& PENINSULA NEWS REVIEW Pecnyemmurtrninnetmtmcnymt meethmsnsy ec atecoudnae tet: Aen 3 CAEN O AC A te PENINSULA =. roe THE PENINSULA’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Publisher: Jean Butterfield Editor: Paul Wyke Phone: 656-1151 / Fax: 656-5526 a A division of Island Publishers Ltd. 9726 First St., Sidney, B.C. V8L 3C9 Vol. 86 / No. 34 / Circulation: 13,796 EDITORIAL Death of a dream at the ~ hands of North Saanich? | efer, defer, and generally do nothing: Words. to live by Res the council table in North Saanich? Well, judging from Her Majesty’s, we mean Madame Mayor's, latest no-..__ ~ tion on the never-ending Sanscha debate, it’s fast becoming a fit- << ting motto for a council that considers yesterday as the future. Michaluk’s latest ‘idea to dissolve the Memorial Park Society trust that covers Sanscha lands and those at Blue Heron Parkis - - tore than “out of left field,” it’s not even in the bloody ball park! « _-. The notion of abandoning a trust that was meant to bring two communities and their people together-is absurd. And it’s noth- cing short of a political kick in the teeth to the army of volunteers who've helped form the basis for a community and cultural vision. for ‘the mutual benefit of two neighboring municipalities. S, “No, it may. Hot be a perfect plan, but its sa start, Or. at least ites wasn 8 Poe, We're not: sure. whit Michaluk aad here cronies che again the: ma MPS volunteers who've worked so‘hard since 1994 to get some- thing done on the Sanscha site. It’s: almost as though they. think: , there’s'a conspiracy, or some implied impropriety: behind the idea of building a new community centre for everyone's benefit. . Now, the opportunity, for these two communities to be awarded any federal’ ‘money, through the Millennium ‘Fund, is ‘virtually. .. gone. We've kissed a possible $1. 5-million grant goodbye because North Saanich Politicians can't: see ‘beyond. the end: of their own ose noses: | Michaluk now ‘talks of North Saanich building ati ‘all- weather oe '... playing field and shelter’ for about $300,000 at Blue Heron Park... My, how her. mantra of ‘fiscal responsibility, and ‘community needs’ has changed. © ey Results of opinion polls and questionnaires have repeatedly - shown the majority of North Saanich residents want to move for- ~ ward with Sanscha, But this council continues to ignore the will Po, of the'people. Certainly, there are some impor tant aiieations to be answered, ~~ such as size, community needs, overall design | and, of course, cost, but that’s nothing to be scared about. “This council has put the kibosh on a partners ship with Sidney, © ~ never mind entertaining the bizarre concept of co-operation that... ~~ seems so lost to the sovereign nation of North Saanich. © a ~.” Only more pathetic than Michaluk’s latest motion is. the flock- like mentality that’s apparently taken hold of the rest of this coun- cil, And; as some around the council table would do well to re- ‘member, we were further ahead on the Sanscha scenario four” -. years ago. |. . ~ But that's s progress, Michaluk style! eS ~The debate on Sanscha has gone on far too long. ‘And it’ shigh time some forward-thinking ‘individuals’ from this district gave : these politicians a shake for the sake of community spiril, — PW Al oelaanadrumeaaeneneemabenarmmne sanenninaniarsetel TL Inet ¢erteneng ary ny snare é en Peninsula area resh : ‘dents and businesses are. ‘challenged, they certainly ‘know how.to rise (o the occasion, Such ts the case after.a story ap- peared tn Inst week's Peninsula.” News Review (Saanich Sisters are ~ doing tt for themselves, Wed. Aug. “9 79) yegarding the allkgirl, all First a " Nations slo-pitch team, ~~ Troutlining the dedicated fund ~ saising efforts of the team and. ~ their bid to go to the North Amert- “can Indigenous Games quatifiers In _ Port Alberni, The Review gen oul a “partin various tournaments,: ‘sors and $3 teant T-shirts. gle parents - have been taking “help out “While the girls woitld love tom. vk ickets is out of thelr ball park... “out of their way in the three years - challenge, the team has been together to» _Butlet’s review those effor tg “ nake sure anyone who wants (0 mh frat, ity, oy, and never lacks for a rid ib | ee aerate nae tae an nan me me Ss TR . scene is ts RS : ‘ Ce nee ET Sg eee Patel ae Spe h SAE sh Ete E ae aye REN: 2 : a ite Rr oe rerenennenrre nea mT mete rent a \espociatarnnpcipnn nemavars nmateatinn te tentpaaanen tc tet: ett TE AeA moe wiscuaraises bk cok Rod Nasaash duabd GRAN vee er PAN cig siti cht adeeb ut Stk wpa Sede tn si a tet wa - Residents raily when it counts! To date, the three -year-old team ~ has made enough money to take - “They've pur chased team socks, vie “The two coaches, Gail Sam and, “her sister Denise Sam — both sin- “Money out of their own pakkals te lo +. ~ have teans jackets, the cost of those a Gail and Deulse