Al8 - Sameday, September 9, 1984 - North Shore News Differ ences, similarities in two political women IT WAS not so much that women’s issues dominated the federal election campaign on the North Shore; it was the candidates themselves. By JOANNE MacDONALD Mary Collins, from her front-rummer’s position § in Capilano, and lona Cam- pagnolo, the Liberal Party president whose North Van- couver-Burmaby campaign drew national attention, dominated much of the publicity this area received during the 58-day campaign. In this look at Collins and Campagnolo, the News has focussed not on the policies of the parties, but on what led each to a high-profile position within those parties and what made each choose the particular political phi- losophy- IONA CAMPAGNOLO “The moment you stick your head up above the trees, you know you're going to get shot at. It’s always a c Challenge is the essence of Campagnolo’s style. She first burst onto the Canadian federal political scene — and there ss mo other way [0 describe her arrival — when she entered the House of Commons im 1974 as only the fourth woman ever elacted federally . Defeated in 1979, she retreated to private life be- fore returmng as Liberal Party president in 1982, the first woman ever to hold that position. Campagnolo says she did not abways have a goal to enter public life. But whatever her position, whether a be school board, municipal or federal politics, she says she has tried to en- sure she would not be vicwed as a token female. “1 don’t feel Pm unique, but 1 do sometumes feel as if I wish there were more of us I have a semse often that the role that we play is unique even though we ourselves are not umgue — and that what we're working for 1s the eventual time when there will be as karge a number ol women as there are men in public Life and that no onc will thimk oaw’s the least bit unusual for ao woman to undenake this sort. of life.” Campagnolo says. She describes herscif as a tcam pkayer who never con scjiousty sought posiions which omght) provide ad vancement and credits Senaton Therese Casgrain. a woman who fought from 1924 to 1940 for the night of women to vote in Queber as being fees) most influential COLLINS AND CAMPAGNOLO — opposite ends of the spectrum mentor in politics. She also singles out pro- minent Liberals Marc Lalonde and Jean Chretien for helping her survive her rookie years in Parliament: **The good enes look to their jobs as a very serious teaching of generations,’ she says. Overall, Campagnolo points to her personal discipline, common = sense approach, and the fact that she is ‘‘a single parent of daughters’’ as the basic reasons she has been pro- petled to the prominent posi- tion she now holds within the Ltrberal Party. ““l’m a moderate. And |! have an exceptional mother who thought it would be a very g00d idea if we were to all look carefully at at religions and= all pohtical parties to think about where did we really belong in the life of our country | honest ly beheve most truth 1s vested in the centre of the political spectrum, rather than on either of the ideological ends of the spec trum, emher the far lett or the moderate left or the tar right," says Campagnolo “There’s: obviously only one centrist party oun this country and that’s othe liberal Party and that’s where | philosophically belong dts not only pobht cal, WS in every part of -my life that I’m oa moderate 1 am so determined that out daughters shall have othe same advantages as sons in this world, that thats another level of the equality and fatness that bo seek oon everything | do That's why I have the position Po have on mmigration, that's why | have the position | have on family planning Fairness is such an innate part of my character | can’t separate it from my politics, It’s all part of it.”’ MARY COLLINS It was inevitable that Mary Collins, now Capilano MP, would finally take the successful plunge into public fife. AM recent member of Prime Minister-elect Bran Mulroney’s national policy advisory committee, she candidly admits that running for public office has been a goal for 25 years. The achievement-ortented Collins, who says she has always chased opportunities guaranteeing advancement, joined the PC party in 1959 as a student studying politi- cal science. ‘“Tve always felt | would like to be part of the dect- sion-making process in this country and have an oppor- tunity tO participate in that to try to make what | think are better, more sound decisions and bring into that process a broader perspec- tive, a perspective from my Own pomnt Of view as oa woman, as someone who has lived and worked right across. the couptry with special concetns about the West. Collins says ea | think we need a \more approach tg our decision making mn this country" As assistant) to) Ontano Premier John Robarts, © ol- lings was able to observe that process first hand started her analy tical and it thinking that someday she'd like to be on the other side Pirst, however, she entered the ptivate sector as a businesswoman, suc cesslully) blending her own poditical philosophy wath The partners of PERRAULT SMYTH & COMPANY wish to advise all of their friends and chents that henceforth the firm will be known as PERRAULT TAMASI CERTIFIED GENERAL ACCOUNTANTS 102-1975 LONSDALE AVENUE NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. V7M 2K3 987-8101 thatief rhe PC’s. **Pve had to deal with the bureatrcracy in tots of dif- ferent departments and dif- ferent kinds of issues. So + understand the frustrations that people feel and the pro- blems that they deal with,’ says Collins. ‘‘The Conser- vative party’s economic phi- losophy is based on ‘strengthening the private sec- tor and providing policies which will enable the private sector to grow, particularly small and medium = size business. Because we do believe in the strength of the individual. We want to_en- courage that — “that ‘kind of risk-taking and en- trepreneurship. At the same time, though, | think we recognize that we have to be compassionate to those parts - of our society which are in need.”’ Collins says she was large- ly influenced in her decision to join the party by family connections, but her decision was cemented after she worked as an editor for Conservative Concepts, a Magazine of Conservative philosophy, while at univer- sity. jronically, it was Liberal John Deutsch, the principal at Queens University, who played a key role in Collins’ development as a person anxious to explore new arenas. ‘tHe had faith in me and therefore | had a responsibil- ity to try to do new things and take opportunities,’’ she says. However, Robarts was ‘‘the role model that taught me a lot about the way that | felt you conducted yourself in the government.”’ Collins says she will con- tinue to take risks. ‘‘| like responsibility and I’ve always sought the op- portunity for increased re- sponsibility and | think I've been prepared to take the risks involved,’’ she says. ‘*Because each time you do that, you are taking a risk. You’re testing yourself on new ground. You never know before-hand whether you’re gaing to succeed.” AMBLESIDE HOBBIES & CRAFTS 1425 Marine Dr. West Van 922-3512 open 6 days a week $2 65 Ib Prices in effect till Sept 15 ‘Regular Crunchy Peanut Nort SHORES WHEELCHAIR Wheelchairs 842 West 15th Street North Vancouver, B.C. 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