Quebec question answered By Jolanda Waski's I aemeetineaeehemtemarntiont tie mememaneeerdiaana reread Contributing Writer SHOULD Quebee stay or go? Last week's televised debate by federal party leaders pushed the national unity hot button. ‘The News asked the question at Lonsdate Quay on Tuesdays Wa Scott Goss, 30, of West Vancouver, “I don't much eare, [just wish they'd shut up and make up their minds. Everything that was Hudson’s Bay Company should remain in manada, they can get Quebec and Montreal,” @ Bonnie Barrett, 18, of North Vancouver, “Detinitely stay . @ Bruce Sweetland, 64, of Newfoundland, “Detinitely stay, They're such an integral part of Canada, Their flavor adds to the whole country,” B William = Tickle, 53, Vancouver, “Stay T guess,” @ Jennifer Wightman, 29, North Vancouver, “They should stay because they're part of Canada, We've got a lot of different ethnic groups and they unite well within Canada I can’t see why (Quebec) can’t.” B Ward Kruse, 53, South Surrey, “[’'m indifferent, I'd like to see chem stay but they’re Pm tired of paying for them to stay in Canada. They should stay or go.” @ Jollean Matsen, 51, Surrey, “They should stay because divided ou fall.” NEWS ANALYSIS North ae dirt 7. Sieg Pat) x BONE BARRETT + NEWS photos Mike Wakofleld BRUCE SWEETLAND Wadnosday, May 2 I JENNIFER wiGHTMA / 1, tog? ~ Narth Shore News « 3 6 JOLLEAN MATSEN Federal candidates speak out at meetings BB AN all-candidates day, featuring candidates from both North Shore ridings, is scheduled for Sacurday, May 24, at Park Royal Shopping Centre. Your chance to press the-tlesh with the flesh-pressing experts runs noon to 5 mn For more information, call shopping centre marketing director Cindy Lone at 922-3211. @ ON Tuesday, May 27, a West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast all-candidates mecting takes place at Irwin Park elementary school at 2455 Haywood. The 7:30 p.m. mecting will include introductions, opening and closing candidate statements and questions from the floor, I $ being sponsored by the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, If you require more information, call Roger Cayford at 665-2755. W@ THE North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce hosts an all-candidates meeting, 7 p.m., Thursday, May 29 at Capilano Mall, ‘The event will be held at the grand court entrance w (by the water fountain), For more infor- mation call Pau) Clausen at 987-4488. 8 COME out and see first-hand what all the ‘Ted White-versus-Warren Kinsella fuss is about, A Noreh Vancouver all-candidates meeting is sched- uled for Highlands United Church on Wednesday, May 28, The 7:30 p.m, to 9:30 p.m. meeting is being co-sponsored by 3255 Edgemont Blvd. Handsworth secondary schoo! and Highlands United Church, located at Free speech is a tough sel By Timothy Renshaw Managing Editor trenshaw@direct.ca NOTES from the free speech front: Selling the free speech message is like shouting into the wind these days. And the sale is toughest where it should need no selling at all: in: the media. Perhaps the most. disheartening aspect of the current circus involving the North Shore News and colum- nist Doug Collins is the readiness of the new media to crucify both because they find Collins’ opinions distasteful. The fear of offending prominent pressure groups has vanquished curiosity and objectivity. The result: pack opinion journalism, But how is hate to be exposed and eradicated if it can’t be expressed or described? ‘THE passage in 1993 of the ie NDP's Bil 13 amend: ment to the Human Rights ‘Act makes it'an offence’ to publish any’ statement that indicates discrimina-: ‘tion or is likely to expose a person or group or cfass “of persons to hatred or contempt because of race, “color ancestry, place of origin, religion; marital sta: ° ts ey i mo unthivesble as an honest bsinglai * tus, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, or age.’ 2: Below. is a sampling of past comibieneary from: chighly regarded. thinkers that’ would likely expose »Persons to hatred and would therefore béa i suitable et for: human igh “prosecution ; ‘today in “Brigsh Columbia, SAC ; “900: Los “No more grasping: selfish and dishonest mammal, indeed, is. known to students’ of the: “Anthropoidea. . When the going is good for him he robs ‘the vest of us Mp ‘to the extvente limit af on our. endurances when the going, a wee stifle speech that is not criminal.” _ piracy.” is + bad be conies 5 bawlin ler help on out of the public til.” a. > ‘American 1 journdlist and author H.L.. ; Mensken, in his essay The. Hushandman,’ ° “commenting on, \ farmers. : a Rey goon politician; wnder dehvocracy is: quite as ent Mr. Mencken again, | this time writin ral uit te Bees Politicians.” : “Every man over 40 is a BO te ; ; ‘British, dramatist and’ critic ‘George Bernard ye Sh we "The. Conservati party 4s Pe party but a con, “— - British statesman, wat leader and prime = minister Winston Churchill, And he pointed out that — arena of free speech provided by Bill 33 was never explained at the debate and has never been explained since the legislation was enacted, We have an effective and respon: sive press council, we have libel and slander laws in the Criminal Code and we have federal hate crimes legisla tion, We also have a largely ethics-dri- ven media, So where is the need? Moe Sihora, Victoria’s representa- tive at the debate, laid out his goves ment’s reasons for revamping B.C." human rights legislation. They were, in no particular order of priority: the NDP felt there was no place in our society for hate propa- ganda; the protections in place were inadequate; victims have rights; no right is absolute. He agreed that the legislation has had a chilling effect on the media, “and that is good.” Susan O'Donnell, the executive director of the B.C. Human Rights Coalition, argued that curbs on free speech were necessary to No answers were forthcoming at the May 16 Human Rights debate organized by the B.C. Press Council, where the News came under heavy bombardment from some members. of the media and the public gallery. The debate’s question: “Is B.C.’s new approach to protecting human rights a threat to freedom of speech and a free press (news media in general) or is it a necessity in an age of growing social tension and anxiety?” Media lawyer Roger MeConchie, who is representing the B.C. Press Council at the current Collins iuman rights hearing, opened the debate by striking some telling blows for the findamental cause of free speech. He called Bill 33 a censorship law, pure and simple. He repeated his oft-quoted insight that the bill is “intended to regardless of the bill’s original target — the nuurky legislation is not crafted to address just Doug, Collins and the North Shore News. It applies 10 all who would dare publish or display any statement, publication or notice that is likely to expose a person or group of persons to hatred or contempt. That includes such threats to the public good as libraries, book stores and song lyrics, He also pointed out that the new human rights legislation does not include the basic defences of truth, qualified privilege, fair comment or public benefit that are available to publications under criminal fibel and slander laws. And a decision rendered by a B.C. human rights tribunal can- not be appealed; while the penalty it can award to complainants, which used to be a maximum of $2,000, is now unlimited. The need for the extra fayer of government intrusion into the eradicate hate propaganda tram aur society. She said that no media would condone the proliferation of hate propaganda, So where, she asked, was the beef? Well, for one thing no one has defined hatred, And no one has explained how B.C. residents are ever to get to the truth of any matter if they cannot engage in honest and open discussion ona given issue. O'Donnel! conceded that what constituted hate had yet to be defined, but she said the human rights tribunal was the best enti- ty to come up with that definition. This even though che human rights tribunal, in the case of the jwaring involving Doug Collins See Definition page S