The record, 6 mars 2002, mercredi 6 mars 2002

RECORD —.Drivers wanted.CLASSIFIEDS K19I5M5 R.ECO RJ D Volkswagen de I’Estrie Rock Forest 819-569-9111 The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 WWW.SHERBROOKERECORD.COM Wednesday, March 6, 2002 Police officers honour fallen colleague 65 cents Staff Sherbrooke Police officers at Sherbrooke headquarters joined their colleagues from across Quebec, Canada and the United States at 2 p.m.in a minute of silence for Constable Benoit L’Ecuyer, who was gunned down in the line of duty in Montreal last week.Sixteen local officers also traveled to Montreal to attend the civic funeral today for their fallen colleague.They participated in an honor guard of more than 3,000 police officers in a gesture of respect and professional solidarity.The procession of uniformed policemen, which filed past the Montreal courthouse where murder suspect Stéphane Boucher was being charged, took more than an hour.When they arrived at Notre Dame Basilica, there was not enough room inside as L’Ecuyer’s widow, two young children, and family were joined by more than 2,500 friends and mourners that included hundreds of Boucher’s colleagues from the Montreal Police Brotherhood.L’Ecuyer, a seven-year member of the Montreal Urban Community .police force, was shot last Thursday on a busy highway after he and his partner stopped a car that had sped through their radar trap.About 12 hours before the civic funeral began, Boucher was arrested in Iberville in the wee hours of the morning after an intensive five-day manhunt.Boucher, 24, was found sound asleep on a couch after a tip from a woman who called to say the widely sought suspect would be there in a few hours.Police had been staking out the apartment for hours when the woman, who was in her 50s, walked out and handed police a handbag that contained a handgun.See Colleague, Page 4 Wellington S ***** wuariiw* ftfOfraav Group wants city, street names dropped By Daniel Huot Sherbrooke Members of a local language organization that wants to protect the rights of French-speaking people are asking Sherbrooke councillors to consider changing the city’s name to reflect its francophone character, and to drop King Street in favour of Rock Forest’s extension, Boulevard Bourque.Those are only two of five recommendations the Mouvement estrien pour le français submitted to Sherbrooke city council Monday night.Mayor Jean Perrault swiftly put an end to the idea that Sherbrooke’s name could be changed, and referred all other toponomy questions to Councillor Serge Paquin.See Signs, Page 4 PERRY BEATON/SPECIAL sglpmlS PERRY BEATON/SPECIAL Police officers at Sherbrooke headquarters held a minute of silence Tuesday for Const.Benoit L’Ecuyer, who was gunned down in the line of duty in Montreal last week.SQ’s Serge Dubord to retire By Daniel Huot Sûreté du Québec Const.Serge Dubord announced Tuesday that he will retire on April 1.Since 1994, Dubord has managed public affairs and media relations for the SQ’s Eastern Townships’ detachment.He began his 30-year career with the SQ when he was 19, working as an investigator for more than 15 years.“I didn’t want to make the announcement right away,” he said about his retirement."I’m planning to go on vacation, spend a quiet summer relaxing.I’m not going to do any police work.” He noted that April 1 is 30 years to the day he began his first day on the job.SQConst.Serge Dubord will retire on April 1.VOYAGES •Certain conditions apply Mirabel 5 Dorval Free transportation .from Sherbrooke to airports!* * Shuttle service to your home available ESCAPADE 2000 Let X».•Subject to change without notice ¦ ^ 1-888-689-8429 )Group trips available j*.«• - m f æ*- pmm.WmUMRms 563-5344 566-7603 46 KING E.2500 UNIVERSITÉ 3VLD.SHERBROOKE SHERBROOKE (opening soon on campus) 849-2715 583-6658 59 CHILD 5257 FRONTENAC C0ATIC00K LAC-MÉGANTIC § I page 2 Wednesday, March 6, 2002 i¦THE»» Record Lifting the veil on commissions of inquiry If the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence has its way, the next commission of inquiry will deal with the security of maritime ports.If the Chretien government agrees, it won’t be the only one.At any given time, dozens of commissions of inquiry, federal and provincial, are holding sittings all across Canada thanks to a whole array of government mandates.Some operate in a blaze of publicity while others do their utmost to avoid the public eye.I should know — I spent years with the now defunct Commission of Inquiry into Organized Crime.While most of the targets were the subject of public hearings, the ones I worked on remained confidential.Even municipalities get INTO THE ACT Quebec municipalities can also get into the act.They have access to a rarely invoked, but much watered down version of a commission of inquiry.In virtue of the Cities and Towns Act, town councils may appoint committees to investigate matters within their jurisdiction.This is what occurred in May 1999, when the Town of Brome Lake council appointed three councilors to examine the David Allen Gauthier file.Their distinct features Commissions of inquiry have very distinct features, two of which are extremely important.Their proceedings begin with an independent investigation and terminate with a report that includes a summary of the findings as well as a series of recommendations.Governments call on them in matters of public interest, especially when the scope of an inquiry requires a high degree of expertise.This is not to say public pressure never plays an substantial role in any government’s decision to set up an inquiry.Quite the contrary.While their final reports are neither binding nor conclusive, their influence can lead to pressing legislation as well as major changes in government practices.If offences are disclosed during the course of their hearings, the evidence is relayed to the Attorney General’s office where prosecutors must decide whether to institute regular criminal proceedings.Ability to focus on a particular subject matter Much like a coroner’s inquest, their effectiveness lies in the ability to focus on a particular subject matter without being bogged down by the many rules of evidence and judicial procedure that are part and parcel of our criminal trial system.However, this does not prevent hearings from erupting into a highly charged atmosphere, especially during the spirited interrogations of unco-operative or hostile witnesses.Concentration of TOUGH LEGAL POWERS What enables a commission of inquiry to be so effective are the powers and immunities vested by law in the commissioners.Contrary to police investigators, commissioners have the legal authority to order witnesses to give evidence under oath or affirmation and to produce any document in their custody or control.As with U.S.grand juries, any witness who fails to appear is subject to arrest.Any witness who refuses to be sworn or to answer any question also exposes themselves to contempt procedures and ultimately incarceration.Failing to give truthful answers can lead to charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.Why not resort to conventional investigations Why is it necessary to resort to such exceptional investigative procedures?The simple truth is conventional investigations are not always capable of gathering the type of information that witnesses prefer to hide.This is partic- ularly the case when the information is tied to wide-ranging activities that are both illegal and well organized.One has only to imagine what the results would have been had both the Walkerton Inquiry regarding the E.coli contamination or the Poitras Inquiry into the SQ proceeded by way of a police investigation.They would have been disastrous — police forces simply do not possess the required financial resources, personnel, legal tools and often the expertise to tackle such massive inquiries.Importance of commissioners and support staff However, the success of any inquiry commission depends on more than just the commissioners’ legal powers and immunities.Other factors come into play, not the least being the competence and experience of the commissioners themselves.Those with great character and intellect are naturally a bonus for any inquiry.Judges make good commissioners, but not only because they help to eliminate any appearance of partisan politics.As well as being legally trained and skilled, it is their reputation for judicial independence and impartiality that makes them the ideal choice.Then follows the selection of attorneys, investigators, researchers and support staff that are all necessary to complete a mandate.Team players are of significant importance as any loose canon can create havoc for a commission.Attorneys also play a pivotal role in any inquiry commission.Not only are they responsible for filtering the evidence and advising the commissioners, they handle all witness interrogations during both private and public hearings.Subject to criticism Despite their many advantages, in- quiry commissions have always been the subject of criticism.One of the biggest complaints is that witnesses are exposed to incriminating themselves as well as violating their right to remain silent.While this is true, it is nothing particularly new.The same situation occurs whenever an accused is called to testify against an accomplice in a separate case.While, in