6 ~ North Shore News -— Sunday, Februaty 27, 2000 VIEW POINT——-—— Survey sens is all parents’ first instinct to pro- tect the innocence of their children. ut it gets harder to deo so every year as the influence of instant commu- nication via television and the Internet has resulted in children being exposed to “everything” at the touch of a but- ton. Some parents may want to believe that a strictly moral home environment can counter a pervasive societal mes- sage of liberalism that many children are teo emotionally immature to cope with. For some, ly those fari- lies with a working spiritual faith, this may be true. Unforaznately, in all too many cases children will learn on the playground that other options exist to those decreed by their own parents. They will also see and imitate behaviour that is considered unacceptable in society. Using the word “fag” as the ultimate put-down is not part of most office repartee — it is on the playground. Your early teen children may not smoke dope, but if you let them go to an unsupervised party the pot is likely in the room. Your children may not do drugs but they do know where to get them. That’s why the Adolescent Health Survey, previously banned in North Vancouver, is a positive idea. The data obtained from the questionnaires will rightfully open eyes to issues some would prefer to believe do not exist in our good-looking community. You can choose that your children opt out of this survey if it’s approved. But you won’t be protecting them from sex, sexism, racism, drugs and bullying. Only policies based on accu- rate knowledge might do that. A SYMBOLIC GESTURE COMMEMORATES THE INCLUSION OF VIAGRA AS A BENEFIT FOR WORLD WARII VETERANS you szid Nardwuar: When was the last tire you fantasized about Brian Burke? Trabji- Wilson: 1 don’t know who he is. I only fanta- size about Gordon Wilson. Now where did you guys get your phony credentials? : West Vancouver’s Nardwuar the Human Serviette, let loose among the delegates at the NDP leadership conven- tion last week. (From a Feb. 25 News story.) Qoo00 “I’m not hopeful, but I’m a born pessimist.” ’- Helen Hawthorne, the NDP provincial council member -. from North Varicouver-Seymour and a delegate at last, week- ‘end’s NDP leadership convention, responding to the -ques- tion of whether the embattled party could return to power irrespective of its chosen leader. (From a Feb 20 News story.) : : aaa “éPye asked them (beard members) to out to .» Schools-and take a lock at intermediate ics — is it . mares or is it crowd control? Lf your child were in _ that class, would ycu be happy?” or Teachers’ representative Hh Ferguson, asking the West wet Vancouver District 45 School Board to pri ioritize any extra .- funding towards reducing class size. ¢ rom a Feb. 20 a News story. ). as Q Q 9 “In the last 10 years or sc, school boards and coun- cils have become more political arid less community-ser- vice ‘oriented. Maybe council’s paying too much atten- tion to the ale groups and not cnough to the - Unorganized gro North Vancouver. City resident John Edwards, lobbying “against proposed municipal tax inerzases in the city. (From a “Feb. 23 News story.) “oou “The cof pulled us over and looks through the back and sees 3,000 empties and had us.all lined up spread- cagled against the side of the van at 22nd and Marine. It was messy.” ‘Grant Lawrence of the local band The Smugglers, on “what happened after'a 1990 North Van gig when the band ‘was s paid off in empties. (From a Feb. 25 News $ Story. North Shore Naws. ‘cunded m 1969.as an ingzpendent suburbat: newspane: 20d quakted under Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, ~ Betsy end Sunday by HCN Publications Company and distributed to every door on the forth Shore. Canada Post Canadran Publications ‘Mui Sales Product Agteement No, 0087238. fAxving rates avarisble on request. Distribution Manager 986-1397 (124) bemo@nsnews.com 61,582 (averag® citdulaton, Wecdnestay, Figay 8 Sun Lin aan Snare awe Fe BARE ET YY MEN FR . ee at Mark Fancher ~ Creative Services Director Photography Manager 98-2131 (127) infancheransnews.com _orrace co Can we ever curb our dictators? HOW to fix our basically flawed form of parliamentary democracy which — thanks to its first-past-the-post election system — all too often ignores and flouts the will of the majority? Both B.C. and Ottawa are current examples. Both have governments with workable majorities of