The record, 21 mars 2005, lundi 21 mars 2005

—¦THE m .u RECORD The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 Monday, March 21, 2005 70 CENTS PM #0040007682 Conservatives get support of Quebec delegates despite earlier grumbling By Stephen McDougall Special to The Record Montreal Conservative party leader Stephen Harper came away from last weekend’s policy convention a happy man.Despite some dissatisfaction expressed by Quebec delegates, who saw many of their policies rejected by other delegates, Harper argued the party is united and can win the next federal election.“We’ve done it,” he said to the 3,000 delegates during the convention’s closing speeches on Saturday afternoon at the Montreal Palais de Congrès.“We have a united party.This has been our biggest convention in 20 years and it shows how far we have come as one voice for the Conservative movement in Canada,” Many party members had feared the moderate voices of See Convention, Page 7 Townshippers Take National Curling Crown PERRY BEATON/SPECIAL The Quebec rink of Townshippers Jeff Cheal, Matt McCrea, Danny Comeau and Evan Mooney, rebounded from a poor start with seven consecutive wins including a 9-4 victory over Ontario in Friday's final to win the 2005 Royal Canadian Legion brier held in Sarnia, Ont.See Page 12 for more details.Racine mayor wants funding from feds for water.See Page 3 Normandeau dropping Roxton Pond water clause By Maurice Crossfield The mayor of Roxton Pond is hopeful reports that a clawback clause in a federal-provincial infrastructure agreement to build a municipal water system will be confirmed in the coming days.“We have no confirmation yet,” said Raymond Loignon.“Some are saying yes, some are saying no, but nothing is certain yet.” Loignon was reacting to news in the La Voix de l’Est newspaper in which Johnson MNA Claude Boucher said he had met with newly minted Municipal Affairs Minister Nathalie Normandeau, and that she had agreed to drop the clause.Roxton Pond’s lawyers were to meet with government lawyers to discuss the offending clause Friday.In December then Municipal Affairs Minister Jean-Marc Fournier said Roxton Pond did qualify for the infrastructure grant to set up a drinking water system for the village’s 650 residents.However Fournier inserted a new clause in the contract stating that in the event of a set- tlement between Roxton Pond and Stanley Tools, the federal and provincial governments would each be able to reclaim one-third of the settlement.Roxton Pond is suing Stanley Tools for contaminating the water table with heavy metals and volatile organic compounds, seeking $30 million in damages.See Clean, Page 2 C© TOYOTA 2005 Xamry dJnmoncJ Photo may dmer ® TOYOTA *299/ 48 month lease security deposit ~ • Details at Toyota Richmond First 2 payments free* — A! (&> TOYOTA ii With purchase of the following vehicles: 2005 4 Runner CS©sf 2005 Sienna Toyota‘R“ of accessories OPEN ; Good Friday & Easter Monday 151 Route 116, Richmond • Tel.: (819) 826-5923 • Toll free: *1-800-363-1616 page 2 Monday, March 21, 2005 ^RECORD A blessing for the Kyoto accord By Sarah Staples In an initiative led by Canadians, more than 77 million Anglican worshippers worldwide are on the cusp of a “gree”' revolution -w netted to culminate this spring in the march’s official endorsement of the Kyoto accord.High-ranking officials of Canada’s third-largest religious denomination will meet in April and June at key global gatherings of Anglicans to draft and ratify a “central declaration on global climate change” — a document setting forth environmentally-friendly practices churches will be expected to adhere to, and tackling the divisive subject of global warming.Local parishes, including many in Canada, have gone green in recent BHZI Draw 2005-03-18 05 16 20 21 23 32 34 (13) Bonus : Total sales ; Next grand prize $13,590,296 $7,500,000 Draw 2005-03-19 7/7 6/7+ 6/7 5/7 4/7 3/7+ 3/7 02 09 12 30 35 46 Bonus : (3Z) Total saies : Next grand prize (approx ) 6/6 5/6+ 5/6 4/6 3/6 2/6+ $15,892,030 $4,000,000 WINNERS 0 3 93 5.189 112,422 102.785 933,462 WINNERS 2 3 126 7,599 142,056 85.836 years, and statements encouraging stewardship have been adopted — notably in 1998 at the Lambeth Conference, a church-wide meeting held every 10 years in Canterbury, England.Anglican churches in Britain recently voted to promote environmental stewardship by serving organic bread and wine at services, buying fair-trade products and minimizing their “footprint” through carpooling to services, ecological audits of church buildings to reduce energy consumption, and even carbon-emissions trading.The central declaration signals that for the first time, self-governing Anglican church organizations will collectively recognize climate change, and elevate the grassroots conservation efforts of a few local dioceses to a unified global policy, said Eric Beres-ford, a priest and adviser to the Anglican Church of Canada.The declaration is being written, and the vote organized, by the An- PRIZES $5,000.000.00 $83,291.90 $2,351.00 $150.50 $10.00 $10.00 Free play PRIZES $2,261,855.00 $107,707.30 $2,118.40 $66.50 $10.00 $5.00 glican Communion Environmental Network, an international committee created and chaired by Beresford, who is president of the Atlantic School of Theology in Nova Scotia.“Kyoto’s been signed — now we’re deciding what will it mean for Christians,” Beresford said.Canadian Anglicans, numbering about two million according to the 2001 census, have been among the most active in promoting the belief that “God is a God whose overflowing love is expressed and seen in creation, and that what one country does affects every other,” he said.The dioceses of Ottawa and several in British Columbia are among those offering programs and written guides to help parishes become environmentally responsible.Ottawa’s Renewing our Relationship with the Earth is available free from http://ottawa.anglican.ca/main.shtml.British Columbia has a successful program encouraging building retrofits, and published a book this past December called The Footprint Files (www.woodlakebooks.com).The New Westminster diocese, covering greater Vancouver, pays an environ- mental consultant, while rural parishes receive training through the Ecclesiastical Province of B.C.Meanwhile, the Anglican Church of Canada — rebuked within the Anglican fold for voting recently to affirm same-sex relationships — has lent experts to spearhead several key international policy reform projects, including the Environmental Network.“Canada is helping a grassroots movement come together, providing people and time to organize those events," Beresford said.Momentum has been building steadily since mid-February, when Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury — the spiritual figurehead of the church, and an “instrument of unity” — tabled a report at an assembly of the Church of England calling on British bishops to embrace “sustainable” practices, and to promote the theme in sermons.The report admonished the United States for failing to ratify the emissions-lowering protocol, referenced injustices arising from unchecked industrialization, and extolled the ethical orientation of businesses such as the cosmetics chain, The Body Shop.See Kyoto, Page 5 BIGGER JACKPOTS MORE OFTEN U1IHHW mm Draw 2005-03-19 05 06 12 18 26 4Z Bonus (03) WINNERS PRIZES 6/6 0 $1,000,000.00 5/6+ 2 $25,000.00 5/6 23 $500.00 4/6 1,274 $50.00 3/6 22,221 $5.00 Total sale: 3 : $498,942.00 EQtra NUMBER Draw 2005-03-18 PRIZE Egjtra Draw 2005-03-19 PRIZE 227525 $ 100,000 181952 $100,000 Claims Se*‘ back of tickets In trie event of discrepancy between thi: and the official winning list of l.