The record, 16 décembre 2008, mardi 16 décembre 2008

See inside Sch^**, r RECORD The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 - .i 75 CENTS + TAXES PM#0040007682 Operation Nez Rouge expects a busier season this year as 845 patrons were escorted home this past weekend, compared to the 705 that used their services this time last year.MABLE HASTINGS FYI member Elizabeth Jersey and Clarissa (Granny Grease) Davis holding a special bingo prize.PAGE 5 of BCN He says, SHE SAYS.“It took Canada 50 years to be recognized as a peacekeeping nation.now we're fighting someone else’s war.” -Steven Zivkow (THE RECORD.DECEMBER 1STH) Is Bill 104 constitutional?Hearings will tell By Laura Keil Special to the record SHERBROOKE The Supreme Court of Canada began hearings yesterday on the appeal of Bill 104 that prevents most families from enrolling their children in English public schools.Passed by the Parti Québécois government in 2002, Bill 104 closed a loophole in the Charter of the French Language commonly known as Bill 101, which allowed children to by-pass the regulation by first attending a private, non-subsidized English-language school for a year.Bill 104 was struck down in August of 2007 by the Quebec Court of Appeal, but was appealed shortly after by the Liberal government and brought to the Supreme Court.The case pits the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms against Quebec’s Language Charter, which prevents francophones and new immigrants from sending their children to English-language schools.Brent Tyler, lawyer for the families pressing the case, argues Quebec English School Boards have lost 1,300 registrations each year since Bill 104 was created.The Supreme Court will decide whether or not the loophole allowing French-speaking parents to enroll their children in English public schools is constitutional.Gerald Cutting, vice-president of Townshippers’ Association, says the fact the case has gone to the Supreme Court makes it clear the stakes are high and shows the “urgency and importance of such a decision.” “This is a very important case and the decision that comes out of it we can anticipate will probably affect minority rights, especially as they apply to education, not just in Quebec but across the nation,” he said.Quebec’s Charter of the French Language permits children who have at least one parent educated in English in Canada to enroll in English school.If their parents were educated in English entirely outside of Canada, however, children must be educated in French.QESBA President Debbie Horrocks told the Record yesterday that her organization joined the case as an intervener because its job is to protect and promote the rights of English school boards in Quebec.“We understand the Quebec government’s position on the preservation of French in Quebec, and we support that fully,” she said.“What we’re looking for is some tolerance and understanding that we need to have an influx of students in our system.” see English page 8 Tuesday, December 16, 2008 Baby Memphre makes YouTube debut By John Mahoney/Log Cabin Chronicles Special Collaboration with The Record ' : •, i |MM"?Mythological Memphre, the border region’s legendary lake monster, now has a fast-growing world-wide audience on YouTube, the largest video-sharing service on the Internet.More than 100,000 fans have logged on to YouTube and LogCabinTV.com to watch “Baby Lake Monster Captured,” a short video that purportedly documents the netting and examination of a baby Memphre.The Ruffkutt Video™ was made by former Newporter John Mahoney, publisher of the on-line Log Cabin Chronicles who relocated from Tomifobia, Quebec, to Muskrat Lake, Ontario, in 2007.“Wow,” commented one YouTube viewer.“That’s all I have to say is wow.” “Others are skeptical or downright hostile about it,” says Mahoney.“You’ll have to watch it and make your own judgment.” The footage was shot in July, 2007, during a gathering of friends at a cottage on the west shore of the lake, close to the Canadian border.“A lad from New York state spotted the little monster,” says Mahoney.“It started swimming towards him and he captured it with a fishing net.He was careful not to hurt it.I was toying with my camcorder with me and let the tape roll.” Charlie Tetreault of Newport, Vermont, was one of the witnesses of the capture of the small creature, which is about the size of a fryer chicken.Mahoney says that Tetreault “got up close and personal” with it, as is shown at the end of the minute and half video.“I wish Jacques Boisvert could have been with us when we finally captured Memphre,” Mahoney says.“He would have gotten a great laugh over the Memphre myth made manifest.” SEE MEMPHRE PAGE 5 I’VE ALREADY DECIDED WHERE I'D LIKE TO BE IN 10 YEARS.BUT PLANNING THE FINANCIAL ROUTE TO GET THERE.THAT I CAN'T DO ALL ALONE.iH Chagnon MEET WITH YOUR FINANCIAL PLANNER*.For managing your assets, it's more than a bank.It's Desjardins.ASSET MANAGEMENT o GLOBAL PLANNING Desjardins desjardins.com/yourassets Money working for people •The financial planner represents Desjardins Financial Services Firm Inc page 2 Tuesday, December 16, 2008 RECORD Rwanda — Beyond the genocide Travelling to Tyazo, a village on the shores of Lake Kivu in Rwanda’s Western Province, is difficult.The road from Kigali to Butare and from Butare through Nyungwe National Park is paved, but as it enters the forest, the road gives way to potholes and steep turns, and continues up and over the hills and down through the valleys that can be expected from any travel in Rwanda.I was given the opportunity to fly to Tyazo on a Dash 8 piloted by two South Africans; and given the alternative, I took it.The flight was thirty minutes and at fourteen thousand feet, I could see that every inch of Rwanda is cultivated with commercial crops of maize, bananas, rice and soya and plots of tomatoes, cabbage and cauliflower.In rural Rwanda, most people live in mud houses with thatched roofs, preferring to live isolated from their neighbours rather than in settled communities.This is not a product of the genocide, but a traditional community structure that has allowed the majority Rwandans to continue to cultivate on difficult terrain.From this height, I also noticed that many of the small holders were not connected to the road system by anything more than a narrow footpath.We landed in Kamembe and were driven two hours north to visit a project site in Nya-masheke District.The road to Tyazo winds along the lake and gives way to rutted gravel an hour north of the airport.The government has promised to pave the entire length from Kamembe to Gisenyi-a drive that currently takes five hours—by the end of the president’s current mandate.Presidential elections here are scheduled for the fall of 2009 and construction has yet to begin.The association that welcomed us is called Imbabazi, the Kinyarwanda word Four-year-old Anthony Green has given The Record his masterpieces depicting your weather forecast.Weather Today: Clearing in the morning.Wind west 20 km/h gusting to 40 becoming light late in the day.Temperature steady near minus 6.Tomorrow: Snow.Low minus 14.High zero.Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud.Low minus 5.High minus 4.Friday: Periods of snow.Low minus 13.High minus 5.:,V.PHOTO COURTESY OF LOGAN BROECKAERT for mercy.Founded in 2000 by a mother and son, the association runs a sewing circle and has developed a few small farming activities including animal husbandry and a community garden.Imbabazi also provides health care and school fees for 1868 youth and almost three hundred widows.On this trip, we were invited to visit the association’s health station.While the Methodist mission runs the district hospital which provides service to the twin towns of Tyazo and Kibogora, Imbabazi provides limited health services to the most rural areas.We were taken there in a Land Cruiser borrowed from a local doctor.The road was a footpath widened to accommodate wheeled traffic, rutted and wet from the heavy rains the night before.We were told that the health centre was six kilometers from the village of Tyazo, which itself is merely a collection of small shops, a restaurant and a trade school.Given that the most direct way to the health station was blocked by a transport truck, it took us thirty-three minutes to get there.The centre is small.There is no electricity or running water.During the rainy season it is difficult for the only laboratory technician to read his slides.There is a small triage area, a dispensary and a single examination room.The clinic is located on a hill and serves the very small villages and independent households in the sector.It runs the-matically-that is to say every day of the week is taken up by a specific health concern in order to avoid a daily rush of patients.On Fridays, the day we visited, health workers only see children and nursing and pregnant mothers.When we arrived, there were hundreds of children, most of them clutching their vaccination records.Few of them wore shoes.Many had distended bellies, a telltale sign of kwashiorkor, a condition that results from a diet high in carbohydrates and low in protein.Food staples in the Western Province include igitoki or cooking bananas, and cassava bread, made from ground cassava roots.Beans and meat are too expensive for many in the district.On this particular Friday, health workers—the clinic is staffed by two nurses-were, in addition to checking up on the women and children, testing for HIV.Thanks to donated equipment, the samples can be tested at the clinic and results are available within thirty minutes.The official national incidence rate for HIV in Rwanda is 2.8 per cent, low when compared to other sub-Saharan countries.Health workers at Imbabazi, however, told us that between 20 and 30 per cent of tests return positive results, a figure that is significantly higher than the official rate.Knowing one’s status in the sector served by Imbabazi and in sectors just like it, while important, does not result in any meaningftil difference in health care.Anti-retrovirals,.simply known as ARVs, which have been the mainstay of HIV treatment for more than a decade, are not widely available in rural Rwanda although the government claims that access to anti-retroviral treatment is free and universal.The geographical isolation of many areas and the economic complexities of providing sufficient social services, including health care in a developing country, have stretched Rwandan resources to the limit.In contrast, care and treatment are largely free and universal in Kigali, a direct result of the proliferation in recent years of NGOs that provide access to ARVs, such as WE-ACTx, the one for which I work.These organisations distribute ARVs subsidised by PEPFAR, Global Fund and the Clinton Foundation, among others, which makes them far more accessible than they would otherwise be.These organisations and, as a result the treatment they provide, do not reach rural health centres such as Imbabazi, creating a rural/urban divide in access to care and treatment.While these organisations rightly focus their efforts in Kigali, where the reported infection rate is highest, the under-reporting in rural Rwanda is keeping official statistics artificially low.At Imbabazi, three out of every ten people tested are positive, a rate double that of the official rate in the capital.Despite this, there remains a disconnect between the levels of care available in the provinces.While Rwanda has done far more than its neighbours to address the HIV pandemic, its provinces are being sorely neglected.It is here, on the porous and war-ravaged borders with Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo, and in the internally displaced people’s camps on the Tanzanian border where the disease will proliferate and eat into the gains that the country has so painstakingly made in the interior.Rwanda has done well since the genocide to address the medical needs of its population.Indeed, WE-ACTx, a private HIV/AIDS clinic founded in 2004, finds that it cannot keep up with the pace of legislation that affects the health sector.There is far more to be done, however, and the RPF should now focus some attention on developing the infrastructure-roads, in addition to health centres-that will allow NGOs to mobilise their resources in the capital and move them to Rwanda’s four underserved provinces.Stanbridge East’s Logan Broeckaert is on a Canadian International Development Agency internship in Rwanda and sends news each Tuesday.Ben by Daniel Shelton IS THAT FOR ME?wow/ I CANT WAIT TOFINPOUT HEH HEH 00 % Vwhat it is a Si k J It is already December, actually almost Christmas! Only when we go into the city do we get the feeling of it.Out here there is no influence from advertising, no temptation from stores and certainly no easy money like credit cards.We don’t mind this at all and how refreshing it is for Christmas to be about the birth of Christ and not about spending money.We are becoming more and more established.Our house is modest but comfortable and so is our budget.The good thing about both of those things is that they are low maintenance and easy to manage.Nothing is taken for granted.Sometimes there are power cuts and sometimes there is a water shortage.But, most of the time we have both.Likewise Food warnings Chocolate (McD)—The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Shoppers Drug Mart are advising people with milk allergies to avoid two kinds of Life brand Dark Chocolate Bars.These products may contain milk or milk products not identified on the label.The affected products are: Life brand Premium Swiss Dark Chocolate with Orange and Life brand Premium Swiss Dark Chocolate 72 per cent