Labor’s love lost “Let’s return to the goad old days of every man for himself, as the elephant said when dancing among the chickens,’’ - T.C. Douglas. TOMMY DOUGLAS was not as deeply rooted in labor history as some of his colleagues, most notably David Lewis. But during this Labor Day weekend, memories of my encounters with him came foremost to mind: his obsessive sense of decency; his vigilance on behalf of those least able to defend themselves. I wonder what he would have thought about the Canada Post Corp.'s helicopters, hired thugs, strikebreakers and huge trucks us- ed like military tanks? Perhaps Rev. Douglas would have looked Prime Minister Brian Malroney square in the eye and repeated one of his famous homi- lies: ‘Freedom, like peace, is in- divisible. I must protect my neighbor's rights in order to safe- guard my own’’; or, ‘‘A kick at one end of the spine can have a most stimulating effect upon the other end.”’ Blood running down the cheeks of a labor leader, reminiscent of the Prince George lady who was mauled and permanently cripp!ed by a truck during the 1987 postal strike, gives rise to the question of the morality and sensitivity of the federal government. Labor can and sometimes has reversed its historic underdog role. There are times when trade unions have been as xreedy, violent, monopolistic zd anti-social as the evils they were designed to com- bat. But not this time. A famous prosecutor, deter- rained to jail the leadevs of the underworld, was once asked: “Aren't you afraid of organized crime?”’ The lawyer responded: ‘‘] am not even a little afraid of orga- nized crime. It is unorganized crime that terrifies me.”” Gary Bannerman OPEN LINES The Labor Day holiday honors the so-called working man. In its broadest definition, we pause to admire and respect the value of work and its various institutions, laced with a profound bias in favor of those who can only ac- quire strength through numbers. The appropriate question is not whether one is in favor of unions or individual enterprise. A more precise concern is whether to sup- port an organized society or chaos. What we saw last week was a government agency determined to blast organization into shreds. Dating back to Runnymede, history demonstrates that survival of the fittest exploits and destroys the weak. Therefore, if we are to have a labor movement, what are the minimum protections? Whatever they may be, and no matter what level of contempt the public may hold for postal workers, the insensitivity and philosophical brutality of Canada Post shames the entire society. The irony here is that the most recent example of such strikebreaking tactics was the Gainer’s Meat fiasco in Alberta. During that standoff, destroying not only the company but the economic well-being of hundreds of families, the politicians march- ed to the fore with their halos in- tact. Sanctimoniously, they first told us that it was just free enterprise in action. When it turned hideous- ly ugly, the same politicians trip- ped over each other in search of solutions. Through it all, that pillar of social sensitivity and intellect, Peter Pocklington, was an- nihilated. He was beaten, not by the union, but the profound anger of the Canadian public. The difference in the post office affair is that the federal govern- ment has deliberately occupied the Pocklingicn role. The result will be the same. The minister responsible, Harvie Andre (not by coincidence an Albertan) tried desperately to stay out of it. It is, after all, indepen- deat of government. Balderdash. If this were true, Canada Posi would no tonger enjoy a legislated monopoly on what is known as a ““‘letter’’ and a monopolistic licence to suffocate the country with junk mail. . Canada Post now boasts that it is making a profit. This is mean- ingless. Service has been devas- tated. By enforcing lockboxes for neighborhoods, essentially we are asked to pay for the right to serve ourselves, Sunday, September 1, 1991 ~- North Shore News - 9 on Labor Day On a normal Saturday, there is a pickup of mail from all letter- boxes laze in the afternoon. There will not be another one until Monday night. On holiday weekends, the mailbox will not be emptied for three days. Thousands of workers are being phased out and replaced by inexperienced children in con- fectionery stores. For this rapidly decaying level of service, we are repeatedly forced to pay more. ees For 25 years now, the Canadian Post Office has been a cauldron of hate. Employees are not blameless. The postal unions earned much of the public antipa- thy. The Conservative government established a policy for the Post Office: end the