A6 - Sunday, February 27, 1983 - North Shore News GS editorial page NEWS VIEWPOINT A time to rethink Rarely has a single issue aroused such swift and widespread public reaction as North Vancouver District's decision to save the taxpayers $300,000 by discontinuing the mini-pumper program. The reasons for council’s action are set forth in a letter on the opposite page by Mayor Marilyn Baker. They merit careful study and their sincerity should’ be respected. Council obviously gave the matter considerable thought. Meanwhile, the firefighters’ union has been running Iarge — and frankly emotional — advertisements in The News, protesting the decision on the grounds of public safety. It must also be assumed that the union is disturbed by the pending layoff of nine of its members with the scrapping of the mini- pumper. Even the ads, however, hardly explain the unprecedented 10,000-signature public petition against council’s decision collected last weekend. And of the large volume of letters to The News on the subject, every single one has demanded the continuation of the mini-pumper program. This reaction cannot be dismissed as the “scare” tactics of a mere pressure group. There seems no reasonable doubt that it reflects a widely shared opinion among District residents. We believe council would be wise to reconsider its decision, however well- intentioned, and seek less vital areas in which to economize. By readiness to respond to such evident public concern it would be displaying strength rather than weakness, statesmanship rather than politicking. Wild aim It's a bit unfair for West Van to be villified as the bad guy by North Van District over the proposed Klahanie Park bus depot. B.C. Transit chose the park site after West Van offered ft free of charge. So far there's no sign that District is ready to make a gift of the alternate Pemberton site — so maybe protesters should hold their fire until they find the right target. eee WOES OF COUNT TES Ate BERT VARIEUWwER Otsplay Advertising 980-0511 north shore a Classitied Advertising 986-6222 news Newsroom 9B5 2131 Circulation 986 1337 1139 Lonsdaie Ave North Vancouver 8C VIM 2H4 Publisher Peter Speck Associate Publisher Wobert carahan Editor in-chiet Noel Wright Advertising Director Tae Feta es Pecsonnel Director Mes Been b4illato Circutation Director haan At ths Production Duoctor Cohnos Ottice Manager Cdoevtiaa Cat arihy Photography Manager Dorr vey oes Vestry btecteres North Shore Newn tote & Veep nasens dere! Wee dy OR pe ae beth te fa bee Pe Pate IE Bg Og age ae roe os Pare & peobbe bya Tc ae TWN ee beads ce ft ne. Ds See Foe re ee : eet ee tie Ree cet CaS Matt Men pst ati: Arete SARS Entire contents (982 North Shore froe Proon iid All ights eserved a he OR) ML! Recre th aed Wee we . . 4 vee oo ate + tahsat abe ” ars pr cernet 2 NANA) Wedrreniiny 84 OF SUnday ia \ " ad Con a THIS PAPER IS REC YC LABLE | Judy Erola, minister responsible for the status of women, was planning to take away tax con- cessions from married women living at home, and use the proceeds to increase deductions for money spent on outside daycare. By WALTER BLOCK The state, in other words, would have taken money away from those women who cared for their children at home. and given it to mothers who made use of daveare facilities Fortunately. this all- conceived plan has been widespread ones of outrage Minister Erola. however. Stull tavours the idea. eonceding only that the proposal was “Premature” But what possible justification Could there be for povernment — piving fanuhes financial meentives to increase the number of hours per weck that children are cared tor outside the home? In looking for ex- planations, one Must not be paranoid On the other hand, in the year preceding that of Big Brother 1984, 1 would not do to overlook any explananuion oul of undue fear of appearing alarmist. So tet us consider one possible explanation: that the institutions of — the centralizing interventionist state and that of the family have historcally been at odds with one another, and A BATH (the financial type we mean) is rarely taken by David Ingram, North Vans gift to legal tax avoiders But he may have taken one on New Year's. im addition to entering the Polar Bear Swim inl his) powder blue wedding tuxedo December 3] was the date he and his brother: Robert, announced the pur hase, out of recoiversmp, of Frank Baker's Atti in West Van with David signing for the $250,000) down payment The planned development to be bankrolled by 100 partaces tn a limited habiltty partnership) deal which would have cost cach of them an inital $7 500 involved an calargement of the CRISTEA restaurants plus a new three story hotel at Way the headquarters of Davids VW toma Layleos alsa slated to become Marine and Cents Pan Scrvices the deal alas has now econ apart at the Sc UAsTES because Cseveral of othe mie Red aod deine partners have fathecd ter preodhuse Cheas promised share ol ithe Pandey Nee Pda sta hk with tiis vptradtes ronotbeeon deodhas tole fiavs Neo adedt feaparte cd captesdety poe tuce cvbingas we {ove thee woes ferecds