6 - Friday, May 31, 1985 - North Shore News Editorial Page - News Viewpoint Political law he recent Supreme Court of Canada decision in the cruise missile case again illustrates one of the more questionable aspects of the Charter of Rights. __ The court ruled that an anti-nuclear group did not have a case against the government for allowing cruise missile testing in Canada. But it also went on to rule that the courts CAN, indeed, review government decisions that infringe on rights guaranteed in the Charter. . ; That means the Charter has moved the courts, for the first time in our history, un- comfortably close to the political arena. True, the Supreme Court has indicated it doesn’t want to get into purely political questions, but it’s difficult to see how, in practice, this can be entirely avoided. Government decisions, by their nature, are invariably political. Moreover, they normally reflect the wishes of Parliament -- hitherto regarded as the nation’s ultimate court. What the new ruling says, in effect, is that judges can now obsiruct, in appropriate cir- cumstances, the political will of the country’s elected representatives on behalf of in- dividuals opposed to it. This goes a long way farther than tradi- tional court rulings on constitutional issues, which concern abstracts. The Charter con- cerns loosely defined personal rights which can all to easily assume political overtones. Separation cf the courts from the lawmakers is a cornerstone of parliamentat'y democracy. Judges make poor politicians and politicians poor judges. Conflicts be- tween them in the name of the Charter can ’ only damage both in public esteem. A tough job ancouver City Council added another kidney punch to the already bruised body of free marketplace competition Tuesday night with adoption of its fair wage clause. The clause, buffaloed in 6-4 on the shoulders of Vancouver City Council’s left- handed majority, requires all contractors who bid on city projects to pay CUPE wages, in- cluding 28 per cent in fringe benefits, to its workers. These contractors unable or unwill- ing to avail themselves of taxpayers’ money with such enthusiasm need not apply for city contracts. Let’s hope it’s not contagious. i . Display Advertising 980-G511 Classified Advertising 986-6222 Newsroom 985-2131 Circulation 986-1337 : Subscriptions 985-2131 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 Publisher Peter Speck SUNDAY + WEONEADAY « FRIOAY i General Manager Roger McAfee | Operations Manager Berni Hilliard i Marketing Directo: Bob Graham Circulation Director Bill McGown Production Director Chris: Johnson Photography Manager Terry Peters Advertising Director - Sales Dave Jenneson Advertising Director - Admin. Mike Goodsell Editor-in-Chief Noet Wright Classitied Manager Val Slephenson North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Scheduie Hi, Part I. Paragraph Ul af the Excise Tax Acl, is published each Wednesday. Friday and Sunday by North Shore, Free Press Lid. and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Secund Class Mail Registration Number 3885 Enlire contents ss. 1985 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. Subscriptions, North and West Vancouver, $25. per yeat Mailing rates avavable on request No esponsibility accepted for unsolciteg matenal inctuding manuscripts and pictures which should be accompumed by a stamped. addressed envelope Membhear of the B.C. Press Council . : $5,770 (average. Wednesday SDA OWISION Friday & Sunday) THIS PAPER !S RECYCLABLE CHEF? LOOKS LIKE WE FINALY CAUGHT THE GUY WHOS BEEN DEFACING ALL THAT PUBUC PROPERTY... Mailbox Star Dear Editor: I suppose ! should no longer be shocked by any of the pro-arms race letters I see in your newspaper. In- stead of being too emotional about it, 1 will try to answer the dilemmas posed by L.W. Meyers in your May 15 edi- tion. Meyers could not understand how anyone could protest the U.S. star- wars system, ‘‘that will kill nobody, and would, theoret- ically, save millions of lives.” The answers are sim- - ple. First, the word ‘‘theoreti- cally”’ is rather important. It Dear Editor: My sincere congratula- tions to you for publishing the article of Wednesday, May 15, ‘‘Canadian Chris- tian Council for Animals."’ Having been involved in animal welfare now, for 20 years, | must confess that it is clear to me that a person devoid of compassion is, in is doubtful (and I am basing’ this statement on my knowl- edge of modern technology) that a foolproof ‘‘electronic shield’? could ever be made, especially within a feasible amount of time. Weapons are still going to get through. Does Meyers think that say, the death of a few million people in the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Soviet Union, is all right, as long as millions of others are ‘‘sav- ed.” Second, ‘‘how a defence system can contribute to the arms race”’ is in that it is one more place where money is reality, a cruel person. Many people believe that kindness begins and ends only with human existence. Having compassion and kindness for our ‘“‘lesser brothers’’ does not mean be- ing anti-social. How many times do we hear kindness and compassion towards animals mentioned in the 7 lars a farce being funnelled to the mili- tary instead of into educa- tion, legal aid, health ser- vices, etc. Further, if the - U.S. builds a ‘defense system, the Russians will answer, of course, with more weapons, designed to get through the system. : Third, while Mr. Reagan’s intentions may be in favor of American lives, the star-wars system, whether or not it works, will enable the American military to kill people .in Russia without fear of retaliation. And if it doesn’t work after all? Meyer’s letter shows how. pulpits or in Sunday schools? The book of Pro- . verbs 12:10 states (and. 1 quote): “‘A righteous man regardeth the life’ of his beast."’ (King James Ver- sion). We should judge a per- son’s character and civility according to the way he/she treats defenceless creatures Mob rule over morality Dear Editor: Whilst it is heartening to learn, in a recent Mailbox letter, that we have a Pro- vincial Cabinet Minister who is concerned’ about the abro- gation of a Right that should be fundamental to a_ free society, it is unfortunate that one cannot help but chink that, ance again, we are just hearing the pot call the kettle black. ft would be much easier to accept the sincerity of this Social Credit Member if we could ignore the ac- tions of his Government which, over the years, has truly ridden rough-shod over the rights of numerous defenceless owners of Real Property in this Province. Expropriation is on a par with any other transaction that is carried out whilst one party is holding a gun. The fact that the party holding the gun has the tacit ap- proval of 51 per cent of the community simply = means that mob rule has taken over trom moral leadership. ‘Ho members of a free society are to have any Rights at all, the Right to own property is primary, and if this Right is to mean anything at all, it must be secure from othe arbitrary whim of Government at all levels. If our Provincial politi- cians support the concept of Property Rights, they do not need to wait for a Constitu- tional Amendment, They can begin right now by amending the more than one hundred Provincial Acts which allow them arid their unelected bureaucrats to seize property without ade- quate compensation, | join the Honourable Cabin Minister in) urging your readers to moake their feelings known to Politicians at all levels on this miuttter, which is vital to our future wellbeing. Bil Tomlinson Greater Vancouver Libertarian Assoc. easy it is to have blind faith in a ‘“‘defense’’ system. What if we think it will work, and it doesn’t? Finally, as of the present, the American research is in- tended to protect the United States’ weapons. *‘What will it do is defend American silos,’? writes Dr. Derek Paul of the University of Toronto, ‘‘It doesn’t affect the vulnerability of our citi- zens here to war nor, for that matter the vulnerability of the inhabitants of New York or Denver.” Eric Steig West Vancouver Let’s follow Schweitzer’s lead | whom God gave us [o pro- tect, not to abuse. Any kind of cruelty and lack of con- cern towards animals degrades all religion(s). The best example of a great Christian - now almost : forgotten in our civilized and cruel world - is Dr. Albert Schweitzer. He was not only a Doctor of Medicine, but also a Doctor of Music and Doctor of Theology as well as ‘‘le grand Doctor’. Dr. Albert Schweitzer was famous for his practical and heroic act of compassion in building a hospital at Lam- barene in Africa; the man who said: “I am a doctor, but I am also an educator.’ Animals, too, came under the care at Lambarene. Dr. Schweitzer was also against animal experimenta- tion and all other animal cruelty. 1 appeal to all Van- couver’s clergy to put a hale to donations to Charities which are involved in animal experimentation. (Mrs.) S. Daskalova de Banou Vancouver, B.C.