The record, 8 juin 2010, mardi 8 juin 2010

Stanstead, BCS take rugby tourney « page 9 f -&—^ THE DFrnpn The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 Young writer rewarded page 3 75 CENTS + TAXES PM#0040007682 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 Cause of Alpes explosion revealed By Doug McCooeye After a week-long investigation, Quebec’s Worker Health and Safety Commission (CSST) has identified the cause of the May 25 explosion that led to heavy rocks being propelled into the air around Alpes Street in Fleuri-mont.According to CSST spokesperson Lisanne Côté, the excavation company that executed the blast, Dynamitage Desrochers, did not properly identify the mixture of rocks and dirt surrounding the thicker stone that the controlled-blast was intending to extract.Within the mixture were large rocks that were thrown into the air, subsequently landing on some Alpes Street properties, causing some infrastructure damage.Fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident.“There seems to have been poor communication between the driller and the dynamiter,” said Côté on Monday in an interview with The Record, adding that it was during the CSST’s excavation evaluation, conducted late last week by Excavation Toulouse, that the source of the projectiles was discovered.While Côté confirmed that Dynamitage Desrochers is responsible for the excavation error, she said that the possibility of sanctions and/or fines being brought against the company was “still being studied” by CSST officials involved in the investigation.»f§ Honouring our veterans Students remember at Bury’s Decoration Day ceremony COREY BELLAM dmccooeye@sherbrookerecord.com Twenty-three students from Pope Memorial and Alexander Galt schools were on hand to help honour the eighty-four war veterans interred in the Bury Cemetery.Organized by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #48, ‘Decoration Day’ pays homage to the people of Bury who fought and died for our country overseas.Above, Christopher Arsenault, steered by Terry Ord, readies one of the 74 flags that were placed at the gravesites of the veterans.BMP waiting time ‘among the worst Townshippers’ AGM page 3 A * > * A * < i 4 « • t « t « >•****¦ ****** ******** **** * ****** ******* *.*.*.*, %*.*,< « • * * * * « » < * * *,V, \ * \ * * * * % •% Page 2 Tuesday, JuNe 8, 2010 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com I The Record Shabbat Potluck TODAY: ISOLATED SHOWERS HIGH OF 16 LOW OF 8 WEDNESDAY: CLOUDY PERIODS HIGH OF 21 LOW OF 7 THURSDAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY HIGH OF 21 LOW OF 11 FRIDAY: CLOUDY PERIODS HIGH OF 24 LOW OF 11 [OF 25 OF 14 Community Centre of Eastern Townships will be celebrating a Summer Shabbat Potluck Picnic and Music Event for the Community on June 11 with Vermont performer, Lewis Franco.Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Franco grew up with both secular and religious music.His mother was a pianist and music teacher of Ashkenazi heritage: his Sephardic father was an enthusiastic fan of classical guitarist Andres Segovia."My family would get together at my grandfather's for Shabbat on Friday and we would eat and sing songs.It was raucous - banging spoons and on pots and all singing together." Franco recalls.Franco will share stories from his family and sing songs from his Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jewish Tradition.• Date: Friday, June 11, 2010 • Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm • Location: Uplands, Outside Terrace, 9 Speid Street, Lennoxville (Should it rain, meet on the Grand Covered Porch at Uplands) • If possible, email us with the Potluck Dish you will be bringing.• Email: romano_program ©uniserve com Or call: 819-562-6236 An evening of youthful initiatives, leadership, fond farewells and ongoing growth ToWN/hipper/ Georgeville, June 4, 2010.The sleepy, picturesque town of Georgeville was the site of this year’s Town-shippers’ Association’s Annual General Meeting and Awards Banquet.The evening showcased the works of young Townships’ artists, welcomed a new Executive Director, honoured the recipients of this year’s Young Townships Leaders and Outstanding Townshippers Awards, and gave special recognition to both its outgoing Executive Director and President.zani.Their works from the “Townships P.I.” contest were on display alongside photos and texts from the “Color my region” photo contest.Townshippers’ Association’s Vice President Gerry Cutting promptly called the Annual General meeting to order by welcoming the members of the Association, incoming Executive Director Ingrid Marini and special guests to the meeting.Outgoing Executive Director, Rachel Garber, presented the Executive Director’s report and concluded by adding that “Again and again, decisions were taken that put the community’s well-being before that of the Association.I appreciated working with an organization with that sense of ethics.” She was greeted with a very heartfelt standing ovation from all in attendance.The Awards Banquet took ALAN BARBER Outstanding Townshipper, Heather Keith (in centre) with presenters Nancy Robert, chair of cultural committee, and Michael Van Lierop, President of Townshippers’ Association Charming Studio Georgeville provided an inspiring venue to honour young Townships artists and conduct the Annual General Meeting.Youth Council coprésidents, Stacey Vaughan and Otus Paré awarded prizes to Emily Sylvester, Olivia Page, Emma Murrin and Julia Can- place just up the street at Murray Memorial Hall and, as in years past, CBC’s Tim Belford emceed the event.Belford invited Jim Kanner, Treasurer of Townshippers’ Association, to speak on behalf of the 2010 Danville Townshippers’ Day Organising Committee.Kanner spoke ALAN BARBER Outgoing