both instances, accomplices and witnesses are compellable witnesses, their testimony can never be used against them in their own proceedings, except in cases of perjury Other criticisms originate from witnesses who claim they were not adequately heard in their defence, or that their reputations were sullied because of the extensive publicity.While the use of private hearings as well as the right to respond to any blame have become standard safeguards, extensive publicity remains a fact of life that all branches of our justice system are exposed to.Vulnerable to political manipulation Are commissions of inquiry vulnerable to political manipulation?Definitively.The methods can be as widespread as they can be subtle.They include the setting up an inquiry with the secret aim of embarrassing a political opponent or opposition party to under budgeting an inquiry so as to make it less efficient.Finally, nothing prevents a government from putting together an inquiry commission to appease an angry public and shelving the findings and recommendations if they are found to be embarrassing.Nevertheless, thanks in part to an increasingly vigilant public and media, governments have become less inclined to reject sound recommendations without valid reasons.Next week: A closer look at the TBL “Commission of Inquiry" Comments: henryk@endirect.qc.ca.Henry R.Keyserlingk Weather Wednesday: Intermittent snow.Accumulation possibly reaching 5 cm.High near zero.Thursday: Intermittent light snow.Low near minus 5.High near minus 1.Probability of precipitation 80 per cent.Friday: Intermittent snow.Low near minus 14.High near plus 2.Saturday: intermittent rain.Low near minus 4.High near 10 Normals for the period: Low minus 11.High zero.Ben by Daniel Shelton C OKAY, OKAY.I ADMIT IT, IT'S A LITTLE STRONG- r-1 PAD,, ITS , A HOLE 1 Kf THRCKJ6H YOURC UP! m 'THE i Wednesday, March 6, 2002 page 3 Hébert gets six years for manslaughter of Verville By Maurice Crossfield Convicted of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Adam Verville, Bedford’s Guy Hébert was sentenced to six years in prison Tuesday.“I have no fear for his rehabilitation,” wrote Quebec Superior Court judge Paul Marcel Bellavance.“He made a mistake which he will not make again.” Hébert was sentenced to seven years, with a year taken off for the time he spent in detention before his trial.He was also forbidden from owning a firearm for life and must submit to a DNA test.The sentence, handed down in the presence of several family members of the victim, did little to soothe the pain felt by Frank Ditcham, Adam’s father.“He was murdered, and now the guy gets six years, so he’ll be out in two,” Ditcham told reporters afterwards.“It makes you sick.What would they do if I shot someone right now?.They’d put me away for longer than that.” Ditcham said he had been hoping the judge would have given a life sentence, the maximum possible for manslaughter.“If it had been one of their children, it would have been different,” he said.Ditcham said he will keep the newspaper articles and other evidence of the trial so that one day he can explain what happened to Adam Verville’s daughter, who is now four years old.“I’m going to tell her he was murdered,” he said.On the night of Oct.23, 2000, Verville was out having fun with his cousin Shawn Soule.Over the course of the evening the two drank large amounts of beer, and purchased cocaine from Hébert.Just after midnight they went to Hubert’s apartment to get some more.Breaking a window to get into the hallway on the top floor of the Bedford Hotel, they then knocked on Hébert’s door.He opened it with the barrel of a loaded 12 gauge double-barreled shotgun.Pushing Verville against the wall, Hébert then backed up and pulled the trigger.Verville, 21, died within minutes.Hébert called 911, threw his drugs out of the apartment window, and was arrested shortly afterwards.In his judgment, Bellavance said there were two possible scenarios: One was that it was an accident, caused by the door swinging back against the shotgun.The second was that Hébert was a drug dealer defending his business.“.the prosecution showed that the scenario retained for the purposes of sentencing is that in which the accused was active and aggressive, rather than passive and defensive.Still, he did not have, according to the jury, the intention of killing Adam Verville,” Bellavance said.Hébert’s time before a judge may not be over yet, however.Defence lawyer Gerson Foisy has filed for leave to appeal the verdict.On Tuesday, he did not say if he intended to appeal the sentence as well.Ditcham said he came out of the sentencing hearing feeling helpless.“It’s not fair, it’s not right,” he said.“But whaLcan you do?” ETSB’s three renovation projects on schedule By Nelson Afonso Despite uncertain weather conditions and a slow Quebec economy, the Eastern Townships School Board’s three main renovation projects are on schedule to completed by the end of the summer.Renovation work at Sherbrooke Elementary School, which will allow it to increase its number of classrooms by four, is set to be completed sometime in the spring, said ETSB Council of Commissioners chairwoman Margaret Faulks.The project, primarily funded by the Quebec government, was necessary because of increasing enrollment at the school, located on Ontario Street.“We looked at it as an investment at the moment,” said Faulks about the board’s decision to invest in the construction of a fourth floor to the school which ne cessitated an extra investment added to the $450,000 grant from the government.“It is less expensive to get the floor built while we were already renovating,” Enrollment at SES reached 491 this year, added Faulks.Another major renovation project will finally get underway in the next few weeks at Drummondville Elementary School thanks to the recent approval of a $932,000 grant from Quebec City.Faulks said the school board is now accepting bids from architects and contractors, and renovation plans will eventually be selected.A total of three extra classrooms will be built for the Drummondville school.Faulks said the board is currently using three temporary classrooms for its student population, but added the space is not suitable.The completion date has been set for Sept.1 Finally, phase two of the $4.5-million construction project at the Lennoxville Vocational Education Centre is well underway and on schedule.The project was necessary, said Faulks, because the facilities were inadequate for their purpose.“Everything from the space for equipment to the equipment itself did not meet the necessary standards,” concluded Faulks.The second phase is scheduled to be complete by the end of June.Brief Michelin pulls funding from Ice Challenge Staff Sherbrooke’s Canada-Quebec Ice Challenge will no longer be sponsored by tire-maker Michelin, who issued a statement Monday saying that it will no longer act as the event’s main sponsor because the tires used during the annual competition will no longer be made or be available after this year.Michelin will also limit its major sponsorships to three other important events and competitions, namely Formula 1 racing, the American LeMans event and the International Automobile Federation’s Rally world championships.Event organizers said the Ice Challenge will continue to be presented, adding they are currently searching for a new sponsor.tun SALfc Corporate owned restaurant - Looking for your own business.- Want to assure your job and your future.- No big investment needed.Restaurant for sale: - Lennnoxville at 92 Queen St.For information: Simon David Robin GROUPE 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Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital Carolyn Foss-Monson, PHR Director of Human Resources RR2 Box 13, Colebrook, NH 03576 Ph: 603-237-4971 Ext.236 Fax: 603-237-4452 e-mail: carolynfossmonson@hitchcock.org M page 4 Wednesday, March 6, 2002 RECORD Sir Sherbrooke never set foot in Sherbrooke: Poisson Signs: Cont’d from Page 1 “The name of the new city is written down in the decree,” he said.“The government has already rendered a decision on that topic.” Mouvement president Jacques Poisson noted that citizens didn’t have the opportunity to choose the name of the new city.His organization is asking the public choose a new name and that it reflects its francophone character.“We would prefer something like in the case of Hull, where the city’s name was changed to Gatineau following the merger,” said Poisson.“Sherbrooke is 94 per cent francophone.Kingston was once Frontenac .It’s not forbidden to change reality, but not without the public’s approval.” He added that a public consultation process should be held where citizens should be allowed to offer suggestions, without totally excluding Sherbrooke.“If people want Sherbrooke, then that’s what it should be,” he said.“(Sir John Coape) Sherbrooke never set his foot in Sherbrooke.” Asked if such a process would prove a financial fiasco, like the one which occurred in Longueuil where the government ended up spending more than $1 million entertaining names like Logmoyne and Monoeuil, only to settle on the original name, Poisson said Sherbrooke should employ proper mechanisms to facilitate the process while also avoiding wasting money.Poisson also argued Sherbrooke’s main road, King Street, should be named after John Samuel Bourque (1894-1974), the son of Théophile A.Bourque and Mary Jane McGowan, and a Union Nationale MNA who served as a minister in the cabinets of former Quebec premiers Maurice Duplessis and Paul Sauvé’s on repeated occasions between 1935 and 1960.