A6 -Sunday News, September 7, 1980 editorial page Time to rethink? The problem of illegal suites — against which West Vancouver is now threatening a blitz — plagues every municipality in the Lower Mainland. A fair and humane solution might well have baffled Solomon himself. Councils oppose illegal suites on the grounds that they contravene zoning regulations; sometimes constitute fire and/or health hazards; lower neighboring property values; and rob the municipality of taxes due for services. Councils ignore the fact that legal suites today provide a vital social service — shelter — at a time when rental housing vacancies are virtually zero. It’s not a service that any level of government is coping with adequately. Zoning regulations are meant to serve people, not the reverse. Fire and health hazards are obviously unacceptable. But insisting that deficient suites be brought up to standard is quite different from closing them down and evicting their tenants on to the street. The claim that scattered GMlegal suites necessarily lower neighboring property values has never been conclusively proven. The estimated 1,200 or more such suites in West Van — where houses priced under $120,000 are hard to find — certainly don't seem to have downgraded the neighborhood. As to “tax robbery”, one might reasonably ask why a home with a suite housing a total of four people costs more to service than a home housing a single family of seven. In these days of sky-high housing costs it may be time for councils to rethink their traditional policies on illegal suites. With realism and justice to taxpayers, by ail means. But also with humanity. Cross here We pride ourselves on our concern for the protection of the environment and wildlife, but the British are no slouches, either. On the freeway between London and Exeter they've built the world’s smallest underpass — a 12-inch wide tunnel. Its purpose? To allow badgers to cross the road safely! sunday news news 1139 Lonsdate Ave North Vancouver 6 C. VTNM 2H4 (604) 985-2131 ADVERTISING CLASSINIED CIRCULATION 880-0511 986-6222 986-1337 Publisher Peter Speck Associate Publisher Editorin Chief Advertising Director Robert Graham Noel Wright tne Cardwell Ctassified Manager & Office Administrator Bernt Milka d Production Tan Francis faye Me Ca ae Managing Editor Nows Editor Andy fraser Photography CAs (boyd t Btsworth Orc haces Accounting Supervisor Ber bara Koen North Shore Mowe founded i 1 WE an an ulead! meinen Ty newapaper and Qualified under Sc techde Ub bart MW bas apap Wht the Excise Tan Act tn puityioterd eat Wodhosday an ‘mardny try Noth Shore Free Preas Flo and distetadted be Overy or on tie Nott) Sbwore Second Clans Math Meyntcatee. Nurnter sesese. Suips eyotions $20 por year brite oon Certs DCT AYO” on | Sn Feam Prone Llc All rigttts seven ver} Reco Fermp on pe ersdbatlet y me erga tn ine tte tae seenbese veal Vee Wy eveetrvasme cipetsy carved gone Learn wlio sabe este te » fOr ag rane veered Tt rolaartagpercs rachel mand oe-buares eprrvert ag re VERE EO CART ULATION $0,870 Ween rondny 469913555 4 oe SRY i , ed Xd THIS PAPER IS RECYCLABLE Report card on the cabinet OTTAWA (SF)— At the midway point of the summer recess of Parliament, it's fitting to prepare some manner of interim report card for the key ministers of the Trudeau’ cabinet. Without further ado, here we go: Allan MacEachen, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister — He performed feats of sleight of hand which could make him a chief circus attraction. The most skilled Parliamentarian of our time managed to keep finance in a low profile position, and even avoided introduction of a budget, without bringing the wrath of Canada down on the government’s head. Political skill: 10 out of 10. Ef- fectiveness for the country: 4 out of 10. Jean Luc Pepin, Minister of Transport — So badly have things gone in " the Transport Department under Mr. Pepin, that rumour has it he's been warned by the PM to pull up his socks. Not interested in Transport, so long as the constitutional issue is around, he disagrees with Mr. Trudeau on the con- stitution. Politically, give THE ADDRESS for case the donations, just in you've muslaid it, is Canadian Cancer Society, 955 West Broadway, Vancouver. The number (if you prefer to phone a pledge): 736-1211. After all that has been wnitten and spoken ahout Terry Fox in the media during these past six sad days, there 1s almost nothing left to add. This 22-year-old young gentleman from Coquitlam, with his infinite modesty and total disregard for his own physical suf fering wn the cause which he decided to make his own has emerged as a sainthke figure in a) world) where saints are few and far bet ween And. incidentally oulpounng of a common emoton from coast to coast which fis epic run inspired has done more for Canadian unity than all the pobticians have achieved tn more than half a the vast century proved for us that Terry has when tl comes to Che things that lic deep in the heart we arc after all One people from S¢ Johns to Vactorna . That alone as not the least of tas achievements One day the samc Veter mMination and ded ation which kept Perry hopping and skipping on tas one pod leg across } OOO painful males wil) finally conquer Ube couch enemy he resotved to fight — sangie handed ff the admiration and love of an cotise