under amnesty |

Residents drop off their weapons

By Anna Marie D'Angelo

News Reporter
dangelo@nsnews.com

AMNESTY Smith and Wesson style has been keeping
police firearms staff busy for the last two months on the

North Shore.

On April 23, the provincial government announced that anyone with
unwanted guns, explosives or “dangerous war souvenirs” could turn
them into a police station without fear of being charged with a weapons

crime.

In North Vancouver, 30 long barrel rifles (shotguns), 12 registered
handguns and four unregistered handguns have been turned in so far.

The North Vancouver Mounties also took in 1,193 rounds of ammu-
nition (bullets) and 29 ammunition magazines (cartridges of bullets.)

“Guns off the street are what we are looking for,” said Const. Tom

Seaman, of the North Vancouver RCMP.

In West Vancouver, police have accepted 52 handguns and rifles along
with “lots”of ammunition, said Sgt. Hugh Carleton.
“It’s becn pretty good, but you never know how many are out there,”

said Carleton.

No one has turned in any explosives on the North Shore under the

amnesty program.

Seaman said that most poople turning in weapons talked about the
Ce)

guns being in their houses
or needing to use them.

ra long time without any person using them

Seaman said some of the people who turned in weapons and ammu-
nition were worried about the items being in their homes,

According to the provincial government, more than 960 firearms,

more than 30,000 bullets along with some explosives were turned in by

- the the end of May.

The weapons amnesty program runs until Monday.

| Police and the provincial government say the removal of unwanted
weapons from homes may serve to reduce the number of intentional or

accidental violent incidents.

Atrican

By fan Noble

News Reporter
jan@nsnews.com

WHEN Brett Whitelaw left a volatile
Rhodesia in 1977, the long-term
opportunities for white people in the
African nation were thought to be

suspect,

Ironically, Whitelaw and his wife Jeannie are
now looking to the post-colonial country,
renamed Zimbabwe, as a land of opportunity.

And it’s ia British Columbia where the red
tape is making business difficult for the North
Vancouver couple.

“There’s been a lot of trials and tribula-
tions,” said Jeannie.

“It’s very teusteating,” chimed in Bretr.

The two decided to import beer and spirits
from the southern African nation to Canada
after visiting Zinvbabwe in 1995.

Zambezi beer, named after the wild river that
spills through the world-famous Victoria Falls,
and 24 Carat Pure Cane Spirit are both now
available in B.C.

Bur there’s been a lot to overcome in the
pair’s effort to get the product to market in
their home province.

For example, 3 bonded warehouse had to
stick a new bar code on the Zambezi beer, even
though the beer is available only through special
order.

Te’s not yet stocked on shelves.

Additionally, the beer has to be picked up by

— Importers hurdle liquor

barriers to bring
Zambezi beer to B.C.

the liquor board at the bonded warehouse.

Even if the Whitelaws want a case for mar-
keting purposes or need a supply to take to a
restaurant or pub, they have to order the beer,
pay the same price as anyone else for the beer,
and wait for it to be delivered. Delivery should
take a week, but has taken as long as three
weeks.

Because the beer has to be ordered, a few
people who wanted the beer for a party couldn't
get it in time, said Brett.

As for the cane spirit, the liquor board said
the cases of 12 can’t be broken up. So, as of July
1, a consumer wit! have to pay $275 to get the
cane spirit.

“People want the product, but don’t want to
have to buy 12,” said Jeannie.

That’s why the pair want to get their prod-
ucts on liquor store shelves.

Brett said that when they sell 50 cases of beer
a month for six months it will move from being
a speculative to a specialty listing. That would
allow them to apply for shelf space but not guar-
antee it.

To get a regular listing, the company has to
sell $500,000 worth of beer a year and maintain
that level.

There’s also other hoops to jump through.

Friday, June 27, 1997 — North Shore News ~ 3

CONST. Tom Seaman checks out some unwanted guns destined
te be destroyed, given to museums or used for police training.

suds flow in NV

Full approval from Victoria is needed for adver-
tising.

Labeling in French, not widely spoken in
Zimbabwe or for that matter in British
Columbia, is required by federal law and adds
extensive costs. The first shipment was given
grace, but the next shipment needs to be labeled
in the language of La Belle Province.

Of the $43.80 currently charged for 24 beer,
taxes, duty and liquor board mark-up leave the
pair with $17. Out of that, they have to pay the
suppliers, shipping costs and storage costs.

With the first shipmence of 1,000 cases of 24
beer, they will be lucky to make $2,000.

When asked if the two would have embarked
on their business if they had known sll the red
tape they would have to cut through, Brett said
no.

But now there is no turning back.

“And I do believe that once we are over the
initial hurdles ic will certainly be a worthwhile
benefit. We would have given the B.C. commu-
nity another choice of a fine beer.”

