The record, 29 décembre 2008, lundi 29 décembre 2008

¦THE RECORD The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 Come test drive one today! Suprem Automobile 819-821-9272 www.supremautomobile.com 75 CENTS + TAXES PM#0040007682 Monday, December 29, 2008 JANNA KENDALL A December 23rd Hi SAYS, SHE SAYS.(THE RECORD.DECEMBER 24T1I) blaze in North Hatley has left a family of five homeless.PAG I , 5 "The boy’s team tried for 11 years.Who would have thought they could pull this off." ¦Mike McNamara JEN YOUNG The smell of mistletoe, the sight of lights of every shade and the sound of.rushing water from swelling streams from warm temperatures?¦ wmm \ r T ‘Now I’m really bored Mom’ RECORD FILE PHOTO JEFF PAUW Yesterday's mild temperatures made for excellent driving conditions, but it wasn't so great for testing out those new hockey sticks, skis, or skates found under the tree Christmas mom.But, fear not.Environment Canada is predicting temperatures of a more seasonable nature.Today's -3 will be the warmest the Townships will see for the next little while as -16 is predicted by the week’s end.Interestingly enough last year, on December 31st (the photograph on the left was the front page depiction last year and that on the right was taken yesterday morning) the warmth was also felt.How quickly we forget.While it may take some time for the skating rinks to get back to their former lustre, local ski hills will again begin making snow today and tonight.Taxes up in Asbestos, Danville, Kingsey Falls, St.Felix By Stephen McDougall RECORD CORRESPONDENT Asbestos Residents in Asbestos, Danville, Kingsey Falls and St.Felix de Kingsey will face various tax and charge increases in 2009, according to figures released by municipal officials.In Asbestos, taxes have increased by an average eight percent, but the increases vary widely based on a complicated formula that is linked to a property’s increase or decrease in value.Gone are sector taxes, replaced by special mill rate taxes on water, sewage and infrastructure services.The base mill rate for 2009 will be $1.87 for single homes and small apartment blocks with less than 6 apartments, and $2.04 for apartment blocks with six or more apartments.See Mill page 5 Holiday traditions By Corrinna Pole Sherbrooke Holiday celebrations are observed almost universally.Most commonly referred to as “Christmas”, the modern festivities are a creation of hundreds of years of both secular and religious traditions from around the globe.Thanks to the internet, we are able to take a virtual journey across the seven continents to see how different parts of the world celebrate at this time of year.North America Canada: “Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!” As a melting pot for many ethnicities and cultures our holiday traditions can be quite diverse.Canadian traditions are primarily influenced by French, English, Irish, Scottish, German and Aboriginal cultures.In the far north, the Inuit celebrate a winter festival called “sinck tuck”, which features parties with dancing and the exchanging of gifts.Mummering is a tradition that takes place in the eastern provinces, primarily small towns and villages.Adults dress up in around the world costumes and knock on doors asking if there are mummers allowed in the house.They sing, dance, and partake of something sweet to eat and a warm drink before moving on to the next home.Mummers usually come out between December 26th and January 6th (the 12 Days of Christmas.) The practise is banned in some areas now because it has been misused as a justification for begging.In our home province of Quebec French customs prevail.Homes are decorated with crèches or nativity scenes and midnight mass is followed by tourtiere.A long Christmas banquet, called a réveillon, is filled with lavish food and enjoyed past midnight.In French the holiday greeting is “Joyeux Noël”, in English its “Merry Christmas”.The Inuit or Inupik say “Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!” United States: “Mele Kaliktmaka" In early America Christmas was not recognized.In fact in many areas of the country it was illegal.The pilgrims who traveled to America in 1620 were fleeing persecution in England due to their Puritan beliefs.They outlawed the holiday, from 1659 to 1681, owing to its pagan nature.See Massachusetts page 3 page 2 Monday, December 29, 2008 RECORD My Christmas Eve miracle As a precocious 6-year-old, I would often explain to my parents the reasons why I was not going to have my own children, telling them that I would adopt a m LOTO QUÉBEC Draw results: 2008-12-27 06 10 20 11 » 23 45 47 Bonus Winners 0 3 134 7,270 134,597 105,149 Total sales : Next grand prize (approx.) Prizes $9,214,495.00 $103,780.10 $1,919.30 $67.00 $10.00 $5.00 $15,502,826 $14,000,000 ¦gB* 0408 16 HSiir 32 36 43 06 Winners Prizes 6/6 0 $2,000,000.00 5/6+b 1 $75,000.00 5/6 27 $750.00 4/6 963 $75.00 3/6 13,614 $10.00 2/6+B 9,531 $5.00 Total sales $725,447.00 E|tra 3486724 Draw results: 2008-12-26 o’ 04 25 30 31 33 34 37 E|tra 3802804 6/7+8 2 6/7 109 5/7 5,949 4/7 128,128 3/7+8 120,897 3/7 1,069,479 Total Sales Next grand prize (approx ) Winners Prizes 0 $10,000,000.00 $91,737.60 $1,683.20 $104.80 $10.00 $10.00 Free play $15,827,306 $12,000,000 Is BACK WITH OVER $28 MILLIONS IN PRIZES! In the event of discrepancy between this list and the official winning list of Loto Québec, the latter shall prevail houseful of unwanted, unloved kids.Never having a sibling, my desire for a big family grew as the years passed, yet when my surgeon informed me at 21 that there’d be no biological children in my future, I figured that I’d just do as my childhood dream had suggested and adopt a house full.Life is strange and some things, no matter how much you want them, are just not meant to be.So finding myself without the pitter-patter of little feet running through my home, I decided to direct those mothering instincts to four-footed creatures that needed my love.And basically since then I’ve filled that void with a houseful of animal companions.As you all know a cat or dog’s life span is not near what a human life span is, so this has meant raising a few different animal families.About fourteen years ago, finding myself with only one very old kitty left, a little abandoned kitty made it through the woods and into my arms.Then I decided to • -adopt a puppy.She was six months old.A