ne ca gr rene ee ao itil ta salads

INSIGHTS

Well it is a hard choice...

a

AT aed

> C thelesr——

No shows non-confidence
in handling of agreement

Dear Editor:

The Reform Party of! British
Columbia rejects the proposed
amendment to the Constitution of
Canada because, on balarce, it
‘does not reflect the fairness or
’ equality Canadians expect.

The constitutional document
takes away fzom the democratic
principles on which Canada was
founded, and we strongly urge all
our members and all other
reform-minded pe ple to vote No.

- The 83% of British Columbians
who demonstrated their belief in
democracy by voting for initiative
and recall in the lust provincial

election should also vote No.

Is it democratic to require that
votes be cast on the basis of
gender equality?

Is it democratic to depart from
representation by population by
guaraniceing that Quebec be
assigned no fewer than 25% of
the seats in the House of Com-
mons?

Is it democratic to give one
province the right to veio any
change on future amendments to
the Senate, the Supreme Court or
the House cf Commons?

{fs it democratic to entrench in
Canada’s Constitution the right of

one province, namely Quebec, to
become a distinct socicty over all
other provinces within Canada?

fs it democratic to ask Cana-
dians to vote Yes to a consti-
tutional package in which many
clauses have yet to be finalized?

To vote No on Oct. 26 is not a
rejection of any individual orga-
nized group or province. Rather,
it_ is a statement of non-con-
fidence of the manner in which
our politicians have handled these
proposed constitutional amend-
ments.

Ronatd Gamble, president
Reform Party of B.C.

Nation’s crisis foisted onto us

Dear Editor:

Somehow we Canadians have
got ourselves into a situation in
which we are suddenly totally
responsible for either the
fragmentation and economic ruin
of our country or else, if we so
choose, its bounteous and eternal
prosperity.

All we have to do is follow the
recommended party line this
month to render one of these
scenarios a fact.

How did you and I come to be

suddenly invested with such
awesome power? Well, it seems
our political masters have been
working non-stop for the last de-
cade on matters constitutional and
have finally reached the point
where they are unable to reach a
workable compromise.

So they have decided to foist
the responsibility for the nation’s
crisis onto us!

Here we are, then, at Canada’s
wake-or-break point — courtesy
of our fearless leaders —- and ei-

ther way, it will all be our fault!

What was so terrible with the
old Constitution anyway? At least
it didn’t threaten instant destruc-
tion at the whim of undecided
voters who can’t understand what
we're voting for anyway!

Thanks a lot guys — here’s
another fine mess you've got us
into!

Calin Levois
North Vancouver

Leaders ignoring essence of democracy

Dear Editor:

AS a younger member of Cana-
dian society, I would like to ex-
plain why I feel that voting ‘‘no’’
to the constitutional deal is of
utmost importance.

The agreement reached by the
governments dealt a cruel blow to

the forces of democracy that have
been prevalent in this country for
the past 125 years.

By guaranteeing Quebec 25% of
the overall representation in
parliament, regardless of Quebec’s
population, the “‘leadezs’’ of this
country have ignored the essence

of a democratic nation.

A “‘yes’ is avote against repre-
sentation by population. A ‘‘no”’
is a vote for democratic principles.

Ryas Jaye
North Vancouver

Friday, October 16, 1992 - North Shore News ~ 7

Collins Meeched

~ out of his pants

I'VE COME to believe that when the soul of Doug Collins
finally attempts to pass through the pearly white gates
(Whaddya mean, I need immigration papers!) his tongue
will be the last thing to greet eternity.

Some angel (probably
Rosemary Brown) will have to
beat that thing to death with a
stick.

Of course, I’m assuming he’s
heading in that direction. Many
would tell! me I’m being too kind,
and that a special corner of Hades
is being refurbished just to ac-
commodate the old warrior.

Beelzebub — ‘‘Collins? Oh, yes.
Your room is right here sir. Enjoy
your stay. ... Yes I know the
room is filled with black
aboriginal Jewish lesbian im-
migrants, and yes they are all
prominent members of NOW,
However, this is HELL, sir. By
the way, here's your trident. 1
think you’re going to need it."’

The trouble with Doug is that
he frets too much. He is, after all,
al an age when he has earned the
tight to worry less about the state
of the nation, and more, say,
about the state of his dentures.

(This is Tuesday. Should {
brush or soak?)

Instead, as in a recent column
for instance, he’s straining his
prostate fuming over the B.C,
Treaty Commission signing held
on Sept. 21 at the Capilano
teserve.

In his column, Doug painis a
picture of the feather-bedecked
Mulroney end Harcourt, dancing
around the floor while Chief Joe
Mathias sings ‘‘All you need is
love."’

Collins is way off base. I was
there. The actual words of the
song were ‘‘E can’t gct no satisfac-
HF Lad

Maybe his hearing is going as
well,

Doug goes on to say that Mr.
Chief Justice Altian McEachern of
the B.C. Supreme Court judged
that the Indians have no title in
this province.

He neglects to point out thar
the Chief Justice, in commenting
on the judgment, said that he
didn’t consider his decision to be
the last word on this case.

In fact, McEachern fully ex-
pected an appeal.

Perhaps Doug had to take a
nap before he got to that part.

He accuses John Crosbie of
“hiding behind the Sparrow court
case”’ in allowing Indians to seii
fish commercially — even though
provincial legislation, prior to the
court -Gecision, trampled on
aboriginal fishing rights guaran-
teed under the Charter of Rights
and Freedoms.

Paul

are

HUGHES’ VIEWS

is Doug’s sense of balance go-
ing as well?

But then, he seems not over-
fond of the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms. The Human Rights Act
he calls ‘‘scabrous.’’ What was
that war he fought in about if not
to guarantee rights and freedoms?

Memory loss, I guess.

Doug ends his column by
quoting Elmer Knudsen who ap-
parently admits uttering this gem:

“tt is true that the forefathers
of these aboriginals lived here
first, but they did not build a na-
tion. ... All they did was follow
the buffalo. We built roads, cities,
bridges, railroads and a pro-
sperous nation.”’

Knudsen does not choose to
glorify some of our other ac-
complishments. He seems to have
forgotten we also brought this
land plagues of smallpox, the
devastation of alcohol, pollution,
and a social system totally alien to
the first people here,

Mind you, to be fair, we did
have the decency to wipe out all
the buffalo. At least the Indians
don’t have to follow them any

_more.

{t seems to me this nation could
stand a tad less ‘‘prosperity’’ and
a smidgeon more ‘“‘humanity.”"

F'm fairly certain, though, that
Doug’s old eyes don't see it that
way. What with his ears not -hear-

‘ing too well, his memory. shot,

and his balance being a little
wobbly (| made up the bit about
the teeth) I suggest it won’t be too
long before the whole Collins’
structure undergoes a complete
coilapse. Even, perhaps, the
tongue? .

Nah.

Why a referendum at all?

Dear Editor:

Re: the referendum.

The 10 premiers and the fed-
eral government can agree to a
set of principles — as well as
the leaders of our three na-
tional parties in the House of
Commons — then surely, since
they are our democratic repre-,
sentatives, we all should agree
(why a referendum at all?).

Any contract is only as good
as the parties signing it wish it
to be. I have always found in
life, the shorter the better — as
long as there is goodwill! be-
tween the parties concerned.

Whether the constitution

says that ‘‘Canadians’’ . are
commited to gender equality
between men and women, or it
says ‘‘Canadians and the gov-
ernment” or just ‘‘Canada’’ is
of no concern. Women’s
equality is a force that is here
to stay, whether it is in the
Constitution or not. It is a
force that will prevail, never
mind the legal text.

All of a sudden we have 27
million lawyers in Canada!

The spirit is the thing, NOT
the fine text.

Ralph Herzstein
West Vancouver