The record, 30 mars 2001, vendredi 30 mars 2001

THE Spring forward! Turn your clocks and watches forward one hour before you go to bed Saturday night.The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 Audi Sherbrooke Autohaus 4421 Bourque Blvd., Rock Forest * (819) 564-AUDI (2834) | 85 CENTS WWW.SHERBROOKERECORD.COM Friday, March 30, 2001 Ms#' New Townships Heritage Website PERRY BEATON /SPECIAL In an effort to foster greater awareness of Eastern Townships heritage, the Townshippers’ Association has created the new bilingual website, Townships Heritage.It was launched Thursday night at Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre.Pictured are Sylvain Lamontagne, Brenda Hartwell, Stuart Robinson, Beverly Smith and Matt Farfand.The site contains pages for 50 museums and interpretation centres, as well as historical and genealogical societies around the region, and links to those organizations that have websites of their own.The site also features articles on historical topics, photographs and maps.So if you ever wondered why covered bridges are covered; or which Canadian prime minister was bom in the Eastern Townships; or if there is a historical society in Asbestos; or a place where they display antique tractors; or if you are at all interested in Loyalists, Abenakis, stagecoaches, covered bridges, round bams, or the state of our rods in 1810, then you really should check out this exciting new site.Simply type in “townshippersheritage.com” and off you go.For more information about the Townships Heritage website, contact Townshippers'Association at (819) 566-5717.The website address is www.townshippers.qc.ca.Budget promises tax cuts and health care funds By Daniel Huot Pauline Marois is the first woman ever to table a budget in Quebec’s National Assembly.The tax-cutting initiatives the 2001-02 budget promises, however, are a thinly veiled continuum of her predecessor Bernard Landry’s policies as head of the Ministry of Finance.The budget promises a $3.5 billion reduction in income taxes over the next three fiscal years.Last year, Landry announced a $4.5 billion reduction for the years 2000-2001 to 2002-2003.“The reduction will take effect as of July 1, and will put an extra billion dollars in the pockets of Quebec taxpayers during the 2001-2002 fiscal year,” said Marois.The minister of finance noted that represented an average income tax reduction of 20 per cent for 2002 alone and an average decrease of $1,410 per household.Simultaneously, she announced a new tax table will come into effect on July 1 as well.SEE BUDGET, PAGE 3 Police uncover millions in cash, weapons in Hells Angels raids By Rita Legault A province-wide spring cleanup of the Hells Angels that led police to sweep through dozens of homes and bunkers belonging to members of the biker gang on Wednesday uncovered millions of dollars in cash and a large cache of weapons that included five machine guns and a grenade launcher.In what has been dubbed by The Montreal Gazette as the “Mom of all raids,” police executed some 200 search and arrest warrants netting dozens of Hells Angels and their associates, including most of the members of the elite Nomad squad lead by incarcerated leader Maurice “Mom” Boucher.In all, police seized 20 buildings; 30 vehicles, including three that were stolen and two police say were directly linked to murder conspiracies; a golf cart; 70 firearms, including three Uzis, two other machine guns and the grenade launcher; drugs, including 120 kilograms of hashish and 10 kilograms of cocaine; and some $8.6 million in Canadian funds and $2.7 million U.S.SEE RAIDS, PAGE 5 Free same day delivery 34 Jocqiros'Cartier Blvd.South, Sherbrooke (access on Marchant Street) \>hf‘ \ h* B'pem pillows) (tree mattress cover and 2 GALERIE ÈkS LAMPRON c mattress: *399 819 30 DEMOS • Spring mattresses • Therapedic mattresses • electric beds • Large selection of futons • Accessories ALWAYS THE BEST PRICES page 2 Friday, March 30, 2001 ¦¦ THEmh RECORD Be prepared is more than Boy Scout motto Whenever someone says “Be Prepared” in Quebec City these days, it’s not so much Baden- loto-québec Draw 2001-03-28 12 19 32 34 39 43 BONUS NUMBER: 35 WINNERS PRIZES 6/6 0 $ 5,000,000.00 5/6+ 5 $ 131,897.00 5/6 318 $ 1,659.10 4/6 15,030 $ 67.20 3/6 272,275 $10.00 Total sales: $ 15,820,706 Next grand prize (approx.): $ 10,000,000 Draw 2001-03-28 02 0Z 18 22 24 41 BONUS NUMBER: 14 6/6 5/6+ 5/6 4/6 3/6 WINNERS PRIZES 0 $ 1,000,000.00 1 $ 50,000.00 29 $ 500.00 1,365 $50.00 24,550 $ 5.00 Total sales: $ 591,531.50 Draw 2001-03-28 NUMBER PRIZES 951534 $ 100,000 51534 $ 1,000 1534 $ 250 534 $ 50 34 $ 10 4 $ 2 Gambling should remain a game Claims: See back of tickets, in the event of discrepancy between this list and the official winning list of L-Q, the latter shall prevail.TVA, THE.NETWORK OF LOTO-QÜEBEC'S 10TTERIES Weather Today: Variable cloudiness.Increasing cloudiness in the afternoon.Wet snow beginning later on.High near 4.Winds northeasterly increasing to 20 to 40 km/h in the afternoon.Saturday: Snow becoming intermittent.Low near minus 2.High near plus 2.Sunday: a few flurries.Low near minus 3.High near plus 3.Probability of precipitation 60 percent.Quebec Affairs Peter Black Powell of Boy Scout fame that comes to mind as much as ___________________ Scar, the evil uncle in the Lion King film.Scar, fans will recall, fired up his goosestepping troops with a battle song of the same title, as they readied their assault on the idyllic lion kingdom.So as much as people in this precious city dread the coming assault, as much as some wish this Summit of the Americas thing were being held in the desert, to follow Mayor Jean-Paul L’Allier’s off-hand but deadly serious suggestion, Quebec City folk must put their faith in officialdom’s ability to be prepared when it hits in three weeks’ time.A key element of those preparations has been the four-metre-high perimeter fence of galvanized steel which crews start erecting on Monday.When it’s finished the enclosure will run more than 4 km around a large chunk of the old city, protecting the National Assembly, major hotels, the Grande Allee restaurant strip and, of course, the convention centre where all the alleged globalization conspiring is to take place.Strangely enough, the city’s hotel de ville is not within the perimeter, nor is le Grande Theatre, scene of last year’s miniriot at the PQ government’s youth summit.While it is not up to this space to dub the fence the pig pen, there’s little doubt the perimeter barrier has become the symbol of the chasm between the rich and the poor, the corrupt corporate cronies and the righteous rainbow of rectitude.Regardless of the meaning ascribed to it, the fence is there as a deterrent to those intent on storming meeting venues.And if anybody has any doubt that would happen they plainly haven’t been following the anti-globalization mobilization or seen video footage of Seattle (WTO) or Washington (World Bank) or Davos (Economic Forum) or Vancouver (APEC).As much as many won’t like the look of it, that still doesn’t stop many people, especially merchants, from wanting to be safely within the perimeter.In fact, if things do go awry, which is more than an even bet, the fence probably will channel mobs into residential, commercial and historic streets.The buildings there are more vulnerable to damage than the cement and glass hotels and office buildings within the perimeter.As Quebec’s public security minister Serge Menard puts it, security officials are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.Part of that preparation has been learning from the Seattle experience, where a post-WTO independent consultant’s report concluded the city simply was not prepared for the scope of demonstrations visited upon the downtown.It found that security officials had failed in all objectives except protecting the rights of demonstrators to be heard.One of the key recommendations in that report is that a security fence should have been erected around meeting sites and that detainment facilities be available for large numbers of arrested demonstrators.The latter the Quebec government has already arranged with the nearby Orsainville prison.It which will be emptied of its regular clientele to provide accommodation for at least 600 customers.In many respects, Quebec City has adopted word for word the demo management game plan that emerged out of Seattle.Menard says officials from Seattle, mindful of the condemning analysis for the WTO operation, have visited Quebec City and found it to be infinitely more prepared for turmoil than they were.The sight of 6,000 riot-trained cops, the unmistakable presence of military personnel and equipment, the fence, the border checks, and the