year later I adopted another six month old dog to keep her company, and that winter two rescued beagles joyfully joined my home and it was full of barking, tail wag-, ging and laughter again.Hardships and losses Most of you who have read my LOTO QUÉBEC Draw results: 2008-12-24 H 12 29 32 35 43 Winners Prizes Winners Prizes 6/6 0 $4,855,731.00 6/6 0 $2,000,000.00 5/6+B 2 $173,418.90 5/6+B 0 $75,000.00 5/6 123 $2,329.40 5/6 19 $750.00 4/6 6,931 $78.30 4/6 822 $75.00 3/6 139,482 $10.00 3/6 15,358 $10.00 2/6+8 103,052 $5.00 2/6+b 10,828 $5.00 Total sales $16,897,964 Total sales _ $795 679 00 Next grand prize (approx ) $ 11,000,000 TONIGHT S JACKPOT $10,000,000 (APPROX.) Egtra 5130253 In ihe event of discrepancy between this list and the official winning list of Loto-Québec, the latter shall prevail Four-year-old Anthony Green has given The Record his masterpieces depict-i ng your weather forecast.Weather Today: Cloudy with sunny periods.Temperature steady near minus 3.Tomorrow: A mix of sun and cloud with 60 percent chance of flurries.Low minus 4.High minus 4.Wednesday: Snow.I.ow minus 15.High minus 6.Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud with 40 percent chance of flurries.Low minus 16.High minus 15.THE GIFT OF BEING THERE 2^ hours a day 7 days a week 36s days a year Across the WO rid Across the street Canadian Red Cross Québec Division www.redcross.ca 1 800 JYCROIX (1800 592-7649) +T -“7” .y : .; - ‘ 5®-ÉL.-5-¦•¦.¦ Anna May Kinney column for over last twelve years know much about my isolated, back to the earth life style, and how I spend over seven months a year without leaving the property, so having an animal companion is not only fun, it’s kind of vital to my well being.And while I’ve grown a bit as a writer during these years, my companions have grown old and died one by one, in fact my last cat and two of the dogs passed during these last 18 months.There is only 15-year old Nina left, and she’s had two strokes this last year.Being a senior citizen, 1 questioned whether it was fair to commit myself to another animal companion at this time in my life, or should 1 for the first time be free of this responsibility.Last June, when Elizabeth dog took ill suddenly and died, the void in my heart was devastating, yet I knew that my needs now had changed, and the type of dog 1 could have had also changed.While I needed another dog to love, PHOTOS ANNA MAY KINNEY this one had to be very small and able to train to use kitty litter for when 1 could not take it outside.I’ve read about the many people living in high-rise apartments in New York who have these tiny dogs and how they teach them to use kitty litter.In this area of Quebec you just do not see these smaller breeds of dogs offered for sale, and which kind do you get?Well if you read “Faithful Friends” every Wednesday, you might have seen some Miniature Dashound puppies offered for sale right there next to my column last week.I looked at the picture and this black and brown face just called out to my heart, so on Christmas Eve I picked up the phone to find out all 1 could.The puppy in question was a female and the runt of the litter as I had wanted, and not only was she available but Bernie Taylor was kind enough to bring her right out to me that evening.Introducing Maggie May At six weeks old, weighing about a pound and measuring 8 inches long, this littlest dog has not only won my heart but my respect.Having read of the difficulty of training a puppy to litter, I thought this would be a challenge.There being a box of unopened litter in the attic, 1 set up a tray for her right away and to my great surprise she used it the first time I put her in.(If you try this cover the litter with a sheet of newspaper once the dog uses it the first time so that they can’t get ANY litter in their mouths; they will smell the pee through the paper and use it) At first I thought it was a fluke, but she’s used it every time since and there have been NO accidents since her arrival.This amazing little dog calls out.day or night, and actually holds it till 1 pick her up and place her into the litter box.While she can’t replace Elizabeth, that place in my heart will always belong to her, as other places belong to the companions who passed before her, the void has been filled, and I feel alive again.I’ve found out one thing about myself these last few months, don’t think I’ll ever get too old to have an animal companion, and when my day comes to be called home, the last thing I want to see are her understanding eyes, and feel the gentle lick of her kissing me goodbye.Ben by Daniel Shelton 1SUPW6E Y0OC0UU?ay.OR TAKE ASLEIGH Momx HOW VO YOU GET TO THE NORTH VOIE?CAN I WALK THERE?a r WELL,.THAT ^LONGTIME N Tï 1AT J?1 ^RECORD: Monday, December 29, 2008 page 3 Massachusetts: In Massachusetts, celebrators of Christmas were fined five shillings.Connecticut enacted a law forbidding the celebration of Christmas, and the baking of mincemeat pies.A few of the earliest settlers, however, did celebrate Christmas, but it was far from a common holiday during the Colonial era.According to reports by Captain John Smith all at the settlement in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607 pleasantly enjoyed the Christmas.The first eggnog made in the US was also consumed here.Nog comes from the word grog, which refers to any drink made with rum.Before the American Civil War, the Northerners considered Christmas to be a sinful celebration but to the Southerners it was an important part of the social season.In 1836 Alabama was the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday followed by Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838.After the war the holiday traditions spread thanks primarily to children’s books and later women's magazines, which promoted how to create and arrange decorations.Christmas was officially declared a federal holiday in America on June 26,1870.Christmas activities now are as diverse as the cultures that have settled the nation.Through media and commercialization, new traditions have been created.Being primarily English “Merry Christmas” is the common greeting, with “Feliz Navidad" in Spanish and “Mele Kalikimaka” in Hawaiian.South America Mexico: ‘Feliz Navidad!’ We have Mexico to thank for the lovely holiday plant called poinsettias.Joel R.Poinsett, the American minister to Mexico, introduced these red-and-green plants to America in 1828.Their popularity grew over time and they became a universal symbol by 1900.The country actually has no official religion but it does recognise Christmas.Families celebrate the Nativity and a “Posadas” an enactment of Joseph and Mary looking for lodging.Neighbourhood children and adults, carry lit candles, and request lodging at a house on the street through singing a simple chant.Once the innkeepers (homeowners) let them in, the guests kneel around the Nativity scene to pray the Rosary.Pinatas are brought out for this holiday.Filled with peanuts in the shell, oranges, tangerines, sugar canes, and wrapped hard candy, children take turns trying to break the papier-mâché sculpture and collect the loot.In Oaxaca, Mexico on December 23 each year radishes are twisted and distorted by growing in the rocky soil.Unusual shapes are exploited as local artisans carve them into elaborate scenes from the Bible, history, and the Aztec legends.Introduced by the Spanish colonists this practise dates back to the mid-nineteenth century.Cash prizes are awarded and the evening culminates with a spectacular fireworks display.Ecuador: "Feliz Navidad!” Christmas (Navidad) is celebrated in Ecuador.The best and most original Christmas celebration in the country is the “Pase del Nino” held in Cuenca on the 24th of December.This is a festival of the traveling Infant Child.The day long event consists of a parade with floats illustrating religious themes winding through many streets and ending at the home church for religious services.A native influence can also be seen during these parades.Horses and llamas, carrying local produce, chickens and sweets march together with musicians, creating a rich, colourful and musical display.The Tu-cuman dancers perform the bade de Cintas in which twelve dancers wind ribbons around a pole, resembling something like a Maypole dance.There are also “Novenas”, public gatherings of prayer, hymns, and religious poetry accompanied by incense and hot chocolate and cookies.A midnight mass on Christmas Eve is followed by family time and presents on Christmas day.The Indians, who live and work in the highlands and mountains, dress in their finest and ride their brightly arrayed llamas down to the ranches where their employers live in a colourful procession.Gifts of fruit and produce are brought and laid before an image of the Christ Child in the “pesebre”, or manger scene.Children also bring gifts and make pretty speeches to the Holy Infant, asking blessings for their family and their animals.Then it is a time for singing and dancing in a fiesta.Ranch owners distribute gifts to all their employees and families.A huge meal of roast lamb, baked potatoes and brown sugar bread is served so the procession can take food back home.Being primarily Spanish “Feliz Navidad” is the common holiday greeting.Quichua, an Inca language, is most spoken by the Indian population but no translation for “Merry Christmas” could be found.Brazil - “Feliz Natal” Brazilians are a mix of people from many parts of the world with many imported Christmas customs.Having been a Portuguese colony many of their celebrations take from this heritage.A “Presépio”, or nativity scene, was introduced in the 17th century, in the city of Olin-da by a Franciscan friar named Gaspar de Santo Agostinho.These days, presépios are set up in December and displayed in churches, homes, and stores.Papai Noel or Father Noel is the gift-bringer in Brazil.According to legend, he lives in Greenland but wears silk clothing when he arrives in the summer heat.“Amigo secreto”, secret friend, is a very common tradition.At the beginning of December, participants in the game write their name on a piece of paper.Each participant takes a paper During the month there are exchanges of correspondence among the participants who use apelidos (fake names).On Christmas, family and friends gather to reveal their secret friends and offer them a special gift.At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century many immigrants came from Europe and other parts of the world.They brought their traditions and adapted them to Brazilian conditions.Huge Christmas dinners, unusual in the hot summertime, include turkey, ham, coloured rice, and wonderful fresh vegetable and fruit dishes.Devout Catholics often attend Midnight Mass or Missa do Galo, so named because the rooster announces the coming day and the mass finishes at 1 a.m.on Christmas morning.Christmas day Catholics go to church usually for a late afternoon mass.This allows people to sleep late after the “Ceia de Natal”, a dinner which usually starts at midnight.Fresh flowers decorated for the holiday and fireworks are displayed.Folk dancing and singing carries through out the festivities ending around January 6th, referred to as Three Kings Day, the day when three wise men visited Jesus to bring him gifts.“Feliz Natal” is the holiday greeting in Portuguese.Antarctica: “Merry Christmas” The annual race around the world.PAUL WARD This frigid continent saw its first year-round occupation in 1898 and, despite its immense size, it has no native population or permanent residents.The only humans around Antarctica are passing tourists on cruise ships or personnel at scientific bases.In the summer months about 4,000 people can be found on the bases; that number shrinks to about 1,000 in winter.For those working at the scientific stations Christmas comes in the middle of the austral summer.It is the midseason of work, since many of the personnel on scientific bases are there for the summer only, it is a hub of activity.Christmas Day comes just a few days after the longest day in the southern hemisphere meaning that in most places the holiday enjoys 24 hours in daylight.There are no trees of any kind in the frozen wasteland but the wildlife can be magnificent and Christmas is guaranteed to always be White in Antarctica.The annual “Race Around the World” takes place at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station on Christmas day.See walk NEXT PAGE The Record is planning a special tribute to the anniversary of the tire that may have destroyed the building, hut never the spirit of this little paper 10 years ago.On Wednesday, our last day of publication this week, we will feature stories and photographs of that cold January blaze, and you are invited to participate.If you have any memories of that sad, but yet encouraging, event email us at newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com by tomorrow at 3 p.m.FUTURE SHOP Garmin-Nuvi 205 Canada Gps Navigator 10106495.Please note that on page 1 of the December 26 Boxing day flyer, the Garmin 205 is advertised that it comes with North American maps However, it only has Canadian maps and border line stales We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers NOTICE TO ALL SUBSCRIBERS H A P P Y H 0 L 1 D A 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' •THE < 819-569-9528 450-242-1188 accounting ® videotron.ca New Year's Eve Party Û The Hut Wednesday, December 31” starting at 9:00 p.lfl.Live music by !t700 include! hot buffet served it midnight The Hut ANAFUnit 318 300 St.Francis St.Borough of Lennoxville To reserve tickets or tor intormation call 819-346-9122atter 4 pm Everyone Welcome! ' 1 ¦ ¦¦¦>>¦¦*¦¦ *sr ¦ May the spirit of the iea*on fill your home with joyj^ fclpfe Jo-Aim Hovey - Advertising Consultant Tel.: 819*56?»9525 Fax : 819*821«317?Jhovey@sherbrookerecord page 4 Monday, December 29, 2008 .RECORD: Walk: PHOTOS BY PAUL WARD Paul Ward in his Antarctic holiday best.Participants walk, run or ski around the geographic pole.Passing through all time zones and all lines of longitude, they can say they have “run around the world.” Christmas day is a non-working day for many of the personnel and spent differently depending on the nationality and culture on the base.It’s common for some kind of meal and party to be thrown together usually by volunteers.Hard to come by, fresh vegetables and meat are often supplemented with dried, tinned or frozen varieties.For amusement, some members enjoy dressing up in theme costumes for the parties sometimes spending much of the day creating their own.Nearly any form of entertainment, no matter how bad, is shared amongst the personnel.Without having a place to buy gifts, presents are not exchanged between base members but gifts sent from home are saved for Christmas day.If the conditions are good people may phone home for the holidays through a satellite link but most rely on the internet to send emails.There is no official dialect.Languages spoken differ between the nationalities of a base.Many thanks to Paul Ward of Cromwell Community College, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire UK and his site www.CoolAntarctica.com.Ward spent over 2 years as a marine biologist in Antarctica at the British Antarctic Survey base on Signy Island in the South Orkneys.Europe Europe is the third most densely inhabited continent.So many countries crowd this continent each with their own unique traditions and customs we have chosen just a few to examine.Many countries in Europe have Pagan roots, before Christmas was introduced Yule, also referred to as the Yuletide, was a twelve-day long celebration.Usually taking place around the 20th with the shortest day, it marked the time when the days grow longer and the nights shorter.Denmark: a mischievous elf called Nisse has his fun in Denmark at Christmas.Said to live in the lofts of old farmhouses and dressed in gray woollen clothes, a red bonnet, red stockings and white clogs he enjoys playing pranks.A bowl of rice pudding or porridge is left by families to keep him from getting too mischievous.He is known to be kind to children and helpful on the farms.Rice pudding also appeases Christmas elves called “Ju-lenisse.” A cinnamon-laced rice pudding called “Grod”, initiates the Christmas Eve dinner.A magical almond is placed inside and the person who finds it is given a prize.The meal is commonly served with red cabbage, traditional prune-stuffed roast goose, potatoes, pastries and cakes are enjoyed by family and friends.An old Danish tradition was a Christmas plate.Rich Danes would gift their servants with their best plates of biscuits and fruit.Christmas Eve, called “Juleaften”, is the largest event of the year.Parents secretly decorate the tree with homemade wood and straw baubles.Children are only able to see the tree before dinner when it is lit up and the family gathers to sing carols.The night is celebrated with parties.England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales: “Nadolig Llawen!” _____ A country where many beliefs coexist, but the holidays tend to be predominately influenced by Christianity.Traced back to St Augustine who came to the country in AD 596 to bring Christianity to the Anglo Saxons.A wave of religious reform in the early 17th century changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe.In 1645 Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England and cancelled Christmas in an effort to rid England of decadence.The holiday returned when Charles II was restored to the throne.The holiday still has many traces of its pagan roots, Celtic and Teutonic peoples long considered mistletoe to have magic powers.It was said to have the ability to heal wounds, increase fertility and ward off evil spirits.Decorations of evergreen branches and trees, lavish amounts of food, singing of Christmas Carols and parties are enjoyed in modern times in England.On the afternoon of Christmas Day, most British families watch their monarch give a special Christmas message on television.Father Christmas, garbed in a long red or green robe, leaves presents on Christmas Eve.Children leave an empty stocking or pillowcase hanging at the foot of the bed for the gifts, which are usually opened Christmas afternoon.Boys used to collect money in clay boxes the day after Christmas giving Boxing day its name.Once filled the boxes were broken open.A traditional Christmas dinner consists of roast turkey with vegetables and sauces, and a dessert of a fruity rich pudding with brandy sauce or mince pies, which are pastries filled with a blend of chopped dried fruit.Holiday dinners were usually eaten at Midday on December 25th, during daylight.The Mummers, a tradition on the east coast of Canada, are originally an English custom from the Middle Ages.At that time people would don masks and act out Christmas plays, these plays are still performed in towns and villages.Plum pudding is an English dish also dating back to the Middle Ages.Suet, flour, sugar, raisins, nuts, and spices are tied loosely in cloth and boiled until the ingredients are “plum," meaning they have enlarged enough to fill the cloth.It is then unwrapped, sliced like cake, and topped with cream.An Englishman named John Calcott Horsley helped to popularize the tradition of sending Christmas greeting cards when he began producing small cards featuring festive scenes and a pre-written holiday greeting in the late 1830s.See carol page 9 What the.?It’s quick: & easy and.there's no line to stand m ! Give RECORD as a Christmas gift for only $128,68 C12 months), $67,45 (6 months) or $34,43(3 months).Taxes included To : From : Postal code: Tel.: Postal code : Tel.: Send gift card ?No ?Yes From Is it irony or revenge?The Lawrence County Health Department, in southern Illinois, decided to go out to a restaurant for their Christmas party and was served a sumptuous buffet.Within minutes, 42 of the 72 attendees were struck down with some kind of sickness, which, they suspect, was some sort of food poisoning.