Cocoa.The chocolate is sold in 100 mg bars and the recall affects all lot codes.These products are sold locally through Pharmaprix drugstores.Cheese and Peanot Butter (LK)—'The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Cambrooke foods have issued a health hazard alert for certain Cambrooke Foods Imitation Cream Cheese and Peanot Butter.They say the following products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes: Cheddar Wizard Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (UPC: 8 04795 10310 2), Herb Garlic Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (UPC: 8 04795 10308 9), Plain Low Protein Imitation Cream Cheese (UPC:8 04795 10306 5) and Low Protein Imitation Peanot Butter (UPC:8 04795 10809 1) No illnesses associated with consumption of these products have been reported.Listeria monocytogenes may not cause food to look or smell spoiled, CFIA warns.Consumption may cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.If you think you have consumed a tained product, please see a physician immediately and dispose of the food .Further information on the recall can be found on the company’s website at http://www.cambrookefoods.com/in formation/product_recall.php * ¦¦rut; » ¦¦¦mi , —— RFrnpn News from Malawi Tuesday, December 16, 2008 page 3 in the stores.Sometimes there are products available and sometimes there are not.Making a plan is now a part of our daily routine, if it doesn’t work one way, we try another.At the end of last week we were away for a couple of days, so I took the opportunity to have a bath tub built into our shower for Francine.It is very basic, consisting of a low retainer wall around the outside of the shower.This took the builder from 8 a.m.until 9.30 p.m.to complete (anywhere else in the world it would have taken about 3 hours) but at least we now have a bath and all that remains is to paint it.Another example is when we had our first power cut.We found an old 5” pan, which is now our candle holder.It is pretty and practical with a long handle.Having a limited number of bowls and plates we use plastic container lids as salad bowls.They are colourful and serve their purpose for now.Dawn breaks at around 4:30 with the neighbours’ rooster ensuring that everybody is awake.Soon afterwards the women and children from the village start pumping water from the well close to the house and of course this is the time of day when they all get together to chat amongst each other.At the same time there’s a harmony of bird songs, which remind me of my youth.At the end of the day one of our pleasures is to walk around the estate dam bird watching or sitting on our veranda watching the sun going down whilst drinking a Kuche Kuche (local beer).By 6:30 p.m.it is totally dark with the sounds of frogs and crickets in the background.We treat ourselves regularly.To begin with it was grocery items such as jam, marmalade and peanut butter.Now we have progressed to bigger things.Recently we purchased 2 camping chairs which are very nice and make us feel civilised.At the top of our list was a radio which we love to listen to at supper time as we have no TV.These are available but very expensive.We often Insignia 19" Flat-Panel LCD/DVD Combo TV 10084084.Please note that on page 20 of the December 12 flyer, the wrong sku and description was provided.The sku should be 10084080 INSIGNIA NSLCD19F 19" LCD FID-READY TV.Please note that this is not an LCD/DVD Combo TV.We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers.PHOTO BY THE LILFORDS laugh about English expressions used on the radio by the host who sometimes has no idea of the true meaning.All very entertaining.Some evenings we manage to stay awake until 8:30.Thinking it would be nice to have an activity new to both of us, we bought some cards.They are thinner than the cardboard of a box of cereal so we will probably not play very often, plus knowing only one game doesn’t help.Some of you might feel sorry for us but don’t.We are happy and content to be where we are, surrounded by happy people; living in an oasis of green hills covered with a mat of green tea plants, with wonderful views of distant mountain and hills that would make anybody envious.The climate is hot during the day and cool at night.There is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables plus we are able to drink some of the world's finest coffee and tea grown right here on the estate.As of next week we will be listening to our Christmas Carols from our computer thinking about the cold and the snow you are having.As you can imagine we often miss our friends and family in Canada but certainly do not miss the political and economical problems that first world countries are having now.Here there are no problems, just SITUATIONS.We have both started work, but it is the Malawian way; slowly.Soon we will be able to share what we are presently doing whilst waiting for the opportunity to achieve our long term goal.This is to help disadvantaged youth with an agricultural and vocational training to enable them to progress in life with some sort of skill.It will take time but there is no rush.For now we have a commitment with VSO doing work which we are happy with.It is a great organisation, they are there for us and also look after us very well.Last week-end it was the National Volunteer conference and we were all invited to a resort on Lake Malawi with everything paid for, including the bites from the bed bugs.It was a great time to meet other volunteers.VSO is full of people with a variety of skills and working in different parts of the country.It was super to be able to share our different experiences.Hope you enjoy reading our news.We will do our best to be in touch regularly.In the meantime we wish all Record readers Seasons Greetings.The Lilfords Steve and Francine Lilford are presently on a 2-year VSO mission to Malawi and propmise to send news of their experiences when possible.RECORD ^ jji^ Yves Robert /.Jjpj Advertising Consultant \y Sherbrooke - Magog - Stanstead X  Tel.: 819-569-9525 • 800463-9525 A JjlL_ email: production@sherbrookerecord.com NOTICE TO ALL SUBSCRIBERS y HOLIDAY SCHEDULE: December 8th to the 31st Due to the rush during this time of year, should you be planning any changes to your subscription during^ this period (ex.: temporary stop, restart, address change, etc.), please let us know at least one week prior to the date of the change.Thank you! O' O' • THE • PFrnpn 819-569-9528 450-242-1188 accounting ®videotron.ca page 4 Tuesday, December 16, 200« : i ¦ hie — ¦ RECORD Up close and personal with Jaydee Bixby PHOTO COURTESY By Jessie Aulis RECORD CORRESPONDENT The fans of Canadian Idol are already familiar with Jaydee Bixby, an angel-faced teenager who has a voice of rare maturity.The young artist was the runner up on the fifth season of Canadian Idol.In 2008 he signed with Her Royal Majesty’s Records and went on to release his debut album Cowboys and What the.?An ambitious Russian businessman, Oleg Teterin, the president of a mobile phone ad company, has trade-marked an emoticon (those little combinations of punctuation marks computer geeks use to express emotions) used to signify a knowing wink [ ;-) ].He plans to charge companies a licensing fee, should they choose to use it in advertising or for anything else.He says the rest of us (because we have no money?) can continue to use it without fear of being sued.