-Q.the latter shall prevail Clean: Cont’d from Page 1 At the time Fournier said the clause was necessary, otherwise Ottawa and the province would be paying for damages caused by private industry.In response Roxton Pond said it would penalize taxpayers in that community by forcing the town to impose a special tax to cover its $4 million share of the Si2 million project.Previously Stanley Tools had offered as much as $4 million as an out of court settlement to help the town.If the town had accepted that offer under the previous infrastructure contract, the town would have been left with a little over $1 million, and had to borrow about $3 million.Boucher said he has met with Normandeau several times since she was shuffled into the municipal affairs ministry on February 18, and that she agreed the clause didn’t stand up.“We will have confirmation by next week at the latest,” Loignon told The Record Friday.“We want to be able to make a call for tenders to do it in 2005.We hope that will be possible.” Since 2001 residents of Roxton Pond have been living on bottled water after tests showed their well water contained high levels of heavy metals and volatile organic compounds.The water was declared so unfit that even breathing the water vapor was considered dangerous.Stanley Tools, which operated a plant in Roxton Pond from 1907 to 1984, is widely regarded as the source of the contamination of the water table.Though not officially accepting any responsibility for the contamination, the multinational corporation has been in talks with the town to discuss a settlement to help the town build its own water system.Alongside Roxton Pond’s lawsuit a concerned citizens group has launched a class action suit against Stanley tools, also for $30 million.Weather Today: Increasing cloudiness.High plus 5.Tuesday: Cloudy.Low minus 7.High plus 1.Wednesday: Sunny.Low minus 9.High plus 2.Thursday: Sunny.Low minus 6.High plus 5.Ben by Daniel Shelton THERE! IT TOOK FOREVER, BUT WERE POTH FINALLY READY togoanprlay b^OUTSIPE.~ , PIP YOU REMEM&ERTO &RING HIM TO THE &ATHR00M?HE WENT SUT I FORGOT TO' RECORD Monday, March 21, 2005 page 3 Racine mayor wants funding from feds for water Meeting with MP positive: Racine mayor By Brion Robinson Sherbrooke The mayor of the municipality of Racine is more worried about the high price of water than rising gas prices.For the last week the municipality has been spending at least $1,000 a day to import water from Sherbrooke and Valcourt to fill its drying water well.“This is an enourmous amount of money to pay every day,’’said the municipality’s mayor, François Côté, during a telephone interview from his home.Côté met with the region’s local Member of Parliament (MP,) Claude Boucher Friday to talk about financial aid for a new fresh water project for the town's dwindling water supply.“The meeting was very positive,” Côté said, noting he will still have to wait for Boucher to speak with his colleagues in Ottawa before any funding gets the go ahead.The mayor wants to take advantage of federal and provincial’government programs that help towns fund projects to improve drinking water for people.The town council wants to dip into Valcourt’s water supply a few kilometre’s away.The project is expected to cost about $2 million and the mayor says the town of about 600 can’t foot the bill on their own.People living in Valcourt drink water from Beau Coeur lake and the town’s municipality says there’s lots of water to go around.“It’s a good idea,” said Valcourt coun- BRP announces expansion plans Staff Sherbrooke Concerns about the future of the Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.plant in Valcourt were al-leviated on Thursday when the company announced it will spend about $10 million to modernize the plant that assembles Ski-Doos, Sea-Doos and other vehicles.“This investment will consolidate the gains in productivity achieved in 2004 with the collaboration of workers and confirms our pledge to maintain assembly lines for complex, sophisticated or high volume vehicles in Valcourt,” said a press release signed by CEO Jose Boisjoli on Thursday.“We will change the way we assemble our vehicles and this will enable us to remain competitive at a time when external pressures show no signs of leveling off,” said Boisjoli.The work, which will include the installation of new, more efficient and modern equipment, will be carried out over an area of 150,000 square feet.Work is scheduled to begin in May and be completed by October and will have no impact on production.BRP, which was recently acquired by the Bombardier family, is a leader in design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of snowmobiles, watercraft and sport boats, as well as all terrain vehicles and karts.cillor Benoit Savard during a telephone interview from his home.“We’re not going to leave them (Racine) in the desert.” But both sides are still waiting to hear about government funding before any new water lines are put in ground.Even if the government provides funding today, water won’t be running into Racine for at least six months.Municipal councillors will meet Monday night at the municipal hall to look at their options.Wednesday night, the mayor is inviting people to the municipal building to find out more about their water supply.Town councillors discovered their primary well was half full about a week ago.The well was only holding about 20.000 gallons of water, when there is usually about 40,000 gallons.In the meantime, the town is updating its Web site with daily reports on the measurements of water in the well.The Web site is also encouraging people to only turn on their focets when its necessary.The town is also testing a smaller well to help add more water to its short supply.The small well could add about 7.000 gallons to the primary well.brobinson@sherbrookerecord.com Récupex Honours Its Best Centre Saint-MicheJ isioa K;.,?* m PERRY BEATON/SPECIAI.The Centre Saint-Michel adult education centre and Récupex recognized graduates of their job training programs.Students worked at the Boutique T.A.F.I in downtown Sherbrooke or at the Récupex plant, putting together clothing or working as secretaries.Pictured are graduates Hasnae Arrid and Felix Bouchard, trainers Julie Gallant and Julie Morissette and grad Melanie Lessard.