Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 20

Calgary Herald FOUNDED 1883 THE EDITORIAL PAGE Malcolm Kirk KnnuR-iN-ciuEF Lorne Motley Dlputy Editor Peter Menzies Pubushkr WWW.CALGARYHERALD.COM Doug Firky Editorial Page Editor Monica Zurowski DlTUTY EDITOR A20 Friday, October 22, 2004 'ifiii ilir WARP 10 1 EDITORIAL Put unsafe drivers out to pasture Graduated de-licensing system would catch risk-prone seniors AGRICULTURE age groups. When Dobbs studied crash rate per kilometres driven, she found it increases steadily after age 70. Worse yet, for those 75 and older, the crash rate exceeds that for the 16-24 age group. At a March 2004 symposium at the Alberta Centre on Aging, Dobbs stressed that it's not older drivers per se who are at risk, but those with impaired judgment. The graduated de-licensing system would impose conditions on seniors' driving commensurate with their abilities.

They might start out with being limited to daylight driving if they have poor night vision or be restricted to city driving if they're a risk at high speeds. When enough restrictions pile up, then it will be time to revoke that licence. As well, knowing they would have to retake the road test every two years might be enough for some seniors to leave the driving to others. With the baby-boom generation, there will soon be more senior drivers than ever on Alberta's roads. The province would do well to put a system in place to protect them and other drivers on the road.

Alberta needs vote accountability Bush lesser of two evils Kerry's background, policies dangerous for Canada A graduated de-licensing system for Alberta makes eminent sense because it would restrict seniors according to their individual driving abilities, without penalizing simply by virtue of age those who are still able to drive in a variety of situations. As University of Alberta gerontologist Bonnie Dobbs has pointed out, it is not the fact of being a senior that lessens driving capacity, it is often medical conditions and the drugs prescribed for those conditions. Under Alberta's current system, medical fitness certificates are only required at ages 75, 8o and then every two years after that. That, in essence, leaves with the individual the decision when to stop driving. Yet, a study of 188 elderly volunteers by Washington University in St.

Louis found that only 33 of the volunteers chose to stop driving, even though many had numerous illnesses for which they were taking a lengthy list of prescription drugs. Although older drivers have lower accident rates on a per-person basis, it is largely because they spend less time on the road than people of other Tighten those If a shame when poor research gets in the way of a good story, as red-faced Alberta Liberals discovered this week in their quest for greater transparency in government Liberal leader Kevin Taft questioned in a news release whether Kelley Charlebois's $400,000 worth of untendered contracts with the Health Ministry was really an isolated incident A backgrounder provided information which suggested that $5.8 million worth of contracts were awarded to companies run by people who worked on Tory election campaigns, and that 47 out of 59 of the contracts were written for less than $100,000, and thus approved without tender. The Liberals got it wrong, forcing Taft to issue an apology. For instance, a $4J-million contract to Highwood Communications, the bulk of the money in question, had been won by competitive tender, and Highwood in turn subcontracted many projects to other companies. It appears the rules were followed.

But that doesn't mean that Charlebois is the only case which warrants closer scrutiny. Recall Health Minister Gar Mar's glib response in May when the issue was first raised by the Liberals in the legislative assembly. Mar said he had a "very integral" part in approving the contracts, admitted they were approved without competitive bid, WILL VERBOVEN OPINION When it comes to agriculture and the US. presidential election, Canadians are still better off with the devil they know than the devil they don't Not that agriculture is much of an issue in that contest both parties utter similar political platitudes about supporting the family farm, preserving rural America and expanding trade for farm products produced in the U.S. Both parties also support that pillar of U.S.

trade policy-protection against competitive agricultural imports. The only difference is in the degree to which they would obstruct Canadian farm exports. That's where Democratic hopeful John Kerry becomes more dangerous to Canadian agriculture, and George Knows JOHNCARPAY For the Calgary Herald EDMONTON The Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform is on the verge of recommending a new voting system for B.C, after having studied different models used around the world. B.C. voters will have a chance to accept or reject a new voting system in a provincewide referendum in 2005, taking place on the same day as the provincial election.

