W. Van grants given; 31 get rejected WEST VANCOUVER District Council's contribu- tion June 20 to the North Shore’s arts assistance pro- gram was accompanied by objections on the part of at Jeast one councillor. WEST VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL By Maureen Curtis Council voted on several 1994 grants, from a maximum of $3,333 for the Queen's Baton and $14,000 to the West Vancouver Arts Council to £35,281 for the North Shore Economic Development Com- mission, Other grants were made to the Coho Festival, Presentation House, the North Shore Safety Council, 3rd West Vancouver Scouts (a grant in lieu of taxes), the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and the North Shore Advisory .Committee on Disability Issues. But Coun. Andy Danyliu objected to West Vancouver’s allocation of $17,453 to the 1994 arts assistance grant pro- gram, which will get a total of $69,750 from all three North Shore municipalities. West Vancouver's contribu- tion is based on 45 cents per capita, as compared to a 50 cents per capita allotnient from the two North Vancouver munici- palities. Danyliu was concerned about the amounts involved and the criteria used in selecting them. Some of the recipients include the B.C, Boys Choir, Deep Cove Chamber Soloists, Judith Marcuse Dance Projects, the North Vancouver and West Vancouver youth bands and the- atre groups such as North Shore Light Opera, North Shore Puppetry and West Vancouver Little Theatre. Three of the grants go to organizations located off the North Shore: the Cantata Society, Vancouver Youth Symphony and Vancouver International Writers Festival. But said Coun. Diana Hutchinson “This is a program we have agreed to be a part of.” Coun. Rod Day defended the arts grants. “All ofthese groups barely survive financially... sometimes the performers don't get paid at all,” said Day. Although he failed to gain support, Danyliu stated he would prefer to give the arts allotment to the community ser- vices advisory commission which allocated $79,000 to 27 groups that provide local ser- vices —- many of them inrough volunteers. “These are people who address misery,” said Danyliu. The requests of 31 communi- ty groups were turned down, CALL US: 983-2208 Fan Friday, July 1, 1994 - North Shore News - 3 lilies face pressure Expert urges government and industry to be more supportive DESPITE THE enormous pressures facing them, most Canadian families are “mud- dling along.” said) family expert Robert Glossup. By Bruce Methven Contributing Writer The director of programs and research oat) Ouawa's Vanier Institute made the comment during a speech atthe annual general meet- ing of North Shore Family Services on June 23. The national, non-protit: Vanier Institute was founded in 1965 and is responsible for gathering and miak- ing available to the public current information on factors relating to the Canadian family. Glossup said it ts encouraging to see arecent Angus Reid study reveal that 80% of Canadian fami- lies describe themselves as “happy.” even in the face of the usprecedent- ed stress and change in society. Glossup said the “incredibly har- ried and frenetic existences” of most families today result in 40% of niar- riages ending in separation or divorce. Before they turn 20, Glossup said, 45% of children born in the 1970s and carly 1980s will experi- ence the separation or divorce of their parents, “Family has become a rather unpredictable, uncertain, fluid expe- rience.” Glossup said. He said marriage is no longer an accurate yardstick with which to measure the family unit, Ten per cent of Canadian fami- lies are co-habiting couples, and 26% of children are born today to unmarried women. Glossup pointed out that this is NEWS Cindy Goodinan ROBERT GLOSSUP recently spoke in West Vancouver on the issue of Canadian families. While research shows that most families consider themselves happy, the expert sald many fam- family have made two incomes nee- essary, Glossup said. Twenty years ago, 30% of fami- lies relied on two incomes, now 70% of families must have two wage carers in order to make ends meet, The majority of Canadian fami- lies. Glossup said, are “exhausted.” Studies show that 75% women of school-age children are working either full- or part-time. Glussup said that although many of today's parents are spending up to 70 hours per week working to nake ends meet. incomes have remained at the same levels they were two decades ago. “We're running harder to stay in the same place.” he said. He added that he does not believe the current situation is temporary, but rather it represents a fundamental change ia Canadian society. Glossup described the “incredi- ble adaptation” that families have shown over the last 15 to 20 years. “in profoundly changed econamic circumstances.” Glossup stressed that many of today's families are not managing to cope with the financial challenges facing them, He said 