10 - Wednesday, February 12, 1997 — North Siiore News

North Shore

From page 1

an early age as an employee with the Canucks, Arthu: has spent most of his life coming under public scrutiny. He was the owner's son. For some men the pressure is devastating when fol- lowing in their father’s business foot- prints. In Arthur’s case, he’s made it work

by equating his silver-spoon status to

“One of the things I’ve had to deal with all my life is my height, and never really looked at it as a disadvan tage,” he says. “Maybe (my height) made me more a ive and more

_ determined to work harder and prove

peo] le wrong.” of his many. contemporaries on the night he graduated from BCIT

“in. 1980, Arthur was approached by . his father, who. asked the proverbial

~ ‘myself into television, but I wasn’t too . keen on'that idea,” he says, adding he had worked four previous men at : family radio stations in Winnii *) Vancouver. “So he finally sai what would you like to Y do” And I ‘said ‘I really like the Canucks.” ” < Arthur’s first job with the Canucks was ‘selling: advertising. He then

the Coliseum? From there it was the

season tickets.

“About a-year into it with the Canucks: convinced my dad that I ao ould lear more about the business if went tothe Canucks’ farm team “(Genial ” he recalls. “I actual- vy ha id my green card ; ved, all the decisions in my: dad ‘and “one of the directors decided that wscnt » geod lace for me‘ to go.’ They: figured I fould be move‘ useful here. And that was the beginning of a new stage in my life. I

the same time it was baptism by fire. © period ' was to see both sides of an vc issue Another valuable aspect of work- ing so closely with his father was see- ing how clear-minded and straightfor- ward his dad’s business sense was.

“- “In business dealings he had a "great knack for cutting to the i issue, getting a decision and moving on,” Arthur says of Frank Sr, “As a person

he had just-a great sense of-humor,

_kind of an English sense of humor,

another fact of life far from his con- tol. :

° “what now?” ion. ; ae / “He: Bally mone me to steer

~» moved on to che merchandise store in ~

. ticket office for a summer of renewing ;

ice, and then. “ewo lanes cach wa,

was assistant to the chairman, and at ”

What I learned most during this -

roots deep in Griffiths’ clan

very dry and very quick.”

He also recalls the great parties his parents threw for friends, family and employees. It’s a tradition his mother continues today.

“I remember they rented a train at Christmas one year from Whistler to just past Pemberton. Well, there was a slide on the tracks and the train was stuck, and the only thing they had on board was alcohol. All the finished. Well, by the time they got back — very early the next day — some people needed some serious dri- ving home.”

His parents also instilled in him a sense of perspective. He credits this to his, and his wife’s, involvement in charity work. Arthur and Joanne commit hundreds of hours each year to charities — from the Canadian Cancer Society to the United Way to leukemia research.

He also is committed to the com- munity, - volunteering as an assistant hockey coach at Hollyburn Country Club; and spending two years as the chair of the Lions Gate Bridge Public Steering Committee. -

“I’m very disappointed that a solu- tion hasn't t been embraced yet,” he says of the First Narrows Crossing issue, adding the B.C. government has. had: the committee’s report for over six months, “The thing.I kept trying to impress upon the committee is that it’s not just residents of the North Shore that use the bridge — we're talking about Whistler, we’re talking about the Sunshine Coast.

“I travel the Upper Levels Highway every day, and Pll tell you when that (soon to be built) super ferry hits Horseshoe Bay and those 500 cars hit Taylor Way at the dinner rush hour’ — bang!.

“So two lanes cach way, I believe, isn’t an option. At the least we need plus HOV lanes.”

: Staring into the future is some- thing Arthur Griffiths..has become pretty comfortable doing, both in his community and his business dealings.

- The * past” three’ years “have been rough ‘ones. for ‘the good ship Griffiths, but Arthur’s mind is on the future, including a family wip.

Arthur and Joanne are packing up the kids and heading off to France, England and Greece. “I’ve seen so many people in my life that have had an opportunity like this and don’t take it.”

And then he adds, talking from experience: “And nobody knows when it’s over.”

Big number

BEING late for work paid off wet! on Monday for North Vancouver's Stephanie Sara (second from - left). She was showered with gifts after becoming the “75 millionth”. SeaBus rider. Presenters included MLA Graeme Bowbrick (jeft) and SeaBus brass Russ Stevens and Kent Smith.

From page 1

Most of the students making racist remarks are in Grade 12, so Jackson expects the divisions on the football team to heal ater ation.

But he wants a couple of the students out carlier through suspensions.

Devon Jones, a former Windsor secondary student attracted to Carson Graham because of its superior foot- ball program, says racist remarks were a staple at practices.

e said the “little talking to” the author of the Klan remark received from administrators wasn’t enough pun- ishment.

Even with the racist slights -~ much of which Jones said is issued in a joking ton: — Jones said he feels com- fortable at Carson Graham

“It’s not like there is a race war going on at the school.”

Senior football coach John Buchanan said none of the piayers on the team came forward with specific names of those making racist remarks. “{ know there was a per- ceived problem. It definitely bothered some boys. So there was a problem. Unfortunately i in athletics kids are going to

make comments and it’s going to offend someone.” Buchanan said he talked to the team and some of. the

more responsible players.took a leadership role “and

One-day strike costs

From page 1

North Vancouver school board vice chairman Pat Heal also had harsh words for the employers’ asso- ciation.

“Ie was just a matter of playing around with money for BCPSEA to save face,” she said.

Employers’ association executive director Ken Werker said he has not seen.a final costing out of Friday’s agreement. But it falls within the guidelines for a 2. 1% “tif” between

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straightened things out.” ; “As far asI know we Enshed off ona posi note and everybody was getting along,” he said. . ‘ Barbara Atkins, the mother of two mulatto’ boys ‘who play football at Carson, said kids should kn ol is a: safe, lace. © added that administrators have told her something is being done about the Klen incident, but tiiey can’t'say- what it is because of privacy requirements. © “I tend to say, OK, F'll give you the: benefit’ of the doubt,” said Atkins of the school’s ‘administrators. :“The kids don’t have any confidence anything is being ¢ done, Margot Guthrie, 2 Vancouver lawyer, lias: been sulted by the father of a srudent who. has been, of racist remarks. wore She said clear written guidelines’ should racist remarks will not be tolerated, how such rei be dealt with and the penalties or discipline’ thas handed down for making such remarks. “What concerns. me. is there:

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