Albertans, too, need a nonpartisan citizens' assembly to examine better ways of electing our representatives. Doing so will help to restore the legislature's true role: holding the premier and cabinet accountable to taxpayers. In Alberta today, all major decisions are made behind the closed doors of the premier's office or government caucus, without meaningful debate in the legislature. Whether if car insurance, health care, the annual budget or electricity deregulation, everything is presented to voters as a done deal, neatly packaged by dozens of well-paid communications professionals. You cannot hold your MLA accountable, because you will never know how she or he voted in caucus on issues such as VLTs, defunding abortion or placing a cap on personal injury damages.

So much for accountability. The standing policy committees on finance, health, education and other taxpayer concerns do not have any Opposition MLAs on them. This is a slap in the face to the two-fifths of Albertans who did not vote for the PCs in the last electioa Even Ottawa arrogant bloated, wasteful Ottawa has Opposition members on its committees. The standing policy committees' decisions are made in secret just like in the PC Party caucus. Again, no accountability.

The legislature merely confers legal legitimacy on what has already been decided by the premier's office or by a secret vote of the Tory caucus. If the governmenf policy requires legislative change, bills are rapidly pushed through the legislature, and the outcome of every vote is a foregone con-clusioa Inside the legislature, shrill rhetoric and partisan posturing have taken the place of real debate on public policy issues. Power is concentrated in the premier's office, such that the legislature no longer provides a parliamentary check on the EXECUTIVE TEAM: PETER MENZIES Publisher MALCOLM KIRK. Editor-in-chief BRENDAN HUGHES, VP Advertising ROSS BUTLER VP Finance TRENT ANDERSON, VP Manufacturing and Distribution ION LOVESTONE, VP Reader Saies and Service EILEEN ANDERSON. Human Resources Manager DEBORAH BRIGHT, Director of Marketing government.

Ironically, the very reason why parliament arose in Britain centuries ago was to limit the power of the king especially his spending powers. The extreme dominance of the premier and cabinet over the legislature has blurred the distinction between the Alberta government and the Progressive Conservative Parry. The Public Affairs Bureau, although some of its staff provide the public with neutral information, also spends tax dollars on advertising and materials which are highly partisan. The Bureau's annual budget is now a whopping $147 million up 66 per cent from what it was in 2000. Alberta's legislature does not reflect the diverse viewpoints of Albertans.

The full range of Albertans' opinions including greens, libertarians, separatists and conservatives is not mirrored by our MLAs. The two-fifths of Albertans who voted against the government party are completely excluded from meaningful representation even on standing policy committees whose decisions affect our daily lives. Our first past the post (FPP) voting system contributes to this sad state of democracy in Alberta, by shutting diverse views out of the legislature and by concentrating power in the premier's office. A voting system which better reflects the broad spectrum of Albertans' opinions would restore meaningful debate to the legislature, and would empower MLAs to hold the government accountable to taxpayers. No voting system is perfect A proportional representation (PR) system distributes seats to parties on the basis of their share of the popular vote, but takes away electoral districts and the direct link between voters and their local MLAs.

A mixed PR-FPP system, like that used in Germany, allows voters to choose their local MPs while still electing a parliament which accurately represents the strength of political parties. The single transferable vote, which was used to elect the MLAs for Edmonton and Calgary from the 1920s to the 1950s, is another optioa A citizens' assembly on electoral reform for Alberta would be a first step towards a better voting system, creating more choice and more accountability. John Carpay is Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. EDITORIAL BOARD: Unless indkated otherwise, all editorials are produced by the Calgary Herald Editorial Board: Peter Menzies. Malcolm Kirk.

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Editorial Page Editor (dfirby atheherard.canwest.com) For other contact information, please see Readers Guide on Page A2. Published by the proprietor. Calgary Herald Group Inc. at the Herald Building. 215 -16 Street Si, R0.

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Bush: cattle. consider whether the U.S. is doing the same. Incredibly, Kerry condemns Mexico, demanding that it play by NAFTA rules and stop its trade actions against U.S. beef and pork exports.

