AG- Wednesday, Jannary.30, 1980 - North Shore News -. Blue Bus battle West Vancouver bus riders stand to lose heavily ff their beloved Blue Buses are swallowed up by the faceless, deficit-plagued transit--monster—-which -the -Greater—Van- couver Regional District is due to inherit from B.C. Hydro in April. Last year the Urban Transit Authority designated West Van as a separate sit service area. The GVRD itself endorsed that concept. Mayor Derrick Humphreys says he also had assurances in principle. from Premier Bennett and Municipal Affairs Minister Vander Zalm that the Blue Buses could continue as an independent operation under the UTA. But suddenly the GVRD bureaucrats went into reverse and began pressing hard to take over West Van's ef- ficient and highly regarded transit system after all. They were backed last week by the GVRD transportation committee. Since then, however, cooler heads may have been prevailing within the GVRD executive which badly needed West Van's support in today's crucial GVRD vote on the regional district’s transit cost-sharing agreement with Victoria. The price set by Mayor Humphreys for that support was GVRDB hands off the Blue Buses. By this time, therefore, West Van may already have won its battle to keep its transit operation independent and everyone will be happy. But otherwise the battle must continue with all the ammunition the community can muster — including, hopefully, pressure from West Van’s MLA, Attorney General Allan Williams, on his cabinet colleagues. Leading lady Maureen McTeer, wife of Prime Minister Joe Clark, is among 10 women picked by the Ladies’ Home Journal as future leaders in the 1980s — “capable in their fields and exemplifying new equality in ability and accomplishment.” Ms. McTeer, 27, is the only Canadian named by the prestigious U.S. monthly magazine. All nime others are Americans. Now, THAT's a poll worth noting! sunday news north shore | news NEWS - ADVERTISING 980-0511 1139 Lonsdale Ave . North Vancouver, B C V7M 2H4 (604) 980-0511 CLASSIFIED 986-6222 CIRCULATION 986-1337 Publisher Peter Speck Associate Publisher Editor-in-Chief Advertising Director Robert Graham Noel Wright Enc Cardwell Classified Manager & Office Administrator Berni Hitard Production Tim Francis Faye Mc Crae Managing Editor Andy Fraser News Editor Photography Chris Uoyad Ettsworth Dickson Accounting Supervisor Barbara Keen North Shore News, founded in | 969 as an independent Commu: ty Newapaper and quatified under Schedule It Part WW Paragieaon tot the Excise lax Act is published each Wednesday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid and distributed to every door on the North Shore Second Class Mail Registration Number 3665 Subscriptions $20 per year Entre contents ¢ 1070 North Shore Free Press Ltd All nights reserved EQ SN eae” VERIFIED CIRCUL ATION 49,503 48,478 Wednesday Sunday THIS PAPER IS RECYCLABLE Animal Farm? By PAT RICH Groundhogs across _ the nation should be facing this Saturday, which § is Groundhog Day, with fear and trepidation. Little do they know it but they could decide the up- coming federal election even though they are among the most politically unaware of animals. Their action on Saturday will decide the weather conditions for the next month at least. And as everybody knows weather is a critical factor in the voter turnout for any election. No doubt super-intelligent political hacks can figure out whether good or bad weather will be of most use to their particular party. But what about the poor groundhog who only goes out to look for his shadow because that is the most exciting thing he can think of doing after a long winter hibernation. He is probably being beseiged right now by smart young men with briefcases who are telling him what he By ROGER WORTH All the indicators suggest it’s going to be a tough year. No matter which political party is elected in the February 18 trek to the polls, Canadians can expect to pay markedly higher prices for energy. Inflation is expected to again surpass 9%. And the breadlines of unemployed Canadians will get longer as a result of a long-forecast recession in the U.S., cutting exports to Canada's largest market. Interest rates are expected to remain high for some time to come. As a result, house- building will drop sharply and retailers may be hurt as consumers bite the personal bullet. At the same time, the national debt has now passed the $68 billion mark — that's will or will not see on Saturday, depending on their party affihation. And if groundhogs become politically aware, can Animal Farm be far behind. T could be fou about $6,500 for each working Canadian — and is rising at the rate of about $10 billion per year. Nota pretty picture at all. Neither is there much room for optimism on the international scene. In the midst of a Russian invasion of Afghanistan and hostage takings and revolutionary upheaval in Iran, we are faced with the sorry plight of hundreds of millions of starving people in the so-called developing countries. There's little wonder people are losing their faith in paper currency, driving the price of gold to an un- believable $700 per ounce. For Canadians, though, the outlook for 1980 may not be as bleak as if is in many other countnes. While inflation, unem- ployment, and energy costs may rise, the increases will probably not be as dramatic as those in neighbouring nations. 