fame! financial service | \ Local transit makes sense Dear Editor: Tam writing in support of Ernie Crist’s proposal for a North Shore regional transportation system. I think this is a good idea. A transit system policy forme- lated, implemented and administered by a body responding - to North Shore municipal government would be best able to meet the needs of the North Shore transit system user. Ta my opinion, this proposal warrants further and serious study. William H. Munro North Vancouver Unparalleled - personal é Attend ScotiaMcLeod’s od q speaker series — presented by Ly our highly experienced team of Senior Investment Executives ScotiaMcLeod's Director lean Erivironment Mutual Fund atiaMicLeod Investment - off, Peretz - Senior Investment and Trust > Scotia Trust any of these seminars charge.’ Contact-Mark Laoun at 7027 to guarantee your seat. For unparalleled personal financial service, visit our office or phone for an appointment to meet one of our senior investment executives. 1] al ScotiaMcLeoad J YW Building relationships for life. ‘ 3rd floor, 1555 Marine Drive, West Vancouver (604) 913-7000 Sponsored in part by Trimark Investment Management, MacKenzie, Templeton, : Fidelity Investments & AG north shore news MAIL BOX : Dear Editor: Open letter to mayor and council (of) West Vancouver. As an attendee at the pub- lic meciing on the proposed Park Royal development, and a 35-year resident of the North Shore, there are one or two points that require con- firmation, for the sake of pub- lic awareness of the proce- dures that have and will be taking place. First, since the Squamish Band appear to have jurisdic- tion over the developments on the south side of Marinc Drive, why were they not offi- cially invited and visible to the audience, so that they were made aware of the feelings of the community residents first hand? BEDDING AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR Sar erty © Mattresses, Box Springs & Bed Frames © Sofa Beds & Roll Away Cots © Quilts, Pillows & Pads © Most sizes in stock for immediate delivery ® Ask about our FREE delivery, ser up and old bed removal service SIMMONS CHECK US OUT v HUGE SELECTION v LOW WAREHOUSE PRICES HOME FURNISHINGS 1075 Roosevelt Crescent North Vancouver (2 blocks behind Avalon Hotel) Mon - Thurs 9-6, Fri 9-9 Saturday 9-6, Sur: 12-4 Second, the so-called traf- fic experts, who appear to have done their research on a location in the Toronto area for impact of traffic on the inclusion of mega-stores, should state, for comparison, the area populaticn that is to be attracted to such stores, to say nothing of the topogra- phy that timits access, such as the First Narrows, the hilly terrain and the through- traffic bound for other desti- nations, that uses the Marine Drive-Taylor Way intersec- tion. It is, no doubt, consider- ably greater in number in the Toronto area and has far easi- er access routes than in our situation. Third, as was stated by others, if Larcu has already obtained the approvals of the Wednesday, October 8, 1997 -- North Shore News - 9 Squamish Band, for the south side development, and does not legally require the approvals of West Vancouver Council, what steps, if any, can the counci! (on behalf of the electorate) take ro ensure that the minimum impact is made on the West Vancouver ambience vis-a-vis architec- tural design, landscaping, traffic disruption and hours of operation. Incidentally I am one of those who was astonished at the statement that the design of the present Park Royal facilities had received both international and national awards. It certainly says very little for the esthetic taste of those who bestowed the awards. It was obvious that feel- ings against this type of pro- ulld a better Park Royai posed development are run- ning very high, therefore council, Larco and the Squamish Band should meet to discuss this aspect and try to reach a sensible compro- mise that gives a measure of satisfaction to all parties, not least of all, to the residents and potential customers of the overall facility. We need a facility that can win awards for both content and social impact, not just for esthetics and traffic flow. Ralph Meyer West Vancouver MAILBOX POLICY * LETTERS to the editor must be legible (preferably type- written) and include your name, full address and tele- phone number. ted white, m.p. On Monday September 29th, during the Opposition reply to the speech from the Throne, i hac my first opportunity to speak in the 36th Parilament. The underly- ing there was parliamentary reform, con- sistent with my role us Direct Democracy Critle for the Caucus, but it was also a chance to bring to the attention of the House a number of issues