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north shore news

Fix Family Relations Act

Dear Editor:

The misuse of the Family Relations Act to change guardianship for foreign students to access free Canadian educa- tion is wrong.

About a year ago, I witnessed at the North Vancouver provincial court how a ‘ parent was granted her request to leave

her four children, ages eight to 14 with a Canadian guardian, a resident of North Vancouver, who used to be a neighbor in the old country. As reported by the North Shore News on Oct. 10, this practice is still going on.

The issue of foreign students and the

“satellite students” in the North Vancouver schools was raised during the

last municipal election. As a candidate for the school board at the time, I received numerous phone calls from concerned local residents with regards to this issue.

I agree with Judge Ellen Burdett that the purpose of the Family Relations Act is to ensure, among other things, that when families break up or parents are unable or unavailable to look after their children, a legal guardian might be appointed by the court.

] believe that it is wrong for anyone to advise foreign parents to leave their chil- dren in Canada with a legal guardian as a means to obtain free education, while the parents return to their own countries.

Aside from being a misuse of the leg-

islation, this practice raises the concern of the effect on the emotional well- -being of the children who are separated from the parents, some at a very young age. This is a high cost to pay in exchange for a Canadian education.

The issue of the “satellite students” is not limited to the North Shore.

I suggest that the North Vancouver School Board request of Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh, that a committee be set up in conjunction with the federal Immigration Department to review the Family Relations Act in order to stop this

practice. Alfredo Sepulveda North Vancouver

Gan’t see forests for the iawyers’ fees

Dear Editor:

“Mountain and Cove Forest inthe .District of North ‘Vancouver are to be : preserved “in their natural state.”

This was the message that “thousands 6f people on the ‘North Shore and throughout “the Lower Mainland voiced “: through letters, phone calls and

.- : public hearings.

In 1995, GUARD, a power- ful grassroots movement, fought to preserve these pre- cious areas of accessible forest. North Vancouver District respected those wishes and after a thorough public process, rezoned these lands to (Park, Recreation and Onn Space). Unfortunately, the Canada Mortgage and Housing

Corp. (a federal Crown corpo- ration) and the provincial Ministry of Environment, Lands-and Parks did not agree and decided to sue the munici- pality, challenging its right to rezone this land. So here we are, paying lawyers for three lev- els of government to fight it out in court when the wishes of the taxpayers are foud and clear:

preserve and protect Mountain and Cove forest!

Eric Andersen

Co-chairman, GUARD

LICNS GATE

Lions Gate has to be

Dear Editor: “+ Re “Cash lined up for new bridge.”

Fist of all the Lions Gate Bridge should be

. repaired. The government has allotted monies for that. A third crossing is needed; eg. a tun- el, which would: be a_ better idea for the

nvestors to use their $1 billion for.

_It would be a more sensible idea, because : building another bridge is not going to solve

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