^rïïZ'ÇAL SKI « GOLF » TENNIS SKI MORE.F AY LESS.The amazing landscape already had you breathless, here is a ticket deal that will leave you speechless! Hike it %%% www.owlshead.com page 4 Monday, March 21, 2005 RECORD Canadian dairy giant Saputo to eat up local competition Six more species make Quebec’s endangered list Saputo purchases Fromage Côté and Distribution Kingsey Staff Sherbrooke Giant Montreal-based cheese manufacturer Saputo Inc.has purchased two Townships competitors buying up privately held Fromage Côté S.A.and Distribution Kingsey Inc.for $54 million, the company announced Friday.Saputo, which is the largest dairy producer in Canada and one of the biggest in North America, is taking over the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of pressed cheddar, cheddar curds and Swiss style cheeses as well as specialty cheese sold under the brand names of Kingsey, Princesse, Sir Laurier D’Arthabaska and Du Vil- lage de Warwick.Saputo said the acquisition would complement its current cheese-making activities in Canada.With total annual revenues of more than $100 million, the two local cheese plants count a total of some 300 employees at plants in Warwick and Plessisville, a cheese aging centre in Victoriaville and a cheese cutting and distribution centre in Boucherville.Saputo has some 7,500 workers in 42 factories and distribution centres across Canada.It produces a large number of cheese distributed under the brand names of Saputo, Stella, Frigo, Dragone, Armstrong, Caron, Cayer, Treasure Cave, Dairyland, Baxter, Nutrilait, La Paulina, Ricrem and Vachon.The transaction is subject to regulatory approval by the Competition Bureau of Canada.-•n HR ISSE Police Seeking Fraud Artist COURTESY SHERBROOKE POLICE The Sherbrooke Police are seeking information concerning a fraud artist who struck twice last fall.In both cases the man entered dépanneurs and turned in items such as empty water containers for the deposit.Problem is, he picked them up off the shelves of the store.He struck at the Dépanneur Bourassa at 5746 Bourque Boulevard ($76) in Rock Forest and at the Dépanneur Bowen in Sherbrooke ($83.77) in October.Surveillance videos of the two incidents show it to have been the same person.The fraud artist is described as a heavy set white male, weighing in at about 130 kilos (about 290 pounds).He was about 1.8 metres (six feet) tall, about 30 years of age, had brown hair and spoke French.Anyone with information is asked to contact Det.Daniel Breton of the Sherbrooke Police at 819-821-5555.Staff Quebec’s ministry of natural resources and wildlife has added six more names to its endangered Species list.“Even if they are often not well known by the public, they nevertheless remain an important part of Quebec’s wildlife heritage,” said minister Pierre Corbeil in a press release.The wood turtle, found in the Mis-sisquoi River and in Lake Champlain, tops the list for species found locally.The northern map turtle is also found in southwestern Quebec, particularly along the Richelieu River and Lake Champlain.The American smelt is a distinct species, and is found occasionally in waterways south of the St.Lawrence River.The other three species are found further north, like the woodland cari- bou, the golden eagle and the channel darter.There are only about 65 pairs of golden eagles found in northern Quebec, while the channel darter is a bottom-dwelling fish that usually measures less than two inches long.The Ministère des resources naturelles et de la faune has also begun designating nesting areas for peregrine falcons as protected sites.The first site to be officially designated is a rocky area on the shores of Lake Mékinac in the Mauricie region.Peregrine falcons have been on Quebec’s endangered list since 2002.Corbeil said the species were designated as endangered because their future survival is deemed to be precarious.Teams have been established to develop action plans for each species to help reestablish their population levels.Inflation numbers for Canada, U.S.ones to watch this week By Lynn Moore February inflation numbers for Canada and the United States are likely to capture most of the serious attention this week as will pronouncements by central bankers for both countries.Today, in Washington, Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge is to address the National Association for Business Economics.His talk on Canada’s experience with inflation-targeting will be monitored for clues as to his thinking on upcoming interest rate changes.On Tuesday, the U.S.Federal Reserve Board is expected to raise its benchmark rate by another 25 basis points.It would be the seventh straight rate hike by the board's Federal Open Market Committee since June and would put the overnight lending rate between U.S.banks at 2.75 per cent.“The big question for the market is whether (the central bankers) change the language of their statement at all,” said Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist for BMO Nesbitt Burns.The recent mantra of the Fed policymakers has been that U.S.inflation remains under control and the central bank can raise borrowing costs at a “measured” pace.“There is a small body of opinion out there that thinks they might drop that language,” Porter said.“I think they are very much satisfied with the way things are unfolding.” On Wednesday, Canada and the United States release the consumer price index for February.“It is pretty well accepted that we are looking at a fairly large rise (for the overall or headline inflation numbers) because of energy costs,” Porter said.“The question is whether there will be any upward pressure on non-energy goods and there, the situational still looks relatively tame.We still have a (year over year) trend pretty close to two per cent in both countries, a little bit above in the U.S.and a little bit below in Canada,” he said.Consensus is that the month-overmonth CPI for Canada will increase four-tenths of a per cent and the month-over-month CPI for the U.S.will increase three-tenths of a per cent.Canadian retail sales figures for January, to be released Tuesday, are expected to show a sizable bounce back from December’s decline.Porter is among the economists who expect January figures to reflect the growing influence of Christmas gift cards or gift certificates that tend to be redeemed during post-holiday sales.