Al - Sunday, March 13, 1983 - North Shore News

We just want to say...

Over the past several weeks the
Fire Fighters of the District of
North Vancouver have carried on
a campaign in an attempt to save
the Rescue and Safety Unit
(Mini-Pumper) from the long
knife of the District Mayor and
Council. We were unsuccessful.
As of last Tuesday the citizens of
North Vancouver have been
denied one of the most effective
safety and rescue tools available.

~~ When we started the fight to
save the mini-pumper we asked
the people of North Vancouver to
get behind us, after all it is the
citizens who will ultimately be

- the real losers because of ©
council’s decision. The response
to our appeal for public
assistance was overwhelming.

Over eighteen thousand
residents of the District signed
our petition to council, and they
did it in only three weeks. In
spite of the overwhelming support
from the electorate and the
media, the elitist arrogance of the
Iistnct Mayor and Council won
the day. Even though more
people than voted in the last
distnct election signed the
petition the council, save one
alderman, voted to put the lives
and property of the people who

elected them in jeopardy! Instead
of having the courage to say, “We
made a mistake”’, they simply
ignored the pleas of your Fire
Fighters and the people of North
Vancouver.

We believe that it is the
responsibility of elected officials
to respond to the needs and
desires of their constituents, not
only at election time, but
throughout their term of office.
Obviously our interpretation of
the democratic system varies
considerably from the people who
form the Distnct Council.

The Fight is Not Over

The Mayor and Council may be
sitting back with smug
satisfaction at being successful in
doing what they set out to do, but
as far as we are concerned the
fight is a long way from being
over! Yes, the Mini-Pumper is
gone and it is highly unlikely
that it will return, however each
one of those people on Council
has to run for office again if they
want to maintain their seats on
Counal. That is where we intend
to take this fight!

It is our behef that we cannot
afford to have our T)istrct run by
elitism and arrogance. We need

K YO

honourable dedicated people to
run our District. That means we
need to change the people who
presently hold office and that is
exactly what we intend to do!

Our organization has sat back
far too long and allowed
politicians to play with the safety
of the people we work for. But we
cannot do it alone. We will be
calling on the people of North
Vancouver to help us again and
we are sure we will get the same
positive response.

_ WE WANT TO ASSURE THE
PEOPLE OF NORTH
VANCOUVER THAT WE WILL
DO EVERYTHING IN OUR
POWER TO MAKE SURE
THAT NO ONE SUFFERS
BECAUSE OF THE DISTRICT
MAYOR AND COUNCIL'S
LUDICROUS DECISION TO
KILL THE MINI-PUMPER! WE
WILL USE ALL OF OUR
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO
KEEP NORTH VANCOUVER A
SAFE PLACE TO LIVE! YOU
WERE THERE WHEN WE
NEEDED YOU — WE'LL BE
THERE WHEN YOU NEED US!

Once again our sincere thanks
to all of you who supported us.

_ THE FIRE
FIGHTERS OF

Dragman, V
Hamilton, J
Drummond, J

Swan, T
Chvala, [)
Howell, R

Spouler, ©
Cralway, W
Howes, S

Anderson, I) 1.
Feenstra, S

Member Jensen, |. S

NORTH Smith, K Ramsay, B Atkinson, 5S K Lawson, G Delmonico, ROA
Sadler, © Harrison, K Bagnall, B Merritt, G Macauley, K. FW

VANCOUVER: Kean, K Blackett, B Bartels, I. Parkinson, (; Peterson, G 1)
Christe. 1Z¢ Landner, S Biela, W Petersen, N Santaga, |) Vv
Ternion, K l.yons, W Inekinson, 1) Smith, G Younger, L. &
Wade, C- Maurer, J Doe, K Grant, WoL. Spence, R
Reda I. Oborne, G3 Kleming, K Mains, R A Beath, 1) B
Williams 1) Hastings, J Galpin, DD Burdett, K ©) Brodadbent, KC
Nitchie, H Salo R Lamont, 1) Gibson, 4; M Dennis, BI)
Barnett. R McKay, H Mulholland. M Scoten, CoB Franco, 1)

Chapman, 1) Burchill, J Potter, (; Willett, A

Jones, R

Tron, R Embley, K Souter, K Paller, G3 M lawton, G
Vanderkley W McBnde Kradus, A Cavanaugh, WOK Leavold,
loavig, K McBurney, A Hanson, K Marshall, t) Kexworthy KOA
Clark : WwW Dickie, M Price, T Krause, (CW Smith, (J
Taylor, J Weeks, G Atkins, B Foster, G A Burrows, KI)
Smith A Weir, J Batt, A Falcon, G H Hunter Be ¢
Tracy. 1. Whaley. 1) Bruce, W Walker, J. A. Jung. 5S

Tarves ! Citbson M Hodson, K Lazenby, |. 1) Lae K

Malet Veale. FE
Villeneuve S
Caulder
Crould J)
Koper fk
Surine (

laorentzen
Carant. K
Parente HK
Wyllie 1)
Tbaaravct ¢
Cameron fF

Kellahan, J
Possey 1)
Stegavig,
Coiger, R
Bresaten, 1)
Abrains, T

Metcalf, Jk
Bullock, HE W
Dovle, BoM
Park, Wo;
Woodworth, KJ

Hansen, Pook

leperaafs i
Isurgpess Andrew ¢,
Kobertshaw ¢,
Shuster N

Hiavuge |)

Local 2183

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