A6 - Wednesday, April 13, 1983 - North Shore News ERE editorial page| Minority option The two-party system may be facing as big a test in the current provincial election as either the Socreds or the NDP. Supporters of the two-party system argue that the elimination of additional minority parties is the best guarantee of strong, stable government. When the election contest is effectively reduced to just two contending groups, as happened in 1979, the winners automatically take all - enjoying a -per- manent majority in the Legislature until they choose to call the next election. Firm, safe majorities alone, however, do not necessarily make for GOOD govern- ment. If they did, Russia and every other dictatorship would obviously boast the best governments in the world. Conversely, the best of the four Trudeau governments, in terms of responsiveness to public opinion and constructive legislation, was almost certainly the 1972-74 ad- ministration, when the federal Liberals lacked an overall majority and were dependent for day-to-day survival on the NDP minority. As the old saying goes, nothing sharpens a man’s wits as keenly as the prospect of being hanged the next morning. The naked Socred-NDP polarization which has dominated B.C. politics since 1979 does not make for thoughful and creative solutions to economic and social problems, because each party tends to concentrate, instead, primarily upon destroying the other's credibility. If one or more minority parties won just enough seats on May 5 to keep the government constantly on its toes, B.C.’s future might be a good deal brighter. Out of touch? President Reagan doesn't like the film. His justice department has even restricted its showing in the U.S. Yet on Monday the powerful anti-nuclear documentary “If You Love This Planet”, produced by Canada’s National Film Board, won the film industry's highest honor, an Oscar. It's a long road, of course, from Hollywood to Washington. Maybe that’s why former movie actor Reagan shows signs of getting out of touch with his audience. VERE VOKLE OF POTTTN AND WEST VANUUVCEE sunday rr @aAAG Display Advertising 980-0511 north shore H Classified Advertising 986-6222 news Newsroom 985-2131 ’ Circulation 986.1337 1139 Lonsdale Ave . North Vancouver BC V7M 2H4 Publisher Peter Spach Associate Publisher Robert Graham Editor in-chiet Nool Wright Advertising Otrector Timm France is Porsonnel Director Mrs) Bere balla Circulation Director bran AE thts Production Director Cotvern dobyrisscoes Ofttice Managor Ddoorvesey Car caiedy Very Peters North Shore Newa fbocicderd FOr ag bet ese TPO Gam cae eer bergverrecdevet oocpetaricety Reet ge eeabe teres ge rebar tacimne tan Act Soe Peer duate: ME bene UB Paar emg pe nget Ut tte ws peatobatied each Wemescary and tsaniday Oy Neth erverey Chencr thea Noa pe tt Nurmnte st" Eatice caontonts 1967 North Shore free Proas lid All nights reserved Forever Poresnn G ded carved dee tr ab oeateved te SyPyer es Sven cord tC bers Maral b Mes git atic or “peatoene cogetecarit Nett aed Wert vate cnewen $.¢ bres pasar eter av calender cae Cem gesernt VERE CIRCULATION 64 460 Wednesday 64 276 Gunday LS SK] THIS PAPER IS RECYCLABLE Photography Manager MAINSTREAM CANADA Business restraint is for real By W. ROGER WORTH Restraint seems to be the byword these days, not only for governments, but for the private sector as well. Ottawa, for example, is preaching (and taking credit for) something called 6 and 5 for public sector employees, which, if the truth be known, is really more like a 9 to 10 percent salary increase for most of the nation’s federal civil servants. But that’s Ottawa's confusing double talk, and without “restraint”, the compensation package could be a lot higher. In the private sector, well- financed big companies have shaved settlements’ with unionized employees, but wage increases are still surpassing the six percent mark. But no matter whether the raises are 6 percent or 10 percent, the fact remains that the third of the labor force that is unionized is getting a better deal than people who work where salaries are related to productivity, declining sales in a recession or the very grim situations where companies are forced to tighten the reins or go broke. What's amazing is that so many people working for smaller firms have accepted this reality with so little complaint, many times taking less money than their counterparts in government and big business in order to keep their jobs and allow their firms to survive. Consider what's pening: @ In a recent “Hard Facts” survey, 14,171 members of the 64,000-strong Canadian Federation of Independent Business reported that average layoffs among the companies totalled 42,479 since January of 1981. That’s about three employees laid hap- off for each firm that responded. On a national basis, that would mean 700,000 to 800,000 fewer jobs in the small business sector in the last two years. What's more, about 30 percent of the respondents had cut work hours for those remaining on the payroll. ® Now comes the hard part. As a result of market conditions, fully two-thirds “Hooper, you've been with the company thirty years. You've worked hard and saved your money. Could you let me have $200 until Friday?” of the Federation members who responded were forced to reduce