THE BOTTOM line is: the “authorities” won’t shoot. The Indians know that. The “authorities” know that, : The “authorities” won't enforce their law. A court order, and a court order enforcing the court order — ‘so what? - ; ; The Indians know that. The “authorities” know that. In the darkness the ‘authorities’ - ” police, the RCMP, bump into the ° Indians’ police — on land that the “authorities” supposedly have authority over. There is a flurry of tension. Later the RCMP humbly -apologize. The “authorities” in far-off. Victoria declare they won't negoti- ate under pressure of an illegal blockade. They. will only talk about the ways and means of removing it. Government “authorities” will never, never negotiate under pres- ‘sure. .', . They negotiate. They always do. _. The indians know. that. The “authorities” know that. Half a dozen Indians are arrest- ed for alleged gillnetting i ina sportsfishing lake on private prop- - + erty — the Dotiglas Lake Ranch, Canada’s biggest working ranch, near Merritt. The area’s Indians ~ were generously treated in the past. They were given keys to the prop- erty. They ice-fished and gillnetted. Few Indians, whose culture is to tatch food fish as quickly and eesi- ly as possible, have any interest in the non-abcriginals’ quaint sports~ fishing with rod and reel. Biologists warn that that should ‘stop. The ranch manager formally conveys that to the chief — Scotty Holmes of the Upper Nicola band, if you haven't been following this saga. . Those six Indians are arrested. The blockade goes up. The courts are defied. By an amazing coinci- dence, the “authorities” who wouldn't negotiate with the law- flouters drop the charges against the six after a touchingly naive attempt by the RCMP’s natives to give the chief the traditional tobac- co and blanket as a sign of good- will — on the eve of the day that the supposed non-negotiation is negotiated, The RCMP praise ‘the Upper Nicola band for acting “honorably.” The police and the Indians warmly shake hands. Once again, Canada's }URPRISE, SURPRISE: a thick expert panel report: recently prepared for KO Health Canada as part of the federai Tobacco Demand Reduction Strategy con- cludes that plain and generic cigarette pack- aging would likely “depress the incidence of smoking uptake by non-smoking teens, and increase the incidence ef smoking cessation by teen and adult smokers." The government would like to wipe away the element of brand recognition on cigarette packages. The packages already bear grave Messages. The next step is removal of color, logos, dis- tinctive typeface and implementation of a generic look, a variable of which includes an image of a smoke-belching cigarette stuck into the business end of a pair of blackened If the government really wanted to remove the proven hazard of tobacco, it would have the guts to outright ban the product, The problem is that government is just as addicted to the high taxation policies derived from this product as smokers are to their nicotine and Canada’s big-three cigarette industry players are to their profits. Each year there are 35,000 smoking-relat- ed premature deaths in Canada. That’s a lot of people, more than get killed by guns. Yet our politicians are showing no leadership on the issue. Instead they unfairly choose to fetter the marketing ability of what remains tegal com- mercial enterprise. Generic packaging sets a dangerous prece- dent. lungs. What’s this ali about? It’s not about the good health of the masses. ' tolerance and moderation have been demonstrated. The state beams with self-satisfaction. And leaves the private citizens, the owners of the ranch, with the financial losses (a mere $200,000), the incenvenience, the uncompen- sated stress. Jusi like at Apex ski resort last year, and dozens of other places where blockades have been put up and the “authorities” bowed. Coincidentally, also, an affirma- tion of Lord Stanley’s declaration that the famous Vancouver park named for him is intended for all people is withdrawn in the face of Indian protests that the land wasn't his to give. The courts have repeatedly ruled that aboriginal people have certain hunting, fishing and other traditional rights. Nothing more. Their claims to exclusive own- ership of the land have been reject- ed. The Indians know that. The “authorities” know that. The Upper Nicofa band isn’t negotiating land claims. It is among the dozens of bands and tribal councils that reject any notion of discussing such claims, asserting that they are already sov- ereign states and it’s their land. The “white man” speaks with forked tongue. The Indians know that. The authorities know that. But today. the forked tongue is meant to fool the public. Not the Indians. Thus the maudlin abasement of What’s next? Generic cars because cars kill? Generic alcoho! because booze kills? Nip the weed and get on with it. Indian Affairs Minister John Cashore. Thus the now-familiar cowardice of Attorney-General Colin. Gabelmann, who discovered that the RCMP, not he — the top law-enforcement officer in the province —- would have to figure out how to enforce the court orders. Between Mush Cashore and Gutless Gabelmann, the B.C. pub- lic and individuals have a pair of dillies to protect their interests. Hey, Mr. Gabelmann, what if the blockading Indians had sudden- ly announced that they were also staunch pro-lifers, and they wouldn't allow any traffic suspect- ed of aiding and abetting abortion? That is the horn of a dilemma that I'd love to see you on. I'd sell tickets to see you squirm. | But back to the beginning. Oka taught the big lesson — that the state would throw not only public interest and confidence but respect for the many, many moderate and law-abiding Indians, the ones who don't make a big splash in the media, to the wolves. They've been left high and dry by the state’s policy of appease- ment of selective law-defiers. And where do you think the next barricade will be? How about Lions Gate Bridge? ae ISENDEATL EARE YADA TANED ROARS OOS a CAUAT : itp://ww wushews-coin): Terme atin ante Internet success | Dear Editor: ; a In response to © Noel Wright's recent. erticle: yes, the Internet can waste an incredible amount of. time. That's why you have to be selective in the sites you “surf” And “surfing” can be done on a 10-year-old comput- er as well (as I’m doing right now). Now, selective sites means your own World Wide Web site, with which I read Noel’s articie. . I grew up in. North. Vancouver but: moved- away eight years ago. The only time 1 saw the North Skore News was‘ when I returned to:my, parent’s house and caught.up on the happenings: via. back issues. It’s always refreshing to read Doug Collins’ articles and get news from another viewpoint. So when I heard that the. News had a WWW site 1 thought, now that’s a. ‘ good reason to get Intemnet. access. So Noel, don’t have a | bad attitude towards some-: ° thing that can-only increase. the circulation of your paper! Jim Skelton « - silmxb@indirect.com . . Trixi Agrios Promoticns Manager 985-2134 (218) Valerie Stephenson Classified Manager 986-6222 (202) MEMBER Peter Kvamstrom . Display Manager 980-0517 (103) Linda Stewart Sales & Marketing Director 980-0514 (319) 985-2131 980-0511 985-6982 986-6222 985-2131 986-1337 985-1435 985-2104 Timothy Renshaw -~ Managing Editor 985-2731 (116) Chris Johnson Operations Manager - 985-2131 (166) North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111, Paragrapl:. 111 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 North Shore, Canada Post Canadian Pubtications Mail Sales Product Agreement No, 0087238, Mailing , fates available on request. Submissions are welcorne but we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited material including manuscripts and pictures, which should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Peter Speck . Publisher ' 985-2131 (101) Doug Foot Comptroller 985-2131 (133) Administration Display Advertising Real Estate Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution Display & Real Estate Fax Newsroom Fax Classified, Accounting & Main Office Fax BCYCNA 1139 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver B.C. V7M 2H4 ‘North Shore Managed SDA DIVISION 61,582 {average circulation, Wednesday. Friday & Sunday) 985-3227 Entire contents © 1995 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved.