IPhoto radar proc

i Leo

LAST week I told
you about the
‘provincial govern-

7 ment’s photo radar

4 syStem. Rather, I.

1 told you what a cash.
cow it was and how
the government’s .
propaganda machine
told us to “go to
hell” in a manner in
which we anticipated
the. trip.

The practical reality of
‘the photo radar program is it
‘doesn't work. Full stop. It
‘simply doesn’t work.

n/a week in which the
media finally noticed the
“NDP government is barely

aainted with the truth,

fe watched the doe-eyed
Transportation and

Highways, Minister, Lois

_Mike
‘him for travelling at this

Boone, get dragged out to
River Road in Deita by
BCTV's John Daly, to yet
again, try to justity another
photo radar screw up.

On this occasion, Dave
Morris, an employee of
Westward Shipping Ltd., got
a5 X 3 color glossy of his
vehicle, allegedly driving 71
kilometres per hour.

He also received a letter
from the Mountie in charge
of photo radar, Staff Sgt.
Ciarabut, admonishing

outrageous speed on 56th
Street in Delta.

The trouble is the man
wasn’t within five miles of
56th Street and its 50 km/h
speed limit. He was on
River Road, in Delta, travel-
ling at-71 kni/h in an 80
km/h zone. Ooops!

Boone, the latest minister
to be tasked with steering
the photo radar cash jugger-
naut, was called away from
a long weekend holiday with
her mother, and driven to
the River Road location to
answer the latest Screw-up,
but only after Daly demand-
ed her attendance, threaten-
ing to embarrass the govern-
ment if she didn’t show up.
Mirzaculously, her officials -
suddenly were able to make
her available.

‘When she arrived, TY

. viewers were treated to yet.

another cabinet minister
hemming and i hawing, trying

vainly to find words which
could defend the indefensi-
ble.

She tried to downplay the
matter saying, “clearly, it's a
mistake.” Thanks, Minister,
we already knew that. Your
job is to assure the great
unwashed it won't happen
again.

Ah, but
you ‘couldn't
do that, could
you? No,
indeed, you
know what a
crock photo
radar is, don’t
you? You just
won't admit it.

Your gov-
ernment has
created a sys-
tem in which
people are guilty until
proven innocent. All in the
name of stealing money
from the pockets of the tax-
payers.

Whatever happened to
the tenet of free society,
which states it is better 10
guilty men go free than one
innocent man be convicted?

Stupid question, | sup-
pose.

We've already seen what
the NDP think of the Charter
of Rights and Freedoms
with their gag laws mas-
querading as an
“Amendment to the Human
Rights Act.”

1, for one, will not fali

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subject to the bovine scatol-
ogy, excreted by your min-
istry and ICBC about the
benefits of photo radar.

Nor should any rationally
thinking citizen not suckling
the nipple of this fraud.

Speaking of suckling the
nipple, has anyone noticed

66 (The NDP) government has cre-
ated a system in which people are
guilty until proven innocent. All in
the name of stealing money from the
pockets of the taxpayers. 99

the coincidence concerning
former Socred attorney gen-
eral, Brian Smith, a director
of ATS Canada, the photo
tadar design and implemen-
tation company, who also

Sunday, July 14, 1996 — North Share News — 14

ram doesnt work

sits in the chair of BC
Hydro?

Given the fact ATS
stands to make enough
moncy from the B.C. gov-
ernment on the dea! to fund
the annual budgeis of sever-
al Third World nations, one
has to wonder if, perhaps,
there’s a con-
nection with
his appoint-
ment to Hydro
and the man-
date he was
given to inves-
tigate the gov-
ernment's
involvement in
the
“Hydrogate”
mess. Perhaps,
I'm just overly
cynical.

On Tuesday of last week,
the Superintendent of Motor
Vehicles, Steve Rumsey and
the office's senior financial
officer, Brian Sibley, were
temoved from their posi-

tions for the problems that

have come about with the

photo radar program.
Somehow, the screw-ups

: with photo radar are suffi-

cient to sewer two senior
bureaucrats, but not suffi-
cieni enough to scuttle the
pian.

But, honestly, according |
to the NDP, ICBC and ATS,
the photo radar program is
not a cash cow,

Brian Sinith was quoted
in Malcolm Perry's column
in the Vancouver Sun as say-
ing, “Why don’t they
believe us?”

It seems to me it would’
be more appropriate to ask,
“Why should we believe
you?” -

This whole situation
leaves just one question,
which i will not only ask,
but answer. :

How. can you tell when
an NDP cabinet minister is
lying?

Their lips are moving.

‘ted white, m m.p.

us : HONOURABLE LADIES ; AND GENTLEMEN?