which had been ratsed in letters and phonecalls to my office over the summer. Reform MPs have always been free to write their own speeches, and it is my custom to use in those speeches as much material as | can from the concerns that you identity whenever you communicate with me. Items which made it into my first speech included complaints about levels of taxation; the lack of action by the Government to overhaul the Young Offenders Act and make parole more difficult; the inability of the Immigration Department to stop the entry of bogus and criminal refugee claimants; Government waste; the claw-back of seniors’ pensions: and the effect that the increase in CPP con- tributions will have on workers and business- es. During the last Parliament | stood more than 150 times as your representative to give speeches, ask questions, and make state- ments, and | hope to at least maintain that level of participation in the 36th Parliament. If you are familiar with the Internet, you can find all of my past speeches, indexed by topic, at the Hansard location on the Government of Canada site at www.pari.ge.ca. BILL NUMBER C211 The very first Bill to pass in the new Parliament was a Private Member's Bill intro- duced by Libera! Tom Wappel on September 30, 1997. Tom's Bill makes it illegal for crimi- nals to profit from the sate of their crime sto- ries in the form of books or films, and had passed all stages of the House and Senate just prior to the election call in late April. Unfortunately, because of the election, his Bilt had ceased to exist and he was in the process of re-introducing it to the new Parliament when | intervened on a Point of Order. It had struck me, while | was listening to the re-introduction, that Tom would be faced with having to repeat the entire complicated Private Member's Bill process all over again, possibly taking years, so on impulse | stood in the House and asked for unanimous con- sent that the Bill be deemed to nave passed alt stages and be referred tc the Senate. The Clerks quickly huddled together to determine whether my unexpected intervention was in A MIXED BAG SSUe WORE order, and then advised the Speaker that the House could indeed be asked for such an approval. A minor glitch, involving the Bloc Quebecois, delayed approval of my motion until the next day, but on October ist Tom Wappel’s Private Member's Bil! became the first piece of legislation passed by the 36th Parliament. A smali achievement in the overall scheme of things, but very significant in terms of the achievements of individual MPs. PAY AND BENEFITS As required )y law following an election, a Commission has been struck to review the pay, benefits, pensions and allowances of Members of Parliament. The Commission is unfortunately not obliged to ask for public input, and is also not obliged to take any notice of input it does receive, but, because you are my employers, | wrote to the Commission to advise them that | would be inviting you to send them your suggestions, especially, | hope, with respect to the over- haul of the Gold Plated MP pension plan. Ex-Reform MP Stephen Harper wrote ina recent edition of the National Citizens Coalition Newsletter that “Commissions have asked MPs and former MPs to describe their job history, functions and expenses and used these descrip- tions as a basis for comparing and evaluating remuneration. Not surpris- ingly, commissions have concluded that Parliament is loaded with under- valued and overstretched executive- level managezs.” He then goes on to say that “If Parliament wants the public to take MPs (and their salaries) much more seriously, then Members have to reform the institution they work in, whether their leaders want them to or not.” Stephen has hit the nail on the head on both counts, bit urforiunately, the expul- sion from Caucus of John Nunziata by the Prime Minister during the iast Parliament will act as a major disincentive for Liberal MPs to openly work for parliamentary reform, or to even think of defying the will of the Prime Minister in a vote. Sadly, the reforming of Parliament is taking place at a snail's pace. Send your comments about MP pensions and remuneration to Hon. Jean-Jacques Blais, Commission to Review Allowances of Members of Parliament, P.O. Box 1998, Station “B”, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5R5. Send your comments about parliamentary reform, free votes, and the need for change, to the Prime Minister at The House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OAG. ’ “Ted White, M.P. , #302-1200 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, B.C. V7J 2A2 Tel.: 666-0585 Fax: 666-0509, Laternet: httpy//www.reform.ca/white-t/ .