“I’m telling you, it got me down,” said department head Phyllis Wells.“I about passed out and everything else.It’s taken a punch out of my whole Christmas.” Wells believes the illness was caused by a norovirus, which spreads through contact with an infected person, an infected object, or by ingesting contaminated food.She believes one person who was sick may have contaminated the buffet for everyone else.“It’s just my luck,” Wells muttered.“Usually it’s our job to investigate other things.But us getting sick is ironic." The restaurant behind the debacle hasn’t been open since the outbreak and has not made any public comment.I’m imagining they’ll be seeing those health inspectors again.(McD) Start the gift a Now ?Jan 2009 ?Extend current a Other____________________ Payment by : Q Cheque Q Money Order Q IVT/O O Visa Amount paid : $ ___Credit card # :______Expiry date : RECORD P.O Box 1200, Sherbrooke QC, J1H 5L6 Tel.: (819) 569-9528 account! ngSvldeotron.cB OfTer valid in Canada until December 31,200B.Subscription amounts include GST and PST All payments must be doled no later than December 31.2008 : ¦¦¦THF.M I RECORD Monday, December 29, 2008 page 5 f jr JANNA KENDALL Proud sponsor of the Pet Corner The Animal Nutrition Centre 1730 Wellington S., Sherbrooke 819-348-1888 GROOMING • DOG TRAINING • DOG DAY CARE • PET FOOD & SUPPLIES Send in your pictures and a brief text of your prized pooch, or fancy feline to jyoung@sherbrookerecord .com or by mail: The Record Pet Corner 1195 Galt St.East Sherbrooke QC J1H 5P8 Pets will be featured weekly! ‘We have nothing but the pyjamas on our back,’ says fire victim Mill: Christophe Vitalis narrowly escaped this house fire with his family.Byjanna Kendall Record correspondent North Hatley Christophe Vitalis and Dar-line Duronville with their three children narrowly escaped the fire from their burning home which is located across from Montjoye Ski Hill at 4730 Capelton Road in Hatley Township on December 23rd.“The house seemed to go up in flames in less than five minutes," said Vitalis.“We saw smoke and then flames so we ran outside with our children in our bare feet and pyjamas to our neighbours.We have a three year old which we quickly covered in a blanket, a child who is six and a nineteen year old boy.We are so lucky no one got hurt." This devastated young couple does not know what the future will bring.“We are alone, so it is kind of hard that we have no family here.We really appreciated the firefighters and people from the Red Cross because they helped to calm us down.Our neighbours have been really great too,” Duronville stated.“We have nothing, but the pyjamas on our back.1 did not even have time to grab my purse so now we have lost our passports, documents and just everything.The Red Cross will give us a place to stay for a couple of nights, but after that we have to find another place to rent.Our son goes to the elementary school in Waterville called La Passarelle so I hope we can find something to rent in the area so it will not disrupt his school year.If people want to help us we would really appreciate it.” With the direction of the wind the firefighters were fortunate as buildings nearby were at less of a risk, however, they had to contend with the risk of a possible propane explosion and the cold temperatures.“We received the call at 1:06 a.m.and we arrived on site at 1:20 a.m.The cause of the fire is unde termined.The owner looked down the stairs and saw smoke and left immediately,” said Mike McKenna Fire Chief from North Hatley-Hatley Townships Fire Department.“No one was hurt.We had 18 firefighters from the North Hatley Fire Department, two from Hatley TownshipsFire Department, two from Lennoxville-Sherbrooke Fire Department and three men from the Waterville Fire Department.There were two propane fireplaces in the house so we had a hose on the propane tank outside throughout the fire to keep it cool during the critical time, as we wanted to reduce the risk of a boiling liquid evaporating vapour explosion.We fought the fire until 5 a.m.The police were here and the Red Cross came to offer their support as the people lost everything.Hydro also came to turn off the power.” “This is a good time to remind people to check their batteries in their smoke alarms and to make sure they do not leave candles burning unattended,” said North Hatley Fire Fighter Daryl Williams.Without a fire hydrant in the vicinity the firefighters received water carrying tankers from various departments.“We had tankers from North Hatley, Sherbrooke, Waterville and Hatley Townships.The North Hatley tanker holds approximately 1,200 gallons and takes two to three minutes to drain into the portable pool.The tankers from the other departments carry approximately 2,200 gallons each.From there we siphon the water from the pool into our pumper truck via a suction like hose.The pumper can pump up to 850 gallons of water per minute.We can have up to eight hoses attached to the pumper and up to 10 hoses if we use adaptors, which the firefighters can use all at the same time.It was -24 Celsius.and everything was freezing so we had to keep the water running constantly.The valve on the back of the tanker actually froze and split so I had to replace it.East Hatley also had a valve that froze and broke on their tanker so they had to replace it when they got back to the station.” said Gary Smith, Firefighter from North Hatley.Working in such cold conditions presented its own set of challenges for the firefighters.