NOT many candi- dates for municipal office manage to produce a full-scale election campaign autobiography. Yet that hasn’t deterred former West Vancouver Mayor, Derrick Humphreys, who at the age of 83 is secking to return to public life as a councillor. To be fair, “Dauntless Derrick” — as Denny Boyd refers to him — has been working on his memoirs for several years. And with the very capable assistance of the gifted writer John Munro, he has produced an outstanding book just in time for this fall’s election battle. The Making of a Grey Panther: The Derrick Humphreys Story is a compelling, beautifully-written account of an extraor- dinary life. Trevor Lautens says it well in his back-cover endorsement: “You'll be charmed, enlightened and entertained.” The saga begins in the distant world of England in the first decades of this century and takes readers to the Western Australian mining frontier of the 193Gs and 740s, to the Pacific theatre of the Second World War, De Beers’ South African diamond empire, and the rugged Western Canada of the 1950s. All of these adventures are covered with wit, candour and panache in the first half of the book. Then we turn to Book II, for Derrick Humphreys’ adventures in local govern- ‘menc on the North Shore. During nearly 40 years of public ser- vice, first as a North Vancouver council- lor, ultimately as the longtime Mayor of West Vancouver, Humphreys describes the “municipal madness” that has charac- terized politics in our special corner of etiam pet mma net ment the world for more than a generation, He has an obvious and special love for local government, which he describes as “the closest we will ever have to direct democracy in Canada.” Humphreys tells us how he learned — often through trial and error — the rough-and-tum- ble world of politics: how to organize 4 campaign and how to hold a meeting with a predetermined result. He also recounts experiences such as unscrupulous developers attempting to bribe him with cash payments or offering him options on condo develop- ments for nom- inal payments. If only we could feel as confident today that al! munici- pal politicians would deal with the darker side of their craft with the unimpeach- able standards as this former mayor. Derrick Humphreys was already 65 years old when he was clected mayor of West Vancouver in 1978. He served as the first and only full-time occupant of that office until 1986. Since that time he’s preferred to think of himself as a “grey panther stalking the corridors of city hall,” keeping the coun- cillors on their toes. Now this fearless and energetic senior citizen is making a bid for a remarkable political comeback. Should he be successful, and if he’s iteheli a second opinion joined by the silver-haired Alan Williams, who is sucking reelection, West Vancouver Council will likely have the highest average age of any municipal council in the province. And maybe that would be both appropriate and representative in a truly democratic sense, since West Vancouver has one of the highest percentages of senior citizens of any community in Canada. The former mayor was often a great help to me when [served asa West Vancouver MLA. He was always available, unfailingly generous with his counsel and certainly not shy about offering advice. Following lengthy and detailed conversations about local politics, during which he shrewdly assessed issues and personali- ties, he invariably concluded with an endearing smile and his trademark sar- casm: “I’m a kindly man.” Derrick Humphreys is ore of our genuine loca! characters. He’s an active, involved citizen and an effective local watchdog. His memoirs serve as an indispensable primer for anyone who wishes to offer themselves for public service at the municipal level. He concludes The Making of a Grey Panther with a mani- festo and a declaration: “....after a life- time in politics, I find myself not only unwilling, but unable to stand aside when those of a younger generation are gumming up the works.” The closest Pll come to any personal involvement in the upcoming municipal election is to write the following three words: Welcome hack Derrick. — The North Shore News believes strongly in freedom of speech and the right of all sides in a debate to be beard. The columnists published in the News present aiffering points of view, but those views are not necessarily those of the newspaper itself. _ ryt Medicinal Dear Editor: I want to say thanks to the courageous people who risked arrest at Grandview Park in Vancouver by join- ing the Harm Reduction Club and selling and buying marijuana. The “war on drugs” hysteria in’ the United States and Canada has cause. great harm to hundreds of thousands of cople and civil society is Peing decimated. You know it’s time for a change when — Richard Brookhiser, senior editor of the National Review, the conservative magazine of record, supports Proposi- tion 215, California's med- ical marijuana initiative. “J support the use of medical marijuana because of my polities, but I'm also for it because I've had to use it,” said Brookhiser. He turned to marijuans No sympathy Dear Editor: I have no sympathy for someone who invades the home of wild animals for the purpose of killing them One has to be aware of the dangers of doing so, and that the hunter can become the hunted. N. Hunter North Vancouver to fight the nausea caused by chemotherapy. Broukhiser joins a grow- ing list of notable Repub- licans whe have defied their party’s leadership by sup- porting Prop. 215. Recent endorsements for the measure include former U.S. Seeretary of State George Schultz, Nobel prize-winning — economist Milton Friedman, Fullerton Mayor Chris Norby, and for- mer gubernatorial hopeful Ron Unz. The Orange County Register, Nagship newspaper for the conservative coun- ty’s Republicans, editorial- ized in June, “the evidence is quite strong that at least some patients with cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and other diseases can receive benefits from marijuana that are not avail- able from other medications marijuana supported v | have smoked marijuana for more than 30 years now and 1 want to be able to grow it in my own backyard without fear of a police bust or getting ripped off. Ernie Yacub Cumberland, B.C. yacinfo@mars.ark.com Friday, November 1, 1996 — North Shore News - 7 Ci PEMNZD Py 4 Lube, oil & filter change Rep. $28.95 Fetincoil 10W30 we ; 1362 Marine Drive 980-9115 Open 7 days a week Mon-Sat 8:004m-6:00pm, Sun, 9:00an1-5:00pm Warranty approved competitor's coupon of equat satue accepted Expires November 896 mon Owe Ge Gee Se ee ee ee ee ee eee TiS ates PON C The renovations are complete. Our new furniture is on display and... 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