6 — Wednesday. October 14, 1998 - North Snore News Senate Sie Oh, that it were an April Fool’s jest. But ic wasn’t. The Senaie’s relevance and value continues to erode on all fronts. Rocked by such outrages as the dis- graceful truancy record of Andrew Thompson, who logged a scant 12 Senate appearances from 1996 to 1997 but continued to collect a $64,400 sen- ator’s safary plus a $10,100 tax-free allowance, and dezens of other sena- tors who routinely record an atten- dance rate of jess than 60%, the institu- tion is long past needing overhaul. This is not a new idea, but it contin- ues to be given flip service when it needs some concrete action: make this coun- try’s senators accountable and useful. Elect them, make them representa- tive, make them. relevant or get rid of the whole wasteful political patronage “FS chat snoring we hear from Parliament Hill? Indeed it is. Coming from the Senate chambers. Sure, there is yawning from else- where on the Hill but the real power- napping is done in the Upper House. So much so that the entire Senate has been given some unscheduled time oft. Not for good behavior, mind you. It’s time off because the Senate has nothing zo do. According to a recent story in the daily press, the Senate will take a 24- week Thanksgiving vacation to fill its activity void. And it is not the first time that the incressingly | redundant Upper Chamber has been sent home early. The Senate took a three-week break at Easter after the workload for its members had become so light. that they sat for a scant 20 minutes on April 1, club. remiss Reader commends mayor's Cuff actions Dear Editor: The “Cuff Report” is an attempt by Mayor (Pat) Eonaime and West Vancouver Council to address the con- cerns expressed by voters during the last municipal election, with regard to the performance of the outgoing mayor and senior staff. To their credit, Mayor Boname and council hired an out- sider to review the performance of the mayor’s office and senior staff. The present mayor, with responsibilities clearly defined by the Municipal Act, requested that the municipality's solicitor review the Cuff Report for compliance with the province's Freedoms of Informatien Act. The solicitor made certain recommendations in light of chat act. Ac this point, we should remember that staff has no method of defending themselves, except through legal action, which we the tax- Payer must pay to defend. It would be entirely appropriate that a citizen request, under the Freedom of Information Act, a ruling trom Victoria with regard to the release of the report. It is my understanding that the municipality cannot request this rul- ing. ] commend Mayor Boname for her attempt to identify structural problems within the administration of West Vancouver, while conforming to the Freedom of Infermasion Act. David E. North West Vancouver LETTERS to the editer must be legible (preterably type- written) and include your aame, full address and telephone number. Duc cro space constraints the North Shore News oie. publisi: all letters. Submissions car be faxed to 985- north: Shore North Stiors News. fcainded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and quater? ander Scheduk .11, Paragranh 111 of the E case Tax Act 1s cubtiste.3 «..cn Wertnestiy. Feiday and Suatay by Porth: sore Free Press UNL and distributed to every Guor on tt 3 North ‘Sho:2 Canada Por* Canachan Pubbcations Mad ‘Saice Product Agieerent Ho 0037238 Maing cates avarable on veguest. Distribution Manages - 986-1337 (124) Ths Gorth Store News Is sublished ay North Shore Free Pr Doe seme ati ORE OI LO Bi li dE EDA aR MET Ta IE A ES aT Creative Services Manager 985-2131 (127) 51,582 (average crcutution, Wearssday, Fricay & Sunaay) north shore nhews _ VIEWPOINT ze To POOR Bi Clinton — now “in God’s hands” as one headline described the upcoming impeach- ment probe — must sometimes brood with envy over his European counterparts. The late French presi- der Francois Mitterand’s extra-marital arrangements were so well-managed that both his wife and his riistiess attended his state funer- al. When a Greek or Italian prime minister parades his paramous in pubic, that’s fine with the electorate. And now there's Germany's new chancel- lor, 54-year-old un:epentant spouse - switcher Gerhard Schroeder, just iato the second year of his fourth marriage to Doris Koepf, a magazine journalist 20 years his junior. Worse still, he makes public tun of it. When election opponents attacked him with posters reading, “Three women can’t be wrong,” Schroeder joked with reporters, “I'm a constant guy. I may swap wives every 12 vears, but Pr faith: ful ir between.” So German voisss clect- ed him and his Social Democcatie Party (SPD) with a solid 41%-10-35% lead over stuffy old conservative Helmut Kohl. In short, Germans don’t mix up a man’s private life with his perceived abili- ty to run the dynante ef Europe and the world’s third lar economy, with its 81 million population. If ke does his job for the nation, he's cntitled to his private PETER SPECK | Publisher 985-2131 (101) 965-2131 (177) Farry Pateca Photography Manage: $85-2131 (160) Stipkerso3 Classified Manager 908-6222 (202) Rta., SSE a Wright and yon y - tg 00 Comprotier 905-2181 (133) Entire cuntents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Lid. All rights reserved. HEALTH CARE PRIORITIES OF THe NDP CONVINCING BRITISH COLUMBIANS MEDICARE 15 A G7 SPENDING TONS OF TAXPAYERS Maney ON j APVERTISING extra-curricular fun. By contrast, America’s leaders still remain in bondage te the puritanism of the Pilgrim Fathers, with Kenneth Starr as its current high priest. In theory, the moral precepts of that tiny 1620 Cape Cod settlement by immi- grants on the Mayflower still rule American public fife. Not so in practice, of course. As we now know, the private lives of presidents F.D. Roosevel: and John Kennedy, to mention just two, would never have paised the Cape Cod test. They got away with it while alive because the media of those days still retained a modicum of taste and disere- tion. Fast forward to taday. A 1929-stwle global depression looming. Russia in eco- nomic turmoil with cails for a return to Soviet-era stability. Massacre- happy Serbia defying NATO over atrocities in Kosovo. Iraqi dictarer Saddam Hussein kicking out UN arms inspectors. Central Atrica in chaos, So where is the head of the world’s most powerful naion — the leader of the free world whose job is to search for solu- tions to this global mayhem? Forced to cower before an imipeach- ment hearing tor having been lured into a litde sexual fondling with a lusty White House junior, that's where. Wrong, ery the moral-majority Repeblicans. It’s not just the sex, it’s the lying about it, the perjury. To which — hisker LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, tull address & telephone number, VIA e-maif: trenshaw 2% direct.ca Managing Editor 985-2131 (118) Aron Evers Acting Display Managet 980-0511 (307) ‘Tris! Agrios Promations Manager 985-2138 (216) wat vet ee ye fo WPS EE oo Sail Seatjrove General Office Manages 985-2131 (105) interei- hita://ererw.csnews.com OIRICE 48 laugh or weep in Europe? while endorsing neither sin — I suggest three comments are pertinent in the pre- sent case. First, what normal married man pub- licly accused of adultery would not, as a gut instinct, initially try to deny it, as much for his wife and family as for him- sel? Second, in the absence of legal pro- ceedings against him for that specific adultery, would any ordinary citizen be required to admit it under oath? Third, is not the US president's duty to his country and the world at this cru- cial time intinitely more important than any private human peceadilioes, apparent- ly forgiven by his own wife? Make no mistake. The White House “scandal” is simply a naked Republican bid, using Pilgrim Fathers’ morality, to destroy their political opponent. The irony being that the us Tong ago aban- doned that morality in so many other arsas — as witness its rampant inner-city poverty and crime, its worship of profit as a supreme social value and its high toler- ance for adultery by anyone but Clinton. As crumbliag cconomies and military brush fires worldwide demand the US president’s undivided attention, Paris, Bonn and Rome don’t know whether to laugh or weep about today’s America. gaa MANY HAPPY RETURNS of today, Oct. 14, to West Van's Beth Mathieson and North Van Lion Tom Hutchinson ... More birthday grectings Saturday, Oct. 17, to West Van’s Tom Little. aga WRIGHT OR WRONG: There's no free lunch. There are, however, better places to cat . HOW TO REACH: US: . Administration Display Advertising Real Estate Advertising Stassitied Advertising Newsroom Distribution Giaplay & Real Estate Fax Kewsraum Fax Classified, Accounting & Main Office Fax Michael Becker - News Editor 985-2131 (114) Andrew McCredie - Sperts/Community Editor 985-213¢ (147)