apparent affront to civil liberties may offend some people.But it’s clear Summit organizers, stuck with the mission of protecting 34 heads of government, the citizens and property of Quebec City, and certainly the demonstrators themselves, would prefer to take the heat for acting a little goose-steppy, than to have let the thing go Seattle.Briefs Lenn-Ascot figuring skating club presents Canada’s greatest hits The Lenn-Ascot Figure Skating Club will present its 28th ice show Sunday, April 8 entitled Canada’s Greatest Hits.Fifty skaters will interpret everyone’s favourite Canadian music, ranging from traditional Quebec fiddle tunes to the rap music of Moby.Our special guest skater will be Cedric Demers, a former member of the club who is now on the Canadian National Junior Team - something for Lennoxville and Ascot to be proud of.The show will take place at Bishop’s University Arena at 1:30 p.m.Tickets will be available at the door and cost $5 for adults and $2.50 for children 12 and under.Snacks and plenty of popcorn will be available.There will also be door prizes.Everyone is welcome to come and spend an enjoyable afternoon with us.Internet and Computer Workshop in English The “Fondation de la Bibliothèque Memphremagog Inc.” is offering a Beginners’ Workshop for the English-speaking community.This activity will take place at the Bibliothèque Municipale Memphremagog situated at 61, Merry St.North.Beginners’ Internet on Wednesday, April 25 from 6:30 p.m.to 9:30 p.m.Please note that these workshops are offered to all residents of the MRC of Memphremagog.You must preregister at the circulation desk at the library.No reservations will be accepted by phone.For further information about the workshops, please contact us at 843-1330.Ben by Daniel Shelton A SURPRISE PARTY"?50, NONE OF THESE WOMEN ARE HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH YOU?.NO! YOU'RE PLANNING A SURPRISE mmPAi PARTY FOR PATTY?NOT IN A MILLION YEARS' YOU CAN REST ASSURSP - ¦¦¦THE» Record Friday, March 30, 2001 page 3 out flat note:Residents Emergency By Stephen McDougall Special to the Record A test of the Magnola emergency siren, designed to warn Danville and Asbestos residents of a possibly dangerous gas leak, was barely audible, according to several residents and workers interviewed by the Record.Most said if they were inside a house or building, the $75,000 marine siren was not heard at all.If they were outside, the siren was weak and flat.“My son turned to me and asked if there was a boat nearby,” said Elizabeth McEnlreany, a parent of four children attending the ADS elementary school.“It did not sound like a warning at all, it did not sound urgent.I’m worried that my children won’t understand what the siren is for and not do anything to get away from the gas.” Julia Patterson, who came to pick up her son Cody from the school, said the siren sounded flat.“It’s not loud enough.No one will pay any attention to it.” Teacher Steve Dunn thought he heard an airplane, not a siren.“If we’re dealing with a gas leak, it should be a little sharper than what it was.” The siren test was scheduled to start at 10:30 Thursday morning and finish at noon.It ended up starting nearer to 11 a.m.and consisted of three five-minute long bursts set off every 15 or 20 minutes.siren sends The siren was installed on Magnola’s tallest building as part of an emergency measures program to warn residents of any gas leak and allow them to seek shelter.An emergency measures committee last fall told residents that once the siren is heard, they shoulcj get into the closest building, shut all doors, windows and ventilation systems and wait for an all-clear on the local radio station CJAN (1340 on the AM dial).The measures are needed because Magnola uses chlorine, hydrochloric acid and hydrogen in its electro-chemical process that transforms asbestos waste tailings into magnesium.The company says that with proper precautions and an automated detection system, a gas leak would only travel 2.5 kilometres before it dissipates into the air.Magnola has said the most likely gas to leak would be chlorine, which travels low to the ground and has a heavy, suffocating odor similar to Javel water.The other possible gas, hydrochloric acid, has a sour odor that can cause breathing problems in humans.Both substances can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat and pain in the lungs and bronchial tubes.If the leak were to travel northward, the largest building in the 2.5 kilometre range that could be affected would be the ADS school.ADS principal Ron Ewing, who was in the school building all morning, did not hear the siren at all, and that concerns him.“We have 105 kids in this school, and if we don’t know there’s a gas leak and we send these kids outside, it could be dangerous for them,” he said.Carol Breault, a coowner of the Rona hardware store in the Danville square thought the test had been called off because she heard nothing inside her store.“I thought they had forgotten about the test until a customer came in and said he’d heard a weak noise that sounded like a horn,” she said.“It did not sound like anything high pitched that could warn us.” Annie Picard, a waitress at the Le Gaspard restaurant nearby, heard nothing.“I came to work this morning after 11 and I heard no siren, even though I was outside the restaurant at the time,” she said.Carol Paquin, who was pumping gas at Garage Paquin, heard what she thought was a distant ambulance.“I was out most of the morning tending to the pumps, and I did not hear anything that sounded like an emergency siren,” she said.For Rev.Reginald Jennings, who was in a meeting all morning at the town’s Holy Trinity United Church, nothing disturbing was heard.“If I can’t hear it, that scares me because I have a mother who is home alone and she’s hard of hearing,” he said.“If she can’t hear the siren, what’s going to happen to her.” Church volunteer Judy Frost, also attending the meeting, is concerned for her congregation if the siren is not able to warn people in time.“We have to be able to hear it inside buildings like our church,” she said.“As a congregation, we did not even get a notice of these tests.If we had, we could’ve announced it at last Sunday’s service.” Jean-Paul Glinel, an emergency preparedness coordinator at Magnola, admitted the siren was too weak, especially for people inside buildings.“If you were inside your house or your car, you would really have to be paying attention to hear it,” he said.“People outside could hear it, but it was somewhat weak.” He said the siren will be modified to increase its pitch and range.“We believe the pipe that provides the air supply for the siren was too small, so some more work is needed on it.” He said the company will perform more tests in two or three weeks time.“This was a learning experience for us.The next time, we plan to make shorter, sharper bursts to get people’s attention.” Magnola officials have said any comments about the siren are welcome.Call Magnola at 839-4700 and ask for Andre Martel.Budget: CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 Rates will fall from the current 18,22.5 and 25 per cent to 16, 20 and 24 per cent for the three existing tables.Landry also reduced those tables in last year’s budget.Marois is also injecting $2 billion into health care.At least $600 million of that amount will be placed in reserve to modernize the health and social services network.At the education level, Marois promised an extra $730 million of which $200 million will be placed in reserve.“This amount may be used to upgrade and modernize technological resources and buildings.It may also be used to facilitate the transition respecting educational reform, in particular through the purchase of textbooks and through better support for teachers,” she said.Marois also said it was crucial to get more young Quebecers to stay in school.A quarter drop out before finishing high school.She said $72 million will be supplied this year for an action plan that will make it possible to hire 2,000 teachers over the next four years and 900 professionals to provide them with support in dealing with students with learning disabilities.Part-time students will be eligible for the loans and bursary program for the first time ever under the new budget, the minister stated.“The loans will enable them to cover tuition fees, school supplies and child- care expenses,” she said.The minister promised to increase assistance for compulsive gamblers after announcing the holders of video-lottery terminal licenses will be reduced from 30 to 26 per cent.Marois also said the debt will be reduced by $500 million dollars.