60% of lone-purent houscholds live in poverty. The average poor family in Canada lives on $7,000 less than the official poverty line, he said, “The poverty line is something that most poor families would aspire to,” he added. Domestic violence is a serious issue and is something that is more. common than most Canadians real- ize. Glossup said oce-third of all murders in Canada are committed by family mesnbers. In addition, 25% of all women report having expevienced violence the same proportion as occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, and said it does not indicate a diminished sense of commitinent to the family by the single or unmarvied parents. Glossup added tha: a family can no longer be defined by biological ties. This is because traditional issues like adoption and more mod- ern concepts like reproductive tech- ilies are exhausted. nection harder to make. He said even television shows such as Murphy Brown illustrate that “families can no longer be defined on the basis of marriage.” The biggest change to Canadian families, Glossup said, is the emer- gence of what he called “the new home economics.” He said most men today no longer make enough money as the single wage earner to support a fam- ily, as was common 40 or 50 years ago. Higher taxes and a higher cost of living as well as an average of between $4,000 and $8,000 after- tax dollars spent on each child in a at the hands of a past or present marital partner. The roots of this violence, said Glossup, may be indicated by the fact that 75% of abusive husbands grew up in violent homes. Glossup took the opportunity, halfway through the Year of the Family, to call on government and industry to be more supportive of the many pressures facing families. nologies make the biological con- Parents push for development halt PARENT ADVISORY Councils of all eight Seymour schools have banded together to demand a moratorium on area development until adequate school facili- ties are available to address the problem of overcrowding. NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL By Martin Millerchip They say a precedent was established when a development moratorium of several years was imposed to resolve the issue of transportation links in the area. “We have had enough of paying taxes and Lis- tening to ong level of government blame the other guy. You. the municipal government, have the power to stop making the problem worse and you are the only one who can sit down with the province and work something out.” William Prowse told North Vancouver District Council Monday night. Prowse ts vice-chairman of the Seycove Secondary Parent Advisory Council but wis speaking to council on behalf of all the Seymour-area schools. THIS WEEK’S QUESTION: Said Prowse: The current shortage of facili- ties is not a temporary problem caused by a baby boom or some related phenomenon which will dissipate over time. It is the product of residen- tial expansion without the concurrent develop- ment of ancillary facilities to deal with that expansion. “We can no longer remain silent ind you can no longer pretend that it's not your problem. A March North Shore News story revealed that Victoria has twice denied funds for an extension to Seycove Community Secondary School. At that time school principal Larry Brown projected a September enrolment of 480 stu- dents, up from the present 432 and said. “After September the admission numbers rise exponen- dally.” Seyeove draws its students from Sherwoud Park. Cove Cliff and Dorothy Lynas elementary schools. Prowse criticized the district for having “no working relationship” Education, which he acknowledged was respon- sible for the construction of schools, Charged Prowse: “Murticipal government is in charge of creating a rational, fivable commu- nity and you are you ignore this problem and continue to approve more development.” with the Ministry of abandoning that obligation if THE MOTION ‘submitted: to “North, Vancouver District Council: by the Parent Advisory Councils: of Seymour area. schools. Whereas: — . @ the current enrolment in ‘Seymo: ele mentury schools exceeds classroom capact- ; ty; secondary school capacity {s ‘not suffi- cient to handle the cnrrent primary popu- lation; @ this is not a temporary bulge but the product of continuous residential growth; @ the Ministry of Education does not have the resources to deal with this problem; M@ North Vancouver District continues te approve residential expansion in Seymour; @ the Parent Advisory Councils of Seymour area schools wish to stop the growing chaos; Therefore be it. resolved that North Vancouver District impose a moratorium on development in Seymour until the dis- trict and the ministry develop and imple- ment a plan thet will ensure that the avail- ability of adequate school facilities is 2 pre- condition to residential development. Is the $800-million ferry project justified, given B.C.’s debt?