6 - Friday, March (8, 1988 - North Shore News

INSIGHTS

Evenings off necessary while Chasing Rainbows

DEAR CBC: I'm sure you’! agree it’s not my job to teach you yours. But | hope you won’t take amiss one friendly suggestion about your recent 14-hour blockbuster ‘‘Chasing

Rainbows."*

We both know, of course, that those who missed it (and a spot survey of North Shore tube gazers Suggests they were legion) missed truly superb entertainment. As TV theatre, ‘Chasing Rainbows”’ equals or licks the best ever scen on Channel 9 or any other. And more important, instead of a BBC import from Britain you created for us an all-Canadian classic — set in the fascinating ‘‘Anglo” Montreal of the years just after the $914-18 war, with the brilliant cast of top new Canadian actors head- ed by Paul Gross, Julie Stewart

and Michael Riley. Final proof, CBC, that once you go all out, you can be second to none.

The bad news is that ‘Chasing Rainbows’? demanded just too in- tensive a time commitment from the kind of busy, involved people who abound on the North Shore. You aired the series in seven episodes — both the first four and the last three on consecutive even- ings from 8 to 10, Sunday through Wednesday and Sunday through Tuesday respectively. That meant we had to become TV hermits, shunning for feur and then three

MAITRE D'S iN THE MAKING?...Seycove seniors (l-r) Donna Maniago, Earl Matheson, Keiko Suzuki und

Linda Maier help serve 420 dinners.

Municipal meddling

LD. ROD Cliark’s proposal to clean up what

he calls questionable election practices in é » North Vancouver City sounds long on good intention, but winds up being short on practical solu- tion.

Clark, who was defeated in the city’s 1985 election, questions focal political integrity in that election in which four elected aldermen denied knowledge of who funded newspaper ads and glossy brochures urging their re-election.

He claims the ads were financed by Park and Tilford developers and aims his proposal at halting a repeat of similar high-powered political backing.

Automatic vote recounts for candidates finishing 50

’ yotes or jess apart, as suggested under Clark’s pro- posal, would be welcome.

But, though full disclosure of municipal campaign funds might discourage possible conflicts of interest, it could also discourage legitimate contributions from voters who might prefer to back a chosen candidate anonymously.

Requiring candidates to approve ads submitted on their behalf to the News would be direct meddling in the free traffic of ideas and the freedom of anyone to buy advertising in their local newspaper.

And prohibiting senior city staff from endorsing candidates would trammel upon their rights to political involvement, of which there is precious little in the city already. .

The thrust of Clark’s proposal is admirable, but it negates a crucial democratic component: the voter and his ability to base his vote on a candidate’s policies, rather than on the glossiness of a candidate’s ad.

nights in a row all social, recre- ational and community activities. Uniess we had a VCR and up to $70 worth of blank tapes.

Also, there was no Alistair Maclean to introduce cach episode by telling us what had gone before. The flashback clips alone simply didn't do the job. ‘i've missed the beginning now, so | wouldn't know what it’s all about,” was the invariable reply from those to whom we enthused over your masterpiece.

Presumably, CBC, you had sound commercial reasons for such ‘scheduling. Or maybe high-priced researchers had assured you this was exactly the right way to pres- ent a 14-hour cpic.

But that was definitely NOT the

Publisher

Associate Editor

Peter Speck Managing Editor... . Barrett Fisher Noel Wright Advertising Director . Linda Stewart

North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and quatitied under Schedule 111, Paragraph !Il of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid. and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Second Class Mail Registration Number 3885. Subscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per year. Mailing rates available on request. Submissions are welcome bu! we cannot accept responsibility for

message from potential North Shore viewers who missed ‘'Chas- ing Rainbows’. If you do a rerun —- and | devoutly hope you will — for heaven's sake spread it next time over seven Sunday nights. That way, too, you could knock Masterpiece Theatre clean off the ratings chart!

A BIG THANK YOU “to the Cove" comes from Candace Mar- shall of the Deep Cove/Dollarton Community Programs Society for all the community support given to its recent annual auction and dance — which this year raised $17,000 for bursaries and scholarships. She calls for a special salute to the ar- my of energetic volunteers from the three schools —- Seycove, Sherwood Park and Burrard View —- including the Seycove senior students who served a four-course sicdown dinner for 420 with an ef- ficiency the Hotel Vancouver might have envied!

WRAP-UP: Concerned about a healthy diet? Well, take note that North Shore nurses are high on potatoes. To celebrate St. Patrick's Day the North Shore Chapter of the Registered Nurses Association of B.C, held a best-dressed potato contest yesterday at LGH, with fun-loving local nursing groups demonstrating how handsome a spud can become with a little T.L.C. ... Incidentally, you could re-name the North Shore ‘‘Night- ingale City’' — did you know some 1,800 R.N.s live in North and Wesi Van? ... Congrats to

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unLeEn® BKERESTE

NEWS photo Tom Burley HELEN FORRESTER autographs her new novel “Yes, Mama’ at West Van Library.

North Van's Dan Riteo, tecent recipient of a Legion bursary cer- tificate presented to him by Dot Clarke, Ladies Auxiliary president of North Van Legion Branch i18 .. And the appropriately named organizer of Vancouver's Magee High School Class of °48 reunion, Sept.23-25, is still seeking old classmates they've so far been un- able to locate. If you're one of them, the lady to call is Dorothy Morris Grad at 266-0049,

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