“I have the honour of being the first finance minister to announce the reduction of a mortgage left to our children and grandchildren,” she said.The finance minister also promised more funds for those who’ve been on social assistance for more than three years and who get full-time work.Supplements of $3/hr.the first year, $2/hr.the second and one dollar/hr.the third year they work.Marois said the money is to encourage them in their efforts to rejoin the job market.Members of Solidarité populaire Estrie quickly reacted to Marois’ announcements.The organization has representatives from unions and social groups from across the Townships.Marie Toupin, who also participates in women’s groups, said the supplement for re-joining the job force was a bad de- bt’s saying that those people won’t have a decent wage,” she said, adding the minister should have increased the minimum wage instead.Janvier Cliche, the president of CSN Es-trie’s central council, said he was disappointed so much money was being spent to repay the debt.“It comes at a bad moment,” he said.“The priority should have been the fight against poverty.The debt is diminishing in relation with gross domestic product (GDP) growth.” Other elements in the budget in- cluded a tax credit for contributions to municipal political parties, $15 million-for the reinforcement of controls for food quality and safety, and an increase of $155 million for roads.cision.DUKE.NOBLE Generil Partnership / S.L.H.C.% Chartered Accountants / Comptables agréés A.Jackson Noble, ca Managing Partner Estate Planning and Settlement Services Administration ot Mandates & Powers of Attorney ElderCare™ Services Lennoxville: (819)346-0333 Cowansville: (450)263-4123 s Knowlton: (450) 243-5021 NEVER The new 250 hp S4 • Blistering 2.7 litre, biturbo, 30-valve V6 • Full-time quattro® all-wheel drive • Choice of 6-speed manual or 5-speed Tiptronic® automatic • Sport suspension • 4-year/80,000 kilometres no-charge scheduled maintenance program • You'll never want to slow down, let alone stop • www.oudi.com Sherbrooke Autohaus 4421 Bourque Blvd.Rock Forest (819) 564-AUDI (2834) Audi page 4 Friday, March 30, 2001 ¦¦¦THE»» - Record Job shadowing program brings students to The Record Two students from Ayer’s Cliff Elementary School visited The Sherbrooke Record March 28 as part of the Job Shadow program currently running in local schools.Kyel Loadenthal, grade five, and Adam Bryan, grade six, spent the day learning how a newspaper is put together - from the advertising department, production, circulation, and accounting, to getting a story on the page and printing it out on the presses.As part of their activities, the students interviewed each other and wrote up these feature articles.Ayer’s Cliff student likes to know how things work By Kyel Loadenthal Twelve-year-old Adam Bryan, a future farmer or mechanic, tells us why he would like these careers.’’When 1 was younger, my grandpa owned a farm,” says Bryan.“I liked to play with the animals.Not too long ago I started fixing bikes.I took an interest in how things work.” Bryan lives in Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec.He lives in the country with one and a half acres of land where he has a pond and used to have a duck.He now keeps goats.“I also like bowling,” says Bryan.He thinks he may one day have a job as a professional bowler or working at a bowling alley.Bryan would like to continue living in the Eastern Townships, though he would like to visit the rest of Canada, especially British Columbia for the fishing.Young author likes science fiction Adam Bryan Kyel Loadenthal is our future young adult science fiction and fantasy author.Loadenthal got hooked on books like Tales of Red Wall, the Narnia series, and Lord of the Rings, and like this, he took an interest in writing.Where does he come from?Well, he comes from a country house in Dixville where he collects stamps and coins and also plays the piano.He would also like to illustrate the covers of the books he will be making in Loadenthal is now writing a story the future to express his full idea of the called The Seven Coins about seven an-story to everybody that reads it.cient coins that are magical.PERRY BEATON//SPECIAL Ayer’s Qiff students Adam Bryan, grade 6 and Kyel Loadenthal, grade 5 met with editor Sharon McCully while job shadowing at The Record.Tech Investing with Your Principal Protected Business Development Bank of Canada Nasdaq-100 Index® Linked Notes, Series 3 Notes pay a return based on the performance of the Nasdaq-100 Index®.• Full protection of the issue price (when held to maturity - approx.3.5 years).• Minimum return at maturity of 10.50%.• RRSP eligible, as Cdn content.• Payments are in Cdn dollars, with no direct foreign currency exposure.• The Notes have been conditionally approved for listing on the TSE.Details contained in the Information Statement.For a copy call: Alain Gilbert, Adm.A., PL Fin.Financial Advisor Denise Duclos, PL Fin.Financial Advisor (819) 573-6021 • 1 800 561-3718 The Nasdaq-100*.Nasdaq-100 Index*, and Nasdaq* are trade or service mads of The Nasdaq Stock Maiket Inc.(which with Its affiliates are the Corporations) and are licensed for use by Business Development Bank of Canada.The product(s) have not beon passed on by the Corporations as to their legality or suitability.The products are not issued, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Coiporations.THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO WARRANTIES AND BEAR NO LIABILITY WITH Merrill Lynch Canada Inc.RESPECT TO THE PROOUCT(S).Member - CIPF BDO »iofn«s Development B»nk of Canada Banque it développement du Canada Merrill Lynch Briefs Townships tourism-awards winners named T|he Eastern Townships Tourism Board honoured its own last week at its 16th annual Grands Prix du tourisme awards, giving top nod to the Château Bromont hotel, which happened to be hosting the gala.Château Bromont was chosen in the Lodging -150 beds or more category, and singled out for its improvement programs and efforts to bring its kitchen staff up to the standards demanded by Quebec’s Institute of Tourism and Hotels.Other winners were: • Lodging - 50-149 beds: Le Centre de Villégiature Jouvence in Orford • Lodging - 6 - 49 beds: Centre de santé d’Eastman • Bed and Breakfast: Le Pom’Art in Dunham • Tourism event with an operating budget under $1 million: La Fête des Vendages Magog-Orford • Tourism attraction with less than 100,000 visitors: Capelton Mines in North Hatley • Transport and Travel: Autocar Dostie in Lac Mégantic • Outdoor and Adventure Tourism destination: Le Royal Bromont golf course • Restaurants promoting Quebec fare: Restaurant le Temps des Cerises, Danville • Restaurants - gastronomy: Manoir Hovey in North Hatley Kudos were also extended to gold medal winners from the region honoured at last year’s Quebec Grand Prix tourism awards: The Tropicana Bed and Breakfast in North Hatley, l’Auberge Hatley, the Granby Zoo and the economic development society of the Sherbrooke region.All of this year’s Townships winners are automatically entered in the Quebec tourism Grand Prix, to be held on May 11 in Montreal.$925,000 for Cowansville floor plant The FTQannounced it is investing $925,000 in Cowansville’s Planchers des Appalaches hardwood floor-panel factory.The FTQ’s addition brings total investment to date in the new factory to $4.3 million.The plant began operations two months ago on De Rochefort St.in Cowansville, employing about 20 people to construct prebuilt wooden floor slats, 65 per cent of which come pre-varnished, while the rest are shipped untreated.The majority of the plant’s sales are to the United States, with about 20 distributors throughout Canada and the U.S., Planchers president Jean Leduc said.Business is booming, he said.“We’re unique in the region, and sales are going well.” » THE»—i Record Friday, March 30, 2001 page 5 Raids: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 That, police said, is just a preliminary total.Provincial police spokesman François Bigras pointed out police have yet to search the contents of safes that were seized, not to mention the bank accounts and security deposit boxes that will be searched as police continue their investigation into the proceeds of crime.Here in the Townships, police also seized an undisclosed number of firearms, a vehicle, and some $10,000 in cash, said police spokesman André Lemire.A safe, taken from the Drum-mondville bunker of the Evil Ones, may contain more cash and firearms.