Gil Cal focus in ihe pri Zé Approach MP race in North Van with optimism Marcie Good News Reporter mavod@usnews.cam THEIR politics fall on either side of the centre, but Sam Schechter and Laurence Putmam actually share a lot. Stact with their vouth, their cnthusi- asm, and their starting ability co artic: ulate the issues close to their hearts, Schechter, 19, is running for the New Democratic Party in’ North Vancouver, Putnam, [8 is dic Progressive Conservative candidate. And whie they might be voung, they've already racked up considerable eNpericive. “Eve been following politics since Twas seven,” said Schechter. “was very politically: astute even at that age.” While he remembers admiting dren-NDP Jeader Ed Broadbent, bis political involvement began in 1994. Canspaigning NDP MLA David Schreck came to the door to speak co his parents, and ended up speaking to a very animated: 15-year-old. “He was amply impressed, and told me to come to his office, and the nest day J strolled down and started doing calls on his behalf?” Schechter carnpaigned for Martin Stuible, who ran for the NDP in the 1997 election, and currently works Lavou Project locks for federal funding Deana Lancaster News Reporter dlancaster@usrcws.com CANADA’S coordina- tor on homelessness yesterday praised the efforts of the North Shore group working on the issue. Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour and fed- eral coordinator on home- lessness visited The Harvest Project to find out not only about its current programs, but also to hear about plans for an off-premise shelter. As reported early - last month in the News, staff of The Harvest, the North Shore. Health = Region (NSHR), and other commu- nity agencies have formed a North Shore Homelessness Task Force to try and find a location for a shelter on the this'side of Burrard Inlet. tor MILA Tim Stephenson He has abso struck eut en fis own ain 1995 he ran a unity campaign during the Quebec reterenduin, and in 1999 be ran for North Vancouver Distnet counted, “T dent think that age should be any niore of consideration than gender Sor rice or religion.” be sud. about his bid fora seat in Parliament. “Toa person is capable and skilled and) has new ideas and feadership, that determines they're night for the job.” Patnam began his political career in 1997, when he supported Dennis Prouse as the ‘Tors candidate i North Vancouver, Even though the party had suttered a massive blow, he chose it based on history and ideas. He can vise vou a detailed synopas of the party beginning with Cantederation, and explain low sever: al Western based movement: hase temporarily unseat ed the Tories. The Alliance, he savs, ts ast the liiest in that pattern, and he doesn’t doubt chaz his party will bounce back, While voung peaple’s ideas often sway to the lett. Putnam knew he was Cconservative minded.” “No, | wouldn't sav it’s surprising.” he said, that an 18-year-old runs for the Tories, “fd say that some peo- ple come to terms with their ideologicat editice quick- er than others and [Twas one of them, perhaps.” Putnam graduated trom Collingwood in June, and works as an actor, He had a gig ona 35- episode chil- hopes ister Vi LAURENCE young people to vote. Friday, November 17, 2000 SAM Schechter says that youth are under-repre- sented in Parliament. Putnam to convince dren's series that ranion Global television, but declines te reveal the name because it might “detrace” from More sevious issues. Schechter and Pornam list public health care as their top priority and strongly oppose private involve- ment, but they differ on how they represent vouth. Schechter, who heads up the vouth wing of the provincial NDP. says he would like te see more pro- gressive ways of dealing with voung offenders. He also tines affordable, accessible post-sccondary education Qa top concern. Putnam, however, prefers net to carry the youth “label. "i woulda’t say there’s one issue trelated to youth Pm pushing for, Pm just your regular garden: variety conservative candidate.” They both insist, vehemently, that voter apathy is far too bigh among their age group. “Ef Thad one mes- sage for vouth, it would be, vate’, said Schechter. “HP vou don’t, you'll give up ownership of the most impor- tant thing vou'll ever own, which ts vour country.” NEWS photo Mike Wakefield CLAUDETTE Bradshaw, federal Labour Minister and coordinator on homelessness, toured the Harvesi See Homeless page § on a | Katharine Hamer dum based on a