“NEWS VIEWPOINT _
Educational choices

HE DEMAND for choice in B.C. edu-
cation is growing.

' Witness the recent kerfuffle in Surrey,
where a new back-to-basics school that
would establish a regimen of regular home-
work, regular testing, more discipline and a
greater emphasis on academic subjects has
stirred-up the almighty. wrath of the B.C,
Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), which rightly

. fears any threat to its teaching monopoly in
this province.

* BCTF representatives have been quoted
as saying the new school threatens the future

of. public education.

But what the school really does is threaten

“the ponderous public school system, its.

accompanying teachers’ union behemoth
and administration-heavy school boards
with competition. ;

LETTER OF THE o

‘ According to the Vancouver Sun story.

detailing the controversial new school, the
head of-the parent group that has pushed for
the school’s establishment has said she’s not
displeased with the quality of education her
chifdren have received in the Surrey school
system, “but she believes there should be
more choice in education.”

And therein lies the key to the battle,
because currently there is no choice in pub-
lic school education. No choice in teachers;
no choice in schools, no choice in the basic

‘values and standards in place in the school

system.

Good teachers and good schools are
attained through the luck of the draw. And
that is not good enough when it comes to

Something as basic to our society’s well-
being and the good health of our communi--
_ ties as education. ~

DAY

Get government out of job creation

Dear Editor: |...
_ The recent poll taken by the
North Shore News (Inquiring
Reporter, Sunday, May 22) pertain-
ing to the function of the govern-
ment in finding summer employ-
tent for students exemplified the
very reasoning behind movements
to restrict governmental activity.
Citizens in our society are so used
to bureaucratic ignoramuses mak-
ing decisions for them, they have
virtually lost the capacity to reason
for themselves.
--. The results of the survey
revealed that/a surprising 32.8% of
people believed the government

Publisher
Managing Editor.,
- Associate Editor...
Sales & Marketing Director
Comptroiler

|
r
|

\

had some sort of responsibility in
aiding younger people in finding
work. The “responsibility” ranged
from seminars on job-finding to job
creation programs. The most absurd
being the idea of creating neighbor-
hood monitors to patrol the streets.
Being a student in the service
industry, I would suggest this plan
would be somewhat similar to. the
proverbial ditch-digging approach.
The only way government could
really heip the employment, situa-
tion would be to create. economic
and tangible incentives to hire stu-
dents. Current taxation levels,

‘licence fees, and union bargaining

’ Display Advertising 980-0511
986-G222

Classified Advertising
985-2131

Newsroom

Distribution
Real Estate Advertising « 985-6982 Subscriptions

Administration

power. all dissuade employers from
hiring transient student workers.
The government should not cre-
ate jobs with little or no purpose to
provide students with disposable
income. f have received four job
offers this summer, and believe the
opportunities for employment are
relatively abundant. A little bit of
common sense and proper presenta-
tion will go a long way in finding a
job. To those wha cannot find jobs,
take the gum out of your mouth,
brush your hair, and be prepared to
do a bit of work for the moncy. .
Ryan Jaye
West Vancouver

986-1337
986-1337
985-3227
985-2131

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ae chads eta. seecsaninia neni Werte lea Might LI

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envelope, |. i / Entire contents © 1994 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

ie to start
over a ain O

gc

JUST WHEN we thought
we'd finally grasped the
dozen bridge-or-tunnel
options for a new Inlet cross-
ing, two new spanners have
been thrown into the works
for tonight’s Stakeholders’
round table in West Van.

The free-for-all, in case you've
mislaid your calendar, starts at 7
p.m. laday, Wednesday, at West
Van high school, 1750 Mathers
Ave.).

Fisst came the Squamish
Nation's brilliant end-run round all
its bridge competitors: an identical
twin to the aging Lions Gate span,
to be built paralled to it by a con-
sortium headed by the Montreal-
based SNC-Lavalin group. Aside
from looking pretty in the scale
model, the $230 million proposal
has one almost unbeatable feature.

The northern end, like all the .
other bridge proposals, crosses
Squamish jand, But alone of all the
bridge promoters, SNC-Lavalin has
already obtained the blessing of the
Indians, who would benefit under
the deal for up to 25-yéars from $2 :
tolls on both the new and the exist-
ing, refurbished bridge.

That looks like a tough nut for
any competitor to crack. Unless the
Squamish Band can get an.even *
better deal from one of the rival
bridge groups in return for allowing

_ construction on their reserve, pre-

sumably the latter might just as
well pack up and gohome. —

' Meanwhile, North Shore mer-
chants say $2 bridge tolls would
result in a major loss of business

, here. Chamber of Commerce presi-

dent John Lakes ‘Says the effect on

North Shore tourism could be “dev-

astating.”
But wait

tninute! This past

‘weekend the raan who’s repaired -

the old First Narrows span for the

JOHN LAKES... tolls “devas-
tating.” .

past 22 years hurled his own, quite
different spanner into the weari-
some debate.

Schemes to replace or expand
the present crossing are premature,
says Peter Buckland, whose engi-
neering firm built the Alex Fraser
Bridge and has been responsible for
maintaining the Lions Gate Bridge
since 1972 — including recent
safety tests on it.

The roadway needs replacing,
along with “some upgrading” t
make the structure earthquake-
proof. Otherwise, he says, the
bridge is sound and will last as long
as it is properly maintained.

The No.1 priority, he argues, is

HITHER AND YON

NOT a new crossing at all, but
major policy decisions on how
much traffic to plan for ia the.”
Lower Mainland over the next -
quarter-century and where growth
is going to be channelled. a
In short, hold our horses until
we figure out where we’re going. :
: Supporting Buckland is UBC’s
Peter Boothroyd, associate profes-
sor of community and regional _.
planning. None of the present pro-"
posals, he stresses, reduce private
auto traffic, congestion and air pol-
lution — the most urgent long-term ©

need. Instead, they i increase them. +:

Whatever else is done, there’s
virtually unanimous agreement that
the Lions Gate span should be pre
‘served in some form for its scenic
and heritage value alone. The tal
for upgrading it to Buckland’s
specifications has been put, at a

'. modest $85-$100 million — far:

less than any of the other ‘schemes.
So if he’s right about its safety,
What on earth can be lost by simply.
going ahead with the upgrading and.;
scrapping altogether the present
tormented, deadline-driven “ new,
crossing” process? ©. :
‘Wouldn’t starting all over again
from scratch — next time by first !
studying in depth the population .;
and traffic fundamentals — be the ..
best way to eventually find the
RIGHT answer for the 2st. cent

ry?

Just two questions you may”
want to pop tonight at West Van a
Secondary!’ bo
WRAP-UP: Celebrate West Van's...
26th Community Day, Saturday,
June 4, with its giant parade from
_ Ambleside Park at 10 a.m, fol-
lowed by the day-long party at the:
rec centre with food, drink and
-emertainment of every kind ..
Farther east the same day drop by
Seymour Art Gallery’s Art
Garage & Garden Sule from 10:
a.m. to 3 p.m. at Deep Cove +"
Cultural Centre, 4360 Gallant Ave.

. Go treasure-hunting 9 a.m. to 1
p.m. Sunday, June 5, for linens,
kitchenware and clothing at the’.
North Shore Jewish
Community’s Giant G Garage Sale
in the Jewish Community. Centre,
1735 Inglewood, West Van (west
of the ‘Y’) ... And congrats Friday
to the latest “Golden 50 Club”
merabers, longtime North Shore. |
residents George and Margaret -*
Johnstone, who tied the knot June 7
3,1944. wu!
WRIGHT OR WRONG: Whether
driving or F arguing, when you st see 2