Executive Director Rachel Garber receives standing ovation from board members of the beautiful town of Danville and the group of hard-working volunteers there, and added, “come see the beautiful town they are celebrating - come one, come all - we need to see 10,000 people there.” Following a generous meal and delicious dessert, Michael van Lierop, President of Town-shippers’ Association, highlighted the significance of this year’s Awards Banquet saying, “This year marks the first intergenerational awards banquet.” He added “Young Townships Leaders are lifetime achievers too.they have years left to contribute and be outstanding.” Kate Wisdom presented the first Outstanding Town-shipper, Kelli-Ann Ferrigan.Reading from a text prepared by nominator Eve Denis, Kate said she “brings so many great ideas for Sutton Community and families.She is always willing to volunteer and we don’t know where she takes the time to always do it with her own three kids.” Marg Logan presented Heather Keith as “an amazing lady who has left a mark on every community she has lived in.” Logan presented a long list of accomplishments and noted Keith’s dedicated service to Townshippers’ Association including two terms as President.On receiving the award from van Lierop and Nancy Robert, chair of the Community and Culture committee, Keith recalled her long-time commitment to Townshippers’ Association, beginning in 1979 when she was invited to be on the very first board of directors.Keith concluded by saying, “I have done some fabulous things and worked with some fabulous people, and I hope fabulous things will continue to happen to me." Heather Thompson introduced Mary Purkey by noting her work as an educator, and particularly her inspiring leadership as coordinator of the Humanities and International Studies Departments at Champlain College.Thompson drew attention to the influence Purkey has had on her students outside the classroom, as Thompson noted, “she has made it possible for students to see that one person can make a difference.” Immediately following the presentation of the Outstanding Townshippers Awards, presentations were made and awards given to this year’s Young Townships Leaders.Cont’d on page 3 Ben by Daniel Shelton SOMEBODY'S GOTTA 90 SOMETHIN# / woof 'JhUisÂ*, 'SsiVtMr The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Tuesday, June 8, 2010 Page 3 Local News *Melissa is an essential volunteer for our community, and we are very fortunate to benefit from her giving heart.” Townshippers’ AGM: Initiative, youth, leadership Georgeville I COURTESY Young Townships Leaders (from left to right): Melissa Maclver, Patrick Wang, and Rachel Hunting.Cont’d from page 2 Melanie Cutting presented Rachel Hunting, coordinator of the Lennoxville Youth Centre, as a “visionary member of our community* whose greatest reward is seeing our youth grow and achieve." Cutting described Hunting as the “ideal candidate for her youth, demonstration of leadership and commitment to the Townships, and Lennoxville in particular.” Anik Dionne-Dubreuil reading from a prepared statement from nominator Shelley Jacklin, introduced Young Township Leaders Award recipient and Bury resident Melissa Maclver by saying, “Melissa is an essential volunteer for our community, and we are very fortunate to benefit from her giving heart.” Louise Retchless, nominator for Patrick Wang, introduced him as a “charismatic and courageous leader, talented public speaker and excellent role model for his peers.” On accepting the award, Patrick said, “I am extremely honoured” and thanked his student coun- cil, his parents, “who always pushed me to take leadership roles” and friends, “who encouraged me in whatever I was doing, even if they called me an alien." At this point, Belford asked Gerry Cutting to come forward to present gifts of recognition to outgoing Townshippers’ President Michael van Lierop and Executive Director, Rachel Garber.Cutting spoke of van Lierop’s role on the Board of Directors as being one of careful attention and innovation and added, “He played a key role in the positive evolution of the Association to its new intergenerational phase.” Cutting then went on to describe outgoing Executive Director Rachel Garber as a person “who makes her life a formal commitment to a project, and her project was to bring Townshippers’ Association along.” Cutting remarked Garber “has the ability to be a little ahead of the pack, and at the same time can circle back and make sure everyone knew her support, her commitment and that she was there for everybody.” Both were presented with paintings from local watercolour artist and 2009 Outstanding Townshipper, Denis Palmer.It was a jam-packed evening of events for, from and about the young and not-so-young - an inclusive package from an embracing Association.Townshippers’ Association is a non-partisan, nonprofit community organization serving the Eastern Townships English-speaking community.Contact www.townshippers.qc.ca; ta@townshippers.qc.ca\ 257 Queen, Lennoxville (819-566-5717; 1-866-566- 5717) or 584 Knowlton, Lac-Brome (450-242-4421; 1-877-242-4421).By Alex Roslin If you’ve got a health emergency and you go to the Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital in Cowansville, get ready for one of the longest waits of any hospital in Quebec.A survey has found that the BMP Hospital has the worst record of any small hospital in the province in terms of emergency-room wait times.And the hospital’s wait times are only getting worse, with its overall grade dropping from a D to an E+ since the previous survey.Emergency patients at the hospital wait an average of almost 25 hours before finally getting a hospital bed, being transferred to another institution or getting discharged, according to the province-wide annual survey by the newspaper La Presse.The Quebec average is 17.5 hours.The province says it wants to reduce that average to 12 hours.Also, 19 per cent of BMP patients wind up waiting 48 hours or more - compared to a provincial average of 7.2 per cent.The culprit, say hospital workers, is a' chronic lack of nurses and beds.