“I want to highlight that this is only directed at corporations, companies that are trying to make a profit without the permission of the trademark holder,” he explains.“Legal use will be possible after buying an annual license from us.It won’t cost that much - tens of thousands of dollars.(!!!!) Well, Mr.Teterin, @#*% you and the horse you rode in on! Granted, this trademark only applies in Russia, where apparently the spirit of capitalism now shines brightly, but nevertheless, this nonsense has got to stop.Trademarking punctuation can only lead to trade-marking letters, then words and heaven knows what else.Does anyone remember Paris Hilton trying to copyright “That’s hot!" - probably the only two words in the language that she’s mastered.It’s unlikely Mr.Teterin will ultimately prevail, however, as someone tried to do the same thing in 2005 and was successfully sued.So, never fear, greeksters, and have a nice day :) (McD) Cadillacs.Bixby was born in Drumheller, Alberta, where he was raised in a home of dedicated musicians.He moved to Red Deer, Alberta where he attended Hunting Hills High School.He was in a band called the “Bixbys” with his mom, dad, and a family friend.The young man has 5 sisters, 4 older and 1 younger, and no brothers.He grew up listening to old country music ranging from Hank Williams to David Allan Coe and he has a real love for traditional country.It is his family who supported him in his dream of becoming a recording artist.“I played football in high school but I blew my knee and I couldn’t play anymore.This is when I started taking my frustrations into writing and singing,” explained the young artist.“My family is vital to me.My father taught me guitar, my mother played bass.I’ve got five sisters and they’re my biggest fans.I grew up in a town of less than 10,000.When you get thrown into the national eye, you realize how big the world is.It’s nice to have your family behind you and supporting you,” His participation in Canadian Idol helped earn him millions of fans in the process, but it was well deserved with his warm and strong voice and his impressive stage presence.The young man didn’t win but this turned out to be an experience that taught him a lot.“The main thing I realize going through Canadian Idol is that you have to believe in yourself and go with your own gut,” said Bixby.The debut collection was recorded in Vancouver, BC and it offers a true traditional country vibe set to contemporary arrangements.“Cowboys and Cadillacs is straight-up country with a newer twist,” notes Bixby.“In order for an album to be strong, the songs have to reflect your personality; be believable.The only way to do that is to get a lot of yourself in there.It’s a learning process and as you grow your fans should grow with you.I kept it a family affair in order to stay true to myself.I had my parents in to do back-up vocals because if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have this opportunity.I learned to sing from them.That’s how they met, playing in a band.Music is in the Bixby blood,” stresses the singer.The first single to be released was called ‘Old Fashioned Girls’, and was well received by the fans.In this song, Bixby sings about who would be his dream partner.She would have to be a little bit like mom and a little bit like Minnie Pearl: a charming and spirited wholesome girl.The producers of his debut album, Bill Buckingham (Rita McNeil, The Cuze-ros) and John Webster (Bon Jovi, Aero-smith), have done a wonderful job.Even if the songs offer a modern sound, the producers made certain that Bixby’s passion for old country was included.“I try to bring my passion for old country into my music.I have listened to that music a lot and I think that there’s still room for it today.There’s a future for that style because I think that you can make the future whatever you want it to be,” explained the artist.“In order to get that old feel, when we Canadian Calorie Counters By Livia Royea RECORD CORRESPONDENT LENNOXVILLE Getting rid of those extra pounds is never easy, but having a support group can increase your chance of success.On Tuesday mornings and Wednesday evenings members of Canadian Calorie Counters gather at the United Church in Lennoxville to attend their weekly meeting.Canadian Calorie Counters, a Canadian non-profit weight loss group, has two groups in Quebec, both in Lennoxville.The Eastern Townships Happy Losers (branch 708) and the Lennoxville Lean-ers (branch 560) meet weekly to record member’s progress, collect calorie sheets, discuss nutrition and provide support in attaining their weight loss goals.“Knowing that you are going to be weighed every week helps to keep you on track,” says a member.“Some people just come to maintain a stable weight instead of gaining,” says secretary- treasurer and weight recorder Ruth McComb.Ruth’s Tuesday morning group of twelve boasts four stars, including herself.The status of star is achieved when a member reaches their weight loss goal.Vi Mackey, president of branch 560 has been a member since 1978, when Calorie Counters was first established in Lennoxville.According Mackey, the E.T.Losers have nine members with one star.A typical meeting starts with a weigh-in, followed by a group discussion where members share information and discuss their weight loss challenges or recipes for success.The gathering ends with dieting tips from selected sources followed by the group pledge to work united to achieve their objectives through sound nutrition, and the development of healthy attitudes through mutual respect and group therapy.“A group like Weight Watchers is expensive, and people lose while they are members, but when they stop going they put it all back on,” shares a member.Although Ruth McComb describes her Calorie Counters group as more casual than other weight loss support groups, it is much more affordable.Membership only costs five dollars a month with a forty-dollar yearly fee.Returning members receive a $5 reduction on their yearly membership.An anonymous member shares that she stopped going to Calorie Counters in the past and started to gain weight, and joined again.