“Bourque is the father of the Université de Sherbrooke and the Centre universitaire hospitalier de Sherbrooke,” Poisson noted.“Without him, neither of these two city landmarks would exist today.” King Street on the other hand is named after William IV, who ruled over the British Empire from 1830-37.“No ‘king’ has ever done anything important for Sherbrooke, but Bourque did a lot to improve the community,” Poisson added.Although not included in Monday night’s recommendations, the Mouvement has posted on its Web page its membership’s opinion that all street names that have no historic value, or which reflect a colonial past, be dropped.Among them are Queen and Wellington Streets.“The ‘Queen’ hasn’t done much for Sherbrooke.Wellington was an important historical figure — in England,” Poisson noted.“It will be up to the city’s toponomy committee to decide what their names should be.” Other names he said should be dropped include: • Durham, named after the 1st Earl of Durham, John George Lambton, who recommended assimilating French in Canada following the 1838 Rebellion: • Monckton, named after British army officer Robert Monckton who supervised the deportation of the Acadians in 1755 as lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia; • Craig, named after Sir James Henry Craig, a governor general of Lower Canada who had leaders of the Parti canadien imprisoned without a trial in March 1810, and whom Poisson said attacked parliamentary institutions to deprive French-speakers of their fundamental rights in the early nineteenth century.The Record noted that there is no street named Monckton in the new city, but there is a Moncton Street without a “k”.“I don’t see why we should honour people who wanted to put lead into people’s heads,” he said, adding that French-speaking criminals should also be deprived of being honoured with a street name.Poisson indicated that his organization is not trying to eradicate the new city’s English heritage.“Hyatt Street should be kept,” he said, referring to Gilbert Hyatt, the first Loyalist settler in the Sherbrooke area.“We should keep the names of sig- nificant anglophones who have contributed to the growth of Sherbrooke.” Toponomy committee president Serge Paquin said citizens will have the final say when it comes to naming streets.Asked whether Bourque and King evoked a linguistic conflict, Paquin acknowledged the two names are in different languages.“They’re raising the subject on a linguistic basis, but our considerations will be much larger” said Paquin, adding that approximately 360 street names in the new city need to be changed to avoid duplication following the Jan.1, 2002 merger.The Mouvement’s three other recommendations to city council included: • Asking tourism guides acknowledge the Université de Sherbrooke, the city’s rich Catholic heritage and the francophone reality in the region: • The name Eastern Townships and its French derivative Cantons de l’Est be dropped for Estrie following a 1981 government decree.• The new city properly decorate its main arteries with Quebec’s colours on June 24, St-Jean-Baptiste Day.The only number you have to remember when you need to sell something is.(819) 569-9525 Classifieds Brief Stolen vehicle driver charged Staff Sûreté du Québec officers arrested the driver and passenger of a stolen 1989 Corsica Tuesday morning towards 1:30 a.m.at the exit of Bar Le Broadway in Ascot Corner.Only the driver, 27-year-old Fabien Fortier has been charged thus far.He appeared before a Sherbrooke court judge yesterday morning.Fabien is known by police for his handling of other people’s vehicles.A routine check made it possible for patrollers to confirm the Corsica had been stolen in Sherbrooke’s Bromptonville Borough.Colleague:- Cont’d from Page 1 She said she didn’t like those things, police reported.They explained that the woman had lifted the gun off the sleeping suspect before leaving the door unlocked for police.Police reftised to speculate about whether the weapon found was used in L’Ecuyer’s shooting.Two other people, a man and woman in their 20s, were also arrested later Tuesday and may be charged with harboring the fugitive.Their connection to the woman who gave Boucher up was still unclear Tuesday.Boucher, who had died his hair red to change his appearance, did not resist arrest.On Tuesday afternoon, Boucher appeared at the Montreal courthouse - just a stone’s throw from the basilica where L'E-cuyer’s funeral was taking place.He was charged with first degree murder, armed robbery and illegal use of a firearm.Police say he opened fire on L’Ecuyer as he fled the scene.L’Ecuyer was shot four times.Boucher, who had called police twice last week, but refused to turn himself in, is also a suspect in a post-office robbery and was sought for violating probation. THEi Wednesday, March 6, 2002 page 5 TBL comes out against simultaneous elections By Maurice Crossfield The Town of Brome Lake is calling for the status quo in the face of a new law that would have all municipalities going to the polls at the same time.Under the terms of Bill 29, all Quebec municipalities would hold full elections in 2005, with subsequent elections every four years.“I find it’s ridiculous,” said Brome Lake mayor Stanley Neil.“It’s just another way for the province to destabilize the municipalities.” In the case of Brome Lake, which is slated to have its next election in 2003, Bill 29 would leave two options: Hold an election in 2003 for a two-year mandate, or extend the present mandate by two years.That would keep the present council in place for a total of six years.At the monthly council meeting Monday, councillors were initially to vote on a resolution drafted by the municipality of Mirabel, calling for a six-year term.But the consensus at the council table was the status quo was the best thing.The resolution the council finally passed reflected that.In other council news: • Council passed a borrowing bylaw for $1.7 million, which will be used to repair and pave Brome Lake’s roads.The loan, paid back over ten years, will be covered by the five cents per $100 asphalt tax included on residents tax bills.With the $1.7 million the municipality intends to repair and repave Brome Road (11 km), and Mill Road.Any money left over will be used to repave sections of Foster, Mt.Echo and Davis Roads.“The amount we’ll be paying back is the equivalent of what we were spending on patching,” said Neil.Of particular concern has been Mill Road in Bondville.It’s crumbling pavement was torn up a couple of years ago.Councillor Robin Moore expressed concern that the municipality hasn’t yet dealt with all of the troubles.“We spent a large slew of money on that road and there are still problems,” said Neil.“Robin is right, we don’t want to spend money on paving until we’re reasonably sure we’ve got the worst of the problems resolved.” The bylaw has been sent to the province for approval, and a call for tenders is expected in April or May, with work going on through the summer.• Faced with numerous delays, council has canceled a contract with G.Lapalme & Fils for work on the Bailey well.Initially, the contractor was supposed to dig a second well, and install new lines from the new and existing well to the town reservoir.The contract was awarded a couple of years ago, but the municipality still hasn’t gotten the approval of the provincial environment ministry.Rather than continuing to pay late fees to the contractor, the municipality opted to cancel the contract.Neil said the problem lies with the ministry of environment office in Bromont.“They have one individual who is delaying everything, not just with us but with all the municipalities,” Neil said.He said every time things appear ready to go ahead, new demands are made.Since then the province’s farmland protection agency, the CPTAQ, has approved a new gravel pit near the Bailey well.That casts into question the possibility of dig- ging a second well, so close to an open gravel pit.“There is no rhyme or reason to 90 per cent of the things this department is doing,” Neil said.•There will be a First Responders Meeting at the Knowlton Community Centre on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m.A group has put up the money to train First Responders for Brome Lake, and the municipality is still looking for volunteers.The meeting is open to everyone.•A round of applause was given to councillor George Bristol for his work in putting together the annual roast beef dinner to raise money for the BMP.Bristol said the annual event raised between $6,000 and $7,000 for the hospital.• Councillor Robin Moore said participation in the curbside recycling program has leveled off.He suggested people remind their neighbors of the program, which helps reduce the amount of waste going into landfills.Recycling containers are still available at the town hall, at a cost of $70 for the smaller container and $90 for the big 320 litre model.CAREER $20,000 Recruitment Bonus If you have experience in one of the 15 professional trades listed below, you may be eligible for a recruitment allowance of $20,000.If you have a post-secondary diploma in one of these trades but not the experience, the recruitment allowance is $10,000.Those with experience enter with a higher rank than inexperienced recruits and receive better pay.It pays to work with the Canadian Forces.