“The lack of nurses certainly has an impact.We’ve said that for a long time,” says Carole Guillette, president of the local nurses’ union.“The staff are really overworked, especially in the evenings.Patients are waiting in the corridors and in chairs.It’s clear there are not enough beds.” And don’t look to the BMP Hospital’s recent expansion to solve the problems.It won’t add a single new bed to the facility, Guillette says.In fact, since Guillette started working at the hospital in 1982, she says it has actually reduced its number of beds from 100 to less than 80.What’s more, the number of administrative staff has increased while the number of nurses has remained the same.Nurses’ caseloads have also become heavier and more complex with medical advances and the aging population.BMP Hospital officials didn’t respond to several calls requesting comment for this story.In an interview with another newspaper, Dr.Christian Léger, the hospital’s director of medical affairs, suggested that part of the problem is the region’s high proportion of seniors.But a similarly high ratio of seniors in Magog didn’t stop that city’s Memphrémagog Hospital Centre from having the second-best emergency wait time in Quebec.In fact, the Magog hospital’s record is one of the few pieces of good news in the survey.If you have the time to drive to Magog, your emergency wait time could be less than a third of your wait in Cowansville -just 7.5 hours.And only 0.7 per cent of emergency patients in Magog wait more than 48 hours.That’s a tiny fraction of the number in Cowansville.Teacher Melissa Carter with student Jonathan Cote-Lahue, the recipient of the Brome County News / Record Scholarship for his outstanding talents in journalism and creative writing.Brome County News and The Record were pleased to present Jonathan Cote-Lahue with a scholarship at Massey-Vanier’s 35th Annual Scholarship and Bursary Ceremony on Wednesday, June 2.Lahue, who writes a weekly column for The Record, has also started his first book.He enjoys creative writing and journalism.He will be attending Vanier College in September and will participate in the Modem Languages program.Congratulations! Good morning i You know it’s a good morning when you wake up with everything you need.Call today before 11 a.m.for doorstep delivery tomorrow morning.¦THE* RECORD 819-569-9528 • 450-242-1188 • 1-800-463-9525 1 e-mail: account!ng@videotron.ca wmm ¦¦ BMP Wait Time One of Worst Page 4 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 The Record iPhone 4G ‘ By Murray Hill Canwest News Service SAN FRANCISCO - Founder Steve Jobs took the stage at this year’s Apple World Wide Developer’s Conference Monday, greeted by thunderous applause and a standing ovation.But Jobs made the 5,200 delegates wait to see the widely anticipated iPhone 4G, opening his keynote speech with news about the iPad, iBooks and the App Store before making it to the latest incarnation of the iPhone, details of which were splashed over the web earlier this year after a prototype was left in a bar and sold to Gizmodo.“A lot of you have already seen this” said Jobs, referencing the incident.“Believe me, you ain't really seen it.” Calling it the “biggest leap since the original iPhone,” Jobs unveiled the all-new design, with glass on the front and stainless steel all around.Antennas are integrated into the structure of the phone - the first time it his has ever been done, Jobs said.With oyer 50 million sold since its introduction three years ago, the iPhone now accounts for 40 per cent of Apple’s revenue, and is second in sales only to Research in Motion’s industry-leading newsroom@sherbro'okerecofdxorri biggest leap’ since original, Jobs says Ü- -1 II ngniBJ : IBP PHOTOBUCKET BlackBerry when it comes to smartphone sales in the United States.At only 9.3 mm thick, the 4G is 23 per cent thinner than the iPhone 3GS and is the thinnest smartphone on the planet.It has a front-facing camera, a flash on the back and a second microphone on the top for noise cancellation.Among the 100 new features is one that increases the number of pixels in a certain area by four times, making for much higher viewing resolution and smoother scaling of text, in particular.The Retina Display has 326 pixels per inch - the highest in any phone.Jobs said.When set side-by-side with the iPhone 3GS, the 4G is clearly superior -bright, saturated and colourful.“We think that Retina Display will set the standard for several years and that nobody else even comes close,” Jobs bragged.The new phone is powered by the Apple-designed A4 chip which, along with a new battery, increases usage time considerably when compared with existing iPhones.A gyroscope is “another really cool piece of hardware,” said Jobs.Tied to the accelerometer, GPS and compass, the three-axis gyroscope offers precise positioning information.Jobs showed a game which uses this technology - when he turned around onstage, the phone display reflected the physical changes in the position.Jobs started out his speech talking about Apple’s previous big thing, the iPad.More than two million have been sold in 10 countries around the world since it was unveiled in January - that’s one every three seconds.