“Weight loss is a lifetime battle.It is something I will have to work on forever," states the member.To join, new members must provide a doctor’s approval card and recommendation for caloric intake.For those interested in the joining the Tuesday morning group from 9 to 10 a.m.contact McComb at 819-820-2387 and for the Wednesday evening group from 5:30 to 6 p.m.contact Mackey at 819-564-0771.recorded the album, we used all vintage microphones and old guitars.” Bixby has a positive attitude and seems to know where he is going.“I like to think country music will never die.I want to make fans of people who never listened to country music before.Mostly, I will give the same show whether it is in front of 30 or 30,000 people.” The young man has been on promotional tour and he still has plenty of dates scheduled to perform across Canada.“Every member of my band is older than I am.We have been touring for a few months now but it feels like I’ve known them forever,” said Bixby.“If you can wake up in the morning and you’re excited to go to work, you’re lucky.That’s the kind of job you want to have.But I’m still learning the ropes, enjoying polishing my art and performing around the country.” This is a good debut album by a perfectly talented young man who wakes up in the morning and is excited to go to work.His work holds many promises for a successful career.*5* 7JF7 want for Christmas Dear Santa, Hello my name is Dakota Buzzell.I am fmonths-old and this is my first Christmas.I would very much like it if you would help me make it special.I have been a very pood boy this year and 1 already have my 2 front teeth.mile.'.I'll have milk and cookies for you when you come to my house.IVnat'syour favourite?Your pood boy always Dakota Buzzell.xoxox Send your Christmas wishes or tell us about your best Christmas ever (with your photo) by mailing The Record at 1195 Galt East, Sherbrooke, Qc, JIG 1Y7, or email it to newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com.Maybe Santa’s helper will choose you as one of the three good little boys or girls to receive the gifts Santa left at The Record.Each and every letter and photo will be published in The Record. news Brii:fs Designated driver killed (RL)-In a cruel twist of irony, a woman who works for a drive-home service for impaired drivers may have been killed by a drunk driver while on the job.Cécile Descôteaux, 60, was killed in a crash on Route 122 near the corner of Foucault Blvd in Drum-mondville, said Sûreté du Québec spokesman Louis-Philippe Ruel.Police suspect the other driver was drunk.Descôteaux ran Securimax, a Drummondville company that ran a service to get tipsy travellers home safely.She was returning from escorting a customer home when she was killed around 2:30 a.m.Saturday.The driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee was coming around a curve, lost control and ended up in the oncoming lane, said Ruel.He crashed into the driver’s side of Descôteaux’s car, killing her instantly.Two volunteers in Descôteaux’s car were injured.So was the driver of the Jeep.The Jeep driver, a 48-year-old man from Drummondville, was taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries.A blood sample was taken to determine his alcohol level.Ruel said it will take a few weeks before the results are known.If test results prove positive, the driver will face serious charges.Electrical suspected in Stoke fire The kitchen of Brasserie Le Jasper on Route 216 in Stoke was completely destroyed and the dining room severly damaged following a major fire in the early hours of the morning Monday.The fire, which was reported at 3 a.m., also caused smoke and water damage to adjoining businesses, said Sûreté du Quebec spokesman Louis-Philippe Ruel.The Brasserie is located in a building that also houses the local caisse populaire, a dépanneur and the Bistro du 4 restaurant.Ruel said the fire, which began in the kitchen of the brasserie, appears to be electrical in origin.An investigation will determine the exact cause.Ov\e> 6o\jf of ftA/o docÇ not hav'c Un héritage à partager LEAVE A LEGACY” Québec www.legacy-quebec.org 1 888 304-8834 — tip: i RECORD Tuesday, December 16, 2008 page 5 Memphre: (Boisvert, the “dracontologist” who came up with the name Memphre, died in February, 2006 in Magog.He was an avid scuba diver and spent much of his life beneath the waters of Lake Mem-phremagog.) Mahoney declines to say what happened to the baby Memphre after it was closely examined but, during the capture, you can hear a background voice call out: Have you got those coals ready for it.and the fire?” You can find the video on YouTube at have your disbelief http://www.youtube.com/watch7v-nNFMHKIT0-s button handy.or at www.logcabintv.com, the video section of Mahoney’s Log Cabin Chronicles on-line magazine.“And have your willing suspension of disbelief button handy,” says Mahoney.ohn Mahony says Rejected Shefford ballots to be recounted today (RSJ-A judicial recount has been ordered in the riding of Shefford where incumbent MNA François Bonnardel, from the Action démocratique du Québec, was elected by a slim margin of 63 votes.Two days after the close call, Liberal candidate Jean-Marc Tremblay filed a request for a recount in Quebec Court.The case was heard on Friday and Judge Alain Désy ordered the recount after hearing from Tremblay’s campaign manager Michel Rouillard and an election worker who testified ballots were rejected by scrutineers because the X went outside the circle, reported the Voix de l’Est.All of the ballot boxes will be taken to the Granby courthouse today where the recount will be performed by a dozen members from each of the opposing camps.Tremblay’s lawyer André Dugas and Bonnardel’s lawyer Brian Furlong will also be on hand to observe.If the two camps don’t agree on the validity of ballots, Judge Désy will be called upon to rule.The recount is expected to be completed on Thursday in time for the swearing in ceremony for elected MNAs in Quebec City.In 1998, Liberal MNA Bernard Brodeur defeated PQcandidate René Marois by a mere 81 votes.A judicial recount was requested by Marois, but after all the rejected ballots were verified, Brodeur maintained his majority with 73 votes more than Marois.In 1998,654 ballots had been rejected.Brodeur ended the recount with eight votes less.Last Monday some 654 ballots were rejected by Shefford scrutineers.Electrophysio i.ogy COMING TO CHUS The Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) will soon have an electrophysiology room to diagnose and treat the electrical activities of the heart.Thanks to a $3.9 million investment from the provincial health ministry, the CHUS will be able to acquire and install the necessary equipment, notes a press release from St-François MNA Monique Gagnon-Tremblay, the minister responsible for the Estrie region, and Health Minister Yves Bolduc.Electrophysiology is the specialized branch of cardiology and physiology that deals with the electrical phenomena associated with the heart.The new electrophysiology room will be used to diagnose such problems as arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats).It will also be used to install internal cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers.“Since 2005, the CHUS has had a team of specialists that deals with cardiac electrophysiology interventions.However, they had to work in rooms designed for other uses,” explained Dr.Bolduc in a press release.“This new development will permit more work in this field and reduce the number of patients being sent to Montreal for treatment.” Gagnon-Tremblay, who announced the CHUS project had obtained the green light during the recent election campaign, said the new funding demonstrates the support the CHUS has from the provincial government.“We have invested $112 million for the expansion of the Hotel Dieu, consolidating its specific mission without the clinical responsibilities of the CHUS,” she noted, adding that major investments are planned for the CHUS-Fleurimont to increase specialized and super-specialized medical activities there.“Thanks to investments by our government, a third center for electrophysiology is being created (in Sherbrooke), along with those in Montreal and Quebec City,” boasted Bolduc.“This will result in a better geographical coverage of specialized services, as well as a better deployment of electrophysiologists on the territory of Quebec.” Compiled by The Record’s staff r to stand in It's quick & easy and there's no line Give RECORD as a Christmas gift for only $128,68 (12 months), $67,45 (6 months) or $34,43(3 months).Taxes in eluded To : _______________ From : Postal code:______ Tel.:______ Postal code :_____________Tel.:____ Send gift card Q No QYes From :_____________________ Start the gift Q Now Q Jan 2009 I IF x tend current Q Other______________________ Fayment by : Q Cheque Q Money Order Q IVT/C Q Visa Amount paid : $_____ Credit card # :_______Expiry date : / / ——THF — .1 RECORD F*.0 Box 1200, Sherbrooke QC, J1H 5L6 Tel.: (819) 569-9528 accounting@vicJeotron.ca Offer valid in Canada until December 31, 2008.Subscription amounts include GST and PST All payments must be dated no later than December 31, 2008 -^1 [*-' J* £*»**£ 'mmgir Ayec Servit •û»dîfVKr@ page 6 Tuesday, December 16, 2008 RECORD Community Forum Remember when ?BOXING, THE SWEET SCIENCE: Ban It or Let It Be It wasn't that long ago that gas station postings depicted such low prices, hut when exactly was it?If you have any idea around when this photo would have been snapped or where this photo was taken let us know by emailing news-room@sherbrookerecord.com.Adrien: “Can I ask you something?Why do you want to box?” Rocky: “Hey! I can’t sing or dance.Yo!” (From the first “Rocky” movie) At one point I thought about going to Los Vegas to see the fight.I have always wanted to visit that city and the Oscar De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao battle would be chocolate syrup on the cake.But costs were prohibitive.Television then?Perhaps, but it was not on the ‘normal’ channels, nor could I find a local bar showing it.There was a possibility to get it at home but that was a technological challenge.Then I learned the Champs bar in Montreal would have it.Problem solved.1 would go to Montreal.A.J.Liebling said “Great fights should be viewed alone but in the midst of noisy crowd.” (For the uninitiated, Liebling was without question the dean of all boxing writers who ever lived.) As it turned out I saw the fight in Sherbrooke.On an off-chance I stopped by Cage au Sport and discovered the fight was shown there on about thirty televisions at 9:00 p.m.on Saturday.Professional boxing always starts later than announced so I arrived at Cage au Sport well after 9:00, and the fight did not begin until 11:00.The prelim boys weren’t bad but the excitement really began only when the two main event combatants came down the crowded cheering corridor for their introductions.Surprisingly the huge bar and bistro was crowded but nothing like I had expected.There were probably hundreds of spectators but there was ample room to sit.There are always surprises in Quebec for displaced Ontarians like myself but I was amazed.Don’t people realize this may be one of the most spectacular fights of the century?Both men have held amazing numbers of championships in a dizzying number of different weight divisions.And De La Hoya “The Golden Boy” is one of the greatest fighters in all of boxing history.However he is aging and some believe he has passed his prime.Not me.The man is only 35.He is the older one however, and we old guys have to hang together.Like him I won’t see 35 again.Further, it may be the last chance to see him live in action.Pacquiao from the Philippines is another very tough and worthy opponent.Well, sort of.My heart and money, (the price of two beers) was on the Golden Boy.Boxing gets a bad rap these days, and many want it banned.I used to argue otherwise but I am more reserved in my support as the years go by.Yet it is not simply a case of dumb mugs pounding on one another.It is a sport that demands skill in spite of the violence, and also demands intelligence, discipline and learning.The speed, feinting, bobbing, and weaving are not easily mastered, and the athletic coordination and footwork can be something to behold.Plus there is always the courage.No small thing.Boxing goes back to the time of the Greeks and has long been an integral part of human society.However, as we learn more and more about the damage caused to the brain, the defense of boxing becomes increasingly difficult.At university we wore head gear and that should be mandatory.Yet I remain increasingly divided about a ban, and some readers will be thinking I may have taken a few too many shots to the head myself.When I was a child my brother and 1 made scrap books of boxers.Today the names of our heroes just spill out as I think back to those times.Some readers may also remember them: The Hartford Tornado Willie Pep, Rocky Graziano, Fritzi Zivic, Sugar Ray Robinson, Bobo Olson, Henry Armstrong, Lou Nova, Joe Louis, Billy Conn (a special hero of mine), Jersey Joe Walcott , George Chuvalo, Ezzard Charles.The list goes on and on as did the photos, stories, and cartoons in our scrap books.We had them all.Early on our dad bought us boxing gloves and we had some great old fights between ourselves, and with relatives and neighbors.The fighting continued at Sea Scouts and I was never happier.At university I learned the true meaning of the phrase my ‘cup runneth over’ when I won the welterweight intramural championship and joined the university team.The comradeship amongst boxers is unique.No generalization covers everything but boxers are nice guys.The memories arc exquisite.Further, the experience nourishes the most important of all human values - courage.On the other hand it was interesting to learn that standing up in a hostile board