AS the new year rapidly approaches, it is cus- tomary to reflect on the year just passed and look ahead to the com- ing months. Somewhere in there, one hopes, the lessons of the pre- i ures and disap- pointments will fead to an improvement on past ¢!forts. A Wiser man than I once said, “Those who will not learn from history are doomed to repeat its failur As I contemplate the out- " . going year, | am struck with a ing from an ¢ “xtraordinary and nagging suspici T have written in past months on the apparentiy easy ride pedophiles and pur- veyors of kiddie porn are get- ting through the justice s tem. fohn Michael Lewis, William Bennest and Richard West are all examples of cases that outraged and infuriated me just on the basis of how they tippy-toed their way past the lady with the blindfold and scales. The new ye . with the pending trial of Jo! Robin Sharpe, currently charged in Vancouver and Surrey with making, pos ing for the purpose of uting and related charges concerning alleged child pornography. Because the case is still before the courts, 1 cannot discuss the 5 of evidence against him. Last week, however, Sharpe showed his colors in a letter co the Vancouver Sun published in the Dec. 15 edi- tion. In his letter, Sharpe said: “There is no clear evidence that painography harms chil- dren, although it may be dis turbing to some ac the time.” “With affluence,” he con- tinued, “privacy concerns and sexophobic mor. children no longer casually assimilate basic sexual knowledge as they grow up. And if schools can’t, and parents won't, pro- vide adequate sex education then pornography becomes a valuable educational resource. Libraries and the Internet, shere the individual child can explore his or her interests in sex, may be the best way Leo Knight crime and punisinment learn.” It will be interesting to sce if this is the basis of the defence he mounts against the charges he fh More interesting, howeve is whether his case even gets to open court. As in the Bennest case, Pm betting a plea bargain will be arran sed in order to ¢ before the court. 7 Sources close to the investigation cell me that Sharpe was a meticu- lous record keeper, both of the kids in his web and of adults he dealt with. Thos records are in the hands of the police. I sincerely doubt, whether through legal wran- gling or backroom pressur if thos ords will ever the light of day. The people who trade in kiddie porn and their cus- tomers are also the ones who prey on kids. The pedophile’s world is quite small, so to speak. They know cach other. They do business together. They help each other in times of trouble, such as when the possibility of jail surfaces for one and the resulting expo- sure for the other. The more I look into these matters, the more con- vineed Tam of that fact. Lewis, Bennest, West and Sharpe all have very influen- tial contacts. And there are common denominators, make no mistake about that. for example, Le ed Canadian ci All semices fully warranty approved despite having three convi xual assault on and outstanding warrants in Utah and Calitornia for simi- lar offences at the time of the citizenship h y. Itis, Md wager, why Bennest was given a sweetheart deal and the Crown went to extraordinary lengths to keep the deal secret. J cannot fathom why the Court of Appeal came up with the d did in ed must surely mean the is another answer. Don’t misunderstand me. Sharpe is innocent until proven guilty in a court of ¢ no judg- cc until all in open court and all the dence made available to ass his guilt or innocence. No deals. Here’s hoping the attor- Neen tae ney general has learned from history. Pedophiles and child abusers are not worth pro: tecting for any reason, espe- cially any political reason. If he has, he will ensure no deals are done and allow the courts and the public to have an opportunity to hear the evi- dence and decide guilt or innocence. And J do mean, all the evidence. But I doubt it. T suspect the new year will begin with Sharpe being a deal will be cut. Nothing will change. After vou cead this, ¢ and hug vour children. | them you will protect them. God knows, based on past performance, you'll not get much help. ~— The North Shore News believes strongly in freedom of speech and the right of ‘all sides in a debate to be columnists publi Reaching our youth Dear Editor: Iam writing in support of the Youth Outreach workers on the North Shore. I live in Lynn Valley and belonged to a community group that supported and encouraged the hiring of a second youth worker, Many new and exciting programs have bi initiated over the w years and are well 1 was S quite disturbed at reading that Ernie Crist feels that youth programs run through youth workers amount to nothing more than Cooling System Service Cormplete rad flush pius oil & iter change. including ail materials 1362 Marine Drive 980-9115 Mon-Sat 8.00arm-6:00prn, Sun. 9:00am-5:.00pm Expires Jan 14, 98 a ‘OR VISIT THE FACTORY OUTLET ant Main Street y-sitting and glorified ba Our bribing of the yourh. youth are our future. Not all vouth are attracted to the same programs and so there must be a variety of resources available within cach community. Darlene McIntosh North Vancouver Limited Bis91,995! ~ Cherokee Orns, VB Cherokee Limited, V8 ~ Wednesday, December 31, 1997 — North Shore News — 7 BEFORE YOU SHOP THE MALLS new sales three times a week 4 RAPERIES & BLINDS - BY S. 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