Voiceless in Victoria | THERE was a secret sigh of relief on elec- tion night. The four North Shore Liberal MLAs — two old and two new — were actually consoled by the NDP victory. Why? Because Gordon Campbell promised to reduce the size of the legislature and at least one North Shore rid- ing would have been climi- nated had the Liberals been elected. And it’s unlikely that any of our local MLAs would have volunteered to throw themselves upon the funeral pyre of that pledge. It was one of several unwise and unnecessary elec- tion promises that helped. _ . deny Gordon Campbell what should have been a certain victory on Tuesday night. iThe Liberals were punished in the northern and southern interior of the province by voters who want more and better representation, not less. And a few more seats in the interior would have made the difference. : Nevertheless, a Liberal sweep of the North Shore forms an important part of the dramatic story of the eiection climax. Some Grits are. grumbling over the anom- aly of their party receiving more votes than the NDP province-wide., while gaining fewer. seats in the legislature. Tough luck, That’s the way our electoral system works. >. However, the result can be - explained in part by the North Shore, where the Liberals won by such a large margin, in contrast to the rest of the province where most. ridings were close contests. If ‘complaints continue about the legitimacy of the election results, North Shore voters will have to accept both cred- . . it and blame. Now, what to make over the fact that for the first time in memory the North Shore will be without a government MLA? In spite of all his detrac- tors, David Schreck at least gave us an inside voice in Victoria. He was listened to in the government backrooms and also had the ear of the premier. The progress on the Westview Interchange is visi- ble testimony to his persis- tence and influence. As an independent opposi- tionist over the past few ° years, [ criticized and casti- David Mitchell a second opinion gated the government over a ringe of issues, but f also tried to catch them doing things right. And it often paid off for ny constituents in West Vancouver-Guribaldi in very tangible ways, such as infrastructure grants, highway itnprovements and school expansions, — The challenge for our four Liberal. MLAs is to ensure that the North Shore's priori- ty issues are addressed by a government of a different political stripe. How can they do this? Lt In the aftermath of a relentlessly negative election campaign, they could start by setting aside the petty, parti- san sniping, the mud-ihrow- ing and the name-calling. Gien Clark and the NDP gov- ermment need to be held accountable with good, strong constructive criticism. We don’t need politics for the sake of politics. We do need representatives able to put the interests of their can- stituents first and to resist the temptation to indulge in dirty tricks. On the North Shore it is vital that we make quick progress on the First Narrows crossing. The maintenance of the Second Narrows Bridge also threatens to become a collective migraine. Crown corporation head offices for ICBC and BC Rail provide numerous North Shore jobs —~ are they secure? Will the upgrade of the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal be sensi- tive to the needs of surround- ing neighborhoods? We must have fair and equitable fund- ing for our local school dis- tricts. There is also a pressing need for the consistent deliv- ery of high quality local health care services. These and other issues will be dealt with by decision-makers in Victoria only if our four MLAs work together for the best interest of the communi- ty, not simply for the partisan advantages of their party. havik you! “As your newly elected MLA, | pledge to serve all the people of West Vancouver-Garibaldi,” Ted Hebbeling 102-2232 MARINE DRIVE, WEST VANCOUVER, BC VAV IKE FEL 20260121 FAX PODAE EVERY student can excel at math. i f t Friday, May 31, 1996 - North Shore News ~ 7 EE Tigh me NS We have more than two rnillion students worldwide to prove it. Our students, from preschool to university level, advance at their own pace and solve nch js cblems with ease. Kumon. Affordable. cfective. For information cia Kumon oul e 4° Safety of Capital Learning Centres phone: Minimum investment West Vancouver — 926-0169 or 926-3676 HS: beet os of | p OAN,. Vancouver (W. Queen St.) 294-3678 May 26/1996 ; A plLonsdale 986-3049 Lyan Valley 202-6862 Seymour - 929-9245 1° Tax Savings Chris Carter Financial Advisor MIDLAND WALWYN § or phone toll free BLUE CHIP TnI KING" 1-800-663-6284 le i KUMON” ‘Interest Equivalent Yield subject fo change | The world's finest supplemental ‘ ; math and reading education. t