VICTORIA — Not surprisingly, the report from
B.C.’s all-party special committee on the Constitution

tries to be all things to all people. _ ;
Its recommendations show the infighting and ©

arm-twisting which must have accompanied the
15-member group's deliberations, and even then, the
final result is not something everyone is happy with.
Now I know that many of you reading this are

about to change the channel, so to speak, because .

you are fed up to here with
the subject after the past
two years: of incessant
babble on the issue from all
quarters.

I will be brief, I prom-
ise.

Do ‘not forget that the
time is running. down on
Canada. The lawyers and -
. pojiticians who - have.
lurched. : from impasse to
im SBE, whilst: ticking off
the”
scrambling to salvage ‘their jobs and their élected:
posts...

‘The B.C. committee strove nobly to be fair and’
compromising of the various positions over distinct
society,. fair treatment, of natives, changes to the
outdated, over-rated . Senate. and the protection of-
social, programs such as medicare, welfare and child
care... a ; 7

They are to. be commended. oe

-But.can we not just keep it simple? Let's start
from. scratch, acknowledge that Quebec is a
francophone | society within our potentially. great
nation, and get on with it.

like all the others...

. How about treating natives, French speakers and 7

English. speakers and-those who speak. other lan-
guages | all alike, period? :

Like a8 ; Canadians, eh? Or as our religions. teach

us? Or at least. without all this bull which pours

i

22 | Terrace Review — April 10, 1992

If the national referendum on the
Constitution is not kept in such simple, .
honest, straightforward language, it will
only lead to another screwup) |

‘majority of. Canadians in ‘the ‘process, ‘are

er

forth from the lawyers on all sides (including our

ever-unpopular | Prime Minister)? :
If the national referendum on the Constitution is is

not kept in such simple, honest, straightforward

‘language, it,will only lead to another screw-up like

all the others, which waste. so much of our energy ©
and our money. And our country will be in peril,
instead of being poised at the threshold of the 21st

century as one of the world’s richest, most enthral-

ling and most peaceful of
nations,
- The Opposition Liberal
Party caucus is feeling a
tad paranoid these days
about its treatment at the
hands of the media.
: After the two late
nights of: legislative sit-
tings, it is obvious that the
’ honeymoon is over. between

the Grits and the New
ae ‘Democrats after just. two
weeks. oe bh

The "new éra of- cooperation" promised. for this

parliament pretty. well ended with the name-calling
and jibes which surfaced on all sides during those,

_two long days, and in their wake.-

But the honeymoon the new NDP government

has. sustained for five ‘months or more with the.

media may not be over, say some Liberals.
‘The disgruntled Libs. think they were poorly

~ treated by reporters and columnists/commentators
_ who, in their questioning, echoed Finance Minister
‘Glen Clark’s

comments that the Opposition. per- .
formance in the House was "juvenile and stupid".
Obviously realizing that moaning about it could
lead to more accusations about whining, the ‘Liberal
MLAs: themselves, are reluctant to dump; on. the -

_ media herd’s actions or perceptions.

But some of their staff and supporters have been’
less hesitant, asking just what the media expecta-

faced prem aT " ee stares

SPREE CSTE SAR EY