petition signed by fun with it.” said White. Project with founder David Foster and North Van Liberal candidate Bill Bell (reflected in mirror). ay referendum momentum building “To saw abortion would not be possible, as News Reporter Lhamer@usnews.com WHEN the Alliance Party said that a 350,000-strong petition should be cnough to trigger a referendum, Stockwell Day probably was- n‘t thinking the subject would be himself. -North: Vancouver Alliance MP Ted White has put together a private member's: bill. (C-229) that would theoretically allow 3 national referen- three per cent of the population. Comedians with CBC's: satirical TV show This Hour Has 22 Minutes announced during ‘their Monday night episode that they were launch- ing their own referendum campaign. if enough people signed their Internet petition, said Rick Mercer, then Day should be made to change his first name to “Doris.” . The petition, posted on This Hours Web site <22minutes.com>, has spread like wildfire via e-mail. By Thursday morning, nearly 400,000 Canadians had signed their names. “T think: everybody's had great Stockwell and Val at a dinner and they both thought it was hilarious.” White said Day had no immediate plans to call himself Doris. He said the name-change petition would not pass muster, because referendum ideas would have to be filed with the House of Commons clerk and ruled as constitutional and within federal jurisdiction by three judges at the federal court level. “It’s not a situa- tion where any old Joe Smith could Start a petition to force a referen- dum,” he said. “You can’t just ran- domly start a petition.” White also said a referendum on banning abortion bad been declared unconstitutional in 1998. He said as the direct: democracy critic for the Allianee, the most com- mon, citizen-initiared referendum ideas he had heard were centred on law and order issues. Most frequent: ly mentioned were decriminalizing marijuana, eliminating concurrent sentences for serious offenders, and getting rid of the “faint hope clause” —— Section 745 of the Criminal Code, which allows convicted murderers sentenced to life imprisonment. to apply for parole after a set period of time. —- North Shore News - 3 ELECTION NOTEBOOK Political hopefuls pitch the cause NORTH Shore federal election candidates meet their voters at upcoming mectings: West Vancouver- Sunshine Coast Monday, Nev, 20 at 7:30 pa, oat othe Chateau Whistler, Empress Room B and ©. oe) Wednesday, Now 22) 7 pm. to 9 p.m. Squamish Chamber of Commerce is hosting an all-candidates meeting at Best Western Sea to Sky Hotel, 40330 Tantalus Way. yuu Friday, Now 24 at 7:30 pan, The West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce is hosting an all-candidates meeting with West Vancouver-Sunshing Coast candidates at West Vancouver secondary school in othe theatre. Roger Cavtord is the moderator for the event. goog North Vancouver ‘Tuesday Nov. 21, 7:30 a.m, to 9:30 am. The North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce is hosting an all- candidates meeting with North Vancouver candidates at Cheers Restaurant, 125 East 2nd Se.. North Vancouver. The event includes breakfast and costs $12 for chamber members and $15 for non-members, North Shore News execu- tive editor Timothy Renshaw is the moderator for the event. Contact the chamber at 987-4488 to p.m. to 9 p.m. Highlands Charch, Edgemont Community Association and Handsworth Secondary School are co-sponsoring an all-candidates meeting in North Vancouver at Highlands United Church, 3255 Edgemont Bivd., in North Vancouver. oQ0c0 Wednesday, Nov. 22, 7:45 p.m. in the gym at Parkgate - Community Centre in North Vancouver. The Blueridge, Seymour, Deep Cove and Seymour Valley community associations co-host the ses- sion. North Shore News editor Martin Millerchip will moderate the event. 900 Thursday, Nov. 23, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Rogers Cable 4 will be televising coverage of West Vancouver- Sunshine Coast candidates. North Vancouver candidates will air on the same night starting ac 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov, 27, 7 p.m. onward. Rogers will bread- cast live local election returns. The results will be updated constantly within minutes on election night. go9oa Monday, Nov. 27. The North Shore News will post a wrap-up of results on the Web at . Look for complete Nort. Vancouver candidate cover- age in the Sunday, Nov. 10° issue of the News. —~ Michnel Beckei