MP Grubel answers criticism by Canadian FJewish Congress

Deana Lancaster Contributing Writer

THE freedom to hold beliefs, includ- ing unpopular ones, came under fire as Libertarians met this week at the Whistler Convention Centre.

The 15th annual world conference of the nternational Society for Individual Liberty began in the resort town on Monday, amid accusaticns by critics abour a possible right-wing agenda and Acontroversy over the participation of speakers Msuch as Colorado Senator Charles Duke, a U.S. militia supporter; and News columnist Doug ae Collins, who spoke carly in the week about cen- gsorship in B.C. and Canada. The theme of the conference was “reclaiming Hour liberties from out-of-control governments.” During a discussion period on Tuesday, con- yference guest speaker Leon Louw, of South Africa, St took to his feet. q." “I have ‘a ‘smoker’s rights’ T-shirt on,” he

‘weapon’

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nd I was laid off.” Legros had also called the Motor Vehicle. Branch Weigh Scales and xplained to them that “I wanted to be legal,” and that he was tired of Ri driving “with no overweight sticker, - qno inspection sticker,” He'said that e°d “actually ‘hoped to ‘be pulled the ‘police, in. spite of the icket'he’d receive, just to have the Struck taken ‘off the road. “The boss howed me ‘a’ way around all the scales (mandatory check stations) in Vancouver. He gave me a route.” Inland Kenworth, a truck facility Bin: Burnaby, condemned the Western WStar truck on March 2, 1995, but ave ita temporary sticker. “I took ; (the truck) back for one more - Hiob,”. Legros said. : an “The truck was taken to Midtown | tuck..Service’ Inc..on March 16, ; 1995.-and “eventually passed an , spection at that location. ! Summing up his experiences in.” ithe ‘trucking industry, Legros flatly stated: *“The truck isa weapon.” The inquest continues,

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pointed out to the group of about 140 delegates, mostly American, mostly white, and many middle- aged.

Louw doesn’t smoke. In fact, he said he thinks it is a disgusting, offen- sive habit.

He said Libertarians have the only idevlogy which supports the rights of people they may not agree with.

“Libertarians are in favor of the debate,” he said. “They are not in favor of a conclusion to the debate.”

Too often, Louw said, Libertarians allow themselves to be associ- ated with specific causes.

Louw is scheduled to address the conference early tomorrow. He is the founder of South Africa’s Free Market Foundation and was jointly nominated with his wife for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, 1991, and 1992 for their work in pro- mating a peaceful end to apartheid.

Herb Grubel, Reform MP for Capilano-Howe

REFORM MP Herb Grubel came under fire from the CJC.

: OS Canada’s a '.| FOUR North Shore lads helped B.C. win the gold medal at the recent Canadian U-19 Rugby, Nationals. They are (left to right): Garth Prouse, Ron Johnstone, Ryan Stewart and Mike

Andrew. Johnstone, Prouse and Stewart were also selected to play tor Canada ona tour of Wales later this year. All four are members of the Capilano Rugby Club.

Tips needed to solve case

“He said, ‘Well, he’s been unconscious for about five

minutes,

Sound spoke to the conference on Tuesday, slam- ming special interest groups as he discussed the impact of the Canadian debt on future genera- lions.

Earlier this month, Grube} came under fire from the Canadian Jewish Congress for welcom- ing the conference to his riding. He defended his actions in a letter to the CJC on Aug. 15, saying:

“T have the full confidence in the ability of Canadians to reject racist and extremist ideas, and have seen no evidence that permitting freedom of expression has undermined our Canadian values.”

He told reporters after his speech that he shared many of the delegates’ concerns about big government, but didn’t necessarily agree with other views held.

Topics covered earlier in the conference included: healing the world through wealth cre- ation; how the welfare state destroys the character of individuals; and the growth of the American police state und the growing resistance against it.

The conference winds up tomorrow evening with a gala evening featuring Jaco!s (Bumper) Hornberger speaking on Libertarianism: The Hope for the World.

Of course, as the delegates leave the conven-.

tion centre after the party they'll have to watch their language, since the 15th annual world con- ference for individual liberty was held in a munic- ipality that has a bylaw banning profanity.

best

”

said Derry.

i Back to School... ‘@ Bright Lights.

