WV arborist defended Dear Editor: Re: “Angry with W.V. Arborist” (News Jan. 17 letters). I agree that topping trees is not the way to go. However I do not agree that the Park Lane walk has been rendered “unpleasant” by the recent park cleanup. The topped cedars had grown up in the past 10 ~ years, blocking the oczan entirely from walkers’ views. - The viewer is now framed by giant ever- 3 favorite perch trees -In trying to please everyone and at the same ime protecting West Van's City development disturbing approach the ewo blocks east of Lonsdale where this develop- Dear Editor: Ar the (Jan. 20) North Vancouver City public hearing (Jan. 24 News) I readily admitted that I was foolish and at fault for not having checked for myself the city’s Official Community Plan before buying my home. Real estate agents or vendors are not required to declare pro- posed developments — but, when you're a newcomer to Vancouver, sometimes lessons have to be learned the hard way. However, even if I had read the OCP I would have believed that the city would have offered my neighbors and me some protection from the development in its current form. The Garden Apartment Guidelines clearly state that “dra- matic view opportunities” should be recognized; that develop- ments greater than 50 feer should “avoid a long continuous facade frontage”; that adjacent properties should not be deprived of sunlight and that density should be lower as you ment is sited. ciently. comers, long-term the mecting. Roz Adams North Vancouver Timing of raise is wrong Dear Editor: A raise for North Vancouver District councillors is perhaps overdue but the timing of any raise is imprudent, given budgetary constraints and down-loading, of costs from senior government. Councillor Crist’s and other council members’ claims of the hours they spend at their jobs should not enter into the pic- Those of us who choose to run should be motivated primarily by a desire to serve and lead our community. The question of how much time it takes any particular individual to do his or her job depends largely on that person's abiliry to manage time, grasp situations and reach an understanding of issues. Some peopl. are blessed with the tal- ent to do am ask thoroughly, more promptly than others. This does not mean that some of us are “better” people, but rather that some are more proficient in some areas than are others. My neighbors and | believe that the proposal presented to the city on Monday night did not respect the guidelines suffi- A number of people spoke at the hearing other than us new- residents of the area who are also unhappy with the development. Many others signed objections to the development. I know I am relieved and reassured that councillors are prepared to lis- ten to those who will be so markedly affected by the develop- ment, and I look forward to hearing further from the develop- cr, as their representative promised, when speaking to us after During an elcction, voters ought to look not only at the candidate’s records of service but at the bigger picture including work ethic, aptitude and personal skills. The proposed raise may as well be to a $35,000 or $40,000 level and the posi- tion be full-time, if such time is required. But we must then ask whether NVD actually has a need for six full-time coun- cillors. Such decisions should not be left to the councillors but to a broad-based, open-minded and informed community group or panel. If the issue is divisive, then it should go to referendum. ~ Garth B.D. McSween -: North Vancouver SOLLISION SPECIALISTS) B.C.A.A. - A.R.A. APPROVED CENTRE FREE Piss: | COURTESY CARS __ FOR COLLISION REPAIRS - “LIFETIME GUARANTEE” © 38th-Year— AS LONG AS YOU OWN YOUR CAR f TASKING + Estimates i Wiss “Consultation VB. “985-7455 on Honeyeomb Blinds (Applause product line) eazit:'| Buy 6 or more Blinds i _and receive an additional 5% off. Insulates against winter cold - summer . ‘heat ‘and protects from fading -~Jois of coieurs to choose from order before Jan 31/97 wa ted white, m.p. WHO DO WE OWE IT 10??? A fairly common question received at my office In connection with Canada's $600 billion Federal debt is, "Who do we owe ali this money to?" Occasionally there Is a follow-up question, which can often be Identified with a particular political philosophy, asking, "Why don't we just cancel the debt, or print money to pay it off, and start cil over again. After all, aren't we a sovereign country?" \ have already written about these issues in previous North Shore News reports, but an interesting suggestion in a-letter from a constituent formed the basis for revisiting the subject in this week's report. Mr. C. was writing in connection with a story in 8C Report. Magazine which pointed out that it takes almost the entire amount of personal