| Stream scheme RBAN stream protection has taken another shot to the chin . from government compro- mise. . Victoria recentiy agreed to a diluted version of regulations that are aimed at protecting what remains of fish habitat in urban B.C. Introduced in the Fish Pretrection Act in 1997, the regulations initially called for a 50-metre (165 ft.) riparian setback on both stream banks threatened by urban development. That setback has now been reduced to 30 metres (98 ft.) and municipal compliance with the stream protection regulations has been dejayed until 2005. « .While wider stream setbacks create complications for municipalities and urban. developers, the compromise on ). this issue is ill-advised; Developments :» €ain be redesigned, planned buildings igh school reunion ‘appreciated On behalf o: the committee, I would like to thank the Shore: News: and its staff for the coverage, of the Dear, Edito turdar VIEW POINT: can be moved, but fish populations, once gone, are gone forever. Rivers and other fish habitat need all the help they can get. Community efforts by such groups as StreamKeepers, the Coho Festival and local schools are working to nurture dwindling stocks. It’s a battle against the current on a host of fronts. An Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C. survey released several years ago, estimated that 142 stocks of wild B.C. salmon are now extinct — many of those stocks once originated in Lower Mainland streams —- streams fike the ones on the North Shore. There’s little margin for error when . it comes to protecting what remains of our once abundant fish resources. Eroding what little protection is already in place reduces that margin entirely. held sooner rather than later — likely even this fall — look no farther than Bill C-2 _passed into law two weeks ago. Entitled the Elections Act, it’s a . remarkable picce of leg- ” islation for every wrong reason. wo “Figs, it would, if - : icrreetly named, be called the Elections Gag Act.. Second; it is the third such act in the IF you need any tipoff that the upcoming federal election will be ae ronpneoesscosesncssesevnasecesscscononsoes yaick af ! donated ‘to “th ‘to particularly thank Michael Becker, Sharon e; Julic Iverson; Martin’ Millerchip and Ms: Barr for support. The North Shore News is truly a communi-- ast decade, its two predecessors having th bitten the dust in successful court - challenges. Which shows once again that if you want something badly cnough -—~ _ like Jean Chretien wants a third term " you must never give up. : © Bill C-2 makes it a crime for any indi- . vidual or grassroots organization to “ spend more than $150,000. promoting ublic policy during an election. iolators face large fines and up to a five- year jail term. In addition, the law pro- libits the publication of public opinion . polls during the final two days of an elec- tion campaign. . : Af 150 grand for a six-week campaign ~ "sounds not too bad, go check the cost of “one quarter-page ad in ‘The Sun and The -Province'and multiply by the major “dailies across the nation; add a thrice-~ 2. ° weekly TV commercial and/or a coun- try-wide daily radio commercial, anc, your voice will be silenced within'a weck.. Established political parties suffer no “Sunday by HCA. sted to every door: -- othe "Nor da Post Canadian Cations Mail Sales Product Agreement No. fi served, > Average ” circulation “tor ) Friday and Sunday is 61,582. such spending restrictions, In 1997, for cxample, the federal Liberal Party had a spending “limit” of over $30 million. : Moreover, there is no limit required ~— and between elections no" disclosure — of the mil- lions donated to parties by big business, big unions and other wealthy insiders. The most extraordinary thing about Bill C-2 is the fate of the two eazli-- er and similar gag Jaws. In 1993 and 1995 the _ courts declared them unconstitutional because they violated freedom of speech and association, and _ the right to an informed vote. ot Earlier this year a B.C. gag law virtu- ally identical with C-2 was also success- fully challenged. Despite which, the — =~ Chretienites pressed on regardless with 'C-2 which clearly stands to suffer the same fate in the courts: Eventually. In fact, the constitutional. challenge ; was already filed last Wednesday in'an : ° Alberta court by Stephen Harper, presi- ” dent of the National Citizens Coalition * which has led the previous challenges. So { ‘the only explanation of the Liberals’ rush to pass C-2 is that they are gambling on timing. ; . A fall election would have to be called. no fater than October. Does that Icave “enough time in the next three and’a half “months for the courts once more to: .. throw out the law'— and’a subsequen’ government appeal — before the election writ is dropped? Tricky, but for Chretien. * worth the gamble to silence unwelcome *! OND ee SAIN ar OJETH ODS COE RESTO OM seats d FREE DAYS | The new law highlights the contemp in which the Chretien Liberals hold the electorate. Voters must not be allowed to be exposed to new ideas and issues just: at the time when public debate on'such ideas and issucs needs to be at its loudest. and most energetic. Confine debate, the Grits figurc, to the well worn nostrum: of the established parties and with luck-: we! 1 pull it off once again. 2 When the two earlier gag laws-wei struck down, the courts declared that they insulted the intelligence’ of. ::: Canadians and infringed upon “the Ve _ rights which are fundamental to ‘deme . racy.” © oe Which means only one thing about the Chretien Grits (clectéd last time by: just 38% of the voters) and their. thi - pre-doomed gag law. ‘They’ve become desperate, stupid and ‘unfit Y ~ 15, happy birthday V Seymour Lion John Pavlik...) And. them again Saturday, June 17," North Van District mayor,.M Dykeman “patience with thé’ lamp lit “AD.160-240 ): election debate, if it could help him win. ;- that cherished three-term legacy... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR must inctude your * name, full address and teiephone. number, - Sabexit via e-