“The iPad is changing the way we’re experiencing the web,” Jobs told the delegates, attending from 57 different countries.There are more than 8,500 ns in the iPad store, which have already been downloaded more than 35 million times - that’s 17 apps per iPad sold, for those keeping count.Ibooks was to be updated Monday with some of the most requested features added - including the ability to view and read PDFs.In the first 65 days, over five million books have been downloaded, Jobs said, adding that booksellers have indicated that 22 per cent of all e-book sales are attributed to the iPad.Addressing the developers in the audience, Jobs said that of the 15,000 apps submitted every week to the App Store, more than 95 per cent are approved within seven days.Last week, the App Store crossed the five-billion mark of downloads sold.Apple pays 70 per cent of that income to developers, which so far has totalled over $1 billion.Military has its orders on Afghan withdrawal By Juliet O’Neill Canwest News Service OTTAWA - Gen.Walt Natynczyk says the military is obeying “very clear instructions” from the government to withdraw from Afghanistan next year and he won’t speculate on whether some troops could or should stay behind.The chief of defence staff declined at a news conference Monday to be drawn into a debate sparked last week by overtures from Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae suggesting the official opposition would support a post-2011 training mission for Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.“It’s not even worth, from my standpoint, speculating about future operations," Natynczyk said.“We have got very clear instructions from the government of Canada to move out on the withdrawal and that’s what we’re going to continue to plan on.” He quoted from the 2008 parliamentary motion requiring an end to the military mission and withdrawal starting in July 2011 and said a military team is in Afghanistan planning the logistics.“Soldiers, sailors, airmen and women need those clear orders to get on with business,” Natynczyk said.“So we’re moving on those orders.” He noted the institutions that will continue a non-military mission for Canada in Afghanistan include Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian International Development Agency, the RCMP and the correctional services.Last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the government is sticking by the 2008 parliamentary motion.Natynczyk’s news conference was with Admiral James Winnefed, the new commander of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command).Winnefed is visiting Ottawa to discuss, among other things, security when world leaders gather in Huntsville, Ont., for the G8 summit June 25-26 and in Toronto for the G20 summit June 26-27.NORAD’s role for the summits will be similar to that during the Olympics - to provide surveillance, assess potential threats, monitor aircraft in the area and alert forces if necessary.“If something were to happen, heaven forbid, we would be receptive of course to a request from Canada for support,” Winnefed said.“We’ve got complete confidence in Canada’s ability to handle quite a wide range of events so I wouldn’t want to indicate in anyway, shape or form, that we don’t have that sort of confidence.But we’re always ready to assist a neighbour and we have the structure in place to do that and we would certainly do it if necessary." Pride Toronto bans ‘Israeli apartheid’ -resignations follow By Carmen Chai Canwest News Service This year’s Toronto Gay Pride Parade Grand Marshal has resigned and 23 former Pride Toronto activists announced on Monday they have pulled out of Pride festivities after organizers banned the term “Israeli Apartheid” from its 10-day event.“Pride’s recent decision to ban the term ‘Israeli apartheid’ and thus prohibit the participation of the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid in Pride celebrations this year is a slap in the face to our history of diverse voices,” said Alan Li, a co-founder of Gay Asians Toronto who rejected his appointment as grand marshal.“Pride’s choice to take a pre-emptive step to censor our own communities’ voices and concerns in response to political and corporate pressure shows a lack of backbone to stand up for principles of inclusiveness and anti-oppression.” Toronto Pride board members say they made their decision after hearing “overwhelming” responses that most participants felt “unsafe” with the term.“Let us be clear, criticism of Israeli government policy is legitimate.However, the atmosphere created by the use of the words “Israeli apartheid” in the last three years of the Pride Festival are not,” the organization said in a statement.The statement said the festivities would restrict words and phrases that “promote a poisonous atmosphere.” Queers Against Israeli Apartheid members were asked to re-evaluate their approach in Pride activities, and were not banned from the festival, Pride Toronto said.Pride Toronto is a not-for-profit organization that hosts Pride Week, an annual festival held during the first weekend of July in downtown Toronto.With attendance of more thanl.2 million people, it is the third largest Pride celebration in the world and the largest in North America.Visit RECORD booth ENDSH1P DAY St.Antoine School Lennoxville JUNE 12th • SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES* *34.00 i 1 year *1 28.00 1 à»*** * Valid on site June 12 pnly taxes included Renewals and n6w subscriptions The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Tuesday, June 8, 2010 Page5 Fire in Sawyerville totals van, spares store By Doug McCooeye Tjhe old Tradition grocery store in Sawyerville was lucky to avoid serious damage last Thursday when a fire broke out in a van parked behind the building.“It was actually one of our firemen who was having a coffee at a restaurant across the street that noticed it,” said Cookshire-Eaton fire Chief Mike Herring in an interview with The Record.