income tax collected by Revenue Canada just to pay the annual $48+ billion in intar on the debt. Mr. C. felt that it vould put p things into perspective if | could calculate how much of each $100 of that income tax is sent off to the USA, UK, Japan, etc. in interest payments on the accumulated debt. HERE'S WHO | The latest available figures indicate that about 75% of our federal debt is owed to Canadian mutual funds, banks, pension funds and similar large investors, although some is also owed directly to individual Canadians in the form of Carada Savings Bonds, Treasury Bills, or other Government securities. If this approximateiy $450 billici in debt was simply cancelled by the Government, large numbers of Canadian pensioners, RRSP funds, and investment institutions would tose their source of income, would probably start a class action law suit against the Gnverment, and would never iend the Government money again. In terms of the internaticnal portion of the Federal debt, there is a similar cross section of individual and institutional fenders, broken down into percentage shares by country as follows: * Approx 15% is owed to the USA * Approx 24% is owed to various OECD countries %& Approx 12% is owed to dapan a i *& Approx 10% is owed to the UK. * Approx 9% is owed to all other. countries __ “oe Arbitrarily cancelling this foreign debt would have catastrophic effects for the Canadian economy. At a personal level your .— credit cards would be usefess outside. of Canada, and at a business level it would be virtually impossible to engage in any type of. 3° foreign trade, because foreigners would be | afraid to deal in, or exchange, Canadian’ dollars. Our currency would. be right up there with the ruble, and f lot fewer Canadians travellin: ; ‘cad. . PAYING THE INTEREST For the year ended March 1996, the Federal Government collected $60.2 billion. in personal income taxes. This was about | . 49% of all taxes collected, and about $12: f-- billion more than the current annual interest payments on the Gebt. In reality, interest payments come from total revenues of course, so it is not strictly correct to allocate them solely to the personal income tax component. However, applying Mr. C.'s suggestion gives a fee! for the size of the problem, and procuces the following interesting results: For each $100 of your personal income taxes: * Approx $60.5 goes to Canadian lenders * Approx $19.92 goes to Government services % Approx $9.00 goes to the USA * Approx $4.81 goes tc various OECD countries *% Approx $2.40 goes to Japan fe Approx $2.02 goes to the UK * Approx $1.80 goes to other countries. if you want to use these figures io illustrate a point, please keep in inind that for each $100 in the above example, a further $104.10 would be fully allocated to Government services from all other suurces of revenue such @s corporate taxes, excise taxes, the GST, etc. ‘Ted White, M.P, , #302-1200 Lynn Valley Rd., North Vancouver; B.C. V7j 2A2; Tel.: 666-0585 Fax: 666-0509 : Cz Capilano }€em College AT CAP xe Eek! It's The Mousetrap Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap will be the very first production to be held in the new 350-seat performance theatre at Capilano College's North Vancouver campus. Carch a preview of this performance by College theatre students on Thursday, February 13 at 8p.m. The play opens ; Valentine's Day and. runs at 8 p.m. on February 14, 15, 20,21 - and 22. There will be ~ Saturday matinees at -.- 2 p.m. on February 15°; and 22. For tickets or .- more information, call - - - 331-9979. > Make Your | ’ Business Writing’ Sizzle + Do you write on the job? Do you find the process somewhat painful? Enrol in our weekend course, ’. Practical Business Writing, and replace the pain with joy —a ". joy to writé'and a joy.) = t0 read: Join iis for two . Saturdays, February 15. and February 22; from - | 10am. co 3:30 p.m-in “the Cedar buildin: ~, room 136, For more" J information of to: register, please call. “|. nee Continuing Education » information” = | Meetings | The’Applied’ Information: :“* Technology (Infotec: department is having ~ an information :).;... meeting on Thursday, February 13 in the: Cedar building, room” 148 at-7 p.m. For more | - : information, call”? 984-1727, or contact Infotec@capcollege:be: ca Se The Medical Office ’ Assistant Program is nau holdingan information’ meeting’. on Thursday, February - 27 in the Fir building, room 210 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Call 984-4959 for more information. The 0]. Legal Assistant Prograra is hoiding an «> ~ information meeting “on Tuesday, February 25 in the Cedar building, room 148 from 6:30 to 10 p.ns. ° Call 983-7594 for more information. CAPILANO COLLEGE 2555 Purcell Way North Vancouver 8ritish Columbia 986-1911 .