The record, 11 juin 2012, lundi 11 juin 2012

Should taxpayers foot river repair bill?Page 3 RECORD The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 75 CENTS + TAXES PM#004IKK)7682 Monday, June 11, 2012 National Order of Quebec Page 5 Fatal head-on collision in Stoke By Evan LePage Ahead-on collision between a car and a semi-trailer in Stoke early Friday morning claimed the life of a 69-year-old man.At around 5:30 a.m., the Sûreté du Québec received a call about an accident on Rang 4, between Notre-Dame-des-Mères Road and Route 216, approximately 20 minutes north of Sherbrooke.The 69-year-old was driving his Pontiac Grand Prix in the direction of Stoke when for unknown reasons he veered out of his lane and into on-coming traffic.The car struck a semi-trailer head on.“The truck driver lost control of his vehicle and ended up in the ditch.The driver of the small vehicle was unfortunately killed in the accident,” explained SQ_ spokesperson Sylvie Lamy.Police did not have information regarding the condition of the truck driver or the cause of the accident on Friday morning.“We opened an investigation.The investigators were on the site this morning to study the causes of the accident," Lamy said, adding that the possibility that the driver voluntarily veered into oncoming traffic could not yet be disregarded.Friendship Day 2012 Smiles all around V PHOTO BY AL HAKBF R Friendship Day living up to its name.For a story and more photos, please turn to page 7.UdeS founder honoured in mural By Evan LePage Albert Leblanc, one of the founders of the Université de Sherbrooke, will be the citizen of honour featured in the 2012 M.U.R.I.R.S.mural in the city.Leblanc was one of 90 candidates submitted for the first time by members of the public for this, the tenth anniversary of the city’s murals.“I sincerely believe that the person chosen by the committee represents thousands of Sherbrookers that work with passion and dedication for the good of all,” stated Serge Malenfant, president of M.U.R.I.R.S.A lawyer, Leblanc practiced in Sherbrooke before becoming the first dean Cont’d on pagf.5 Richmond Regional Awards :Page2 Page 2 Monday, June 11, 2012 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.c i ne Record Catch these columnists in The Record this week Ross Murray Sheila Quinn Weather 1 * J / TODAY: # 's' CLOUDY I PERIODS ?} HIGH OF 29 LOW OF 13 \ \ i / TUESDAY: , VARIABLE CLOUDINESS I HIGH OF 27 v ' LOW OF 17 \ .J J J J J WEDNESDAY: LIGHT RAIN HIGH OF 22 LOW OF 16 THURSDAY: LIGHT RAIN HIGH OF 23 LOW OF 14 FRIDAY: 1 ISOLATED SHOWERS HIGH OF 26 Md LOW OF 14 School News RRHS Awards Night o: By Laurie Hannan n May 17,2012 Richmond Regional |High School (RRHS) celebrated their Secondary 1 through 4 Awards Night ceremony where more than 100 awards were handed out to deserving students.The night was MC’d by level 5 students Ashley Schroeders (student council president) and Daniel Blom (environment officer).The first set of awards was given to students being awarded for high achievement, effort and participation, or most improvement in each class at each level.A few winners in Level 1 were: Mathieu Bourbeau for effort and participation in physical education and geography; Jamie Houde for effort and participation in history and high achievement in French and mathematics; and Ellen Perron for high achievement in English Language Arts and effort and participation in French.In Level 2, Samantha Mackay won for most improvement in French and effort and participation in ethics and religious culture: Steven Morin won for effort and participation in science ir PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAURIE HANNAN Silver Merit-Jeremy Côté, Sydney Grainger, Alyson Hayes, Megan Fortier-Smith, NaomieJutras Beaudoin.Most improvement - Mathieu Lacroix, Maggie Côté, Jason Lockwood.j Next grand prize (approx.) : $ 8,000,000 05 13 26 26 41 47' ' SHARED JACKPOT OF $ 100,000 ottO Draw results: 2012-06-09 Q2 Q6 14 30 31 36 4464802 19 30 36 12 20 28 43 4Z 41 43 Next grand prize: ion.: 50,000.000 - $$AXMILUONS 7 prizes of $1 million (approx.) i this list and the official winning and technology, effort and participation in French and high achievement in geography.A few Level 3 winners included: Jeremy Côté for high achievement in physical education and high achievement in mathematics; and Taylor Lynch for most improvement in French and high achievement in English Language Arts.In Level 4, Andrew Boersen won for high achievement in independent living, high achievement in physical education, and effort and participation in history; and Colt Mastine won for high achievement in physical education and effort and participation in industrial arts.Other award categories were: public speaking.University of Waterloo Cayley Math Competition, Royal Canadian Legion Provincial Drawing Contest, and MVP sports awards.Students receiving honorable mentions (80-84 per cent on their first two report cards) were honoured, as well as those students on the honour roll (85 per cent and higher on their first two report cards).Level 1 honour roll students were: Megan Fortier Smith, Alyson Hayes, Trinity Mastine, and Draw results: 2012-06-08 EQtra 9578260 Morgan Rolland.Level 2 recipients were: Alec Bruneau, Ashley Carrier, Carolyn Coddington, Annick Dandonneau, Chelsy Gill, Naomie Jutras Beaudoin, Chelsea Morin, Leila Morrell, and Benjamin Schmalenberg.Level 3 honour roll students were: Kassandra Bessette-Kingdon, Marie-Noel Boulianne, Jeremy Côté, Daphne