ross-border shopping: the patriot’s duty? BEING LAZY, Ido not go down south to buy things, ex- cept for an occasional gallon of gas in Point Roberts on my way to Spud Esland. But a chap I know says it's our patriotic duty to do so. There’s hardly any patriotism left in me, mind you. Ottawa has seen to that. I've even thought of immigrating to the Falklands (hold the applause, please). Especially after that federally- financed, far-left feminist eab ses- sion held in Vancouver recently at a cost to the taxpayer of half a million bucks. About 250 ‘twimmir’’, politi- cians and academics, including the usual strong contingent of the mannish sort were flown in from all over the country. Tax-eaters all, they spent three days living it up. Mary Collins and Justice Minister Kim Campbell were there, naturalty. [t was Campbell, in fact, who organized this little congregation. And you can bet Collins was in on the plot too, she being the Wimmins Minister. But back to patriotism and all that. The chap referred to above is Paul Fromn, research director for Citizens for Foreign Aid Reform (C-FAR), which has its office in Toronto and vigorously opposes. the madnesses perpetrated by the all-party anti-people coalition in Ottawa. C-FAR puts out a newsletter, a recent issue of which was headed: “Cross-Border Shopping: It’s Not Just a Bargain. It's Your Patriatic Dury."” We are the most over-governed country in the world and the result, says Fromm, is that we have become tax serfs. Which is why Canadians are heading south to do their buying. Billions of dollars are being lost in sales and miliions in taxes. But for the most part, says Fromm, what we are secing is a tax revolt. Which to have real effect should be bigger. The gap between Canadian prices and these in the U.S. are even more glaring in Ontario now that the nit-witted NDP is in power and has given the populace a taste of socialism. A 24-bottle case of Labatt’s Blue costs $11.18 Canadian in Niagara Falls, New York. The same beer costs $24.85 in Ontario, where it is brewed. Alberta gas costs $1.32 a gallon on the U.S. side of the border and $2.26 on the Canadian. A set of tires made Firefight inhalati A NORTH Vancouver City Fire Department firefighter was treated July 2 for smoke inhalation at Lions Gate Hospital and subse- quently released after helping to fight a kitchen fire. The fire department received a call at 7:30 p.m, to go to 323 East 6th St. A fire department spokesman said the occupant of the house had left oil unattended in a pot on a stove when the fire broke out. The occupant's house suffered minor structural damage and heavy smoke and heat damage. The fire department spokesman advised people against attempting to pick up burning pots from stoves. They should instead, he said, put a lid on the burning pot and then turn off the heat, if the fire does not go out once a lid is put on it, the fire depart- ment should be called. —_— Doug Collins ON THE OTHER HAND in Nova Scotia — $81.65 in the U.S., $140 in Ontario. And so on. The last resort of those who benefit mightily out of the tax system, says Fromm, is the Cana- dian medicare card. When taxes are questioned, out it comes. How right! Pat Carney is one of the biggest apologists in that regard. Pat Carney, who will get two fat rvederal pensions for hav- ing been a minister and then being named a senator so that she could yell ‘tyes’? on the GST. That medicare is a tax factor is true enough, says Fromm. But it's not the whole truth. “Canada has virtually no space program. Our military expen- ditures are shamefully modest. 1989, Canada spent 2% of the Gross Domestic Product on defences the ELS. spent $9, Among NATO nations, only busy. embourg spent fess than Canada." So why do we have a high-cost economy and a standard of living much below thar of the Ameri- cans? The major explanation is government. “Canada is a nation tich by nature but poor by policy. ‘From our idiotic foreign aid program, costing close to $3 billion a year....to the myriad programs for special interest groups — multiculturalism, feminism, bilingualism, ete. — government in Canada is meddling where it does not belong. And the meddiing co.is.”* Which brings us back to that half-million dolar fem con- ference. A total waste of money, except of course to the partici- pants, 20% of whom were wild- eyed schemers whase ravings will be seen in Onawa as “*public opi- nion"’ and acted on, the bureau- tats and politicians being in league with them. More social engineer- ing. They're against ‘racism and sexism,’*’ meaning they are for reverse discrimination and feder- ally-forced multicult. Like all to- talitarians, they are also for ‘re- educating’’ judges -— in this case to make them toe the fem line. Better stili, in their opinion, would be the appointment of feminist judges who could then discriminate from the bench in the name of ‘gender equality."" One jaw for fems, another for men. (Already, it’s OK for a “battered woman" to kill her live-in.) We paid good money for these crazies to push their cause, So the question is a fair one: is it your patriotic duty to shop down south? ARDAGH HUNTER TURISER Barristers & Solicitors Personal Injury AFTER HOURS Crimunal Matters Gnly 926-3181 FREE !NITIAL CONSULTATION __ 986-4366 | FAX 986-9286 #300-1401 LONSDALE NORTH VANCOUVER, BC. 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