The beer is a pleasant light lager, in keeping
with the warm cimate it comes from. As far as
the Whitelaws know, it’s the only southern
African beer sold in British Columbia.

To order the products, go to your local
liquor store and order the cane spirit under
number 454181 and the beer under 456939.

Or try the beer in local pubs such as Fogg
and Suds and the Bellevue Cafe in West
Vancouver. North Vancouver pubs have also
shown an interest in carrying the beer, said
Brett. He can be reached at 985-0585.

Ruling
sought on
limits to
speech

From page|

sway the tribunal from upholding the
primacy of free speech.

“This hearing is not abour
whether there should be laws against
hate speech,” the submission states.

“This hearing is not about whether
Doug Collins’ column ... is so dis-
tasteful that it and others like it should
be banned. This hearing is not about
whether Canadians should have the
same generous free speech rights as
Americans. This hearing is not about
whether freedom of speech should be
absolute. .

“The truc question for judgment
in this case is whether the specific cen-
sorship law defined by section 7(1) of
British Columbia’s Human Rights
Code is a lawful speech restriction in a

- free and democratic society.”

The council, which is an indepen-
dent body representing member
newspapers and which takes com-
plaints from the public, says the hear-
ing has been an intolerable violation of
free speech under the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms and
is “exactly the result which would
have occurred, and been in harmony
with, the workings of an authoritarian
and shackled society.”

Though the tribunal cannot
declare invalid B.C.’s law, which was
amended in 1993 with the passage of
Bill 33, the council is asking it to
declare the entire case against the
News and Collins — from the filing of
the complaint in 1994 to the heanng
which began on May 12 — an “unjus-
tifiable infringement of Charter rights
enjoyed by the newspaper and _ its
columnist.”

Sutherland, who submitted a 67-
page submission on behalf of the
News, added that the three-year delay
from the time the complaint was laid
until the start of the hearing repre-
sents for editors an unreasonable
“chill” — or fear of printing contro-
versial material.

“It is submitted,” he writes, “thar
three years of ‘chill, expense and
inconvenience, without an opportu-
nity to obtain 2 determination of
one’s Charter rights by any morc
rapid means, is a very serious infringe-
ment indeed. This duration is far
longer than any criminal proceeding
would be permitted to drag out...”

Chairman flyer has been listening
to intricate arguments on the merits of
the column but also on the broader
issue of the constitutional validity of
provincial hate laws.

The CJC complaint was filed
under what was then section 2(1)(b)
of the former Human Rights Act but
what is now section 7(1)(b) of the
Human Rights Code. The wording of
the section did not change. The News
is arguing that the legislation is con-
fusing, vague and an unnecessary
restriction on free speech.

The hearing is expected to wrap up
today (Friday).

West Vancouver-Capilano MLA stripped of labor critic post

From page '

Liberal leader Gordon Campbell.

He added he wouldn’r have many more
words for the media on the issue. However, it
drags on with the NDP’s release Wednesday
of more of the MLA’s letters.

‘Jn June 18, the province’s archcology
branch responded to reports of potential
archeology finds on property owned by
Dalton’s wife and father-in-law in’ the
Chilcotin. The archeological branch recom-
mended Dalton’s father-in-law hire an archeo-
logical consultant to conduct an impact assess-
ment.

leader Joy MacPhail stated that Dalton
phoned an archeology bureaucrat and com-
plained “in an aggressive and profane man-
ner... .” Dalton then penned his ill-fated fax
on MLA stationary.

er minding his own business has to hire a con-
sultant and called the province's position an
outrageous assault on private property.

Dalton, who stated in the letter, “I am angry.”

dealt with the issue, stripped Dalton of his
labor critic post. When asked if he was wrong

A letter to Campbell from NDP house

In the Jetter, Dalton asked why a landown-

“I would appreciate answers ASAP,” said

Campbell, saying Dalton should not have

to use his MLA’s letterhead for his missive,
Dalton said yes and no. He added he has
always been up-front in dealing with the issue,
saying he is an MLA and the owner's son-in-
law.

North y
Jarvis said Dalton should have asked another
Liberal MLA to deal with the issue. Jarvis said
Dalton’s punishment may or may not have fit
the crime.

He added Campbell had to make a stand,
especially in light of the way the Liberals have
raked the NDP over its indiscretions. “We
criticize them continually so what’s good for
the goose is good for the gander.”

Vancouver-Seymour MLA Dan

North
Katherine Whittred said it was inappropriate -
of Dalton to use letterhead on the ranch issue
because ir was “personal business” instead of
constituency business. She lauded Campbell
for acting decisively in removing Dalton trom
his post.

“f think it has been dealt with and hope-
fully put behind us.”

Nebbeling said the focus on Dalton has
been orchestrated by an NDP government
bent on deflecting attention from other issues
being discussed in the House.

“It worked because all the attention was, of
course, on Jeremy.”

Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA