A6 - Wednesday, June 23, 1982 - North Shore News GE editorial page No-limit liability Now that ICBC has decided to throw the premiums book at consistently bad drivers, one further modification should be made to the provincial auto insurance scheme. Vancouver Centre MLA Emery Bames has called on the government to increase the present $100,000 minimum third-party liability to an unlimited amount — and he’s dead right. Inflation has made $100,000 totally inadequate today to meet the claims of many accident victims whose injuries are so severe that they are impaired for a lengthy period or for life. This fact is borne out in numerous recent court awards. In the case, for example, of a young person reduced to a wheelchair for the remainder of his or her days even a million dollars may not be enough to pay for lifelong nursing and personal care, special housing, loss of career and earnings, and loss of many or most of the normal pleasures of living. The U.K. has had unlimited lisbility coverage for over half a century. France, Sweden and Switzerland are among other countries where full compensation is the rule. ; And in B.C. itself a solid majority of drivers have already set their own Liability coverage at $500,000 or more. The extra premium to raise coverage from $100,000 to one million is remarkably small. However, B.C.’s worst drivers, who in future will be penalized with drastic “no ceiling” increases in their basic premium, are precisely the ones least likely to volunteer the few further dollars needed for million- plus coverage — thereby risking added misery for their victims as well as financial disaster for themselves. That's why unlimited liability coverage must be made mandatory. Oh boy! The republicans took a day off Monday as fascinated Canadians from coast to coast kept their ears glued to their radios for the latest flashes about Princess Di. At sundown she repaid them regally — with a bouncing 7 ib. male baby, now second in Hime to the throne. Who but the royals could have staged such a grand finale to a perfect first day of summer, leaving a delighted audience gasping, “Oh boy!” FW VONCE OF ssnET TS: ASD WEET warsLOUwaR sunday news Display Advertising 980-0511 Telatseiltig- Bee Classified Advertising 986-6222 news Newsroom 985-2131 Circulation 986-1337 1139 Lonsdaie Ave North Vancouver 6 C V7M 2H4 Publisher Peter Spec hk Associate Publisher Plc otoeer) Car aabvearn E ditor in-C htet Noel Wrigfit Advertising Otrector Taw Farr im General Manage: . Administration & Personnel Mis tterrew b titles Circulation Ot1oc tos thera AF ds Production Dire tux Fae BR ST pervert roe: Peet th Sircpeo Newwwe Son tet me S08 an ce mrcherpperrvederih oo cwrwresly Hewat ane) Haale caer ‘oc fyerchdte Hobart Mb Baa age of thre Poecine Tae Art tn pmutdinties) eae ho Woeiemclary and Saamniiny try Ne thy Tater e Foe Mroan Ltd ard tein ster be avery OO thee Noe TP and C dase Mail Mogint ate Naaninn $6255 Entive contents 1962 North Shove free Prese itd All rights reserved “phere es Seer alee cttw Newt ard Went Vara $70 gor yom Mathew, raters vv cattetibe Oc nerol Naw feng imattity om Ceptent ofue cemeih ited oomntersdt on Rater, HRPM Fig al ge tiates wwhie fone dal te a coerigens were Ury a ntersrigzecd mh frenmesdl ena ore Vira) Cen AON $3. 995 Wednesday 313. 484 Sunday SR" THIS PAPER IS HEC YCLABLE All our woes It’s mstructive to hsten to the accusations coming out of the federal cabinet claiming that our admitted economic woes are all the fault of big, bad Uncle Sam. According to Finance Minister Allan MacEachen, the Reagan administration's high interest rate method of fighting inflaton 1s_ the reason we're having so much interest rate trouble here. Yes, U.S. rates certainly affect Canada — so does the fact the Americans are having more success in bringing inflation under control than is the Canaan federal government. The other string to the Reagan bow in fighting THAT'S (1! THERE'S NO WAY WERE GOINGS W SIT HERE WAITING FOR THOSE DAMN YANKEES HELP US__ WE’LLJOST HAVE TO 6O IT ALONE. .. HERE... START ’ER UP! inflauon is federal govern- ment spending restraint. Ts cis something which hasn't been tried for more ifin a decade by a suc- ec ssion of Trudeau cabinets. lf there is some truth to the fact that U.S. high in- teres! rates are contributing to the sorry state of Canada’s economy, then it also must tb: realised that by far the farycst portion of blame for the troubles of inflation, ‘memployment and malaise of Canada attitudes must be fault of U.S. very open with those ideas when appealing 10 Canadians for their votes. If he had talked in 1968, for example, about centralizing political pwer in Ottawa, he might not have received the mandate which Canadians gave him. Examine the face of Canada today, the role of the federal government in the lives of Canadians and compare the results with the federal government's role in 1967, and you'll see the Canadian Comment BY PETER WARD placed squarely on the shoulders of those who run the nation’s affairs from O-- awa. {nul Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau came _ to power, Canada was used to being governed by reactive K -ermments — = govern- ments which moved to solve problems and to reflect the eollective desires of Canadian voters. If something was wrong, the federal government played mechanic, tinkering with legislation to nght a wrong, or to facilitate smoother operation of the system. Mr. Trudeau came to power with ides about reshaping the entire Canadian society. He wasn't difference. Things like centralization of control over energy. expanding the clout of government in business through crown corporations, all use up portions of a nation’s resources. Canadianization may be highly desirable, but it has its economic cost. It is those costs which are major contributors to our current economic woes. It's also the fact that business has realized what is happening. with a resulting reluctance to invest. It's the U.S.'s fault that we're in a depression? Not entirely, Mr. MacEachen. Look to the policies of your leader, too. Help wanted —from Solomons THE TROUBLE about trying to be fair is that everyone has hisor her mgid idea about whatis fair for him or her. The first government to solve that little problem will obviously govern for ever. The parncular ciaampic this week is the anguished screams from the local business community about the huge wmkhes in thei property taxcs, payabic within the next ninc days. Many of those increases range anywhere between 40 and 200 per cent and it docsn't make any difference whether the business premises are owned on rented. In the lattcr case the landlord simply passes on the increase to his tenant Hardest hit, of coursc, arc the North Shore's hundreds of small merchants. As Uhe recession dcepens, most of the lucky ones are only just about’ managing to kocp ther heads above = watc: Some of the less lucky onca arc alrcady struggling to come up for ain The Aand of tana tills they ve received this month will mean morc than a tcew finally go uandcr The cloung out sale ad by ao Lonsdale fashron store tn last weckhcnd's Sumday News headed “Obituary Notec” aod signed “Painfully, Mar, says et all UNDER THIF ¢.UIN Caty wall as acem an hk villann bee ausc hall the wathdly tts caly semats crest 198) prupcrty lan that inflated basinesas whi h unk mewn autre of small Noth Shore mdi cs may drive an merchants into closure or actual bankruptcy As a result. city hall will be under the gun at public mectings tomorrow (Thursday. Junc 24) organized by the North Vancouver and West Vancouver Chambers 9 of Commerce to expose the phght of small business and demand council action to reheve it (The North Van mecting starts at 7 pm at Carson Graham School The West Van mectiing, also at ' pm . takes place in the Teachers Centre of Hollyburn Klemcatary School ) Phe prospect lor any tast trchef alas, docsn’t look too hopeful at the moment bec ausc in all fairness there we gel North Shore couacth arc not the sole on oecven the principal villains Meant slatted a aaacanments arc dctermincd by thre provine tal Rovermment s Assessment Authority whieh operates on acfoss the board prnuiples lo practic tas langcty incapable of fine tuning indivadual property brusatne as aSsSscaamcats ter match ahalting market comditions and varying uses of such propertica Ihe Mann iapal Act View lonrtaa ayaty responsibility prescaotly preelades Noel Wright manicipalities from levying vamable mill rates which cold spread the business property tan load arore cquitably LOAD SHIETERE Ehas your tow the provingial governments new safe ol finan ig feos envvades wall fat business aad vaduastry «hank oof se Deemed oc conts low n sisatele proving co wale pre vicrustls poaad toy teanfcontial taxpayers Biamiab Corus fheowmever are mart completely tela bess fave Chie fawn sfane be threatening the survival of mammal trast ase 5 tach fall they have the choice, under provincial government rules, of three or four options for apportioning the total tax burden between homeowners and business This year North Van dchberately opted to shift the load somewhat from the former to the latter And all councils, of course, have at oin- their power to reduce taxes for everyone by panng ther own capenditures But (in fairness again') thats been tough to do in [982 because of Victoria's sharp — last minute cutbacks in grants to Mune ipaloes In gencral North Shore homeowners are having things slightly ecasier this year (fain’) whale small long suffering merchants are being clobbered as oa tesult) Cun fais’) Ttose businesses that Ko belly up tn the represent proc ess Jost tax revenue has to They also add to which someone clse make pood unemployment and eventual which welfase odaims again someone cise must pay for In practice about the best small businesses un distress can hope for this year might be pe mission too pay ther hupe toa bills by instalments with mo overduc penalties which would keep the North Shore ccoonomy healthier at the cast col being untat t- other Can payors Alb oan alt wtootah oN on Sobomron to diggiee out whee s bevog most untae to who Lets hope there Tbe a few Solomons around toonrtew cove Via thy