nation he wall yet win his latest can help own battle with that Canadian Comment BY PETER WARD hime 2 out of 10. and the same mark for effectiveness. Marc Lalonde, Minister of Energy — He’s the man with most clout in the cabinet, charged with hammening out the energy agreement, which has major financial over- tones. He has performed as expected, which is well. Rate him a 6 for politics, and an 8 for effectiveness. Jean Chretien, Minister of Justice — Here’s a man who will exhaust himself with work on something in which he believes and can claim highest rating for popularity with all Parliamentary colleagues. Politically, he “Where did we go wrong?” sunday brunch by Noel Wright enemy. I must confess to a per- sonal reason for the depth of my feeling about Terry's unparalleled feat of courage On August 9, as he was hopping and skipping into northern Ontario, the Canadian Cancer Society announced that his run to that point had already raised an astomshing $1.5 milhon That evening, just a few hours after the warming news came through, 1] lost half of my own life to lung cancer Her name was Bunny We were marricd for WW beautiful years . kor me. that's what lor Fons all about heart Direct most donations are the important way of helping, but others are being devised cach day Ihis Tuesday (September 9) for example, the In ternabonal Plaza is donating SO cents out of every dollar taken in its numerous food the the and dnnk oathets to Terry box kund of Canadian Cancer Sonicty You Aniak make merry there and can cat and Lucsday valli be helping the © aS EERO DIONEEIS. Wath the November cuvaenns wpal polls only pustoover two months wway cpaal odd frie nals the West Vancouver Elector Association still have to ee! these press tcleasc act together, judging by the one received last week. After declaring democracy to be “alive and well in’ West Vancouver’, it invited potential candidates for the mayors chair, three aldermanic seats and three school board vacancies to call one of two phone numbers — and went on to announce the date of its all candidates meeting as Thursday, October 3 There is. such of course. no animal in the 1980 calendar, the first Thursday in October being the 2nd uf you follow Neither of the two WVEA directors whose phone numbers appearcd had seen the release or knew what the mght date When finally we got to WVEA president Jack McConville, he too couldn't lay hands on a copy but at least was able to confirm that the mecting ts tatively” was “ten for Thursday. October 23) So now we know al any cate untl the neat WVEA rclease arrives Meanwhile. as the rumor mull churas at the moment Mayor Derrtch Humphreys will almost certainly — be running fora second term in West Van | thewise term up Aldermen Bob Hicks. lohn Homphriecs Mestre tible set and in Don Lanskalfl ct years on counts Challengers had better be Kerr Over in Noth Van Gastro t Mayor Don Bef is alse capected tootry foe a Ube term (Menagl hes too fave rumored his cyes cventually on bagher things at the deserves a 9 and for ef- fectiveness, the same mark. Herb Gray, Industry, Trade and Commerce — Never known for his color, Gray has done a few things to improve his political image, but he is a bit disappointing in his _port- folio. Rate him 6 out of ten politically; 5 out of ten for effectiveness. Guhes Lamontagne — Defence Minister — He has been one of the big disap- pointments to Mr. Trudeau and to anyone interested in Defence. Rate him a one out of 10 politically, and to be kind, a two out of ten for effectiveness. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Employment — Axworthy has proved to be politically accident prone, practically killing his hopes for leadership of the Liberals when Pierre Trudeau finally quits again. Rate Axwofthy a dismal three for politics, and a five for effecfiveness. That's not even half the list, but many of the ministers haven't done enough to be considered for a rating, pro or con. We'll return to the cabinet for more marks in a subsequent column. provincial level. The aldermanic seats of Jim Ball, Peter Powell and Mary Segal will be up for grabs at the same time. Powell has been rumored to have set his sights on the mayor’s chat, but he may leave Bell to enjoy a hat trick this time round and then go all out for the top spot in a couple of years. Still, you never know with pohticians — a com- ment which might’ even apply to Jim Ball once the starting gun goes in the mayoralty race. Peace reigns. however, back ino North Van City where Mayor Jack Loucks and his entire council still have a year to run The only city elections this November will be for school trustees And did you know, by the way. that Mayors Bell and Loucks are reported to have been quietly discussing Distnet City) amalgamation again in recent weeks and to have run into the familiar snags once more TAILPIECES: West Van Latde Theatre ts sceking an “enthusiasic” piano playcr and some Morns dancers for a fall tchearsal melodrama oow in If you fe tne ball call Shella Dodd (921 5194) or Mien Van Heck (926 IS19) And Dorothy Harris, Coordinator of this summers HMorseshoc Bay Day extends the thanks ol commuttce to all those merchants who donated gilts her fon prizes Chat helped make the day such a success WRIGHT OR WRONG, Heanng your comscrence and histeaing to what tl says are two different things