6-S 1 know! Politics is when Premier Harcourt Says Leachers cant and Nave fo, lke Mike the sty ke let the schools stay open REMIER MIKE Harcourt’s plan to pull the plug om the controversial \ Year 2000 education reform pro- gram is a welcome show of decisive action from a premier- who has thus far been more a figurehead for a band of social engineers than a provincial ieader. . But the real test of this new-look decisive Mike will be whether what he replaces Year 2600 with gets education in B.C. back on track. ; At this point, B.C.’s schools are in un- focused turmoil. The Year 2000 program, the Social Credit plan for adopting recommendations from the Sullivan Commission on educa- tion, was intended to lead our province and its scheols into the mext century. Its. child-centred approach, which its Sti ay os Fae: NEWS QUOTES proponents said would allow children to learn at their own pace and in their own way, has instead reduced all students to a mediocre middle ground and removed the healthy impetus of competition. What the Year 2000 has failed to do is challenge children, inspire them to work at their highest level.and to reward them for achievement. It has also failed to keep parents pro- perly apprised of their children’s progress, It has, in short, undermined learning abilities and incentive; it has. made the public school crap-shoot a bigger gambie than ever and driven those who can afford it inte the private school system. Year 2000 has failed; the NDP could do much to win. back public support by replacing it with a curriculum that suc- ceeds. OF THE PU REREEE TE WEEK “It beats being a three-time loser.”’ Richard ‘the Troll? Schaller, on being a four-time political loser. (From the Sept. 5 News High didate Will McMartin, on state- ments by External Affairs critic Lloyd Axworthy that votes for Libera] candidates could bring more shipbuilding contracts to the North Shore. (from a Sept. 8 Interior designer and_ heritage buff Jack Watts, on saving the past for the future. (From the Sept. 8 News Spotlight.) “What sbout Profile.) : News story.) “Lioyd Axworthy and Mobina \ Jaffer, shackled by an old, tired leader in Jean Chretien, are des- perately trying to bribe North Vancouver voters with their own tax dollars.”’ North Vancouver Tory can- past, and about. Publisher Managing Editor Associate Editor Sales & Marketing Director Linda Stewart Comptrotler Doug Foot North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111, Paragraph ili of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Ltd. and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sates Product Agreement No. 0087238. Mailing rates available on request. Submissions are welcome but we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited material including manuscripts and pictures which shculd be accompanied by a stamped, sell-self- addressed envelope. Peter Speck Timothy Renshaw Noel Wright News:oom V7M 2H4 “What the preservationist move- ment has done is raise awareness among the public of saving our that’s Because without a past, there’s no future.”” Display Advertising Real Estate Advertising 985-6982 Classihed Advertising ronesDaT 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. ‘Stand by your plan?’ ”* : Norih Vancouver District Coun. Janice Harris, on sticking to the guidelines of the district’s Official Community Plan in regards to a redevelopment proposal for the Seycove Marina. (From a Sept. 10 News story.) what it's all & HM) This newspaper contaiss tecycled fibte $80-0511 Distribution 986-1337 & Subscriptions 986-1337 Fax 985-3227 ff Administration 985-2131 986.6222 985-2131 E 4 * FmIDAY SDA DIVISION 61,582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) Entire contents ©.1993 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. laye THE CONFUSION surrounding the battle of Clayoquot - Sound prompted me to confess three weeks ‘ago in this space that I didn’t know whether tc hug a tree, hug Jack Munro or hug both. Hence my guest today —- the feisty former IWA boss himself who now chairs the industry- sponsored Forest Alliance. Mr. Munro didn’t want to be hugged but welcomed the opportunity to supply answers to some of the questions in my Aug. 20 column. Here they are: @ Yes, forestry DOES still pro- vide 50 cents of every export dollar earned in B.C. It’s also B.C.’s biggest employer — some 90,000 direct jobs and 100,000 in- direct jobs. ® Clearcuts ARE getting smaller. The coast maximum is now set at 40 hectares. In the Interior they range from under 25 to 100 hec- tares. @ Replanting is a strong com- mitment of both government and industry. In 1990-91 (the last fig- ures available) 240 million trees were planted — three trees for every tree cut. , @ At present cutting rateswe * have about 50 years of old growth left — NOT including three and a half million coastal hectares that are commercially unviable or al- ready protected as parks or , wilderness. ® True, our mills still rely mostly on old growth, but ‘‘the next few decades’’ will begin to see ‘significant harvesting of second growth.’’ Quality differences are likely to be similar to those in’ many other countries now reaping second, third or, fourth harvests. @ Steel, plastic, aluminum and concrete production uses many times more energy and causes more pollution than wood: Such substitutes for wood make no sense environmentally. , One challenge in the complex decision-making process regarding future forest management, says Munro, is the continuing lack of a full inventory of B.C.’s 27 million hectares of commercial forest land. Maintaining such an inven- tory is a huge task, but accurate information is vital for making the right decisions. He admits that the forest in- dustry cannot claim to do everything right. ‘‘But it is com- ‘mitted to managing its forest lands according to the best science of today and a commitment to sus- tainable forests now and for the future.” The Forest Alliance chief’s ' comments are unlikely to make HITHER AND YON many dedicated tree-huggers slink away shamefacedly into the bush." But for us watchers on the side-_ lines, his factual answers to con- fusing questions do dispel some of the fog surrounding the Clayoquot '.” issue. ; Soe Thanks, Jack, for helping us - decide what to think about it all. ene . TAILPIECES: Edgemont traffic, pedestrian and school area con- - cerns are the subject at the 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept..15, meeting of -- Edgemont Community Association in Highlands United Church, with District Traffic Manager Gavin Joyce and RCMP Cpl. Erie - : Brewer. ... Timely topic, ‘‘The . Ethics of Politics,”’ will be exam- ined Thursday, Sept..16, by ~ .- veteran MP Benno Friesen, | guest speaker at the 11:30 a.m. North Yan Chamber of Commerce lunch meeting in the North Shore’ Winter Club — book by noon. Tuesday at 987-4488. ... Learn to" communicate your way to success at Allan Knight’s two workshops : Saturday, Sept. 18, at West Van’s ” Klee Wyck Centre, 200 Keith — call 926-3266 for info ‘and regis- . tration. ... From the Better Late Dept. many happy returns of Fri- day, Sept. 10, to West Van birth- day boy Willy Disher. ... And happy 42nd anniversary today, Sept. 12, to North Van’s Roland and Stella Jo Dean. a -eo0e WRIGHT OR WRONG: The world’s saddest sight is a young ‘| - pessimist. Photo submitied THE WAY we've been for 42 years ... it’s celebration Sunday for Stella Jo and Roland Dean.