3 - Friday, March 31, 1989 - North Shore News Ree praises Vander Zaim in ist address to the house IN HIS FIRST address to the legislature as provincial so- licitor-general, North Vancouver-Capilano MLA Angus Ree heaped praise on the man who had elevated him to cabinet after nine years on the backbench — Premier Bill Vander Zalm. In a 20-minute address during the throne speech debate late last week -— which included everything from an explanation of his ministry's mandate to an attack on Opposition leader Mike Harcourt — Ree said he would continue to defend Vander Zalm. “To me, he’s the best man for leader of this province. SOLICITOR General Angus Ree ... ‘I'll defend our Premier any time.’’ (B.C.) is now economically bet- ter off than it ever has been be- fore. For a team to do what this government has done, it has to have a quality, top-notch lead- er, and that's what we have. “Pll defend our Premier any time, but I sure as heck would be embarrassed to defend your leader,’’ he told the NDP MLAs. The former government whip was named to the newly-created cabinet post last July 5, when Vander Zalm expanded the government leaders to 22 from 17, Ree, who was first elected in 1979, was one of only two law- yers in the Socred caucus (other than Bud Smith, who was nam- ed attorney-general). The other was Kim Campbell, who had openly criticized the Premier on several occasions for his method of governing. By JOHN PIFER Contributing Writer In his speech to the house, Ree even admitted that he ‘‘was really very pleased with the results of the last four byelec- tions”’ (all of which the Social Credit government lost), because it meant Harcourt was still Opposition Leader. “*He’s the best thing for us (Socreds) at the next election, and it's final elections that count. We know how the peo- ple of B.C. will vote because they know they can’t under- stand or trust what the philoso- phy of the Opposition is going to be from one day to the next,’’ said the solici- tor-general. In the only reference to his home riding, Ree expressed his gratitude to Highways Minister Neil Vant for putting to tender the construction of an overpass at Lonsdale and the Upper Levels Highway. “I've spoken on this issue since 1979... and I’ve worn the cloth out on the carpet on the way {to various ministers of highways. It’s almost like a bir- thday this year to have it finally announced.”’ The North Van-Capilano MLA expressed concern about whether it would take another 10 years to get an overpass at Westview and the Upper Levels, his next priority. Ree told the house his ministry’s three key respon- sibilities were police services, corrections, and the motor vehicle branch, as well as the overseeing of the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP). And he urged the public and the politicians to become ex- cited by and interested in the World Police and Fire Games Hf, scheduled for July 29 to Aug. 6 in Greater Vancouver. More than 6,000 athletes will compete, from more than 27 countries. Expansion of vehicle inspections announced NEWS photo Nell Lucente THE SHAW Cable system is dishing out a month’s worth of six extra channels for free beginning April 3. Starting in May, the company will be offering the pay TV channels at a reduced rate to viewers. System man- ager Terry Medd displays a brochure outlining the new service. Shaw Cable offers North Shore viewers six more channels NORTH SHORE cable television subscribers are in for a TV tube expanding experience starting April 3. Beginning Monday, Shaw Cable will be offering its 57,000 subscribers a month of additional channels free of charge. The video freebie heralds a new viewing era of what is called in the cable TV industry, ‘extended basic service’’. Said Shaw system manager Terry Medd: ‘‘We call it full cable service. [t means taking some pay TV channels and putting them out unscrambled.” Cable subscribers, who currently pay $11.45 plus tax for basic cable service, will be able to pick up six more channels for $2.95-plus-tax a month after April. The channels included in the package are The Nashville Network, The Sports Network, Cable News Network, Arts & Entertainment (N.Y.), WTVS PBS Detroit and MuchMusic. Pay TV channels not included in the package are the Family Chan- nel ($9.95 plus tax per month), Superchannel ($14.95 plus tax per month) and Cathay International ($21.95 plus tax per month) Shaw also offers The Family Channel and Superchannel together for Ry MICHAEL BECKER $17.95 plus tax per month. Viewers not wanting the addi- tional channels after April, must either call Shaw to cancel or send in a ‘‘no’’ card which will be in- cluded in a promotional package Shaw is mailing TV viewers next week. Shaw technicians wil! then install a trap, or filter, on to the viewer's cable line to block the six channels. Subscribers used to pay $10.95 extra to pick up the six channels. But at that price, Shaw was only able to attract 14.5 per cent, or 8,265, of its North Shore subscribers. “Price was the number one problem with getting people to pay for TV. Now it’s high volume, low margin selling,'’ Medd said. With the new deal, if national figures for acceptance of extended basic service hold true locally, Shaw can expect at least 80 per cent of its subscribers to buy into the new pay TV package. Medd said the cable conipany needs 60 to 65 per cent of its subscribers to pick it up to break even and turn a profit on the service. The new channels will be loaded into channels 14 through 19 in- clusive. YTV, which is now located on channel 14 will be bumped to channel 25, MuchMusic moves from 16 to 19, KOMO ABC 4 Seattle jumps from 17 to 22, KING NBC 5 Seattle moves from 18 to 23, KIRO CBS 7 Scattle hops from 19 to 24, Subscribers buying into the package will not need a descrambler to view them. A TV set with extended tuning capacity or a VCR will accommodate the extended range. Shaw Cable's 15 systems located in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and the Maritimes are all making the move to extended basic channel delivery. According to Medd the trend began within the industry about a year ago with smaller cable systems offering the option. “Shaw is one of the first multi- system operators to go extended. It’s a bit of a gamble, but it's a measured gamble because we've seen the successes of other com- panies,’ he said. SOLICITOR GENERAL Angus Ree recently announced that the provincial Commercial Vehicle Inspection Pro- gram will be expanded to cover smaller commercial vehi- Classified Ads cles effective April 1. Owners will be required to have annual inspections for commercial vehicles having a gross vehicle weight greater than 8,200 kg. and equal or less than 17,300 kg. The annual in- spections also apply to vehicles operating under the Motor Car- rier Authority weighing 17,300 kg. or less. The program will not apply to farm vehicles or trailers with gross vehicle weights of 17,300 kg. or less. Said Ree: '‘We are expanding the program because of the pos- itive results of Phase One of the program. Over the 2% years the program has been in place, we are able to report significant improvements in the overall safety condition of vehicles.” For vehicles on a preventive maintenance program, there was a 38 per cent improvement in mechanical condition and for vehicles receiving semi-annual or annual inspections there was a 31 per cent improvement. Licence renewal forms are being mailed out by ICBC to tell owners whether or not the vehicle requires an inspection. / Puzzling puzzle READERS FOUND themselves one puzzle piece short after clipping the pieces in Wednesday’s Car Care Contest, as one piece was inadvertently printed on the back of another. Above is the piece from page 28 of Wednesday’s paper. Doug Collins Editorial Page Garden Gate Mailbex.. What's Going On Friday, cloudy with showers. On the weekend, periods of rain, high 10°C. Second Class Registration Number 3885