“Full-patch” Hells Yvon Rodrigue, 44, of the Sherbrooke chapter, and sympathizer René Bibeau, 33, who were arrested in their Sherbrooke-area homes on Wednesday, were taken to Bordeaux prison and were charged Thursday with drug trafficking and conspiracy to traf-fick drugs.Sylvain Gilbert, 34, a full-fledged member of the Evil Ones who was arrested at home in Granby, was taken to Hull where he faces the same accusations along with charges of gansterism under Canada’s new antigang law.While the powerful Sherbrooke chapter, which has more than two dozen longtime members, was barely touched by the raids, Lemire said that could change once their arrested colleagues are interrogated.“This is not over yet,” he said.Provincial police say that while the operation managed to destabilize the Hells and temporarily diminish the drug trade evaluated at more than $1 billion a year, the business opportunity will be too much to resist and others wilf soon fill the void.When asked, Lemire would not comment on whether or not regional police fear Sherbrooke’s Hells chapter would move in the territory suddenly vacated by the arrests of their club cousins.Wednesday raids dubbed Operation Printemps 2001 were the end result of a pair of large-scale police operations begun by the regional integrated police squads in Montreal and the Outaouais.Projet Roche, which began in 1996, targeted 42 bikers - mainly Hells Angels, Nomads and their Rockers affiliate gang - who were allegedly involved in murder conspiracies.The suspects include Mom Boucher, who now faces a total of 15 murder charges, and his son Francis, who faces eight murder wraps.Fourteen of those investigated in Project Roche were already behind bars, including the Boucher father and son team.Police arrested another 21 and seven suspects are still at large.The second investigation dubbed Project Océan dealt exclusively with drug trafficking.It led to some 42 arrests, including alleged gangster Gerald Matticks.Four suspects are still at large and the subjects of international arrest warrants.The two operations involved police informants and some undercover agents, including one who was found assassinated, said lead investigator François Bigras, who added that tips from the public were invaluable in gathering important evidence in the case.As the raids were conducted, police distributed flyers advertising their 1-800-659-GANG number and encouraging citizens with more information to call the confidential tip line.Raids for both operations continued throughout the day Thursday as 30 special investigators poured over mountains of evidence gathered during the raids.Wednesday’s raids were conducted by the regional integrated squads set up in 1999 to poo! various police resources.The half-dozen Escouades Régionales Mixtesin Montreal, the Outaouais, Es-trie, Maurice, Quebec and Saguenay Lac St-Jean are made up of the RCMP, QPF and about two dozen municipal and regional police forces.The ERM were helped out by a dozen municipal police forces including the one in Drum-mondville.Opération Printemps spilled over into Hamilton, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia, with the arrest of a Nomads member and a gang accountant, and even the Drug Enforcement Agency in the United States helped gather evidence for the operation.Brieis Theft ring broken up Staff The Sherbrooke regional police force rounded up four more members of a group of burglars that has been hitting homes in Sherbrooke’s east end Wednesday night.The arrests of the quartet, which included two 17-year-old minors, allowed police to solve five car thefts and 22 breaking-and-enterings, mainly in the east end of town, said police spokesman Const.André Lemire.He said the four suspects are part of a ring that was not quite broken-up a month ago, leading to the resolution of 40 other burglaries.Lemire said that after receiving a call from suspicious neighbors on 12th Avenue, police sent out an unmarked car.Upon their arrival, patrollers spotted a pair of men in a car behind the building located at 903 12th Avenue.When they approached, a third suspect appeared carrying a power saw.The cops also spotted a firearm on the seat of the car.Lemire said that as the three suspects were arrested, a fourth one arrived and fled.He was picked up later that night.Arrested and charged at the Sherbrooke courthouse on Thursday afternoon were Luc Pépin, 21, Yves Audy, 18, and their two teenage accomplices.The four were charged with theft, auto theft, possession of stolen property and breaking and entering.McGill seniors info-service Staff Individuals aged 50 and older can receive information on resources available in their area by calling a toll-free service line set up by McGill University.The McGill Info-Service for Seniors, funded by the Fondation de l’Age d’Or du Québec in collaboration with the McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, offers a free, bilingual service provided by a nurse from 8 a.m.to 4 p.m.weekdays.Call 1-888-861-1111 for information.In an effort to keep data up to date to provide the most current information available, director Ginette Mayrand is requesting that all community resource centres, educational, social and recreational organizations, volunteer associations, home support programs, day centres, homes and all others involved with helping seniors to send their brochures or any other information describing the services and the territory they work in.Address any information to: Ginette Maynard; McGill Info-Service for Senior; 6825 Lasalle Blvd.; Verdun, Quebec; H4H 1R3, or call (514) 888-4055.Seeding information online Staff Germination for Farmers announces the launch of its Seed Performance directory, available online to help farmers decide what seeds might work best for them.“The Performance directory takes farmers through a simple process that allows them to view performance data based on their specific province and regions,” says site administrator Simon Burgess.“We have accumulated data for five of Canada’s major crops and we’re updating the site every day.One of these updates is crop insurance yield data, which we’re adding as it becomes available.” Germination for Farmers (www.ger-mination.ca) is a product of Germination magazine.Deer management meetings Staff Quebec’s wildlife and parks ministry is holding public information sessions on management proposals of the deer population for the years 2002-2008.Hunters and related organizations are invited to attend the meeting concerning the Townships region at Massey-Vanier High School in Cowansville on April 23 at 7 p.m.Topics broached will include the suggested deer-density levels and hunting regulations.____________ No use running.The tortoise believed in contributing at the right time.And with the Placements Québec RRSP PSP, it found a way to contribute towards its retirement effortlessly and at its own pace.It decided how much was to be withdrawn automatically from its personal account and chose the frequency that suited it best.Slowly but surely, it will reach the finish line and claim a tax deduction at the end of the year.Québec«« The RRSP and the tortoise.Placements Québec Business hours: Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m.to 8 p.m.You choose the amount (minimum of $25) and frequency (weekly, every two weeks or monthly) of contributions.You can change the amount and frequency of the contributions at any time.RRSP PERIODIC SAVINGS PLAN PLACEMENTS r\i No administration fees.For the Québec City region call 521-5229.1 800 463-5229 page 6 Friday, March 30, 2001 Record Community Forum Reparations for racial injustice and related matters Debate and discussion about reparations for slavery in the United States have been escalating during the last year.Harper’s magazine made it their front page cover story in November, and the topic is addressed periodically in the Canadian press.Last Sunday, CBC morning radio featured a debate on the subject.While it is difficult to argue against reparations in view of the horrible suffering of the slave population, it would be erroneous to assume it is a given for the future.One poll indicated that 70 per cent of the American population are opposed.The debate certainly heated up in the last few weeks on U.S.campuses.The galvanizing issue was the appearance of an advertisement entitled “Ten Reasons Why Reparations for Blacks is a Bad Idea for Blacks - and Racist Too.” It was sent to 51 university newspapers.Only about a dozen agreed to publish it and there was intense student outrage where they did.At Brown University the entire 4,000 copy print-run was stolen by protesters.The advertisement originated with David Horowitz, the head of a conservative research organization.Horowitz is viewed as a conservative provocateur, and unsurprisingly describes the reaction to his ad as an attack on free speech.He depicts the universities’ response as campus fascism.The debate on reparations will continue, and Horowitz’s involvement is certainly interesting.However, it leads