The record, 25 mars 1997, mardi 25 mars 1997

THE 60 CENTS Townships Digest Man barricades himself inside burning house Sherbrooke A 31-year-old Weedon man is facing charges after attempting to burn down his own house Monday morning.The Weedon volunteer fire department was called to a home on Pallardy Street after a passerby called at about 2:30 a.m.Firefighters discovered the burning house, with the man still inside.The man claimed he was armed and refused to allow firefighters to enter the house.Officials called the Quebec Police Force for back-up and established a safety perimeter around the home.The fire was not a serious one, and the firefighters managed to put it out despite from them outside.QPF spokesman Cst.Serge Dubord said police had difficulty communicating with the man, because there was no telephone in the house.Two hours later police, concluded the man was in fact unarmed and entered the house and brought him out.The man was taken to the Hotel Dieu, where he was treated for smoke inhalation.Dubord said the man was suffering from depression, and recently had problems with his ex-girlfriend.Earlier in the evening he had picked up his two children, who were found outside the house by the firefighters.They were returned safely to their mother.The man now faces charges of arson and breach of promise.Today's Weather Variable cloudiness Complete weather: page 2 Inside Ann Landers.12 Births and Deaths.11 Classified.14,15 Comics.13 Crossword .15 Community Forum .6 Record Album .5 Sports .10 Theme Page: Education.7 The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 IflO’S'1 I This Thursday March 27 Car Care Supplement R.FCOR.D Advertorial section 430 1897 1997 Tuesday, March 25, 1997 Merger talk a surprise to local boards One board for Townships’ schools?Marcel Viellette, the education minister’s director general for the Estrie region said it is too early to discuss scenarios.If® By Paul Cherry Sherbrooke Education Minister Pauline Marois’s proposal to cut the number of school boards in Quebec by more than half includes merging the Township’s two English language boards.If all goes according to plan, the Eastern Townships and District of Bedford school boards will become one.It is a change neither Maggie Faulks, the chairman of the council of commissioners of ETSB nor Jim Bissell, director general of the Bedford board expected or wanted.Yesterday, Faulks said she was “totally surprised” that the two boards were included in Marois’s merger plans.“Over the years the number of English school boards in this area has already decreased,” she said.The ETSB and the Bedford board are already the results of several past mergers.“The French school boards haven’t merged in the past or been reduced as much as we have and we felt we had done our bit,” Faulks said.“At first view it's a little hard to comprehend,” said Bissell adding that he is not surprised by anything the Parti Québécois government does these days.“The anglo population is seeing all of its institutions breaking down.” Both Bissell and Faulks said news of the merger was so unexpected it didn’t even appear on the agenda of either board’s monthly meetings tonight.“I suppose that’s completely out the window now,” Faulks said.Marois’s proposed changes call for reducing the existing 156 denominational school boards in Quebec to 70.There are 15 of what can be considered English language school boards outside of the Montreal region in Quebec and the minister wants to cut that number to five.In the Estrie region, seven French language school boards are being com- pressed into three.The minister said part of the reason for the mergers is to acknowledge the boundaries of existing MRCs.In the case of the English language boards, the merger would spread the new board over a vast area.“It’s carrying it a bit too far,” Bissell said.“One of the things that could happen is parents being quite removed from things like board meetings.Let’s say a parent in Richmond has a problem and the school board is in Cowansville or a parent in Cowansville has to take up their problem with an office in Lennoxville.” At a press conference with most of the representatives from Sherbrooke area school boards present, Marcel Viellette, the education minister’s director general for the Estrie region said it is too early to discuss scenarios.The proposed new map cuts Drum-mondville off from the ETSB.Drum-mondville students, who have been going to Saint Francis in Richmond since the Drummondville English school closed, might have to find a new school.Yesterday Veillette said that the Drummondville situation is one that will have to be considered by the school boards affected.“I don’t know, these are things that have to be looked at,” he said.“It could be that they stay at the same school and that they are still part of the Eastern Townships School Board.The other possibility is that they go to another school.” Faulks said that the ETSB has not planned for yesterday’s announcement and that the board obviously has a challenge ahead of it.Marois has asked the boards to look at her proposals and come back to her with any changes that can still fit within her changes.The consultation dead-See Boards page 3 TPHROmny V TIRE w MEGA HALF-PRICE WEDNESDAYS Valid every Wednesday Reg.$1 9.95 (Call for appointment) SHERBROOKE 1850 King St.West 566-1161 FLEURIMONT 1645 King St.East page 2 Tuesday, March 25, 1997 Individual efforts can make a difference Singing the praises of unsung heroes Never has the perusal of a book been so immediately and coincidentally linked to events in my life.Friday evening after work, 1 had some time to spare before attending the Gala régional des prix de la fraternité.Off I went to linger amid the literary creations that I long to possess.Without even looking for it, there it was before me, begging to be chosen -Chicken Soup for the Soul.Images of this book had stuck in my mind following its recommendation by consultant Tena Montague on CBC Breakaway’s “Unrequired Reading List” segment.Minutes later, 1 was immersed in the book’s short, thought-provoking and inspirational stories.The starfish tale which Tena had related is one of my favorites.It’s by the text's editors, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen.Entitled, “One At A Time,” the anecdote’s main character is a man walking along the beach tossing starfish back into the sea.It’s low tide, and any starfish washed up on land is doomed to die from lack of oxygen.A second man encounters the first and questions the usefulness of this action, since there are thousands of starfish on the seashore and hundreds of beaches along that coast.This one man’s actions couldn’t possibly make a difference thought the other.The tosser’s response, as he bent over to throw back yet another starfish, ”.made a difference to that one!" A second story caught my attention, “Who You Are Makes A Difference,” by Helice Bridges.It narrates a teacher’s efforts to promote a sense of self-worth in her students and in her community.The teacher began by inviting each of her students to the front of the class, one at a time.She told each one how he or she made a difference to her and to the class, and on each she pinned a ribbon with the saying, ‘Who You Are Makes A Difference.’ That’s not all.The class was given a project.Each student was asked to award three similar ribbons and follow the results.One class member gave the first of his ribbons to a junior executive who had helped him with his career planning, and asked this person to pass on the other two ribbons.The executive presented the second ribbon to his grouchy boss, expressing his admiration for the boss’ creativity.The boss of- fered the third ribbon to his teenaged son, who had been feeling alone and uncared for.Before I knew it, I had to tear myself away from the book and head to the gala.One of the most touching moments of the evening was when a shy, humble woman in her late sixties or early seventies, Julienne Robidoux, was named the winner of the award for which she and two other Sherbrooke volunteers, Vivienne Galanis and Rock Guertin, had been nominated.Special people Le prix de l’implication was one of nine commendations for fraternity presented at this annual event organized by the Centre Interculturelle Peu-plestrie Optimum (CIPO).That particular award recognizes individual involvement and is allocated to someone who takes the well-being of others to heart and demonstrates it through his or her work in the community.After raising her family, Mme.Robidoux began helping out at the Partage St-François, sorting clothes for the needy.This she has continued for the past 14 years.When she was identified as the recipient of the honor, Mme.Robidoux was stunned.She obviously never anticipated receiving an award for what she does.She is perhaps unaware of the difference she is making.There is little done either formally or informally to express our appreciation for the kind, generous, hard-working efforts undertaken by community-minded Townshippers.Some believe that bestowing honors on a few ignores or slights the contributions of others.CIPO has the right idea.It’s high time we began to sing the praises of our unsung heroes, the people who are always there behind the scenes giving and making a difference in our communities.They deserve the recognition.And having such models for others to emulate can only make our communities stronger.Know someone who makes a difference?Is there someone you identify as an ‘unsung hero, ' an individual deserving accolades?Why not tell them?And tell us.Write to: Unsung Hero, c/o The Record, 2850 Delorme, Sherbrooke J1K 1A1 or fax: 1-819-569-3945.Susan Mastine P*i\| Small business meet tonight Cowansville If you own a small business or are thinking of starting one,tonight’s information meeting in Cowansville may be just for you.The Regroupment des Entrepreneurs Visant l’Entraide (REVE) has invited Alain Plourde of the revenue ministry to speak about different aspects of starting a business including the rights and obligations of business owners.Plourde will be talking about the transfer of goods to an enterprise, the importance of good bookkeeping, deductions for depreciation, declaring revenue, start up costs and so on.Founded last August by the Service d’Aide aux Jeunes Entrepreneurs, REVE aims to break the isolation faced by small businesses and help owners to improve their skills as administrators.It also allows entrepreneurs to get together to discuss common problems, seek solutions and identify business opportunities.According to SAJE statistics, nearly one million people will be operating home-based businesses in Quebec by the year 2000, roughly 25 per cent of the working population.But while many succeed at establishing their own businesses, many also fail.Information is often the most important key to success.Tonight’s meeting takes place at 7 p.m.at SAJE headquarters, 749 Main St., Cowansville.For more about the meeting or REVE, contact Marie-Andrée Fortin at (514) 266-5402.Smile for the day Old Folks Are Worth A Fortune Old folks are worth a fortune: With silver in their hair: gold in their teeth, stones in their kidneys, lead in their feet and gas in their stomachs.Frivolous old gal I’ve become a lot more social with the passing of the years; some might even call me a frivolous old gal.I’m seeing five gentlemen every day.As soon as I wake.Will Power helps me get out of bed.Then I go to see John.Then Charley Horse comes along, and when he is here he takes a lot of my time an attention.When he leaves, Arthur Ritis shows up and stays the rest of the day.(He doesn’t like to stay in one place very long, so he takes me from joint to joint.) After such a busy day, I’m really tired and glad to go to bed with Ben Gay.What a life! Daily prayer The preacher came to call the other day.He said that at my age, I should be thinking about the hereafter.I told him I do, all the time.No matter where I am, in the parlor, upstairs in the kitchen or down in the basement, I ask myself, “Now, what am I here after?” Source: DearAbby Today’s Weather x Thktford.fj'»* Mines / ¦¦ -v v?f Richmond j Lac-Méganti^.Shbrurookb'» ,, JCowANSViitjr I'Stanstead REGIONAL FORECASTS MIN MAX Sherbrooke IncrgClds -17 1 Thetford Mines IncrgClds -17 0 Cowansville Incrg Clds -15 2 Richmond IncrgClds -16 2 Stanstead IncrgClds -15 2 LacMegantic IncrgClds -17 0 BEN ® by DANIEL SHELTON OLIVIA/ HOW P0 YOU FIX THIS?WHY PO THEY MAKE THINGS SO COMPLICATE?TO OPERATE?WHAT AM I SUPPOSE?TO BE, AN ELECTRONICS EXPERT?HOW P0Y- HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON?THE PICTURE'S BLANK ANP I CANT CHANGE THE CHANNELS.1 0 H,„ THANK5 «5 Tuesday, March 25, 1997 page 3 New rules April 1 Consultants By Paul Cherry Magog April Fool’s Day could be no laughing matter for some Canadian business people selling goods illegally in the United States.Starting April 1 American business and immigration rules will become a lot tougher, but an Eastern Townships company says there’s no reason for sleepless nights, as long as violators get legit.“People say this is Mission Impossible, but it isn’t.We have all these rights and privileges but nobody knows about them,” said Richard Parenteau, a management consultant with CAN-AM Consultants Group in Magog.“Our treaties with the U.S.are meant to create business between the two countries.” For years Canadians have been able to do business in the U.S.without a visa provided they followed certain rules.Without a visa, business activities must be reported to U.S.immigration officials, predetermined and related to an existing Canadian business.Canadian business people cannot directly solicit or sell in the U.S.including undertaking business activities outside of those which have been predetermined before the person entered the U.S.Tough new rules In the past, if people were caught breaking the rules they were usually slapped on the wrist and asked to leave.They were also able to re-enter the U.S.when they wanted.Come April 1 all that changes.People caught presenting false documents or making false declarations to immigration officers face tougher regulations.If found guilty, a person could be banned from the U.S.for five years, with no BOARDS: Continued from page 1 line is June 2.“Essentially they are giving us weeks to consider their plan and propose changes.I don’t think it shows a serious attempt to listen on the government’s part,” Bissell said.“Some of the other boards around here have already sat down and had long discussions because they knew there were going to be mergers of some sort,” Faulks said.“We just sat in at the table and listened to all the hand-wringing and the stress and we just listened.We thought we weren’t going to be touched, we haven’t discussed a thing.” The education minister also asked that boards that are merging start cutting their collective administrative costs when planning for the 1997-98 school year.Marois said the changes are a step towards running education on a more — Record advise businesses on U.S.expansion chance for an appeal.“You can’t even come back for pleasure.If you’re caught you’re not coming back to the U.S.” said Frédéric Scalabri-ni, a lawyer with CAN-AM.Parenteau said he expects CAN-AM to start doing brisk business when the rules change.The company knows there are people selling goods in the U.S.illegally and now would be a good time to get legit.Both Parenteau and Scalabrini can’t understand why a business wouldn’t want to play by the rules anyway.“Any operating business in Canada can expand to the U.S.,” Parenteau said.Since January the consultant has qualified 115 people to work in the U.S.Legal expansion CAN-AM specializes in advising businesses how to expand into the U.S.with their own key Canadian employees obtaining working visas.Their average price for business visas averages $3000 per company but that depends on what is included.CAN-AM handles business plans and contracts as well and the price varies according to the number of people they process for a company.“Our firm specializes in that because people just don’t know their rights and privileges,” said Parenteau.“We were dealing with one company that did $190 million is sales with three or four branches operating in the U.S.and they were still sneaking people across the border," adds Scalabrini.“They’d say they were going on vacation or things like that.They just didn’t know what their rights were.” Businesses do have certain rights to expand in the U.S.as long as they follow certain rules.Businesses have to be able to prove that their Canadian company will remain active, have a place of busi- ness in the U.S., and 51 per cent of products sold must be Canadian goods.Businesses of all sizes are admissible.Some customers qualified by CAN-AM aren't even companies.Recent clients include a Sea-Doo salesman who has a personal sales contract with Bombardier and is selling the Canadian-made vehicle out of Florida.“People with ^ales around $300,000 and are thinking of expanding don’t realize that they could do so in the U.S,” Parenteau said.“Also, how many sales people have lost their jobs because of joint ventures or because of downsizing of companies?They could take their know-how and be using it in the U.S.selling Canadian goods.” So why do people do business through the wrong channels on the American side of the border?Parenteau says it comes down to just plain ignorance.• Border jitters “When people go to the border it’s always with some butterflies in their stomach,” he said.People would rather not ask questions and do business in the U.S.hoping that what they’re doing is legal.When they get caught, what has become a profitable venture for them, suddenly becomes a headache.“Some people who do business with us now have to go through or they’re going to lose a million and a half a year in business,” Parenteau said.One CAN-AM customer recently had equipment seized after operating a farming venture out of the U.S.for three years without the proper documentation.The client was falsely telling border officials he was going into the U.S.for vacations.If the person had been caught after April 1 further access to the U.S.would have been curtailed.“The tougher regulations will increase my business because people are going to realize that they have to get legal,” Parenteau said.Scalabrini said most people are easily intimidated when dealing with immigration officials when it comes to trying to get the proper working visas.“Their first reaction is to call an immigration lawyer in Canada,” he said.“That lawyer doesn’t understand American law so he refers you to an American lawyer, and that can be expensive.No one here has developed the expertise to deal with the laws.There is a benefit his company offers in Canadians dealing with fellow citizens.” CAN-AM’s objective is to handle more than 250 companies’ entry into the U.S.this year.The company also does some consultation for no charge in handling individual cases.Parenteau said many professionals don’t realize how easy it is to get a visa to work in the U.S.If you can find an American employer who will hire you and have a post secondary degree that is on the U.S.immigration list you are considered an admissible professional.Professionals on the list include hotel managers, accountants and interior designers, and more than 60 other job titles for people who could work in the U.S.right away if they have a job waiting for them.CAN-Am plans to help 250 companies do business according to the new U.S.rules cost effective budget.However she also sent a clear message to the federal government that the Quebec government is serious about creating linguistic school boards.Yesterday Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Jacques Brassard called for Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to make the necessary constitutional changes before the next federal election expected this spring.Interestingly, Marois holds her proposed changes up for comparison with the rest of Canada.According to the provincial government’s statistics the ratio of students to school boards is very high in Quebec.More than one million Quebec students are now represented by 156 boards.In