• Electronic Engineering Technician/Technologist • Electronic Communication Technician • Electronic Service Technician • Computer Engineering Technician • Computer Science • Computer Networking and Technical Support • Vehicle Technician • Electrician • Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) • Power Lineman • Marine Engine Mechanic • Plumbing and Heating Technician • X-ray Technician • Dental Clinic Assistant • Security and Law Enforcement For more information, call us, visit our Web site or come to one of our recruiting centres.Strong.Proud.Today's Canadian Forces.www.forces.ca 1 800 856-8488 National Défense ; % Defence nationale CANADIAN Regular and Reserve Canada page 6 Wednesday, March 6, 2002 THE' Community Forum Columnist distorts image of peacemakers eorge Jonas needs to sign up again for Logic 101 His article of March 1 ( Peaceniks and wars) contains confused and fuzzy generalizations that come apart even under gentle questioning.Coupled with the generalizations, he offers an overload of distortions, simplifications and stereotypes that leave one gasping.I felt like 1 was reading one of Mussolini’s speeches -so disjointed and biased it is almost impossible to know where to start your criticism.So where does one start?Well, I have worked with pacifists and I find his construct of two main groupings far too simplistic.These are the two: those who hate war and those who hate the West.Let us consider first the war-hating category.Of course we dislike war, but so do large numbers of people unassociated with the peace movement.Further, I have never been able to describe myself as 100 per cent against war.I always have reservations.But I am comfortable with peace makers, work with them, and feel myself in good company with people like Martin Marty who also has reservations.(Is this a third category?) The second group is those who hate the West.I certainly don’t fit easily into this group either.Nor is the word “hate” in common usage amongst peace makers.I love the West and I could never be comfortable alongside the hate-filled Professor Thobani who launched verbal attacks against the U.S.immediately after Sept.11.I am as uneasy about her as many peacemakers are about John Ashcroft.I think Alice Walker is nutso too.She wrote in the Village Voice that we should respond to Osama bin Laden “with love, the only punishment that works.” I believe bin Laden and his terrorists are psychotic and have to be stopped somehow.But on the question of how it is to be done, I come up against Ghandi’s observation: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Motivations can be very complex indeed.Alongside my love for Canada and the West is a realization that we are a very privileged society.Every day 24,000 children die.Few of them live in the West.Helen Fielding’s book, Cause Celeb, deals with fighting and famine in Africa.A young educated black woman dies of starvation in the arms of her lover with this lament on her lips: “I was born in the wrong hemisphere.” How true and sad.There are thousands like her.It is this aspect of our reality that pushes people into the peace movement.I suggest hate as a motive is far surpassed by idealism and love.Like all societies we have flaws.They are often times glaring.The salaries of some CEO’s and sports figures can only be de scribed as obscene.Thus young and old people drift into humanitarian organizations - like the peace movement.It is a very sensible and natural thing to do.The peace movement is a complex constellation composed of peoples who share various motives and degrees of intensity in their opposition to war and violence.In the course of his article Jonas also manages an incredible intellectual shght of hand.The reader finishes the piece with the bizarre impression that the peace movement wholeheartedly supports fascists, dictators, and despots.And in the course of this diatribe Jonas also takes a gratuitous swipe at environmentalists.' Environmentalists?Oil slicks and birds?Who are these “environmental criminals?” The Peace Movement?I don’t think so.What about Shell Oil?George Bush?And how in the world did we get on to environmentalism anyway?Mussolini would be delighted.He would pin a medal on Jonas.Jonas also argues that more children die in wars between terrorist states.Where does he get this information?I doubt it and I’m certain the Japanese and many others would too.I conclude with the author’s fantastic commentary on Hitler.If the Allies had not fought Hitler there are many more who would be dead today.Fair enough.But on this basis Jonas feels he can criticize and slander peace movements.Not so.This is pure bluster - like WWF commercials.I really dislike getting into Cleopatra’s nose type of arguments about “what might have been” in history.But there are more convincing perspectives.Jonas’ fallacy is that he ignores important facets of Germany’s reality under Hitler.There was never a peace movement to speak of.Hitler’s Germany was a country of war preparations and later war, xenophobia, arms build up, brinkmanship, violence, racism, and cultivated resentment and hatred towards neighbours and other nations.For heaven’s sake don’t blame a non-existent peace movement for Hitler and Germany’s crimes.Hitler would have wiped them out.It was not the peace movement that failed.It was the absence of one.Germany in the time of Hitler is a bad example with which to try to bludgeon peace makers.On the contrary, it supports the need for them.If there is a lesson here, and I think there is, it has been summed up well by John Fowles in The Magus.“I suppose you can say that Hitler didn’t betray his self.” “You are right.He did not.But millions of Germans betrayed themselves.That was the tragedy.Not that one had the courage to be evil.But that millions did not have the courage to be good.”I have to admit that I remain still on the edges of the peace movement, but this much I know.They are courageous and they are striving to be good.So exactly what kind of side-effects do you feel you're experiencing from eating genetically-modified food?Viewpoint Tom Cavanagh Letter to the Editor THE P.0 Box 1200 SherbrookeJtH 516 or 1195 Galt E.ShertrookeJlG 1Y7 Fax:819-569-3945 e-maii: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Website: www.sherbrookerecord.com Randy Kinnfar Publisher .(819) 5699511 Sharon McCully Editor .(819) 5696345 Jamie Zachary Corresp.Editor .(819) 5696345 Richard Lessard Prod.Mgr.(819) 569-9931 Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman .(819) 5699931 Francine Thibault Prod.Superv.(819) 5694856 DEPARTMENTS Accounting .(819)5699511 Advertising.(819)5699525 Circulation.(819) 5699528 Newsroom .(819)5696345 Knowiton office 88 Lakeside, Knowlton, Quebec, JOE 1V0 Tel: (450) 242-1188 Fax:(450)243-5155 MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS GST PST TOTAL Canada: 1 year 114.40 8.01 9.18 $131.59 6 MONTHS 59.00 4.13 4.73 $67.86 3 MONTHS 30.00 2.10 2.41 S34.51 Out of Quebec residents do not include PST.Rates/or 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 Hollinger Canadian Newspapers LP.Canadian Publications Mail Service Product Agreement No.0479675.Member ABC.CARD, CNA, QCNA Taxes are cause of high gas prices Dear Editor, I bought gas the other day, and do you know that I never noticed how much gas costs.The price on the pump was 58.3.I bought $17 worth.Of the $17 there was $2.92 of F FT tax, $4.44 of PFT tax, $1.03 of GST tax, and $1.19 of PST tax for a total of $9.58 worth of taxes.It actually cost only $7.42 for the gas I received.How can the governments be in debt with the billions in gas taxes alone?When we grumble about the gas companies putting up the price of gas we need to remember that the tax man is all the more happy it’s going up.The only way to get ahead of the tax grab is to buy less gas.Thanks for listening while I complain.A faithful reader in Richmond Richard Mcmorine Richmond Editor’s note: What I want to know is where you bought gas for 58.3. i TH E i Wednesday, March 6, 2002 page 7 - RECORD CAAP deals with health-care complaints Admitting to a problem is often the first step to recovery.For our health care system, although road to recovery promises to be a long and tedious one, it first needs to understand where the problems lie in order to begin to know how to fix it.The system cannot improve unless it has feedback from users and knows where the problem areas are.To this end, an independent community organization, whose mission is to assist people who want to file a complaint about any aspect of the health care system, has set itself up in the Townships.The Centre d’assistance et d’accompagnement aux plaintes was initially created by health officials to improve on the health care system, quality of services, and services given to the population.CAAP’s service is free and confidential.It provides assistance to people who have had unpleasant experiences, language problems or waiting-period problems.CAAP can also help people who were not provided with the proper documentation, who lack information on the system or on someone’s