us into the different, albeit fascinating, topic of free speech and political correctness in universities.On Sunday’s CBC debate on this subject, Professor Swinson, representing the National Coalition for Reparations for Blacks, argued his case with intensity.He did not come on like the Ancient Mariner, but he was intense.When the suffering of other peoples in past and present times was raised, he agreed that they too should receive compensation.In the course of this fairly brief conversation the Japanese, the Irish, West African countries, the non-English in England (I assume they meant the Welsh and Scots), women, and indigenous Canadian peoples were all mentioned.Most right thinking people undoubtedly sympathize with the suffering and injustices of all these groups.How could you not?But note, this list follows out from a 15 or 20 minute debate on another topic.What happens when we turn full attention to other people’s sufferings and their right to reparations?Obviously, many peoples and nations have suffered over the years.Indeed I suspect there are few or none which could not justifiably position themselves for payment for past wrongs.We’ve already raised the question of women, which covers about half the planet.What of the Kurds?The Nanking massacre?Armenians?Tamils?The list goes on and on.As a Canadian of Irish origin I listened while all CBC participants spoke in favour of Britain paying the Irish for past injustices.(I am certain some Brits might argue the Irish owe them, but that’s another matter.Or is it?) I hate to rain on the parade and I sympathize with and can get angry about the suffering of my Irish ancestors.Nevertheless I don’t believe I should be paid as a result.I am sure many would agree.But what are we to say about U.S.slavery reparations when we come to the Oprahs, Charles Barkelys, Johnny Cochranes, and Tiger Woods of the world?Some will say solutions can be found, but no matter how much you sympathize with past wrongs, there are fiscal constraints to the goal of finding redress.If we start down this road with limited funds how do we decide who is most deserving?Who suffered most?How many centuries do we go back?Whose pain was greatest?Who will win the future Olympics of victimization and past suffering?Are some of the sufferers of history to come away losers again?It seems so.It is suggested that reparations for slavery in the U.S., if it goes forward, will reach trillions of dollars.Probably no one knows for sure.But would the African states deeply implicated in the slave trade also be brought into the cost sharing?I realize that is a delicate question, but can it be avoided?Should it be?And it gets even more complicated.Read on.The topic of reparations is not limited to the slavery in the U.S.A UN panel of experts is preparing recommendations for the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and .Intolerance which will take place soon in South Africa.The panel proposes developing “measures for reparation, restoration and compensation for nations, group and individuals affected by slavery and the slave trade, colonialism, and economic and political exclusion.” That takes us back centuries and brings us right up to tomorrow, because the panel blames the “macroeconomic policies .imposed .in the 1980s and 1990s” for further suffering.Those structural adjustments forced on African states were misguided from the start, and I wish them luck.But I doubt compensation will occur.To repeat, I wish them luck.However, I also have this horrible vision of planet earth tied up in an unmanageable legal gridlock by mid century.Imagine all the different peoples of the earth involved in ongoing court battles to get compensation and reparations for the pain of their ancestors.If black Americans are compensated, certainly others will follow their lead.What about the Kurds?Why not the Irish?Meanwhile, what else is occurring?Well, we can be certain world suffering will continue.Women and children will still be abused.The homeless and hungry will not suddenly disappear.The suffering of children will continue apace.Third world sweat shops will still bring us our Nike shoes, Hilfiger shirts, and Polo jackets.Civil wars and genocide will not end.The only change I would anticipate is an overwhelming increase of millionaire lawyers and wealthy bureaucrats involved in the sue-someone-now business.Sorry for the cynicism.But I’ve only got one lifetime to go on, and so far things have not improved a great deal.It seems the problem has a lot to do with the human condition.Hence I do not anticipate drastic change.Social justice has made only limited progress in my sixty plus years, so I am not optimistic about the future.To summarize, I submit that dredging into the past to pay for the suffering of ancestors no longer with us is the wrong way to go.I applaud those who presently strive to make the world a better place for adults and children alive and suffering today.But the agenda is overwhelming.To pile on the suffering of my and your dead forefathers to further occupy our finite resources, our will, and our energies seems ill advised.Final thought.The topic of reparations is of singular interest to me.This is in part because for three of our six years in Africa we lived in a village not many miles from fortresses/prisons where slaves were kept in shackles before being transported overseas.I look forward to hearing and reading more.There is much to be said.OTTAWA P.0.Box 1200 Sherbrooke J1H 5L6 or 1195 Galt E, Sherbrooke JIG 1Y7 Fax:819-569-3945 e-mail: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Website: www.sherbrookerecord.com Randy Kinnear Publisher .(819) 569-9511 Sharon McCully Editor .(819) 5696345 Sunil Mahtani Corresp.Editor .(819) 569-6345 Richard Lessard Prod.Mgr.(819) 569-9931 Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman .(819) 569-9931 Francine Thibault Prod.Superv.(819) 569-4856 DEPARTMENTS Accounting .(819)569-9511 Advertising .(819)569-9525 Circulation.(819)569-9528 Newsroom .(819)5696345 Knowlton office 88 Lakeside.Knowlton, Quebec, JOE 1V0 Tel: (450) 242-1188 Fax: (450) 243-5155 MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS GST PST TOTAL Canada: 1 YEAR 114.40 8.01 9.18 S131.59 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 of The 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 3050955 Nova Scotia ULC, a subsidiary of Hollinger Canadian Newspapers L.P.Canadian Publications Mail Service Product Agreement No.0479675.Member ABC, CARD, CNA, QCNA Viewpoint Tom CAVANAGH - -THE—i Record Friday, March 30, 2001 page 7 Caught between the ROC and a hard place JANICE CUNNINGHAM .w- - Régie director general Jean-Pierre Duplantie Jbund himself the recipient of various gifts, including a Blizzard video game and a box of bottled water, given as symbolic gestures by community organizations under the umbrella group ROC.By Janice Cunningham Sherbrooke Jean-Pierre Duplantie, director general of the regional health board, found himself between a ROC and a hard place Thursday morning.The occasion was the annual request for funds from the health board by local community organizations, the Regroupement des organismes communautaires de TEstrie, or ROC.The hard place is Duplantie’s upcoming meeting with the new Minister of Health, Remy Trudel, following today’s provincial budget release by former health minister, Pauline Marois, now Minister of Finance.“We didn’t want to be confrontational,” said ROC president Andrée Duquette, explaining the growing pile of gifts sitting in front of Duplantie “as symbolic gestures," given by the ten different branches of the group.The branches include those groups which are concerned with alcohol/toxicology, handicapped persons, the elderly, mental health, women’s issues, food banks and community kitchens, youth, family, and others.Each branch covers from six to 20 community organizations; for example, food banks, La Chaudronnée, the community kitchens of Memphrémagog and Sherbrooke, and Moisson-Estrie are all grouped together under one sector.There are 112 organizations altogether within the ROC.The gifts, she explained, symbolized each sector’s role in the community.For example, the alcohol/toxicology sector gave a box of bottled water; the community kitchens, their cookbook; and from the mental health group Regroupement des ressources communautaires en santé mentale de l’Estrie, RRCSME, a bundle of brightly coloured balls with happy/sad faces on them.“I think he understood what these gifts are trying to say,” said Duquette.Janice: CUNNI.n’CHavi iBiaMamaaimiwal Anne-Marie Poirier, director of Naissance Renaissance Estrie, holds the gift basket that the family sector of Regroupement des Organismes Communautaires gave to DG Jean-Pierre Duplantie.Last but not least was a pair of “ministerial shoes,” presented by Duquette to Laplantie, who, amidst roars of laughter from the spectators, pulled off his own and modeled the loafers for the crowd.