oy ere dty Poas Hobe re Vee utang hie ee Se foot a trasve tr ons that the recent initiative is but chapter in this Saga. A government bent) on taking an ever larper role in the life of tts cltzenry sooner or later runs into conflict with other institutions -- church, unton, family — which also command the strong loyalties of the Erola the latest unfolding people. And when thre - occurs, the government must either give up its totalitarian aspirations, ot determine to enter a give-no quarter war with these alternative isutuuions. In the countries behind the Tron Curtain, this was fought long age. and m- stitutions such as) church family. umon, ethme group have long been vanquished. In Canada. the battle is yet to be fought in its entirety That is to say, there is sul hope for private institutions such as the family. But every time the government = successfully promotes daycare above the natural level that would otherwise ensue, or ar- ufically entices women out of the home and into the workforce, or, as in the case of Minister Erola, attacks lax treatment of married women hving at home, to that extent it weakens the family as an alternative to government. In order to preserve and protect the Canadian family. it is not necessary to take a “maximalist” position: that the government should do everything In its power to artifically strengthen the family. by penalizing alternative institutions, such as unmarried status” or Government vs. the family childlessness. To do this smacks of putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop. It is enough to adopt a “minimalist” position: that the state merely refrain from adopting policies which lead to family disruption. (Dr Feonomist — of Block 1s the Sentor Van- In- couver-based Fraser Sittute ) . sunday brunch by Noel Wright asmuch as possible 2 6 With a wedding month hike this, Conse. David Marskell of the West Van Pohce Department and hits bride Christine reckon they ve paid them dues for the next 50 years of mantal bliss A week before thet Feb 186 nuptials in’ Rich mond Christine broke her foot dunng a skung outing Then, after only three days as Mrs) Marskell, she was forced off the road by another dnver in the 4500 block Marine, totalling her car round a telephone pole but happily scrious injury suffering ae The regular honeymoon ts planned for Miay mn C ahtforniva NO PORN ws the pledpe of the fourth pay PY duc to package come oon sale Wyo ssewers thas fall THE CR T¢ has pust piven the ood for the BHO and Yukon regionat pay TY lnoenmec to ATM Satellite Broadeasting Corp whieh has strong 0 North Nhreone Cone (eons oat ibe moanape me ne level ma president George Spracthiin of North Nan and mark otis onsaltant Art Domes of West Non I tre Pret toerename « C hiawre | ws ws adhe ed pre edbea ne NS otters de NO pre ce tat of the time, family) en- tertainment and sport for the remainder, and no Playboy type skin flicks a com modity which Art. past president of the North Van Community) Arts Council. definitely aint in the business of peddling Oldtimers who | skied Hollyburn, Grouse and Seymour from the = 1920s through the 1950s are holding a 5Oth Reunton bash March 25 at the Stanicy Park pavilhon If youre one ol them Rene Campbell (876 TOTO, 7 30 8121) or Marl Mathews (713 2852) wam you to be there Give them a ding FOR THE RECORD: One ot the nicest cpitaphs any man could catn wis that former West Vaniccyc Meward Pletcher, who died Jast Sunday at the age of US by current West Van Mayor Derrich Humphreys Recallag Pheoowaral ‘ bestowed on Trveanyy yours ool service to the COomanunity oo seo many different Mortabay so. Hatiphercys terhe samt cmteree Th ateee this said He ttre truant brave teen happiest Jd SN Po yA 1 mat thie Prycatnbe Uproar lity Vocet the ee bh Na Pepras wWotbpe svat aa Nereide ope Pade Fase ce er Oe wanted to know about blood, Monday week (March 7) at & p.m from Dr. N.A. Buskard, associate medical director of the Red Cross and guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Society's North Van branch in’ St Andrews United Church, 1044 St’ George's Father's Day came carly (Feb. 21, to be precise) for David Knight, North Shorc Community Credit Union marketing manager, when wifey Christina Elizabeth presented him with their first child) weaghing, in Trudeau metre. cracty 3.650 grams thats 7 pounds 14 ounces doughhead' Rev. Ed. Wallace of Sto Stephens who lives in West Van's most colorful apartment tower. has Christian words of praise for Canada Post after receming ai letter from oa friend tn Quebec who d lost his address [The was inscribed ‘Rev t- Wallace The Pink Apart ment Bellevuc West BC” and plopped through his maal slot scven days the And congrats envelope Vancouver from prorst mark cate while were drignt wrod abowl bf to twee more Sutherlanders LM? Mark Schmidt faaw at Shi) whos recerved a Labatts Karl C anmachana SoOO scholarship Dresen, LON" Hac ve be and Amateut Morton C poss © haveagron boos apes Te a rech ange WRIGHT OR WRONG, “ Veure Vevetyel preoes ortgrtee " Trbcnny Nem be gteasbe nti Nope oe asta cothen of Noone Yee cepts 8