Most reasonable people would see some disconnect here, since the U.S. government is doing exactly the same as Mexico is by blocking and harassing Canadian cattle and hog exports. It boggles the mind, but is typical of U.S. trade policy. Kerry has also made grandiose statements that trade relationships must be repaired, that the U.S.

must work with the international community, and that international diplomacy must be restored. If the above is an example of how they intend to work with trade partners, you'd better watch your back. Such controversy around the election inhibits U.S. bureaucracy from making decisions that might affect voters. Hence, it is unlikely the border will open to Canadian cattle before the election.

And, if Kerry were to win, no bureaucrat who cherishes his job will be making a decision that might go against campaign promises real or imagined. Given that a President Kerry would need time to replace all of the Bush appointees, the border might not open for years to come. Bush, on the other hand, owns a ranch in Texas, so we should be able to assume that he has actually seen cattle and knows what they are raised for. Mercifully, he hasn't made a specific campaign commitment about keeping the border closed to cattle or to COOL But that doesn't mean he is all that eager to upset rural voters by being seen to favour more agricultural imports. The president has been content to let various U.S.

government agencies conveniently populated by Bush appointees do the dirty work for him. That has seen the border remain closed to Canadian cattle and new duties and restrictions applied to exports of Canadian wheat and hogs. Polls show Canadians favour Kerry over Bush as president As bad as agricultural trade disputes are now with the US, let's hope for the sake of Canadian agriculture and taxpayers that wish does not come true. Calgary-based Will Verboven writes on agricultural issues. contract rules and confirmed Charlebois had produced "no reports as such." Yet despite the controversy, Mar renewed the Charlebois contract anyway.

It was only when the auditor general came down on the ministry that Premier Ralph Klein demanded Charlebois's contract be cancelled. The point here is, even when the Liberals are right, the Tories feel they can ignore them. Regardless of the Liberals' fumble, there is reason to believe the Tories are playing fast and loose with the rules. Rod Love, Klein's close friend and adviser, received $129,080 from five contracts issued by five government departments. If there is a rule that contracts of more than $100,000 must be open to competitive bid, surely the rule should be applied to contracts that have a cumulative total of more than $100,000 a year, too Otherwise, it would be easy to reward friends and cronies secretly, by spreading their fees around among numerous departments and agencies.

The issue is transparency. If Tory friends and campaign workers are being awarded government contracts, the rules aren't meant to prevent it from happening, but the public should at least know what's going on. See Rod Love's defence of consultants on today's page. Girls running for cover. We just hope other Europeans quickly inoculate themselves against this PC-virus before it spreads.

The Spanish beauties should be appreciated, and stay. Calgary Herald Archive Ballgirls spark European fuss. Hill Vll III III U. 4. The beauty of tennis the cattle industry in particular, than George W.

Bush. With Kerry's city-bred background and wealthy lifestyle, it would be safe to assume he doesn't know the difference between a cow and a doorknob, although, like all politicians, he can spread the bull dung. It's easy for a presidential hopeful to bash non-voting foreigners. And that's just what Kerry, and a few other Democratic senators, did when they signed a letter asking the government to keep the border closed to Canadian cattle. Co-signers included nasty anti-Canadian trade senators Max Baucus from Montana and Byron Dorgan from North Dakota.

While campaigning in the primaries this year, Kerry stated his unequivocal support for Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) legislation, which, if enacted, would make it very difficult to export and market Canadian meat and livestock to the U.S. If one of those non-tariff trade barriers designed to discourage imports. Kerry's campaign website states he also intends to order a 120-day review of all trade agreements to ensure trading partners are meeting their commitments. Needless to say, such a review would not Sigh. We used to admire Europeans for their sensible approach to relations between the sexes.

Uptight lawsuit-happy Anglo-Saxons on this side of the Atlantic might freak out over innocent office flirtations and call their lawyer. But over there, Spaniards, the French, Italians and occasionally even the English would instead enjoy flirting and the differences between the sexes. But it appears political correctness has infected the Spanish government It has demanded that the ATP Masters Series (in tennis) should stop using 25 "ball girls" actually models hired by fashion company Hugo Boss to collect errant tennis balls. The government claims the models paid $1,500 are there for "decoration and amusement" and are thus objects of discrimination. Such puritanical attitudes towards female beauty are enough to send Calgary's own Flames.