6 - Wednesday, January 28, 1998 — North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT Tax addiction are agreed that smoking stinks and hurts a lot of peo- ple, but as long as the gov- ernment remains addicted to the tax income generated by the poor wretches hooked on the weed little will change. In B.C., the government collects $500 million in taxes on every $50 million manufacturers reap in profit. Legislated gestures forcing cigarette companies to include in their package labelling dire warnings such as “Smoking during pregnancy can harm your baby” are nothing more than smoke-and-mirror ploys by big gov- ernment feigning action on behalf of its weaker-willed citizens. The latest such effort, B.C.’s contro- versial gesture to soon force manufac- turers of tobacco products to list on packages the toxic chemicals in ciga-_ the same idiocy. Tobacco is a legal sub- stance in this country. Government’s fixation on messing about with a tobacco manufacturer's right to market a legitimate product is a sham. Federal excise taxes and duties col- lected from the sales of tobacco prod- ucts in fiscal 1995-1996 amounted to a staggering $1.94 billion. Stack that number up against the $10 million the feds presently allocate to anti-smoking and enforcement pro- grams and you get a clear.sense of the true priorities. . If government won't attempt some- thing truly radical on behalf of its citi- _zens like banning tobacco, period, it should at least put its energy in the right place and pump more resources into preventive measures and support for those of the 30% of Canadians now rettes and cigarette smoke is more of miatibox No need to bring back vehicle testing ‘Dear Editor: - While I fully support vehicle testing for commercial vehi- cles, I disagree with Bruce L. Box regarding testing for pri- vate cars, It would just be another way to inconvenience motarists and for the bureaucrats to stick their hands in our wallets for nothing. It is very rare that a mechanical defect contributes to an accident. Morcover many cars are leased today or covered by extended guarantee and maintenance agreements. There is little.to be gained by additional testing. The most dangerous part of any car is still the driver. In any case, a test only proves that the car was safe at that moment. Lights can go out, tires can be damaged and the wheels knocked out of alignment right afterwards. Ie is the responsibility of the driver to make sure that everything works as it should. ; The service industry offers free inspection for brakes and wheel alignment for example, and everybody should be able to check their lights without the help of a civil servant. H. Schmid North Vanceuver MAILBOX POLICY LETTERS to the editor must be legible (preferably type- written) and include your name, full address and telephone number. LETTERS to the editor must be legible (preferably typewritten) and include your name, full address and tele- phone number. Due to space constraints the North Shore News cannot publish all letters. Published letters may be edited for brevi- u clariry, accuracy, legality and taste. Submissions can be faxed co 985-2104 but still must be signed and fully addressed. Submissions can be faxed to 985-2104. . rr a 7 north shore | North Shore News. founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and quaiied under Schedule 113, Parsgraph 111 of the Excicn Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Share Free Press. Lid. and distributed to every door on the North ‘Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mait ‘Sales Product Agreement No. 0087238 EL MREAM SOTERA: itcab | 30a DON Distribution Manager 986-1237 (126} smoking who may wish to quit. NEWS-WISE, most weeks bring us scribblers light showers with an odd welcome downpour. Now and then, an embarrassing seven- day drought. And occasionally a week- long monsoon. Last week was defi- nitely one of the latter — with Clinton and employees, plus the Pope and Castro, Whaz does ir all mean? 900 AL GORE as U.S. president is the somehow depressing picture looming as the result of Bill Clinton’s mounting “Zippergate” crisis. However Bill wists and turns by the time this appears in print, it’s now hard to see how he can escape eventual impeachment or (like Nixon) a pre-emptive resignation. It’s not just his perennial sexual adventures, nor lying to cover them up, that alone will do him in. It’s the incom- petence the combination of both reveal. If, with all the vast presidential resources available, you can’t organize a little personal fun and games guaranteed — like rhe Pentagon's secrets — never to be exposed to public gaze, how on earth can you run the world’s only super- power? The French have a phrase for Bill Clinton’s ultimate sin: “It’s worse than a crime, it’s a blunder!” PETER SFECK Pubfisher 985-2131 (101) pe Dhaliwal Human Resources Manager 985-2131 (177) one fealive Services 985-221 (127) 61,582 (average citcutsnon, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) Photography Manager 585-2133 (160) Com 985-2131 (133) Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Lid. All rights reserved. O00 WHY DID BANK chairmen John Cleghorn (Royal) and Matthew Barrert (Montreal) choose to slap Finance Minister Paul Martin in the face when announcing their plan to merge their two institutions? A clearly miffed Martin {no bankers’ friend), who first learned of the announcement from the news media, retort- ed that he wouldn’t even consider authoriz- ing the merger until after September, when a government task force on Canada’s financial services reports to him. And maybe not even then. If the bank PR types promised an end- run round Martin by firse winning over the public, John and Matthew should fire the Jot. Even the creators of those “Humongous Bank” ads hardly foresaw the instant shricks of outrage from con- sumers and businesses against this latest “big is better” scam. Gao IF YOU’RE HEADED for the bank- ruptey court, changing direction is always painful. Thus the 20% of MacMillan Bloedel jobs axed last week by the ailing forestry giant’s new boss, ‘Tom Stephens. Over half the lost jobs (up to 1,400) will be in BC, rhe rest in MacBlo’s other worldwide opcrations. Blame this drastic surgery oa a period of stumping markets —- made far worse by the recent crash of the Asian LETTERS 10 THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, T'S Joy MACPHAIL. SHe’s HERE To SEIZE THE / __ ‘Zippergate’ worse than a crime! economies — and rising costs due to th NDP government’s regulatory boo-boos Nor may this be the end of sich sad’ stories, as the threat of worldwide “defla tion” — too many products chasing too linle noncy — looms ever closer. But at least give Stephens credit for spreading the misery from the top down: hourly - workers are being chopped by 10-12%: management by 24%. bet 902: coe, CUBA will never be quite the same. again after Pope John Paul’s uninhibited public attacks there on communism, ath ism, abortion and the US embargo — this last alone sweet music to his dictator. .: host. Mey Rut Jesuit-educated Castro mustals have been prepared for the criticisms:of his own regime and reckoned them‘ as acceptable price for the prestige of th pontiff’s visit. It’s a first tiny step towards - unfreezing relations with the US. After 37 years the ball is now, for the moment, in the latter's court. 900 flue A 100-CANDLE salute. and congratula- tions ts North Van's Rese Elda cs Edwards who today, Jan. 28 -~ still liv-~ ing in her own home — celebrates her: --. first century ....Wish many happy returns ~ of Thursday, Jan. 29, to Wes: Van - Kiwanis birthday boy Ross Field ... And = more of the same Friday, Jan. 30, to - longtime News photographer Mike Wakefield. 900 _ WRIGHT OR WRONG: Why the heck is abbreviation such a long word? ‘ HOWRCOZREACHEU'SS Administration 945-2131 Display Advertising full address & telephone number. VIA e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca Timothy Renshaw Managing Editor 965-2131 (116) Trisi ‘Agrics Promotions Manager 985-2131 (218) g Foot ptrotter Display Manager 960-0511 (166) 985-2131 (105) internet- http://wrew.nsnews.com & Main Office Fax Michael Becker - News Editor 885-2138 (114) Andraw McCredie - Sposts/Community Editor 985-2131 (147) The Morih Shore Wews is published hy North Shore Free Press Ltd., Publisher Peter Speck, from 1129 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver, B.C., V7M 2H4