our

Dear Editor:

The purpose of this letter is
to bring the public's attention
to the crime of animal poach-
ing for profit and sexual grati-
fication. In particular, the
poaching of bears for their gall
bladders which some Asian
community members use for
sexual needs. In a country
where there are many different
cultures and beliefs, we must
take a stand and protect our
wildlife for the benefit of all
and not for just a few.

Bears are a national trea-
sure and should be treated as
such. Many people such as
photographers, hikers and
campers, naturalists, and even
hunters rely on bears and other
wildlife for enjoyment and
substance. Hunters may or
may not be accepted by many,
but they contribute the highest
amount of mancy to the con-
servation of wildlife in
Canada. If we as a nation can
eliminate the consumers of
bear gall bladders, then there
will be no need for poachers to
kill bears.

We must bring laws into
this country to force those

bear parts to reconsider their
actions. The fine now for each
offence in dealing with bear
gall bladders is only $2,000.

This is only a slap on the
wrist considering that a gall
bladder sells for over $10,000
a piece. I believe sentences
should be at least $10,000 plus
mandatory jail sentences of at
least one year, plus forfeiture
of everything that the hunter or
buyer had with him at the time
of the arrest.

It costs the government
thousands of dollars to appre-
hend these offenders. Bear gall
bladders as considered to be

rotection

cocaine and drugs. If someone
is caught with these sub-
stances, then jaif terms are
applied. Why not in the case of
bear gall bladders?

Every bear slaughtered
through illegal poaching is one
step closer to the extinction of
one of Canada’s national trea-
sures. Please help stop. this
unnecessary slaughter of
bears. Let's not end up with a
situation like the elephants and
thinos in Africa. !t is not too
late. Call your local provincial
MLA and voice your concern.
David Wilson
North Vancouver

Applause
for Collins

Dear Editor:

Re: “Referendum for
Doug” (mailbox. June 9),
please put me down as
being for Doug.

He has the courage to
say in print what most of

us say or think in private. {

iv’s shameful that our free-

- involved in the illegal trade of

is it NDP trough time yet?

, Desr Editor:

Now that the left-wing, anti-corporation NDP has been re-
elected by the right-wing Reform voters, { wonder how long it
will take the whiz kid to dish out cushy patronage jobs to his _

losing friends, i.e, Harcourt, Cuil, Barlee, etc?
WN. Tivy
North Vancouver -

an illegal substance, much like

dom has been so eroded
that it requires courage to
openly express an opin-
ion, while most of us ere
afraid to do so,

Keep up. the good
work, Doug, yor speak
for the silent majority.
Joy Brown
North Vancouver

advertorial, June 19/96

KANGARGO, OR COCKROACH COURT?

Approximately three weeks ago, Literal

1 MP Albina Guarniert discovered for herself
| how undemocratic her own Government Is
‘when it comes to Private Member's. Bills.
Her Bill, which would have ended
concurrent sentences, forcing rapists and

_ murderers to serve consecutive sentences

for multiple crimes, was’ made NON-

‘VOTABLE (ay the Liberal dominated
“Private Member's Business Subcommitiee
at the House of Commons, Ms. Guarnier!
was 80 upsa? atthe decision of the

committes that she made tha comment, .

“I'm not suggesting it's a kangaroo court;

{t's more like a cockroach court. You can't

see them at work aad thivy run away.”

The situation Ms. Guarnieri found herself
In is not unusual! — it has happened to me with
EVERY ONE oj the Frivate Member's Bills
“and Motions.| have introduced te Parliament.
The system allows for individual MPs to
“prepare their own legislation for debate in the
House, but there is no guarantee that the bills
will go to a vote. MPs lucky enough to have
their names drawn in the "lottery", which is
held about five times a year, are forced to
submit their Bills to the subcommittee for a
decision on whether the Bill will be votable in
the House. Incredible as it may seem, at the
entire discretion of the subcommittee, debate
can take place at a cost of more than
$125,000 per hour to run the House of
- Commons, with NO vote permitted at the end
of the debate. The decision by the sub-
committee to make a bill “non-votable"
ensures the death of the bill as soon as the
debate is over, at considerable cost to
taxpayers.

Iv'S NOT DEMOCRATIC

Not only does this process apeear to ba

undemccratic, it iooks even worse under.

‘scrutiny, because all of the decisions of the
sub-committee are made IN SECRET, behind

closed doors, with no records kept as to how

“the decisions were reached. Ms. Guarnieri

said’ that it's obvious that the purpose of the

secret’ meetings is to short circuit 4°
controversial bills, and | have to agree with }
her. | echo her comment that "If (she} had §

@ bill that offered better treatment for
eziminals: it’ would race through the
place in a week, but if you have a bill

that wants. to side with victims, or |
correct an obscene injustice in our |
_gystem, you can expect resistance and:
‘many years of effort and debate." }

Welcome to the club Ms. Guarnieri. Perhaps
it's time you started voting Reform.

A total of 16 Private Member's Bills which j

would have toughened up the criminal justice
systerti have been introduced during this

Parliament, but NONE has become law. John 7:
‘ Nunziata's Bil to get sid of the early release
- Clause for murderers, (saction 745 of the

Criminal Cede), passed all stages in the
House, but ended up stalled in the Justice
Committee, which is, of course, given its
instructions by the Minister of Justice. In
another of many examples, Reform MP,
Daphne Jenning's "Grandparents Sill", which

would have given grandparents access to j

their grandchildren in thie case of marriage
breakup, passed all stages in the House, but

was killed by the Liberal controlled Justice |
Committee. The entire process is extremely.
frustrating, and completely unacceptable in a. |

modern, well educated society.

CAN WE CHANGE IT?

More and more MPs on both sides of {

the House are now beginning to complain
about the Private Member's Billi Sub- ;
Committee, and are demanding that ALL
Private Member's Bills be made votable.
Hopefully, under this growing pressure,
the Liberal Government will soon disband
its “secret soclety committee" and allow
ALL MPs to have their iegistation voted on
in Parliament,

gam. to 9 p.m.
Sunday —
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED AT
17" AND LONSDALE