A MAJOR construction project is underway at the mouth of the Capilano River. The Squamish Indian Band has received permission from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the environment ministry to raise the banks of the river in a bid to correct the problem of the river overflowing its banks. The project has been the subject of criticism from some people. Federal panel to investigate the NEWS photo Cindy Goodman issue of violence against women NV resicent joining 15-month tour of country ‘. NORTH Vancouver lawyer is among nine people named this week to a federal panel that will travel across Canada 19 investigate the extent and nature of violence against vomen. “ero tolerance of violence against women is the long-term goal of the government, said West Vancouver-Capilano MP Mary Collins. “Our society should look at this issue from the kind of perspective in the same way we do with drink- ing and driving, to say that it is not acceptable any longer. Vio- lence agaist women should not be acceptable in our society,’’ said Collins, the minister responsible for the status of women. North Vancouver resident Mobina Jaffer will join the panel on its 15-month tour of com- munities to gather public input. Vice presideat of the B.C. and Yukon National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada, Jaffer also Oo ] Index @ High Profiles........ 3c Gary Bannerman .... @ @ Cocktails & Caviar ...29 @ Comics............. 28 WM Fashion ............ 15 Mi Horoscopes ......... 28 B® Lifestyles ........... 25 Mi Travel ............. 14 W Vintage Years....... 26 @ What's Going On....419 Weather Monday and Tuesday, mostly sunny, Highs 26°C. Second Class Registration Number 3885 By Elizabeth Collings News Reporter chairs the B.C. Task Force on Family Violence. Lynne Melcombe, coordinator of the North Shore Women's Centre, welcomed the announce- ment of the panel. “Any action of this kind is a positive first step. In fact, for the federal government it's more than the first step,’’ said Melcombe, referring to the federal govern- ment’s Family Violence Initiative and the Framework for a National Strategy on Violence Against Women. While the panel will be advised by experts on the circumstances of improvements. Council now will pay all the road reconstruction charges when a road is classified as a “collector’’ or vital link serving a school. In the Cove Cliff School area, the policy change will cost the district $919,000 in- stead of $863,000 for im- provements to Cliffmont and Banbury Roads. But Ald. Paul Turner asked the rest of council to consider the precedent being set. “What are the implications of like roads?"’ said Turner. aboriginal women, disabled women and women in northern and remote communities, Melcombe said she hoped the issues of immigrant and visible minority women would not be overlooked. “There is a great deal of mis- understanding in our society as to the nature of violence against women with people outside our culture when they come to our country,’’ she said, adding that Jaffer was the panel’s only visible minority representative that she was aware of, Melcombe is also concerned about the depth of the study which she said appears to be a response to public demand for a royal commission. “Will this be as in-depth inqui- ry into violence against women as a royal commission would be?’’ she asked. The panel will present a report with recommendations to Collins in December 1992. District changes road policy RESIDENTS LIVING near the new Cove Cliff School won’t be picking up any of their road-im- provement tab after North Vancouver District Council decided Tuesday to change it s policy concerning local By Anna Marie D’ Angelo Contributing Writer Acting municipal manager John Bremner said the district’s collector roads were established and not open to a subjective assessment by resi- dents. He said if a similar situation arose concerning road im- provement near a school, the district’s cost was only 6.5% more without the local residents’ funds. “ET don't quite accept the Collins said she expects the price of the panel to come in at approximately $10 million. The mandate of the panel is “very broad,"’ she said. “We really need to know how is it we should be spending our money, what are our priorities, how in the fong term, perhaps, maybe we'll be able to reduce the money we spend because we really are reducing the probiem. | don’t know if that’s possible but we need to have a plan and have a sense of where we're going given the goal that | set out of zero tol- erance,’’ Collins added. But Melcombe said that while she recognized the government's need to document its fiscal expen- ditures, money could be allocated to some areas without further study. “There are certain areas, such as the need for more positions in transition houses which have al- ready been clearly documented,”’ Melcombe said. Statement that the (Cliffmont and Banbury Roads) project was driven by the school,’’ said Bremner. ‘‘The road was very poor and the timing (of the project) was driven by the school. The project is re- quired,** he added. Many Cliffmont and Ban- bury Roads residents objected to paying for the upgrade and petitioned against the project. The residents said both roads were vital links te the Deep Cove area. Cliffmont and Banbury Roads residents claimed they were being forced into local improvements which would serve the entire community. Council members voted unanimously to change the tocal-improvement policy. A VANCOUVER artist has discovered in the Capilano Watershed what he believes to be the tallest Pacific Yew tree in existence and wants to see protection for it and the surrounding forest of yews from logging. By Elizabeth Collings News Reporter Ralf Kelman said he has spent several years working on his *‘T- Research’’ project on the North Shore mountains. He claims the area to be more ecologically unique than the much vaunted forest areas on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The local sculptor and painter is already credited in Randy Stoltman’s Hiking Guide to the Big Trees of Southwestern B.C. with finding the tallest) and thickest Pacific Yew in B.C. According to the guide, Kelman’s finds include an 84-foot yew tree and another yew tree that is 9°4"" in circumference. Although the focation of the trees are listed as Capilano River, Kelman said they are actually located in the Capilano watershed, which is closed to public access. And now Kelman said he has discovered a 100-foot yew tree which, if confirmed, would be the tallest of its species. “It’s a forest of yew trees. There are hundreds of them. The reason they're there —~_ this astonishing legacy — is that they selectively logged this area at the turn of the century,’’ Kelman said. ‘‘It (yew) wasn’t considered to be of commercial value."’ Kelman and North Shore photographer Ross Muirhead are forming an environmental group called Friends of the Watershed, to raise awareness of the ecologically unique areas in the watershed. “There's incredible tourist value here. You don’t need to go to the Carmanah Valley,’" said Muirhead. ‘“‘In the Capilano wa- tershed we’ve got the prime sam- ples of yew trees. Are they aware of it? Are they going to protect it?” asks Muirhead. But approximately two-thirds of the Capilano, Seymour and Co- quitlam watersheds are already in a reserve, according to Derek Bonin, superintendant of forestry operations for the Greater Van- couver Regional District. Bonin said he is unaware of any record-size yews in the three wa- tersheds, adding that he would be interested in finding out more about Kelman’s discovery. According to Muirhead, the huge yew trees could be used as a gene pool to grow commercial yews. The bark of the tree is used to produce the drug taxol, which is used to treat cancer patients. Bonin said the GVRD has had some interest from contractors to harvest yew trees for their bark. But Stoltman said he fears the recent discovery of taxol may lead to a ‘“‘goldrush’’ mentality where yews — a very slow growing tree — will be logged for their bark. The yews that Kelman discovered should be designated an ecological reserve where they could be used as a gene pool and for research, he argues. For more information about Friends of the Watershed, call 986-9773.