Changing for the worse

While I'm heartened to see that Steveston gets attention in recent news, it's hardly the attention that I was hoping for.

Steveston is currently on the brink of losing the character and charm that it has by poor zoning and over construction. Garry Point Park is being razed flat to make it a "typical" big city park and no longer will have the unique and comfortable corners that it used to.

Big-name shops are moving in to replace the locally owned merchant stores.

Unless something is done, the wonderful history will be swallowed by Vancouver-style dense retail and housing and all the bad things that come with it. Without that charm, the burgeoning local movie industry will move on to more scenic locations.

My wife and I moved to Steveston because we fell in love with the 'small town' welcome we received here. I expect that the current trend will force us out. We have no desire to live in Vancouver, nor a close facsimile.

Building safety

I note the article regarding the WCB Residence Tower ("WCB is taking off the top," March 6-7), having managed that facility for a number of years. I am glad to see that it is to be torn down for seismic reasons.

It and the covered parkade are at risk.

What concerns me, however, is another building in Richmond, built at the same time but with less foundation and a poorer base. It is in more peril from earthquakes than that building; namely, The Richmond Lions Manor in Steveston. The piles do not meet the code that it was built under, much less today's standard and need.

I was a member of the non-profit society and board which owned that building and the nearby seniors housing. During my tenure as chairman of that society, I commissioned a seismic study in order to facilitate an expansion. This was eight to nine years ago.

The study determined that the building was one of the least safe from earthquake damage of any tall building in the Lower Mainland.

We immediately abandoned our expansion plans and purchased property nearby to facilitate a building plan to move the 150 or so, "at risk," long term care patients housed therein.

Today, there doesn't seem to be any plans to remove the at-risk residents from the facility. I am astonished by this.

Any earthquake will tilt that building resulting in serious consequences for those inside. The escape routes will be seriously compromised at the least.

I wouldn't place a relative or friend in that building.

Go Trojans

Hugh Boyd Secondary should be proud of its positive representation at the recent B.C. triple-A senior boys' provincial basketball championship held at the PNE Agrodome.

This was their first participation in the legendary provincial basketball event featuring the 20 top teams in B.C.

All of the players from Hugh Boyd were strong, responsible, and committed in their game playing.

Although they were only a small team of nine, every player has to be equally congratulated for their athleticism and teamwork. Well done, Marcus Mullen, Mo Aaf, Mearel Litwinski, Dawson Dueck, Mike White, Marc Gandossi, Alex White, Caley Donaldson and Neb Aleksic.

As well, the incredible support of the students and staff at Hugh Boyd needs to be recognized. At one early 8:30 a.m. game, two busloads of students with staff arrived to cheer and encourage their players. Many had taken the time to show their support by wearing a variety of clothes and hats in the school's black and gold colours.

A large group also brought bright yellow inflatable batons to wave for their team. A pep rally held the day before the first team game showed strong school spirit and unity.

Well done and congratulations Hugh Boyd players, staff and students!

Problem in the parties

As his recent column in your newspaper demonstrates, Nick Loenen is a persistent advocate for an electoral system based on proportional representation. While Canada's political system is "in a state of decay" as he contends, I disagree with him where the fault lies and with his remedy.

Where he blames the current electoral voting system, the rot in our political system as I see it is located in our political parties, the nomination process and the practices of top leadership within these parties obsessed with absolute control over its organization.

His contention that a party's representation in parliament should be "commensurate" with voter support forgets that the purpose of a member of parliament is to represent their constituency, not see parliament through the lens of a political party's interests. Where MPs and MLAs have had their roles usurped and abused by political parties and their top leaderships who do not respect a member's purpose still does not justify embracing an electoral system of voting for a political party which current systems of proportional representation is based. Such a vote actually removes the voter electing an individual who is supposed to be responsible and accountable to their constituents. Electing a party date even increases the power of the party's top leadership over its MPs and MLAs.

But Mr. Loenen believes this may be offset with a preferential ballot of numerically ordering a preference of candidates.

There are two points in response: (1) as suggested by some advocates that British Columbians should elect 10 people from eight super-constituencies in numerical preference is daunting but also makes each member less accountable to a specific community.

As well, candidates for office will have to embark on a tough expensive nomination battle as well as an election campaign; and (2) there still will be nomination fights in regions where there are "safe multiple seats".

Mr. Loenen's 1993 Reform nomination bid was our experience, but that was also when the Reform party began with several candidates on an equal footing. A preferential ballot would not have made one bit of difference in some contests such as Bob Chisholm's renomination bid in Chilliwack nor in polarized contests such as Val Meredith's recent renomination bid in White Rock.

One might say that proportional representation strengthens, rather than weakens, the omnipotent power of a party's leadership, and the preferential ballot will do little in the face of those aggressive opportunists who do not respect the purpose of politics. We must be careful of the implications of what we advocate in replacing the electoral system if it makes our system worse. But I do see a need to address those in our political parties and an urgency to change their practices now.

And Nick Loenen's objective in raising any issue at this time is a positive contribution that deserves our attention, even if with a critical eye.