normal wage increases for employees. Of these, 38 percent were not able to provide raises at all, another 18 percent settled for wage hikes of less than 6 percent and about 5 percent of the firms actually had to cut employee salaries. ® But if employees of small firms were hurt, the owner/- managers suffered even more. A whopping 70 percent of respondents had accepted less compensation than normal. Of these, 30 percent took no increase at all, and a similar number were forced to reduce their pay packages. The point, of course, is that these smaller firms and their employees that were forced to bite the bullet are still in business. Even though they are hurting, these firms haven't been included in the near-- record numbers of bankruptcies and receiverships. In addition, the employees stull have jobs. It's little wonder then, that such entrepreneurs and workers get upset when coddled civil servants complain about salary in- creases of 9 or 10 percent. After all, it's these small business people who are forced to foot the tax bill, even if they are earning less money. CFIB Feature Service Arise, W. Van‘s new knight! IF YOU WANT to watch the real action on the North Shore during this first warm-up week of the May 5 provincial election, forget about the two North Vancouver ndings for the next 36 hours. Tune, instead, to the West Vancouver-Howe Sound Social Credit Constituency Association. Thirteen days ago Tid dlycove’s three-piece and blue-mnse set was left high and = dry not caturely unexpectedly by the retirement of its) MLA of 17 years, Attorney General Allan Wilhams, to seek a happrer life than the Victoria bear pit has given him tn recent times The West Van Socred nomination was suddenly up for grabs and the number of grabbers emerging from the woodwork has amazed hocal party organizers At the constituency association's nominating mecting, which starts at 7 p m tomorrow cvcening (Thursday, April 14) 1n Sentinel High School, no less than six and possibly as many as cight’ hopefuls will be slugging it out for the honor of donning Mr Wilhams’ mantle KEEP BREATHING, Perhaps Ws not so sur prising after all When at comes to repelling — the hordes West low the arc the only game in Last time Mr Willhams (a Laberal turned So«red in the from shores presently sor ballast Vans Socreds town sacred cause) won the game again with o massive 10 600 mayporily If history means anvihiny , Noe i evening has only to continuc breathing for the next 22 days to become an instant MLA West Van Howe Sound 1s nos a mding that keeps Premier Bennett awake at nights lt follows, therefore, that tomorrow's Socred choice ts of keen interest to all West Van citizens who are in vited fo attend the mectung. even though only con stilucency assoctation members can vote The tour heavyweights arc Mark Sager, last year’s West Van school board chairman, John Reynolds, 1972-77 Lory MP for Burnaby-Richmond Delta and former CJOR talk show host, Dan Cumming. chairman of the Squamish Lillooet Regional District and Mary Kerr, chairman of the BC Housing Management Commission and a former (1905 74) West Van alderman Also in the race are outdoorsman and newspaper colummaist Mike Cramond and dental mechani Trevor Neate together with “possibles Chuck Con naghan a welh known in dustrial relations Consultant and Bert Fleming of West Van Central Ratepayers whe was defeated last November tno on td for the mayors chante FRONT RUNNERS vege Wher AN tet ve focus Noel Wright has been widely touted as Withams' = automatic = suc cessor and is) believed to enjoy the retiring MLA 5 blessing in the nomination contest Latterty. he addcd to has fecosd has municipal provincial Browne points as Chairman some of Bducauon Manister Bill Vander Zalm's commision on school adminstration costs Premics Bennett is rumored to approve of him Sager s main problem ts his age owhich bas critics cquate with “immaturity The uluimate question of course bemg how far young Marks considerable car penience of puble life mvc the goarst five years tas been tate tre ch obey Rebs avtoadiny learn. Reynolds’ credenuals and high profile speak for themselves. If chosen, he would remain a Tory in Socred clothing. But his dedication as a socialist basher 1s not in) question. and that’s what matters first Personable Dan Cumming enjoys a solid reputauion as a municipal and regional pohtcian along Howe Sound and points north an this riding that extends to Pemberton His chiet weakness ties in being relauvely unknown in West Van itself A sound con tender, nevertheless Mary Kerr can claim an intimate knowledge of the mding from her more recent background as a local newspaper columnist and talk shore hostess on community TV An oar ticulate) lady with = many useful contacts ian the corndors of power As to the three or four other worthties, their best hope for the moment hes tn remembering Joc Who Nothing in nomination pohttes ts) actually im possible unal the first ballot has been counted Local Socred organisers are prepared for as many as SOO card carrying voters to crowd into the Senaunc!l auditorium tomorrow Add oa aumbecr of citizen observers whose stake tn the Outcome is pust as vital as thatofl the party tastttul and the dubbing of Taddlycove > hew Soctred knight oon aeMour prrmomines to er cveninpy to remember