“The regulator froze to my mask so then you can not pull the regulator off from your mask.That makes it really hard to breathe, but once I was able to break the ice off, it was fine.It was really cold,” said North Hatley firefighter Kris Smith.The firefighters had to return to the site as there was a risk of the fire reigniting later that day.“We had a substantial flare up at 12:30 p.m.so we had to return and put more water on it to extin-guish the flare ups.We left around 4:00 p.m.,” Gary Smith stated.A few days later things looked more hopeful.“We think we have found a place to rent in the area, so we are very happy that our child’s school year will not have to be disrupted,” said Duronville.Donations to help the family can be made payable to Christophe Vitalis, 4680 Capel-ton, Hatley Townships, Quebec, JOB 2C0.Mill rates for commercial owners are $2.99, for industries $3.23 and $1.45 for farmers.The mill rate for 2008 was $1.53.Garbage and recycling taxes for the new year are also complicated, given a new town policy to reward residents who recycle and compost their waste.If the resident wants basic garbage service, the price will be $170.But if they also recycle some of it, the charge will go down to $135 and even further to $120 if they also compost.The rates goes up on a sliding scale for apartments and business and industries have rates ranging from $135 to $770 based on their size and their amount of recycling and composting.Residents in Asbestos’ Trois Lacs sector still have to contribute to the lake restoration fund based on their proximity to the lakes.Lakefront owners pay $150 and residents near the lake pay $90.The town will have a total budget of $8,248,520 in 2009, down from $8,250,970 this year.Danville In neighbouring Danville, taxes will go up an average 4.75 percent.The mill rate will increase from the present $1.25 to $1.31 in 2009.Town manager Michel Lecours was unable to provide rates for garbage and recycling, water and sewage, businesses and provincial police services.The town plans to spend $4,278,931 in 2009, up from $3,953,723 this year.Lecours said the town will also have to borrow an extra $326,000 for infrastructure and leisure projects.Kingsey Falls The mill rate for Kingsey Falls residents will increase from 70 to 72 cents, while the police charge drops one cent to 13 cents per $100 of property evaluation.In 2006, the mill rate was 96 cents.Commercial rates go from $1.37 this year to $1.40 next year.Garbage and recycling charges go from $150 to $170.In 2006, the rate was $62.For 2009, the water tax goes from $104 to $115 and the sewage charge goes from $70 to $77.The town plans to spend $3,055,180, down from $3,472,805 for 2008.St.Felix de Kingsey St.Felix residents will be paying a mill rate of 82 cents, which is much lower than the 99 cents they paid in 2006.But charges for other services will be going up for the new year.Garbage and recycling will be $134 for full-time residents and $67 for cottage owners.Businesses will pay $268 and industries $402 for the same service.The basic sewage charge will be $238 for residents, while industries will pay more based on the number of employees they have.The highest rate is $714.Rural road snow clearance will range from $16.50 to $72.62 based on the designated road.The town will spend $1,761,222 in 2009. page 6 Monday, December 29, 2008 .RECORD.Community Forum LETTERS TO THE EDITOR I hope you’re reading you inconsiderate driver Most of the population in the Cookshire Eaton area know that the hills between Eaton Corner and Cookshire Route 253, can be hazardous driving in the winter.While the town does their best to keep it clean, the blowing wind across those fields can create “surprise” snow banks in the hills.This letter is directed to an inconsiderate driver who was going along that stretch of road on Monday, December 22nd around 11:30 a.m.headed from Eaton Corner to Cookshire.This person was in the middle of the road coming down the hill.Refusing to move over he or she forced another driver (my daughter), coming up the hill, to take the ditch to avoid a possible head on collision.The unkown driver did not even have the consideration to stop to see if my daughter and her passanger were injured or not.While both were not injured and no damage was caused to her car, the other driver just out of consideration for others should have stopped to offer help since it was their fault.I only hope you print this letter and that the'person reads The Record.I would like to thank Mike and Pat Herring for coming to the rescue and towing my daughter out.Angela Hodge Sawyerville The Parties and The Economy Early in the new year, each Canadian federal political party should present its suggestions for solving the current Canadian economic crisis.This would allow Canadians to judge the quality and effectiveness of the parties’ thinking.The suggestions should include three things.Firstly, a description of what the parties think the current crisis consists of.It will be instructive to read these no doubt widely differing descriptions.Secondly, the reasons why they think the crisis is occurring.This, too, will be instructive.Thirdly, their proposed solutions.Each party should clearly state its descriptions, reasons, and solutions for the benefit of all Canadians, in French and English.Each of these three things should be presented in three versions.First, a one or two page summary of their descriptions, reasons, and solutions.Second, five page (maximum) explanations of each of the three things.Third, whatever background materials the parties wish to include.All of this should be presented on one easily accessible Government of Canada website.I suspect none of the parties will be willing to participate, as they know that, if written clearly for all to read, their thinking would be revealed to be inadequate and unhelpful.Nevertheless, for the good of the country, they should try their best.Clair Cullieord via email When life gives you macaroons, make soup Your paper, BROME COUNTY SUPPLEMENT, recently published a recipe for MACAROONS, please do not try this recipe.It was obviously missing many ingredients, thus turned into coconut SOUP,believe me.I DO know my way around the kitchen.DO NOT TRY THIS RECIPE.It might be an idea, in the future to try these out before publishing.Merry xmas.James Elston Knowlton Editor’s note: After receiving your letter we quickly checked with the recipe contributor and sure enough, the recipe is in fact correct (or at least printed exactly as it was submitted).Are you positive you followed the directions to a tee?The recipe owner insists that these were the exact ingredients and directions used only a few days ago.The Record will indeed try this recipe and should the macaroons turn to soup we will let you know immediately.Happy New Year.