Dear Editor: To paraphrase Cliff Claven: Friends, here are some little known facts thar will irritate all those of us who have ever received 2 parking ticket on the North Shore. Fact: Did you know that all North Shore mayors and council’ members get the use of free reserved parking while at their respective municipal halls, regardless of how far away they live? Fact: Did you know that the people who advocate the use of HOV lanes with a min- imum occupancy of three per- sons per vehicle, get tree park- ing while they are at work? Fact: Did you know that all North Shore municipal employees, the vast majority of whom five on the North Shore, get free parking while they are ar work? Fact: Did you knew that the meter nazis who are so diligent while chalking tires and handing out parking tick- ets, get free parking while they are at work? Yes, folks, the vere people who pass the laws regarding our absurd parking regula- tions — you know, the ones who have parking meters installed. who institute park- ing limits in front of homes that already have Janes and garages with driveways, the same people who force some north shore news MAIL Box Perturbed over local municipal parking perks business owners and emplov- ees to park up to six blocks away, and the people who so diligently enforce these ridicu- Jous regulations, they all park, ves, vou guessed it —- for free. Now [°m positive that vir- tually all of the loyal civil ser- vants that | have mentioned will come up with a great many excuses about why they need to use cheir car for work, and why they can’t: possibly carpool with three other per- sons, and why they deserve free reserved parking. But the bortom line is simply this: if North Shore councils and municipal statis are going to advocate the use of three-per- son carpools and champion Time to get tough on graffiti Dear Editor: _. Why in heaven’s name do the authorities not use some common sense: once in a while? Graffiti is an eyesore throughout our community, - . - ruining the look of private property, as well as being a huge .added expense to the innocent, tax-paying owners who are forced to have their ” buildings cleaned and paint- ed, in some cases, weekly. - Instead of letting all of these troubie-making delin- quent kids off the hook, why do not the authorities orga- nize’ work parties and why are the kids not made to clean up and paint over the graftici? Even if they are nor the ones who deface properties, they: probably know friends who do and just may pass the word ‘round to others to “stop their shenanigans, after spending some time and muscle power cleaning it up. ft also might teach them all to have a little respect for other people’s rights and property. I suppose that is too sen- sible a solution for the authorities to consider, but I am sure that the poor tax- paying public would be in agreement. Shirley G. Wilson - North Vancouver Tealet Kast ev Gasket 12'noon - 5: 00 00 pail 10. am - 6 pm . A ril 12 CLOSED | 4 . 10 am - 6 pm the increasing restrictiveness of parking regulations, then they should be affected by, Wednesday, April 8, 1998 — North Shore News — 9 tives. Maybe they could even lead by example tor a change. What do you think, folks? Will we soon see council members forsaking their free reserved parking places? R, Whiting North Vancouver and subject to those. initia- ted white, m.p. advertorial, April 8/1998 THE YOUNG OFFENDERS ACT A number of recent high profile, and shocking, crimes by young offenders across Canada have renewed public calts for major changes to the Young Qtfenders Act, yet the Liberal Government continues to ignore those calis, even when they come from Liberal MPs like the newly elected MP for Port Moody-Coquitiam, Lou Sekora. During the recent by-election cam- paign, Sekora stated that he would, if elected, persuade the Liberal Government to overhaul the YOA. What a joke!! The Prime Minister has ordered his MPs to vote against every previous initiative for meaningful change, so why would he now take any notice of Lou Sekora?’ ; THOSE AFFECTED WANT CHANGE it is common, whenever | am invited to speak with high school audiences, for the subject of the Young Offenders Act to come up for discussion. Then, when | ask for a show of hands, the people most affected by the YOA overwhelming- ly tell me that they want it changed. They usually describe the existing Act as a “joke”, ineffective, toothiass, and easy to circumvent. When those to whom the Act applies tell us it does not work, surely it is ‘time to make some changes. : Students though, are rot alone in their condemnation of the Young Offenaers Act. Poll after poll, virtually since the Act was first introduced, has consistently found that the vast majority of Canadians want the Act ‘scrapped, or at the very feast thor- oughly overhauled. Hardly a week goes by in Parliament without petitions being pre- .senied on the subject, and the most com- mon demand is for the names of young offenders to be published, so that mem- bers of the community will know exactly who is committing youth crime in their area. As things stand at present, even the police. sometimes have difficulty obtaining ‘a compiete and detailed record of a young ‘offender's history wnen that offender moves from one place to another. AN ENIGMA it remains a complete mystery why the Liberal: Government continues to resist making changes in the light of overwhelm- ‘ing evidence that the Young Offenders Act has been an abject failure, and under enor- “mous public pressure to take action. The best that dustice,, Hon Anne McLellan, can come up with is that the issue is very complex and we cannot rush into making changes. Meanwhile there are almost daily examples of serious youth crime being reported, invalving everything from extensive property damage to mur- “der. If YOU are frustrated, think how I feel as your MP - ready and willing to cast @.vote for meaningful change -but denied the opportunity by a Government which refuses to act. Ail | can do on your behalf, in the hope that persistence wili eventually cause uehange, is to keep presenting petitions, continue to include caiis for action in my ' speeches in the House, and keep up the pressure on the Minister during Question ‘the new Minister of Period. You can help by writing let- ters to the Minister, and by coliect- ing signatures on the petitions which are available by calling my office. STATISTICS In case you still need to be convinced, here are some 1996 statistics on youth crime (under 18 years of age) compiled by Statistics Canada: * Youths are charged in 4 out of 10 cases of break and entry. * Youths are charged in 4 out of 10 motor vehicle thefts. : * Youths are charged in 3 out of 10 rob- beries. : * Youths are charged in 10% of homi- cides. * Youths are charged in 12% of cases of attempted murder. x Violent crime by young offenders has more than doubled since 1986. * Only 13% of convicted violent young offenders are put in jail. : _ ACTUAL CASES Just four examples of high profile cases involving young offenders, all of which were in the news in February of this year, are: * A 14 year old girl in Ottawa received a sentence of just 3 years, the maxi-. mum under. the Act, tor killing her. grandmother. . . * A 14 year old in Kitchener, Ontario: . required hospitalization- after receiv- ing a beating from’ a: 17: year ‘old whose identity must remain, secret under the Act. «© * An 80 year old deaf and mute man in’ Surrey, was left with the loss of his eyesight, hundreds of stitched to his head and body, and.a broken. nose, after an attack by a young. offender with a long record who was out: on: parole. . * A man in Lynn Valley was. brutally beaten, and serious property damage was done to a house and car, alleged- ly by some 16 and 17. year olds who. were arrested and charged by police.. They are scheduled to appear in court on May 13th. FIXING THE PROBLEMS. The position of the Official ‘Oppesition with respect to the Young Gffenders Act is that the protection of society should be the first and guiding principle of-the. Young Offenders Act; the maximum age should be fowered to 15 and the minimum age lowered to 10; the. maximum length of all sentences should be increased; the names of convicted violent offenders should be: published; rehabilitation should emphasize education and literacy, discipline, skilis training, and community service;.and we’ should not shy. away fram. incarcerating violent young offenders who are a threat to the lives and safety of others.: For a brochure on the Reform Party Plan | to Amend the Young Offenders Act, {- for a copy of the petition;'and for information about a public raily to be held in Abbotsford on April 16th, please call my office at 666-0585.