unworkable, say N. Shore iiLAs Committee’s recommendations draw negative Liberal response THE FOUR North Shore MLAs have mixed reactions to the recommendations of an all-party committee ex- amining the issues of recall (firing MLAs) and initia- tive (initiating legislation through public referendums). '. The two concepts were en- dorsed by the Select Standing Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills in a. report released on ‘Nov, 23. . But Opposition Liberals and the Social Credit Party criticize a committee _ recommendation that. 50% plus one (vote) of a riding’s. eligible voters at the time of the last provincial elec- tion must first sign a petition within 60 days of the launch of a recall action to oust an MLA. “It's .not workable. This formula. will never result in What the public wants. 1 ‘suspect they. (NDP) feel ner- yous ‘about it,’’. said. West “ Vancouver-Capilano -- Liberal MLA Jeremy Dalton. The Liberals, he said, will propose amendments to the recall - recommendations . when the issue is brought before the legislature. .: Premier Mike .Harcourt has said he will introduce the issue :, during the next. sitting of the ‘legislature... “can think of a few MLAs ‘on the’ government. side who - would be werried about being _recalled,”’ said Dalton. - He ‘supports, the committee ‘recommendations regarding referendums. For a referendum question to “succeed, it. must be approved 1: by a double majority: 50% plus one ‘of eligible'voters in B.C. as well _as-two-thirds of ‘the elec- . toral ‘districts in the province ’ must approve. . “But North'Van- “"couver-Lonsdale “NDP. MLA : David Schreck, a ‘member of the. committee, said he’s happy “with all of the 42 committee recommendations. Schreck dismissed criticism of the 50%-plus-one . formula for. recalling an MLA or pass- ing a referendum, | ’ He said recall and initiative legislation- introduced in Alberta during the. 1930s, had tougher guidelines than the ones recommended: by Schreck’s committee. ‘The question to be asked is are we. talking -about basic reform or mischief‘making? _°" “Most MLAS: get, elected ‘with less than’ 50% of the vote. It relies on a. sense .of democracy: and). a* sense of .fairness,’’ said Schreck. Another. controversial com- ‘mittee recommendation is the 60-day period required to col- “lect the signatures needed: for recall and referendum to suc- ceed. Critics have said that 60 days is not enough time to gather the needed signatures, but Schreck noted that a provincial CALL US: 983-2208 By Sur} Rattan News Reporter election is held in only 28 days. “! think they’re. (critics) whistling in the wind,” said Schreck. ‘‘Unfortunately, these kinds of statements illustrate opposition for the sake of up- position.’ But West Van- couver-Garibaldi .independeat Liberal ‘MLA David Mitchell, who also sat on the committee, said the formula of 50% plus’ one is unworkable. He said the public should voice its opposition to the for- mula before a vote is taken in the legisiature. Mitchell said he was disap- pointed that it has taken the committee two years to pro- duce the recommendations. “While the committee fas Tecommended we should. have recall and referendum, the ap- proval levels are so-high it is extremely unlikely there will be -a recall or referendum passed. don’t think we could. get any .action on this,”’ said Mitchell. According to Mitchell, a formula ‘calling for one-third of. the ‘signatures of a riding’s eligible voters would be a more workable solution. “*“With 50% plus one I don’t even think you could recall:a criminal, considering. you do not. get 100% voter turnout in elections.’’. Meanwhile ‘North Van- couver-Seymour Liberal MLA Daniel: Jarvis said he supports the concept of recall and ini- tiative and is not afraid of be- ing “faccountable’’ to his con- stituents. ‘But Jarvis said he is also worried about the 50%-plus- one formula adopted by the committee as well as the 60- day time limit to gather signatures for recall and refer- endum. “The process proposed — by the NDP and the Socreds is too restrictive and not financially accountable,”’ said Jarvis. During the last provincial election: @ Voters in North Van- couver-Lonsdale voted 76.21% in favor of recall and 76.52% in favor of referendum; @ Voters. in North Van- couver-Seymour voted 76.58% in favor of recall and 76.38% in favor of referendum; @ Voters in West Van- couver-Capilano voted 72.30% in favor of recall and 71.97% in favor of referendum; @ Voters in West Van- couver-Garibaldi voted 73.37% in favor of recall and 73.84% in favor of referendum. Friday, November 26, NEWS photo Paul McGrath CAPILANO COLLEGE criminology