-Jen Young Remember when?¦ -g IpF »."g» «> rf» This kind of weather is exactly what Townships youth are looking forward to now but this picture was in The Record's unnamed folder so it wasn't taken recently.Do you have any idea who these young tobogganers were or where or when this was taken?Let us know by emailing newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com or call 819-5696345.I —IIII Mill RECORD P.0.Box 1200 SherbrookeJIH 516 or 1195 Gall F, Sherbrooke JIG 1Y7 Fax: 819-569-3945 h-maii: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.roro Website: www.sherbrookerecord.com Kenneth WEILS PUBLISHER .(819) 569-9511 JEN Young Editor .(819) 569-6345 Job Smizzi Cokresp.Editor .(819) 569-6345 Richard Lessard Prod.Mgr.(819) 569-9931 Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman .(819) 569-9931 Francine ThibaultProd.Siiperv.(819) 569-4856 DEPARTMENTS AccouwriNG .(819) 569-9511 Advertising .(819) 569-9525 Circulation .(819) 569-9528 Newsroom .(819) 569*345 Knowi ton office 5 Victoria Strei-t.Knowiton, Quebec, JOE 1V0 Tel: (450) 242 1188 Fax.(450) 243-5155 MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS GST PST TOTAL Canada: l 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 Our 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 77ie Record are available.The Reconl 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.PM80040007682 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to The Record, 1195 Galt East, Sherbrooke, QC JIG 1Y7 Member ABC, CARD, CNA, QCNA Quotes and Quotables In a discussion pertaining to the weather yesterday morning at the gas pumps this editor found a quote from Jesse Gonyer to he quite entertaining.‘/ think mother nature is smoking the good (stuff).’ -Submitted by Jen Young Food for thought What you are becoming is more important than what you are accomplishing.-Submitted by Connie liellam Tell us what you’re thinking! The Record welcomes letters to the editor.By e-mail: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com By fax: 819-569-3945 or 450-243-5155 By post: 1195 Galt E„ Sherbrooke, JIG 1Y7 Serving the greater Lennoxville area NEWSROOM@SHERBROOKERECORD.COM Monday, December 29, 2008 Page 7 The Year in Review Financial crisis.Recession.Deflation.Depression! Tliese are but a few of the overused terms to express the volatility that has wreaked havoc in 2008 on Wall Street (or Bay Street) as well as Main Street (rue Principale has faired not much better).The political whirlwind south of the border, the election of Barack Obama, and the recent political “crisis” on parliament hill are, despite their grandeur and command of media attention, sidebars to the economic transformations currently taking place.Where this will all end up is exceedingly difficult to imagine, but one thing is certain: the global economy is in recession, people are losing jobs, consumers are spending less, and the vital measure of long-term growth - consumer confidence - is at historic lows.The ebb and flow of the economy, in Canada as well as Quebec, is linked inextricably to consumption - some say nearly 2/3 of the economy is based on this consumption.Buying stuff requires a level of confidence in the future that recently seems to have vanished.Perhaps solace can be sought knowing the average consumer is fickle: they can be scared to stay home and sit on their cash just as easily as they can be excited to head out and spend.Emotion, and psychology, play an essential role in the actions of consumers.It is not rational.Which is why, perhaps, this is all so disconcerting! Stimulus or tax cuts?Governments the world over are mov- Your MONEY MATTERS Michael van Lierop ing forward with various plans to stimulate the economy.In some cases, this is to prevent a weak economy from tumbling into a recession; in many others, it’s to prevent a recession from turning into a depression.These are scary words, and the more fear circulates on the airwaves and on the Internet, the easier it is for governments to pursue what might otherwise be unpalatable policy decisions.In Canada, this has caused plenty of political excitement in Ottawa, which needs little discussion here.In Quebec, the provincial government is so eager to do something, or be seen as doing something, that there has been talk of the National Assembly sitting for a couple of days prior to Christmas.This won’t happen, which is just as well: whatever plans do come forth in January will have to compete with some extremely aggressive government interventions in the United States and in Europe.Quebec needs to be very strategic about its decisions.In Canada, the debate rages on: to inject tens of billions of dollars into the economy, and thus run a deficit, while times are bad and shut the tap off when times are good - OR - to cut costs, eliminate programs and services, and cut taxes to stimulate con- sumption.There are problems with both.A stimulus package, if targeted appropriately at key sectors, can provide stability for certain jobs, but risks alienating everyone else.Money spent on infrastructure is likely the most positive, not simply for its tremendous job creation impact, but also to help compensate for this country’s “infrastructure deficit”.The Quebec government understands this well, and has increased spending on roads, bridges, and buildings to historic highs.Anyone who drives a car or spends any time in a public institution knows the need is there, and this is as good a time as any to spend, and will have much less inflationary impact than during good times.The downside is the obvious risk of running a deficit, but most economists seem to agree if ever there were an acceptable time to do this, it would be now.Bear in mind, the Canadian economy has a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of over $1.5 trillion, which means to stimulate even a modest 1% in growth requires a massive injection of government cash.On the other hand, the notion of cutting costs, chopping spending, and cut- Meet