7 er! In addition, new — though costly — energy sources are being developed and Canada is blessed with greater self- sufficiency in food than a lot of countries. It should also be noted that Canadian food prices are among the lowest inthe world. Like others, Canadians may be in for a tough year. But it's worthwhile pointing out that the standard of living here ranks with the world’s leaders. Things could be a lot tougher. Roger Werth is Director. Public Affairs, Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Keeping Canada in one piece Whatever became of Canadian unity? The Canadian unity theme, you may recall, dominated Pierre Trudeau's I! years in power and was a substantial issue in last May’s election which sent him packing. One of the most curious features of the current election campaign is that hardly a single meaningful word on the subject has been uttered to date by any of the three major party leaders. One key factor in ex- plaining this sudden hush among federal politicians on the subsyect of Quebec has been the emergence of that province's new strong man, Liberal leader Claude Ryan. On present showing Mr. Ryan gives every sign of being able to defeat Rene Levesque and the Parti Quebecois in a walk at the next provincial election. At the same Ume -- although an avowed federalist -— Mr. Ryan promises to be no less tough a customer in his own way when he gets down to the bargaining table with Enghsh Canada. RUG PULLED The inevitable result has been to pull the rug from under Mr Trudeau's feet as the No | federalist champion of Quebec's aspiravions As a future federalist premier of Quebec albeit with his primary loyalty to La Belle Province Mr Ryan is now tn a much stronger position to play the dual role of good Quebecker and good Canadian than a recycled francophone prime minister would be with his primary loyally owed to the interests of the country as a whole In the Circumstances Mr Trudeau s abrupt retence on the untity problem posed by Quebe> derstandable the becomes oun though virtually has until May esen msuc was trademark last That reticence is doubtless being encouraged by Senator Keith Davey and Mr. Trudeau's”) other backroom handlers -- and for other good reasons, too. The truth of the matter ts that the “unity” question today has become a good deal broader than that of Quebec vs English Canada, due largely to the energy crisis. One of the most urgent problems confronting any future federal government ts the ownership and shanng of vital resources, especially oul and gas. among the 10 provinces. Under the Bntush North Ameneca Act’ which serves as Canada’s con- sttulion those = resources belong to the provinces in which they are found Not unnaturally. the favored provinces want to sell their non-renewable bounty at the best possible pnce, whether to. fellow-Canadians 9 or anyone clse CONFRONEATION This is already threatening a» head on confrontation between oil moh Alberta and ot hungry Ontarto which fears Albertas asking price for fuel Could send many of its industrics Into aw tailspin The other three western resource provinces are alse Heaxing thear tuasedes mn vartous ways agains! domination of the natonal economy by central Canada which they hold has by Noel Wright continued for far too long at their expense. Even the Maritimes. with = their promise of future’ wealth from offshore resources. are slarting to get into the act As aieresuli, the 1980 “unity” scenano no longer centres solely) around the possibility of a split between English and French Canada Increasingly, at ois also beginning to suggest the Picture of an entire family coming apart at the seams as its) English members squabble among themselves over moncy and Possessions Having sirtually no power base in Quebed Prime Minister Joe Clark has has own reasons for keeping as low a profile as Mr Trudeau on the orginal unity issuc during = the present cam paign as has NDP leader Ed Broadbent However thie bilingual Mr Clark has certainty done nothing to WoOrSEN relations woth Quebeo Indeed. he might concermably be able ote Nepotrate with oa Quebes Povernimne st headed ty Claude Ryan more happily than Mr. Trudeau — who now stands to be upstaged at his own game by Mr. Ryan. FRESH APPROACH That Mr. Clark infinitely better than his Liberal opponent to the soaring aspirations of the West (where the Grits were virtually wiped out last May) goes without saying. In the short time available he worked hard to reconcile Alberta's and Ontario's divergent interests and at least managed to figure out an oil price ceiling which would guarantee Ontario industry some permanent advantage over world competitors in the matter of fuel costs. relates It may not be enough to save his skin on February 18 in’ Ontario, where the elecuon will be decided, bul it did reflect a fresh new approach to the mounting problem of keeping Canada together in one piece. AS a pragmatist and consensus man, Mr. Clark believes thal patience and sweet reason can eventually persuade all ten of Canada’s stubbornly self-centred provinces to fall into step to their mutual disadvantage as members of a respected and united nation At any rate. its a different approach from that of Mr [rudeau who often gave the impression that the country still consisted pnmanily of its two nineteenth century founding provinces of Upper and Lower Canada and who left it, after Pl years in power more divided than he formal at Make one mistake The real ( anadian unity problem Iyoms ota as ever al riot bigger dis yust that they arent talking about it by that VNATTVO GATVN Prone