Gagnon, Ariane Poliquin, and Nicholas Wilson.Level 4 recipients were: Sydney Grainger, Amy Hayes, Cedric Lowe, and Gabrielle Stalker.The last category of awards were given to one student per level for: most improvement over two terms, silver merit awards for second highest average over two terms, and gold honour awards for highest average over two terms.Most improvement awards went to: Level 1 - Maggie Côté; Level 2 - Jason Lockwood; Level 3 - Mathieu Lacroix; Level 4 - Joshua Blanchette; and Pre-Work - Stéphanie Pitre.The silver merit awards went to: Level 1 - Megan Fortier Smith and Alyson Hayes; Level 2 - Naomie Jutras Beaudoin; Level 3 - Jeremy Côté; and Level 4 - Sydney Grainger.The gold honor awards went to: Level 1 - Trinity Mastine; Level 2 - Benjamin Schmalenberg; Level 3 - Marie-Noel Boulianne; and Level 4 - Gabrielle Stalker.All other award winners’ names can be viewed on the RRHS website at: http://richmondhigh.etsb.qc.ca/pages/ne ws-and-information-314.aspx.Ben bv Daniel Shelton WH4TS W m TWIN£ UP?^ OUT THE E- zzAmmr .SO I'M WGGW ON 10 THE UESPARf VVri^lTETOftWN-lOAPABOGKCR TWO.ONCE VOUEE IN THE iTSAMAZmY SIMPLE ANP' SOEPE.ITS SO IN0PAINEP là ¦w ¦ww 5HHH.N0 TALKING. The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, June Jl, 2012 Page 3 OCAL N “Having nobody as a citizen’s representative on that committee scares me a lot.” City creates committee to review pet law By Evan LePage After citizens made their dissatisfaction known over a city regulation limiting the number of pets in one household during a council meeting in May, the City of Sherbrooke has decided to create a committee to review its regulation.In early May, Sherbrooke resident Bianca Battistini was visited by an inspector from the Society for the Protection of Animals after someone lodged a complaint regarding the number of cats she has.Battistini has seven cats, all between the ages of 10 and 16 and all animals she saved from the street, but the municipal regulation limits the number to four per household.Following the visit she was given a ticket and was told she needed to put three cats up for adoption.At a city council meeting on May 7, Battistini pleaded her case, explaining that she took in seven sick cats and spends approximately $300 a month in medicine to take care of them.She also said the animals were taken care of and did not bother anyone.Battistini’s story had quickly spread on social media and she was joined by upwards of 20 supporters at the meeting, some of whom, like Record contributor Jen Young, spoke of the service she was providing in taking care of animals no one else would.Her supporters argued that the regulation should be applied on a case-by-case basis and encouraged the council to find a way to deal with the problem of abandoned animals in the city.At the time, the council said they were open to sitting down with the Es-trie SPA to review the regulation.On June 7, the City of Sherbrooke announced that it was following through with that promise.A committee presided over by the president of the city’s security committee Pierre Boisvert will “study different options that could lead to a modification of the General Regulation No.1 of the municipality, which notably deals with pets, dangerous dogs and shows featuring wild animals,” according to a statement from the city.The committee will be directed by Claude Périnet, the assistant director general of community services with the city and will be composed of, among others, Bruno Felteau of the SPA and Line Chabot, an assistant clerk with the city.It has as a mandate to analyze the current regulations and then forward recommendations to the committee on public safety at its monthly meeting next September.“Several aspects of the current regulations will be revised to take into account, on the one hand, the needs and reluctance expressed by citizens and, secondly, the new practices in the area.With these recommendations, the city council will adopt, where appropriate, changes to regulatory provisions relating to animals in the fall,” the city statement specifies.Still, Battistini is far from satisfied with the announcement.“Having nobody as a citizen’s representative on that committee scares me a lot,” she wrote in an e-mail to The Record, adding that the Pet Connection is not represented either.“It is not the way things should be done.” Battistini also said that it was “pretty hard to follow” the city’s stance on the issue.“One day I’m on the radio facing city councillor Boisvert and he said he would not be in charge of that committee.Then he said different stupid things in a French newspaper.Then the city sends a press release denying everything," she wrote.“So honestly I feel like saying ’get your act together.’” Battistini was referring to a passage in the city’s press release in which Boisvert directly addresses comments he had made to local media.