“He noticed the smoke, so he got on the radio and called it in.” Because the enflamed vehicle was parked so close to the building, scheduled to be reopened soon by local merchant Peter Lachance as a convenience store, the local fire department took no chances, sending a truck and a full response team.Thankfully they managed to contain the blaze to the van, which was destroyed.“The fire was caused by an electrical problem that seems to have started in the vehicle’s dash board,” said Chief Herring, noting that about fourteen to sixteen firefighters responded to the call.Forest fire effect The dry conditions this past May saw an especially high number of forest fires break out in Quebec, particularly the northern part of the province.SOPFEU, Quebec’s Forest Fire Protection Agency, issued extreme fire warnings in 29 provincial regions, including the Eastern Townships, in late May.Fire crews were able to stroyed Despite the warnings, Chief Herring said that fires in the area were relatively quiet last month.“We checked the (SOPFEU) website every day and also received hourly updates,” he said, noting that his department uses information from SOPFEU to dictate their own warnings.While Herring said that they did not change the amount of firefighters they COREY BELLAM contain the blaze to the van, which was de- hud on call in May, they did enforce an open fire ban late last month.“We have a lot of Christmas tree plantations in the area that like to do some of their cleanup this time of year.People were not allowed to burn when the warnings were set at extreme.” Over the last few days, the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife has been lifting the outdoor fire ban in most of the province’s regions.A visit to the SOPFEU website Tuesday morning revealed that only two Quebec regions (the Ashuapmushuan reserve and La Sarre-Amos) still had an extreme fire warning in effect.“Considering SOPFEU is continuing its extinguishing operations of fires in (certain sectors), it is recommended that these areas be avoided if possible," noted Natural Resources minister Nathalie Normandeau in a statement.Isabelle Tremblay, a spokesperson for SOPFEU, said that while the recent rains have helped, another dry spell could lead to more warnings.Even though the fires in the province have tailed off of late - at its peak in late May, the agency was dealing with over fifty fires throughout the province -Tremblay said that they still had some 360 forest fire fighters from outside the province aiding them in combating the sixteen or so fires that were still ongoing.Herring too said that they are always wary of the fire warnings, even when the danger level is set at low.“We still check the updates about five to six times a day.We keep an eye on it.” dmccooeye@sherbrookerecord.com IN BRIEF Aulis collecting between visits for CCSVI treatment After being hospitalized for heart procedures last week, MS Branch 2000 president Lee Aulis will be canvassing outside the Lennoxvilie Provigo store this week trying to raise funds to send Debbie Me Kelvey to India for Liberation Treatment that may alleviate her Multiple Sclerosis symptoms.Aulis, who is scheduled to return to the hospital in two weeks to begin to fight kidney and colon cancer, and her caregiver Beverley Chappie will be collecting funds Thursday morning, June 10 and all day on June 11 and 12.For information call Lee Aulis at 819-823-7167.Rouleau: Canada Games prep on schedule City councillor Jean-François Rouleau, said that preparations for the Sherbrooke 2013 Canada Summer Games are right on schedule.Rouleau, who is vice-president of the 2013 Games committee, said they are in the process of putting their board of directors together and should have some major announcements “in the Fall.” According to the councillor, financing for $42 million of the $50 million that will be required for the new sporting infrastructure - like the new $30 million sports complex renovation and expansion at Bishop’s University - has already been secured.“The economic impact of the 2009 games on PEI was about $100 million which is very exciting for us,” said Rouleau.CFIA allergy alert Individuals with allergies to milk proteins are being warned by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) not to consume nationally distributed Uncle Ben’s Bistro Express six packs since milk has not been declared on the ingredient listings on the outer box.The listings on the pouches within the affected six-pack boxes are correctly labeled with milk ingredients declared where present.Uncle Ben’s Bistro Express six pack is sold in 1.5 kg boxes bearing UPC 0 58496 25406 and contains six 250 gram pouches of rice.Milk ingredients are present in the Long Grain & Wild - Fine Herbs and the Long Grain & Wild -Roasted Chicken flavor rice products contained in the affected 6 pack boxes.For more information call the CFIA at 1-800 442-2342.Dont drink and drive As Summer approaches, the Monsonville Youth Chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), a program of the Missisquoi North Volunteer Centre, would like to remind each of you to think responsibly as you enjoy your summer.PLEASE, Don't Drink and Drive! Draw your DAD Send in a drawing of your Dad \j J and we will publish it in The Record on Thursday, June 17 in time for Father’s Day, Father’s Name: Child’s Name: Age: 1195 Galt St.East, Sherbrooke, QCJ1G 1Y7 or email: classad@sherbookerecord.com Deadline: Monday, June 14, 2010 Send in your father’s name, your name and age. Page 6 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 V \ ,» / .V V ».v ‘ • / /t»4., I « t newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record DITORIAL The inability of foreign invaders to subdue the Afghan people with any reliability is, of course, the stuff of legend.Mike McDevitt Time marches on Yesterday marked an ominous anniversary as it signified the 