your neighbour PHOTO AND TEXT AL BARBER [ burton McConnell Ma- Connell, who originates ! from East Clifton Sawyerville), worked for the Bank Of Montreal for 40 years.He started there as a I teller and ended his career as a Vice President.Now a j resident of Lennoxville, he is very involved with the local community and amongst his interest he lists the Com- munity Aid Foundation, the Sherbrooke Snow Shoe Club, the Lennoxville Curling Club and is also involved with the Sawyerville Canadian Legion.Married to Betty and with two children, he enjoys maintaining his 1931 Ford roadster with which he takes part in the parade at Hatley each Canada day.Jt’» » , , ¦THE i RECORD Give a gift subscription to family and friends and help them stay in touch -5 days a week - with people and events in the area.A Gift Card will be sent if requested! The Voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 Call us today, and make your Christmas gift giving easier! ______819 569-9528 ting taxes (which amounts to a spending increase) exists.The benefits to this are clear to most people: when times are tight, it’s time to hide the credit cards, stop shopping, and tighten that belt.The trouble with this is that an economy does not work the same way as the finances of a typical household.In fact, reducing spending can simply aggravate the problem and make it worse: more people will lose their jobs, and fewer people will pay taxes.While corporate tax cuts are normally a widely accepted tool for stimulating growth, this really only works well when corporations are actually making money.In the current economic climate, profits are increasingly rare, so a reduction in taxes on that profit is less and less useful.Similarly, previous cuts to the GST have harmed the fiscal “marge de maneuvre” of the federal government and has done little to stimulate consumption.SEE POINT NEXT PAGE Stay, Park & Fly is simple: ¦ Guests must stay overnight at the beginning or end of their trip ¦ Cars may stay on property up to one month ¦ We provide complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport You’ll enjoy all these amenities & more: ¦ Complimentary Continental Breakfast Daily from 5:30am-10am ¦ Windjammer Restaurant and Upper Deck Pub on the premises ¦ Hair Dryer, Iron & Ironing Board, Coffee Maker in Every Room ¦ Indoor Pool, outdoor pool, & fitness center If booking online, reservations must be made under the Stay Park and Fly Rate option.Discounted rates are not available and reservations are based on availability.Best Western Windjammer Inn & Conference Center 1076 Williston Rd„ So.Burlington, VT 05403 802-863-1125 800-371-1125 Besl Western hotels are independently owned and operated.©2007 Best Western Internationa, t. page 8 Monday, December 29, 2008 Lennoxville LINK point: This may be a point of contention for some: however, there is little evidence to suggest that cutting any taxes is useful in boosting consumer confidence or consumption as a whole, either in the short or medium term.Bailout or handout?No one likes the idea of handing out tax payer’s dollars to any company with no strings attached.The last two weeks has seen a flurry of activity, both in Canada and in the US, from the Big Three automakers (the American “Big Three” consist of General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford).Recent projections put the loss of jobs at a possible 500,000 in Canada alone, primarily from the indirect impact of the loss of high-paying auto sector jobs and how this would impact on their con- sumption in their respective communities.In direct employment, auto manufacturing and auto parts account for some 125,000 jobs in Canada (mostly in Ontario, with about 10,000 jobs in Quebec, mainly in parts).The Government of Canada has offered up about $3.5 billion to the auto sector, contingent on a similarly aggressive support plan for the dominant American side of the industry, which the outgoing US President has, more or less, guaranteed.Some argue this is neither a bailout nor a handout.Have the risks of action, rather than inaction, been carefully weighed?With all the rhetoric, it is doubtful, though politically it would be suicide to do nothing.And so, enough said.Who’s next?Who will be knocking on the door next, hands wide open?In tough economic times such as these, every liberal capitalist seems to be bom again, not as a free marketeer, but as a believer in government intervention.Suddenly, socialism has its fans again, that is until the next boom.It should not be surprising, then, that other sectors in the economy will come calling for help: the forestry sector has been clambering for attention, notably in Quebec, for years now.Perhaps they will be listened to, finally.Should they receive help?That’s not the point: the issue is that a crisis helps bring long dormant issues to the fore.And, again, it makes some things more palatable than others.The mining sector, especially base metals (those core commodities we are so famous for), are at their lowest price levels in a long, long time.Yet, it was less than a year ago they were rolling high -and if ever there was an industry accustomed to boom-and-bust economics, it would be mining.What’s next - the Oil Sands of Alberta?SEE TOMORROW FOR THE CONCLUSION.Michael van Lierop is Director ot Sales at Industrial Alliance Insurance & Financial Services Inc., a Quebec-based company, and one of Canada's leading financial services firms.He works out ot the Sherbrooke office and manages a growing team of bilingual and English-speaking Financial Security Advisors.Michael also holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science.You can reach him with comments or questions at mic.vanlierop@agc.inalco.com.Lennoxville Directory PARTNERED FOR SUCCESS Helen Labrecque Affiliated Real Estate Agent Cell: 819-572-1070 hlabrecque@sutton.com Sonia Labbé Affiliated Real Estate Agent Cell: 819-580-5858 slabbe@sutton.com Helen Labrecque Suftott Groupe Sutton de I'Estne Courier immoorher agréé 819-823-7474 : tssî 3 Conley, Sherbrooke QC J1M 1LB Tel.: 818-562-0266 Fee: 819 582 1233 • blithoeebecom.com Help your children learn about their community by reading i THE RECORD To subscribe, call 819-569-9528 or 450-242-1188 1-800-463-9525 Quick 6 \courteous 1 Service_ (THE alternative to BELL!) • Telephones • Jacks -Telephone - 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