G — Wednesday, February 25, 1998 — North Shore News at new hand has been dealt the North Shore in its inter- inable game of bridge. Head dealer and sleight-of-hand artist Glen Clark has shuffled previ- ous Transportation and Highways minister Lois Boone off to head the province’s Children and Families portfolio. Being dealt into the local bridge game is Harry Lali. Not a top- of-mind selection, but who would expect anything else from Victoria. Lali was a back-bencher. His trans- portation credentials are unknown. He is the fourth in a recent string of NDPers to fill the transportation ministry chair. If previous transporta- tion ministers are any indication, cre- dentials are not required in the Lions Gate Bridge game. ;Vhat is required is a nimble frame to facilitate the fre- quent dodging of decisions. north shore news VIEWPOINT trump It will be of little surprise to fans of the local bridge game that another deadline involving the fate of the aging Lions Gate has come and gone. In April 1997, Boone announced that the government would pick its final selection for a replacement or alternative for the bridge by the end of January 1998. We are now closing in on another March and nothing has been decided. . Lois Boone has helped advance the bridge game marginally. But again the North Shore remains without a plan for a key transportation link that, according to engineers, is already beyond its safe working life. Mr. Lali would be well advised to lay his cards on the table soon, North Shore residents are not interested in playing this bridge game anymore. I'M SORRY SiR, BuT | r{ AIRBAG DEACTIVATORS | WON'T WORK ON ABINION Oy, reailine x Noel right on evils of trade agreement Dear Editor: . Noel: Wright’s Feb. 4 warning about the Multilateral Agreement on Tavestment (MAI) is right on the mark. The MAI will fundamentally crode our standard of living and our democratic rights as Canadians “in order to maximize divi- . dends for faccless shareholders in some distant lands.” What is on the table is a kind of new feudalism. We'll still have clections and parliament will still meet, but the real power will lie with a few hundred global corporate execu- tives... These global corporate bureaucrats, unaccountable except to their shareholders, will, by the terms of the MAI, be able to impose restrictions on Canadian social, cultural, economic, and environmental policies and otherwise limit parliamentary action. “+ The federal NDP is currently the only party fighting the MAT in the House of Commons. Tt raised the issue in a whole serics of questions beginning last April and pressed for an emergency debate which was not granted. . Yer in the U.S., state governments, small businesses, cnvironmentalists and consumer groups, among, others, have lined up against it. Congress denied President Clinton a “fast track” for trade agreements to make it more difficult for him to push through deals like the MAI. The B.C. government has already come out against it. fhe Liberals, Reform and Bloc Quebecois support the North Shore News readers need to learn more about this very disturbing deal that is being worked out behind closed door. For a reading list and other information on the MAI, please call us at 922-7153. . Kathleen Jamieson President, West Vancouver-Garibaldi NDP toy ae we oD north shore. ‘North Shore News. founded in 1969 25 an independent suburban newspaper 310 quale under Schedule $13, Paragraph 114 uf the Exose Tar Act. 1s published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Ltd and aistnbutes to erry dour on the North Shore. Canaas Post Canadian Pubbcatrons Mat! Sales Product Agreement No 0087228 ‘Mailing rales available on request Garbara Emo Distribution Manager 986-1337 (124) Jonathan Betl Creative Services Manager 985-2138 (127) 61.582 {average carcutaton, Wednesday, Fidiiy & Sunday} SS 8 x BA NREAAN ° YET ANOTHER CANADIAN'S HOPES ARE DASHED. ‘Diplomatic’ solutions fallible “OKAY, so what would YOU do?” The draft UN deal to end the Iraq weapons inspection cri- sis suggests it’s high time to put that question to President Clinton’s many critics. On so many counts the arguments against his proposed mass bombing of Iraqi weapons sites appear completely logi- cal. Even pinpointing ALL the places where ghastly chemical and biological weapons may be secreted sounds