and sociofogy teacher Craig Hathaway addressed a Tuesday meeting sponsored by the North Shore Together Against Viclence Committee. - : Cap cri Citing information taken from the Police Information Manage- ment System’s (PIMS)- summary statistics report, Hathaway, me- thodically debunked the notion that violence on the North Shore is dramatically i increasing. “Serious violent crime does not appear to have risen extraor- dinarily on the North Shore,” he said at a Tuesday meeting at Cap College, sponsored by the North Shore Together Against Violence . Committee. He pointed out to the crowd of about 40 that the most likely vic- tims of street violence are young men, and not the elderly, as some people fear. Hathaway also noted that vio- lent acts are rarely committed by strangers and that gang violence is most likely to be inflicted by one gang member on another. Of the North Shore com- munities, _Hathaway said North Vancouver City had the worst rate of crime in 1992. North Van- RCMP say they have received several reports of possible sightings of an el- derly North Vancouver woman who went missing near the Karen Magnussen recreation centre at about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20. Terresa Catherine Downey, 11, was last seen near the Lynn Valley recreation facility, but the police said they have found no trace of the woman since her. sudden disappearance. North Vancouver. RCMP Staff Sgt. Stan Schock said the police received a report from a fitness instructor at the Ron Andrews recreation centre in the Seymour area, who said he saw a woman fitting Downey’s description near @ inor, unologist argues Together Against Viclence forum held at NV college RESIDENTS OF the North Shore are far more at risk from their own families and acquaintances than they are from strangers, according to Capilano College criminology and sociology teacher Craig Hathaway. By Kate Zimmerman Contributing Writer couver District was slightly better off. West Vancouver trailed behind both. North Vancouver City ranked 26th out of 65 municipalities in the province in terms of numbers of criminal code offences.’ Between 1986 and 1992, taking into consideration the increase in population, Hathaway said North Vancouver City experienced a 21% increase in violent offences. The rate in North Vancouver District rose by 35%. In West Vancouver, the in- cidence of violent crime decreased. _ There was 20% growth in the violent crime rate over six years in the GVRD. Hathaway said homicides and attempted murder are rare on the North Shore, numbering’ one or two a year. _ On average there are no abduc- Photo submitted NORTH VANCOUVER RCMP are asking for the public’s help in locating 77-year-old North Vancouver resident Terresa Catherine Downey, whe went missing on Saturday, Nov. 20. THES WEER’S QUEST TON: Do you feel safe in your community? tions. Although the number of sexual assaults has declined. in North Vancouver District: and West Vancouver between 1986 and 1992, they have remained at the same level in North. Vancouver City. os Meanwhile non-sexual assaults and robberies have increased, with a total of 1,200. assaults and. 95 robberies in the three districts | combined in 1992... In terms of solutions, Hathaway’ emphasized ‘society’s need to at- tend. to domestic: abuse. ‘and poverty. He also said that‘alcohol . abuse plays a major role i: violent a crime. |. : He added that : ‘province ' wastes too much moiicy on school - surveys: about ‘students’ consump- . tion of ‘‘soft’? drugs like mari- _ .juana, / instead of. spending tax dollars.on programs which would © feed. hungry young people and make them feel less oppressed... - But such suggestions were ‘not enough for one worried Windsor Park parent. He said the PIMS statistics. do not reflect his own experience. He 1 i Mystery surrounds disappearance THE NORTH Vancouver See Parent page 8 a jogging track by Lytton Place at about 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. “We're hoping someone will: report in,” said Schock. ‘‘There have been a number of comments from people who believed they’ve seen her in Vancouver.”’ He added that the woman’s daughter had told the police her mother ‘was on . anti-depression drugs but that she had not taken her medication since Nov. 19. Downey is described as being five feet tall (1.5 m) and weighing 122 pounds (55 kg). ~ She has a fair complexion and short, curly grey and white hair. When last seen, Downey was wearing a navy blue jogging suit . and white Reebok running shoes. Anyone with any information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the. North Vancouver RCMP at 985-1311.