iS not Dear Editor: With reference to a corre spondent’s recent comment on council and its work, regrettably To must advise him thar not all is se well in West Vancouver. It is obvious the correspondent has not fol- lowed) municipal matters as closely as PE have, nor has he attended council meetings on so many Monday nights for the past 20 years as f have. Financial ineptitude hits each =sresident9 in West Vancouver. It was only after the taxpayers’ revolt on the budget, followed in 1994 by the “Group of Five” and the Ambleside and Dundarave Ratepayers Association (ADRA) and others strongly protesting against sky-rocket- ing municipal costs, that taxes have been imposed for two years without major increases. Offers of suggestions by both the “Group of Five” and ADRA to help effect very sub- stantial savings have been ignored, West Vancouver con- tinues to have the unenviable record of a higher number of employees per capita than any other municipality in British asked about: $262,347 to date in municipal legal fees on defending an action not even in court yet; $280,000 paid by the municipality to a strata cor- poration for damages and legal costs; $50,261 to date paid by the municipality in defending an alleged defamation. There is the breakneck speed of development above the Upper Levels Highway, with currently approximately 300 new units, either being built or proposed, plus major Caulfeild expansion and 24 houses proposed for the bank of the Capilano River in West Vancouver. There is no long- term plan in place for all this expansion, nor even a short: term plan, but merely a tenta tive proposal. The bylaws ser out parameters, but there is almost 100% acceptance to grant cach building variance request applica for. Iris well-known and widely commented upon that there has been a consistent lack of “open government” in West Vancouver. Many decisions are taken behind closed doors, quite apart from the Municipal Act sanctioned areas of person- nel, land and legal decisions. Finally, there should be a statutory municipal require- ment that the elected period for mayor and courtcillors be limited to a maximum of two terms. We don't need mini- dynasties year after year. We do need new vision, new ideas, new energies, after a six-year or longer period in office. We now need a new mayor who is dynamic and forward- looking, not bound by any previous mindset and not car- rying any previous municipal baggage. Lionel Lewis Columbia. The levels of service received do not warrant this _ excessive number, which could easily be reduced. There have been some staff salary increases of 40% over four years. Repeated requests for an effec- tive zero-based budgeting sys- ‘tem and a widespread efficien- cy review have also been refused. ; There are serious wastes * and inefficiencies. ‘... There... are tremendously large legal fees being incurred; legal actions and fees are never disclosed until specifically ted white, m.p. ie OTTAWA STYLE ETHICS During the 1993 election campaign, the present Government promised that it would “appoint an independent ethics ‘counselor: to advise’ both public offt- iclals and lobbyists in the day to day | ‘application of the code of conduct for public officials. The ethics counselor will be. appointed after consultation .with-the leeders of all parties in the House of Commons, and_ will report directiy to Parliament.” Following the election though, the ethics counselor was 1 appointed by the Prime Minister, not the House, and is a long term friend and col- league of the Prime Minister. He reports ‘only to Mr. Chretien, and his advice Is secret, so when a scandal arises, the Prime Minister simply relates his version of what was allegedly discussed. Meanwhile, the guidelines, assuming that they do exist, have ramalned a mystery. Nobody has con- firmed seeing them, and the ethics coun- selor himself has been quoted as saying that they do not exist. The Prime Minister though, continues to state in the House that his Ministers have seen and read the guidelines. SERIOUS QUESTIONS As a result of the Prime Minister's refusal to make his guidelines public, Reform MPs have been trying for several weeks to establish how the Prime Minister decides whether Ministers have violated the guidelines. For example, when former Heritage Minister Michel Dupuy attended a Liberal fund-raising dinner in his own honour, and subsequently awarded jucra- tive government contracts to some of those in attendance, the Prime Minister