6 ~ North Shore News — Wednesday, November 22, 2000

USINESS in B.C. isn’t what it
should be. Not by a long shot.

Its energies have been sapped by
years of provincial government cco-
nomic mismanagement.

That reality is reflected in a recent

. national poll released last weekend at

B.C. Business Summit 2000.
Conducted by Ipsos-Reid, the poll,

which included 800 B.C. residents,

found that only 35 per cent of British

Columbians described the province's

economy as “good” or “very good.”
Compare that with Alberta, where

‘approximately 95 per cent rated their
-province’s economy in the good to
.very good categories.

And the poll showed that 65 per

‘cent of British Columbians believe the

province remains headed in the wrong
economic direction. The national

maibox

Liberals proved
unworthy cf trust

oe Dear Editor:

:
fe

i

i

With an election in the wind we should all appraud the

’ North Shore News for the columns by Leo
- the machinations of our federal authorities in
. hush “Sidewinder” affair. .

, which is rumoured to have landed in the prime
back yard.

‘Oh yes, we know that there are many singe interest

; groups who will be overwhelmingly in support of the pre-
fe over our gov-

ernment’s involvement in the, MAI treaty and the follow
‘up in the WTO to say nothing of the official attitude

sent regime, dut let us not forget the fig!

toward the sale of our water.

"We stiould.all tip our hats to Maude Barlow and her
. Council of Canadians for her tireless efforts ix bringing

Will the Canadian public be stupid enough to re-elect
. a body-politic which has been involved in so much blatant
cover up as the above mentioned, plus. the Jane Stewart
 misplacement of a billion or so taxpayer's dollars, some of

average in that category is 23 per cent.

Those revelations may not be news
to B.C. residents, most of whom con-
tinue to believe that this West Coast
province has as much if not more
potential than any region in Canada.

The rub here however is that the
land remains under the rule of a polit-
ical regime that has proved incapable
of establishing B.C. as the economic
leader in Canada it should be.

The BC Business Summit “Vision”
for B.C.’s economic future, developed
last weekend with input from a wide
range cf business organizations dedi-
cated to revitalizing the province’s
economy, requires leadership from
business and labour if it’s to become a
reality.

Realizing that vision will also
require a wholesale change of political
leadership in this province.

race card: West Vancouver-
Sunshine Coast.

Below is the second
of two Ripping Yarns
columns handicapping
the federal horses run-
ning for the reses on the
North Share.

North Vancouver's
tip sheet appeared in the
Nov. 19 Yarn.

Like their smaller
North Vancouver cousin,
the various riding con-
figurations that have

ight on
the hush

minister's

right-of-centre hands,

. the early 1970s.

~ included West Vancouver were once
Liberal strongholds that have long been in

NEXT up on your federal election

Last Liberal dynasty expired out west in

The current riding is large and diverse,

which makes the race more difficult to call.

Incumbent Canadian Alliance MP John -

We can only hope and pray y that the public will seek a
? new and, fresh’ beginning. by rejecting those who have
Peete themselves ¢ to be unworthy of our trust.

West  Voicouver 2

PS. -Uhope the Leo Knight columns are recorded in other
"circles so that as many as possible ar are made aware of what

has been | going on...

“pe vou HAVE A STOR iDEA?
Business Hours: Sharon Cocomile

o> Editorial Assistant. ~
985-2131, locat 120
985-2104 .

86 da fax:
©, geacomils@nsnews.com

:: North Stora News, waded in 1969 as an independent

* suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule
“911, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Act, is published
. each, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by. Lower

< Mainland Publishing Group lac, a division of Southam

Putfications, a CanWesi Company and distributed to
every door on the North Shore. Canada Post Canadian
Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No.

~. 0087238. Maiting rates avaitable on request. Entire

contents © 2600 Lover Mainiand Publishing Group

Ine. 2 division of Southam Publications, a CanWest

Company. AU rights reserved Average cifculation for

~ Wednesday. Friday and Sunday is 64.471.

Reynolds retained in 1997 the riding
secured in 1993 by Reform predecessor

- Herb Grubel. Bur his margin of victory
_ over the Liberal challenger in the 1997

election was far smaller than was his coun-
terpart’s in North Vancouver.

An upset here would therefore be less
of a surprise.

To the starting gate then, voters, where
we have, in alphabetical order, your federal
candidates for West Vancouver-Sunshine

Coast:

"gag
Jane “Dr. Green” Bishop (Green Party -
of Canada)

Rural family doctor and anesthetist,
Bishop, 42, has lived in Roberts Creek for
the past year, used to live in the Northwest :.
Territories. Advocates bringing more local

Newsroom Editor
235-2131 (#16)

Te

forty Peters

—VIEW POINT:

control to the health system, which she
says is ailing.

Also big on outdoors and environmen-
tal issues. Wants federal
government to increase
transfer payments to pro-
vide money for health,
education, social welfare
programs.

Political experience limit-
ed: her frst election -
campaign; her first politi-
cal are membership.
Earnest and serious, but
too green.
. Odds: 500 to 1.
, : . 900
Marc “Money Matters” Bombois
(Canadian Action Party)

A Squamish-based financial services °
consultant who has embarked on a crusade
to awaken citizens to what he believes is
the wholesale corruption in the private
banking system; 45-year-old is another

political neophyte. Sees CAP as an election.

vehicle for raising the issue of how |
Canada’s identity and economic indepen-: -
dence are being destroyed by the free -
trade agreement and the international
monetary conspiracy.

_ Activist and outdoorsman. Focused and
passionate, but neither he nor his Party a are
in the running. .

Odds: 600 to 1. - os
900 -

Dana “Marijuana is My" Life” Larsen»

(Marijuana Party of Candda)

Gibsons resident is the editor of
Cannabis Culture Magazine. Outspoken
advocate of ending marijuana prohibition

in Canada; 29-year-old says the war on |.”
othe ri

drugs is ruining lives and costing Canada _
billions in potential rev enues from legal. °
ized [marijuana sales...

LETTERS 1 16 THE EDITOR must include your ;

name, full: address and telephone number.
Submit vis e-mail? to: mb: ew3.COmM

-Aiter Hours Hews Tips! 935-2131 (press 3)!

Timottry Renshaw

Editorial Manager

q S8S-2121 (160)

ipetersQasnews com

| Shark Fascher
“| Dieative Services Director
985-2131 (127)

Claims all the major parties ‘havea at
one time or another, backed the decrimi:
nalization of marijuana. ©

Says the Marijuana party has already
scored a key election victory by being
placed on the ballot and making drug
decriminalization an election issue.

All smoke no race day fire here, howev

Odds: 800 tol. PS
Kate “T Qag a ( %

te “Tory Blue” Manv Progressive
Conservative Party of Canada)’ °

Third generation PC supporter from
solid Central Canada stock; 53-yeat-old
West Vancouver resident is a former citi
zenship court judge. Past West. Vari Ove
Sunshine Coast PC riding
ident now runs an immigration coi
business, *

First run for office: carr} iB
for more female involvernent as candidates
in the election process.

Says the PC party offers voters
centre between the Liberals and the
Alliance — the former havi ig don

er

~ ing of value for Cana
: latter having done no!

Opposition. -’
care, debt and taxes; but also conccmed

“that Canada is is not meeting

“No nonsens indepe:

> woman. In better Tory time:
“been in the race, but not this time around

(Liberal. Party of: Canada)
Wancouver resident a surprise :winni
B' 's no ination runoff whe

_ Telephone”
(., $85-2031"-
$8005