Patricia Coppard
Vancouver Courier

VANCOUVER Public
Library is reconsider-
ing its open room-
rental policy in the
wake of a protest
staged last fall against
former North Shore
News columnist Doug
Collins.

Victoria lawyer Doug
Christie booked the central
branch’s meeting recom fast
Septensber in the name of the
Canadian Free Speech
League. The group, which
was raising money to help
fund Collins’ court action
aimed at overturning sections
of B.Cis Human Rights
Code, was met with 150 pro-
testers who accused its mem-
bers of spreading hate.

Last week, the fibrary
board announced that it
would hold a public forum,
from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Feb.
9, to gauge public opinion on
whether the rental policy
should be amended.

Sadie Kuehn, — spokes-
woman for the Affiliation of

reniai

Mialticultural: Societies and
Service Agencies of BC. —
one of the groups that pushed
fer the change --- said: the
library should not be provid-
ing a venue for groups that
“preach hate and intoler-
ance.”

When organizations fike
the Canadian Free Speech
League gather, she said, inci-
dents of violence against iden-
tiffable groups, such as Jews,
ine, -

Kuehn said she received
hate messages in the mail and
on her answering machine
after the British /European
Aid Foundation met at the
Scottish Community Centre a
few years ago to discuss
restricting immigration to
Europeans.

“We aren't suggesting that
these groups not be able to
meet — they can meet in
almost any place,” she said.
“Providing them a venue (at
the library) lends them a cer-
tain air of acceptance.”

But Christie said the
library is one of the few
venues beyond the reach of
“economic intimidation.”

The Free Speech League
has tried to meet at private

City debates plan

Fron: page 1

swarmed the meeting to blast
the plans, which include
realigning the ‘S’ curve by
Lost Lagoon and eliminating
the Chilco bus loop.

In a Wednesday meeting,
the TransLink board accepted
the causeway scheme and
approved its share of the cost
(an estimated $2 million).

A Vancouver City commit-
‘tee met this week to debate its
support for the scheme —
opening the floor to hear
public delegations at city hall
yesterday afternoon.

Representatives of SPEC
(Society Promoting
Environmental Conservation)
were encouraging citizens to
show up and protest against
what it is calling “a backroom
deal.”

Vancouver — councillors
have been divided over con-
cerns for vehicle safety and a
reluctance to tamper with
green space in the park.

However, Staniey Park falls
within the jurisdiction of the
park board, and ultimately,

ma. the decision on whether to
“proceed with the project “all
hinges on us,” said commis-
sioner Allan De Genova.

Widening the causeway
and realigning the ‘S’ curve
_would mean the immediate
loss of 41 trees, with the pos-
sible felling of up to 90 others
during the construction
process. —

Construction work cur-
rently taling place along the
causeway sidewalk has not
_resuited in the removal of any
trees. s
. The park board has tenta-
"tively given its support to the

“new proposal because it
includes the reclamation of
the bus foop as green space,
and the eventual phase-our of
private vehicles from the
bridge.

Following Monday’s
turnout, though, the park
board voted to make a final
decision Feb. 21, after an as
yet-unscheduled public meet-

ing.

-Park board commissioner. °

Allan De Genova said that
“since Monday, he has had

many positive calls about the
proposal.

“I think people felt it was
being rammed through,” he
said of Monday’s meeting,
“but the more [’'m hearing, the
more positive stuff I'm hear-

ing.
able response. Part nwo of this
is going to be very interesting.”

here’s been an unbeliev-

Doing Business the
Ol? Fashioned Way

Long time Nonth Shore residents,
Bruce and Gayle Bradshaw are cele
brazing their 20th year operating

Bradshaw Carpets. tr these days of

“technological overload.’ it's refreshing
to know that there are still businesses
being run the old fashioned way; with

Be excellent service and a genuine smile

from the proprietor.
Bradshaw Carpets Lad., at 507 -

15ch St, West Vancouver is a family ¢

run business that has fiourished at this

8 location for over 16 years. When you §

come into Bradshaw Carpet'’s 1900 sq,
ft. showroom you'll see a great selec-
tion of products; from the most inex-
pensive to the most expensive, and in
addition to featuring great products
they have only the tup professionals

Bes performing their installations. “Their {

installers are used to doing extremely

high-end homes but are good in a

E home of any calitire.”