“I’m not sure if I can fill these shoes adequately," he said with a laugh.Last year, said Duquette, the needs of ROC reached $11 million, yet they were allocated only $8,399,400.This year, the demands have gone to $14,779,413, and she hopes that, with adequate funding, “the gap will narrow.” “An increase of $6 million is not all that much,” she emphasized, “when you realize it has to be divided between 112 organizations.” Anne-Marie Poirier is the director of Naissance Renaissance Estrie and spokesperson for those community organizations under the “family” umbrella, including Famille Espoir, Big Brothers and Sisters, Maison de la famille de Sherbrooke, and RAME, Réseau d’appui aux familles monoparentales de l’Estrie, a support group for single parent families.“We’re here for the children,” said Poirier, “babies and children, and to support parenting skills.” The family sector presented Laplantie with a large basket jam-packed with goodies: “This is for the baby,” said Poirier, pulling out a tiny disposable diaper.“Are you a grandfather?” she asked the director general.“Five times,” he answered with a laugh, holding up five fingers.There was also a Blizzard video game “for the teenagers,” she said, donated by Big Brothers and Sisters, a container of plas- ticine, a school notebook, a flier from a grocery store (with a handy pencil to outline the bargains), and lastly, a wallet -empty, of course.“We have all kinds of services for parents,” said Poirier, “such as at-home help after the birth of a child.” She also mentioned “Calm,” a service which helps parents going through a difficult divorce.“It’s the only place where a parent can meet with their child alone but under supervision,” she said.The family organizations also offer short-term daycare and workshops on parenting skills.Parents are referred to some of these services, such as Poirier’s Naissance-Renaissance which works with newborns to two-year-olds, by the CLSC or a doctor, or, as in the case of Calm, by the youth protection agency.“These services are open to everybody,” she emphasized.“Any family can have difficult moments, no matter if they’re rich, or poor, well-educated or poorly-educated.” Poirier was aware that not all anglophones would know about, or take advantage of, these services, although .hey are listed in the phone book.She believes that anglophones were perhaps “more used” to seeking help provided by anglophone services, for example, she said, the church in Lennoxville, than those which are francophone.Poirier added that most of the family services under the ROC banner would probably not be able to provide services in English, and “in order to offer help, you have to talk the same language.” .SS.S eaai t .it f « * Ps U si f si 115 Is Gambling problem?Put your quarter here.You’ve got nothing to lose GAMBLING; HELP AND REFERRAL 1 800 461-0140 Gambling should remain a game.loto-quêbec ¦''¦•'I ¦ ¦¦¦ : ’¦ ¦ ’ à fH ¦** ~ page 8 Friday, March 30, 2001 Record Our School’s Page Butler Elementary School Grade 6 Butler students visit local businesses By: Morgan Aubin,Tanya Chamberlin and Natasha Wilso On March 14, the grade 6 students from Butler Elementary School went to explore J-B Wood and The Torrington Company, two important employers in Bedford.These three student reporters from Grade 6 took part in exploring the local industries of Bedford and are pleased to submit this report on these companies, what they do and how they are different and the same as each other.Class Preparations, The grade 6 students had a few visitors at their school from the two companies to discuss and explain all aspects of their business.First, Jamie Boomhow-er, the owner of J-B Wood came and talked to the students about the product he produces, mainly hardwood flooring, the raw material he uses, where it comes from, how his flooring is marketed and shipped.Our second guest was Mr.Muller, one of the employees from Exeltor, who came to also talk Butler’s senior concert band.about who they are and what they produce, mainly knitting needles.He also told the students about the raw materials they use, how it is shipped and where.He told the students that some workers belong to a union and others do not.Unfortunately the students didn’t go for a tour of this plant.The Tours During the student’s visit to J-B wood, the machines were so loud that everybody had to wear earplugs.Even the employees! At Torrington it was also loud but they were all right without earplugs.The students also had to wear protective glasses so that they wouldn’t get any pieces of metal that could fly into the eyes.Other than the noise in both companies, we all liked the tour very much.They made parts for pumps that go into cars as well as other car parts from ball bearings and other gadgets.COURTESY BUTLER ELEMENTARY Fine arts teacher Myles Vivares, with his rubber chicken, dressed as Stuper Chef.J-B Wood The first tour was at J-B Wood.The first step on manufacturing wood flooring is that they cut the wood, they sand it, and then they put the grooves in the pieces of wood.Then they pack the wood.After the tour, the students had a question period and this is the information that they got out of their questions.There are five different kinds of wood that they use oak, ash, maple, cherry and birch.The hours of operation are from 7 a.m.to 5 p.m.The employees earn about $14 per hour and less and there are 22 non-unionized people working there.Their finished product costs about $4.50 per square foot and they transport their product by boat, truck or train to all around the world.Torrington, For the grade 6 students, Torrington was their second tour.In manufacturing needle bearings, they have to cut the wires first.Then they make the diameter and they check the wires to see if they are the exact size that they are supposed to be.Then from there they can make car parts from those tiny needle bearings.This company has about 133 unionized employees and 42 non-unionized employees.These employees work on three different shifts of 8 hours each and sometimes they have an extra shift on the weekend.Also their employees are all over the age of 16.They don’t allow people under that age.They also have to have secondary 5 education.Their finished product is transported by boat, plane or trains to other places and then from there they transform the needle bearings into ballbearings or sell as car parts to GM and Chrysler.Interviewing Grade 6 Francis Bolap one of my fellow students, found that Torrington was very interesting especially the way they made the needle parts.He would like to work there depending on how much they pay you.He despises the smell.He liked the computer presentation in the learning center.He also liked the part where they said how old the people are because they do not have an age for you to retire.He loves the pension that the company gives their employees.Francis did not enjoy wearing the protective goggles but other people found them ‘cool’.He knows that they couldn’t give them any samples because if they gave them some their orders would be miscalculated.He liked the boss.Mathieu Delude another student from Butler, liked the way they trim the wood at J-B Wood and make the wood flooring.He thought the smell at Torrington was horrible and he felt like vomiting.But what can you expect from a factory?He found the earplugs very practical for the noise.He doesn’t like the fact that you have to be 18-years old to work there.In conclusion we found that J-B Wood and Torrington were both very interesting industries here in Bedford.I think maybe a few people would like to work there when they are old enough.COURTESY BUTLER ELEMENTARY Two students dressed up as ‘stuper heroes’ ALL ON SALE! Save 10% on Total Roofing Job Our best offer of the season using installed 25-year shingles.Plus, Save $100 on installed 20-year shingles and Save $200 on installed 30-year shingles.Save$75 Installed WeatherBeater Vinyl and Aluminum Replacement Windows Available in an assortment of styles.¦ .-.y 100-250 Installed Entry, Patio and Garden Doors Enhance the beauty and value of your home.Sears will arrange installation by qualified contractors.Licence RBQ: 1281-5924-64 'fi #>.