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North Shore News, founded in [49 as an

independent subushan newspaper and qualified
under Schedule I11, Paragraph 211 of the
Encise Tat Act, 18 published cach Wednesday,
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Entire contents
© 1995 North Shore
Free Press Ltd.

_ All rights reserved.

Chris Johcon

HEARTY Waffle party welcome

to honorary new members North

Vancouver-Lonsdale NDP MLA
David Schreck and BC Tel.

Mr. Schreck receives membership for
his recent comments directed at Premier
Mike Harcourt.

BC Tel wins honorary party member-
ship for its lamentable last-minute deci-
sion to reverse its offer of free five-
minute phone calls for B.C. residents
seeking to link up with Quebec residents
immediately prior to the Quebec refer-
endum.

Mr. Schreck rightly expressed con-
cerns over his party’s handling of the

Nanaimo Commonwealth
Society fiasco.

Initial word was that he was calling
for a leadership review — a perfectly

Holdings

justifiable request in the face of the

worst scandal to rock provincial politics
in decades.

The review was then adjusted to the
more fuzzy message of a therapeutic
challenging of leadership in general to
inspire renewal of political vitality.

By the time the premier was sched-
uled to visit Mr. Schreck for a rally sup-
porting the local MLA’s candidacy in
the next provincial election, it was full
support for Mr. Harcourt with polite

encouragement from Mr. Schreck to do
better.

BC Tel, meanwhile, dropped its initial
offer — an inspiring corporate boost for
national unity — in the face of disap-
proval from the CRTC. But telephone
companies elsewhere in Canada
(Alberta, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward
Island) — believing the referendum
issue to be of critical importance to the

‘future of all Canadians — carried on

with no-charge calls to Quebec,
CRTC threats.

iespite

Welcome to Waffleland, a place of

soft edges, fuzzy thinking, back-ped-
alling and non-decision.

ARB Sy See MA Ee
BS Banas

‘THE VOTE is over. Yes, on
the unity issue that will not
die -

The which? The what? Oh, the
Quebec issue? No, no, Not thar
ane,

Letus Keep our sense of per-
spective as residents of the Distinct
Society of the North Shore,

Never mind Quebec, [t doesn’t
mind the North Shore — our North
Shore. Besides, Quebec is a movie
you can drop in on anytime.

It will still be on the screen,
stuck on the same frame, juddering
without moving. The projectionist
apparently i is either dead or drunk.

The audience, being Canadian,
is too polite to jeer or complain,
And they are doing a good business
selling popcorn in the foyer. Why ~
upset a party agreeable situation? —

No, I speak of a much more sig-
nificant unity issue, since it might
at some point move forward or stop
in its tracks or wither away from
neglect, Which is why it differs
from the Quebec issue.

’ [speak of the move to unite the
two North Vancouvers, the City and
the District that both choose to
travel under that name but don't
choose to travel together, Not so
far. And perhaps never. !

Recently the district came court-
ing to the city. Put on its best bib
and tucker. Smoothed down its

a ee arrears

cowlick. And, too shy to speak up
directly, knocked on the city’s door,
handed over a note that asked “Will

~ you marry me?" and vanished ina

cloud of adoration, hope and terror.
The city opened up the love let-
ter, read it, and filed it,
Dowry too small, L suspect.
One of nature's matchmakers, |
have been reckless enough to urge
this union in print:
North Vancouver City Coun.

“Bill Bell has scoffingly rebuked

me. Fair enough. | need periodical-
ly being taken down a peg or two.
It’s lonely up there, you know.

But on one point Coun. Bell
stepped on softer ground than he
anticipated. Rhetorically, he asked,
if I'm so hot on the amalgamation,

Cn Oe ee Oe ek eee ee

maibox

Arrogant attitudes

Dear Editor:

I was one of the first councillors
who was elected on the platform of
amalgamation in 1971 and it is with
some dismay-and consternation that [
write this letter after watching self-
serving North Vancouver District
politicians debating the amalgama-
ton issue on cable TV on Oct. 2.

It bothers me greatly when | see
the arrogance of that council, making
a decision as important as this, on
behalf (1 assume) of its citizens to
force Nonh Vancouver City into pre-

‘senting a referendum on amalgama-
. dion. A decision made without initial-

ly approaching our council to really
find out if there is room for persua-
sive consideration or not.

‘No-one, to my knowledge, has
officially asked me — one who rep-
resents the citizens of the city — for

my opinion and no one has officially

asked our council as a whole to con-
sider this proposition,

The district does not have the
basic intelligence to understand the
meaning of the words “involvement
process,” even though they spout

how would [like my own "district"
(what a lousy official term) of West
Vancouver to join with the (wo
North Vancouvers?

_ Between the lines, 1 believe 1
saw the word “Goteha!” ;

Well, L hate to spoil anyone's
fun. But, before God, man,-and ~
North Shore News readers, I here-
by swear in response to Coun, Bell:
Wouldn't bother me at all.

Some old-time and perhups
new-time West Vancouverites, and
our entire municipal government,
might cry to the heavens that they
would rather die. or move (0
Whonnock, than join the common
folk of either or both North
Vancouvers. We have, after all, an
address to defend.

Cant say 'm one of them,
although the postal code T share
contains the highest income-eamers
of anyone in this broad nation.
Mind you, I wouldn't bet on keep-
ing the tide if hawyer Joho Laxton
moves away, Until then, we're safe.

Now, getting back to Coun.
Bell's dare, by any name. Yes, I'd
encourage all three North Shore
municipalities to get together. It
would save milfions.

Dream on.

“ Because if the two North
Vancouvers, geographically cheek
by jowl, won "t do it. it seems cer-
tain that a third player would only
multiply the negotiation difficulties:

these words out continually. They do
not even have the basic’ courtesy to
try to involve the decision-makers of
the city before they decide what they
feel is right for us — what arrogance.

North Vancouver District Council ,’ -

should clean up its own act around
real issues that concern its con-
stituents before imposing what’ it
feels is right for the city. é

I'm out in the community as much
as anyone else on any council and I
certainly haven't picked. up any great
swell of movement towards amalga-
mation as implied by district council.

j

. There were one or, two district |:
councillors who demonstrated some: -

sensitivity (Pat Munroe and “Janice
Harris) to this issue.and | appreciated
their efforts to try,to sway. the other:

council members io consider that:
option, Arrogance breeds contempt _

and disrespect: As one member of
district council indicated, there is an
alternative, and that is the provincial
government can intercede -— what
arTogance.

John Braithwaite

North Vancouver City. Councillor

ity

But the really astonishing thing
about Coun, Bell's challenge to me
is his obvious sly suggestion about
planking down a steef works in
Tiddlycove, or whatever it was --
and how would [ like that? .

Well, Coun. Bell, there are these
instruments calied zoning bylaws,
of which you know far more than [,

[| would not expect the new City
of Capilano — to give it a name

_ Suggested years ago by Derrick

Humphreys — to inflict a steel >...
works or a skunk works in
Tiddlycove,

The City of Vancouver, which
has done some brisk amalgamation
of its own, does not permil steel
works or fat-reduction plants in
Point Grey, which happens to be
the name of a municipality that it
incorporated decades ago. Or at
Hastings and Main. ‘

It does allow heavy and “dirty”
industry in other parts of its
domain, Would the City of -
Capilano be any different?

Only if the new councillors of a”
new City of Capilano brought with ,
them to the council chamber some
secret determination io inflict
revenge on favored areas toward’
which they had long harbored feel- .
ings of jealousy or resentment.

And surely no North Shore
politician would be that small-
minded. That petty. That Parochial.

Right? :