4

Page 6, May 23, 1979. North Shore News

. In the newsrooms and editorial cubbyholes ofa a
newspaper that takes public affairs: seriously, a

‘ general election (let alone two at the same time) is
rather like an all-night party that gets a little out
of hand. There’s a lot of tidying up to be done next ~
morning before things get back: to normal -- so
- excuse me for : a moment while I dispose of one or

two leftovers ... -

The best qu: 2stion that was
‘asked during those phone-in
candidates’ meetings on
Channel 10 TV came from a
viewer who wanted to know
“how do we make politicians
keep their promises?”

I forget how the can-
didates. on that occasion

- replied, except that none of

them had © sufficiently
impressive answer to stick in
one’s memory. But the real
answer, of course, is as clear
as the nose on your face.

You keep politicians in
line through a system of

__ petitions and referendums.
_ on issues of major im-

portance which arise bet-
ween elections — and you
make it obligatory for the
politicians in power to heed

- the voice of the public as
- expressed in those petitions

and referendums. -

The- system is already
enshrined in the . con-
Stitutions of a number of
. American states (including
our west coast neighbors

Oregon and California) and_

appears to work very
satisfactorily -- as witness
last. summer's. . famous
Proposition 13 exercise ,
which cut. California
property taxes by around 50
per cent.

. In Oregon, I understand,
the state government is not
allowed to exceed ‘its budget
without asking the per
mission of taxpayers in a
referendum. What makes
more common sense than
‘that?

However, Canadian
politicians at all three levels
of government. with a
handful of honorable ex-
ceptions -- take a, dim view
of any suggestion of direct
control of their antics by the
great unwashed public, once
they have been safely
elected. They argue that
they are elected to govern —
and govern, by gosh, they

: will for the next two, three ©
or four years. With no
footling interference, thank
you, from the ignorant mob
which voted them into of-
fice.

The electorate: they

contend, understands what's:

good for ‘them only on
election day. At all other

times only the politicians:
‘understand what's good for

the electorate.

This, of course, is a
philosophy which“has come
down from the lords-and-
peasants days of the
eighteenth century. In our
present age of computers,
instant. globewide com-
munications and the. most
highly educated public in the
world's history it’s sheer

-poppycock.

Any group of citizens
which can. provide a
specified number of

‘ Signatures (defined in the

constitution) supporting a
petition or a request for a
referendum should be
empowered to make their
government act accordingly.

Until federal,
and most provincial
governments in Canada are
dragged into the twentieth
century by being forced to
recognize that inherent right
of their citizens, — there'll
never be any hope of making

politicians keep their
promises.
eee
This newspaper has always

opposed the visual pollution
brought about during
election campaign by “sign
warfare” — another relic of
the cighteenth century.
Signs cost candidates a
bundle, which could be
better spent on more con-
vincing forms of appeal.
They are widely vandalized.
They are intrinsically
meaningless for an educated
and informed electorate

NV cadets graduate

GRADUATING last week from Royal Roads Military
College, Victoria were Officer Cadets Ian Ferguson
(left) and David Anderson (right), both of North
Vanconver. Each of them received a Bachelor of
Sclence degree in physica and physical oceanography
and was commissioned as a second Heutenant in the
Canadian Armed Forces. Presiding at the ceremonies
was Rear Admiral J. Allen, commander designate of

Maritime Command.

provincial ~

by ©

Noel Wri right

(“Vote “Smith”, ' “Vote
Brown” — how stupid do they
think we are?). And they
look like hell.

The ultimate in idiocy
comes with the big overnight

candidate “B".

is there a part
of you that’s
over weight

blitz. traditionally carried out -
by: competing ‘sign. warriors
24 hours ‘before. the polls

:» open.. As: witness two: North
' Shore. hoardings. Monday -
‘which ‘suddenly. sprouted 20°
.or~mére_ placards. for can-

didate “A”. interspersed with”
another 20.or so for his rival,
All crazily
mixed ‘up like a A patchwork
quilt. |

This. kind of insult to the
intelligence. is. enough to

‘make one vote for ‘the

Rhinoceros Party.

wee

_ And _ talking. of

x

rm thinking of the in-
furiated viewer who phoned
Channel 10 TV during its
candidates’. meeting - last

Wednesday, on which the ©

Rhinoceros Party candidate,
Richard (The Troll) Schaller
duly
fellow, Capilano candidates

‘laughing over Mr. Schaller’s

(Infuriated)’ would vote for
- someone else. :
‘the:
‘Rhinoceros . Party, what's.
penne . to our sense of
fun?,

appeared with his |

don’ t delay .

from the more conventional political system too well. It's

parties. ‘hard ‘to: collect votes for an
idea whose moment. hasa’t
Channel 10, fumed. Mr: yet. arrived. —_
Infuriated, should send a . a. cows \..
letter of apology to every nC . 8
North Shore ‘viewer for “To all the. losers yesterday.
allowing’ Mr. Schaller to and on May 10, remember.

appear at all. on the tube.
And, added Mr. Infuriated
for. good measure, if Ron

‘that “defeat ~has its com-
pensations.” You'll soon’ be
able’ to. start. saying “I ‘told

Huntington (the Con- you so”, because the voters
servative candidate for are. Probably “wrong, 8S
Capilano) didn’t stop ysual. -

rather hilarious con--.

“(Come to ) think of it, . when : &
tributions to the debate, he :

did we last elect a govern-
ment that did what we
wanted?) -

One doesn’t have to agree -_To™ the winners, ‘tread
with the Rhinoceros Party carefully.and listen hard, For.
- platform (one of its aims was —the moment we may prefer
to form Canada’s most in- you to the others, but we can
competent government), but
the heavily bearded Mr.
Schaller had satisfied all the: a
requirements of the. , For the fest of Us,. it’s good
Returning Officer and, in the. . to be back to normal -— free
latter's eyes, was just as good once again to do, politically
a candidate as any of them. speaking, what we do best:

beef about the government

Maybe his one weakness is _ instead of -being stuck with
that he understands our _ the job of choosing | it.

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