’ Ga May 29, 1996, at The House of
Commons In Ottawa, the Speaker of The
House, Hon Gliibert Parent, hosted a
function “to honour past parliamentarians
for their contribution to Canada”. A
number of former Members of Parilament,
including Plerre Trudeau, Kim Campbell,
and John Turner, attended the reception
-to witneas tha unvelling of plaques listing
the names of the MPs of past and present
pari laments. The plaques were, to my
relist, pald for by private donation, but I
etlil made tha decision not to attend any
part of-the ceremonies, including the
avening: function at the residence of the
‘Governor General. |
. !My main’ reason for staying away was
centred around sy disdain for those old line
politicians who were responsible for our $585
tilllon debt, our annuai $49 billion in interest
‘payments on that debi, a “justice” ‘system
which is Incapable of protacting us, an
‘immigration policy which has allowed
“thousands of criminals into Canada, a

political agenda controlled by special interest -
groups;..and a Charter of Rights and ©

Freedoms ‘which has allowed the rights of
“criminals to take precedence over the rights

of victims. In short, |. would have felt quite ’
uncomfortable “honouring” the very people.

who created the problems which | am now

trying to fix. In addition, when | found out how,
smany MPs have been charged with, or:
-convicted of, criminal offenses since 1960, |. :

was certain that i had made the right
decision.

CRIMINAL CHARGES LAID

Not every MP.who has been charged with
a criminal offense in the past 35 years has
been convicted, but MPs from Quebec lead
the pack in both charges and convictions. Of
# total of 44 MPs charged, 25 or 57% ware
from Quebec, and 15 of these were
subsequently convicted, In contrast, the
second largest group came from Ontario with
6 charges and 3 convictions. Saskatchewan
has .had 3 MPs. charged, Manitoba, the
Northwast Territories, Newfoundland and BC

have all had 2 MPs charged. New Brunswick

and Nova. Scotia have:had just one, while
Aiberta and PE! have been [ree of criminal
MPs for the past 35 years. .

The two BC MPs, both of whom were
convicted, were. Svend Robinson
-contempt of court in connection with a
fogging .protest, and Ray Skelly: who was
fined $200 as a result of.a charge under the
_Air Regulations Act for failing to provide a log
‘book on the demand ‘of: a peace officer.

These were minor offenses in comparison:

with those of some of the MPs ‘from ether
_ provinces.

FRAUD, ‘TAX EVASION, ASSAULT |

for

Roger Simmons, -a Liberal ‘MP. from :
Newfoundland was convicted of tax evasion.
Gilbert Rondeau, a Liberal from Quebec was
convicted of arson. David Rooney, a Liberal
from Newfoundland was. found: guilty. of
assault, and 2 charges, of defrauding the”
government. Maurice. Tremblay,a'PC' from °
Quebec was finod $12,000 for fraud... Denis:;
Pronovost, a PC from: Quebec was found.
guilty of sexuai assault, Petar Ittinaur;- an
NDP from the Northwest Territories, was
convicted: on. cocaine’. charges:: Michel,
Gravel, a PC from Quebec pleaded guilty: to:
15 counts of influence peddling and bribery. .
Richard Grise, a, PC from Quebec: pleaded.
guilty to 13 counts of fraud and influence .
peddling. Gordon Gilchrist, a PC., from’.
Ontario was convicted of tax evasion.
Edouard Allard, an SC from Quebes phaaded :
guilty to fraudutent®.tax ~ evasion;~ and

advertorial, sly 14986

Raymond Bruneau, a. Liberal from Ontario,

was convicted oj: offenses related: to” “tha,
acceptance of monay tor the use of influence
in his capacity as an MP. . ~.

Sometimes an, MP will break the jaw in
order to stand up for a principle which he or.
she feels is important. This was certainly the
case for Svend Robinson, as itis for Reform,
MP -John Cummins, who was ‘recently:
charged for placing a net during: fishartes:.
designated by the Minister of Fisheries to be"

“aboriginal only fisheries”. John; who's: case”
will be heard in August, is chalianging. ‘the’,
legality of commercial fisheries - based ' on’

race.
MAYBE I'M WRONG.
| can understand why ‘a principled person
would place themselves in the ‘position of
being arrested in order to challenge what he’

or she sees as an unjust law. Even if! do notsg*. wo

agree with their stand | can respect them, for
that. | cannot, however, accept as
“honourable” . people who have. been
convicted of assault, or of tax evasion, while,
they were busy passing laws to make you,
pay higher taxes or to break: down. the
effectiveness of your justice system. | also-

cannot forgive the MPs who voted for chronic.

government overspending whicihas left a

* legacy of debt and high taxes for our chitdren: |.

and grandchildren.
‘A few of my constituents. have said |
should. have been at the ceremonies: which
. unveiled the plaques, because itis part of our
‘history ~- that the pomp and ceremony was
“entirely appropriate. Others fave suggested
that the plaques should be made into urinals,
or laid in the sidewalk for people to stomp on.
Maybe | was wrong to stay away, maybe |

was right, but in the end analysis | didn't -[.

beceme an MP so that | could get my name:
on a plaque in Ottawa. | did it to try to help.,
make this country a better pt Hace,

: “Ted White, MB, #302: #1200 Lynn Valley Rdu Noth Vancouver, BC. 27 2A2, Tel 666. 0585. “Fax: 666. 0509