6 - North Shore News — Wednesday, March 15, 2000 == VIEW POINT: Fast fai T’S far more than a failed experi- ment. BC Ferries Minister Joy acPhail’s comment in delivering the news this week that her govern- ment was pulling the plug on the province’s disastrous fast ferry pro- gram was more than a spin-do-‘ored understatement. It was an insult to the province and everyone the NDP has misled over the past six years about one of the most poorly conceived and woefully mis- managed projects to have been sired in B.C. Rather than a grudging admis- sion of the fast ferry failure, the min- ister and her government owe the province an apviogy. Right up until revelations that the project was fiscally out of control and accountable to no one, the NDP was vaunting its value to the province and industry. The cold reality of the pro- ject is that it has done more to harm both the integrity of the province and its shipbuilding industry that any major project in recent memory. Further details of the fiasco may never come to light. The NDP has scotched any plans for a full inquiry into the mess. What we know in the end, howev- er, is that a project originally estimat- ed to cost $210 million ended up cost- ing over $466 million and that vessels costing approximately $326 miilion to build will be liquidated for $120 millicn if there are any off-shore par- ties willing to buy them. The fast ferries were a failed exper- iment ali right, 2 failed experiment from a failed government that shouid be sent sailing into the sunset aboard the vessels at the core of this disaster, DIPN'T GLEN CLARK BoasT “THEY SAID WE COULDN'T PO IT" WHEN HE LAUNCHED THE FAST CATS? 4 REFERRING To THROWING $327 MILLION DOWN the revival of B.C.’s shipbuilding raiibox Transit is missing the bus in North Vancouver Dear Editor: ; On a recent Sunday at 2:39 p.m. 1 just missed the 229 bus going up Lonsdale. . I sat and waited for half an hour for another bus. At 3:04, another 229 bus approached but didn’t bother to sttp to pick me up or another person who was also wait- ing... - ; -: We-were forced to wait another 30 minutes for a bus. ‘Thus I waited an hour to take the transit to my destina- tion. : “. The 229 bus appeared to have people standing, but it wasn’t full. In North Vancouver, the buses run every half- hour. However, across the inlet in Vancouver, the buses run every 15 minutes. ; . Transit says that more buses are put on in Vancouver because there are more people using them. Does that . mean that people in North Vancouver and other munici- “ palities have to endure poor service so that those. in “;Mancouver can have excellent service? ; .,_,P could possibly understand a bus being full on a week- day during rush hour, but on a Sunday afterncon I can sce No regson. oo _. Transit. has been advertising for years for us to leave “our vehicles at home and take the bus. That appears to be fine if your time is worthless. But I don’t know of many people who enjoy sitting at-a bus stop for an hour when ‘they could be doing more important things in their lives. - Transit officials say they have no money to expand the service in North Vancouver, - They seem to have enough money to expand the SkyTraix: and buy new buses for Vancouver. We in North ; Vancouver are still using some buses that are over 25 years old. - - “:. There is a strong misconception that people living on ‘the North Shore are ail wealthy. A large percentage of the _transit users. are retired, handicapped, and low-income “earners. Are these people second-class citizens? “ David Wilson : * North Vancouver Hors Shore Stews, founded in 1963 as an” independent suburban newspaper and quaiied onder Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 o/ the Excise Tax Act, 1S pubSshed each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by HCN Publications Company and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mai Sates Product Agreement Wo. 0087238, THE DRAIN. TV cameras not kind to Campbell IS TV — specifically its sews and public affairs programs — che real villain respon- sible for the dubi- ous political choic- es we so often seem to make nowadays? Could Sir John A., Laurier or Mackenzie King ever have survived the relentlessly probing eye of the TV camera? Why is telegenic Pierre Trudeau — whose kindergarten economics pushed Canada to the brink of bankrupt- cy — still a national icon? How many sec- onds did it take Brian Muironey to destroy Liberal leader John Turner (“You had a choice, sir!”) im that 1984 TV elec- tion debate? We're talking today about the soul- wrenching personal cilemma facing cur- rent B.C. Liberal leader Gordon Campbell — the beacon of hope for the almost three out of four Britis Columbians panting to rid themselves as fast as possible of the scandal-plagued NDP government. At the same time, a feader whom almost none except those close to him can bring themselves to LIKE. In the latest MarkTrend poil the Liberals were favoured by 53% over the NDP with 27%. But when it came to preference for premier, the NDP’s Ujjal Dosanjh scored 39% to Campbell’s pathetic 27%. And this, after six whole years leading the party which a solid majority of British Columbians see as their only chance of salvation from a decade of NDP arrogance, incompetence Manager $85-2131 (218) and corruption. Slanderous rumuurs about Campbell personally were spread by the NDP dur- ing the 1996 election campaign — none ever substantiated, though some mud may have stuck. As Vancouver mayor he was reputed to be a developer-lover and crony of Howe Street. He lost the 1996 election, despite win- ning the majority vote, because media-savvy Glen Clark, the now disgraced former NDP premier, ran publicity rings round him in the closing stages of the campaign that was Campbell’s to lose. Yet none of this explains why, after six years heading B.C.’s government-in-wait- ing and proclaiming so many clearly pop- ular policies, so few British Columbians warm to him. _Since the only time the vast majority of them ever see him is on the tube, and is ‘ight of the much more positive picture painted by those who know him, one is driven to the conclusion that the fault has £0 lic in Gordon’s TV persona. The trouble with the tube is that TV is run by professionals: the familiar daily" anchors, interviewers and commentators who master the tricks of on-camera appeal because that’s their daily bread. So eirs is the standard we subconsciously demand of anyone who takes over the screen to talk to us. On the other hand, their sporadic guests, dependent on the individual per- sonality, seldom match the pros’ relaxed, polished appeal. [adeed, some people simply tend to freeze before ANY camera , Noel Wrigat hither and yor lens, even that of their loving spouse’s heliday Minolta. Imagine, then, how . such people are likely to come across fac- ing the TV camera all alone and directly addressing a vast unseen audience. © - ©, Thus the challenge faced in varying -, degree by all major political leaders who | regularly appear alone on TV. They must: learn from the pros -~- the timely smile; attractive body language; the dash of kindly humour; how to emphasize impor-."" tant points instead of reeling them all off. like a shopping list; above all, once facts and policies have been dealt with, that -. vital “vision thing” as an upbeat epilo; ; Gordon Campbell could use a top TV... performance consultant. Eut don’t forget that some of history’s greatest leaders would doubtless have appeared on-cam- era as cold fish or crashing bores /...°) 0° So next time you watch’a TV clip of... B.C.’s Liberal leader and ask yourself why you can’t seer to like the guy, consider this: had TV been around for. the past 130 years, Sir John A., Laurier and 2" Mackenzie King might well be inere foo notes in our history books — if they °- rated a mention allt... = g00.. MANY HAPPY RETURNS of row, March 16, to former West Van mayor Peter Jones ...:And also tomo! row, wish the same again to North Vah birthday girl Jeanne Wintemute oaQ: " WRIGHT OR WRONG: Given choice between two theories, take the’ one that’s funnier. : aan LETTERS 10 THE EDITOR Latters must include your name, full address & telephone number, - VIA e-mail: Wenshaw@nsnews.com - 85-2131 (133) - ddhalwalgnsnews.com —_dloot@nsnews.com ark Fancher Creative Services Director 905-2131 (127) miancher@nsnews.com 61,582 (average circulaticn, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday} a CN Publications & Re Ee ete te The North Shore Veen rr. aes a dvhitman@nsnews.com Entire contents © 1999 HCN Publications Company. 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