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6 - Sunday, October 30, 1988 - North Shore News

INSIGHTS

Shut up — free trade is
good for you, so eat it!

LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS before Nov. 21. Free
trade between as many countries as possible has virtually
everyone’s backing. It is NOT the issue in the three weeks

the Yanks turn up the heat on
medicare or UI two years from
now, when we’re well and truly in-
to the deal? Will we give six mon-

now left to polling day.

The issue is Brian Mulroney’s
trade deal with the U.S., currently
opposed by 42 per cent of Cana-
dians and supported by 34 per cent
with 24 per cent still undecided ac-
cording to the lastest Gallup, taken
before last Tuesday’s Great
Debate. Watch for an interesting
update any moment now,

Compared to an earlier poll,
support (previously 44 per cent)
has dropped by 10 percentage
points. The debate last week gave a
clear clue as to why. Mulroney
dodged giving believable factual
answers to reasonable factual
questions which are obviously
worrying more and more voters.
He emerged as a master of the red
herring — repeatedly sidestepping

to the comforting generalizations
in his government’s multi-million
dollar ad campaign. ‘‘Don't bother
about the fine print, just trust us!’’
sums up his standard response.
One of the most vital of the
many voints still unresolved — and
going to the very heart of Cana-
dian sovereignty —- is whether the
deal could affect social services
like medicare and UI, along with
regional support programs, all of
which are regarded in many U.S.
business circles as ‘‘subsidies’’ giv-
ing Canadian firms a competitive
edge. Mulroney says now he’ll tol-
erate no interference in those
areas. But the ‘‘subsidies’’ issue is,
in fact, still wide open and subject
to further negotiations. What if

\ ry

HEAD START ON CHRISTMAS...eager customers throng the huge
annual Hadassah Bazaar at the PNE -— this year Wednesday and Thurs-
day, Nov. 2-3.

Accountability

P rome ae are public figures supported by
taxpayers’ dollars, and should therefore be ac-
countable to their public.

North Vancouver City Council is the latest of the
three local councils to come under fire fer spending
taxpayers’ dollars on what have been referred to as
questionable expenses.

In a majority vote (but not 2 unanimous one), the
city’s mayor and aldermen agreed to spend $8,000 to
send both staff and council members to attend a
retreat this weekend at Lord Jim’s Resort on the Sun-
shine Coast.

While the reasons behind holding such a retreat —
such as hammering out the pressing issues now facing
the city in an intense, yet non-controversial environ-
ment — make for a valid argument in favor of the
weekend, the reasons for holding the retreat are not
what are being scrutinized or criticized. The pricetag
attached to the weekend is not necessarily the bone of
contention, either; but rather the manner in which
council voted and agreed upon the weekend, without
putting the item on the agenda, without making the
trip public knowledge, without publishing the names
and positions of those attending, without publicly
itemizing the expenses that rack up the $8,000 bill, and
without agreeing to publish the tentative results of the
weekend.

Without accountability, how does the public know
those politicians and civic staff members are not going
ona personal holiday — a weekend romp?

Peliticians are not autocratic }eaders who can do as
they wish with public funds. They must be responsible
and up front, and they must account for their actions.

ths notice and quit — with massive
disruption of our revamped
economy? Or will our rulers cave
in, arguing that it has become too
late to retreat?

Dozens of other questions by
prudent voters are still without
adequately detailed answers. The
truth, present and long-term,
about Canadian water? Energy?
The environment? ‘‘Subsidized’’
culture (including the CBC)?

Will Canadian plants relocate in
cheaper U.S. areas? How much
less will Japanese VCRs bought in
Bellingham REALLY cost? How

do Canadian growers compete with

12-month California and Florida
seasons? Just how many NET jobs
will we gain after the jobs lost?

If — as one would hope — con-
vincing answers to these questions
exist, based on undeniable facts
and sound common sense, why do
Mutroney, John Crosbie and their
cheerleaders keep on feeding in-
telligent Canadians with nothing
but bland pap from their $30 mil-
lion propaganda package? Saying
to us, in effect: ‘Shut up -— free
trade is good for you, so eat it!”’

They also call it a “leap of
faith.”? We’ ll look at that angie on
Wednesday.

wet

WRAP-UP: West Van Kiwanis
like to make guests happy — very
happy indeed in the case of Dave
Brousson, Director of Develop-
ment of the Lions Gate Hospital |
Foundation. With the Founda-
tion’s Melanie Wheating, he was
asked recently to talk to the Club’s
dinner meeting about the work of

the Foundation. During the
thank-you ceremony after his
speech an astonished Dave sud-
denly found himself being handed
a cheque to the Foundation for
$1,200 ... Dress up properly out of
respect for the crockery if you’re
invited to afternoon tea these days
with West Van’s John and Ethel
Moore. During the recent British
promotion at Park Royal Ethel
won the second big draw prize — a
$600 Spode China tea service and a
year’s supply of tea from Mur-
chie’s ... Elected as 1988-89 direc-
tor of the Cerebral Palsy Associa-
tion of B.C. is North Van’s Peggy
Petersen ... Biggest of its kind in
the Pacific Northwest, the annual

Hadassah Bazaar is on from I
a.m. to 10 p.m. next Wednesday
and Thursday, Nov. 2-3, at the
PNE Forum. With over $20,000 of
merchandise, it’s a great way to get
a head start on Christmas shopp-
ing ... And happy 89th birthday
today, Oct. 30, to West Van's Ivan
(‘Mr. Showbiz’) Ackery — pro-
moter and friend of the Hollywood
greats during his 35 years as man-
ager of the Orpheum in its movies
heyday.

ahht

WRIGHT OR WRONG: Keeping
fit adds more than years to your
life — it adds life to your years.

Photo submitted

PASSING THE BUCKS...West Van Kiwanian Jolin Millard (1) presents
$1,200 surprise to Dave Brousson and Melanie Wheating of the Lions
Gate Hospital Foundation.

iF Yamane Garr,
?

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