north shore news ___MAIL BOX Drug prohibition does not work Dear Editor: Re: Crack concerns hit N Shore, June 12 News, Leo Knight gushes croce- dile tears about the death of a young girl supposedly caused solely by her ingestion of crack cocaine, bur no one should be fooled into think- ing his position arises out of feelings of sympathy and con- cern, Knight’s true game is a murderous melange of con- trol, intolerance and a child- like faith in Big Government. His solution for “the drug problem” is to spend more and more of taxpayers’ moncy, more detox beds, more police, more of the same policies that have been tried now for almost a hundred years — and which have utter- iy failed. We cannot even keep drugs our of our prisons. It is time to consider an alternative way 9 dealing with drugs other then to continue down the slippery slope to creating a police state here in Canada. ‘The only solution is to end the failed policies of prohibition and allow the users of heroin, cocaine and other prohibited drugs the freedom to purchase cheap, clean, quality-tested drugs at any corner store, just as tobac- co users do. But there is an even more basic reason to end prohibi- tion than the fact that it does- n't work. The government docs not have the right to punish people for what they choose to ingest into their own bodies. To paraphrase Martin Niemoller’s famous quotation about the government's attacks on the Jews, “When the government attacked mar- jjuana users I was nor a man- juana user and in any case, | felt that marijuana was harm- ful. Therefore I was not con- cerned. And when the gov- ernment attacked heroin users, Twas nota heroin user and in any case, [ felt that heroin’ was) harmful, and therefore, | was not con- cerned, And when the gov- ernment attacked ~— crack cocaine users, I was not a crack cocaine user and in any case, f felt that crack cocaine was harmful, and I was not concerned. Then the govern- mene attacked me because of the harmful drug I used — and J had no argument to counter the government’s new policy.” Alan Randell Victoria arandell@islandnet.com Wai-Mart wallet finder thanked Dear Editor: Thanks very much to the person who found my wallet in Wal-Mart on June 8. | didn’s know what to do when I got to the checkout and discovered my wallet was missing. ; I didn’t have a cent to my name. I had to buy gas before I picked up my chil- dren at three different loca- Money matters missed in From page 7 the legislature by MLA Geott Plant in a question to the attorney general. Ujjai Dosanjh, in what can only be described as warped logic, said he couldn’r answer the question because of “solici- tor-chent privilege.” Dosanjh went on to say: “But let this House under- stand, let the people of James Carter, General Manager of Carter Chev Olds is pleased to announce that Brent Farley has jeined our exceptional sales team. Brent is a proud resident of the North Shore. You may have previously met him assisting you with your golf needs at Nevada Bob's. So whether you need a golf tip or a new car, Brent will be happy to help you, Stop in or call Brent, ac “Your North Shore Chevy Store!” CHEVROLET- OLDSMOBILE- CHEVY TRUCK 845 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VANSOUVER 987-5231 010743 tions. I was in a panic. I retraced my steps and one of the greeters asked if 1 was looking for something. When I described my wallet she informed me it had been turned in. I couldn't believe it. I was relieved to get my wallet back. If you had been there you would have been hugged by a sobbing woman. British Columbia understand that for the sake ... of polite cizing cach and every issue in this province, they are now prepa:ed to forgo all of the fundamental principles of justice on which this system has been based.” What nobility! However, his logic failed to appreciate that he is the chief legal advisor to the leg- istature, not the government. It also felt good to know | live in a community full of honest citizens. I really believe that what goes around comes around again. Your honesty saved the day for me but one day someone will come to your rescuc when you need help or have Jost something. Mary Ferraby North Vancouver explanation The legislature is made up of representatives of the people, not the government. The money spent was provided by the people and he has a duty to explain what is being done with our money. Period. As with everything else, once again the NDP demon- strates that i¢ just doesn’t pet it. And still no mea culpa. — lknightGdirect.ca 183 Pembsrion Ave. 985-7195 Wderx Earth, Wood, Colour, Texture for Home, Body & Spirit Estasustien ws 1984-1999 Proud to be part of Edgemont Village for 15 years. A tasteful collection of fine en fumiture home decor and fi for your Westcoast Lifestyle. Wednesday, June 23, 1999 - North Shore News — 8 ted white, mp. advertorial, June 23/1999 THE CASE AGAINST BIG GOVERNMENT Based on series of studies of vari- / ous sized governments around the world, a recent public policy paper from the Fraser Institute reached two main conclusions. Firstly, that big govern- ment consistently promises that it can deliver progress, enlightenment and compassion, while consistently tailing to do so, and secondly, that big govern- ment always results in high taxes, slow growth, and high unemployment. Having to face these realities is some- thing which supporters of big government are reluctant to do, yet the evidence since the 1960s, when government expansion began to accelerate in Canada, (as weil as in many Eurepean countries), is over- whelming. The fact is, countries where the government restricts its share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to less than 30%, have dramatically lower unemploy- ment rates, dramatically lower taxation rates, and dramatically lower numbers of people on welfare, than countries like ’ Canada where the Government consumes almost 50% of the GDP. Clearly, if big government was achiev- ing its objectives, there should be some- thing to show