« .ryA tWJiltilîiîr.VUÏ ITÎTÏT RECORD Friday, March 30, 2001 page 9 Student Mike McCubbin dives into the Life Saver challenge BCS says goodbye to winter, hello spring With so much snow still on the ground, it is difficult to believe that spring is officially here.BCS celebrated the end of winter with its annual Carnival from Feb.22 to 25 and rang in the new season with its Spring Concert on March 15.The four day Carnival, with its theme of ‘Stuper Heroes’, brought out the sporting talents, creativity and school spirit of BCS students.In the spirit of Carnival, both students and staff dressed up as ‘stuper’ heroes, such as Squeegee Boy and Stuper Chef.The competition between the Houses included such activities as the ‘Great Race’, skiing, broomball, snow golf, tug of war, sumo wrestling, and flag making.The Great Race was a circuit of eight ‘stuper’ challenges like the Kryptonite Craving where competitors had to successfully empty the contents of a bowl of kryptonite, blue Jell-O, without the use of their hands.Also included were the Batmobile Race, a renamed wheelbarrow race, and the Life Saver where participants had to find a LifeSaver candy in a bowl of seed covered with syrup, again without the use of hands.The first day ended with a Talent Show that showcased the musical gifts of several BCS students and groups.The second day of Carnival took place at the Mont Glen ski hill with ski, snowboard, and luge races.There were also a couple hours of free time where students and staff could either ski, snowboard, or go snowtubing down one of several tracks.To top off the day, a hypnotist visited the school in the evening and entertained everyone with his ability to make several volunteers perform for the audience.The third day consisted of various sports.Most of the events took place outside on a very cold but clear day.Games, which are normally associated with summer such as soccer, golf, and tug of war, were adapted to wintry conditions.One of the more unusual and more entertaining events was the sumo wrestling.Students slipped into large sumo ‘suits’, doubling or tripling their normal size, and bounced against their opponents, trying to knock them out of a ring.After such a busy day, the last of everyone’s energy was used up at the Carnival Dance in the evening.The fourth and final day saw the figure skating competition and the flag judging.The 2001 Carnival finished with each of the eight boarding student Houses and the two day student Houses presenting their original skits.The judging of the skits was based on House involvement, creativity, presentation, and their relation to the ‘stuper heroes’ theme.In no small part, the success of the Carnival was due to the hard work of the student Carnival Committee, lead by Jena Martin.They spent weeks upon weeks organizing and preparing for these four days in February.Congratulations on a job, and a winter, well done! Winter was also ushered out with the BCS Spring Concert on March 15.The junior band conducted by Mr.Victor Maltby, the St.Martin’s Chapel Choir lead by Mr.Leslie Young, and the senior band and stage band under the direction of Mr.Randy Jackson played to an audience of hundreds in the BCS gym.The junior band gave a terrific performance.Although the Christmas Concert was not that long ago, the improvement and maturity in the technical aspects of their play since then was evident.Very few notes were missed or misplayed.The senior and stage bands, as usual, played and entertained wonderfully.The Choir gave an equally impressive performance, though the acoustics of the gymnasium did not do them the same justice.The children in the audience very much appreciated the several Disney songs that were included in their repertoire.During the intermission of the two-hour concert, tickets were drawn for prizes.The hockey players, who were travelling to Great Britain on the tour organized by Nelson Williams, had sold them to help defray their costs.At the time this article is published, their tour will almost be complete.and that will be another story.Now, where are those spring flowers?HomeCentraf Use your Sears Card and TAKE ONE YEAR TO PAY, INTEREST FREE1 on installed windows, entry & patio doors and shingle roofing JUST CALL 1-80Q-4-MY-H0ME* (1-800-469-4663) 21 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FROM THE COMPANY YOU TRUST».CALL NOW, TOLL FREE, FOR A NO-OBLIGATION IN-HOME CUSTOM ESTIMATE OR VISIT YOUR SEARS RETAIL STORE.ASK FOR OPERATOR #30.‘Pay In 12 equal monthly payments, Interest tree, until April 2002.On approved credit, only with your Sears Card.Minimum $200 purchase.All applicable taxes and charges are payable at time ot purchase.When billed, any unpaid portion ot your Sears account balance will attract credit charges, commencing the following month.Offer ends Sunday, April 15.2001.Ask for details.SALE PRICES END SUNDAY, APRIL 15,2001 NF’0351701 Copyright 2001.Sears Canada Inc. page 10 Friday, March 30, 2001 - ni THE — Record Our School's Page North Hatley Elementary " ?V* « :******+> *¦&¦***?W+£: ' •> W" » ^ fS * aT^* • ¦MM ¦vn 4V 1 J1.64 w.-.\-:vv *«< sr fresh numbers daily.North Hatley Elementary School has enjoyed a busy winter term.The staff, parents and students would like to express a sincere thanks to Brian Allât and ETFS for their kind financial donation.This generous gift provides for a computer animator to assist teachers in the instruction of computer literacy.This assures North Hatley’s excellent computer infrastructure is being used to its full potential.In February the students participated in a fun “Day in the Snow” Carnival.After a morning of sliding and sleigh rides the Cycle 1 students headed to the skating rink and the Cycle 2 and 3 students enjoyed an afternoon at Mt.Joye.There have been some significant changes at North Hatley since January.The most significant being an increase in French lan- The P.P.O invite all interested people to attend the schools annual fund raising dance to be held on Saturday, March 31, from 9 p.m.to la.m., at Salle Burroughs Falls.“ROADHOUSE” will be playing and the admission price is $5.A silent auction will be held to help raise funds for the school.Mike Hickey conducts Basketball Clinic The Kindergarten class has been studying the art of maple syrup making as their early spring theme.They have organized a visit to a sugar camp for the whole school.Cycle 1 students have just started a unit on Marc Brown, the author and illustrator of the “Arthur” literature series.1 will be visiting Granby Zoo.Cycle 2 will be enjoying a visit to the Cosmod-ome as a completion activity to the space project.Cycle 3 will be visiting Ottawa and will also experience a survival outdoor education experience.The entire school will enjoy a spring excursion to Université de Sherbrooke for a fun-filled activity day.PHOTOS COURTESY NH ELEMENTARY Children playing in snow during carnival Classes are busy planning class trips for the spring term.Cycle Children in Library with Sheree Fitch guage instruction time, to 90 minutes per day in Cycles 1, 2 and 3.The students are receiving their regular F.S.L.class as well as either Social Studies or Art in French.North Hatley will be maintaining this increased French instruction next year as well.Registration is underway and parents have been touring the school to explore whether a “small” school experience is an option for their children.Call 842-2491 if you would like to arrange a tour of the school.Today, Frank picked 5 numbers.Tonight, Banco will draw 20.4 times more than you need to win.O \y loto-québcc Cycle 2 and 3 are working on a Web Quest about space.They are working in groups to save the world from a giant asteroid hurtling towards us (don’t worry they know it is fictional!).In the process they are learning about space, rockets, biology, sociology and weapons of mass destruction.It is amazing to see the energy the students put into this endeavor as they plan and direct their own discovery methods.School interscholastic sports continue with badminton in full swing.Mr.Mike Hickey conducted a basketball clinic for cycle 2 and 3 athletes.On the Science front, Ms.Katleen Usher, a naturalist, visited the school this week and conducted a presentation on animal and plant communication.North Hatley Elementary School continues to be a busy, energetic, and exciting learning environment for all of its students.The entire school had the privilege of seeing author Sheree Fitch at the North Hatley Library.She entertained the students with reading from stories such as “There were Monkey’s in My Kitchen” and “Sleeping Dragons all Around”.The students were given an excellent introduction to the passion for writing a successful author must have! Friday, March 30, 2001 page 11 __ RECORD __ Senator’s charge of racism shocks Liberals By Tim Naumetz South am News Liberal Senator Anne Cools has shaken her party with a dramatic claim that she has been the victim of racist treatment within the Liberal caucus, to the point of being called a “black bitch” by some of her colleagues.Cools suggested in a recent Senate speech that the Liberal caucus hierarchy has excluded her from promotion and kept her off Senate committees because of her race.In a subsequent interview this week.Cools waded into the ongoing controversy over Secretary of State Hedy Fry’s allegation of cross-burnings in British Columbia, calling the claim “nonsense” and saying it has probably hurt race relations in the country.Canadian Alliance MP Gurmant Grewal, an Indo-Canadian parliamentarian who has been attacking Fry over her statement, said Cools’s comments support claims of subtle racism within Liberal ranks he heard from members of visible minorities during the election campaign last November.