Ontario More than two million students are represented by 66 boards.In British Columbia nearly 600,000 students are represented by 57 boards.SQvflh 50-04 Dish'd ce Beotoni Education minister Pauline Marois unveiled a map whichshows the District of bedfor d and eastern Townships School Board becoming a single entity serving a vast territory.School boards have until June to discuss the proposal. The Record, Tuesday, March 25, 1997 N.V.CLOUTIER INC neon Event NO CASH DOWN L^emhli Transportation & Preparation and even the taxes are included Based on 60 month / buy back plan DODGE For the past 10 years the competition has been trying to imitate the Caravan, but no one has.Caravan is holding the title of “Best Family Vehicle”.N.V.CLOUTIER offers you the Caravan for less than $20,000.At that price, why consider an imitation?Your Caravan awaits you! Believe in CHRYSLER ® Y* jJLH; .’ i V.*.By MALCOLM GUNN SPECIAL REPORT I ntroduced part way through the 1996 model year, the Sebring convertible is a shining example of Chrysler’s ongoing gameplan to create niche products that showcase its engineering expertise and marketing savvy.The Sebring’s genesis is somewhat unusual in that it was designed to be convertible from the beginning, whereas some other convertibles are designed as two-door hardtops or coupes which then have the roofs removed and the chassis strengthened.In fact, the Sebring convertible shares little with its coupe cousin, which explains why they are built in different factories.The convertible is built in Mexico, while the coupe is assembled in Illinois.The result of convertible’s ‘pure’ design is a more rigid structure that provides better handling with less shakes and rattles when compared to other open-air machines that have had their roofs surgically removed.Another advantage enjoyed by the Sebring is that it features a real rear seat with reasonable A real-world-drop top — not chop top head and foot room — a feature lacking in many ‘convertible-ized’ cars that must sacrifice rear-seat room to provide storage for the top.Power for the front-wheel drive Sebring comes from two sources.The base JX is equipped with a 2.4-litre DOHC four-cylinder unit that kicks out 150 horsepower.The more luxurious JXi model comes with a 2.5-litre SOHC V6 (optional on the JX) that’s good for 168 horsepower.Both engines are mated to a four-speed automatic transmission, but with the V6, Chrysler’s Autostick option can be specified.Autostick, which is available on other Chrysler models, including the Plymouth Prowler and Eagle Vision, allows the driver to manually control the shifts — or not.In either trim level, the Sebring convertible arrives nicely equipped, and comes with air conditioning, variable assist power steering, power windows and a power-operated top.The top-ot- 1997 Chrysler Sebring ?Two-door convertible available in JX and JXi models.?2.4-litre four-cylinder or 2.5-litre V6 engines available, rated at 150 and 168 horsepower, respectively.?Four-speed automatic transmission only.?Autostick option on the 2.5 allows drivers to manually-control the shifts.?Designed from the ground up as a convertible.?One of the most elegant convertibles on the road.?Base Price: $26,700.the-line JXi includes adds such niceties as 16-inch alloy wheels and upgraded interior and trim appointments.After more than one full year of production, the Sebring convertible has no direct competition to cut into its sales volume, which is why there seems to be plenty of these beauties on the streets.The only other four- and five-seater drop tops around are GM’s compact Chevy Cavalier or Pontiac Sunfire models, the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro (rear-drive sporty-cars) or the significantly more expensive BMW or Audi Cabriolet imports.CHRYSLER & All you have to do is drive one.2550 King Street West - Sherbrooke MHB THJô RECORD ALBUM Tuesday, March 25, 1997 page 5 * file with a smile Melissa McGee trims an edge on her project.as the lathe turns Andy St.Amant and Jonathan Coté pay close attention while their metal is removed.an__________________^ ¦¦¦ mm « Master of metal Instructor Donald Nixon demonstrates the finer points of metal handiwork to eager onlookers Vickie Frost and Pearl Bailey.The Dye is cast Mark mechanic stain onto his work to check for defects.Mastering Metal Works As the students in Donald Nixon’s Machine Shop at Richmond Regional High School learn to shape steel, they experience the use of hand, power, and measuring tools as well as the fun of turning a plan on paper into a concrete reality.PHOTOS: RICK LOSS $smm*- .a cool tool Mark Dunlavey lowers the spinning bit while lubricant flows. page 6 Tuesday, March 25, 1POSTE Pay your bills by mail.Paying your bills by mail means you'll never waste time waiting in line for a teller again.Stop by your local retail postal outlet for stamps, or call 1 800 565-4362 and joe'll deliver all you need right to your door.MAIL APOSTE Canada Post Corporation/Société canadienne dos postas In Businew io Serve • En affaires pour vou* servir