8 — Friday, April 17, 1998 ~— North Shore News Fraser Dear Editor: Re: Economics of school tolerance or “Much will have more” (April 12 News) Michael Walker is advocat- ing “tolerance for different values and a pluralistic out- look”? Since when? Since he woke up to the fact that peo- ple aren’t buying into the scare tactics and fear-monger- ing which are the hallmarks of the Fraser Institute’s “adver- torials.” Most Canadians are civil and fair-minded people who are repulsed by the thought of deliberately offending and excluding great swaths of the social makeup of Canada, sim- Pp IY because they are in the way the free-marketcers. Let’s not forget: the Fraser Institute is a special interest lobby group, extremely well- funded by business and transnational corporate inter- ests who find most of us no more than an irritating obsta- cle to greater profits, The business-oriented Trilateral Commission put it: succinctly recently when it published comment on what it sees as an impending “crisis of an excess of democracy.” No typo. We remain a threat to cor- porate interests so long as we maintain an educated popula- tion determined to evolve througit democratic process. So how wauld you under- mine an excess of democracy? Fd start with education. Get ’em while they're young. Walker proposes schools that “would be privately con- trolled, of course, although funded by the government.” You notice he's careful not to be honest and say funded by the taxpayers. Walker is at least consis- tent. The Fraser Institute has been calling for the privatiza- tion of every taxpayer funded service in the country. After all the initial capital expenditures have been made, the infra- structures paid for and well- organized and well-paying jobs are secured, private enter- prise is poised like vulrures in a snag to call these essential well-run programs “flops” GORDON STEN NER bao, “Binancial 1 lost: : \ oe “Money. making “ens “e World class guests e Open line segment north shore news MAIL Box and drains on our resources. But they're willing to take them off our — hands. Everything from education ta heaith care to pensions to transportation to communica- tions. They promise more “com- petition” and you can read “monopoly,” after these pub- licly subsidized take-overs consolidate with international owners, Deregulation has given us less competition, fess service and higher prices. Then they tell us it’s because “deregula- tion hasn’t gone far enough.” It’s gone too far. The experi- ment has failed miscrably and now it’s time to get back to taking care of us. And that means all of us. Before the Fraser Institute and the Business Council on National Issues reduced us all to special interest groups we used to be called a civil soci- ety. se ecirytreatcn . Lar reseereres A i: 5 4 i | ppetre sys nap a aig arsapmeereatire bette yeh os Capilano Mall, North Vancouver 984-2040 So how would you under- mine the urge to be civil? Michael Walker would do it by starting charter schools or voucher schools where we could institutionalize, at pub- lic expense, the art of hatred of others. Xenophobia 101. Divide and conquer. Brilliant plan. Even better: Cail it toler- ance and plurality. Does he think we're stupid? T can barely stomach the idea of agreeing with any of Walker’s misanthropic ideas, bur then it’s clear that much of what he claims to believe are just clever appropriations and subversions of populist ideals. MAILBOX POLICY institute's fiscal fear-mongering But he does say this: *...0 appropriate source of voles and atcitudes tor children is the family.” Pye had enlightening and enjoyable discussions with my children about ideas devel- oped at school and their thoughts and opinions about differing values and ways of living. It’s called a (gasp) lib- eral education and we're mak- ing the most of a good thing. Teach your children well. Lisa Barrett Executive Director, Research Pacific Policy Institute Bowen Island ibarrett@direct.ca LETTERS to the editor must be legible (preferably typewritten) and include your name, full address and telephone number, Due to space constraints the North Shoré News cannot publish all letters. Published letters may be edited for brevity, clarity, accu- | Diamon racy, legality and taste. The Best .25 ct starting 50 ct starting | *1ct starting from $295 from $995 from $1695 Find true value at... Importers of Gemstones, Manufacturers of Fine Jewellery Launch opticn floated Dear Editor: Boat launch at Fullerton? (Brian Coldwell’s March 15 fet- ter to the News editor). I'm not sure that a boat ramp beside a busy marina is as compatible as Brian suggests. Rather than adding to the congestion around larger and less manocu- vrable vessels, a better idea might be to put a ramp at the western end of the Fullerton property near the creck. Even better would be under the Lions Gate Bridge. Then Phe Fullerton beach walk would be uninterrupted. Robert Thompson North Vancouver d Selection Park Royal South, West Vancouver r 925- 2045