“One particular member said, ‘We have an invisible glass ceiling’ so the (visible minority) members of the Liberal party cannot rise above that,” said Grewal.“He was saying they can rise only to certain levels, those who are ethnic.” While Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has four cabinet ministers who are members of visible minorities or aboriginal, three of them, including Fry, are junior secretaries of state.Cools, who became the first black senator in Canada when the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau appointed her in 1984, told the Senate she has experienced “unbridled brutishness” within the Liberal caucus.She said all party caucuses use secrecy in the name of party discipline to shield ruthless treatment.“Party caucuses employ many techniques of injury and maltreatment,” said Cools, well known as a party renegade who has often been a thorn in the side of Liberal governments.“These (treatments) include humiliating, discrediting, thwarting, undermining, embarrassing, maligning, isolating, deceiving, spitefulness and other negative tools.” Cools made the comments earlier this month while recapping for the Senate a February speech she delivered to a Canadian Bar Association dinner in Toronto to mark Black History Month in Canada.She told the Senate she informed the lawyers about racism she has experienced within the Liberal party, going back to race-based opposition to her nomination as a Liberal candidate in Toronto for the 1979 and 1980 federal elections.“Certain Liberals were shocked,” said Cools.“Certain Liberals said much, publicly and privately, about me not being the right person for that important riding.The rightness to Rosedale riding revolved around my complexion, my skin colour.” Cools said she advised black lawyers at the bar association dinner not to be dissuaded by racist acts.“When I told them that I am aware that some individual Liberal colleagues have even described me as a black bitch, they were surprised at my forbearance and magnanimity,” Cools recounted to the Senate.Cools later explained that she was attempting to illustrate that even the Liberal caucus, whose members pride themselves on supporting egalitarian principles and laws such as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is not immune to racism.“My point was that these race-minded people are a minority, but they are everywhere and there are as many race-minded people in my caucus as there are in any other caucus,” said Cools, who declined to identify the individuals who attacked her.iûfÆ s •/ •, ¦ Despite 2 new blvos m £ a lower Sticker price, ‘safety first’ remains the theme with ¦ By MALCOLM GUNN WHEELBASE COMMUNICATIONS The new S40 sedan and V40 wagon offer Volvo enthusiasts what they’ve long been hoping for.Their favourite Swede now comes in a more affordable package.Price was never an issue when the first PV-series Volvos came to these shores in the 1950s.Back then, all you got were two doors, an indestructible 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with a four-speed gearbox ana styling that resembled a junior-sized version of a 1940s Ford.Early buyers tended to be adventurous types who wanted sports car handling and performance, but with more family-practical seating arrangements.But as the Volvo legend grew, so did the sticker price.By the early 1970s, the lineup had moved decidedly uptown.Nowadays, when you think Volvo, you tend to conjure up an image of a well-built, safety-oriented family box with an MSRP in CEO territory.The arrival of the new 40 series gets Volvo back in the game as a provider of more mainstream, budget-friendly transportation.While a lower-priced Volvo is a welcome treat, the really great news is that this latest model delivers all those solid virtues that have made the marque such a hit around the globe.Developed in partnership with Mitsubishi, the front-wheel drive S40/V40 (S for sedan and V for wagon) cars are assembled at a plant in the Netheriands: Although hêw to j our showrooms, the 40 senes Volvos i have been available in Europe since j 1995.At first glance, the 40 series resembles its larger 70 and S80 siblings, with neatly sculpted sheet-metal that avoids the nght-angled appearance that was once a \blvo hallmark.The lines are as clean and well-tailored as an Armani suit, done | Swedish style, of course.There’s nothing too radical on the i inside of the 40 series, with clearly | marked controls and switchgear laid ; out in an orderly fashion.You can ; spice things up a bit by adding a | sprinkling of wood-inspired trim, if j your taste runs in that direction.Nestled between the 40 series’ ! front wheels is a 1.9-litre DOHC i four-cylinder engine that is equipped I with a turbocharger and intercooler.| Rated at 160 horsepower, the power-I plant is mated to a five-speed auto-: mafic transmission.Volvo claims | this combination will yield a 0-100 2001 Volvo 40 Series ?FouHjoor sedan and wagon ?1 9-litre DOHC turbocharged tour-cylinder engine makes 160 horsepower.?Five-speed automatic transmission.?Al I-new model offers excellent standard equipment content.?Extensive list of safety features tops for this class of car.?A worthy alternative to similar German and Japanese competitors.?The most affordable way to enjoy Volvo ownership.?Base price: $30,000 The 40 senes wagon and sedan .are only available in one version, and it’s a vety complete one at that.Included are climate control with air filtration, power windows, locks and dual powered and heated mirrors, cruise control, tilt steering, 100-watt six-speaker cassette/radio, keyless remote entry and 15-inch alloy wheels.Among the few available options is a sport package that serves up fog lights and a rear spoiler.There’s also a touring package that adds power adjustable driver's seat and premium sound system as well as sunroof package that throws leather seats into the mix.In case you were wondering, Volvo’s near-fanatical penchant for safety hasn’t diminished with the less costly 40 series.Along with four-wheel ABS and front airbags, you’ll also find side airbags with an additional side curtain for maximum head protection.The cars also come with Volvo's whiplash protection system, a unique type of neck protection which uses special scats that absorb energy in the event of a rear collision.When you add up the score, the S40 and V40 deliver most of what larger Volvos offer.These models are also appealing alternatives to those German and Japanese competitors such as the 3-Series BMW, Audi A4 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Lexus ES 300 or Infiniti G20.Instead of waiting for your paycheck to swell, Volvo can now coerce you into one of its class-leading cars for less loot than you would have previously thought possible.Lease at 3.75 % VOLVO for life on all 40 series in stock.$459/month* VolVO S40 2001 best new family car • 3.75% lease rate lor 48 montha, 20,000 km/year.The security deposit may vary.Transport 4 preparation included.See dealer tor more details.$5500 security deposit refundable at end of lease.4367 Bourque Blud., Rock Forest (819) $467/month* VolVO V40 2001 best new station wagon Estrie Auto Centre Votre concessionnaire d’excellence 564-1600 • 1 -800-567-4259 page 12 Friday, March 30, 2001 ¦¦ THE— - Record Information technology changing government By Kathryn May democracy upside down, challenging and the bureaucracy, says a Liberal MP Southam News everything from the growing power of who is leading the charge towards elec- information technology is turning the prime minister to the roles of MPs tronic government.EUROP E ~SALE Book sea** Now.Travel.Pay Later.* Use your Sears Card.• You get a great reward program.• You get the R&R Sears Travel Commitment.• You get Free passport photos.• 3 months of complimentary Hot Line credit card protection airîransâT ^ holicUi|s ] I Paris Depart April 15 Return May 1 $449 CADpf London Depart April 3 Return April 18 $499 CADpip.Nantes Depart May 14 Return May 22 $599 CADpf Bordeaux Depart May 31 Return 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