defended the Minister's actions. Yet the existing, and public, Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders states that the public office holders should avoid situations which appear to result in special consideration | towards any person or organization. re te Beat wim Me in West Vancouver ELECT "Bring community back to schools" KRISTINA VANDERVOORT SCHOOL TRUSTEE DISTRICT OF NORTH VANCOUVER advertorial, Novamber 13°96 8 OER EY Two further examples ignored by the Prime Minister involve Deputy Prime Minister, Sheila Copps, and former Defence Minister, David ; Collenette. Both awarded untendered govern- ment contracts to Joe Thomley, who is Copps’ } former campaign manger and the Liberal Party Treasurer, even though the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code states that “a public office holder shall not accord preferential treatment in relation to any offi- cial matter to family members or to organi- zations in which they, family members or friends, have an interest.” : More recently, it has been revealed that Youth Minister Ethel Blondin-Andrew, used a Government credit card for personal items on several occasions over the past three years. | Chretien brushed the issue aside, saying that the Minister has now repaid the money. The public Conflict of Interest and Post- Employment Code, however, says that “Public office holders shall not directly or indirectly use, or allow the use of, govern: ment property of any kind... for anything other than approved activities. ” DO GUIDELINES EXIST? The Prime Minister has taken the posi- tion that British parliamentary tradition | prevents him from making pubiic his ethics guidelines, yet the British and Australian governments have both made their guide- lines public. Surely then, Canadians are | entitled to see the ethical guidelines set by OUR Prime Minister, especially when page 95 of the recently released Liberal “Record of Achievement”, claims that Mr. Chretien has fulfilled his siection promises with respect to the ethics counselor. Reform will keep pushing for answers, but with no one on record as having ever seen the guldelines, it looks like, at least in terms of ethics, it will continue to be busi- | ness as usual in Ottawa. PY» Plaid Flan Wednesday, November 13, 1996 ~ North Shore News - 9 B I. you want an efficient and accountable school board? Look Younger Erase the years off your § face. We can show results § on your first treatment. %) This method is endorsed by J Suzanne Somers. . Call for info: 922-1225 - f° Before After Chez Elf. ESTHETICS & HAIR LEGS #207 - 1331 Marine Dr., West Vancouver gepers ge Kast Intant St Sets ant Two-piece x infant Dysigner snows el Shirts + Girls’ 2-pee- pant Sets BRAND NAMES FOR LES my LYNN VALLEY CENTRE 988-7466 wit Physictherapist Available Heath Services at Capilane Codiege is expanding and now inchides a sports physotherapist. She is available on Monday and Thursday from Fam. to 1:30p.m. and on Tuesday from | pan. to 3:30 pan. Please call 984-4964 for an appefatment, No refecsal is necessary. + Aa Invitation to Jain EMarcotlege We're havin 4 party and you're invited ta the Annual New Members Orientation and Social for Eldercollege members (past, present and future). Jain us on Thursday, November 14 from 2:30 to 4:30 p:m. in room MIDE. It will be an opportunity to meet new board and commuttss.nembersy ask questions and share ideas. For more information, please call Brenda Soeder at 984.4906. Information. Meetings Join an information: meeting for the Legal Secretarial prograrn on Wednesday evening, November 20 and Wednesday, December tI, at 6:30 pan. in Fir building. room 210. The Department of Business - Administration is also - holding information meetings on ‘Thursday, Noverober 21 and * Tuesday, December 10, “from 7 to Spam. in Cedar building, room 148. Meet instructors, Business Administration students and graduates. to Pacific Basin Briefing Join mangers participating in Capilano Callege's CANASEAN program fora Vancouver Board of Trade breakfast talk on Tuesday, November 19, Discussions will include economic profiles of the managers’ countries, business opportunities, and a few do's and don’‘ts on doing business in Asian and Sotith American countries, Registration isat 7:30 am, with an 8am, start. The $35 fee, includes breakfast. Call either Ed Wong at 984-1706 or the © VBTAWTC at | — 6B1-2T11, for more information. CAPILANO COLLEGE 2055 Purcell Way ° ‘North Vancouver British Columbia - | 986-1911 ae: