Grandparents’ battle mremains unresolved Eleanor mm ON THE face of it, it would a appear that Parliament is an inviolable shelter for a bunch of prima donnas, and an over abundance of prima dons. Simply for the sake of their own aggrandizement, it seems, the rul- ing Liberal party has turned down a private member's bill that would # have given grandparents in Canada, at long last, the standing they need in the courts to go and ask for access to their grandchildren, when divorce has redesigned the family’s @ components. Most especially at this time of me the year is the separation painful and unnatural. The goofy thing a about it is that the Liberal Party is spparently all in favor of the bill, but because it is a measure that will W be very popular with everyone longing to preserve family connec- tions, they want that very desirable move to come from themselves. This is the scuttlebutt at the bottom of the barrel. So yet another Christmas time will find a lot of grandmas and # grampas let down all over again, s after allowing themselves to enter- tain the thought that now, at last, permission would be given and now they could start joyfully on their long anticipated preparations. This § denial represents not just real disap- pointment and frustration for a lot 3 of nice people, but also marks yet " another page torn out of the Red Book — triumphed as our new design of empowerment, an espe- cially pertinent one giving more scope and energy to the back- @ benchers. It is only a backbencher you see, Pharmacist CAPSULE COMMENTS jj A big thank you to all the doc- tors, nurses, and receptionists | for their help and cooperation throughet 1995. Your positive f attitudes toward our store and } the profession of pharmacy is much appreciated. } Davies Pharmacy would like to 1 wish everyone happiness in this | holiday season. Thank you to } our marvellous staff who reflect | that helpful, caring and person- ) able atticude that has been a | trademark of our pharmacy for so many years. DAVIES PHARMACY 1401 St. Georges 985-8771 _| according to the rules of govern- ment, who can bring in a bill such as this is. All possible concerns had been taken into account before pre- sentation, all loopholes had been plugged, the Liberals simply had only to say “Yea.” They wouldn't say it. The thumbs were all turned down, and the more than 25 grand- parents who had attended what was to have been a joyful occasion heard yet once more the clang of the door slammed in their faces. It’s an ongoing sorrow of course, daily present, but the Christmas part makes il more poignant — there being a lot of thwarted affection dammed up there — and Christmas gives licence to be lavish and hope- fully have time to cement what would be a permanent connection between you and the child. It serves as a symbol of the love that bides. There are strong reasons for endorsing this bill. For one thing, and to me one of the most impor- tant things, it is crippling to a child of divorce to be cut off from the source of half its gene pool. Of course there’s new “family”, mem- bers of the new parent's siblings and relations amongst whom cer- tainly friendships can be made. This iniquitous stricture was not imposed, thank goodness, in my own case, I being the last child to be born of my parents’ castrated marriage. My father’s sisters, maid- en ladies of astonishing broad- mindedness in the early 1920s, gave room and board to al! four of us children at one time or another. Their big Kerrisdale house offered me regular weekend change and stimulation in the months I spent trying to become a schoolteacher in Vancouver’s Normal School. Reference was never made to the schism that had afflicted our fami- ly, which was a relief, but remark- able. Perhaps their deep interest in Theosophy contributed to their composure. Conversation in the Aunts’ presence was confined to talk of music and the outdoors and what was I reading? If I had my way, dear — ah, we'd make a lot of changes,eh? — I would make divorce illegal and impossible if actual children or future children were thus to be involved. It’s a crippler. I would also make marrying ob Soret ay Brn Ay 8 KstchenAics PORTABLE APPLIANCES ai Sat ULTRA POWER ULTRA POWER BLENDER FOOD PROCESSOR MULTI-FUNCTION MIXERS © Rated best you can buy © Specially priced for Christmas ® Attachments & Accessories (]] COLONY HOME FURNISHINGS North Vancouver (2 blocks behind Avalon Hatel} Open Daily Fri. 9-9; Sun 12-4 985-8738 | Piss aly Bs lp 1075 Roosevelt Cresent { more difficult, and young people with any intention of producing children would have to be married at least five years before embarking on the adventure of parenthood. By then they should be acquainted with all the virtues and ‘foibles of the partner, and sufficiently sea- soned and responsible to act on the enormous assumption that they are capable of shaping other lives. Together. There should be no such animal as the single parent. Their only alternative should be to eschew those joys altogether and take up lawn bowling. Sunday, December 17, 1995 - North Shore News - 21 AYLORMOTIV DRMC TUNE-UP SPECIALISTS B.C.A.A.- A.R.A. - APPROVED AirCare - Gov. Certified #50222 TUNE-UPS ~ FUEL SYSTEMS ~ ELECTRICAL TALKING OUR 37TH YEAR + CONSULTATION 7299-9000 85-7455 299-900 176 PEMBERTON AVE. N.VAN. 9 i4isls. E UPS? REFILL GALLONS. é ROYAL FOOD MARKET 1403 Marine Dr. W. Van. 926-4821 Expires Dec. 31/95 Now Sign Up For Any SmartTouch” Service And Try Another Free For 30 Days. Your crazy relatives are calling. And you’re crazy enough to answer. But with Call Display from BC TEL, you could have seen what you were getting yourself into. 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