—Can West News Service iiwTHE RECORD Monday, March 21, 2005 page 5 Deadlock continues between government/students College students may not graduate if s trikes con tin u e By Rita Legault Sherbrooke The clock is ticking for many CEGEP students, including those at the Collège de Sherbrooke, who may not be able to graduate if unlimited general strikes continue.CEGEP and university students across the province are on strike to protest $103 million in cuts to provincial loans and bursaries that took effect a year ago.Some student federations, mainly from CEGF.Ps including the Collège de Sherbrooke, have declared general unlimited strikes and have been out on the street for three weeks or more.Other federations, especially at the university level, have been more cautious calling for 24 and 48-hour walkouts to support the protest movement.College students must complete 82 days of course work to graduate, while contracts for two major CEGEP teachers’ unions require members to take vacations starting June 9.The Fédération des enseignants et enseignantes de CEGEP supports the student strike and is willing to adapt course materials and increase homework to help students graduate.But it said the government must change the law to allow fewer days of classes.Last week, the strike movement grew larger as a number of new student associations and federations, including masters and doctoral students in Education at the University of Sherbrooke, joined the unlimited general strike movement.On Friday physics students occupied provincial revenue ministry offices in Sherbrooke, stating the government was committing “social suicide” and suggesting the Charest Liberals admit their mistake and put the $103 million back where it belongs.In the meantime, the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ) offered to compromise on its position to accept no less than the full return of the $103 million in bursary cuts.While it refuses to consider a proposal of some $41.5 million in bursaries offered by Education Minister Jean-Marc Fournier early last week, the student federation said it would accept the transfer of some $80 million of loans into bursaries.Fournier on the other hand is not willing to boost his offer, stating his initial offer was generous enough.Fournier reminded students that Quebec offers the most generous bursaries in Canada and that tuition fees are lower and student debt is much lower in Quebec than in any other Canadian province.Masters and Doctoral students at the University of Sherbrooke however said they were angered by Fournier’s offer, which leaves them out.The Regroupement des étudiantes et étudiants de maitrise, de diplôme et de doctorat de l’université de Sherbrooke (REMDUS) noted last week that since the $103 million in cuts, the average debt for students in research programs went from $3,200 to $7,500 a year, and increase of 235 per cent.That, they said, represents an additional debt of some $16,500.The students point out it is unfair to punish masters and doctoral students who will be hitting the job market later, and whose salaries may not be much greater than undergraduate colleagues.The REMDUS represents some 6,000 students including 2,800 who are in an unlimited general strike.rlegault@sherbrookerecord.coin ETSB ready for reform, textbooks or not By Leah Fitzgerald Magog The education reform in Quebec is due to be implemented in the coming school year and the Eastern Townships School Board is ready, whether there are textbooks or not.A recent series in La Presse about the reform included a story about the lack of approved materials at the high school level.ETSB French language consultant Joanne Richard says that was also the case when the reform was implemented at the elementary level six years ago.“The English system has never had much access to textbooks,” she said last week.“Even for French, there weren’t many textbooks approved.” Pedagogical services director John Weide-man says the board is ready to implement the reform, textbooks or not.“We’ve seen the results with our elementary students,” he explained.“The problem-based and project-based learning works, particularly with the laptops as a tool.” Textbooks, Weideman says, have always been scarce for the English curriculum.Under the reform, teachers are not conforming to a curri-culim set out in a textbook.Instead, learning is supposed to be based on projects and problems, with students taking the lead and collaborating.“The teachers are also collaborating more,” he said.The board has also been using the concepts of the reform, and self-guided learning, in professional development seminars.Next year’s Secondary 1 students will have always been taught under the reform, which Weideman says is not lecture-based.If they head into the same high school system that exists now, they’ll be heading into foreign territory.lfitzgerald@sherbrookerecord.com Kyoto: Cont’d from Page 2 “You’re actually engendering a feeling of penance for misuse of the Earth,” said Claire Foster, a policy adviser to the Church of England, and author of the report Sharing God’s Planet.Although it instructs British clergy only, the report adopted in mid-February shortly after the Kyoto Protocol came into force, “sends a strong, positive message” that reinforces the Canadian-led effort to forge a greener future for Anglicans, Beresford and Foster said.Churches, particularly in North America and Britain, she said, are shedding concerns of promoting pagan “earth worship,” and are becoming eco-evangelists dedicated to instilling reverence of creation.“We’re relating (the environment) to faith, really explaining why this is not a bolt-on, it’s something that's core to being a Christian,” Foster said.—Can West News Service NOTICE: Please be advised that as of April 4,2005.the single copy newsstand price of THE RECORD will be increased from $0.70 to $0.75 for the Monday to Thursday issues.CJo-Vl.fUV Advertising Consultant Tel.: 819-569-9525 Fax: 819-821-3179 jhovey@sherbrookerecord.com /ym&Æ ==> GALAXY FILM CIRCUIT Movies from around the world in ISnglish will land in the lias tern Townships on the last Thursday of each month Fidelity Card - 3 movies: $15 General admission MARCH 24 at 7 P.M.Information: &21-44H] WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?Documentary drama by William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, Mark Vicente with Marlee Mallin, Elaine Hendrix, John Ross Bowie.WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?is a new type of film.It is part documentary, part story, and part elaborate and inspiring visual effects and animations.The protagonist, Amanda, played by Marlee Matlin, finds herself in a fantastic Alice in Wonderland» experience when her daily, uninspired life literally begins to unravel, revealing the uncertain world of the quantum field hidden behind what we consider to be our normal, waking reality.All profits will be handed to the Bishop’s/Champlain Refugee Sponsorship Committee page 6 Monday, March 21, 2005 ' ' .i—THKbi " prrnpn Community Forum Editorial Where are all the moms and dads?There should be a stroller parade of moms and dads behind the tens of thousands of college and university students parading in the streets for student debt relief.In the blink of an eye, those babes in arms will be 16 and filling out applications for college that assume their parents have squirreled away 20 per cent of their annual income to help cover the cost of a post secondary education.While parents in higher income brackets are usually able to save for their child’s post secondary education, according to Statistics Canada , fewer than 19 per cent of parents of children in households earning below $30,000 have any money left over after putting food on the table and shoes on their feet.Even middle class households with two incomes are often unable to provide the level of financial assistance necessary to see their children through college and university.A study of parental support by Statistics Canada indicates that only 63 per cent of parents in higher income brackets adequately