP, Reform or Liberal,
many North Shore residents remain disgrun-
tled and undecided as to where they might
park their votes come the electicn,

If the past is anything to go by, the NDP’s

quest, for a second-term is a long shot. Past

election outcomes reveal that incumbent gov-
ernmeénts fall when ridings are thick with
candidmes from all points of the political

spectrum. This year the five main parties.
intend to field candidates in all 75 provincial.
ridings. Election 1996 is shaping up to be a.

real horse race. It’s time to examine political

track records carefully. it’s not the time to - y

back the wrong horse.

NDP riding the (minori

“There is a tide in the affairs of
men which, taken at the flood,
leads on to fortune” —
Shakespeare, Julius Caesar.

Noet

MEET British Columbia’s
31st premier, Glen Clark.
The Bard put it more elegantly,

but in modern journalese there can
be no doubt that Mr. Clark is. for

. the moment, on a roll. If he calis

the election for this spring, the
momentum generated last weekend
by the NDP leadership coronation
could well result in him and his-
party winning the largest number
of seats in the Legistature.

Not, mark you, as a majority

Marktrend poll giving the NDP its

lion, has carried it off is a triumph
of personality. He began by engi-
neering solid caucus support — -
with expected heavyweight rivals
declining, one after another, to run
-— well before declaring his own
candidacy.

To the general public he makes
ne excuses for his former financial
stewardship, which he defends as
beneficial for the future of B.C. He
admits, smilingly, to a few rough
edges in earlier years and promises
to be a better boy in future.
Telegenic and articulate, he exudes
calm authority and competent lead-
ership. He's already pushed Liberal
feader Gordon Campbeli on to the
defensive as a “bank-hugger.”

hither
and yor

government, but we’ll return to
that little problem in a moment.

Whether or not you're appalled
by the thought of a renewed NDP
election victory, there’s no denying
that, in recent weeks, Clark has
developed a leadership image
brimming over with the “right
stuff” (so, of course, did Hitler,
Mussolini and Stalin in the begin-
ning).

His payoff came on the eve of
the convention with the latest

best showing since 1992. AC 35%
of decided voters it trailed the
Liberals at 38% by a gap narrow |
enough to be easily eliminated by
the poll's stated margin of error.
Reform dropped six points to 21%,
while the main hope of all three
parties lay in the still large unde-
cided vote of 29%.

How Clark, the much vilified
former. tax-and-spend minister,
who boosted B.C.’s debt by $10
billion and its taxes by $1.6 bil-

Clark is also well aware of the
dangers of delaying the election
until the fall. Too much can go
wrong in that time — as Rita
Johnston found out by wasting six
months after replacing Bill Vander
Zalm.

If, as widely expected, the writ
is dropped this spring, the NDP
will never have a better chance of
riding its February tide to form at
feast a minority government.
Alternatively, a minority govern-

CA
Waterfronz .
s ”
giveaway
. Dear Editor:

Can you believe it? Our
North Vancouver District
Council wants to “give away”
some public waterfront land.

By law, Seycove Marina is
required to provide a 20-metre
wide public right-of-way to
the waterfront. This was a
legal requirement of the owner
when they decided to subdi-
vide their land holdings...

A popular pastime for visi-
tors to Deep Cove is to stroll
along Panorama . Drive as
glimpses of the water can ‘be
seen from between the houses. |

To provide a public right-.
of-way at the eastern end of
the walk is a needed amenity.’
Considering our: neighboring .
municipalities are. actively,
buying back waterfront for the.
public’s enjoyment, it can only _
be viewed as unconscionable ~
for council members Murray
Dykeman, Don Bell, Ernie
Crist, Pamela - Goldsmith-:

‘Jones, Janice ‘Harris “and ' Pat

council’s 3 folly in. squandering
this opportunity for the publi
to gain free waterfront acces
and deny their request.
David Sadler): |: ...
. North Vancouver. te

Gone the 1993-96:  oriod
$34,081,000 — the

amount of total eral ir
an average : taxpayer. pay

Trough’ TH, -a’ National’ c
Coalition publication. ..

ment may now to be the, Very best
the Liberals can hope for at, this
point.

But if you ‘re one of the. 60-65
of B.C. voters who will cast their
ballots against the NDP, there
still cause for optimism... :

Regardless of whether New
Democrats or Liberals formed a.
minority government, the decisive
balance of power would clearly
rest with the NDP’s other sworn
foe, the B.C. Reform. Party.

In fact, a minority government
might be just what B.C, néeds for
a period. Forcing politicians to get
it right every day simply i in order’;
to survive until Friday is a guaran-
teed way to smarten them up!
HAPPY binhday Thursday, Feb.
22, to North Van Kiwanian
Sakerkhanu Karim ....And 4
warm 100-candle salute Friday,
Feb. 23, to Inglewood Lodge's

.Mrs. BA. Brommell, celebrating

her first century.
WRIGHT OR WRONG: It takes |

two to quarrel, but only, one to
end it. Dae