six-lane bridge is the way to go Dear Editor: As someone who has lived each of his 35 years on the North Shore, | feel an obliga- tion to add my voice to the expanding chorus opposed to speading SEOO million to revitalize a 62-year-old three- lane bridge. Let's face some simpic facts: @ the bridge owes us noth- ing. Cars first: crossed the Lions Gate Bridge when Hitler was) beginning his reign of terror in Europe. It has served us well and deserves a graceful and digni- fied retirement. Let’s not Place it on life support yet again; Wwe can construct 2 proper six-lane crossing. Despite the lousy dollar, I often head down to the U.S. on week- ends, the fastest route being over the Alex Fraser Bridge. Each time I cross it, | can’t help but marvel at a true work of art, exquisite in both form and function. Plus there are actually six lanes. Its mere existence proves that this province can take a rational approach to this kind of problem (or at least has done so in the past). @ there need not be major destruction of Stanley Park to accommodate a six-lane bridge. There are already decent feeder rontes from Marine Drive on the north and Georgia Street on the south, but clearly the cause- way would be a major bottle: neck. I share people's concerns about the impact ofa six-lane expressway through Stanley Park, but six lanes would only affect a tiny fraction of the park's space. If people are totally opposed to widening the existing fanes, follow the examples of Seattle and San Francisco, Stack three oppos- ing fanes on top of cach other. Space problem solved; the previncial govern- ment’s credibility in manag- ing large projects is at an all- time low, a reality that can be viewed in two different ways. On the one band, the bridge presents a rare oppor- tunity to show real leadership by immediately moving for ward with a solution that makes sense. On the other hand, fuling to do so will solidify many people’s belief that nothing short of a gener- al election will make anv dif- ference to the current: mis- guided course of action con- cerning the beleaguered Lions Gate Bridge. Mark Metin North Vancouver mark_metin@hotmail.com The ultimate in tea, }}) tisanes and associated TPark Royal South next to the Vanden Bosch paraphernalia at Ze'Tea Store 921-2888 LETS MAKE A “SUITE DEAL!” > PRICE = Browse & Compare. Featuring exceptional prices in our large No pressure showroom © No particle board! We offer custom designs in solid woods including maple, pine oak & birch & wrought iron » SELECTION - Furnishings for every style & room - including dining, office, leather, upholstery & accessories » Lifetime customer satisfaction guarantee! A “suite” deal everytime! > QUALITY DP SERVICE New location of Al & Shannon & 1989 Boundary Rd. 320-2577 The goodwill of those we serve is she foundation of our business! Wednesday, March 17, 1999 — North Shore News - 9 Complete mechanical & eiectrical repairs by factory trained technician IMPEX AUTOMOTIVE 1335 Pemberton Ave. Tel: 985-6237 Visit our web site: ” wwws3.! bc.sympatico.ca/i mpexautofi mpexauto.html Le) ted white, m.p. advertorial. March 17/1999 STUDENT SUMMER JOB PROGRAM We are almost to that time of the year when a large stack of applications for your tax dollars will arrive on my desk as par? of the Student Summer Job Program. This year the Government has budgeted $120 miilion for the pro- gram, a program which, it may surprise you to learn, can 2uite easily be used by Members of Pariiament as their own personal pork barre! io reward thelr political supporters using someone else’s money. if you were under the impression that this program was just about creating summer jobs for stu- dents, | have a surprise for you. Let me explain how the system works. AN MP PORK BARREL??? imagine for a moment that you are an MP. with a supporter (Jack) who made a generous donation to your fast election campaign. Now let's say that Jack owns a painting business which employs students over the summers, and he applies for a sub- sidy under the Student Summer Jobs Program, Jack's application would certain- ly qualify under the rules of the Program, so the file, after screening by Human Resources Canada, would soon land on your deck for final approval. Then, with a stroke of the pen, you could reward Jach for his loyalty with a several thousand dol- lar addition to his business bottom line. Yes, it is virtually guaranteed that the subsidy would flow right to Jack's bottom line, simply because he would have employed the students anyway if he had work for them to do. He might, of course, have used the subsidy as a tool to lower his prices, thereby untairly com- peting in the marketplace - in othar words, using YOUR tax dollars to build his client list at the expense of jobs in competitive tirms. {t is much more likety though, that he would simply accept his good fortune, and make a mental note to donate a fittie bit more to his favorite MP's re-election campaign next time around. 