condition and much more.The service will not write the complaint for you, but it will offer guidelines as to what should be included and highlighted in the complaint.CAAP can also give you a contact person for a specific type of complaint, help you follow up on a complaint and guide your process on a more general matter.And why make a complaint?There are different reasons.You might want to correct a situation, to make your rights understood, to improve Brief Volunteer income tax clinics for low-income families Staff The Richmond Volunteer Centre will host upcoming volunteer income tax clinics on Monday and Wednesday afternoons on March 11, 13, 18 and 20 for low-income families and individuals.The clinics, which will run from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.at the Richmond Volunteer Center, 200 du Couvent St.is free of charge and is meant exclusively for persons whose declaration of income is simple and who cannot afford the cost of having the income tax return done.Those interested simply have to come to the centre with the necessary documents.For more information, call Marie-Josée Voisine, director of the Richmond Volunteer Centre, at 819-826-6166.the quality of services, or to inform institutions about the services that you need.People who feel their rights have not been respected in any way need to speak out and help keep similar situations from being repeated.Whether it is positive or negative feedback, the comments will help show how the system needs to be improved in the long run.Townshippers’ Association encourages people to express their needs and give feedback.These actions will help in having our rights respected, and will foster global social improvement.If English speakers do not voice their opinions and the issues that concern them, services in English could be seriously jeopardized.For example, in December, then Health Minister Rémy Trudel justified the ministry’s plans to abolish bilingual positions in health care institutions by saying that English speakers had made very few complaints about not receiving services in English.It is crucial that the English community use the tools and services available to voice their opinions to the ministry and the public health care institutions.To obtain more information about CAAP and their services, or to find out more about filing a complaint, contact Townshippers’ Association’s Informa- tion and Referral Co-ordinator, Evelina Smith, by calling 819-566-5717,1-877-566-5717, ore-mailing info@townshippers.qc.ca.Money available for English-speaking artists in Quebec On Feb.18, the Quebec Community Groups Network announced that the Canada Council for the Arts and Canadian Heritage had signed a four-year agreement to commit a total of $4.4 million to the English-speaking arts community in Quebec.The funds will be used to increase grants and financial support for English-speaking artists and arts organizations in Quebec.It will be distributed via enhanced budgets for existing peer-assessed programs.“Committing such financial support will allow the English-speaking arts community in Quebec to develop,” said Hugh Maynard, Chairperson of the Quebec Community Groups Network.Townshippers’ Association hopes to facilitate Townships artists’ receiving some of these funds.For more information, contact Kate Wisdom, Community and Culture Co-ordinator, at our Cowansville office, 203 Principale, by calling 450-263-4422, 1-866-263-4422, or e-mailing ta2@bell-net.ca.Additional information on COCo.Last week, we published information on the Centre for Community Organizations (COCo) which is collaborating with Townshippers’ Association to offer training sessions to non-profit groups in the Eastern Townships.Unfortunately, we omitted to mention the organization also has facilitators in the western part of the Eastern Townships.The following information is a summary of their current activities.COCo will hold All-A-Board workshops on Wednesday, March 27 from 9:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m.in Knowlton.The first Brome-Missisquoi All-A-Board session was held on Jan.30 in Cowansville, and brought together representatives from Sunshine Theatre, Theatre Lac Brome, Yamaska Literacy Council and Missisquoi Historical Society.The workshops on Board Development (9:30 a.m.to 12:30 p.m.) will be followed by an afternoon workshop on Volunteer Management from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.One or both workshops are open free of charge to senior volunteers, staff and board members from non-profit organizations.Lunch and refreshments are also provided.For more information, or to enroll, call 450-294-3377.Keeping In Touch Townshippers’ Association S: ï ¦ ; iS" page 8 Wednesday, March 6, 2002 Searching for Einstein at Massey-Vanier fair By Barbara Bellingham Record Correspondent Cowansville Students from Parkview, Hero’s, Knowlton, Sutton, Butler, Man-sonville and Waterloo joined Massey-Vanier students for the annual science fair Feb.26 and 27.Eighty exhibits were on display in the Massey-Vanier cafeteria during the two-day period.In all, 50 judges from the school and community went through the deliberations to determine what the best displays were.The winners were announced during the awards ceremony at the end of the second day.Cash prizes were given to the top three scores in each of six categories in both high school and elementary levels.The following is a list of award winners: Physical science.Elementary Level: •First: Cylinders Rule by Razvan Mitchell, Grade 4, Knowlton; Second: The Phenakistoscope by Felicia Gasser and Heidi Patch, Grade 6, Butler; Third: As A Matter of Friction by Elizabeth Jersey, Grade 5, Knowlton Physical science, secondary level PHOTOS BY BARBARA BELUNCHAM/CORRESPONDENT Students from Parkview, Hero’s, Knowlton, Sutton, Mansonville and Waterloo joined students from Massey-Vanier at the school’s annual science fair last weekend.From topics dealing with physical science to technology, 80 exhibits were judged by 50 judges from the school and the community.•First: What’s in our Potable H20, by Karl Magnone and Andrew Mcllelen, Sec.IV; Second: Super Magnets, by Ian Colvil and Richard Van Gameren, Sec.l (Knowlton); Third: Tesla Coil, by Blake Jones and Maxime Turcotte, Sec.1 (Knowlton) In Life Science, elementary level •First: Who Has a Bigger Lung Capacity, by Sharon Marcoux and Shauna Burnham, Gr.6, Sutton; Second: How Strong Are Your Lungs, by Kate Bellingham and Alissa Brown, Gr.6, Butler; Third: Wacky Colours, by Jazzlee Wade and Casey Merner-Brown, Gr.5/6, Butler Life science, secondary level •First: Was it the Pizza, by Jessica Adams and Shawna Blackburn, Sec.1 (Knowlton); Second: Strength in a Strand by Elizabeth Allen and Shannon Harding, Sec.1 (Knowlton); Third: Dinosaurs, Maria Destounis and Kristin Lee, Sec.1 (Hero’s) Environmental science, ELEMENTARY LEVEL •First: Sappy Business, by Blair Hancock, Gr.6, Sutton; Second: Photosynthesis, Meggy Duschone and Odre Lafebvre, Gr.4, Parkview Environmental science, SECONDARY LEVEL •First place tie: Natural Algae Con- trol, by Paul Nettleship, Sec.IV; Soil Erosion, by Courtney Hancock, Sec.1 (MV); Third: Cyclone, by Matthew Churby and Jason Johnston, Sec.III Science in technology, ELEMENTARY LEVEL •First: Catapults Rule, by Jan Champagne, Gr.5, Parkview; Second: Sticky Glue, by Franchesca Goyette and Sabrina Jacobs, Gr.3, Sutton.Physics, secondary level •First: To Flow or Not to Flow, by Jessica Harvey and Tiffany Hunting, Sec.V Chemistry, secondary level Kate Gasser, Sec.V; Second: A Sparkling Experience, by Erin Cook, Sec.V; Third: Light My Fire, by Ian McCallum and Kyle Willis, Sec.IV Trophies from QSP World’s Finest Chocolates were given to the Overall Highest Scores •Elementary Level: Razvan Mitchell • Secondary level: Paul Nettleship Pinnacle Land Trust Award for Environmental Study • Paul Nettleship Highest Score in Sec.V from MV Scholarship Committee • First: A Penny’s Worth of Zinc, by • Kate Gasser Wednesday, March 6, 2002 page 9 Record: Women’s Day festivities just around the comer The Lennoxville District Women’s Centre would like to invite everyone to our annual International Women’s Day celebration on Friday, March 8 at the Lennoxville Community Centre, 10 Depot St.Tickets are S10 for members, $15 non-members, and include a silent auction, supper as well as entertainment.For those who want to donate items for the auction, drop them off at the Centre before March 8.The auction begins at 5 p.m„ the supper at 6 p.m.followed by a guest speaker from Afghanistan, as well as music, dancing and a Bishop’s play entitled Bad Dates.Bad Dates Bad Dates: Changing Attitudes through Theatre, a sexual assault prevention project, begun in July 2000, and continues to visit schools in the region.The interactive theatre performs short scenes designed to educate teens and young adults about the reality of sexual assault by acquaintances, the causes and consequences of sexual assault and measures people can take to prevent its occurrence.Bad Dates presentations generally open with a definition of sexual assault and three startling statistics, like 80 per cent of sexually assaulted women know their attacker.Next, the co-ordinator introduces troupe members and explains the interactive component.The audience is informed that the actors will remain in character after