6 - Wednesday, November 16, 1988 - North Shore News INSIGHTS Try eyes-and-hands test for civic vote-hunters LET’S TAKE A SHORT BREATHER from free trade. Over the next 48 hours our 30 council and school board candidates urgently need our attention. Voting in North Van District and West Van is Saturday, Nov. 19, 8 to 8. (No election this year in North Van City). Thisleaves us precious little time to decide which of the 30 will serve us best until 1990 — ‘‘serve’’ being the operative word. No point in pouring at length over their so- called platfonns. That’s because, unlike Ottawa and Victoria, local government seldom faces red-hot issues capable of bringing on a surge of adrenalin throughout the community. So when civic candidates proclaim where they stand on ‘‘issues’’, they inevitably tend to wind up looking as alike as a row of peas in a pod. All council candidates believe in the four great motherhood virtues: control of development and den- sities, taxes kept to as low as possible, broad citizen input in council decisions and protection of the community’s ‘‘unique lifestyle’. School board hopefuls routinely promise to work for MAYORAL CHALLENGERS more efficient and effective schooling, ‘‘fiscal responsibility"’ and bigger bucks from Victoria. Occasionally, one or two extra bells and whistles are added. Thus, in North Van, mayoral candidate Peter Faminow is attacking Mayor Marilyn Baker’s ‘‘discriminatory”’ illegal suites policy. Environmental protection ranks high with alder- manic hopefuls Pat Bruskiewich, Dallas Collis and incumbent Ernie Crist. Norm Vipond urges recycl- ing. Incumbent Bill Rogers wants more youth programs. In West Van, mayoral candidate Bert Fleming charges Mayor Don Laaskail with failed leadership and a divided council. Aldermanic con- tender Carol Reynolds is hot on her heritage; Robert Fearn worries about municipal debt (nearly $600 per capita, he says); Barrie Clark wants a community arts centre. And would-be school trustee Michael MacDougall has the neat idea that schools should exist to help PARENTS, ‘‘the first and Peter Faminow, Bert Flem- ing...motherhood with bells and whistles added. Election overshadowed ITH NORTH Shore residents up to their ears in free trade, municipal election issues have, as a result, been overshadowed. But local residents lost in the federal election furor should not forget to mark their bailots in the fast- approaching Nov. 19 municipal elections. The heated campaigns of the three federal leaders have been fiery and abusive with leaders reduced to throwing personal insults at one another daily. Scuffics have broken out at recent rallies, and hecklers have traded their fair share of obscenities. The municipal election campaigns have been ex- tremely low-key by comparison, and locai media coverage has been unable to compete with the deluge of federal campaign news being beamed daily into Ca- nadian homes. White free trade will indeed affect all Canadians, local issues will have a more immediate effect on citi- zens and their municipalities. it is every North Shore resident's responsibility to know who is running in his election riding, and to understand the issues being debated by local politi- cians. Together, each of us can affect change, but only if we see fit to exercise our democratic right to vote. principal educators of their children’’. But ultimately the only wor- thwhile clues to performance come from watching and listening to each candidate in action, which you can do during these last 48 hours on the tube. Starting at 7 p.m., Shaw TV Cable 4 presents North Van’s candidates tonight and West Van's tomorrow in elec- tion programs sponsored by the North Shore News — with a repeat of both programs on Friday from 2 p.m. When the questions get tough, a candidate’s eyes and hands often tell you more than the voice about how he or she would stand up for YOUR interests! SCRATCHPAD: Lions Gate Hospice Society is holding an in- formation night Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 in the Medical Day Care at LGH, reports director Diane Wills. The Society welcomes volunteers and supporters interest- ed in helping in its work of bring- ing comfort and emotional! peace to the terminally il] and their fami- lies ... One happy man this month is North Van transportation expert Zoltan Kaun who recently received the Meritorious Achievement Award of the Association of Pro- fessional Engineers. Then, last week, came the announcement of a start on the Cassiar Corridor to link the Second Narrows with Highway #1 — a project which Zoltan, a North Van Chamber of Commerce director, has made his personal crusade for eight years ... And West Van’s Reg Meek urges wine-lovers not to miss the Kiwanis International Wine Festival Friday, Nov. 18 from 410 9 in the Van- couver Trade & Convention Cen- tre. More world wines for the tasting than ever before and a ro Publisher... Managing Editor Associate Editor Peter Speck Barrett Fisher Noel Wright Advertising Director Linda Stewart North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualiied under Schedule 111, Paragraph HI of the Excise Tax Act. ts published eacn Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by Nosin Shore Free Press Lid and distubuled to every door an the North Shore Second Class Mai Registration Number 3865 Supscaptions Nortn and West Vancouver, £25 pet veat Maung rates avaiable on request Submissions are welcome bul we cannot accept responsibility tor © wedn retail credit-card store where you ing to Kiwanis charities, of course. can buy onthe spot. Tickets ($12) from any Vancouver Kiwanis member or Bufton’s Flowers, 851 Hornby and Plaza Level, Bentall Four — with all money raised go- awe WRIGHT OR WRONG: Politi- cians who throw dirt lose ground. , eaten NEWS photo Mike Wakefield MULTI-LEVEL ISSUE?...On Maplewood Mud Flats North Van federal NDP candidate Donna Stewart and provincia! NDP leader Mike Har- court discuss future of North Van District chunk of waterfront. SENN Bt WE COVID HAVE TT... IRV THE AGTION/ WAR ETRY Te Display Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Cistribution Subscriptions 98u-0511 986-6222 985-2131 986-1337 SUnOAY WEONESGAY = ERTOAY 986-1337 985-3227 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 59,170 (average. Wednesday Friday & Sunday) — MEMBER unsolicited Matenal mncluding manuscnpts and pictures e which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope SDA DIVISION North Shore owned and managed Entire contents © 1988 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved.