TOMORROW, your man Doug and this gutsy newspaper go into the history books as the first in Canada to face a “human rights” tribunal. The first in journalism, that is. And I thought I would never be famaus! The hearing will begin at 9.30 a.m. in the Century Plaza Hotel, 1015 Burrard St. Come and see socialist justice in action. There is as yet no compar- ison between such a tribunal and what went on'in the dic- tatorships. We still have real courts who can strike down “rights” excesses, although they don’t always do so. But the spirit of censor- ship is the same. In 1945 I was a political intelligence officer i. Germany. ! spoke 2 many bright people who had sup- ported Hitler. Bright they may have been. They were also blind. For them, free speech had taken tenth place to their ver- sion of political correctness. I thought of that when the NDP’s Amendment to the B.C. Human Rights Act (“Bill 33”) was passed four years ago. Premier Mike Harcourt said free speech was fine “as long as it didn’t harm any- one.” A real intellectual, that. A lawyer, too, There will be scads of hos- tile lawyers on parade tomor- row: from the government, from the ever-cavilling Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), author of this vicious complaint, and from multic- ult groups. All with the same idea in mind: stop speech that is too free. The CJC’s legal spokesman, Morris Soronow, was reported in the Western Jewish Bulletin as saying: “We're counting on this legislation to discourage oth- ers.” Quite. That’s why the CJC lobbied for it. To be safe, get your opinions cleared with him before you go into print. “Bill 33” removed the right to free speech, but the _______ MALO My mother the teacher Dear Editor: . T.am responding to_ the April 20 letter in the News “Teacher benefits are . too rich.” What was written in the letter by B. Scott is not true. My mother is a teacher. B. * Scott said that teachers work from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., yet my mother departs for work at 6:50 a.m. so that she can get there by 7 a.m. and I have to have a sitter after school because she doesn’t get home until 5 p.m.gp 7 p.m. On weekends she answers a billion and one phone calls from other teachers, parents, zc De students and even sometimes the principal. During spring break she hardly has time to spend with me and my family because she’s preparing for next term. Summer is) even worse because the next year will come up fast and she needs to have her plans ready and be prepared. She works that hard and only gets paid about $2,000 per month which is approxi- mately $39,000 per year. She only uses her sick days if she is sick or to stay home with me when I’m sick. Kiara Rich (age 9) North Vancouver Ml. icurrent Dividend Yield. BANK PREFERRED SHARES ‘© Quarter Income © Preferred Tex Treatment Mixtinusn investment of $25,000. © Safety of Capital © Liquid r Laurentian Bark Class A Preferred Shares as of Apri 28/1997. Prices and rates subject te change and available without aetice. Uaterest equivalent yield & 352%, Based on carreat pod. MIDLAND WALW YN POUL CHOP Pormern ae Chris Carter Financial Advisor * Ginn Caip Thinking is a trademark of Midland Watnyn Capital lac. north shore news VIEWPOINT NDP claimed that that didn’t matter. Don’t we have the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? In other words, we will harass the hell out of you until you can get to the Supreme Court. So watch your step. The law makes it haz- ardous to write anything “likely,” to bring a group into “hatred or contempt” and a one-man tribunal will decide what is what. He also acts as judge, jury and prose- cutor. ; It reminds me of the U.S.S.R. If your attitude was “likely” to harm “socialist realism” off you went to a People’s Court. Bill 33 was steamrollered through in the face of fierce opposition. And some of the remarks in the debate were priceless. . The NDP’s Corky Evans said the Bill was necessary because the courts didn’t always do what the govern- ment wanted them to do. David Schreck even had the gall to say the government was “fundamentally commit- ted to freedom of speech.” Sure. Len Fox of the Opposition said it would now be a case of “selective free speech.” Harry De Jong called the legislation “a com- beyees mee Pav AACE) httpd pulsory niceness bill. Love thy neighbor, or else!” The NDP, he concluded, was showing “total disregard for individual freedom when it comes into conflict with the collective.” Free speech is in danger right across the country. Many in the big media applaud while pressure groups bully hotels into can- celling accommodation for those of whom they disap- prove. Last year in Victoria such groups did their damnd- est to force the public library into cancelling a Doug Christie meeting. The library stood firm, despite scare headlines (“Beware Racists, ete.!") in the Times-Colonist. But now the B.C. Library Association has given the library an intellectual freedom award, much to the dismay of Harry Abrams & Co, who thought it was appalling. Abrams is a B’Nai Brith activist who has laid addition- -al “rights” complaints against the News. It costs him nothing. The system is only too happy to provide him with legal aid. Free speech is appalling. The only thing that is more appalling is no free speech. og 5 raed body,” “14ST Clyde Avey “ Wes! Vancouver 9 Call DEREK A. CAVE Trial Lawyer Get the settlement you deserve. #508, Kapilano 100 Building 100 Park Royal, West Van. 925-7880 DRAPERIES & BLINDS BY S.LAURSEN & SON Another one of our designs. Ask about our Seniors’ discounts. For Free Estimates Phone 987-2966 Serving the North Shore for 25 years Sunday, May 11, 1997 — North Shore News — 7 slay censorship Let battle begin. 900 Memo to Rev. Ed Hird: Re your letter of last Sunday. I too am in favor of open dis- cussion. But it’s your friends the Jews who want to squelch it. (See above); and contrary to what you imply, I do not write against the Jews as such but against their self-appoint- ed censors. Meanwhile, since you are so full of the milk of Christian kindness, how about getting those 28 par- sons to subscribe to the North Shore News Free Speech Defence Fund? — The North Shore News believes strongly in freedom of speech and the right of all sides in a debate to be heard. The columnists published in the News present differing points of view, but those views are not necessarily those of the newspa- per itself. Ihe real secrel FE njoyment is one of the single most important ingredients of a successful exercise program. We believe that for you to get all the benefits from your exercise, you must be surrounded by a clean and friendly environment. ° {it seems to work because hundreds of professionals have found that exercising with us is & great way to relieve stress and gain self- confidence. May is fitness monthi! Call today for.an appointment. See what exercise can do for you BRE) < MEMBERSHIP TRADE-INS! & ck