“Contrary to perceptions that could arise from my remarks in the newspapers, it has been established that the committee will be free to discuss amendments and the city council will decide in the end,” Boisvert said in the statement.Ultimately, Battistini said she would wait and see, like the other 622 people who “wrote to me and are in the same situation as me.” Who should pay?Newport in knots over bill for North River repairs By Rachel Garber The Eaton River takes many turns on its way through Randboro, Sawyerville and Cookshire, down to the Saint-Francis River.But the erosion at one particularly sharp twist in its north branch has Newport citizens and their municipal council in knots.The spot is on the North River Road, on land owned by Newport Mayor Thérèse Ménard-Théroux and her husband Yves Théroux.Two other disputes concerning the Théroux property are in play, too.One concerns a culvert under the North River Road.The other is over a private lane known as the Crawford Road.The erosion story began in the spring of 2011.The erosion was causing sediment to accumulate, which could block the flow of the river.The erosion could compromise his maple syrup business, Théroux said, because a tree near the eroding bank supports a pipe that carries sap from the trees to his sugar shack.If the erosion causes the tree to fall into the river, so too will fall the pipe.He requested a permit to arrange the riverbanks.“I didn't ask anyone to pay for it.I was ready to do the work myself,” he said, speaking in French.“But the MRC forbade me to do it.They said it has to be done in a certain way, without touching the water.” Instead, the MRC asked Natur’Eau-Lac Inc.to estimate the cost of removing the sediment and repairing the bank.The municipal council minutes of July 11, 2011, show that Nathalie Laberge and Dominic Provost of the MRC du Haut-Saint-François estimated this at $33,000 minimum.Provost is director general of the MRC.Here, the twists and turns of government come into play.The provincial government mandates the MRC to manage waterways in its territory.But the bill for this goes to the municipality.The MRC offered to let Newport oversee the work.But two calls for proposals only x'eceived one submission, for $76,000.The Newport council judged this to be far too costly.For this reason, Newport has asked the MRC to carry out the work necessary.But it is still the municipality that is to receive the bill, and must decide who pays for it.That is what Provost and, Laberge explained during question period at the municipal council meeting last Monday.Théroux thinks it is the municipality who should pay the bill.Newport has $100,000 in reserve, he said.Some of Newport’s 869 citizens differ.A petition circulated over the week preceding the council meeting has been signed by 125 people.It asks that the municipality require Théroux to pay for the study and for the repairs to the river.“The municipality is setting a precedent where all those with river/stream frontage may now without hesitation request that the municipality pay,” it says.About 40 visitors crowded into the municipal hall in Island Brook on Monday evening.Mayor Asked who would pay the bill, Vail-lancourt repeated several times that the council would ask the municipality’s lawyer for advice before deciding.“They have no choice,” said Danielle Paré, another resident of North River Road.She cited Article 978 of Quebec’s municipal code.“They have to tax citizens in a fair and just manner.If someone doesn’t benefit, they can’t charge them for that work.” “I think the pipe was not put in the right place in the beginning,” said another citizen, who asked to remain anonymous.“The river - if we fix it now, in ten or fifteen years, the same problem will be back.If we want to solve the problem for a lifetime, the pipe has to be put in another place.That might be the cheapest way, too.” “If it had been feasible, I would have moved the pipe,” said Théroux.“But it isn’t.” “The councillors are caught by the throat,” said Paré."The money of the municipality has to be spent in a fair and just way, and if it doesn’t benefit a landowner, they cannot ask them to pay for that work.” Later in the meeting, Théroux’s lawyer presented an official notice to the Newport council.It éimmm PHOTO BY RACHEL GARBER The north branch of the Raton River in Newport, where erosion threatens to block the river and tear down the sap line.It belongs to Newport Mayor Thérèse Ménard-Théroux and her husband Yves Théroux.under the North River Road.The council had previously refused this request, according to their meeting minutes of Con r’n on page 5 was a demand to remove a culvert Ménard-Théroux and her husband were also present, although Councillor Marc Vaillan-court chaired the question period about the situation.Newly Renovated Cottages OCEAN VIEW - Only 50 feet from 7 miles of beautiful sandy beach 3-bedroom house and I - and 2-bedroom cottages w\vw.lift lem isscottagcs.com info@lirtlcmisscottages.com 173 East ( irand Avc.Old Orchard Beach, Maine 04064 207-934-5680 ’¦ Serving the entire Eastern Townships with three publications Jo-Aum Hovey Advertising Consultant RECORD Townships Outlet Bnme County One number SI9 569-9525 jhovey@sherbrookerecorcl.com Page 4 Monday, June 11, 2012 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Health walkers raise more money for local fund PHOTO BY STEPHEN MCDOUGALL Local residents walking in the Health Walk event in the Centenaire Park last Saturday.By Stephen McDougall ASBESTOS For a second year, Louise Jean Lacroix has given up a spring Saturday evening and spent several hours walking around Centenaire park to raise money for a local health fund.“I am glad to do it because the money is being raised here and will stay here to help the sick in our community,” she said after walking for close to six hours.“This is how I show my closeness to my community.How I give back to it.” Lacroix was one of 207 volunteers who took part in the Walk for Health event last Saturday.The event raised $15,400 for a fund at the local hospital that helps pay for extra expenses incurred by local residents undergoing various treatments.Her walking partner, Anne Raymond, said the money is needed in the area where more and more residents are on fixed pensions or have low-wage jobs.