6 - Sunday, November 2, 1997 — North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT EOPLE are just dying to get into a high-rise being built in North Vancouver. Morbid humor aside, the five- storey mausoleum going up behind Capilano College is the answer to two immortal absolutes: death and escalat- ing land prices. . Just as urban architects discovered at the turn of the century, today’s engineers of the afterlife have twigged to the fact that building up — not out — is the most efficient use of our dwindling land mass. The plans for Canada’s first high-rise mausoleum call for nine-storeys in total: five up, four down. And while some tend to complain that a lack of garden space and slow elevators make skyscraper living unbearable, it is unlikely the owners of the new mausoleum will be fielding such concerns. Likewise, Seasons Memorial Park Inc. managers will have few tenant complaints about obstructed harbor or mountain views. However, like any new concept, ques- tions remain about building highrises to house the dead. For example, does the building have to follow the same structural codes as a building for the living? Will the mausoleum have a postal code? If so, will it get junk mail? Or prank pizza delivery calls? And how is it determined who gets the penthouse and who gets the base- ment digs? One’s behavior whilst among the living? One thing is certain, however: if we all did the sensible thing and allowed ourselves to be turned into ashes when the final bell rings, there’d be no need for these concrete cocoons. LOIS BOONE UNVEILS HER PERSONAL PROPOSAL FORA REPLACEMENT FOR THE LIONS GATE BRIDGE THE North Shore News Free Speech Defence Fund has surpassed the $140,000 mark. To press time Friday, donations from over 2,000 News readers and free speech supporters to the fund stood at $141,201 Legal fees expended thus far by the News have already exceeded $200,000. The final bill wil! be much higher. All funds received will help defray the legal costs faced by the News in its battle with the Human Rights Tribunal over a complaint laid against. the “newspaper and its columnist Doug Collins by the Canadian Jewish Congress. The hearing into the matter, which began on May 12, concluded on June 27 with final arguments at the Century Plaza Hotel, 1015 Burrard St. The decision from Nitya ‘Iyer, the tribunal of one hearing che complaint, is expected some time later this year. Extra copies of the News’ Free Speech Supplement, which was originally published in the Aug. 20 News, are now available at the News offices. More excerpts from the hundreds of respondents to the cause: * *Our daughter, who lives in North Vancouver, sends us the editorials and the columns by most of Rbih very able and hard-hitting writers. Even ough I’m a pensioner on fixed income, here is another cheque for the defence fund.” ” — Ernest Firth of Summerland oaaqa "Wishing Doug and all of you continued strength as you battle on. Believe-me, the thoughts and prayers are with you.” Donations to the fund can be sent to: 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7M 2H4. Cheques should be made out to the North Shore News Free Speech Defence Fund. — trenshaw@direct.ca north: shore orth Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent subucban newspaper and quakfied under Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Act. is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by Horth Shore Free Press ‘Barbara Emo Distribution Manacer — Jean Harris of Ottawa, Ontario Human Resources Manager 985-2131 (177) = 880-0511 (319) 985-2131 (101) Creative Services Manager 986-1337 (124) 985-2431 (127) © 61,582 {average ciculateon, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) THE big box expansion planned. for Park Royal South could — if ‘it ever materializes — come at a high cost to community-aborigi- nal relations. The cost to West Van itself would be ever- increasing traffic gridlock from the addition of upward of 700 more cars an hour to the already congested Park Royal approaches; the loss of its only cinema, bowling alley and driving range; and the early bankruptcy of neighborhood hard- ware, furniture, toy and pet stores unable to compete with the new monster discount stores. But Park Royal South sits on Indian reserve land and thus theoretically needs no planning permits from West Van municipality. So long as Park Royal owner Larco satisfies the terms of its lease with the Squamish Nation, it’s apparently a done deal that nobody clse can stop. “Apparently” because, amid the torrent of protests from thousands of West Van citizens and their council’s pathetic hand- wringing to date, the most important chair at the table has remained empty. It’s the chair that clearly should have been occupied by Squamish spokesmen prepared to explain exactly where they do stand on the project. Why — if reconcili- ation between natives and non-natives is the name of the game today — are they. so shy about joining the debate and being seen to at least listen to their West Van neighbors’ concerns? PETER SPECK Publisher fpr Ohailwal nda Stewart Safes & Marketing Ditector "Terry Peters Photography Manager 985-2131 (160) fe Stopbensoa Ciassitied Manager 966-6222 (202) Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Ltd. Ait rights reserved. First to publicly pose this pretty obvi- ous question last week was former West Van mayor Derrick Humphreys. “Why,” he asked West Van council, “are the Squamish Band officials not here to show and tell their attitude on this large and vital subject?” : “It seems that the band takes large financial aid and assistance from the federal goverment, from the provincial government arid fro:.. the municipal and schcol district gover- nance, but makes its own rules when it so chooses ... Indian reserves are to protect them from inroads by our society. The reserves are not to provide a freedom for them to impact negatively on our society. “T believe you should call the Squamish Band representatives to this chamber to discuss the services of West Vancouver of which they wish to be a n Meanwhile, the battle lines in West Van’s war against the big boxes get even more confused. Almost simultancously with Humphreys’ comments, West Van lawyer Anthony Tobin presented council with an abbreviated form of the original lease between Larco (Park Royal) and the Ministry of Indian Affairs which had come into his possession. It clearly shows, first, that the lessor was NOT the Squamish Nation but the federal government; and, second, that the lease calls for the Park Royal South land Why won't Indians talk to WV? [i to be used for “a balanced community” including provision to “live, work, shop and find entertainment and recreation. If that document is still valid, due dili- gence by the municipality could open up a whole new set of legal options for West * Van. Tobin’s bombshell is now being - researched and checked by Indian Affairs- BC Region. So for the moment hope springs anew in West Van. But as Humphreys pointed - out, much time and grief might Fave been saved if the Indians had joined the debate from the start. No blame attaches” fj to Larco for trying to wring the very last : dvllar out of its investment — that’s its 2 job. But on West Van territory it would never get away with its latest plan. And since that plan vitally affects life in West Van, the Squamish Nation cannot duck | .. its own responsibility to play fair with its” white neighbor. ; . . Not unless native lectures to non- natives on reconciliation are talking about: & a one-way street. : O00 “ A SPECIAL 80-candlc salute and many happy returns of today, Nov. 2, to our _ “Vintage Years” colleague, News colum- nist Eleanor Godley. aoo WRIGHT OR WRONG: A brook would lose its song if God removed the * rocks. ~ ate North sn News beens oh strongly in freedom of speech and the right of all sides tn a debate to be heard. The © columnists published in the News present differing points of view, but those views are not necessarily those of the newspaper itself. LETTERS TO THE EDITGR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. VIA e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca Managing Editor 885-2131 (116) Doug Comptroller 985-2131 (133) Trix Agrics Promotions & Acting Display Manager 2134 (218) 965-2131 (105) internet- http://www.nsaews.com Michael Beckas - News Editor 985-2131 (114) : Andrew McCradie - Sports/Community Editar 985-2131 (147)