6 ~ North Shore News — Sunday, August 20, 2000

Sia

AFETY first as a creed is

always admirable. Especially

when it comes to ensuring life
and limb are protected on a public
structure.

So the engineers involved in the
plans to renovate the Lions Gate
Bridge are quite correct to take all
the time they need to ensure that the
methods to be employed in swap-
ping pieces of the bridge deck will
make the bridge safe both for the

future and for those doing the work.

Engineers are conditioned to be
cautious and the media spotlight
that has focused on the bridge and
its replacement process has doubt-
less lengthened the scrutinecring.

But shouldn’t ail this scrutineer-
ing have taken place as part of the
contract-awarding process? Having

VIEW POINT:

a St

to a major link in the region’s road
network instead of a replacement
designed to serve the needs of a new
millennium, the provincial govern-
ment should have taken the respon-
sibility for ensuring that the win-
ning consortium would be doing
what they promised to do by the
date they promised to have it done.

Unlike the failed fast ferry pro-
ject, tax payers will not be subsidiz-
ing a good idea that was improperly
engineered since the contract for the
bridge work is set at a fixed cost.

But it is now eight months since
work was supposed to start on the
bridge deck and there is still no start
date in sight. It seems likely we will
have a new provincial government
before we have a new Lions Gate
Bridge.

Somchow that seerns appropriate.

f LOBSTER DISPUTE
FON MIRAMICHI BAY:

| ED, POET LAUREATE
I WANNABE, 15 STIRREP

BY EVENTS IN THE Hh

‘Selected a Band-Aid repair approach

you Said it

“We're oider but we still make each other. run.
‘They're sneakier at that age. Crafty.”
“West Vancouver’s Louise Mardon was only 15 when
she made it to the under-16 juniors semi-final at
‘Wimbledon in 1937. The 78-year-old is playing in the
- Farwest Senior Tennis Championships at the West
“ Vancouver Tennis Club this weekend. (From an Anguit
“46 News sports story.)

nee , oa20
“We're going from smoke signals to satellites, and
. this.is like a bridge that we can cross where there’s
something on the other side.”
2 Tim Cruty has already completed a film studies degree
the University of Winnipeg, as well as a number of act-
_ ing workshops, but he secs Capilano College’s Aboriginal
"Film and Television Production Program as something
ffcrent. (From an August 20 News feature story.)

: Le a00

Pm ; Zen-Buddhist. I’m no hippy. I’m no beat-
nik. 'm nota wandering 7 poet. No meaning. No plac-
‘ard. Nothing is best.”

-: Poet Nanao Sakaki on the need to avoid labels while
enjoying the short time we are on this planei. (From an
Angust 18 This Week story.) .

aos gaa
“Nowhere i in maritime history has a vessel run for
without a refit.”
caus master Capt..Greg Freeman is concerned the

“23

‘public’ could: lose its crucial cross-harbour. ferry service
‘without a major overhaul of the two vessels’ wheelhouses,

- Steering systems and electronics systems. (From an August
‘1 News ary. a.

Michael! Secker
Rows Editar...
985-2131, local 114
985-2104 |

of mbscker@nsnews. com

suburban newinapér and quatfied Under Schedule
411, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Aa published
~ ath Wednesday. Friday ‘and Sunday by HCN
Publications Company and distributed to every socr

“. on the North Shore. Canada Post Canadian

Pubtications Mail Sales. Proguct Apfeement No.
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ents © 2000 HCN Publications Company, Ait
sights reserved. Average” circulation tor
Wedneay, Friday and nd Sundays, ani,

with A MUKMAQ
PADDY WAGON

GIVE A CRUSTACEAN
A BREAK

TURE THE SURE AND
STiCK TO STEAK

Of Ted White and time bandits —

TED’S excellent political adven-
ture is far from over.

And that's good
news for local direct
democracy fans.

Monday's announce-
ment by North :
Vancouver Canadian
Alliance MP Ted White
that he planned to seck
a third term in office ©
surprised many. .

I think it even sur-
prised Mr, White, who,
as ure rted in the Aug.

ews, initially com-
waned to serving a maximum of two
terms.

But Stockwell Day's equally surprising
Alliance leadership victory in July
prompted reassessment of that commit: -
ment.

White, of course, backed Day’s leader-
ship candidacy.

The direct democracy advocate was
not a Preston Manning man — the wo

-having clashed in the past over such i issues
as MPs’ persion..

White was dropped from Manning’s
shadow cabinet two years ago after he
questioned his leader’s ability to lead the
Reform party to a federal election victory.

The two haven’s exchanged Christmas
cards since.

- But it’s more than just a new lead
Alliance sled dog that convinced White to

’ delay his plans to return to the private
sector and his liome office equipment
leasing company.

White has unfinished parliamentary
business on his mind.

“Priority One: Bill C-277 —White’s

: | Citizen-Initiated Referendum Act.

do dersenonannecssenentessseseranccodeetascoces

{f enacted, the private member's bill
would empower Canadians to initiate’ ref-
erenda on everything from constitutional
change to government
spending decisions.
White says Day is com-
mitted to direct democ-
racy, from which the
North Vancouver MP ~
believes all good things
democratic will flow.
“Everything efse will fall
into piace,” savs he, “if,
the people have control
over the government.”
Amen to that.

And despite snickers -
from other political camps, White has
practised what he preaches. His 1994
electronic referendum on the Young
Offenders Act was, for example, the first
of its kind in these parts.

He weathered nurncrous media broad-
sides on that one, but allowance for elec-
tronic olin and voting is now included
in the fe Elections Act.

Whites 's approach of doing what con- -
stituents want instead of what he or his
party might want has raised more than a
few cyebrows.

And his refusal to approve federal :
grant funds headed for his constituency
-when he believes them to be a poor
investment of tax dollars has raised more
than a few hackles. -

But regardless of what you think of his '
stand on such issues as.the MP pension ~
plan and the philosophical contortions his
party has gone through in bellying up to
the pension trough, White has always
been direct, honest and available.

For a politician that’s rare...

White is also likely all that stands
between a local screening of what could.

LETTERS 10 THE EDITOR faust incon
name, tull address -and_ telephone number.”
” Subesit via e-mail to: .
_ EAfter Beare Rows Ths: S85-2131 (press 2);

be the most frightening Toronto-made
production to hit the North Shore: The -:
Return af Warren Kinsella.
aa9 /

Speaking of horrer shows: following .
the recent airing of council’s Dictating
Diversity 2000, North Vancouver District:
Mayor Don Bell was busy last week jug-.

- gling another hot municipal hall potato.

This onc involves the disciplining of
five North Vancouver District municipal
employees following a two-month investi-
gation into their work habits — or lack
thereof. ;

Among the findings; according to an 4
in-house memo from dircctor of parks
and engineerin Bob West-Sells, apparent
employee “theit of time.”

at would be time financed by your
tax dollars.. + :

The most serious discipline | handed a
out thus far: three-day suspensions for
three of the Freeloading Five. poe

Mayor Bell calls the episode 2 asi
good management. |.

Pd call it a sign of substandard staff

motivation and accountability — 1

sibility for which falls at the feet of di
trict leadership:

After all, it 00k repeated complaints
from the public to initiate the district’
investigation. ay :

They ‘reported municipal
“parked i in usiusual locazions for lengthy
petiods of time without any work und
way ... and district vehicles being seen”
outside district boundaries.

The issues should have becn dealt with

-, long before public exasperation brought

it to district management's attention...
“And T’d say that three-day

‘are hardly deterrent. ‘Thett in any. other

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