if Tay Ra Gor er 6 - Sunday, February 17, 1997 - North Shore News So Z 7 Z Z y NEWS VIEWPOINT Waterlogged T HE GREATER Vancouver Regional District has wisely chosen to publicly air the controversial issue of logging in the Lower Mainland watershed areas. On Tuesday the GVRD water committee voted for a public review of watershed logging. The review is scheduled to begin March 7. While reports and press releases issued by the GYRD have continued to maintain that logging in the Capilano and Seymour watersheds has had no adverse impact on the quality of local drinking water, the suspicion persists that logging is degrading North Shore water. And that suspicion is fuelled by far more than the steady lobbying of such en- vironmental groups as the Western Canada Wilderness Commitice. It is based, in large part, simply on what comes out of the taps on the North Shore. “The condom issue is like install- ing < car radar detector. A young person driving a car may avoid a speeding ticket, but may end up dead because of driving at high speed.’’ Mel Bryan, national director of the ‘Focus cn the Family’’ ministry, on installing condom machines in North Shore high schools. “I don’t like to use that name, ar- tist. The term has been abused. People with no skills at all call themselves artists. I’m in business.”’ Graphic designer Wilfried Haest, on artists. Advertising Director Comptroller... . distnbuted to every Subscriptions North an year. Late last year and at times this year, the color of local water has been mud brown. Resident complaints about the state of local water persist. At times last November the turbidity level in the Capilano and Seymour reser- voirs was over 40 times recommended national drinking standards. higher than A GVRD report released two months has on thought. NEWS QUOTES OF THE WEEK “The timing could hardly have been worse — it’s heritage week this month and it's the district’s centennial year. And what do we have? A demolition permit on the district's prime heritage house.’” North Vancouver District heritage committee chairman David Byrnes, on the possible demolition of the Nye House. ‘**Each council seems to feel that if only ignored, the beast will not quite die while they are in office.*’ West Vancouver resident Neil Thompson, in a letter urging West Vancouver Council to appoint a task force to study Lions Gate Bridge. Display Advertising Classitied Advertising 986-6222 Fax Newsroom Doug Foot North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111, Paragraph fil of the Excise Tax Act, 1s published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lic. and door on the North Shore. Second Class Mail Registration Number 3885. id West Vancouver, $25 per Mailing rates avaitable on request Submissions are welcome but we cannot accept responsibility tor unsolicited maternal including manuscripts and pictures which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope SUNDAY + WEDNESDAY © FRIDAY 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 Entire contents © 1991 North Shore Free Press Ltd. Alt rights reserved. 980-0511 Distribution Real Estate Advertising 985-6982 Subscriptions 985-2131 Administration 61,582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday} earlier recommended investing $500 miilion in upgrading the GVRD water system to bring local water up to national standards. But the question of what impact logging local unanswered in the public mind. water remains largely The issue must be publicly examined and laid to rest once and for all before large amounts of money are invested in a water system overhaul that may not need to be as complex or expensive as initially “I don’t know whether to call this a work in progress or a life in progress.’’ West Vancouver artist, Natalie Drache, on her mammoth Uni- versevisions project. “I think it should stop. Maybe if they just talk it over.”’ Nina, a 10-year-old Larson Elementary Schoo! student, on the Persian Gulf War. “What is it that these wicked GVRD people are trying to do, and why are they trying to do it.’’ North Vancouver District Ald. Rick Buchols, on the controversy over logging in the Lower Mainland watershed areas. 986-1337 986-1337 fa 985-3227 fee 985-2131 MEMBER ——————: a SDA DIVISION North Shore managed tlantic link (| non-negotiable if Quebec goes CANADA’S TOP baritone, Brian Mulroney, was in Toronto and Quebec City last week singing his familiar “Savior of Canada”’ role. But unfortunately the opera’s lyrics haven’t been updated. They omit the new part about saving Canada AFTER Quebec has departed — now seemingly a foregone cenclusion following Premier Bourassa's take-it-or- leave-it bombshell the other week. If we don’t give away the entire store to Quebec within 18 months with no further arguing, Quebec will quit. That’s the nub of Bourassa’s message. For the re- maining 76 per cent of Canadians it raises one highly important point not yet addressed publicly in any detail. We're talking about the little matter of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic Pro- vinces. In theory an independent sovereign Quebec would control the former, along with access to the latter on Canadian soil and in Canadian air space. We need to make crystal clear right now that it’s a theory which will never fly. The St. Lawrence is essential for Canada’s trade. And Atlantic Canada is a core part of the national heritage. We are a COAST-TO-COAST nation. So by all means talk “sovereignty”? with Bourassa and his separatist bosses Jacques , Parizeau and Lucien Bouchard. Starting with the only sovereign nation presently existing above the 49th parallel — Canada — which is not about to surrender to any- one the ties binding three-quarters of it together. That means Canada must retain sovereignty over the St. Lawrence and over a land-rail-air corridor along its southern shore to the Maritimes. Open toll-free, of course, to Quebec and all coun- tries with which we’re at peace. But Canadian territory, period. The Maple Leaf flying along the Trans-Canada from Cornwall, Ont. to Edmunston, N.B. Canada Customs at the limited on-off ramps. Guarded by Canadian forces, with the Coast Guard patrolling the river. That’s NON-NEGOTIABLE. if Quebec says no, it can always try raising its own army and declaring war on Canada. Add three more non-negotiable items: © No Canadian currency. Quebec must invent its own play money — the Q-dollar, franc, parizeau or whatever. © No more equalization pay- ments. © No more riding on the coat tails of Canada-U.S. free trade. If Quebecers want it, they can nego- tiate from scratch with Ottawa B E C Cueweomaw nate aes Poses QUE Noel Wright HITHER AND YON and Washington. No, dear reader, I’m NOT be- ing funny. For me, saving Canada is no joking matter — with or without Quebec. And if the latter, the corridor and waterway to the Atlantic remain vita! for us. No sovereign nation is required to assist in its own destruction. Unlike many countries, however, it’s not the Canadian style to res- pond to nation-wrecking with troops and tanks. If Quebec quits, so be it. But we don’t have to let it take the coast-to-coast sovereignty of Canada with it! TAILPIECES: Picking you way through the minefield of condo advertising, seeking the retirement pad of your dreams? Try the People’s Law School seminar on “Buying A Condominium,’ 7-9 tomorrow, Feb. 18, at West Van Library — call 926-3291, local 311, to pre-register ... If child care is a recurrent problem, you shouldn’t miss the launching of a new organization that hopes to find fresh solutions. The founding meeting of the North Shore Child Care Society takes place Wednes- day, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Leo Marshall! Centre, 810 West 2ist, North Van ... And red-circle Saturday, Feb. 16, for Seycove School’s eighth annual fun auc-_ tion to raise scholarship and equipment moncy for Seycove itself, Sherwood Park, Burrard View and Dorothy Lynas Schools. Tickets $10 at any school or call 925-5665. eee WRIGHT OR WRONG: The next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it. CANADA CORRIDOR ...thick black line is Trans-Canada High- way from Cornwall, Ont. to Edmunston, N.B. — to remain sovereign Canadian territory if Quebec quits.