By Behshad Hastibakiish
A North Vancouver writer

IN recent years,
Canada has been desig-
nated by the United
Nations as the best
country in the world.

This designation comes
with 4 recognition for our
achievements as a nation that
cares about its youth, elderly,
the poor and other disadvan-
taged groups.

While we have a good rea-
son to display the maple leaf
with pride, there should not
be any misconceptions of the
existing relationship between
the state of economy and the
social safety net.

One should not ignore
that in the past maintaining
the social safety net has
involved economic. _ costs

associated with high taxation,.

increasing deficits and the
“ consequent debt problem as
well as genuine’ resistance
towards pure liberal values.

This is why capitalism,
individualism, and profit-
making have never found
solid roots in our culture.
What seems to distinguish us
from Americans is our naive,
extra tolerant and peace-lov-
. ing characteristics which have
. become parts of our national
identity. ;

These - characteristics are
-adinirable, but they do not
necessarily guarantee Canada
‘a permanent place as the
number one nation-state.

‘We live in an imperfect
world which is nor free from

evil desires for power. “and

dominance. To remain politi-
cally powerful on the interna-
tional scene, it is required to
establish a viable and com-
petitive economy by creating
a more favorable environ-
ment for domestic and for-
cign investment.

This can be achieved by
reducing the state deficit on
federal and provincial levels,
maintaining low interest
rates, eliminating unneces-
sary regulations and giving
tax incentives to small busi-
nesses as well as large corpo-
rations.

In other words, Canada
has to make a clear choice
between being reduced to an
economic basket-case or fol-
lowing the pure capitalist
path.

Traditional economic
policies have created the arti-
ficial prosperity that may
soon fade away due to pre-
sent right-wing populism.

This right-wing populism

_is widely spread around the

country, as the growing mid-
die class fisplays its hatred

towards the welfare state in

general. It is well understood
that the socialist-stvle welfare
state only fosters a culture of
poverty which sets the
vicious cycle of cconomic
dependability into motion,
The welfare state in
Canada has been a failure
because it creates the false
illusion that the wealthy and
large corporations are solely
responsible for problems
such as high unemployment,
To undo the economic
imbalance, federal and

provincial governments con- |

tinue to impose direct and
indirect taxes as well as tight-
ly regulated control over the
business rector.

Even — neo-conservative
governments in Canada hesi-
tate to change the economic
focus from the distribution of
income and resources
(through taxation) to the
establishment of equal
opportunity for investment
and profit making.

The results are obvious, as
most Canadians live under
basic and humiliating condi-
tions.

To argue that this poverty
exists due to the exploiting
nature of capitalism is a sim-

-plistic. and unsound state-

ment.

Poverty has its true ori-
gins in-our political system,
which prevents this country
with its immense human
intellectual and natural
resources from developing a
strong research and develop:
ment sector.

The system hinders thou-
sands of university graduates
from producing high-tech

equipment and machinery, to
positively use their entrepre-
neurial spirit and to lead
Canada into the next centu-
ry.

It is shameful that Canada
has become a consumer soci-
ety and a dumping place for
foreign manufactured prod-
ucts.

While Canada belongs to
the group of seven most
industrialized countries (G-
7) its manufacturing sector is
comparative to other under-
developed Western countries.

In contrast, the service
sector has a dominant role in
our economy. Therefore, mil-
lions of Canadians, even
those with exceptional edu-
cational credentials, have no
choice but to work in the ser-
vice sector which offers virtu-
ally no career opportunity or
financial rewards with mini-
mum wage carnings.

The growing unemploy-
ment rates create . an
unhealthy and unwanted
competition for a few avail-
able positions. It means that
most employees have to satis-
fy themselves with their part-
tin.e status.

Many ‘graduates, who
leave university with several

_thousand dollars student !oan

debt, lose their hope of a bet-
ter lifestyle at a very young

_ age.

Others who open their
own businesses face total
bankruptcy within the first
few months. This is unfortu-
nate and embarrassing.

Young talents are literally
denied‘ the right to pursue
their dream, to buy their first

- Pustic OPEN HOUSE
TuEspay, 29 OcToBER 1996

-_ The Versatile Shipyard i is a large, waterfront property at the foot of
Lonsdale Street in the City of North Vancouver. Most of the
shipyard is permanently closed, leaving a site with tremendous
potential for urban development, public waterfront access,
amenities, and the general i improvement of the Lower Lonsdale azea.

- The City of North Vancouver, the Vancouver Port Corporation,
and the: ‘property owner all have a strong interest in the future of
the Versatile Shipyard and how it is developed. These three parties .
are cooperating in the preparation of a conceptual plan for the
future use and development of the site. They have engaged

consultants to produce, a plan by April 1997. |

The planning process includes several opportunities for public

consultation, including a series of open houses at which the public

can review background information, provide input, and comment .
~ on planning proposals as they emerge.

house and car, and to five
with dignity.

Employment in the ser-
vice sector may provide high
school and first-year college
students with an initial work
experience which gives them
a sense of responsibility and
discipline. But their later
minimum wage earning after
graduation is not a suitable
payoff for all those hours that
a first-class student spends in
libraries.

Mere economic survival
should not be acceptable if
Canada wants to make the
top list of the United
Nations’ rating in the year
2000 and beyond.

Thus, it is important to
abandon the socialist path
which has brought this coun-
try to the edge of commonly
accepted poverty. We must
end the stagnant nature of
domestic and foreign invest-
ment in Canada.

Herewith, we can create
golden opportunities for mil-
Jions of immigrant investors,
the youth and others who
will find employment in the
better paying manufacturing,
research and development
sectors. :

In a sound: economy,
zero-unemployment may be
an unreachable‘ goal but. a
decent lifestyle should “not
remain a dream.

Considering the © failed -

socialist ‘experiment, Cana-
dians deserve something bet-
ter: fife with dignity. This
dignity can only be. estab-
lished, if we adopt pure capi-
talist attitudes and'more mar-
ket-oriented policies.

The first public open house is scheduled for:

Tuesday, 29 October 1995.
at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel
123 Carrie Cates Court"
Discovery Room ~ 3rd floor
North Vancouver, BC

’ Drop in any time between 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm.

f Lynn Valley Library
:

x
J

1280 East 27th St.’
North Vancouver .

Sat: November 2,. 7
9-45m.
Sun. November 3.

There will be displays with information about the site. Members. of
the planning team will be available for discussion and to answer

any questions.

a

The project is just beginning, so this open I house i is an

-excellent opportunity to learn about the site‘and the
planning process and to communicate your th ughts
about the future of the Versatile Shipyard site.:.

For more information about the Versatile Shipyard Land Use Study, or to send in any written comments, please contact: .

Ms. Robyn Browes
Coriolis Consulting Corp.
#1505 - 1130 West Pender Street, Vancouver BC V6E 4A4
Phone: (604) 682-9714 Fax: (604) 682-4193

Email: consult@coriolis.bc.ca