like an aimost impossible task. Where a hit was scored, deadly anthrax or other killer chemicals could be released to poison the Middle East air. Meanwhile, thousands of innocent Traqis could become “collateral” casualties of the bombing — a fate hardly likely to rally survivors or the rest of che world to the U.S. cause. In the end Saddam Hussein would still be there, in a stronger position than ever to guard his secret weapon sites from prying eyes. ; Short of a full-scale land invasion of Iraq leading to the overthrow of Saddam — inevitably with heavy casualties and the possibility of engulfing the entire Middle East, including Israel, in all-out war — the U.S. and UN would have effectively run out of options. Smail wonder, therefore, that even among Americans themselves support for massive air strikes has weakened during Gee Dhaliwal 985-2131 (177) PETER SPECK Publisher 985-2131 (101) Photography Manager Classitied Manager 985-2131 (160) 928-6222 (202) Doug Foot 985-2131 (133} Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Lid. Ali rights reserved. the past week or so in favor of the “diplo- matic” solution that UN Sceretary General Kofi Annan claims to have reached last weekend with Saddam Hussein. : But even if Annan’s deal is ratified by a majority of the UN Security Council, Saddam‘s record hardly inspires much conti- dence that it will prove a Jong term solution. If UN inspections are now finally allowed in the “presidential palace” complexes — some as big as medium- sized cities — it could merely signal the fact that Saddam had used the time won by the present crisis to tind new hiding places elsewhere for his biological and chemical horror weapons. And that, of course, would simply set the stage for a repeat inspection crisis in the near future. Such is the bottom line for the Clinton government. Iraq’s deadly arsenal exists and is likely being expanded in defi- ance of the UN’s 1991 ceasefire terms. In the hands of a dictator as ruthless as Saddam the weapons constitute a major threat to Middle East — and, by exten- sion, world — peace. Sixty years ago there was another “diplomatic” solution in a stand-off with an equally ruthless dictator. Descending from the plane that flew him home from Munich, Britain’s Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain tri- umphantly waved a paper in the air and declared it was “peace in our time!” And LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. VIA e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca not ‘Managing Editor 985-2131 (316) Comptrolie: : ‘ ™ Display Manager c General Office Manager 985-2131 (105) internet- http://www.nsnews.com isplay 960-0511 (165) 985-2131 (216) so it was — for all of a vear, while Adolf’ Hider crushed Czechoslovakia and finally marched into Poland. : . The rest, as they say, is history. Thar’s the stuff, remember, which — if you ignore it — you’re doomed to repeat. And the repeated lesson of history is that international thugs like Adolf and Saddam regard “diplomatic” solutions to the problems they create as victories for themselves. Which brings us back to our opening question for Clinton's critics. Agreed, his military threat poses ail kinds of dangers. But how would YOU protect the world from the weapons of mass destruction. . now in the hands of Baghdad's bully-boy? How could you avoid taking Clinton's risks? oo: Rememberi.z¢ Chamberlain's 1938 “diplomatic” solution shar failed to save us from six vears of war and the loss of | millions of lives! Qo00 a A 90-CANDLE salute Friday, Feb. 27, to North Van birthday girl Mary. Swan ... Many happy returns of Saturday,” Feb, 28, to West Van's Val Stephenson ° ... Say that again ta West Van's Willy Bruecke! who on Saturday celebrates the 10th anniversary of his successful 1988 heart transplant ... And wish happy birth- day (wherever it is right now) to Irene ~ Little of West Van who must wait two more years for her next Feb. 29! ; 900 WRIGHT OR WRONG: The roost- er crows ... bur the hen delivers the goods. HOW TO REACH US: Administration Display Advertising Real Estate Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution Display & Real Estate Fax Newsroom Fax Classified, Accounting & Main Office Fax Michael Berker - News Editor 985-2131 (14) Andrew McCredie - Sparts/Community Editor 985-2131 (147)