saved for their children’s university education.In announcing its plan to convert $103 million awarded in bursaries to repayable student loans, the education minister has promised to maintain a higher level of support for poorer students.But the measures being proposed by the government do nothing to curb the move towards an elitist post-secondary education system, nor does it take into consideration that even students from middle-class familes will be saddled with a crippling debt load.Student advocates estimate the government’s withdrawal of bursary support will affect 40 per cent of Quebec students and about 60 per cent of students attending regional universities in remote areas, driving up the average student debt from $13,000 to $21,500.Before the change, a student who received $5,000 in grants and loans got about $2,400 in the form of a repayable loan and $2,600 in a non-re-imbursable grant.Now that student will receive about $4,700 as a loan and $300 in grants.Bear in mind that student debt represents only a portion of the indebte-ness young people are burdened with when they graduate from college or university.Throughout their student years, many have had to meet their monthly obligations of rent, food and transportation using the far more accessible student line of credit or credit cards.Banks seem to be far more aware of the future earning potential of university graduates than the government.The Quebec Federation of University $tudents (Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec) estimates it costs the Quebec government between $15,000 and $30,000 to subsidize the post secondary education of a Quebec student.The FEUQcalculates that same student will pay back, approximately $530,000 more in income taxes to the Quebec government than a worker with a college diploma.Across the country, the Canadian Federation of $tudents, which represents more than 400,000 university and community college students, has pegged the current student debt in Canada at a staggering $10.8 billion and growing.That’s now.With several provinces instituting a freeze on tuition fees as a response to student debt, and with Quebec maintaining the lowest average tuition fees in the country, something’s got to change.Universities can’t continue to operate on shoestring budgets and hope to respond to a competitive, knowledge-based economy that demands excellence.Tuition fees will not only rise, they are expected to triple in the next decade.Just about the same time those babes in strollers are deciding which college or university to attend.Today’s students already face significantly higher tuition fees than a decade ago.The Canadian average for full-time university undergraduates this year was $4,172, almost three times more than the average of $1,464 in 1990-91.Ontario’s universities charge an average of $4,960 in tuition fees, second only to Nova $cotia’s average of $5,984.Quebec residents pay the lowest average tuition fees at $1,890 with out-of-province students paying about double that amount.$tudent debt is not just the problem of those students parading in the streets.Education is the measure of a society.The time for a longterm calculation of the real costs of higher education to parents, students and the government - and a strategic plan on how to equitably share those costs — is now.SHARON McCULLY Citizenship by birth a principle worth keeping Last summer, the people of Ireland voted overwhelmingly to stop the practice of automatically granting citizenship to any child born in Ireland or Northern Ireland.They followed the urging of the Irish government, which argued that Ireland was becoming a destination for pregnant women seeking entry for their children to the European P.0.Box 1200 SherbrookeJIH 5L6 or 1195 Galt E, Sherbrooke JIG 1Y7 Fax: 819-569-3945 e-mail: news room&sherb rookerecord.com Website: www.sherbrookerecord.com Randy Kinniar Publisher .(819) 569-9511 Sharon McCully Editor .(819) 5696345 Nelson Afonso Corresp.Editor .(819) 5696345 Richard Lessard Prod.Mgr.(819) 5699931 Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman (819) 5699931 Francine Thibault Prod.Superv.(819) 5694856 DEPARTMENTS Accounting .(819)5699511 Advertising .(819)5699525 Circulation.(819)5699528 Newsroom .(819)5696345 Knowlton office 88 Lakeside, Knowlton, Quebec, JOE 1VO Tel: (450) 242-1188 Fax: (450) 243-5155 Union.Ireland was the last country in the union to grant automatic citizenship to children born on its soil.Canada is among a shrinking number of countries that still grant automatic citizenship to anyone born here.But according to an Ipsos Reid poll conducted for Citizen- MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS GST PST TOTAL Canada: 1 year 114.40 8.01 9.18 $131.59 6 MONTHS 59.00 4.13 4.73 S67.86 3 MONTHS 30.00 2.10 2.41 $34.51 Out of Quebec residents do not include PST.Rates for other services available on request.The Record is published daily Monday to Friday.Back copies oflhe Record are available.The Record was founded on February 7, 1897, and acquired the Sherbrooke Examiner (est.1879) in 1905 and the Sherbrooke Gazette (est.1837) in 1908.The Record is published by Hollinger Canadian Newspapers L.P.PM#0040007682 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to The Record, 1195 Galt East, Sherbrooke, QC JIG 1Y7 Member ABC, CARD, CNA, QCNA ship and Immigration Canada, a bare majority of Canadians would like to see an end to the practice.For Canada, however, such a move would be a solution for which there is no problem.In the process, we would be abandoning the still valuable principle of citizenship by birthright.In the United States, an anti-immigration lobby has been trying for more than a decade to end birthright citizenship, despite the protection it is given by the 14th amendment to the U.S.Constitution, which was passed to ensure that the families of slaves could not be denied citizenship.The U.S.has a huge problem with illegal immigration compared to Canada because of its porous southern border.In addition, immigration opponents argue that there is an established trade in bringing pregnant women to the U.S.so they can have “anchor children,” who can later be used to gain entry for their families.There is no evidence that is happening here in any great numbers.But should we be acting now to make sure it does not become a problem?After all, even Britain, the root of our notion of citizenship tied to the place of birth, has since 1981 tied citizenship only to the nationality of a child’s parents.Here we need to remember that Canada has taken a separate path from many countries in the world.Rather than view immigration as a threat, we have embraced it as an engine of economic growth and cultural renewal.So we need not fear going our own way on this issue as well.If in the future we discover evidence that we are being harmed economically or socially by foreign new-born citizens, we can revisit this issue.In the meantime, the immigration minister has more serious issues to deal with, including figuring out how to expedite the removal of would-be immigrants once they have been