4CB CREATION??? Having come from a business back- ground myself, ! do not believe for a moment that any prudent business cwner would hire staff who were not needed, so ! am very skeptical that any Government wage suhsidies to the private sector, using your tax dollars, actualiy create any jobs. The subsidies probably only nelp in the transfer of jobs from one company to another by giving a cost advantage and competitive edge to the recipient of the subsidy. Whether it is your local vet's office, a hardware store, or boat maintenance operation, the jod almost certainly would have been there without the subsidy. That having been said, the randomly selected local committees, which | have in past years asked to look over appiica- tions for student summer job subsidies, have consistently felt that the subsidies were acceptable when the student would be likely to acquire valuable new job skills through the summer job experience. The committees have therefore asked me to approve grants to the private sector in such cases. They have also asked me to approve gvants to private sector organiza- tions which provide services and care to the sick, elderly, and disadvantaged, because they have felt that students can benefit greatly in a social sense from such work. NON PROFIT SECTOR A significant number of the applications for Student Summer Job grants come from the non-profit sector. However, a lot of the jobs “created” by the grants are simply repeats of what happened the previous year. For example, students always seem to be preparing computerized lists of social services available on the North Shore, documenting the items in a muse- um store-room, or producing booklets for art group performances or exhibitions in North Vancouver. Our local municipalities also often apply for grants, in what sometimes appears to be a strategy of using stu- dents to cover for reguiar staff on summer vacation. These applications are particu- larly troubling because the union insists on wage rates which are far too rich for inexperienced student employees, and the municipalities escape accountability to local taxpayers for some of their spend- ing by using federal funds to pay for municipal jobs. Non-profit applicants and quasi-gov- ernmental agencies will often indicate that the empioyment of a student may lead to a permanent position. What this really means, is that private sector taxpayers might end up on the hook for the long term expansion of the public sector. In Canada over the past few decades we have been expanding the public sector, and the indi- rectly taxpayer funded non-profit sector, with a resultant enormous increase in tax- ation levels and government red-tape, and the stifling of private sector initiative and real job creation. Are we really doing students (who are our future taxpayers) a favour when we use your tax dollars to subsidize their summer work in agencies waich are reliant on taxpayer funding for their expansion? While it iz irue that the summer job ina non-profit often may not have been there without the subsidy, the tong term effect may be more bureaucracy and higher taxes for those students when they graduate. NATIVE SECTOR For the past two years, every single application for funding from our local flative Indian Bands or their agencies has automatically bee approved by the Minister, even. when our local commit- tee has deemed a project to be inappropriate. \t is a comolete mystery to me vwhy the applications ave forwarded to me for comment when the Minister has already decided to fund 100% of the appli- cations. Last year, more than 30% of all the student summer job funds ior this area went to this sector. AND FINALLY Many pecole, including some wha have sst on the random committees, take the position that since the money is available, we shculd take our share, and keep taking it, unti! there is a gov- ermmant in Ottawa prepared to rational- ize its various grants programs. This is a tough call, but on balance | feel | must stand up fer principle, and argue against inappropriate and unproductive grants, until such time as Ottawa sees the light. | want to avoid the risk of being slowly drawn into the system, and losing resoive before I am in the posi- tion to help make the needed charges. :.. Ted, White, M.P. , #302-1200 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, B.C. V7J 2A2 Tel: 666-0585 Fax: 666-0509, Internet: ‘heip:/fwiww.reform.cafwhite-v/ , ‘(Cw Capilano. Cam’ College Koerner lecture series The Capilano Review Preents anather wiley cocunstance Posies & Hhsameal Gesgaphy, the last of three lectures an the Koernee lecture series. Poet, Duncan McNaughton (the wrapped church, Kicking the Feather, Valparaiso), will tead trom his most recent book and discus the relationship between poetry, history and geography. He will argue thar there ws no history without geography, and that poetry as a form is central to contemporary thought. The lecture will by held Friday, Match 19 at Spm. in the Cotir building, oom 148. For oekets and information, call 984-1712. Public Scenes/ Private Acts The Capilano College Theatre departinent presents Public ScenesPrivate Acts, a modern-day adaptation of the greck tragedy, Antigone. As relevant today as in ancient times, the play probes into the psyche of war and the comupting influence of power. Starting at 8 p.m. in the Capilano Callege Performing Ans Theatre, the play runs Thursday through Sarurday trom March 18 to 27. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Por tickets and infornation, call 990-7810. fi Women and the Web Seats are still available for Wemen in Cyberspace: Sites for Women on the Intemet. Lear advanced Internet search techniques and visit some of the well-known and less famifiar women-oriented Web sites. The course is offered Soturday, March 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m for $140, To register, call Continuing Education at 984-4901, p> Career information mestings Thinking about a career change? Aten one of the following career infonnation meetings Commercial Animation program, March 17 at 7 pam. in the Library building, ream 316; Legal Assistant program, March $3 et 6:30 p.m. in the Fir building, nom 26; of Digital Animation pragram, March 25 at 7 p.m. in the Library building, room 306. Call 989-1911. CAPILANO COLLEGE 2055 Purcell Way North Vancouver 986-1911