room could be about as demanding as climbing into the ring.You need all the practice you can get.Ban boxing?Mohammed Ali with his deteriorated faculties responded in a barely intelligible quivering voice that he would change nothing and would never have stopped boxing to preserve his health.Other boxers have taken similar positions.Ban boxing?I’m not so sure.What comes next?I wish I had taken those faded dreams a bit further.Oh yes.The De La Hoya - Pacquiao fight.De La Hoya took an awful beating and they stopped the fight after the eighth round.However, at the beginning as lie walked down through the roaring crowd for introductions in the ring I was back with my brother and father crowding around the little radio listening to Don Dumphries introduce the Brown Bomber.Different folks and different strokes but what wonderful memories.De La Hoya finished on his feet but they should have stopped it sooner.Pacquiao was too fast, too strong, too good.Oscar was too old and you could see it as early as the second round.I drove home after midnight in a dark mood with unexpected memories of the 1951 Marciano-Louis fight roiling around in my head.Black and white television and a similar wretched ending with Louis flat on his back half way out of the ring.Unhappy times.Unhappy thoughts.It’s a tough life but how less interesting it would be in a world without boxing.Ban boxing?No, wait.What about Louis’ victories?69 out of 72.Wow.And De La Hoya’s championships?Wow again.I suppose we should ban it but it makes life more interesting, the years pass quickly, and we’re a long time dead.Tom Cavanagh RECORD P.0.Box 1200 Sherbrooke J1H 316 or 1195 Galt E, Sherbrooke JIG 1Y7 Fax: 819-569-3945 e-mail: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Website: svww.sherbrookerecord.com Kenneth Wei.i s Publisher .(819) 569-9511 Jen Young Edit or .(819) 569-6345 Joe Strizzi Corresp.Editor .(819) 569-6345 Richard Lessard Prod.Mcr.(819) 569-9931 Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman .(819) 569-9931 Francine Thibault Prod.Superv.(819) 569-4856 DEPARTMENTS Accounting .(819) 569-9511 Advertising .(819) 569-9525 Circulation.(819) 569-9528 Newsroom .(819) 5696345 Knowiton office 5 Victoria Street, Knowiton, Quebec.JOE 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 Column Letters to the editor RECORD Tuesday, December 16, 2008 page 7 Comparison is unacceptable RE: “Hell’s celebrate anniversary, all quiet" by Rita Legault, The Record, Thursday, December 11, 2008: Ms Legault’s comparison: “Like Girl Guides and Boy Scouts, members who do dirty deeds for the gang .obtain the right to sport more patches.” is outrageous.The Guiding and Scouting movements should never be mentioned in the same breath as the Hell’s Angels.Ms Legault and the editorial staff of The Record must immediately retract that statement and apologize to the legions of young people whose lives have been enriched by following the tenets of Guiding and Scouting as well as to the countless volunteers who ensure the availability of this excellent life-training to our young people.As a former Scout and a parent whose children benefited from being members of the Guides and Scouts, respectively, 1 find this to be an atrocious piece of “journalism” A.Jackson Noble, CA North Hatley Winners write history books Apparently my last letter to the editor needs clarification to at least one reader, so I will restate my premise regarding international relations: “Might makes right.” I won’t dust off my old political science textbooks to provide Mr.Heggison with some juicy quotes to prove my point though, because I suspect I would be wasting my time.Of course Robert Mubabe is right in Zimbabwe, as was Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin and the long list of international “baddies” he mentions.Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Georgia last summer was a blatant violation of international law, but as far as the international community is concerned, he was “right as rain” because he was able to get away with it.The international community can complain, protest and whine indefinitely about the situation in Mongolia, but until someone steps up and gives China some real reasons why their policies should change, they’ll continue to get away with it.Don’t make the mistake of confusing “morality” with military power, and remember that it is the winners, not the losers, who write the history books! One thing Mr.Heggison and Mr.McDevitt apparently agree on is that certain American politicians should be ranked on the international “badness scale” right up there with the likes of the aforementioned indi- viduals.Where do you folks get your facts?From Hamas news releases?You underscore my point perfectly, in that the United States should never subject its citizens to such international witch hunts, period.Might makes right.It’s the natural order of things.Lastly, Mr.Heggison seems to think that since I am not Chinese, I should have no opinion on China.I beg to differ.I love China, have done well investing in the Chinese stock market, and look forward to a long prosperous future in the Asian economic boom.Personally, I couldn’t care less whether my investments are denominated in yuan, yen, bhat, Euros or the “almighty dollar", as long as I make some money along the way.And that, my friend, is what free markets are all about! Larry D Patton Sherbrooke Laptops aren’t so peachy I am writing in response to Bruce Anderson’s letter of December 10th titled “Laptop benefits are there”.No one can doubt the benefit of owning or using a laptop.It is a very useful tool.But will Mr.Anderson excuse those of us who think that the laptop program as instituted by the ETSB is a waste of tax payer dollars and provides dubious quantifiable benefits for the amount of money being taken from the operating budget of the ETSB ?A quick poll of Mr.Anderson’s students would probably reveal that a majority of his students are on line at home and have at least one computer and maybe even a laptop or two.Would it not be better value for the tax payer’s dollar to re-institute the controlled environment of a computer lab and ask students to do those special research projects either in the shared lab or on their home computers?1 laud Mr.Anderson’s initiatives in his geography class to connect his students to the outside world through examples such as the Globe and Mail’s “Talking to the Taliban” series.Would it be unreasonable if he were to ask his students to take a few minutes at home from their Facebook and other messenger services to do that sort of work at home?As a geography major and former teacher, I know how rich and varied the subject of geography can be.Laptop tool aside, the heart of any good geography course has to be only one thing, a good teacher.Is the laptop program as beneficial as Mr.Anderson and the ETSB would have