104th month of U.S.and Allied military intervention in Afghanistan.As such, the day officially makes the Afghan conflict the longest war in U.S.history, having surpassed the Vietnam longevity marker by one full month and counting.Given the situation in that beleaguered country, we can expect that record to continue to be remade for some time to come.The ‘Great Wars’ of the 20th century, imaginatively named World Wars I and II, lasted four and six years, respectively, for the countries that were in it from the get-go.For the Americans, WW I was not eyen a two-year affair, while WW II kept them busy for about three and a half.In both of these conflicts, the U.S, and its allies emerged with total and undeniable victories.In Vietnam and Afghanistan, on the other hand, the former was an unmitigated defeat while the latter seems to be stuck in a loop that is going to make it extremely difficult for the U.S.to emerge with even its pride, let alone a victory.The inability of foreign invaders to subdue the Afghan people with any reliability is, of course, the stuff of legend.Alexander the Great died there, the Romans never bothered, the Brits wasted a century and the Soviets ushered in their own demise with an invasion of their own.Now, it seems, it’s our turn, because, of course, the Afghan War is one in which Canada agreed to participate and from which we are committed (really, we are!) to getting out of by the middle of next year.If the significance of a military conflict were to be determined by its length, the “war against terror in Afghanistan for the protection of women’s rights," would measure right up there with the French revolutionary wars, which also had some high-sounding ideals behind them, and yet, after all this time, it is difficult to establish precisely what has been accomplished .A number of our young men and women are dead, to be sure, and the Taliban no longer rules unchallenged, but Afghanistan remains an occupied country with a hugely unpopular puppet government.It seems our troops can’t really accomplish much, but they’re in too deep to leave.In general, this war, like its sister in Iraq is doing nothing either to help the locals establish a meaningful and open government or to further the greater interests of the United States.Both are quagmires which are devouring the brave young people sent over there to fight and to die.There are winners, though.The numerous private security firms with huge contracts who are bleeding the Afghan government, military and police of their best and brightest are doing business in the billions and have hamstrung local government efforts.Warlords and drug dealers are being bribed and subsidized and even some former Taliban leaders have been lured onside, costing the ‘good guys’ nothing more than their treasure and their honour as minor details like “promoting the rights of women” are bartered away in exchange for a little security.This is no way to win a war - but it is a way to prolong one and to ensure that no powerful, independent central Afghan government will ever emerge from the chaos.That could be what we wanted, couldn’t it?.¦¦lilt HI n RECORD P.0.Box 1200 SheifcrookeJlH 5L6 or 1195 Galt E.Sherbrooke JIG 1Y7 Fax for Newsroom only: 819-569-3945 e-mail: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Website: www.sherbrookerecord.com Sharon McCully Publisher .(819)569-6345 Sharon McCully Managing Editor .(819) 569-6345 Michael McDevtit Assistant Editor (819) 569-6345 Fraser Lockerbie Corresp.Editor .(819) 569-6345 Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman.(819) 569-9931 DEPARTMENTS Accounting.(819) 569-9511 Advertising .(819) 569-9525 Circulation .(819) 569-9528 Newsroom.(819) 569-6345 Knowlton office 5B Victoria Street.Knowlton, Quebec, )0E 1V0 Tel: (450) 242-1188 Fax: (450) 243-5155 MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS GST PST TOTAL Canada: 1 year 120.00 6.00 9.45 $135.45 6 MONTHS 63.00 3.15 4.96 $71.11 3 MONTHS 32.00 1.60 2.52 $36.12 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 Alta Newspaper Group Limited Partnership.PM#0040007682 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to The Record.1195 Galt East.Sherbrooke.QC JIG 1Y7 Member ABC, CARD.CNA, QCNA Lmmi ' SAPIN® CHEST WOUND?NO PROBLEM! Bilingualism a matter of pride and policy, Ignatieff says By Mike De Souza Canwest News Service OTTAWA - Bilingualism is an essential part of the Canadian identity that promotes peace, order and good government.Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Monday.Speaking at a forum about official languages organized by his party on Parliament Hill, Ignatieff said the Liberals would pledge to support minority francophone and anglophone communities across the country in the next election campaign with specific dollar figures attached to its platform.Ignatieff said that bilingualism in Canada was about more than policy, but also a question of pride."This is why we're the country of peace, order and good government," Ignatieff said."This is why we're the country that has maintained national unity across hundreds and hundreds of years.