6 - Wednesday, March 15, 1989 ~ North Shore News

INSIGHTS

.C. homes as vital as

medicare and schooling

A 25 PER CENT RETURN ON INVESTMENT in six
months is good news for my friend Al. Last September he
bought a 35-year-old North Van home for his family for

$152,000. ;

Today it’s appraised by realtors
at $180,000 — and counting. Even
if only on paper for the moment,
$38,000 in half a year is nice gravy
for Al. But with vacancy rates
nudging zero, it’s bitter medicine
for thousands of North Shore te-
nants and tens of thousands of
other renters throughout the
Lower Mainland.

Soaring prices inevitably send
rents through the roof. That is, if
you can FIND a place to rent at all
for under four figures. But don’t
blame Al. Nor the B.C. economy
— now doing much better but still
considerably cooler than the eco-
nomic inferno in Ontario. And
don't even blame Hong Kong pur-
chasers, who are doing perfectly
legally just what YOU'D do in

CALISTA WARD

.fops at

EXUAL ABUSE

be ignored.

Family Services Society.

Througt counseiling services and support groups for
women and sexually-abused adolescent girls, the socie-
ty heips victims come to terms with their pasts and
overcome the emotional wounds of sexual! abuse.

Like alcoholics, childrez of abusers often grow up to
repeat the tragic mistakes of their parents. By teaching
a healthy view of love and sexuality, the society offers
participants a realistic chance to break the destructive

chain of abuse.

Fer generations, victims’ tales of sexual abuse have
been dismissed. This only exacerbates feelings of
denial, anger and low self-esteem. But for these who
enter such support programs as the North Shore Fami-
ly Service Society’s, there is hope for healing.

Hope for healing

is something most people
would rather not discuss. This unwillingness
holds true for healih care professionals, parents,
politicians, and, until recently, victims. .
Sexual abuse victims, who have been silent for so
long, are now spexking cut, so the taboo carn no longer

National statistics show that one in four females will
fall victim to sexual abuse by the tender age of 18.
Equaliy shocking is the figure for males — ene in six
will be abused by the time they reach their late teens.

One local organization that is confronting the prob-
tem of sexual abuse and its victims is the North Shore

their shoes.

The hare truth is that many
Hong Kongers today have a Jot
more ready cash than their social
counterparts in B.C. They also
face a takeover in eight years’ time
by Communist China. So they
snap up future B.C. bolt-holes at
madly inflated prices by taking
advantage of free market forces —-
which then, in turn, drive up ALL
prices in the area.

Lay the blame, therefore,
squarely on the B.C. government.
If you compare the housing situa-
tion with health care or education,
the pious plea by Victoria that it
must not interfere with free market
forces is poppycock. Reasonably
affordable housing is a need just as
vital as doctors and schools — and
what Canadian politician would
ever leave the two latter to free
market forces?

For too fong Victoria has dodg-
ed the only sane answer: follow the
example of Australia and
numerous other countries by bann-
ing offshore non-residents from
owning resideniial property in
B.C

Alternative free-market invest-
ment opportunities in industry and
commerce abound. But — like our
hospitals and classrooms — the
price of homes for B.C. citizens
should not be set by big-buck for-
eigners who don’t live here.

aee
ABOVE-AND-BEYOND Dept.:
As if nurses aren't kept busy
enough these days, the Nightin-
gales in the LGH emergency ward
worried about how scary the place
must seem to young children. So

they got going on an extra-cur-
ricular project to do something
about it — by putting together a
cvuokbook of their favorite recipes.
From sales of this and of
Christmas nuts they raised $1,000
and, with the money, commission-
ed artist Murray Gibbs to brighten
up the emergency ward’s pediatrics
area, Now, their tiny patients are
greeted by colorful murals of fa-
miliar, comforting characters like
Big Bird, Bambi, Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs. With those bed-
time-story friends watching over
them, the little ones figure nothing
too nasty can happen to them.

Reminds me of the head nurse
who once described her profession
co me this way: ‘‘Coping efficient-
ly is only half our job. The impor-
tant half is caring."’

eee

SIGN-OFF: Travelling around the
world on unpaid leave to spread
the good word about Capilano
College is humanities instructor
Olga Kempo, West Van NDP can-
didate in last November's federat
election. This summer she'll be
looking into European job oppor-
tunities for students in the
humanities ‘‘work/study abroad”’
program... Congrats to North
Van's Calista Ward on winning
one of the two 1989 B.C. Tel bur-
saries awarded to top Trinity
Western University students. In
second year science and planning a
medical career, she already holds a
U of Toronto music degree and
teaches 20 piano students... And
among North Van birthdays
tomorrow, March 16, many happy
returns to Alan Hassell and Jeanne
Wintemute.

eee
WRIGHT OR WRONG: Sitting
up to take notice doesn't do any
good if you just keep on sitting.

i Yevsan Fre Coen

i

RICK Should De ac COmpAMOed ty a tamped ack,
sores

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North Shore News, tourried in 2969 de an depend:

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Paragraph Mot ine bacme Tas Act 1s puttestie:
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NEWS photo Mike Wakefictd
“FRIENDS ON THE WALL" make LGH Emergency ward less scary
for three-year-old patieats like Kelsey Boriznd and Jessica Lucas...with
thera, (left) San Skidmore, R.N., and mural artist Murray Gibbs (see
cokamr items).

1139 Lonsdale Avenue.
North Vancouver, BC
V7M 2H4

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