8- Friday, September 13, 1996 — North Shore News
. _ ‘2

| Bureaucrats need
to be accountable

Dear Editor:

| “Ifwe could just get rid of all the boats, helicopters, hov-
ercraft, crews, bases and lighthouse keepers, we could easily
stay within our multi-million-dollar budget.”

\ This is the gist of a comment made in all seriousness by a
Canadian Coast Guard bureaucrat that clearly illustrates the
terminal idiocy that pervades the day-to-day operation of
our country and has ploughed us under an almost insur-
mountable mountain of debt.

No matter how much stoport and common sense is put
behind the men and women who do the real jobs of provid-
ing Service to the Canadian people, nothing will change until
there are fundamental changes made in who has the real
power to do what is needed and desired by Canadians.

The people of Canada must. recognize the danger and
take back control of their government, elect people with real
power to comply to their wishes and thoroughly house-clean
the bureaucrats who are elected by no one, listen to no one
and are responsible to no one.

., Ifthis was done the Coast Guard’s dilemma would be a
“simple oncto solve, a,
timp our. 800 Burrard.St. and all the other nests of
wasteful paper-pushers. Have each Coast Guard station have
its own manager who is accountable and responsible and an
accountant who is responsible and accountable to adminis-
ter the whole lot and report to the minister we elect.
:» Themen and women who do the real work could have
ithe best/equipment that is safe to operate and stand a good
chance’ of returning from missions in one piece to do the
work they are so willing to do to maintain safety and save

: of the above will ever happen until Canadians real-
ize that.none of the old-line parties will ever tell the truth

long enough to make any real changes that reflect our wish-

ike hell

Dear Editor:

As an avid cyclist and strong believer
in the positive aspects of cycling for all
ages, I read with confusion and frustra-
tion the letter entitled “Mandatory Bike
Helmet Law Wrong.”

After reading the letter several times I
concluded that Dr. Boothroyd’s argu-
ments against wearing helmets rests upon
the shaky foundation that “older people
lose the elasticity” (in their necks) aud
therefore have a greater chance of break-
ing their necks when a fall occurs when
riding a bike.

The retired doctor goes on to state
that old people have “stiff necks” and
may break their neck because of the hel-
met.

Young people, on the other hand,
have more elasticity in their necks there-
fore making a helmet more useful in the
event of a fall.

Given this small and possibly incorrect
analysis we are to believe that helmet laws
should be rescinded.

I'm sorry Dr. Boothroyd, but to swal-

leis Sa

low this argument is about as pleasing as
eating a Power Bar without water.

How can you stress a potential injury
to asmall segment of the bike riding pop-
ulation and then attempt to stretch your
age specific argument to all ages?

Bike helmets save lives and reduce the
chances and severity of head injuries
when accidents occur. These are simple
facts that everyone can and should under-
stand,

When seat belt legislation came into
effect a similar ultra conservative argu-
ment tried to convince the public that the
law was also wrong. Perhaps Dr.
Boothroyd would rather have old people
smash their faces on the steering wheel
rather then risk a neck injury in a car acci-
dent; same twisted logic.

Several years ago I worked with head-
injured youth and dealt first-hand with
the effects of head injuries on young peo-
ple. Ifa law had forced the parents of an
eight-year-old boy to wear a helmet while
riding around the block his life would be
full of possibilities, and not disabilities.

Tam surprised that Dr. Boothroyd did
not spell out the only tangible argumen
against helmet laws: the basic infringe:

mess up your hair. fees

If not wearing a bike helme
actual deterrent to riding-a bike
like Dr. Boothroyd states. then? perhaps
these old people can ride “their bik
inside a gym while F put on my: helme
and go for a ride in this beautifill city.

North Vancouver

Trustees in state of denial 4

Dear Editor: .

Re: North Vancouver schools:a victim of’ vio
’ B.C.’s partisan’ politics (Rick Buchols Sept. 6
News): The former District 44 school trustees
continue in their state of denial as it relates to |
acknowledging all the contributing factors to

the fiscal circumstances of the district.