each scene, and that they are willing to answer absolutely any questions that participants wish to ask.Before the beginning of the first scene, audience members are assured that they may leave the presentation at any time if they feel uncomfortable.The co-ordinator then sets up the scene and steps aside, shifting the focus to the actors.When the action reaches a certain point, the co-ordinator interrupts the scene by blowing a whistle and the discussion period begins.Audience members are encouraged to explain why each scene fell within the definition of sexual assault and to ask questions.Our Voice Lennoxville & District Women’s Centre The co-ordinator also gives tips on preventative measures and discusses topics such as feelings survivors may experience, the importance of seeking medical attention and counseling as well as hospital and court procedures.We are pleased to report that we have received nothing but positive feedback from teachers, counsellors and principals who have seen the presentation.Self-defence courses For a mere $20, you can learn some basic skills in self-defence.Carl Grifo, a martial arts instructor with 40 years of experience, will teach women the psychology of violent offenders, awareness, assertiveness and verbal confrontation, how to avoid dangerous places and situations, and effective physical self defence strategies and techniques which will increase the likelihood of escaping, resisting and surviving a violent attack.Those interested must make reservations by March 11.The course will be held on Sunday, March 17, from 10 a.m.to 4 p.m.at Lennoxville Elementary School.Soap-making workshop Would you like to know how to awaken at least five of your senses.This workshop will teach you how to make decorative, glycerine-based soaps which are natural, pleasantly scented and beneficial to the skin.This workshop will be given on Wednesday, March 13, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.at the Women’s Centre.• • • • • Lennoxville 8i District Women’s Centre is located at 257 Queen St., Lennoxville.For more information, CALL 819-564-6626.BACK DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND! 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g page 10 Wednesday, March 6, 2002 ¦ '¦THEM Record Knowlton Academy PHOTOS COURTESY KNOWLTON ACADEMY Hitting the slopes has been a popular activity on Thursdays and Fridays.Students have shown that there are some talented skiers at Knowlton Academy.February was public speaking and science fair month at Knowlton Academy.On the public speaking side, all students in the second year of cycle 2, cycle 3 plus all secondary 1 students wrote speeches on the topic, “If I could Change The World.” Local speak-offs were held for cycle 2 and 3 students on Wednesday, Feb.13, while secondary 1 students competed on Valentine’s Day.Those in the audience for both “speak-offs" heard many excellent ideas about how all youth would try to solve some of our world’s most serious problems.Topics such as pollution, overpopulation and terrorism were all discussed.From our local public speaking events, we sent the following students to the Knowlton Optimist Club final on Wednesday, Feb.20.Cÿde 2 and 3 speakers: Arianna Webb James Wisdom Katherine Demers Jordan Lantinga Secondary 1 speakers: Elizabeth Allen Fiona Hawthorn Blake Jones Maxime Turcotte We are pleased to announce that Arianna Webb and Elizabeth Allen will represent our school at the Optimist Club regional finals in March.Good luck kids and congratulations to all the public speakers.Science Fair News Our local Science Fair was held in the Knowlton Academy gym on Wednesday, Feb.20.Our students entered projects in one of three categories: Environmen- tal science, life science or physical science.Between 75 and 80 projects were judged by our 10 meticulous judges and 11 students were chosen to represent our school at the Massey Vanier Science Fair on Feb.26 and Feb.27.We wish the following students continued success with their projects.Students scientists: Wyatt Wright, Jordan Lantinga, Razvan Mitchell, Elizabeth Jersey, Brittany Lee, Brittany Brooks, Emily French, Richard Van Gameron, Ian Colvil, Elizabeth Allen, Shannon Harding, ===- Jessica Adams, Shaw-na Blackburn, Jamie Scott, Andrew Ewing, Aurey Me-Cutcheon, Evan Wright, Blake Jones, Maxime Turcotte and Brandon Lacoste.Project titles included Insulation, Cylinders Rule, As a Matter of Friction, Rainbow Cheese, Super Magnets, Strength in a Strand, Was it the Pizza?, How do different =====^==_ Temperatures Effect, What Can an Egg Support?, Tesla Coil as well as Music and Your Heart Basketball Those in the audience for public speaking ‘speak-offs ’ heard many excellent ideas about how all youth would try to solve some of the world’s most serious problems.Basketball season is slowly coming to a close with two tournaments already finished and only one to go.“A” and “B” girls teams played on Friday, Feb.15 at Massey Vanier and really made us proud.They all had lots of fun and showed many new skills they had learned in practices.The Boys “A” and “B” teams also enjoyed a tournament on Friday, Feb.22.In all, 80 children were involved in our seven KA teams.Sincere thanks to the coaches, referees and score keepers who all gave of their time to see that those youngsters could play.Coaches: Lynn McKelvey (Girls A), Sharon Coulson (Girls B), Murray Gunson (Girls B2), Diane Munzar and Tanis Ewing (Boys Al), Nic Lemaitre (Boys A2), Ralph Steiner (Boys Bl), Lori Lane (Boys B2).Refs: Harold Jackson, Craig Quinn, Noland Baurele, Todd Murray, Steve Healy.Score keepers: Karen Allnutt, Dana Hey, Tamara Hamelin, Bob Colvil, Julie Rhicard, Bill Jarand, Lisa Dwyer.After the holiday week of March 4-8, the 40 children in “C” teams will have their tournament.On March 15, Knowlton Academy will host the teams from St.Edouard’s and Mansonville for the day.Ski Days Ski Days have been taking place on Thursdays and Fridays.All children have really done well and have shown that Salt Lake City is not the only place where advanced skiers can be found. Wednesday, March 6, 2002 page 11 Record i—»>- Training centre teachers how to defend border By Don MacDonald Southam News The young man leans on his horn and yells abuse from his car window at the customs booth ahead.“Come on move it,” he shouts.“It always takes twice as long as on the American side.” When the man finally pulls up to the booth, the tirade continues as the customs officer patiently asks the usual questions.Minutes later, the same officer is dealing with an exuberant Pakistani man who’s has travelled with his wife from Miami.“We are vegetarian.Are there many vegetarian restaurants in Canada?” he asks the officer with a friendly smile.Wait a minute.Die angry young man and the Pakistani tourist are the same person and they’re both driving the same blue Taurus sedan.That’s because this isn’t a real-border crossing and that guy isn’t a real traveller.He’s Patrick Sabongui, a Montreal actor who is getting paid $12 an hour to pretend he’s a visitor to Canada.He and other actors are in cars running through scenarios at a mock border crossing set up in a snowy parking lot outside a Canada Customs and Revenue Agency training centre in Rigaud, just west of Montreal.They take on the personas of different visitors to challenge the interviewing skills of customs-officer recruits.This is part of the training that recruits and term employees from across Canada must pass before they can become permanent customs officers.The effectiveness of Canada’s border controls has been under a microscope since the Sept.11 terrorist attacks, as well as revelations about international terrorists operating in Montreal and, most recently, the federal government’s admission that 150 penniless young men from Tunisia easily entered the country in 2000 claiming to be tourists even though they fully intended to stay in the country illegally.In the aftermath of the Sept.11 attacks, the government earmarked $54 million over six years to hire 290 new customs officers as part of a $450-million package of measures aimed at beefing up security and speeding up traffic at Canada’s borders.The new funding, as well as a large backlog of officers already on the job with just three weeks of basic training, means the Rigaud training centre will have to ramp up to graduate 700 customs officers next year from 400 in the year ending March 31 and 200 in previous years.The customs agency says the recruits come away from their nine-week course with the knowledge and skills they will need to defend Canada’s borders while keeping people and goods flowing smoothly.It's a tall order.For example, the recruits have to become familiar with 70 federal laws they will be responsible for SOUTHAM 290 new officers are being added to tighten security in the wake of Sept.11.They have to learn a lot in a nine-week course in Rigaud, Que.enforcing, including preventing entry of endangered species, agricultural products, narcotics, communicable diseases and obscene material.But the biggest part of their education involves the primary interview, the brief encounter between visitor and customs officers that is Canada’s first line of defence against external threats.The interview typically lasts less than 30 seconds.In those few seconds, the customs officer has to decide whether a traveller is low-risk or, instead, a possible smuggler, illegal migrant or, yes, international terrorist.Rob Leigh, manager of the customs-inspector training program at Rigaud, said the course curriculum has not been altered since Sept.11.