have also gone __ COMMENTARY | Wednesday, August 26, 1998 vorcetennatt Yet * Actually it couldn’ t happen toa a nicer pai fg ge » Being little over a decade old, the Reform Party of. & Canada is still closely connected with its roots in Western. . alienation with Ottawa and grassroots disgust with the old. anced budget... poe - parties and their pork-barrelling, self-serving. antics; =. And evenifit didn’t make sense initially, it would stil. sie “So, to have the Reformers fighting over whether they:. - on “be a big political mistake to renege now. : ie ‘should be beliying up to the pork barrel themselves, and... The'Reformers have far from i a perfect record c on 1 the in the main rejecting. the guiltedge MPs’ pension: mn pack: - principle over. expediency scale. =. oo ge, is encouraging. Eee, : They: campaigned against the EH- 101 helicopter the : doom id: Tory ‘government wanted for the. military, but - -when the’ Liberals took over’ and’can- celled the contract, they, criticized that. _.: These: days: Reform’s desire for the federal government to bolster the dollar ‘seems pure opportunism. =: | In terms of the two westerh provinces, which elected all but a handful ofthe Re- form caucus, the ee dollar is very good 7 news indeed. . og “Both: ‘the ‘Alberta and B.C. - economies depend on the export of — “goods to the U.S. The lower the dollar, - -the more those exports bring back in cash, . Reform’s “dollar position seems aimed to coddle Ontario consumers. . . Indeed, the position most glaringly ey abandoned by the Refor mers is their vow ior remain a western party.. med _ But I'm not condemning them for trying to: win seats in Ontario. If that is what it takes to bring about change, then the party has no other choice. The Reformers have stuck to many | of their guns, es- pecially on fiscal restraint and Quebec, Defying nolitical correctness they are looking the scp aratists i! eye and refusing to blink. If they hold fast here, the. icontinue to speak for most Westerners, have opted or the pension. OM ede “Ee The promise to reject it made sense asa symbol of the Sos Reformers’ strongest plank: chopped spending’ with a bak “tween princip les sand pragmatism. This tension is more evident, though, ~ with a new party. which arrives, like Jimmy Stewart.in Mr Smith Goes. to. ny Washington, at the seat of power full of» . fire and vinegar, but very quickly finds an ~~ entrenched cynical Establishment which does not wish to change. ~ On the other hand, the powers that: - be offer all sorts of perks to new boys and girls. who play the game by the Tules. Leader Preston Manning, no hay- Sai, but an astute student of politics, knew all about this." It was why he refused after the last ~ election to stay at Stornoway, the offi- cial residence of the opposition leader, or to use the tax- payer-supplied limousine, The sweetheart pension deal has proved a harder one to resist because the whole caucus, not just himself, could cash in on it. And as many Reformer MPs plough towards the third election, and have been in the Commons long enough to: qualify for benefits, expediency has obviously begun to outweigh principle for some. So itis to their credit that only a few hozo B.C, » MPs ents aren Mt stuck with what is often date, three businesses and one in an expensive tab, ~ dividual have risen to the occasion, _ If the Saanich Sisters win,an up, and one parent told the coaches coming qualifying tournament in. she cut out the story for her chil- ~ . Port Alberni (recently postponed dren asa perfect example of what to Sept, 12), they will travel to . teamwork was all about. - Fargo, North Dakota to take part : The coaches can't thank those ~~ in next year's North American In- people enough, It's tough to nail es “digenous Games, down a sponsor when there are 800: The opportunity isa dream | _many sports teams on the Peni ‘ come true for the team, but they: “ gula, and everyone knows it’s diffe °° ¥ ) are concerned that lack of funds,» cult.-to find that little extra money. despite all thelr efforts, will keep But, once. again, the generosity them from. realizing that dream... © of Peningula people is being-felt: * We challenged you to meet or We're still holding outthe red’: heat. our contribution of $100 to the flag. If you feel your can meet our feam, ~~» challenge, call the Saanich Sisters: és of The article came out Wednea: ee coaches, and let them know... day, On Monday, we were still gel: If you would like to contribute, ting Inquiries on who to contact to: 00 ~ call Denise Sam it 652-5954, or meet or beat our contribution. To Gail Sant at 652-6175," wyoot au to or from games or practice, When attending ont-of-town games, (he team raises enough - ge" Moniey, 1 include meals so that pare oh j it A ce en in nnn anna carry PURMABIRIUNK MAMAS} Yermmtingchumoetum, wage vty Ray =p pyandge AA 4 torn oes kien Pa en cae ACOTUMARURATH UAE