“This money can be used for extra medication, or gas money to go to a faraway specialist or just to pay the electric bill if needed,” she said.“When you get ill, you need all the help you can get.And I want to help if I can." The walk used to be part of the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, which raised some $15 million last year in 85 Quebec communities.But two years ago, local organizers and the town opted out of the society’s event because it had called for an “end” to the local Jeffrey asbestos mine.The society argues the fireproof fibre is responsible for 100,000 deaths worldwide.But the town and local organizers defended the mine and opted to hold their own fundraiser in place of the relay and keep the money for local needs.“The relay was tough for us,” said Raymond.“I can remember a lot of runners and walkers who went on for close to 12 hours.“Now it is easier.We just walk in the park for about six to eight hours if we want.Or we can just donate the money.” Claude Hamel, Lacroix’s husband, said the Relay participants were usually younger people who could run and jog for long distances.“That meant older people did not participate," he said.“Now that it is a local walking marathon, more people of all ages, especially older people, take part.” Talk of the society’s position on the local product is not mentioned among the walkers.The emphasis is on community action rather than helping outside causes.“I am concerned about my health and that of my neighbours," added Hamel.“That’s another reason we get more participants.” But the event has not been without its critics, who claim the local organizers were out to snub the CCS for its anti-asbestos stance.In the summer of 2010, after the town announced its plans to abandon the relay, an editorial in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper said the town and its residents “lacked scruples” and were “merchants of death and disease” for Cont’d on page 5 Keeping bugs away without chemicals Part 2: Both inside and outside Anna May Kinney We all know the challenges of battling insect problems in the garden, and while their invasion can be serious trouble with crop production, there are many natural remedies we can use to fend off these pests.But when those little creatures decide that your home is the perfect place to take up residence, what was a challenge that you could use friendly bugs, companion plants or natural sprays for can become a serious problem inside an air tight house.The chemical choice does not exist for those of us who are sensitive or decide we are not going to expose our children, grandchildren, pets, or ourselves to such things — we need to IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS 0 Professional ° Personal 0 Affordable graphic design services Ask for your free estimate by email : raphaelle.cadoret@hotmail.com have natural safe alternatives that work.A few years ago I found myself facing an unfamiliar situation, flying ants.At first thought, they had to be termites, but after an intense online search for pictures and information I found out they were carpenter ants.As most people know termites eat wood and can destroy a home in no time and carpenter ants eat wood too, but usually focus on damaged, rotting wood.Still a total inspection of my house was called for, and to my surprise there was no serious damage.So it was a matter of finding the nesting area and encircling their territory with poison they’d eat and take back to the Queen.All types of ants live and work in an orderly system, there are your normal looking worker ants, and then there are flying ants who have special scouting duties.The worker ants are responsible for maintaining the food supply for the Queen and larvae.They both eat crumbs and bring back what they find to the nest.So no matter what kind of ant you are trying to get rid of the first step to keeping ants out of your house is making sure there is nothing for them to feed on.Yet, even if you are spotless and less likely to have normal ants, some older homes prone to carpenter ants would be less likely to have your normal outside ant, but something like carpenter ants that eat wood might be attracted to your home, sending the worker ants outside the house to gather other food.On any account, it’s wise to make your home as unattractive to ants as possible, and this means paying attention to microscopic crumbs you’d think would do no harm.Scraps left around a pet dish, an open compost container left on the counter, an open package of cookies or something else in the cupboard.Ants will also be attracted to different residues left behind from makeup so the bathroom needs to be as clean as the kitchen.Some people actually grow things like peppermint, sage, lavender or spearmint outside around the perimeter of their homes, but if you don’t you can still sprinkle these aromatic herbs around the problem areas where you feel they are getting inside.A mixture of cayenne pepper, any aromatic herb can be ground fine in a coffee bean grinder, put into a used spice shaker bottle and sprinkled on your carpets, believe me, they will hate you for that.The best poison ant bait, good with any variety of ants, is simple, inexpensive to make and works on the same principal — “worker ants bring it back to the Queen, and