“(But) people are more aware of their responsibilities, the onus is being put on them to protect Canadian security more than every post-Sept.11,” he said.“We’re on the lookout for terrorists in a way we never were before.” He vigorously denies allegations by some Arab groups that Canada Customs engages in ethnic profiling as a way to screen for possible terrorists.“The officer is trained to assess the individual based on the information that they have on hand,” Leigh, a 25-year Customs veteran, said during a recent tour of the training centre, a rambling group of buildings on the edge of Rigaud that was bought by the federal government in 1977 from a Catholic order.“If there is any suspicion or doubt they’ll refer the person to Immigration for further processing.” Recruits at the centre receive cultural awareness training as part of four days of intensive training on immigration, he added.As part of their training they learn to read body language, identify forged documents and make safe and effective searches and seizures.Besides the mock land border crossing, the centre also has a simulated airport customs point and even a courtroom where recruits can practice testifying.John King, a 12-year veteran customs officer and a national vice-president of the Customs and Excise Union, said the Rigaud course can’t prepare recruits for the painful trade-offs that staff and resource shortages impose on all officers every day.“You’re put on the front line and you’re expected to protect Canada - seize goods and arrest people.But the reality is that you don’t have adequate tools or staff or backup to do your job,” said King, who works at Pearson International Airport in Toronto.“They send you fishing without a fishing rod.And that’s one of the most frustrating things for all officers.” His union wants at least 1,200 more officers including hundreds to replace students who are now staffing front-line positions mostly during weekends and the summer vacation period.The students receive three weeks of basic training.Other critics worry that customs officers aren’t paid enough to retain experienced staff.New officers receive a starting salary of $41,690 a year increasing to $46,084 over four years.But those kind of concerns appear far from the mind of recruit Jeff Miller, a fresh-faced 24-year-old who was hired in Some facts about Canada customs • Employs about 3,600 uniformed inspectors, 2,031 stationed at border crossings, 1,128 at airports, 201 at seaports and 184 at postal sites.• Annual budget of $425 million.• 492 customs service locations across Canada, 425 of them at the U.S.border.• About 110 million travellers were processed last year, 87 million travelled by land, 20 million by air.• Last year, agents dealt with an average of $2.1 billion of trade daily.• Collected $3 billion in import duties and $23 billion in goods and services tax.January and travelled from Delta, B.C., to take the course at Rigaud.“I want to do my best to protect Canada’s borders.It’s a huge responsibility," said Miller who was selected by customs to be interviewed for this article.Students could not be selected at random for an interview because of what officials claimed were privacy concerns.Miller admitted to nervousness as he prepared for his first practice session in the customs booth, interviewing actors like Sabongui.Six of the booths are set up outside the framing centre and the actors put the recruits through a series of 18 different scenarios.“At first you feel a little bit guilty,” said Sabongui, waiting in the car after his performance as the traveller from hell.“But it becomes clear that you’re really helping them because apparently they encounter worse in real situations.” Mi THE Jamie Zachary, Correspondents Editor Newsroom@sherbrookereco INSIDE Massey Vanier earns praise for a high school hoops tourney that will long be remembered .see page 14 March 6, 2002 page 12 Vert et Or off to the dance once again NELSON AFONSO 'it , t SSI OR I iM I ¦X The Université of Sherbrooke Vert et Or, Quebec champions in 2001-02, will be competing in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's volleyball championship this weekend at Laval University.Sherbrooke is the fifth seed in the eight-team event.With conference crown in hand, Sherbrooke off to national volleyball championships this weekend By Nelson Afonso Sherbrooke When the Université de Sherbrooke women’s volleyball team entered the final stretch of the 2001-2002 regular season needing three wins in as many games, head coach Normand Bouchard and his veteran team didn’t panic.“We were a little discouraged.It was injury after injury, and we actually lost nine games in a row between late November and late January,” the five-year veteran of the Vert et Or program told The Record on Tuesday afternoon.“We just told ourselves ‘let’s get up every morning and enjoy it one day at a time’.We said that when we finish (this season), we’ll be able to say that we worked hard and we have no regrets.” Between Feb.8-10, the Sherbrooke Vert & Or women’s team (23-15) defeated the McGill Martlets and Laval Rouge et Or to secure the third and final playoff spot in the four-team Quebec University Volleyball League.Led by all-stars Anne Martin, Melanie Guillet and Melissa Raymond, the Vert et Or upset the Université de Montreal and the Martlets to win the league title.”We just got ourselves composed because we knew we had to win three games in a row,” said Martin, the 2001 national rookie of the year, who moved over from her natural position as power hitter to become the team’s setter after the Christmas break.“There was a certain pressure there, but we played our best volleyball of the season.” With the league title in hand, the Vert et Or travel to Quebec City for the national championships this weekend, which will be held inside the fieldhouse at PEPS Stadium from March 7-9.Bouchard, the 2001 CIAU coach of the year who led his team to a loss in last year’s title game against the Univer- sity of Manitoba Bisons, is confident the team can make the comeback complete this weekend.He says today’s version of his team is in no way comparable to the one he was coaching in January.“Because of injuries, we had to move people around and use different systems.We finally decided we had to stick to one system and it was worth it” he said.Seeded fourth in the eight-team tournament, Sherbrooke will face the fifth-ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues in the first round (Thursday, 1 p.m.).The other teams participating are Calgary (seeded first), the University of British Columbia (2), Manitoba (3), Ryer-son (7), Moncton (8) and the host Rouge et Or (6).While Sherbrooke’s loss to Manitoba in last year’s title game remains in the back of their heads, the Vert et Or know know that it takes more than looking into the past to get up for such a major competition against the country’s best teams.“Even when it wasn’t going very well, it was still a goal, but we were a little down,” added Raymond, a Canadian national team member and centre on the Vert et Or, who only rejoined the team this season in January.“We rarely talk about losses.It’s still a source of motivation but we should not let that game influence us.This week is something different.” Bouchard and his players believe their rocky road to the national championship will benefit the team and bring them together at the perfect time.“We know that all the teams are of the same calibre there (at nationals),” said Martin.“The team that wins is the team that works the hardest and plays the best volleyball during the weekend.” If Sherbrooke wins their first game, they play Friday at 6 p.m.The gold medal game is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m.and will be televised on TSN.Galt captures Viser junior tournament By Mike Hickey The Galt junior boys basketball team achieved its season-long goal last Saturday when it captured the Viser junior tournament by defeating the MacDonald Cartier Golden Hawks 78-47.“We set reaching the finals of this tournament as a primary goal when we began the season,” head coach Steve Dunn said yesterday.