BD MAIIDOX.. io snraneninnne 8 BE MIRCHEN ienscnne 7 a Neighborhoods

) North Shore Alert

Real Estate... ee 37

Initially upon nis ret-rn from hospital, Kevin needed a wheelchair, then a walker, then a couple of canes, then a single cane.

“It was very exciting for us when he threw the cane away,

“Right now for us the worst thing is Him waking up in the middle of the night in pain,” said Barb. “IH wake

' up also because he'll wake up screaming”

Throughout the ordeal, the one nagging question that continually struck a nerve for everyone surrounding Kevin, is the identity of the driver of the vehicle that struck him.

Kevin was, and continues to be, the victim of a hit and run.

The accident was featured on an installment of Crime Stoppers, but to date no definitive tips have come in.

Most of the material in the re-enactment came from information supplied by Kevin’s co-worker, the first one to arrive at the scene.

Derry," an ex-police officer, recalls a young man approaching. him shortly after his arrival on the scene and asking how Kevin was doing.

“T said to hiny obviously not so well, he's been involved in a pretty serious accident.”

The man’s response to this day leads Derry to believe he was, in fact, the driver or at Ieast an occupant of the vehicle.

When Derry inquired if the man was responsible for the accident, the man’s reply was: “No, I’m just an inno- cent bystander,

“Right away 1 thought he had too much informa- tion,” said Derry, “1 was torn because as soon as T moved out of Kevin’s line of vision he would start screaming my name.”

Derry also remembers seeing a vehicle parked up the street that he noticed was gone shordy after the mysteri- ous man’s disappearance.

Barb says identifying the driver of the vehicle “is very important to us,

“IP's going to be a sense of closure to know exactly what happened, it’s the missing piece.”

“f don’t want this to happen to someone else,” she said, “IF this person was drunk and they didn’t stop, | hope it’s not a regular thing for then’ — driving drunk,

“We were lucky. Kevin’s alive and he’s OK, but some- one else may not be so lucky.”

For now the Townsends are concentrating on making up for time they've fost during, the ordeal and hoping their lives return to normal sooner rather than later. They’re already planning for it.

“He (Kevin) said he'll ride again,” said Barb adding, “He’s not going to ride to work for a while.”

Tips on the hit and run can be forwarded to Crime

Stoppers’ at 669-TIPS.

Rights | council faces court acti

By Robert Galster Contributing Writer

THE North Shore News’ struggle with the NDP government’s attempts at regulating free speech in British Columbia has taken yet another turn.

On Aug, .7 the Council of Human Rights announced its intention to pursue a complaint made to the recently created body by the Canadian Jewish Congress.

Although a specific date for the hearing has yet to be set, News Publisher Peter Speck announced plans to challenge the appoint- | a ed body’s raison detre in B.C. Supreme court.’

“For us © to appear before the body: acknowl- edges its legitimacy,” ‘said Speck.-

News lawyer. David - Sutherland confirmed a - B.C. Supreme . Court petition will seek to chal- lenge the legislation introduced in Bill 33 and the council's asserted jurisdiction to entertain’ the complaint. © - aes

But he didn’t elaborate on his strategy saying, “I don’t want to

¢ the case in the press.”

Sutherland added he antici- pates the petition will be heard this fall. : . .

Throughout the two-year saga that is the case between the North Shore News, its colum- nist Doug Collins and the human rights council, the. News has maintained that the council’s establishment is in itself unde- mocratic “and issued repeated warnings that the governmental -budy can be used: to limit free- dom of expression, 7

“The over-riding principle is freedom of speech,” said Speck. “We're not just talking about Doug Collins, the key issue here is that the public has a right to know even if you don’t agree with him.”

The human rights council originally received the Canadian Jewish Congress complaint: in May 1994. On Aug. 16, 1995, the council released its investiga- tive report. By the fall of 1995, the News responded to the report, urging the council to ‘drop the matter, to no avail. - “For his part, Cotiins remains ‘unrepentant. During a speech at the recent International Society: for Individual Liberty 1996 World Conference in Whistler, Collins referred to the council and its sponsoring legislation Bill 33 as “Orwellian. a

“More freedom means; less freedom, human rights commis- sions become human wrongs commissions, and political cor- rectness means political’ strait. jackets,” said Collins. “

BOUG Collins - «. @ target of B.C. Human ‘Rights Council - scrutiny. —