Although they are focated in West
Vancouver, Bruce tells us,"West Van
does not mean high prices. People
think, ‘my goodness, West Van. I cant’

afford 10 shop there,” when in fact
they can’t afford not to. Our pricesare &

as good or better than anyone's.”

ay In addition to rugs and hardwood §
floors, Bradshaw Carpets offers

wool carpeting, synthetic carpeting,

# marmoleum resilient flooring and cork

flooring & ceramic tile. Bruce says,
“We will do everything periaining to
your flooring needs. We're a family

at business that aims to help wherever j
we can. We take pride in what we do.” *

The Bradshaw's also have a sec-
ond location, The Whistler Design

x”: Shop in Function Junction, Whistler
p BC. The Whistler store handles com-
plete interior design: kitchens, furni-. 3
* ture, draperies & ceramic tiles etc.

Come down to Bradshaw
Carpets 20th Anniversary in West

icy

locations, only ta have the
owners cancel the contracts
atter threats of union intiler-
ence and boycotts, be said.

The alternative — holding
meetings in secret — is not
acceptable in a democratic
society, said Christie.

“Pm not going to hide to
talk about free speech ia my
country.”

John Westwood, executive
director of the B.C. Civil
Liberties Association, said) it
would be dangerous for the
library to prejudge the kinds
of groups likely to break hate
laws.

“If people are breaking
any laws, they can be hauled
betore the human rights cri-
bunal,” said Westwood, who
dismissed the idea that meet-
ing at the library gives the
group legitimacy.

“If the Flat Earth Society
wanted to meet there, the
library would allow them and
no one would presume the
library was giving them any
legitimacy.”

Victoria Public Library has
maintained its open room-
rental policy in the face of fre-
quent protests -— including
“Nazis enter here” signs

rec

tacked to the — building's
entrance — after allowing the
Free Speech League to hold
meetings there.

In) October, the B.C.
Human Rights Comission
dismissed a complaint by the
Victoria Labour Council,

Green Party and Status of

Women Action Group alleg-
ing that the policy “poi-
soned” the atmosphere of the
library.

Chef hbrarian Sandra
Anderson said) she hopes
Vancouver stands by its poli-
cy, since limiting tree speech
could easily extend to books
on the shelf

“Public fibraries are the
most. inclusive organizations
there are,” she said. “Unless
you allow as wide an expres-
sion of opinion as possible, it
makes no sense to have a pub-
lic library.”

Last June, the Canadian
Library Association handed
the library an “intellectual
freedom award” for its stance.

“We don’t think that
hbraries should be in a posi-
tion of determining who has a
right to access that service,”
said Miriam) Moses, who
chairs the CLA’s intellectual

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nsidered

freedom committee.

Cols, 4) former News
columnist, has fought to have
part of the B.C. Human
Rights Code declared uncon-
stitutional after a tribunal
tound Collins and the North
Shore News guilty of breach-
ing the Human Rights Code
by publishing opinion ruled
to be offensive.

The case was referred back
toa human rights tribunal by
the B.C. Supreme Court in
December.

Last Monday, Christie got
leave to appeal the judgment
to the B.C. Court of Appeal.
The case is ser to be heard
June 22.

Teens found
on Seymour

Prom faac 1

woman was and brought her to
satety.

NSR was called at 10:40
pm. Sunday to find two
Langley teenagers who had
gone missing on Mount
Seymour.

A 17-year-old boy and 15-
year-old) girl had left. their
snowboards in a car and gone
for a hike while ovo friends
continued to snowboard.

The teens were found by
NSR volunteers at 1:53 a.m.
Monday and recovered at 2:30
am. They were suffering
swollen, cold feet. Royston
said.

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