for the inmense sums being expended, yet countries like Canada have not performed in a measurably superior way to countries with smaller, less intru- sive governments. More importantly per- haps, on the three key measures - taxes, economic growth, and employment — the performance of the big government coun- tries is significantly worse. Certainly, Canada's experiment with big government has not produced the economic and social returns anticipated by its authors. It has, however, produced a legacy of high taxes, high unemployment, high government debt, and massive unfunded liabilities in overextended social programs. CANADA'S NEAR Miss Although public spending in Canada rose from 22% of GDP in the late 1940s to a peak of 52% in 1992, and presently stands at around 47% of GDP, our two major trading partners, Japan and the USA, have maintained relatively small public sectors throughout the past 50 years. Their spending presently stands at 36% and 33% of GDP respectively, not far from the ideal level of 30% identified in the study. Whenever Reform MPs remind the Finance Minister or the Prime Minister of these realities, we are told that Canada's tax levels are in line with the average in OECD countries. This response though, conveniently ignores the fact that more than 90% of Canada's trade is with the USA and Japan, so our much higher gov- emment overhead places us at a distinct disadvantage in terms of taxation and pro- | ductivity. No wonder there has been an erosion in the value of our currency, and an acceleration in the numbers of Canadian workers heading for jobs in the USA (the "brain drain"), as the government positioned itself to consume more and more of the GDP. Unfortunately, rather than put the immense costs of big government to the political test of higher taxes during the time when the spending was actually taking place, successive Canadian governments since the 1970s chose instead to borrow against future tax receipts, thereby hiding the true cost from voters. It was only after the public debt began to exceed 100% of GDP in the early 1990s that finance minis- | ters were finally forced to come to grips with the reality of an impending fiscal col- lapse. Faced with having to guarantee the borrowings of two provinces which were near bankruptcy, along with a drop in its own credit rating, the Liberal Government dramatically raised taxes, and even cut some spending, in order to convert impending doom into a "near miss". What a shame though that we had not dealt with the problem in the early 1980s, when our total federal debt was !ess thar $100 billion. Had we taken the bull by the horns at tnat time, a smail tax increase would have stopped the hemorthaging, and the value of our currency could have been preserved. Unfortunately, as you may remember, the old line par- | ties were still calling Reformers "extremists" for talking about the need for balanced budgets back in the lute 2980s. These days, even Canada's NDP parties have been forced to admit that government | overspending is bad for the econo- my. As a political party, Reform was ahead of its time in helping expose the truths about out of control government spending. Now that budgets are once again being balanced, the Liberals and NDP have begun attacking us for demanding broad- based tax relief, despite the overwhelming evidence from Alberta and Ontario that this is now the best course to follow. It would appear that it is so difficult for "tax and spend" governments to kick the habit that they prefer to remain in a state of denial about the benefits of tax relief to both the economy and taxpayers. UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS In both Aiberia and Ontario, unemploy- § ment levels are tower than in the rest of Canada, and there is a lower percentage of the population on welfare. However, more proof that lower taxes, a lower gov- emment share of the GDP, and smaller § government, works to create jobs, is also | evident in the Fraser Institute study of other countries. It found that there is a direct relationship between unemployment levels and the size of government in the G7 countries. For example, OECD figures from 1996 identify France as having the highest unemployment rate in the G7, at 12.4%, and the biggest government, |} at 54.8% of GDP. On the other hand, the lowest unemployment rate in the G7, at 3.4%, occurred in Japan, which had the } second smailest government - just 36.2% of GDP. Data on the other G7 countries confirm the pattem: Italy with unemployment of 12.0% and a govern- ment consuming 52.7% of GDP; Germany with unemployment of 8.9% and a govern- ment consuming 48.8% of GDP; and the United States with unemployment of just 5.4% with a low 32.7% of its GDP going to government, Three key factors appear to lie behind the high unemployment rates experienced by big government countries. First, the punitive tax and regulatory burdens asso- ciated with big government adversely affects output and labour market flexibility. Second, big govemment raises costs and reduces efficiency by forcing economic activity out of ihe private sector and into the public sector - the exact reverse of pri- vatization of inefficient government opera- | tions. (Everywhere in the world, the’pro- §. duction and delivery of goods under gov- emment monopoly is more inefficient and more expensive than delivery via private sector markets.) Third, generous govern- ment transfer programs, whether to provinces or individuals, carry disincen- tives and the moral hazard of dependency, regardiess of how well designed, and how well intentioned they may be. | If you would like a copy of the Fraser Institute report entitled "Canadian Public Spending: The Case For Smaller More Efficient | Government", piease call 688- { 0221. I especially encourage those of you who would expect to dis- agree with the report to obtain a copy and to do your best to dis- credit its conclusions. If you can moke a convincing case, I wiil print it in one of my future reports.