6 ~ Friday. December 7, 1990 - North Shore News CS FORGET PLOWSHARES ... HOW THE nECK CAN WE TURN THESE INTO CADSEROLES?. . VIEWPOINT High cynical tides EST VANCOUVER Mayor Mark Sager can help turn back the high tide of public cynicism toward public officials if he can help raise the bankrupt value of a politician’s word. In his opening address Monday night as the new West Vancouver mayor, Sager said he was disheartened by the growing cynicism wit which public officals are regarded by the public. A combination of lowered expectations and reduced criticism from the public coupled with a better effort from council members, Sager said, could help ‘‘turn the tide on cynicism.”’ . But the task of turning back such high tides might well require biblical miracles worthy of Moses. Politicians a¢ all levels of government have for too Ieng carelessly undermined the value of the offices they hold. Far too often the political deed does not match the spoken word; far too often promises made before an election are forgotten when that election is won. Mr. Sager and the cther mayors, aldermen and school trustees recently elected to office on the North Shore have made their share of pre-election promises. They have promised communication, consultation, representation, reconciliation and dedication. They have all promised to do their best for the community. But now they face the hard part of mak- ing promises: keyping them. If they do, they can indeed help turn back the tide of public cynicism; if chey don’t, they will be washed under by the fury of that tide. LETTER OF THE DAY Election coverage good and bad Dear Editor: Bricks ard bouquets to the North Shore News. First the bouquet. Your Nov. 14 edition of the News was an ex- cellent summary of the candidates and their positions with respect to the Nov. 17 civic election. Now the bricks. In your listing of the North Vancouver School District 44 you failed to identify who was running where, thus creating the impression that there were to be 15 candidates on the ballot. In reality, in North Van- Publisher Associate Editor welcome ...-Peter Speck Managing Editor Timothy Renshaw Noel Wright Advertising Director Linua Stewart s No-th Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualitied under Schedule 115. Paragraph (Ut of the Excise Tax Act, 1s published each Wednesday. Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid. and distributed Io every door on the North Share. Second Class Mai Registration Number 3885 Subscriptions North ana West Vancouver, $25 per year. Mailing rates avaitable on request Sudrmssions are but we cannot accept responsibilty tor couver City, there were only four. This created confusion at the polls. And if the News prides itself as the ‘‘Voice of North and West Vancouver’? why do we have to wait for the Wednesday edition to find out what happened on Satur- day? There is a Sunday edition — which was in my mailbox by noon Saturday. Just once it would have been professional to delay the presses so the news could be printed while it was news, not three days old. THE VOOCE OF MONTH AND WEST VANCOUVER north. shore SUNDAY TH MEDNESDAT TT MDAY 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 59,170 (average, Wednesday Friday & Sunday) unsolicited material inctuding manuscripts and pictures. 8 which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed SDA DIVISION Display Advertising Classilied Advertising Newsroom Distribution Subscriptions Fax Paul McKnight North Vancouver Editor’s Note: The press deadline for the Sun- day edition of the North Shore News is Friday afternoon. The unavailability of press time late Saturday evening renders it tech- nologically impractical to print the newspaper at that time. In addi- tion, some North Shore municipal election results were not available until Sunday morning, making it all but impossible to provide a complete listing of those results in a Sunday newspaper. 980-0513 986-6222 985-2131 986-1337 986-1337 985-3227 MEMBER envelope. sine Entire contents © 1990 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. INSIGHTS Honeymoon week for two new mayors! STARTING WITH a clean slate is always a joyous event. That’s what graduation, honeymoons, newborn babies and a young family’s first home are ail about. Noel Wright Likewise, inaugural meetings of newly elected mayors and coun- cils. Thus, Monday night saw Mur- ray Dykeman and Mark Sager, respectively the new chief magis- trates of North Van District and West Van, deliver their ‘‘state of the municipality’ addresses and outline their programs for a bright future. In Mayor Dykeman’s case the heavy emphasis was on improved communication between District Hall and the community — with modified council procedures, area-by-area neighborhood meetings every couple of months and early establishment of a Youth Commission. Across the Capilano West Van’s new Mayor Sager was really pit- ching the same line, but clothed in a more sombre thought — his personal concern with ‘‘a growing cynicism towards public bodies and particularly public officials." His first goal, he declared, would be ‘‘to turn the tide on cynicism’’ by helping to change the community's perception of *“*those who are willing to serve in public office.”” “‘Eager'’ might be more accu- rate — few candidates are dragged to the hustings kicking and screaming. But nobody would deny today’s deep disenchantment with the body politic, though its causes are hardly new. Any government faces the tough task of doing what it considers the greatest good for the greatest number, while trying to alienate as few voters as possible — two things seldom the same. The job calls for skilled impar- tial judgment of what IS the greatest good in each case and, equally, for effective efforts to convince those who disagree. Human errors and failures occur in both functions, but especially the latter. Then, squeaking wheels left unoiled have a nasty habit of multiplying until their combined screech drowns out all voices of reason and moderation. Politics, however, being the art of the possible, a fair question for cynics might be: Do we ask more of politicians than ANYONE can possibly give? Power, on the other hand, is a heady wine which can easily become addictive. The ‘‘we- know-best’’ temptation grows each time politicians, right or wrong, yield to it. Electors have had their fill of arrogance at senior government levels in recent HITHER AND YON years and rarely forgive it. {n too many marriages the honeymoon turns out fo have been the only real high spot. Their honeymooning Worships Dykeman and Sager promise it will be just the start of even better things. So at least wish them — aid ourselves -— luck as we get down to life together! eee TAILPIECES: Give some four- legged fellow creature a happier Xmas while you gift-shop Satur- day, Dec. 8, from [f a.m. to 3 p.m, at North Yan Legion’s “Giant Variety Sale,’’ 123 West 15th — all proceeds to go to Aid to Animals in Distress ... Interest- ed in an original art gift — to yourself or whomever? Take a peek at the exhibit by West Van artists Forrest Johnson and Lorne Topham in West Van Ferry Build- ing, open 11-5 daily until Sunday, Dec. 9... Still with the Xmas countdown, Nerth Shore Chorus sponsors the 5th annual ‘‘North Shore Sings’’ at 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday, Dec. 7-8, in the Centennial Theatre — ticket info 987-PLAY, or try at the door ... Oops!-Sorry-Dept.: Gremlins in- vaded the caption to this column’s photo last Friday of Vancouver Naval Vets with Mayor Jack . Loucks. The picture of the Water- front Park Sailors’ Memorial was actually being presented BY the Vets TO North Van City — not vice versa! ... And watch your handwriting when you send happy birthday greetings today, Dec. 7, to internationally known West Van graphologist Renate Grif- fiths! - Be FORREST Johnson ... a paint- ing under your tree?