(It's) because we're able to take the helmet off and put another helmet on and live inside another world.This is what I'm proud of as a Canadian.So this isn't just a piece of the platform.This is a much more profound definition of who we are." Ignatieff said the federal government was the only one that could protect linguistic minorities in provinces and territories.He said he learned to appreciate the value of protecting Canada's official languages partly because of his father, who worked in the public service for 40 years and spoke English, French, as well as Russian."This is in my veins," Ignatieff said."So I understand how important it is for a member of the francophone community to have access to services in the language of their birth.I understand how important it is in Quebec for someone to have access to services in the language of their birth." The federal language watchdog's latest annual report expressed concerns last month about the Harper government's "laissez-faire” approach to bilingualism and supporting both languages in the public service for its employees.At the time, Official Languages Minister James Moore noted that progress was being made, but acknowledged that there is still room for improvement.Fake lake should be called ‘Harper’s Folly’ CanwestNews Service TORONTO - The Council of Canadians is requesting the artificial lake being built in the Toronto media centre for this month's G8 and G20 summits be named "Harper's Folly." The group sent an official request to the Geographical Names Board of Canada to name the lake after Prime Minister Stephen Harper."We believe that all Canadians - regardless of their political views - will agree that the only thing more outrageous than spending $1.1 billion on a three-day meet- ing is thinking that an indoor lake next to a big television could possibly compare to the spectacular beauty of cottage country," Mark Calzavara, an organizer for group, said in a statement.The artificial Muskoka scene is part of a larger exhibit called "The Canadian Cor ridor," intended to highlight Canadian investment opportunities.The group plans to protest against the summits, calling them a waste of money, a disruption to residents and an "infringement of civil liberties.National Post The Record newsroom@sherbrooker ecord.com Tuesday, June 8, 2010 Page 7 Columnist I “With all this bad news, the world desperately craves someone to blame,so making scapegoats of Obama, Hayward, the Israeli people, (instead of the Israeli government) seems to be a simple reaction.” Looking for a scapegoat In all the wrong places Ellen Goldfinch Somebody’s Mother o can I blame?The good news is that Bangladesh has lifted its two-week ban on Facebook.The bad news is that nine activists died in a flotilla carrying humanitarian supplies for the citizens of Gaza.The good news is that, five days later, when the Israeli army boarded the Rachel Corrie ship, no one was hurt.The bad news is that the Egyptian Supreme Court has upheld a law stripping citizenship from any Egyptian man married to an Israeli woman and there are approximately 30,000 Egyptian men who are married to women with Israeli citizenship as during the Iraq war, Egyptians found work in Israel and subsequently married women of that country.The bad news from the Middle East keeps getting worse and the good news is so mild in comparison, so scant, that even a cautious optimist like me has to throw up her hands and try not to read too much news on the Internet.There is so much conjecture and hot air fuming out of my TV and computer these days that I can scarcely breathe in my home.I would like to throw a verbal temper tantrum but I would only be adding to the pundit global warming that is going on these days.The Middle East isn’t the only problem: go south of the border to the oil-drenched shores of Louisiana.The good news/bad news rollercoaster there is not buying friends for the folks at BP or for President Obama.One day, capping the leak with mud failed.A few days later, we hear that the containment cap placed on the gusher trapped about 1.67 million litres of oil.but the oil is still coming out.I like a scapegoat as much as the next guy but if you’re going to pick between Mr.Obama and BP Chairman Tom “I’d like to get my life back” Hayward, I know which one I would choose to throw the rotten tomato at.How he could fit a very big foot like that in his mouth is a question for physics.When you think how many men died on that rig, how many livelihoods may be ruined by this disaster, it is hard to pity Hayward for losing quality time at the ski hill or golf course when so much of the Gulf of Mexico is likely to suffer damage that, some experts are saying, will not be fixed in our lifetime.Perhaps this is a pessimistic assessment.The damage to fish stocks, animal and plant life may be understood better next year at this time, but right now, it’s looking very bad.Blaming Hayward may feel good, but what does it accomplish?With all this bad news, the world desperately craves someone to blame, so making scapegoats of Obama, Hayward, the Israeli people, (instead of the Israeli government) seems to be a simple reaction to complex technical and political problems.This is where we all get into trouble.There is no question that we need to hold guilty parties accountable for their actions and that measures have to be taken to provide equitable solutions to people who are suffering, whether it’s the people of Gaza who are living in an economic hell, the Israeli people who never know when a rocket will be lobbed on them, the widows and families of the men who were killed on that BP oil rig, and the people who make their living from the waters that still have gallons of oil gushing into them.Regulatory agencies that are supposed to ensure the safety of offshore drilling need to do their jobs instead of kowtowing to the oil industry.Politicians need to stop posturing and start negotiating in an atmosphere of mutual respect and a willingness to protect human life and the dignity of human life.Until people do their jobs right, this planet and its inhabitants remain in a perilous state, and no amount of pointed fingers will change that.UNIVERSITE BISHOP’S UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION 2010 Saturday, June 12 • John H.Price Sports Centre Four Outstanding Canadians to Receive Honorary Degrees Morning Ceremony (10:30 a.m.) RICK MERCER Host of CBC’s Rick Mercer Report JEAN PERRAULT Former Mayor, City of