us believe?Why then is the ETSB the only school board in Quebec to have taken this direction?Why aren’t others clamouring to get on board?Could it be that administrators understand that being indebted to an American corporation and driving the local school board into a huge deficit may not be the best direction to take?Could it be that more sensible administrators see through Mr.Canuel’s puff project to bring prestige to a small rural school board suffering from a forty per cent dropout rate and an identity crisis?What great idea is next?Well how about this suggestion.Imagine if a mere two million of the estimated fifteen million dollar cost of the laptop project were funneled into the development of the arts.A quick estimate of that resource would provide money for forty music and art teachers, more than enough to give the ETSB a first rate arts program and transform a collection of rural schools into a truly enviable model school board for the rest of Quebec.Too simple you may ask?For.now, we taxpayers, parents, teachers and students will just have to try our best to read between the lines of those glowing ETSB press releases.Mr.Canuel and school board members were not forthcoming before their top down institution of the laptop boondoggle and you can be sure we won’t be getting the straight talk when the ELS (Enhanced Learning Strategy) hits the wall.With a world financial crisis looming, that wall may appear sooner than later.Keith Whittall Richmond TPS MOVING FUNCTIONS TO Sherbrooke Sherwood office (RS)—Sher-Wood Hockey Inc.has received court approval to complete the purchase of the business assets of TPS Sports Group, a leading manufacturer and distributor of hockey sticks and protective equipment.Sherwood also announced that it expects to immediately integrate TPS manufacturing and distribution functions into its Sherbrooke facilities.Sher-Wood Hockey yesterday acquired the inventory, receivables, and manufacturing equipment from TPS which had been operating under trusteeship since September.Sher-Wood Hockey Inc.was formed in June 2008 to purchase the hockey assets of the company formerly known as Sher-Wood Drolet.In September it purchased the hockey assets of Inglasco.§& 2008 Proud parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, show off your pride and joy in our “Babies of 2008” edition of The Record to be published on January 9, 2009.Although all babies are welcome and will be featured in our special issue, only those born in 2008 will be considered for a cover photo and story (randomly selected for this honour).Mail a photograph of the baby with: baby’s name, birthday, parents’ name, hometown and 10 words describing the little tyke, along with $20.(taxes included) and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to The Record at 1195 Galt St.East, Sherbrooke, QC JIG 1Y7 OR 5 Victoria St., Knowlton, QC JOE 1V0.Deadline: December 31, 2008.Published on January 9, 2009.Prizes to be won: $50 gift certificate courtesy of 218 Alexandre, Sherbrooke 819-564-0033 i?1 Télépjhoto * loto source* $50 gift certificate courtesy of Lennoxville Tri-Us 3003 College, Sherbrooke 819-822-2632 $50 gift basket courtesy of Chantal Richard Pharmacy 23 Notre-Dame W., Stanstead 819-876-5811 Pro) rim and two 3 month subscription to RECORD 52831 page 8 Tuesday, December 16, 2008 ; - mi: i RECORD English: Horrocks said that English schools are often the only institution representing the English community in Quebec.She argues the 400 to 500 students currently barred from English-language schooling each year would aid a public school network that has halved in the past 25 years, from 250.000 to 110,000.The association's involvement, she said, is to push for access to English schools in the province.“Linguistic duality is part of who we are in Canada,” she said.While the association confirms the enrollment of about 110.000 students in 240 English language schools across the province this year, Horrocks pointed out that the case primarily affects three Montreal-area school boards.In March the Eastern Townships School Board disassociated itself from the case, arguing Quebec anglophones already have the right to send their children to English schools across Quebec.ETSB Chairman Michael Murray told The Record yesterday that their board has not supported the case.He said the loophole is inequitable since everyone cannot take advantage of it.“Either we support language laws or we don’t,” he said.“Bill 104 seemed to support the privileged few who wanted to enroll their children in private schools but didn’t address the broader population who couldn't afford the cost.” Housing for single moms funded PERRY BEATON The Villa Pierrot, an affordable housing project for single mothers scheduled to open in May, is seeking applications for future tenants.The non-profit housing coop being built at 432 Merry North in Magog which will feature 21 apartments for single moms, was the brainchild of Pierre Beaupré.The owner of Résidence Pinecroft, who mobilized the community behind the project, also donated a parcel of land valued at $270,000 for the construction.The non-profit housing project also received a $54,000 donation from fonds d’aide au développement du milieu from Caisse Desjardins.The generosity will be recognized by naming the community hall in honour of Dorimène Desjardins, cofounder of the caisses populaires Desjardins who was born 150 years ago.In November the Société d'habitation du Québec granted $1.3 million plus a loan of $2.3 million for construction of the building as well as the creation of an on-site subsidized daycare with 32 spots.In cooperation with the local CISC, the home will also offer individual and group support to help single moms integrate into the community.Young mothers seeking affordable housing can contact Lise Cadieux at 819-578-6777.Requests must be made before February.Mothers will then be invited for an interview.Everything for a Party ySlxopp 'mcj Ucnp *k tii Chrirtmei.x with l£ 18 BSrnm* AF II mom PENTAX t.a a-s fleece Gloves & Mittens Scarves & Socks' Raggwool & Acrylic AUSTIN O 1_I Ff AV HOURS GLOVES Monday-Friday: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.CAPS Saturday: 10:00 a.m.-5^)0 p.m.Sunday: 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.MNG DAŸ STÂfITS TODAŸf! % off on regular priced gloves & mittens with coupon Valid III December 31,2008 One coupon per customer.Carmol be combined with any other promotion.eft 1140 Panneton St., Sherbrooke • 819-569-2531 All the necessary products and accessories for baking and decorating your own cakes and for making your own chocolate.HL Distributor of Wilton products\ • Reception hall decorating "I • Balloon bouquets *1» • Party accessories • Rental of party costumes • Mascarade and make-up • Courses available 680 King St.E., Sherbrooke (819) 563-6665 Sfâasyour wish fist 6eenfitted?