seats in the legislature and parliament which they won with less than 40% of the popular vote — enabling them to inflict whatever taxes and other mea- sures they wish on the 60%-plus majori- ¥ of the electorate feft with no veice in the corridors of power. Germany, New Zealand, Australia and certain other western democracies have adopted such compromise systems as partial proportional representation or the preferential vote, both of which pay greater respect to the popular vote, as distinct from the winner-takes-all seats - won in tidings. And now, an ingenious new idea sub- mitted by West Van reader Doug Wright (no relation!). He calls it “competitive government.” First, be it said, this would NOT apply to any government backed by both a majority of riding seats and a majority of the popular vote. But when- . ever the government party won a major- ity of seats with a minority of the popu- lar vote, Doug’s concept would: kick in. Here’s how he sees it working. ° 985-2137 (101) bspeck@nsnews.com ddhalivalénsnews.com 985-2131 (160) teters@nsnews.con cations Company, Publisher Peter Spack, from 1 dloot@asnews.com Classified Manager Display Advertising Manager 986-6222 (202) vstephensong@nsners.com - . Entire contents © 1999 HCN Publications, Company. All fights reserved. The opposition party or coalition of parties representing the majority popu- lar vote would become the “opposition government” with gov- erning powers equal to those of the party ; elected by ridings. Legislation would have to be passed by each of the two “governments” — a situation similar to that of the U.S. Congress with a Republican Senate and a Democratic House of Representatives. As in Washington, all laws finally adopted would be the prod- uct of negotiation and compromise between the cwo bodies representing, between them, all or nearly all of the electorate. B.C. presently offers an excellent example. The NDP has 39.5% of the popular vote and 52% of the seats. The Liberals have 41.8% of the pop-. ular vote and 44% of the seats. Any law finally passed under Doug’s system, therefore, would reflect the will of 81.3% of the voters and 96% of their - elected MLAs. You can’t get much more democratic than thar. But what are the side effects, if any? The legislative process, like that in the U.S., obviously slows down consid- erably compared to the slam-dunk law- making that often results from our own parliamentary system, where — given an - adequate majority of seats — the head of government can rule throughout his term as a virtual dictator. So slowing things down for more sober second ~ thought could benefit ail concerned: The competitive government systein also needs fixed election dates (every © four years, for example) to prevent either “government” pulling the rug from under the other by calling @ snap ee a election. Personally, | think my namesake ~ could be on to something. He com- bines, in effect, the majority riding vote: -- with proportional representation. He also saves taxpayers the cost of main: taining two separate chambers and of. holding separate elections for cach’ ‘of them. There’s only one snag. ‘ What successtil prime minister or premier would ever entertain such | a common-sense reform fora single sec-- ond? Being a four-year dictator is‘far © more fin. But let’s hear YOUR’ views a anyhow. DRINK A TOAST to West Van’ 's 75: year-old Willy Brueckel; genial long: | time host of the former: ‘Ambleside Inn -: at 15th and Marine, who tomorrow,” : Feb. 28, celebrates the 12th anniversary: ‘of his successful 1988 heart trans fant: — here’s to your next 25 years, the best . of them all, 2 Wily’ . Meanwhile;: many happy returns o today, Feb: 27, to: North Van’s. Mary Swan... ‘More of the same tomorrow, Feb.28, to “News: birthday giel Val Stephenson :. i-Then on Tuesday, Feb: 29, send happy, leap- year birthday wishes to West ans. : Irene Little and North Van's J ha. Leako. * on living i in the past, —m igh@ LETTERS 70 THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, - full address & telephone number. y Rensnae Managing Editar - 989-2131 (116} trenshaw@nsnews.com David Wnltren 880-0511 (317) ~ Gwhitmansensnews.com irom 1138 Lons Genera! Office Manager _ 985-2135 (105) gsnelgrove@nsnews.com | wed site — wkW.cenets.COm onsdaie Avenue North Vancouver, 6 VIA e-mail: trenshaw@nsnews.com Classified, accotog & Main Gtfice Fax 985-2131 (114) Hewes tips lied (after bears)” 985-2131 (grase 3). <