when the Queen eats enough they are gone.” What I do is to take a very small jar, like one of those gift jelly jars, put in some corn syrup about half way, add Borax, and mix.This will last a long time as you only need to spread some like thick butter or mayo on a piece of cardboard and set it out where the ants will find it.You can do many pieces and still have lots left to redo the areas as needed.This is where a person needs to be diligent and replace the used portions.It takes a little longer than having your place contaminated with poisonous sprays, but it works really good.If you can see ant mounds/hills around your house and these are the same type of ants getting inside (you’d not want to kill red ants for no reason if these are large black ants getting inside, most ants do not go inside) and if there’s a serious ant problem you can take boiling water and dump it on the ant hill, killing the little worker ants you see, and if you use enough it will go deep enough to destroy the Queen and eggs, but I’ve never had to resort to this after making my home undesirable and getting them out.The following spray is safe to use on inside and outside plants, and if you use organic onions it’s totally organic.This, is one of my favourites as it uses up things you'd normally throw into the compost.We use a lot of onion, especially when I'm dehydrating a bunch, I take the skins, onion ends and peeling off, stick them in a bag and throw them into my freezer until spring.(I often add garlic scraps too.) Both work really well.When needed, defrost in warm water and let them set there three to seven days.I usually set this outside in the sun where it brews.When it’s ready, strain out the liquid, put into a container and use in a spray bottle when needed.Even the leftover onion scraps can be used — just bury them around any plants that are at risk of getting spider mites, aphids or most any pest. The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, June 11,2012 Pages Sherbrooke professor earns one of Quebec’s highest distinctions One of the most prestigious honors in the province, the distinction of Officer of the National Order of Quebec, was received by University of Sherbrooke professor Louis Taillefer last week.Taillefer, along with 30 other recipients, made his way to the Parliament House where Premier Jean Charest personally delivered the awards one by one.The distinction highlighted those who have contributed to the development of Quebec’s society in an exceptional manner.Taillefer, a physicist at the university’s Faculty of Science, was awarded for his long research and accomplishments while studying the behaviour of electrons in matter.Known as one the most eminent specialist in the field of quantum materials and superconductors, Taillefer’s research has helped gain a better understanding of why some materials conduct electricity without energy loss.Director of the Quantum Materials UdeS founder Program of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Taillefer’s contributions to the program have led it to an unprecedented scale by attracting renowned scientists and Nobel Prize winning researchers, making it one of the most respected platforms in the world.As a professor his passion, scientific curiosities and willingness to investigate them has inspired his students and colleagues throughout the years the same way as his many great discoveries in the field have.Throughout his career he has received many awards and recognitions, including the Killam Prize in Natural Sciences (2012), member of the Order of Canada (2011) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2007).The National Order of Quebec has been described as the highest honour in Quebec since 1985, awarded annually to men and women who have distinguished themselves in one or numerous fields of Quebec’s society.CLÈMlN'l Premier Jean Charest (right) awarding University of Sherbrooke professor Louis Taillefer Unction of Officer of the National Order of Quebec last week at the Parliament building.Cont’d from page 1 PHOTO BY EVAN LEPAGE Robert Leblanc (left) holds a picture of his father Albert Leblanc, the citizen of honour in this year’s mural.He is joined by Bernard Sévigny and three members of the selection committee that chose the winning candidate from among 90 submissions.of the university’s faculty of law.He was also the president and commissioner of the Sherbrooke School Board and participated in the drafting of the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms.“The person chosen to be on the 13th mural is also at the origin of an institution that contributed and continues to contribute today to promoting Sherbrooke outside of its borders,” Sévigny said of the creation of the university.Leblanc, who passed away in 1975, was represented by his son Robert on Friday afternoon.“When we heard that the M.U.R.l.R.S.group was launching a contest to choose a person that influenced the history of Sherbrooke, we immediately thought about Albert Leblanc,” Robert Leblanc said on Friday, before describing the life of his father and the many contributions he made to the city.Marcel Bureau, the director of the St-Jean-Baptiste Society and the honorary president of the selection committee, spoke of how difficult but rewarding it was to choose one person among the 90 submitted.It was a real pleasure [.] to learn from all of the public suggestions.We received 90 suggestions, all good candidates,” Bureau said.