ordered deported.RECORD Viewpoint CanWest News — TH K — RECORD Monday, March 21, 2005 page 7 Convention: Cont’d from Page 1 Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes would be drowned out by the more powerful block of members from the western provinces, where most of the party’s Members of Parliament came from.Those MPs are former members of the Canadian Alliance, which had merged with the Progressive Conservatives in December, 2003 in an urgent need to “unite the right.” That marriage forced the PC’s only Quebec MP, André Bachand, to quit his seat and his former party, arguing the Alliance’s far-right “redneck” positions would dominate the newly formed Conservative party of Canada.Harper admitted to reporters after his speech that there had been “some grumbling” on Friday by the 500 or so Quebec delegates who opposed some key social issues in the proposed platform.But he added the delegates were dedicated to helping the party adopt a more “moderate and mainstream program.” On Friday, many of the Quebec delegates were opposed to such party positions as a missile defence pact with the U.S., no gay marriage, scrapping the gun registry, fewer industrial subsidies and a review of environmental laws and the Kyoto accord.Also rejected was a motion to allow Quebec have more say in international treaties involving language, education and environmental issues.But by Saturday morning, the animosity was gone and the Quebec delegates from 75 ridings showed up to vote on the positions that had passed the previous day’s workshop debates.“Something happened between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning to change their tune,” said Broadcast News reporter Peter Ray.“Some were ready to leave the convention altogether.But somehow, they realized an election is coming and they MS lives here.do not want to have a disunited party.” Jean Landry, a former Bloc Québécois MP from Victoriaville, said despite the disappointments, some Quebec positions were supported by the 2,500 delegates from the other provinces.“We got policies protecting bilingualism, abortion rights, agriculture support and economic development,” he said.“This is more progress than I ever saw in the BQ.I was an MP for them from 1993 to 1997, and all I ever saw them do is put down Ottawa and never come up with concrete solutions for Quebec.” Landry said the Quebec delegates are committed to make the Conservative party work, even if there are large philosophical differences with their western colleagues and compromises will be hard won.“I still believe we can work together, but it will not be easy,” he said.“What is most important is to keep on fighting for our interests and allow the west to concede some positions.As long as our leader makes sure we are included in all debates, we will not leave this party.” One encouraging event for Landry was the defeat of a motion proposed by MP Scott Reid, who advocated giving more delegates to riding associations which had more members.The motion, which was roundly defeated in the plenary session Saturday morning, would have left the 75 small riding associations in Quebec with few votes in the party.“The motion, if passed, would have given many Quebec voters the message that Quebec’s voice would be ignored,” said Landry.“The fact that it was defeated, and that former leader Peter McKay fought hard against it, shows us the party wants Quebec to be heard.” Michel Plourde from Danville said he accepted the defeat of his Rich-mond-Arthabaska riding association’s proposal to support the Chrysotile-As-bestos industry at the party’s workshop sessions Friday.“This only means we will have to fight harder at the next convention to make our views known,” he said.“The industry has not been treated fairly by the media and many people from other provinces got scared when they heard the word ‘asbestos.’ We in Quebec do not want this industry to die, so we will just have to lobby the party more.” Michel Rivard, a former Parti Québécois member of the Quebec legislature, argued the Conservative delegates from the other provinces acted reasonably and were willing to hear out their Quebec colleagues.“Reid’s proposal was shot down and that shows me they want to give the smaller riding associations in Quebec a chance to grow and win some seats,” he said.“The party has told us it is not going to give in to every Quebec wish, but wants to find common ground with us.” Rivard also argued that allowing MPs to have a free vote in Parliament helps smooth over some rifts within the party.He said a Quebec Conservative MP can vote one way and an Alberta Conservative MP another way and still remain a united party.“It helps to promote tolerance in this party and avoid any divorce between the former Conservative and Alliance factions.Our marriage is less than two years old.” Rivard said he joined the Conservatives in order to remove the Liberals from power in Ottawa.Therefore, Conservative party unity is very important to him.“I and many of my PQ confreres believe that voting Bloc will always keep the Liberals in power,” he said.“Harper and the Conservatives have shown us they want more autonomy for Quebec and have chosen Montreal Snowmobile accident claims life One man is dead and another injured after two snowmobiles crashed head on early Sunday morning near Stanbridge East.Georges Ouellette, 33, died in the accident.The other driver is suffering from mild injuries.Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Jayson Gauthier said the accident occurred around 1:30 a.m.Sunday morning.The snowmobiles collided on the hill under a hydro line just two kilometres from Route 202.Gauthier said Ouellette is the 31st person to die in snowmobile accident this year.Château Bromont, Ice Challenge among tourism winners The Grands Prix du Tourisme Des- for their convention.They want Quebec included, not excluded, from the party.” Rivard also argued that many Quebecers do support the more contentious issues promoted by the party, such as the missile defense pact with the U.S.“We believe most Quebecers would accept such a pact with the U.S.if it was explained properly to them,” he said.“All the Liberals did was say no to the U.S.with no explanation at all.I think the voters deserve more than that.” One thing that still riled the Quebec delegates was the high price of registration at the convention.The price for a delegate to participate was $600, and some feared the price was designed to discourage too many members from attending the convention.“When you factor in the cost of meals and your hotel and travel to Montreal, you are talking about $1,000 a person," said Landry.“I know some delegates who could not come up with the cash and had to bow out of participating.” Senator Pierre Nolin was also not pleased with the entry fee, arguing the last convention only cost $325.“This is a further burden on the smaller, more rural ridings,” he said.“I don’t why this convention has to be so expensive.” But party official Geoff Norquay gave no apologies for the cost of entry.“The fee reflects the cost of this type of convention,” he said.