A2 - Wednesday, December 17, 1980 - North Shore News strictly personal by Bob Hunter The metric system fiasco rolls merrily along. In its first annual report to Congress, the U.S. metric board says it may be ten years -- and it might be never -— before the metric system becomes predominant in America. Roughly 70 to 75 per cent of Canada's trade is with the United States. Canadians were forced down the road to metrifica- tion, you may recall, on the grounds that most of the world uses metric measurements, and aiso that the U.S. would soon be con- verting. Guess what? The U.S. turns out not to be in any hurry at all. Guess what else? The rest of the world isn't in any hurry either. By 1977, only 44 of the 152 countries had signed the Treaty of the Meter. That's only 29 per cent of the United Nations membership. One more thing. Much of the balance of Canada’s in- ternational trade is with Japan, Britain and Australia, where there are signs of a An un-funny gimmick growing reluctance to em- brace the system. Metrification was suppos- ed to be an important means of improving Canada’s feeble industrial export trade. Remember? Well, in fact, it has turned into a nuisance even in this area, especially since the American General Accoun- tng Office has stopped metric conversion virtually in its tracks, arguing that the cost of converting might run into billions of dollars. onqe I like the reason the Americans give, through the chairman of thei metric board, for not moving swiftly to impose metrification: “Our job is neither to cajole nor persuade. It is to educate, inform and assist those parties who make a voluntary decision to con- vert.” A voluntary decision. Well, that’s America, folks. Meanwhile, back to Canada, when a handful of bureaucrats in Ottawa decid- ed that, like it or not, Cana- dians would henceforth con- vert to metric, all they had to do was get the Trudeau Liberal cabinet to pass an order-in-council behind closed doors. Bango! It’s law! I notice the glib predic- tions that most Canadians would easily. make the switch have proven to be as un- founded as the other assumptions upon which the metric policy was based. A recent Gallup poll showed that 36 per cent of 1,060 adults were finding switching to metric very dif- ficult. JACK LOUCKS ABOARD DUNKED SEAPLANE Plane crash couldn’‘t induce mayor to swim By CHRIS LLOYD North Vancouver Gity Mayor Jack Loucks thought provincial tourism minister Pat Jordan was probably doing the right thing when the plane hit the water in Victoria Harbor last Friday and she leaped out and swam ashore. Even so, the logic of the move wasn't enough to induce him to do the same. Mayor Loucks was sitting near the back of the twin engine Otter at the time one of the engines died. “perhaps the best place to be ~ he chachles in retrospect Had he accepted an invita tion to lunch with Burnaby alderman Alan Ennott and GVRD finance commis stoner George Carlisle following Uheir morning meeting with muntipal af fais minatcr Baill Van Der Zailm Loucks would never have been on baward the Air BC seaplanc As wowas he and Port Miwedy fan Young decided te ped strarght bach to Van courer and caught the | pm fyeht from VNitona Harter ° Thank gt about MM) fect mt the aw anid ecal he says one engine The pahot keeled the planc ancund and GOLDEN CAPITAL CHINE SE RESTAURANT a a “ta wk enced open 401°) prn Sunday 4 1Opm 2168 Rartre Drive Wes? Van made a crash landing. with the plane coding up smashing inlo a wharf First out of her seat was tounsm munouster Pat Jordan. who immediately pumped in to the water and swam ashore “T think she was using good sense ~ ments Leucks com “She was one of the with Santa SAT. DEC. 20 8a.m.-10am children *3.00 Adults *4_00 987-4867 RESERVE NOW! PANCAKE & CHICKEN HOUSE first out) of Une plane and didn’t know af Che plane was going to go down or «hat CONTINUED ON PAGE A4 S 112 W. 13th at Lonsdale Forty per cent said they found the change somewhat difficult. And only 20 per cent said they had no pro- blem. When the pollsters check- ed further, though to see how well the lessons in metric had taken, they found that only 13 per cent of the Canadian population knew gimmick intended to over- come fundamental short- comings in the area of in- dustrial export trade, but the federal b went mad and tried to shove it down the entire country’s throat at once, causing most of us to gag. The connection between international trade and the that one kilometre is equal measurements for your to .62 miles. cocktail mix has become so ee farfetched it’s a joke. ° Except a lot of us aren't The truth is, the entire laughing. metrification program is a Growl. Baroque Pearl Rings In 18K yellow gold. White or Blue. Baroque Pearls with or without Diamonds. from $340. ‘ We also carry a fine selection of Kaiser Porcelain and Collectors Plates JW DESIGNS LTD. 2460 Marine Drive, West Van 922-3014 wy Ak KAISER since 1872 beatae ae) nd — homeo heeled cock inmcincnlir THE . "presents Holiday Events Champagne Brunch Boon Day Beurie th Now Your > Joax Brug hy 1] V)oatry Sqoan rye Ava New Year’ S iE ve Syme. q}oo 6695 Nchon Avcanuc, West Vancouver aS ae ed Vvtatve t Iwo traced ate . idl 921-8188 a VW » MOY: 1 boriner Spm Iynner Spm 1lOopm 1O pm sittings © 40/9 OO $4 OO pet Couple LANDING . Morseshoc Bay, B.C