NEWS photo Mike Wokalleld ‘ West Vancouver businessman Paul Taylor was appalled to learn that as a non-resident he cannot vote in municipat elections because of the Local Elections Reform Act implemented in July by the . _ NDP government as part of Bill 35. WY businessman seeks right to Ov te in municipal elections AS A Miss sissauga. resident with a busiriess in Toronto, Paul - Taylor was entitled to vote for both city councils. Now living in North: Vancouver, Taylor was appalled to discover , that rule does not apply in B.C. “ Taylor owns Mail Boxes Etc. on "West Vancouver’s Marine Drive.. “He was equally shocked to learn “that the voting disenfranchisement is a recent. “development, .. im- . plemented in July by. the provin- ‘. cial government as part of Bill 35, the Local Elections Reform Act. . Taylor wants that section of the - bill revoked. He fecls “B.C. ‘business people “were asleep. when the train went by’? and simply did not notice that, the bill would significantly: affect -them.:* : “It's” really amazing that the ‘business community in B.C. allowed the Harcourt government “to do what it did,’’ he said. “‘Par-. “. ticularly - the, chambers ‘of com- ‘ merce and so on.”’ Taylor. blames the “ideological _ bent”??- of the NDP, which jhe . describes as ‘‘social engineering.’ They’re ‘forgetting who’s mak-: ing the investments, who’s paying the taxes,’’ said the former news radio journalist. ‘‘It’s fundamen- tally undemocratic.”” By Kate Zimmerman Contributing Writer Taylor points out that without a vote in West, Vancouver, he has no right: to influence the decisions council makes regarding policing, fire regulations, parking, lighting,. street maintenance or awning and neon sign bylaws in the municipality where he operates his business. He’s not alone. “‘A& significant proportion of the business people in West Van- couver don’t live in West Van- couver,”’ he said. Taylor. also claims that for the purpose of disenfranchisement,. Bill 35 ‘‘Iumped in’’ business peo- _ple with prisoners and people in- voluntarily confined asa result of | mental disorder. He has contacted West Van- couver .city councillor Andy Danylin in an eifort to get the wheels of this section of the bill rolling backward. Danyliu says in the future West Vancouver city council will be putting forward a resolution for adoption by the Union of B.C, Municipalities requesting that the provincial government restore the vote to business people. He points out that this isn't a question of foreign business owners getting a vote in a com- munity where they don’t live. ‘In West Vancouver, the group that’s affected is basically very small merchants who live on the North _ Shore. “We're talking about mom and pop . operations . here, ordinary folks, most of whom are operating... on a. shoestring,’’ “They've been disenfranchised and my colleagues all agree that it’s unfortunate and it should be rectified.”’ Taylor. has also enlisted the support of MLA Jeremy Dalton, whose. office is upstairs from Mailboxes Etc. Dalton says he an- ticipates the Liberals will bring the issue up in an effort to force an amendment to the act. “I'm not making the com-. plaint, so-called, as it pertains to me personally,’’ said Taylor. ‘‘! think it’s of widespread public in- terest.’” ICIPAL AFFAIRS | MEETING AGENDAS West Vancouver District Council: Monday, Dec. 20 at 7:45 p.m.: Bylaws: West. Vancouver Waste Disposal, Waterworks Regulation, Sewer and Drainage Utility Fee, JURASSIC PARK Nightly 7:10pm & 9: 45pm Sat/Sun. 2:45pm & 5:00pm ‘Single Feature Presentation sys R Capital . diture — North Vancouver District Council: Monday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m.: 30- minute. period before regular council agenda begins will allow members of public to bring up any matter of municipal interest. Dele- gations: former councillor Joan Gadsby on North Shore News Facilities Fund Expen- CINEMA 2 | BEVERLY HILLBILLIES Nightly 7:00pm DEMOLITION MAN . Nightly 9:00pm NUTCRAKER Sat & Sun, 3:00 pm & 5:00pm report. card. North Vancouver: City Council: Monday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m.: Delegations: David Weiser, archi- tect re: Rezoning 216-220 E. t0th St., Dennis Roberge re: Applica- tion for Injunction, Electrical In- stallation, 1536 and 1538 St. An- drew’s Avenue. CINEMA 3 THE FUGITIVE Nightly 7: Oopm; Sat/Sun, 2:50pm R. 14 yrs. FEARLESS :. 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