Sherbrooke Afternoon Ceremony (3:00 p.m.) DIAN COHEN Economic & Financial Commentator DONALD J.JOHNSTON Former OECD Secretary-General The public is invited to attend.Full details at llbisllOpS.Cct Page 8 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Manitoba’s polar bear population will collapse in 30 years 20 - 30 per cent expected to die off annually By Bartley Kives Winnipeg Free Press WINNIPEG - Northern Manitoba's celebrated polar bear population is set to vanish in just a few short decades, if research by two of the world's top experts proves right.The Western Hudson Bay subpopulation of polar bears, estimated at 935 animals in 2004, is expected to decline over the next 25 to 30 years to the point where there are not enough bears to sustain a breeding population, predicts University of Alberta biologist Ian Stirling, who's been studying polar bears for 37 years.The increasing length of the ice-free season on Hudson Bay will soon reach a tipping point where 20 to 30 per cent of Manitoba's polar bears will begin dying off every year, according to a mathe- matical analysis released by Stirling's colleague, University of Alberta biologist Andrew Derocher.who has studied polar bears for 28 years.The predictions mean the province that calls itself the polar bear capital of the world may no longer be able to count the iconic Arctic animal as a resident species within a generation.The eventual extirpation of polar bears from Manitoba would have disastrous effects on the ecotourism business in Churchill, Man., as well as the province’s efforts to portray itself as a leader in conservation.“We can say with a very great deal of confidence, sadly, the Western Hudson Bay population will be non-viable within 25 or 30 years,” Stirling said in an interview, referring to periodic polar bear counts, an observed decline in the average weight of polar bears, a decline in the weight and number of polar bear cubs and the increasing length of the ice-free period on Hudson Bay.Unlike bears in the High Arctic, the Western Hudson Bay population spends its summers on land, denning in and around Wapusk National Park east of Churchill.Since almost all of the bears’ calories come from seals - which are only hunted on These two polar bears, squaring off near Churchill, Manitoba, may sea ice - a longer ice- become a very rare sight in the near future WIKIMEDIA free period means less hunting and less body mass.Business Directory Stow Robinson - Ubful unkt 819-569-7950 • 819420-6022 2040, ch.Spring Rd., Cookshire-Eaton QC JOB Téléphoto -m foto source* Digital «•‘[¦riiifi With this coupon and for each reprint you order, get one free.(No minimum, no maximum) 1 coupon gat cuti Not vsdid with i Fœe Film With the purchase of two FUJIFILM with process included, get a third free.1 coupon per cuttomtr Not vadM with any 218, Alexandra at Sherbrooke 5844033 Tractors I I ArboExcellence Stephen Goddard, prop.Certified Arborist ISA QU-0103A Professional Services • Tree 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CjubCxidejC ONCE AND FOR ALL.Pra-Saason Promo Tractor t Rowk + Trater + Gos Irimmw •1,9*9** + iixfis •64'* /ram* GET YOUR TRACTOR TUNED UPI • Details in store F.Davidson Painting 8c Roof Repair Roof, house & barn Pressure washing "Techno-seal" waterproof shingling - Save on replacement of roofing - Also good for tin roofs 9-868- Petits Moteurs Fleurimont inc.Snowblowers - Generators - etc.We honor Geo Delisle’s OOUmBUI^ warranty.1 773 Galvin Rd.Fleurimont • 81 9-563-0050 1 I I I I I The average polar bear eats 43 ringed seals a year, Stirling said.Missing out on only two of those meals every year is enough to cause a polar bear’s body weight to decline to the point where females produce underweight cubs or no cubs at all.A preliminary estimate of the Western Hudson Bay polar bear population prepared in 2009 suggested there are only 635 bears around Churchill, a disturbingly low number the biologists are dismissing as incorrect.A full count using the same methodology as the 2004 estimate will be conducted later this year, Stirling said.But an analysis conducted by Derocher and two mathematicians suggests Manitoba’s polar bear population will decline rapidly once Hudson Bay’s ice-free period gets to the point where bears wind up with too little food to produce viable offspring - let alone survive meal-free summers on land.The notion that polar bears can turn to alternate food sources is preposterous, said Stirling, noting the species has evolved to subsist on seals.Claims by Inuit that polar bears are increasing in number are spurious because the animals, are merely turning to human settlements in attempts to find food, he added.The Western Hudson Bay population will decline even with no hunting and worldwide reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions, Stirling said.“Even if we had a magic wand to wave around or could touch a magic button, it’s like trying to turn a supertanker around,” Stirling said of climate change.“Even if we went back to 1970 greenhouse-gas levels, it will be years before we see a difference.” But Robert Buchanan, president and CEO of educational organization Polar Bears International, cautioned it would be fatal to give up on polar bears, which he describes as a “sentinel species” that draws attention to the plight of the entire Arctic ecosystem.Canada, which has 65 per cent of the world’s estimated 15,000 to 25,000 polar bears, has the potential to lead the world in the fight against climate change, he said.“We have to provide hope,” he said.“If Canada doesn’t get it, then the rest of the world won’t get it.” Manitoba declared polar bears a threatened species in 2008.Derocher and other biologists are urging Canada to follow suit this year. 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