north shore

____ MAIL Box

Immigration issue silence is deafening

Be. Dear Editor:

Re: Some unsolicited ‘reflections on Canada’s “Golden Gate * from a 25- “year resident of the North :Shore who escaped in 1998 to the sunnier climes of -Tsavewassen. :

As “Boat IV” with its

nada" 's spineless immigra- jon and refugee system, we ¢ being treated to a reveal- ing insight-into the political rass of what has ually the sole territorial Krerae of a self-servingly ucrative «and «all-powerful estic immigration indus-' “nurtured “and sustained vlate bya), buoyant (pun eae offshore smug- icin. human mis-

a country ruled by the © al clout ~ of wiinority - |

arid’ special interest groups,

the -views of a subdued and en majority. count

ly, the truth

‘become contingent olitically correct. ° us”: when it comes ta

,Of immigration ad fefigees, to have any kind of. aibility.

d even a remote

self. to’ “escape. ‘the

™ label that

come —

a sense of national communi- ty, we face in this country growing obstacles of region- al, economic, cultural and political balkanization.

Our immigration policies have failed miserably in achieving the kind of diversi- ty from which, fed by a mul- titude of cultural tributaries, flows a2 new and distinctive and enriched national stream.

Perhaps the unspeakable and_ politically unpalatable truth is that, by tryin, please everyone and of end no one, we have merely man- aged to amplify ond nuultiply the din of conflicting voices through. a legislated quilt- work of mu based net on the unifying forces of culeural integration

but on the divisive and cen-. - trifugal notion of an institu-.

tionalized mosaic of perpetu-

ating and reinforcing ‘cultur-

al differences. .-°. - Instead of gearing our

‘immigration policies to ben- efit the nation as a whole, we

eem to have focused myopi- cally on serving the rights

_ and wishes of the individual , i “ newcomer.) o Surely, ‘at the very least, _

fast-tracking .¢ » refugee

“claims: process: in a. way: that would, send ‘aiv unmistakable

alto the: real villains in

Anything less will ‘contin- full:‘credenc to

c: “‘footheld’.in’ this country, -with “all the social anil eco- nomic trimmings, condition- « al: on!

on:.some : vaguely

ulticulturaiism, |

“Shore: mountains.

the distant “we’ll-jump-off- that-bridge-when-we-come- to-it” future.

Hiding behind — the Pandora’s box of Canada’s ill-fated Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the new immigration minister's feeble “it’s the-law” justification tor doing nothing, is 2 testa- ment to the political spine- lessness of our governing politicians in Ortawa, whose silence on this, as on so many other vote-sensitive issues, continues to be deafening, and promises to remain that way.

E.W. Bopo Tsawwassen

Aghast at bear killings

* Dear Editor: «-

I cannot believe there have

‘ been. 27 bears shet on the

North Shore this year!

‘live high up in the North Several bears: regularly walked through my property during

this past: year of heavy snow

pack, including a sow and cub

who called rhe back garden - -home for-a couple of weeks.

Since I live in their habitac it behooves me to treat them with the respect they deserve. All that’ was required of me

Was? an - added warencss of

- FE discovered 35 ‘years: ago is ~ “today: being ‘so thoroughly

abused in every respect.’

* Sheila Blake »

PROENIXAVING i@com-

Wednesday, October 26, 1939 — North Shore News ~- 9

ted white, m.p.

advertoriw), October 20/1999

ELECTIONS. NISGA’A AND TAXES

Thi: S repert was written last rriday afternoon, in the expectation that evenis which had just been scheduied by the Government to take piace In Parliament yesterday and today, did indeed take place. Front and centre ara a new Ejections Act, and *he enabling legistation for the Nisga'a Agreement.

INTERFERING WITH YOUR RIGHTS

On two separate occasions in the past decade, the National Citizens' Coalition managed to get parts of the Canada Elections Act struck down as unconstitu- tional by the Alberta Court of Appeal. Those parts of the Act placed restraints or. the amount of money which couicd he Spent by "third parties" on advertising dur- ing an election campaign. (Note: "Third Ppartiss" means YOU, cr any group or organization of which you ara a mam- ber.) The National Citizens’ Coatition aise challenged the third party spending timits in the BC Elections Act during the tast Provincial election - 9 ruling in this case is due any day now.

‘In spite of the Court decisions though, the Liberal Goverment in Ottawa is once again trying to legislate restrictions on how much of your own hard-eamed money you will be allowed fo spend on countering the arguments of candidates and political par- ties during the next federal election. While claiming that they are oniy doing this to preveni wealthy people from taking control

of the elsction, the Government is simuita- -

neously retaining for itself enormous‘ amounts of free broadcasting time during the election campaign, will sti! get to decide exactly when an election will take Mace, and is maintaining a patronage rid- died structure for Elections Canada field: operations. (Elections Cansda has repsatedly asked the Government te Set it free from politica! patronage and allow it to hire tts own stalY based on merit. in addiden, when hefping third world and emerging nations set up their electoral, systems, Elections Canads always rscomniends against the patronage based structure found in Canada. J

‘ which, at $1000, is far too high.

about the Bill, was to have been intro- duced yesterday. (Tuesday).

la a vote also expected yesterday. which, if 2 did take place, the Liberals would have won, the Biil was sent to committee so that it could be discussed behind closed doors. in addition, the Minister has already indicated that he wants to appear as witness before the committee tomorrow (Thursday) and that opposition parties shetwld have their wit- hesses ready immediately threatter. (How, in a matter of a few days, were we Supposed to find the interested wit- nesses, get then: toe study a brand new 253 page Bill, help them to arepar> their submissicns, and transpurt them to Ottawa? And what sort cf a way is this to run a Parliament anywey?) At this pace, the Bill will be law within a week or two and most people in Canada will have no idea that it oven happened. In my opinion, this Bill represents the worst of Parliament's dirty littie secrets, and is so full of things that the Govemment does not want you to see, that they ara going to ram. it through is) record time with tne absolute sninimum amount of pubic serutiny.

There is obviously not enough space - here to summarize a 253 page Bill, but I,

atong with my Reform colleagues, will b6

doing our Dest to defeat and/or amend th

third party spending limits, the 56 cack date rule,-the system of patronage appointments, and a candidate deposit In’ addi- tion, we will be trying to get the Liberals to. include things they have left out of the Bil! such as ‘fixed: election. dates, limits: on

‘Government. advertising during an. elec-

tion, a requirement that-voters provide lo when they arrive to vote, permission for:

Elections Canada to introduce’ electronic ‘Voting, an and to the: reimburséme

party and candidate campaig

.by taxpayars after an electio

rules for the timing of by-elections

-."The Liberals are also trying to re-intro- ad

duce provisions _ which”. ware. recantly | struck down’ by the Ontario courts in’ a- case brought by.the Communist Party. of - Canade.. Arnazing:. as it may seem, the

.Govemment of Canada is moving to pre- vent the Communist Party’ of Canada, the - “Green Paity of Canada, or any other party

uriable to run at least 50 candidates inan

election, from placing ‘its ' party:name on.

the ballotll! .. Thife.k almost comically”

is all vary weil, it seems, u competition on the" balist;

frantically. busy at the moment prepa! ng. the Legislative Report, Speaking’ Notes; and suggested amendments, needed fe

ouir arguments against certain provisions

before: I began. writing this. reports las Friday, and. en. extremely unusual motion.