“It was not good to make a choice because all the candidates were worthy, so it also allowed us to create a bank of names, a list that will serve for other murals in the future.” This year’s mural will be painted on a wall of the municipal housing office, located at the corner of Wellington Street South and Aberdeen Street.The mural will make it appear as though the wall is on hinges and is rotating, with various personalities pictured on either side.Health walkers CONT’D from page 4 supporting their mine.Danielle Croteau, one of the event organizers, said residents have shrugged off these criticisms of their local industry.“We chose to ban the Relay because the society wanted to ban us,” she said.“We are not bad people.We just want to help and protect the people close to us.” The mine is still waiting for word of new investment financing so it can resume operations later this year.Mine President Bernard Coulombe said he is still optimistic a private foreign consortium will deliver on a promised $25 million investment.This would then be followed by a promised $58 million loan guarantee from the provincial government.Yvon Vallieres, the government’s intergovernmental minister and local member of the Provincial Assembly said recently he is “optimistic” the financing deal will be signed soon.“The government offer is still good,” he said.“We have set no deadline for the private financing to come.We still believe the money will be here soon.” The mine presently employs some 40 maintenance workers who are preparing the mine’s underground shaft for a restart.North River repairs CONT’D from page 3 March 2012.Theroux said that the previous municipal council installed the culvert soon after he had bought the land, without his authorization.It is one of three culverts, and directs too much water onto his land.“It’s a piece of land that could eventually have a chalet,” he said.“It’s a nice area for a resort.” His neighbour, Susan Campbell, said she is in the process of closing the sale of her house and 220 acres to Theroux.A third issue involving Theroux's land has also been occupying the Newport Council’s time for the past 18 months.It was a request to have Crawford Road, a private lane, be designated a public roadway so that it would be maintained and plowed by the municipality.The council also refused this demand.During Monday evening’s question period, Paré asked how much time the municipal council and director general have spent on issues relating to the Mayor and her husband since her election.“But I feel bad," Paré said later.“I want the councillors to know that we appreciate their work." Fare’s question was tabled by the council, but Théroux himselflater replied to the question.“My wife hasn’t cost anything to the municipality,” he said.“On the contrary, over the past three years, she has saved $180,000 for the municipality, through her selection of contractors to clear the roads.” At press time, Mayor Ménard-Théroux could not be reached for comment. Page 6 Monday, June 11,2012 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Editorial It is hard to see how the national executive can relieve Rae of his promise, particularly since the promise was not made to them, but to others.Coyne: Is Rae’s potential Liberal leadership bid really just a study in semantics?By Andrew Coyne Postmedia News With its pending decision, as it has been widely reported, to “allow” interim leader Bob Rae to run for the leadership, the Liberal party national executive is opening exciting new fields for semantical research.Scholars say the decision raises several provocative questions, each rich with interpretive possibilities - questions such as: What is a rule?The notion that Rae might now be allowed to run for leader implies that he was hitherto prohibited from running, an impression fed by Rae’s repeated pledges to “abide by the rules set by the national executive.” Now, technically, there is no such rule, if by rule you mean “an authoritative regulation or direction concerning method or procedure” (Collins World Dictionary), such as a party bylaw.What there is, or was, is/was a condition, or at least an expectation.Before Rae’s appointment last May, the party executive, or the National Board as it is called, issued a formal statement advising that “any candidate for Interim Leader" would “be expected” to “execute in writing a solemn undertaking” that he/she “will not seek the permanent leadership of the Party as part of the next leadership selection process.” Now, some would say this is unenforceable: that whatever “solemn undertakings" the interim leader might have “executed in writing” before he/she had been appointed, there is no penalty the party could impose for refusing to live up to this commitment.But this is surely too cynical.If Rae were to seek the permanent leadership, in violation of his pledge, the party could simply go back in time and revoke his appointment.In the same way, suppose a company were to sell you a toaster with a money-back guarantee.And suppose the toaster didn’t work, but the company refused to refund you the money.In that case you would be fully entitled to keep the toaster.In the present case, the national executive is simply declining to ask for its money back.And Rae has indicated he will abide by the executive’s decision.What is a promise?So it’s not a rule, so much as a contract.Rae gave a solemn undertaking, in writing, not to run for leader, and in return the national executive approved his candidacy for interim leader.Except .it seems Rae never delivered on his side of the deal.I don’t mean he’s trying to welch now.I mean he never “executed in writing” the “solemn undertaking” the board had laid out as a condition of employment.Or if he did.he never showed it to anyone.I’ve checked with present and former members of the executive, and with Rae’s office, who confirmed: “No such text was given to the Board.” So not only is there no “rule" preventing Rae from running: he never even promised he would not.Which either means he is free to run as he pleases, or that he should not have been appointed in the first place: He has not, in fact, abided by the rules set by the national executive.But if Rae never formally promised anything to the board, he certainly seems to have promised .everyone else.Or at least, he’s reported to have done.True, the only thing he specifically pledged in his letter to caucus last May was “I shall abide by any rules about the interim leadership, agreed to by the caucus and the Board.” But as it was reported by The Globe and Mail at the time, “Bob Rae is giving up on his dream of leading the Liberal party;” and as it was reported by the Toronto Sun, “he’s adamant his job is only part-time;” and as it was reported by the CBC, Rae “accepts the (board's) conditions and (has) also given his word to his wife that he's only taking the interim job;” and as it was reported by The National Post, “Mr.Rae told reporters he had pledged not to run for the permanent leadership in writing.” Whoops.Well, he was reported to have told a group of Carleton University students last November “I’m not going to run for RECORD P.O.Box 1200 SherbrookeJIH 516 or 1195 Gall E, SherbrookeJIG 1Y7 Fax BOR Nkwsroom onuc SlS-STW-M-tS b-maii : newsnoonuii’slu'rbrooketw'onl.com VVmsrrt: www.sherbrookerecord.com Sharon McChiay Pubusher .(819) S69-9511 DanielCoiiioMBii News HorroR .(819) 569-6345 Stephen Blake Corresb.Eon™ .(819)569-6345 Serge Gagnon Chile Pressman (819)569-9931 DEPARTMENTS Accounting.(819) 569-9511 Advertising (819) 569-9525 Circulation (819) 569-9528 Newsroom .(819) 569-6345 Knowi ton omet: 5B Victoria Strut, Knowiton.Quebec, JOE 1V0 Tu : (450) 242-1188 Fax: (450) 243-5155 Quebec l YEAR 6 MONTHS .1 MONTHS SUBSCRIPTIONS GST 120.00 6.00 6T00 3.15 32.00 1.60 PST T O T A I.11.97 $137.97 6.28 S72.43 3.19 S36.79 Rates for out of Quebec and for other services available on request.Hie Record is published daily Monday to Friday.Back copies of 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Page 10 Monday, June 11, 2012 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Sports I got the memo that we were going to make changes, and I couldn’t imagine myself walking around with a video camera.Digital isn’t for me.” Column Legendary Red Fisher one great storyteller I By Dave Stubbs Postmedia News have dined at Moishe’s with Red Fisher twice in my life.The first occasion was in the fall of 1980, as I quit The Montreal Gazette for a communications job in Ottawa with Canada s national swim team.Red, my sports editor, picked up the tab and claims to this day that he didn’t expense it.1 almost believe him.The second time was in the early 1990s.I was back at the paper and both of us were nominated for sportswriting prizes by the Association de la presse sportive du Quebec.We would dine that evening, then walk down to the awards gala.(Once in your life, I thought then, you must walk into Moishe’s with this man.Moses didn’t part the Red Sea as effortlessly as Red parts the wait staff.) Frankie, Red’s regular waiter, was hovering over us even before we had settled.“I’ll have a Chivas, Frankie,” Red said slowly, an eyebrow arched.Then he paused.“And put some scotch in it.” Frankie returned with my lager and Red’s Chivas, in a tumbler with water seemingly added by eyedropper.Two glorious sirloins and too much liquid refreshment later, Red putting this feast on his company card, we navigated a wobbly path down the street to the gala.Incredibly, we both won that night.I bumbled through a bilingual acceptance speech I’d scrawled on a napkin.And then Red shuffled to the stage for his award and, after a merci, proceeded mostly in English to thank the 99 per cent francophone crowd for recognizing brilliance when they saw it.He brought the house down.Everyone who’s ever worked with or for Red Fisher, who retired Friday following a 58-year career covering the Canadiens and so much more, has their own stories.If he had a dime for his every tale.% GOOGLE IMAGES Red Fisher, a sportswriter for 58 years, retired Friday.Frankie would have retired a millionaire.Red was a demanding sports editor who didn’t tolerate my careless mistakes as a copy editor on the night sports desk; how I'd dread the proof of a page in my mailbox with a red grease-penciled “Please see me - RF.” He wanted headlines on a page descending in alternating roman and italic type, an odd number of headlines and subheads cause for great anxiety.But he was generous with his counsel and, when he shrugged off a sports jacket tailored by Curmudgeon of Cote St.Luc, he was a delightfully funny man with an encyclopedia of stories that he’d share in sometimes frustratingly small chapters.I called Red on Friday morning, first to wish him a peaceful, healthy retirement, and then to ask it he’d like me to pass along the lengthy list of media outlets that wanted a word.“None of this is necessary,” he scoffed, as if his 58 years of reporting was wiped clean just like that.