“We operate on a break-even basis.And $600 was the cost for us to break even.” During the convention, it was learned the party presently has a $4 million debt that will take “several years” to pay off, according to party finance head Irving Gerstein.He added the party now has $2 million in liquid funds if an election were called later this year.jardins for the Eastern Townships were given out Thursday evening at the Vieux Clocher de Sherbrooke.Prizes were given in 11 categories.Here are the winners: Hotel, 150 rooms or more, Château Bromont; Hotels, 50 rooms or less, Spa Eastman; Bed and Breakfasts, Au Marquis de Montcalm; Restaurants - tourism development, Au Trois Canards; Tourist attraction with less than 50,000 visitors, Vignoble de l’Orpailleur Ecomuseum; Tourist attraction — more than 50,000 visitors, Granby Zoo; Festival with budget of $500,000 or more, Challenge Automobile sur glace - Sherbrooke; Outdoor adventure - SkiBromont.com; Tourism services, Conseil agrotouristique des Cantons-de-l’Est; Public tourism business, Frontenac provincial park; Tourism employee, Danielle Jobin of the CLD de la MRC Memphremagog.It’s here in our community.Please make a difference by volunteering.MS Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada 1-800-268-7582 www.mssociety.ca Briefs Townships INSIDE *4.» «> > '1 STOSS! >.Vv >: Anna May Kinney looks at some spring activities .see Page 11 page 8 Monday, March 21, 2005 Newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Tel: 819-569-6345; Fax: 819-569-3945 The aging body — fix cer up or let it slide?CANWEST NEWS **?&&$*?\ssm W-< Ann Kaplan is founder of Medicard, the company that presented the Anti-Aging Show.By Paula Brook Some day soon, we — and I mean all of us, women and men — will have to choose.Are we on board, or are we going to be left behind to the ravages of age?Up to this week, I’ve shrugged off the question.The idea of cosmetic enhancement always gave me the shivers, conjuring nightmare scenes from The First Wives Club and the double threat of Pamela Anderson’s chest.Then 1 went to the Anti-Aging Show, Vancouver’s first public show-and-tell for the cosmetic enhancement crowd.Suddenly 1 was on the other side of the great divide, mixing with close to 400 mostly middle-aged, good-looking women and men who want to stay that way and who don’t seem the least bit scared to try it or embarrassed to admit it.I think the matter-of-factness is what jangled me.It felt like, well, why wouldn’t we all want to keep our cheeks up there on our cheekbones where they belong, and erase the furrows that make us scowl even when we’re happy?Or, as several of the show’s exhibitors put it, “to look as young as we feel.” For not much more than what we’d pay for a new suit (from Holt Renfrew.) It becomes less frightening and more doable the more you learn about it, which is what drives events like the Anti-Aging Show.Walking in the door is the hard part — just like walking into a laser clinic for the first time.You look around furtively, rehearsing your spiel about the sunspot on your cheek in case you bump into someone you know.But once you’re in, your guard goes down because everyone’s cheerfully comparing their smooth brows and hairless armpits, and next thing you know you’re signing up to have your nipples moved two inches north.“I’ve got a hundred units of Botox on board," quipped Dr.Martin Braun, pointing at his unlined forehead and setting off a ripple of laughter through the packed seminar room in the Hyatt where he was holding forth as the first of three medical speakers on Wednesday's program.Next was Botox pioneer Dr.Jean Carruthers, followed by plastic surgeon Dr.Matthew Mosher, who specializes in breast augmentation.In the adjacent ballroom, two dozen exhibitors showcased rejuvenation products and techniques, ranging from tooth whiteners to radio-wave cellulite blasters.Braun was there to talk about his specialty — laser therapy for damaged skin.But like the other doctors, and the majority of professionals working in this field, he advocates a combination of treatments for best results.He proudly wears them in public and speaks of them as if they’re nothing.As if you’d be crazy not to do the same.“As we age, everything goes south,” Braun told his audience.“Eventually we will all need the services of a cosmetic surgeon.” “It’s like painting,” chirps Carruthers as she daintily injects filler into a repeat client’s already full lips.“Because it’s not permanent like surgery, you can do a little here, a little there, try more next time .” You can hear a needle drop in the room as Carruthers subtly recontours 43-year-old Merrilee’s pretty face.To break the tension, the stylishly dressed doctor asks the audience for feedback.“Don’t you think I need to put some more on this side?” and “Is the proportion good?Should I stop here?” By now, Merrilee has about $800 worth of Botox and close to $2,000 worth of three different fillers (Resty-lane, Perlane and FineLine) in her face, and she is even more beautiful than when she started out — if beauty is measured in a megawatt smile and carefree brow.If she wants to keep this look, she’ll have to come back for top-ups every six months, says Carruthers.And if not, what?The facial equivalent of Three Mile Island?Ten years ago, that might have been a valid concern.Less so with today’s minimally invasive treatments: sugar-based fillers instead of facelifts; photorejuvenation instead of dermabrasion; pulsed-light therapy instead of psychotherapy .Okay, the claims can go too far.But the fact is it's getting easier arid safer to trick Mother Nature, if only for a few precious years in mid-life.Which is why so many people are jumping on board.More than 100,000 Canadians had Botox injections last year, including 26,000 British Columbians — up 20 per cent from the previous year.Fillers are growing by 23 per cent; laser hair removal by almost 400 per cent.Ann Kaplan knows those statistics because she compiled them last year as part of her executive MBA thesis at Toronto’s Rotman School of Business.She also watches them closely because it’s her business, as founder of Medicard, a credit-card company that covers cosmetic procedures, and as the organizer of the Anti-Aging show — an annual event for the past three years in Toronto, where i’s called The New You.It draws as many as 15,000 people there, with about 300 exhibits and 100 doctors giving speeches and hands-on demonstrations.It’s bound to remain a much smaller niche in Vancouver, Kaplan told me earlier in the week over coffee in her suite at the Hyatt.“You wear a wrinkle as a badge of honour out here.You ski, you sail, you’ve got wrinkles.” I tried hard not to take her words too personally.I am 52 and have got more than a few badges, of which I’m not terribly proud, but there you go.She is 44 and unlined despite running a large company and raising six children in a blended family.Kaplan is equally candid about the mistakes she has made, such as using Botox rather than filler around her mouth, paralyzing the muscles instead of merely plumping the tissues.