6‘ Wednesday} May", 1964+ North Shore News: / DOCTOR. ITS MY HUSBAND. HE HASNT MovED IN THREE DAYS. HIS PULSE IS ERRATIC, HES SWEATING PRORISELY. His EVES ARE GLASSED OVER AND HE DOESNT RECOGNISE ME ANY MORE, WHAT CAN 1 D0? FOR STARTERS, You CAN SWITCH FROM THE HOCKEY PLAYOFFS TO ANOTHER TV. CHANNEL ... NEWS VIEWPOINT ‘Good sports TYPICALLY Canadian event took place in Ottawa last week, proving Aonce again that spring is the right time for defying nature. In the absurd tradition of the San Jose Sharks playing in the second round of the NHL playoffs, the Government of Canada decreed that the country has another nation- ‘al sport. Lacrosse has made room for hockey as the off cial sport of our nation. Legend has it that lacrosse was declared . by: ‘Parliament as Canada’s national game in 1859, But the bigger, richer hockey forces have always. believed.in deciding national honors via.a popularity contest. After ail, you'd be hard pressed to find the names of lacrosse’s best players on the tongue of your average, citizen... if power-play quarterbacked by Kamloops : MP Nelson Riis introduced a private mem- ber’ s bill in February calling for a national summer game and a national winter game. | Two solitudes for two sports... | But it’s perfect. It should even win the approval of Don “Coach’s Corner” Cherry, a vocal backer of the country’s native game. | Lacrosse may. not be as familiar to a soci- ety that increasingly chooses the living reom over the bieachers, but here on the North Shore the dawning of a new lacrosse era begins tomorrow night as the North Shore Indians begin reguiar season play in the Western Lacrosse Association in Victoria. |. The team’s first home game ‘is next. Monday at the Lonsdale arena in North Vancouver. — | Once again, sport displays how compro- mise and tolerance are often the most impor- tant rules of the game. “LETTER OF ° THE DAY . We can all live together i in Canada . Dear Editor: -“Democracy,” according to Webster’s dictionary, is defined as “government by the people; rule of the majority.” After reading Doug Collins’ column in the April 20 issue of the North Shore News, I am not sure what his idea of “democracy” If only a select few of the people in. South Africa have the opportuni- ty to cast a vote for political candi- dates, how can Collins call this a democracy? Democracy is “govern- ment by the people”; there is no color stipulation in that definition. Collins is aware that in South Africa Peter Speck imothy Renshaw the non-whites have never had a vote, ever, and they happen to be the majority there. ‘And yet Collins still argues that “South Africa’s _ ' live under his form of democracy. blacks are the best-off in Africa.” Without the vote, they had no say in their country, Without the vote, they had no say in their des- liny. Without the vote, a unilateral government could jail a person for expressing their feelings, as was the case with Mr. Nelson Mandela. Collins is afraid to lose his free- dom of speech in our democratic country; however, he seems to be willing to jail those wlio have “com- mie” intentions. Display Advertising 980-0511 Distribution Real Estate Advertising 985-6982 Subscriptions If Collins were to hold the office of prime minister in Canada then I can assure him that I would be the first to leave the country, rather than You can abuse some of the peo- ple some of the time, but you cannot abuse all of the people all of the time. I can understand how Collins must feel now that the shoe appears to be on the other foot. I am opti- mistic that in Canada we can devel- op into a people who can truly live together. Alexander Davids North Vancouver 986-1337 986-1337 “Noel Wright inda Stewart Newsroom North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111, Paragraph 711 of the Excise * Tax Act, Is published each Wednesday, Friday and - Sunday by North Shore Free Press Ltd. and ‘distributed to every door on the Nosth Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 0067238. Mailing rates available on: request. Submissions are welcome but we cannot Eccept respensibility tor unsolicited luding manuscripts and pictures which should be accompanied {by 8 stamped, addressed onvetope. . V7M 2H4 Classified Advertising 1138 Tonsdala "Avenue North Vancouver B.C, poconnd North Shore Managed 986-6222 Fax 985-2131 Admiristration MEMBER— Ggu SN" SDA CIVISION 61,582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday} ‘ 985-3227 985-2131 moa — =—_ —— . Entire contents © 1994 North Shore Free Press Lid. All rights reserved. Wrong sponsor go ine PM REALLY sorry about Gordon Wilson who seems, in desper. ration, fo have blown it again. If Quebec cuts loase this falt, he’s offering to lead B.C. to independence as well, by separating from Canada. Quite.a political challenge, you might think, for the ex-Liberal leader who now hends bis own new party, the Progressive Democratic Altiance, with a caucus of just wo (himself and fianeée Judi Tyabji) and a claimed grassroots member- ship of “about one thousand,” Vhave to confess right away to having had a soft spot for Gordon and Judi, although they've so far been one another's political ruin. But seldom does the grim, dog-eat- doz werld of politics get to enjoy such a class Romeo-and-Juliet act among its key players, For make no mistake, Gordon Wilson WAS a key player and could have been still — if only his timing were better. Without him, hardly any of the 14 fumbling Grit caucus members inherited by Gordon Campbell would have made it there on their own. And Campbell, had he left city hall at all, would probably now be leading the Socreds, * Nor is anything wrong with Wilson’s separatist scenario. Growing numbers of respected British Columbians today are open- ly pondering that option if Quebec’ breaks away —- as now seems per- ° fectly possible. ‘Their reasoning is simple. Ever since joining Confederation B.C. — *. like other western provinces — has been shafted by Central Canada in the shape of Ontario and Quebec, which presently hold 59% of the ‘seats in the Commons between them. In Canada minus Quebec, Ontario would still dominate on a “rep by pop” basis, with almost 50% of the 20 million population remaining. Meanwhile, the B.C. economy continues to be Canada’s strongest, with ever-expanding trade links to Asia and the U.S. Our lifestyles have more in com- mon with California and the north- west States than with Canada cast of the Rockies. The fast-growing B.C. population equais that of New Zealand or Ireland and exceeds Singapore’s. Thus the B.C. separatist argu- ment: We don’t want Quebec to quit, but if it insists on destroying the nation we joined in 1871, why should B.C. continue dancing any longer to Ontario’s tune? Today the province could almost certainly do very well — likely much better than Quebec —- by going it alone. So what’s wrong with Gordon: Wilson’s sudden conversion to B.C, separatism? Lack of credibility, | that’s all. Poor Gordon’s own political credibility is presently at such a low ebb that his endorsement might be enough to give even motherhood a bad name. Conversely, B.C. sepa- ratism — by no means everybody’s cup of tea yet — could in turn muddy Gordon’s own name. In short, a basically sincere politician and a basically sound proposition which right now can only end up politically harming each other. Rather like the story of i | i nes C @ “® lependent HITHER AND YON Gordon and Judi so far, ; On a personal level the two leg- islature love birds head towards a happy ending on May 22, when they will ceremonially tie the knot. A happy ending io Gordon’s new love affair with B.C, sepa- ratism may take rather longer. . POSTSCRIPTS: Open forum on members’ issues, gripes and view- points is the program at the Tuesday, May 10, breakfast meet- ing of West Van Chamber of | Commerce 7:30 a.m. in Pat’s Restaurant — call 926-6614 by noon Friday to. book .., For gor- geous: geraniums: and many other plants visit the West Van Kiwanis, giant Mother’s Day Plant Sale Friday and Saturday, May 6-7, 9. a.m. to 4 p.m. each day on the West”: _ Van Rec Centre parking lot, Gordon “and 22nd ... Also on Saturday drop by the West Van United Church Spring Super Surplus Sale, 2068 Esquimalt from 9 a.m. to noon — featuring clothes, households, hard-. ware, sporting goods, books and . much more ... One other “don’t miss” this Saturday’. is’. the Lynnmovr Community Scheol Spring Fair, 11.a.m.-3 p.m. at 800. Forsman, where carnival food and- games, crafts, books and pony. rides" offer fun for all the family ... A 100- candle salute tomorrow, May 5, to Mary Taylor of Cedarview Lodge, with warm wishes for her second century! ... Also many.happy | returns of tomorrow to North Van’s John Leonard ... And ditto Friday, May 6, to Mt. Seymour Lion Bud Summers. , eee WRIGHT OR WRONG: When" you're 29 anything goes. After 40 you realize it’s long gone. ‘-GORDON WILSON ase sincerity “fot quite enough.