“I’m not going to give any interviews.There’s no point.If they want to say nice going or congratulations or kiss my (behind).“I know what I’ve done, I know who my friends in the business are.And 1 also know who the not-so-ffiendly people are.I’ll remember them in (Blank) ‘Em All,’ my next book.“I’m doing this on my own terms.My conscience is clear.” The newspaper business is changing by the hour, an increased emphasis on a digital product not what Red bought into more than six decades ago.“I got the memo that we were going to make changes, and I couldn’t imagine myself walking around with a video camera,” he said.“Digital isn't for me.” I was laughing before he’d finished that thought.Red not equipped with a cellphone or an answering or fax machine.I didn’t want to ask if his home phone is rotary dial.This isn’t to say that the man hasn't embraced technology.He’s traded up from red and black typewriter ribbons to master laptop computers, changing models seamlessly with just a cheat- Logano wins second Sprint Cup race at Pocono By Dan Gelston the Associated press Jroey Logano slipped under Mark Martin in the closing laps Sunday at | Pocono Raceway for his first victory nee 2009 to become the first Sprint Cup driver this season to win from the pole.The 22-year-old Logano rallied past the 53-year-old Martin for a thrilling finish in the first 400-mile Cup race at Pocono.Pocono shortened the race by 100 miles this season.Logano’s only previous career Cup victory was a rain-shortened win at New Hampshire.Logano had the top car all weekend, posting the fastest practice time Friday and then taking the pole Sat- urday.Tony Stewart was third, Jimmie Johnson fourth and Denny Hamlin fifth.Logano, once a much-hyped phenom when he broke in with Joe Gibbs Racing, was under pressure to produce victories in the final year of his four-year contract.Logano’s win continues a recent uptick of solid results in the Cup series.He has insisted this season his contract status has not added pressure.But in Victory Lane, he hoped the victory sent a message to his critics.“I hope it shuts them all up,” he said.“It means a whole lot." At a track known for its tedious 500-mile race, 400 miles was the perfect length to produce a fantastic finish on fresh asphalt on the two-and-a-half-mile track.Martin, one of Logano’s earliest supporters, took the lead with eight laps left.Logano, though, bumped Martin out of the way and zipped past for the winning move with three laps remaining.“I’d call that a bump-and-run,” Martin said.“It has been acceptable in this racing for a long time.It’s not how I would have done it.Certainly, had I had a fast enough car, he would have gotten a return.” Martin saw Logano race at 11 years old and raved about his potential as future Cup champion.Logano was so full of promise, he was dubbed “Sliced Bread." As in, greatest thing since.sheet of instructions.I told Red that surely he was going to forget to return his latest company-issued laptop, having closed out his labour-folded Montreal Star career in 1979 with the souvenir of three typewriters.“I’ll buy the damn thing,” he said.“It might be a piece of junk, but I have a ton of stories in it that I really want to keep.There’s a lot of history in there.” The hard drive is overflowing.I remember, during my late 1990s stint as Gazette sports editor, hearing Red in his adjacent office speaking on the phone with an NHL general manager about the selection of this team’s coach.“He’s a bum.Next, (pause) “You’re joking.Next, (pause) “Please, be serious.Next.” In many long talks with Red, plumbing his reservoir of stories, I gained a great love of hockey history that I bring to many features about the game of yesterday.And then one day he simply dropped his personalized three-volume encyclopedia set on my desk.The Trail of the Stanley Cup, written by Charles L.Coleman, covers hockey from 1893 to 1967 and is regarded as the definitive history of the pursuit of the Cup from its birth through NHL expansion.As precious as it is rare, the set could have earned Red many hundreds of dollars had he sold it.He’d not hear of it.“It’s yours," he said.“Enjoy it.” I have, more than he can possibly know.On Friday, I spent the day speaking to many people in the world of hockey, from the shiniest brass to the legends of the game, to gather reaction to Red’s retirement.When your phone rings at 7:30 a.m.and it’s NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on the line, you know you’re dealing w a someone special.Everyone spoke uniformly of a journalist who had superb instincts, an uncommon work ethic, a swollen Rolodex and a fairness in his reporting that never left a subject critical of his column, even if he didn't agree with its message.“1 owe a hell of a lot more to a lot of hockey people, starting with many of the players, than they owe me," Red said.On one call, I mentioned to Canadiens Hall of Famer Steve Shutt that Red’s hockey-writing career had begun with an exploding tear-gas canister evacuating the Forum on March 17,1955, touching off the infamous Richard Riot, and ended amid nightly student protests along what used to be the Canadiens’ Stanley Cup parade route, smoke bombs occasionally filling the air.Mell, Shutt said, “Red’s career started with a bang and it ends with one.” Former Canadiens captain Yvan Cournoyer loved that remark.“And now we have naked students protesting," the Roadrunner said.“Just watch Red come out of retirement to cover that.” 'The Record prOductioti@sherbr6okerecord.com 1 ' * ' i i •