_ A major factor is the unaffordable financial '
provisions in: their contracts. with employee
groups; a secondary, but significant, factor is an
apparent funding inequity as compared with
0

er districts,

44 is surely a desperate
Buchols should

NDP supporter.
Dave Jamieson
North Vancouver

anyone. who appears to
thing.and says-he is ariother, I. .
' believe he was'an independent”

A number of trustees were members of pre- ™-
us boards from which the origins of the cur-,
rent predicament are clearly related.) 0.0
For Buchols to blame partisan NDP politics :
as the cause of the financial ills of the District
ping for straws. .
recall chat the union orga-
nization which represents the’ recipients’ of |
most of the District 44 largesse. is an-active |

“on
. alley.
Soccer ::: Association £'to
express cert {
the deterioration of
laying fields within North.

joo! ‘District

one} i

eae

free thinker prior.to becoming

_. convinced
“Liberal and. alter. his,
accordingly. °°.

at he should be a :.
positions:

That ‘was just prior- to him’:
opting out again and “then

maneuvering for a

position

lout’ an image’ thar voters’
* cari"relate. to and distinguish |
from others so they can have‘ .

1 for who they are voting,

/ Firstly this is just patently:

* Aintrue. If anything Gordon

~

kept ‘ saying ® over "and “over,

“B.C. is the best place to live’

in the world. Let’s. return

good government to the peo ,
Cc

“ple of the province of B.C.

Let's not let the NDP lead us

- down the path to financial
ruin. Let’s bring honesty and
accountability’ back to the
political process in B.C.”.

"Maybe ‘he didn’t say it with cnough flair for the
few.thousand ‘more voters it would have taken to
elect him but I am sure they are now saying that they

Bring back West Van school buses

- White knight
T would like to thank Ted

‘White for his congratulatory .

phone cali to me with regard

to my name appearing’ in the

Canada Gazette Honours and

Awards List.” ;

_ It is nice to know he takes

a personal interest in his con-
’ stituents.’ .; :
Bill Hawiey __.

North Vancouver

Campbell. has been consistent:
with his message both priorto. ..
during the. campaign:-He’

GLEN CLARK. ADDRESSES THE 195

wish they had opted

Dear Editor:

Re: The down-loading and disman--

tling of.safe and reliable school busing
by the West Vancouver School Board for

“Rockridge middle school

_ The “back to school message” to the
students’ from Eagle Harbour, Lower
Caulfeild, Bayridge, Sandy Cove,
Westmount, West Bay and Altamont on
the one hand offers a warm welcome to
the new Rockridge middle school; on

UE 0

for Mr. Consistent Campbell

the other hand it implies that they are all
on their own when it comes to getting
there and getting home.

Superintendent Doug Player tells me
directly that my children are’ within
walking distance. I would like to see him
walk daily along Marine Drive, which
has no shoulders or sidewalks, and then
climb from sea level all the way up to the
Upper Levels of Cautffeild Plateau.’

Please tell all the parents and stu-

‘ 4

with the NDP and then drop-
ping that attempt to claim he
wasn’t doing that.)

I challenge anyone to figure

out this loose ‘and: unpre- |

dictable if not somewhat flaky
uy. . 7
vould have no concept of
what David Mitchell believed
in if 1 had to state it, or God
forbid, have to vote with him
~ on the ballot. ;
Please, continue: Mr. Mitchell
to write on the many subjects
with which you deal objec-
tively, These would not be
politics, partisans or princi-
ples.

; You have flipped and flopped unce too much for
over Glen Clark, who was found a little too late to be my liking. .

not quite what he presented himself to be.

. Timothy W. Pegg
But for Mr. Mitchell, of all people, to criticize | West Vancouver

dents of Westmount, West Bay and espe-
cially Altamont why they don’t have the
school bus service to which they. are
entitled and for, which the ministry
would pay... Te
Please choose now to regard West
Vancouver students first and keep the
safe and reliable movement. of our: chil-
dren by yellow school buses.

‘ Barry and Monica Shelton |.

West Vancouver.

underfunding

about ‘lability

should this: situa
tinue,

the’ -Lyfin
Valley - Soccer “Association’
itself would consider some
forni’ of ‘contribution: ‘to
‘repair these fields 7
In speaking with Ms.
Patti. Dixon, the’ . field
assigner for the North
Shore ~ Youth . Soccer
Association, I understand
that the three other North
Shore. ‘clubs’ * (Mount
Seymour, Lions Gate’ and
North Shore Girls) would
also be: inclined to-:lend

good, . safe* playin

et we.are squeezin

ind” mjore™ childre
fewer and, fewer safe fiel
Michael Yorke..."
Lynn’ - Valley’ ’ ‘Soccer.
Association