“The credit belongs to the players because they bought into what we were trying to do as a team.It was definitely a team effort a good ending to a great season.” Matt Pellerin had a career game in the final as he led all scorers with 31 points and pulled down 24 rebounds.Teammate Davey Comeau added 23 points for the Pipers, who built a lead in the opening minutes and cruised to the one-sided win.The Pipers began the day with an equally impressive 74-30 victory over Chateauguay Valley Regional High School.Pellerin, led a well-balanced attack with 13 points while Ryan McAuley chipped in with 12 points and Kevin Dezan added 10.The Galt junior girls advanced to the finals of the junior McLeod tourney before dropping a 42-34 decision to Hudson High.Jessica Massicotte led Galt with 18 points and Mariane Breton came down with 11 rebounds.Massicotte and Breton combined for 30 points to lead the Pipers to a 52-35 win over Centennial High School in semi-final action.Stanstead College lost to Hudson High in the other semi-final.While most of the ET1AC basketball teams have packed their uniforms for the 2001-02 season, the Massey-Vanier senior boys and girls teams are still in the hunt for some more hardware.After taking a week off for spring break both teams will begin Richelieu zone regional play next week.If the Vikings are successful in winning the zone play downs they will advance to the provincial championships to be held in April. nil RECORD Wednesday, March 6, 2002 page 13 Madness is ready Jonathan McKercher, right, poses with his father, Joe, w|o is a big Jan of the senior guard playing for the UPEI Panthers.McKercher, a player of the week for the conference and the country already this season, is ready for the AUS playoffs, which begin this weekend in Halifax.Two victories cap off a Cinderella ride for the Panthers as they will qual- ify for the Final 8 national basketball chmapionships.Inset: McKercher shoots in a recent home game.RCHKK FAMILY.U’Ei ATHLETICS PHOTOS COURTES Y: It’s time for Lennoxville native turns heads as UPEI shooting guard lar season games against Dalhousie.The Panthers still managed to pull out a win propelling the team to their first post-season berth in five years, and McKercher’s first ever at the university level.For the last two weeks, the team has been preparing for their first playoff game in Halifax this Friday for the AUS conference tournament.Should UPEI make it to the championship game of the eight-team event, the Panthers would qualify for the Final 8 national basketball tournament the following weekend But in true sports veteran-ese, McKercher says they’re just taking it one step at a time.He said the same about his many options after this season.McKercher will graduate this year with a business degree in public administration and has toyed with Connolly’s offer to return for his fifth year of university eligibility with the Panthers.But the 23-year-old says he feels it’s time to move on, seeming more interested in exploring the world outside UPEI.Europe beckons, for both travel and the possibility of playing as a professional.“I think my style of game would be pretty well suited for the European kind of ball,” he said, adding that teams from overseas value men with either size or strong scoring ability over rebounders and point guards.“I’m a pretty good shooter, and I can take the ball to the hole pretty well.I’m basically a scorer.” His three-point shooting ability and his AUS conference-leading free throw percentage would also be desirable assets across the pond, or in the new professional Canadian Basketball League that kicks off this fall.It’s clear that McKercher has choices to make between some pretty attractive options.But for Joe, it all comes down to the essential philosophy that has guided his parenting and his ** son's journey to-Jf.ward this enviable position.“As long as he’s happy, that’s the main thing,” he said.“If someone’s happy doing what they’re doing, you can’t ask for more than that.” By Jake Brennan Record Correspondent Lennoxville native Jonathan McKercher is not only at the top of his basketball game, but as of several weeks ago he was voted to be at the top of everyone else’s game too.In the first week of February, McKercher’s dazzling performances and two-game total of 53 points in crucial games against the UNB Varsity Reds earned him the Atlantic University Sport player of the week award.That was quite a thrill, but imagine his elation when, a few days later, he learned he had been named the Canadian Interuniversity Sport player of the week as well.“I was pretty overwhelmed,” said the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers’ shooting guard.“It was a really great honour to be recognized like that nationally.” This week, the starting ‘two-man’ was also awarded with a second-team all-star selection in the conference — an impressive achievement considering how talented and packed full of marquee players the AUS is this season.But McKercher’s rise to the spotlight has been measured rather than meteoric.Far from being a basketball natural, he claimed he “wasn’t very good” upon joining his first team in Grade 7 at Alexander Galt Regional high school.Nurturing his interest, his parents enrolled him in a Montpellier, Vt.basketball camp the following summer.“It simply took off from there,” said his father, Joe McKercher.“He loved it right away, and found his pace.” McKercher is quick to point out, however that his parents never pushed him into sports.As recreational athletes themselves, his parents were not hoping for great performances from their son, but simply “wanted his free time to be occupied,” explained Joe.“And we saw that with basketball it kept him off the street and in the gym.” McKercher progressed steadily as he moved from Galt to Champlain College to UPEI, qualifying for the Quebec junior team along the way.In addition to his natural athleticism, McKercher credits his discipline for The McKercher File • Senior guard.No.3, Six-feet-zero.• 23-years-old.• Averaging 16.1 points per game, up from 12.5 last season and second best on team (trails Jimmy Morris, All-Canadian last year, by a point).• Shooting 92 per cent from free throw line.• Panthers rookie of the year (1999).• Business student majoring in public administration.much of his on-court success.“I work really hard on my game,” he admitted with pride.His coaches agree.“Jon worked hard from day one,” said former UPEI head coach George Morrison, who recruited McKercher from Quebec out to the Maritimes.Added his current coach, Mike Connolly: “Jon’s the kind of kid who’s the first to practice and the last to leave.He takes great pride in what he does, every night he shows up to play.He’s very uncomplicated — a treat to coach.” But both coaches admit that effort alone doesn’t score points.In addition, they point out McKercher brings to the game the critical combination of quick hands, quick feet, and quick thinking.“He not only shoots the ball well, but he creates his own shot extremely well, so he’s got a lot of offensive weapons,” explained Connolly, who is in his second with the Panthers.Unfortunately those weapons were diffused by a flu bug that hit McKercher and three of his teammates two weeks ago in their last two regu- iTHEi page 14 Wednesday, March 6, 2002 RECORD Massey-Vanier deserves praise for hosting event Organizing committee, volunteers did an outstanding job for provincial tournaments By Mike Hickey Special to the Record The provincial basketball and hockey championships held at Massey-Vanier high school this past weekend was a huge success and presented the Eastern Townships Interscholastic Athletic Conference an opportunity to showcase many of its teams.The Massy-Vanier girls defeated Stanstead in all-ETIAC final to win the McLeod tournament, while BCS joined those two finalists to give the Townships three teams in the semi-finals.Stanstead reached the finals of the hockey tournament while Galt won the consolation championship with a 3-2 overtime win over Loyola College.And both BCS and Massey-Vanier advanced to the semifinals in the Viser tournament, while the Pipers took home the consolation trophy.But the courts and arenas were not the only places where the ETIAC shined.The two-day event, that featured 24 teams, was a well-run affair in which coaches and parents joined together to offer the teams the best possible venue as they continued their quest for a championship season.“If you asked Friday, I would say that I never wanted to do this again.But now, it is a different story,’ Bob Kay said Sunday morning.“Right before the actual games start it is pretty hectic, but after seeing how everything turned out we certainly look at hosting it again.The biggest problem is getting the program done, compiling all the team’s rosters and finding sponsorship.It is a lot of work but it is worth it because it a keepsake for the players.” Kay was quick to praise the volunteers who helped the weekend successful, including Bob Douglas, Roger Page and Ron Fava.Bob Halsall, Galt’s activities co-ordinator also praised the organizing committee.“It was very well organized, and Bob Kay and the rest of his committee should be commended for their work.” Kay added that Massey-Vanier would be interested in host- Athlete of the week ¦ Rikki Bowles Massey-Vanier Cowansville Basketball, Soccer, Tennis Point Guard Rikki capped off a great week of basketball by being named the Most Valuable Player of the McLeod Tournament as she led the Massey-Vanier Vikings to wins over CVR, Centennial High School and Stanstead College.The team’s leading scorer this season, Bowles showed that she is a complete player at the McLeod event concentrating on defence and her playmaking ability.ing again at a future date, although there are rumors that the adminstra-tion association of English schools of Quebec may be pulling its sponsorship.orford L A MONTACNt Mont Bellevue Snow, last 24hrs (Cm): 0 Snow, last 7 days (Cm): 3 Open Trails: 6/6 Mont Glen Snow, last 24hrs (Cm): 0 Snow, last 7 days (Cm): 26 Open Trails: 28/32 Lift Hours: N/A Mont Orford Snow, last 24hrs (Cm): 0 Snow, last 7 days (Cm): 27 Open Trails: 34/52 Ski conditions sponsored by: Mont Orford awaits you in the top skiing conditions of the Eastern Townships.Come and try the new snow park 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