“My boys loved it because I couldn’t get mad at them.I just couldn’t get an angry look.” She once went overboard on the lip filler and now prefers to go every six weeks for more subtle enhancements.“You don’t really get this,” she tells me at one point, reading my badges.But she’s wrong — I do.At least, that’s how I felt till I got home from the show, washed up and paused for a good long look in the bathroom mirror.Is it time to take a step on that slippery slope?Once on, will I have the time, money and will to keep going?Will it make me happy in the short run?Will it matter in the long?The next morning, I booked an appointment to have Dr.Braun take a look at that sun spot.On my cheek.Honest.—Can West News Service By Robin Summerfield Calgary Michelle Tocher met her man on the job.After a month of subversive flirting at the office, Tocher asked her co-worker out.The pair went on a date, and then another and another.“You get to know them way better than in any other light,” says Tocher of her on-the-job relationship.Even so, they kept their romance a secret for about six months until Tocher thought it was time to officially come out.So she fessed up to her boss.The romance went public, neither Tocher nor her beau, Robin Hoar, lost their jobs and work life went on as normal.Not so for Boeing CEO Harry Stoneci-pher.The 68-year-old married father and grandfather was forced to resign after his office romance went public.With e-mail love notes as evidence, a whistleblower tattled on Stonecipher and his paramour, a 48-year-old female executive, who has been at the company for more than 20 years and did not lose her Townships Life — THE » ¦1 =RECORD= Workplace Monday, March 21, 2005 page 9 Cupid in the cubicle job.In an ironic twist, Stonecipher helped pen the company’s code of ethics that got him punted.Stonecipher got caught having a dalliance, or at the least, starting one on company time.He’s not alone.More than a quarter of Canadians admit to flirting with someone at work even though only 10 per cent of us think office romances are good for the workplace, according to a 2002 survey by Leger Marketing.In that survey of 1,500 people, 26 per cent said they had flirted on the job, even though 56 per cent believed relationships and flirting at work would hurt office life.So we dip into the office pool even though we could just as easily choke on the water.Office romancing — we pooh-pooh it while eagerly lapping up the gossip at the same time — is commonplace.Getting hot and bothered at the water cooler is normal, if numbers tell the story.The average North American spends more time at work than at home.See Love, Page 10 Michelle Tocher and Robin Hoar, who are now engaged, kept their office romance a secret for six months.CANWEST NEWS I***#*" Major partner: Québec an icéa i mmm do coopétatton pour rMucalton dot adulte* Supporter: 1W Learning takes you to new heights! Contact your local training institutions for more information.Technical training I did one year of pure science in CEGEP, but it was too theoretical.So I decided to do a DEC in medical laboratory technologies.Now, I make a good living and I love my work.— Nathalie, 23 years old Adult learning I was embarrassed because I didn't know how to read or write.At the adult learning centre, I developed those skills and I really came out of my shell.I even finished Grade 11! — Laurent 34 years old QUt pel APulTty c« F° flOA/ April 2 to 8,2005 Consult the programmation by visiting our Website or contacting us www.semaine.icea.qc.ca 1 877 948-2044 Vocational training For 20 years, I learned through trial and error, without any help from anyone.But at the vocational training centre, I received support and coaching.Now, with a diploma in hand, I have found a better job.— Maria, 42 years old page 10 Monday, March 21, 2005 Townships Life ¦ ¦¦THE —n ¦ 1 =RECORD= Workplace Love: Cont’d from Page 9 Four in 10 employed Canadians don’t use all their holiday time and 76 per cent of those hard workers have up to 14 vacation days left at the end of the year, an August 2004 Ispos-Reid poll found.With overtime, travel, company functions and schmoozing, our personal lives suffer.So work becomes a social scene — where professionals pick up on company time.And who can blame them?“If you are spending 40 plus hours in close proximity with the same people every day, it’s going to happen,” says Calgary-based sexpert Trina Read.The office romance, adulterous or otherwise, is almost inevitable, says Read.“(Stonecipher’s) story proves that emotion wins over logic every time,” she says.That said, are office flings, infatuations and full-on affairs, illicit or otherwise, a good idea?“I would say no, but you can’t help chemistry,” Read says.“Get over it, everybody’s doing it," adds matchmaker Maureen Wagner, owner of Empresario Matchmaker in Calgary.“It’s the perfect place to meet someone.” Adultery aside, Wagner praised Stonecipher for putting his personal life ahead of his work life.“I’ll bet he’s so relieved.Now he gets to live his life," she says.Before launching into love or lust at the photocopier, one important question should be asked: “Could I get fired for my office romancing?” Most companies have a code of ethics, but the interpretation is up for debate in the murky discourse of office love.Boeing’s code of ethics, which Stonecipher helped develop and then widely promoted within company ranks, was his undoing.That code states, “Employees will not engage in conduct or activity that may raise questions as to the company’s honesty, impartiality or reputation or otherwise cause embarrassment to the company.” All employees had to sign and then “abide by” and “report suspected violations" of the code.(Enter Stonecipher's whistle-blower.) So what’s the lesson here and in all on-the-clock hookups?Regardless of who you’re eyeing up, make sure you think carefully before having a fling on company time, suggests Read.“Work out the worst-case scenario,” she says.While this strategy is good in theory, distinguishing reality through lust- filled haze is hard and maybe impossible for new lovers, Read adds.Think business over bedding down, suggests another person.Office romance, depending on the players involved, may actually be bad for the bottom line, says business ethics expert Susan Quinn in Calgary.When supervisors date their employees, a perception of favouritism is sure to follow and create an environment of resentment in the ranks, says Quinn, an instructor at Mount Royal College's Bis-sett School of Business.Meanwhile, at Boeing, the lesson was: Adultery won’t be tolerated and whistle-blowers are welcomed.But an environment of whistle-blowing could lead to mistrust within company walls, says another business ethics expert.For Calgarian Tocher, her office romance has a happy ending.Over Christmas in Thailand, she got engaged to Hoar.—CanWest News Service Sherbrooke Directory fitness SHERBROOKE _ Boutique /y STRATA SHERBROOKE 2500 King St.W.819-821 -9211 Offiannon °Mipp(e Decorator Commercial & Residential Personalized Decor (819) 566-8981 VERY AFFORDABLE! 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