deficit, no matter what it costs. This was not only the highest priority, it was the on- ly mission. The management they appointed believes more in securi- ty guards and public relations men than it does in letter carriers. They addressed the financial concern by declaring war on both the public and their employees. There is no paraiiel in the private sector. Many unsuccessful companies have fought their employees. | know of none who have simultancously assaulted cus- tomer service and the people who provide it. We have madc this possible by directing all of our criticism at the little people of the system. Perhaps they deserve it. If so, we deserve the postal service we receive. Tommy Douglas loved to tell the story of the clergyman who used the phrase ‘‘status quo”’ in his sermon. After, a member of the congregation asked him what the words meant. The minister said: ‘Well, that is Latin; Latin, for the damned mess we are in.” s NVC Council approves funding for fire boats A 5% preference will be given to-local shipbuilders when the $3 iillicn port fire protection plan goes to tender, North Vancouver City Council was told Monday. Council approved a $159,000 expenditure cver two years for the city’s share of the capital cost to build five fast-response, fire- fighting boats for the Port of Vancouver. During discussions, Ald. Bill Bell asked if tocai shipbuilding companies would get preference in the contract tendering over eastern or out-of-country companies. City administrator Gerry Brewer told Bell that the 5% preference for local shipyards is provided for: in Vancouver City’s tendering process. Vancouver, he said, will hold the ownership title to the boats. Although Vancouver will own all five vessels, Brewer said the port fire protection agreement be- tween the Vancouver Port Corp., Vancouver, Burnaby, Port Moody, and North Vancouver A Place To Go When You're Pregnant And Need Support: | GIRTHRIGHT call 907-7313 » Free Pregnancy Test « By Pamela Lang Contributing Writer District and City gives legal own- ership to all six, based on their share of the cost. North Vancouver City’s share of the capital cost and operations equals 5.3%. The original marine fire-fighting plan, approved in principle by council in October 1990, called for four fast-response vessels and a marine fire-fighting platform. When asked by Ald. Stella Jo * Dean if the five boats would still fit within the original budget, North Vancouver City Mayor Jack Loucks said the plas was still within its budget, and that the Toys. Hobbies, Trains 3 A 200 AMBLESIDE TOYS 'N HOBBIES 1425 Marine Dr, West Van. P| 929.3512 4] PARTICIPATION purchase of a fifth boat was a wiser choice than the platform. Limited use and high capital cost made the marine platform less cost-effective than the pur- chase of a fifth vessel, said Brewer in his Aug. 20 report to council. Each boat will be 38 to 40 feet long, able to pump 2,500 gallons of water per minute and have a minimum travel speed of 25 knots, he added. While seven unsolicited pro- posals for fire boats have been NORTH VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL received, Grewer said none of them met with the established criteria. The offers included one from North Vancouver’s Hourston Glascraft Ltd. for a 26-foot fibreglass runabout with no pum- ping design for $110,000, Brewer’s report said. PALM SPRINGS CONMECTOR ioe Deports Nov. 13- Jomo, 22 (in Tec, Dax 4 ooh) ivan eae On. 7-17 THE DISTRICT «+ NORTH VAS 5 " NORTH SHORE CRED:T UNION DEEP COVE - DAZE. The summer is NOT over...not yet, at least. On Saturday, September 7th, come celebrate with Deep Cove at its annual daylong DEEP COVE DAZE. The people of the Cove have a lot to cheer about...with a new cultural centre and stunning facelift to the main drag. From 10 am to 6 pm, the Cove will welcome you with live entertainment, a dunk tank for the hardy, face painting, arts and crafts, a petting zoo and, of course...a little food with a view! Fi you work up a thirst in Deep Cove on Sept. 7th, and are hankering for a little bit of Germany...head off to. Edgemont Village where Bavarian Fest will be getting under way at 11 am. There'll be a Beergarden located in the 3000 block of lower Highland...and, of course, LOTS of OOM PA PA music. / AMONG OUR | SOUVENIRS .: brs not too late to pick up an official CENTENNIAL DOLLAR... available through North Shore Royal Banks, the N.V. Chamber of Commerce and the District Municipal Hall. The coin is not only legal tender...it's a great rnomento of our Centennial Year. Centennial Update is brought te you courtesy of the NE NORTH SHORE rir) CREDIT UNION Foiteas inyour Community”