INSIGHTS

HEY. THIS IS INTERESTING ... NOW, PEOPLE. FROM
THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE ARE GOING TO

SPAIN

AND “TAKING HOME GOLD.
j ee enna spontaneity

‘NEWS VIEWPOINT

Leap of faith

opposed to banning access to popu-

lar diving and swimming areas in
Lyon Canyon Park usually goes something
like this: ‘‘Common sense cannot he
tegisiated.’’ ;

While an attempt to control the whims
of dsredevils may be futile, there are in-
stances when soinething can be done to
stop potential tragedies from occurring.

Take the recent deaths associated with
bungee jumping, the latest sport-craze to
hit North America.

Six people have died around the world
while plunging from foot bridges or from
crane-operated jumps in the last three
years. .

Last week the first Canadian plummeted
to his death in Ontaric at a crane

T HE COMMON response of those

operated jump. The bungee cord was ap-
parently not secured. The jumper struck
his head on the greund during the fall.

Banning the popular sport may be
unrealistic, but making sure equipment
measures up to a certain standard of safety
could prevent future mishaps.

in New Zealand, the country that popu-
Jarized bungee jumping, safety standards
have been set that check equipment, per-
sonnel training and safety.

At the mement, Canada has no such
standards for thrill-seekers. Crane-operated
jumps, meanwhile, are proliferating
throughout the country. No one is in
charge of monitoring their safety records.

it would seem that in the world of
bungee, leaps of faith prevail over com-
mon sense.

NEWS QUOTES OF THE WEEK

**BDusty almast became smoke. It

Video Barbeque

keyboardist formation and Protection of

just amazes mz that people don’t
have consciences in this day and
age.”’

West Vancouver resident Teresa
McGowan, after her pet cat Dusty
was the victim of a hit and run
driver,

“It's ironic, because these guys
are always asking for something
original, and when we give it to
them, they don’t know what to do
_ with it.”

Publisher
Man:
te Editor

Comptroller

:..Peter Speck
ing Editor... Timothy Renshaw
Assoc! Noel Wright
Advertising Director ...Linda Stewart

Doug Foot

Scott Hiarker, on originality in the
modern music business.

“i know that the general consen-
sus here is that this bill is a good
idea, but the real concern is that
there are so many exemptions in
this bill — they go on for pages,
it’s almost like a nightmare, like
something out of Franz Kafka.”’
B.C. Press Council (BCPC) ex-
ecutive secretary Gerry Porter on
the new provincia! Freedom of In-

Display Advertising 980-0511
Real Estate Advertising 985-6982
Newsroom 985-2131

‘Tiel VONCE 08 MOWTH AO WEST WANCOUVER

Distribution
Subscriptions 286-1337

Classified Advertising 986-6222 Fax
Administration 985-2131

Privacy Bill.

“It wouldn't be so bad if they
were just sunbathing, but they're
exhibitionists. They float right in
front of the house on their air
mattresses. There’s a lot of sex
going on. Many homosexuals use
the beach, and we fear drugs will
be next.’’

Alberta) Bay resident Myrna
Gates on exposed people spotted
at Brunswick Beach.

986-1337 &

Printed on:
10% recycled

8 newsprint
North Shore managed

85-3227

MEMBER

Time for plain
talking about
what Canada is

ELEVEN FIFTY-NINE p.m. is a fine time to start facing
reality, but faced it must be. That makes tomorrow’s
renewed constitutional pow-wow a last chance for our so-
called leaders to earn their title.

Quebec policy, dictated by a
radical separatist minority, clings
to a 19th century concept cf
Canada as two equal founding
races — who shared at that time
an area one-tenth the size of to-
day’s country.

A century and a half later this
concept is pure fantasy. Canada in
the 1990s — spread over 10 mil-
lion sq.km. -—— consists of 10 equal
provinces, two territories and its
native people. Far from 95% of
Canadians being of either British
or French descent, we are now,
for better or worse, a mix of races
frons every corner of the globe.

This is the reality recognized in
the constitutional package the rest
of Canada’s nine premiers finally
approved in june —— the vast,
many-faced Canada of 1992 ver-
sus Lord Durham’s tiny 1840
union. But it’s a reality Quebec’s
unhappy spokesman, Premier
Robert Bourassa, dare not openly
acknowledge from fear of his ex-
tremists back home.

Now — just 28 days before
Bourassa must decide if separation
is to be the question in Quebec’s
October referendum — the two
concepts are at the point of
head-on collision. It’s time for
very plain talk.

First, the nine premiers must
stress the heartfelt wish of most of
their 75% of the population to
keep Quebec in Canada. But se-
cond, they must aiso reject all
pressure by Bourassa and his
lackey Brian Mulroney for basic
changes to their constitutional
package, which aims at serving
equitably EVERY pariner in to-
day's Confederation.

If Bourassa can’t sell that con-
cent to Quebec — due to his two
million (at most) separatist
dinosaurs — it’s equally unthink-
able that 90% of Canadians, in-
cluding a possible majority of
Quebecers themselves, should be
forced to dance to the traitors’
tune.

Finally, the nine premiers must
do everything possible to ensure
Quebecers know the harsh costs of
separation, which economic
studies put at five times higher
than for the rest of Canada.
Quebecers are entitled to the facts
needed for an informed choice —
facts they may not easily get from
Ottawa or their own separatist-
leaning media.

The rest of the nation would
survive without Quebec. Sadly and

Noel .
Wright

Sk
HITHER AND YON

at first painfully — but az least
spared the shame of surrendering
to political blackmailers by
betraying the reality that Canada
now is.

TAILPIECES: Creativity, beauty
and harmony come alive al! next
week in the parks and on the
beaches and streets of West Van —
during its second annual Harmony
Arts Festival — seven days of
concerts, art in the park, *‘Art-
beat”’ store windows, street and
restaurant pesformers, crafts, a
Creative Kids Day and, as the
grand finale, an outdoor celebrity
auction of works by acclaimed ar-
tists. If you’ve sometimes :
wondered what really makes Tid-
dlycove tick, this is the week to

get out and around, and discover .
the secret at first hand ... From

the Better Late Dept., welcome to ~
the ‘‘Golden Club’’ new North = *
Van members Roy and Elsie
Barnett who celebrated their 50th
anniversary on Aug. 6... Many,
happy returns of tomorrow, Aug.
10, to North Van’s Florence Cur- .~
rie ... Next day, Aug. 11, 2 100-
candie salute for Emity Sharman

at Inglewood Lodge, a West Van.
resident since 1925 ... And also on - ©
Tuesday, happy 94th birthday to
North Van’s Frank Pew.

WRIGHT OR WRONG: If you _:
don’t deal with reality, reality
eventually deals with YOU (Gor-.~
den Gibson Jr.).

Worth Shore News, founded in 1969 as an
independent suburban newspaper and qualifies
under Schedule 111, Paragraph Ill of the Excise
Tax Act, ¢ published each Wednesday, Friday and
Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid. and
Gstiduted to every door on ihe North Shore.
Second Class Mail Registration Number 3895.
Sutyscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per
ear. Mailing rates available on request.
issions are welcome but we cannot accept
responsibility for unsolicited material inctuding
manuscripis and pictures which should be
accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope.

‘north shore ¥
north shore | > Sri
a

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“Entire contents © 1992 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

NEWS phate Nuil Lucente

WELCOMING SMILE at the golden years ahead - firefighter Bitl
Clark who retired from the North Vancouver District Fire
Department July 31 after 30 years of service.

61,582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday}