The record, 31 mai 1996, vendredi 31 mai 1996

Best Guaranteed Investments • Flexible (not frozen) • Superior Rates • RRSP Eligible Call Calvin T.Chan Financial Advisor (819) 822-4460 /1 800-561-3718 MIDLAND WALWYN The Voice of the Eastern Townships since 1837 FRIDAY May 31, 1996 WEATHER, Page 2 65 cents Mike and Lucien hold hands Ontario, Quebec join fight unfair GST deal By Jack Branswell QUEBEC (CP) — Quebec and Ontario are forming a common front to lobby Ottawa for compensation over its attempts to blend the GST with provincial sales taxes from coast to coast.Ontario Premier Mike Harris and his Quebec counterpart, Lucien Bouchard, made the announcement Thursday after their first meeting.“We will be making this case both individually and collectively and I would expect it would be on the agenda at the first ministers conference,” Harris said.The two men said they focused almost exclusively on economic issues, including the signing of a new procurement deal between the neighboring provinces.They agreed the GST must be discussed at the first ministers conference in June.“Neither of us is happy,” Bouchard said.He said it is unfair that Ottawa’s deal to compensate three Atlantic provinces for merging their provincial sales tax with the GST amounted to a tax cut “for certain provinces and not others.” Quebec wants Ottawa to cough up $1.9 billion in compensation or cut the GST by 1.5 percentage points, which Ontario and Alberta are also asking for.At their joint news conference, Harris and Bouchard ducked questions on the Constitution.Bouchard quipped that the See GST Page 2 Labour Food for thought: Parents, staff and students alike turned out at North Hatley Elementary Thursday evening for a dance and barbeque to raise money for school trips.It was also a chance for everyone to meet their next year’s principal, John Retchless, who helped principal Josée Rourke with the cooking duties while the Mid-Life Crisis band served up its own private brand of rock’n roll RECORD PHOTO: PERRY BEATON * IH§i • & Tuque heads better than Lennoxville mayor David Price and Hatley Township mayor Pierre Levac donned ski tuques Thursday n an effort to drum up financial support to turn the Montjoye ski hill into a regional park.Tor the whole story, please see Page 3.record photo: perry beacon ‘We may fail.But we will succeed’ Dion downplays bad blood in Liberal togetherness camp By Linda Drouin OTTAWA (CP) — The federal Liberals could fail in their bid to keep Canada together, Unity Minister Stéphane Dion said Thursday.He was responding to questions about the gap that is growing between the federal Liberals and Quebec Liberals over a strategy to keep the country together.Dion said he agrees with Quebec Liberal Leader Daniel Johnson that Prime Minister Jean Chrétien could be the country’s last leader if his unity strategy fails.“Mr.Johnson is right,” he said outside the House on Thursday.“The government of Canada has an important duty.It is to save Canada and we may fail.“But we will succeed,” he quickly added.Johnson severely criticized Chrétien on Wednesday for fai- ling to carry through on promises made to Quebec during the referendum campaign.He lashed out at the prime minister following a report that Chrétien has grave doubts about Johnson’s ability to lead federalist forces in Quebec.The acrimony between the two leaders goes back to the referendum last fall when Chrétien felt he was shunted aside by Johnson, the leader of the No forces.Johnson has also been critical of the federal government’s so-called Plan B — its determination to set out the legal framework for the next referendum so that Quebec could not declare independence unilaterally.On Thursday, Dion and other Liberals tried to downplay the trail of bad blood between the two leaders.Dion said there may be “temporary difficulties concerning different strategies” but both Chrétien and Johnson want to See DION Page 2 We see the agricultural world closely and understand the farmers' needs! • Credit Margins • Term Loans • Government Guaranteed • Loans > Savings Account • Term Deposit • Desjardins RRSPs • Desjardins RRlFs • Direct Deposit •Loan Insurance • VISA Dejardins •Multi-Service Card • Group Insurance TOP PI f! Enquire today at the following Caisses Populaires: Caisse Populaire de Lennoxville 564-5128 Caisse Populaire de Richmond 826-3745 Caisse Populaire de Stanstead 876-7551 Caisse Populaire de Waterville 837-3111 Caisse Populaire de Sutton (514) 538-3336 2—The RECORD—Friday, May 31, 1996 Media magnate causing a fuss Canada cringes as Black buying spree By Vic Parsons OTTAWA (CP) — MP John Bryden surveys the media landscape of his southern Ontario district and finds one owner now controls all the local newspapers.The media magnate is Conrad Black, whose recent acquisitions make him overlord of most of Canada’s daily newspapers.In the riding of Hamilton-Wentworth, the daily newspaper and four weeklies are Black’s.Bryden, a Liberal, thinks that’s dangerous.“There’s absolutely no printed voice in my region that doesn’t track back to Conrad Black,” says Bryden.Bryden, a former senior edi- Chrétien OTTAWA (CP) — Prime Minister Jean Chretien will attend a secret meeting today of world leaders, royalty and dignitaries hosted by newspaper baron Conrad Black near Toronto.The Bilderberg Conference, which includes prime ministers, cabinet ministers, former politicians and even a royal contingent, meets annually in a tor with the Toronto Star and the Toronto Globe and Mail, says he is not afraid Black will fire off edicts to his newspapers.But he believes publishers, editors and journalists will react to their perception of Black’s conservative philosophy.For his part, Black has pledged not to impose his opinions on the newspapers.‘We never ask for more than equal time for our views,” he told the annual meeting of Hol-linger Inc.this week.But some say concentration of newspaper ownership limits diversity of opinions needed in a functioning democracy.Last week, Black announced he would take a controlling interestin Southam Inc.,giving to speak different country to talk in secret about world affairs.Chrétien will greet international dignitaries and won’t hold private talks with Black, the Prime Minister’s Office said Thursday.Black, chairman of Hollinger Inc., controls more tha< half of Canada’s daily newspapers after a recent buying spree.“The prime minister is welcoming them (conference partici- Hollinger 56 English-language dailies and 24 non-dailies in Canada.Hollinger also owns Saturday Night magazine and part of the Financial Post and through a subsidiary French-language papers Le Soleil of Quebec City and Le Droit of Hull, Que.Among the critics is Tom Kent, the former federal bureaucrat who advised measures that hog-tied potential foreign buyers.He also headed a royal commission on newspapers in 1981.Concentration means “there is little likelihood of there being a variety of views from different parts of the country,” Kent said this week.“What we’re going to get, I’m pants) to Canada.The head of government of the country they are visiting always welcomes them,” said a Chrétien spokesman.Black is the Canadian representative of the organization.The meeting, at a $60-million luxury spa north of Toronto in King City, is closed to reporters.That allows for candid discussion, said Black, who said this week he is the afraid, is editors all in the image of how Conrad Black sees how the newspaper business should be.” The ownership concentration is blamed by some on a section of the Income Tax Act passed in 1965.The section stops Canadian advertisers from getting tax deductions from ads placed in foreign-owned publications.The measure aimed to help Canadian publishers compete with Canadian editions of U.S.-owned magazines like Time and Reader’s Digest, but Kent recommended that it should be extended to newspapers.Daily newspaper owners raised a stink at the time but the minority Liberal gover- best friend Canadian journalists have.The Bilderberg group, drawn from North America and Europe, was set up to support military and economic co-operation across the Atlantic.Little is known about the conference, which was founded in 1954 at the Bilderberg Hotel in Oosterbeek, Holland.Participants must take a vow of silence about discussions.continues nment of Lester Pearson persisted.The provision prevented foreign owners from getting a foothold in Canada by blocking any opportunity to make money, says John Foy, president of the Canadian Newspapers Association.“There’s no question if foreign ownership were allowed, we’d probably have more owners.” “They put the finger in the dike and said they’d solved the problem,” says Roy Megarry, former Globe and Mail publisher.“But they didn’t follow through to its logical conclusion: What problem they solved, and what new problem they might be creating.” Megarry, who negotiated the sale of most of Thomson’s Canadian dailies to Hollinger, says it is inevitable there will be concentration when foreigners have been banned from Canada.Maude Barlow, chairwoman of the nationalist Council of Canadians, says opening the borders to foreign buyers is not the solution to corporate concentration.“The answer is not to allow Walt Disney to buy up our newspapers.The answer is to protect the Canadian aspect of our print media, but also the diversity of voices.” Kow-towing to guess-who’s cronies to secret group GST:- Continued from page one only time the topic came up at their meeting was when they agreed it should be left off the agenda at the June get-together.The two leaders signed a deal to expand trade by opening up public sector procurement contracts that would allow businesses to bid on contracts of Inside Ann Landers .18 Births and deaths .13 Classified .14-15-16-17 Comics .19 Crossword .10,18 Editorial .6 Entertainment .9 Farm and Business .7 Living .8 Sports .22-23 The Townships .3-4-5 $100,000 or more in the other province.The deal affects contracts for municipalities, hospitals, school boards, colleges and universities.“We are committed to removing barriers to trade between provinces,” Harris said in a statement.“We want to see practical measures put in place to increase business opportunities.” Harris, meanwhile, deflected questions on whether Ottawa was getting tough on Bou- WEATHER A good looking weekend ahead.Sunny today with a high of about 20 and winds from the west at 15 to 30.Saturday will be sunny again with a low of 6 and a high of 20.chard’s separatist government.Asked about Quebec’s position that it can unilaterally separate from Canada, Harris replied: “It isn’t something I’ve discussed or thought about.“It’s not a secret that on sovereignty or federalism we may have differing views but we are DION:- Continued from page one save the country.Earlier, Dion was told by one Quebec federalist that he should “listen to Johnson because he has some interesting things to say.” Guy Masse made the comment after a speech by Dion to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association.“The federalists of Quebec are not being listened to much by the federal government” he said during a question period.here to talk about the things we agree upon.” Harris did not even use Ottawa’s new manpower training offer Thursday to the provinces to trumpet flexible federalism.He said the proposal would help unemployed Ontario workers.“I’m afraid federalist Quebecers will be pushed into a dead end where they will choose independence.” In his speech to the group, Dion talked about the need to foster pride in Canadians about their country and the government’s determination to make changes in the way the federation works.But Plan B had the last word in Dion’s speech in an uncompromising statement that the federal government will “gua- Bouchard, however, was more open to praising Ottawa.“I think it’s possible to achieve some co-operation (with the federal government) so as to allow Quebec to benefit from at least some of the $30 billion we send to Ottawa as taxes every year,” he said.rantee legal security” to Canadians if there is ever a vote in Quebec in favor of secession.Dion said the separation of Quebec would be “a human disaster, because of the serious moral conflicts that negotiating break-up would entail.” “That is why the government of Canada intends to guarantee Canadians legal security under all circumstances even the most painful, namely negotiations for secession,” he said.a division of Groupe Quebecor Inc.Recoril 2850 Delorme, Sherbrooke, Que.J1K 1A1 819-569-9511 819-569-9525 Fax: 819-569-3945 Member ABC.CARD, CDIMA, NMB, QCNA Randy Kinnear, Publisher.819-569-9511 Charles Bury, Editor.819-569-6345 Alain Tétreault, Adv.Dir.819-569-9525 Richard Lessard, Prod.Mgr.819-569-9931 Mark Guillette, Press Sup.819-569-9931 Francine Thibault, Comp.819-569-9931 Departments Accounting.-819-569-9511 Advertising.819-569-9525 Circulation.819-569-9528 Knowlton office.514-242-1188 Mail subscriptions SSI ESI IQIAl Canada: 1 year 87.00 6.09 6.05 $99.14 6 months 43.50 3.05 3.03 $49.58 3 months 21.75 1.52 1.51 $24.78 Out of Quebec residents do not include PST.Rates for other services available on request.Back copies of The Record ordered one week after publication are available at $1.00 per copy.Established February 9, 1897, incorporating the Sherbrooke Gazette (est.1837) and the Sherbrooke Examiner (est.1879).The Record is published daily Monday to Friday by The Record Division, Groupe Quebecor Inc.Offices and plant located at 2850 Delorme Street, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 1A1.Canadian Publications Mail Service Product Agreement No.0479675. The RECORD—Friday, May 31, 1996—3 Townships gill; ‘It’s an investment in the future’ — Price Deadline approaching on Montjoye park bid By Rita Legault HATLEY TOWNSHIP — Local municipalities have 90 days to come up with enough money to buy the Montjoye ski resort to turn it into a regional four-season park.“We must guarantee the funding in the next few weeks,» said Jacques Robidas, president of the Estrie Tourism Association (ATE) and head of “Les amis de Montjoye», a new group promoting the development of a park there.Robidas, who was born and raised on the other side of the hill, said it’s important to conserve the area for public use.He also runs a stable on the other side of the hill, on property his family has owned for more than 100 years.Montjoye, which is for sale by the federal government, was seized by the RCMP six years ago and handed over to the government while the owners were prosecuted for laundering drug money through the resort.After a lengthy trial which determined the property had been purchased with proceeds from the drug trade, the ski hill and adjoining properties were put up for sale by the federal public works department last summer.TUQUE HEADS The main promoters of the project to turn Monjoye into a regional park are Hatley Township mayor Pierre Levac and Lennoxville mayor David Price.The two mayors donned ski tuques Thursday in an effort to promote the park and to encourage the 20 municipalities in the Sherbrooke and Memphremagog MRCs to become partners in the deal.“For the municipalities of Hatley Township and Lennoxville this is a major project to spearhead, but we both believe it to be one of the most positive, constructive projects for the Pierre Levac and David Price say turning the property into a public park will give area residents access to land that isn’t privately owned.record photo: perry beaton quality of life in our region that we could see for years to come,» Price said.“We invite all our municipal neighbors to join us as partner and owners for a mere $5,000 a year,» he said.“It’s more than just a checque.It’s an investment in the future and as a bonus an immediate return such things as ski discounts, special ski days and a great natural four-season park.» Price explains the idea is to have each municipality kick in $5000 a year for the next 20 years to guarantee $1 million of the $1.3 million purchase price.The remaining $300,000 has been promised by the Regional Development Council (CRD).TIME TO MOBILIZE “Now it’s up to the milieu to continue to mobilize and obtain the rest of the funding needed,» CRD president Janvier Cliche told reporters at Thursday’s press conference during which local politicians and economic agents pledged their support for the planned park.The project has the support of provincial and federal politicians, including Denis Paradis and Maurice Bernier, who convinced federal Public Works Minister Diane Marlowe to delay the sale and give local municipalities 90 days to find the funding.Levac said five more municipalities are poised to approve the project, leaving 13 more to convince.Among the undecided is North Hatley.Mayor Peter Provencher said the town has not been officially approached and council has not discussed the matter.But he said he fears overdevelopment of the site with such things as campsites.STAY NATURAL “We want the site to remain just what it is, a natural park,» said Provencher, who says his municipality is already overrun by tourists using the Grandes Fourches bike path along the Massawippi River.Price said that so far the intention is to keep the site as natural as possible, although it’s possible a wilderness campaign might be allowed.“The reason we even started this thing is to preserve it as a natural area,» Price said.Promoters say it’s important to conserve the site for public use because 90 per cent of property in the Townships is private, leaving few areas for public recreational activities.As well as the ski hill, the Montjoye sit provides access to the Massawippi river for water sports such as canoeing and kayaking, and the mountain is prime site for birdwatchers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts.Levac added the final decision on how the site will be developped and used will be up to the various partners in the intermunicipal board that buys the site.He said the management of the ski hill, which has made money over the past three years, will most likely be contracted out to a private entrepreneur.“It’s an everybody wins situation,» Price said.“This is the last chair one the lift and if we miss it we’re going to have to walk up the hill carrying our skis.» A return to Eastern Townships roots Destination Sherbrooke for Franco-Americans By Maurice Crossfield SHERBROOKE — There will be a lot of people of French descent on the streets of Sherbrooke this August, even though many of them are more comfortable speaking English.That’s because the towns of Sherbrooke and Manchester, New Hampshire, will be getting to know each other during the Fêtes de la Francophonie Nord-Americaine, an event aimed at celebrating being French.As Manchester professor Julien Olivier pointed out, there are more people of French descent in the U.S.than you might think.“Manchester is a town of about 100,000 people, of which roughly 50 per cent of the population is of French descent,” he said.“That does not mean you have 50 per cem francophones, though.Some won’t admit it, and others are uncomfortable speaking it in public.” During the press conference announcing this summer’s events, several announcements were made in English, just to make sure everybody knew what was going on.EXODUS Olivier explained that between 1869 and the 1920s, nearly 1.5 million Quebecers, unable to survive any longer on the family farms, headed south of the border to the textile mills of New England, much the same as thousands of Irish, Scottish and other Eurpoean immigrants were.“To the north you had these huge Catholic families who did whatever the church told them to do,” he said.“And they were very, very good workers.” Though statistics from the period are hard to come by, the size of the exodus was massive.Olivier said he has heard reports that as many as 2000 people in one day crossed the border at Derby Line, looking for work.“At the outset they didn’t go down to stay,” Olivier said.Instead they were going down to pay off their bills, make some money and then head home to buy a farm and settle down.But while some did eventually go home, many ended up staying in New Hampshire.Those that stayed in Manchester and other mill towns of its kind put down roots, establishing their own French Catholic schools.The school in Manchester survived up until the 1960’s, teaching genera- tions the language of their ancestors.“Now there are far fewer children speaking French today,” Olivier said.But with the changes taking place in Manchester, many who were looking to preserve their French heritage began looking outside their region.What they discovered wasn’t just Quebec, but other pockets of French descendants .Under the auspices of the Fêtes de la Francophonie Nord Américaine, these communities are coming together to rediscover their French heritage.FOUR-DAY CELEBRATION For Sherbrooke and Manchester, getting to know each other will consist of a four-day celebration in Sherbrooke from August 22 to 25 which will include sports, exhibitions, arts, dinners and workshops on family histories.Then from August 29 to September 1, Manchester will throw open its doors to the citizens of Sherbrooke.As Sherbrooke businessman Pierre Dagenais pointed out, the get togethers will also provide opportunités for a little cross-border trading as well, as new contacts are made.“So we will have fun and do business, I hope,” Dagenais said.Local tourism official Alain Deschatelets said he won’t speculate on how many people will come to Sherbrooke for the event.But he says he hopes it has a future.“The program is great, and we are hoping it will become an annual event.” Townships 4—The RECORD—Friday, May 31, 1996 PQ announces proposed municipal marriages By Rita Legault SHERBROOKE — Over the past few years, small municipalities throughout the province have been reluctant to follow Quebec City’s advice and enter into marriages of convenience with their neighbors.So Quebec is offering more incentives, and if that doesn’t work, the government is planning to arrange things shotgun style.Yesterday, Municipal Affairs Minister Rémy Trudel released the government’s new policy which would have some 416 municipalities merge into 178 new family units.The new municipal map calls for dozens of mergers in the Townships including weddings between Brome Lake and Brome, Sutton and Sutton Township, Richmond and Cleveland.Three-way mergers between Waterloo, Warden and Shefford Township, and Kingsbury, Melbourne and Melbourne Township are also part of the plan.The first line of the policy document, entitled La consolidation des communautés locales (the consolidation of local communities), says the government’s new policy is based on a “volontary approach».But don’t be fooled, when it comes to municipalities lacking the urge to merge, the Parti Québécois is all over the map.PENALTIES The provincial government is offering $15 million in incentives to those interested in municipal matrimony, but will also impose heavy penalties to those insisting on bachelorhood.In fact, muncipalities called upon to merge will be considered united, regardless of the reality, when it comes to the administration of various provincial programs such as transfer payments and subsidies for roads starting in 1999.Help for sewage and water treatment plants to unwed municipalities will end in 1997, unless the grant is linked to a merger plan or a specific problem.Targetted municipalities that go their own way also risk higher costs for police protection from the Quebec Police Force.Those municipalities may also lose compensation payments in lieu of taxes on provincial government buildings on municipal territory such as schools, hospitals and community health clinics.They also risk forgoing government grants for libraries and exclusion from a number of other Map may look a lot different in the Townships Here are the new municipalities the Quebec government is trying to put on the map here in the Townships: In the Coaticook MRC, Quebec is seeking mergers between Barford, Coaticook and Barns-ton; Ste-Edwidge de Clifton and Martinville; Compton and Compton Station; North Hatley and Hatley; and Eastman and Stukely.In the Haut St-François MRC, it will be a busy wedding season with 10 proposed mer- gers including East Clifton and Saint-Isidore d’Auckland; Scot-stown, Hampden, Ditton and La Patrie; Newport Township and Sawyerville; Cookshire and Eaton; East Angus and Westbury; Lingwick, Fontain-bleau, Saint-Gérard, Weedon and Weedon Centre; Bromp-tonville and Brompton; Val-court, Valcourt Township and Maricourt; Melbourne, Melbourne Township and Kingsbury; Saint-Grégoire de Green-lay, Windsor, Val Joli, and Saint-Claude; and Richmond and Cleveland.In the Asbestos MRC the province wants to see the towns of Asbestos, Danville and Shipton united.In the Granit MRC the mergers being encouraged are between; Notre-Dames-des-Bois and Val Racine; Saint-Augustin de Woburn, Piopolis, Frontenac, Lake Megantic and Marston; Milan, Nantes and Stornoway; Saint-Ludger, Ris-borough and Gayhurst SW.In Brome Missisquoi, propo- sed mergers include Philip-sburg and St-Armand; Bedford and Bedford Township; Brome Lake and Brome; and Rainville and Farnham.In Haute Yamaska MRC; Waterloo, Warden and Shefford; Roxton Pond and the parish of Roxton Pond.In the Acton MRC; Béthanie, Roxton Falls, Roxton and Sainte-Catherine; Acton Vale and Saint-André-d’Acton; Upton and Saint-Ephrèm d’Upton are being called upon to merge.government programs.Marital incentives include easier access to government infrastructure grants for the needs of newly formed municipalities, as well as financial help to hire consultants to complete merger plans.The new municipalities will also continue to receive, for the next five years, the total sum of transfer payments each of its parts would have received before the merger.The governemnt claims the mergers are essential to save money on the adminstration of municipalities and to offer better services to the population.Right now, Quebec has no law which could force municipalities to merge.The government has however modified municipal laws to make them more flexible for municipalities wanting to merge.The government can depart from municipal laws to allow new rules for debt sharing and other terms and conditions which will make mergers more appealing to citizens.Now that the government has released its policy paper, it plans to hold public information and consultation meetings in June to get input on the merger plan.A definitive map will be adopted in the fall.Drunk driving peaks in June Crackdown means weekend roadblocks By Sharon McCully KNOWLTON — Provincial and municipal police will erect roadblocks throughout the region again this weekend in a month-long crackdown against drinking drivers.Last weekend officers stopped more than 5000 vehicles at roadblocks erected in municipalities throughout the Monté-régie region.In all, 203 of the 5191 drivers were asked to submit to a blood-alcohol test and 21 were found to be legally impaired.Those with a blood-alcohol level exceeding the .08 legal limit will receive a notice to appear in court and could lose their driver’s licence for up to a year.The campaign is in response to statistics which show May 15 to June 15 to be the most deadly period on Quebec highways.To reduce the carnage, 65 police departments in three Quebec regions will participate in the month-long crackdown.More than 200 police roadblocks will be set up in municipalities in the Montreal, Lanaudière and Montérëgie regions during the four weekends In the two years between 1993 and 1995, alcohol-related accidents claimed the lives of 464 victims.Montérégie region topped the list with 197 deaths compared to 120 in Montreal and 85 in Lanaudière.The special operations create awareness of the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving and at the same time, and encourage drivers to choose alternatives such as naming a designated driver or calling a taxi.Nathalie Hudon, information officer for the campaign, said that despite the minor inconvenience and delays caused by the roadblocks, most drivers are receptive to the initia- SHERBROOKE (MC) — A Magog detective is under investigation for possible breaches of the police code of ethics and the Criminal Code.Quebec Police Force spokesman Cst.Serge Dubord said Thursday the Régie de Police de Memphremagogasked the QPF to investigate the conduct of one of its detectives.Because many of the region's QPF investigators regularly work with five.Officers at the roadblocks hand out postcards warning of the serious consequences of drinking and driving, among them the loss of a driver’s licence and the refusal of insurance companies to pay damages incurred by a drunk driver.In cases where there are fatalities, drunk drivers face a prison sentence.Bar-owners and licenced establishments which continue to serve inebriated customers can also be held responsible for the actions of a drunk driver.Courses are being offered to bartenders outlining their legal responsibilities, and suggestions are being provided to help the officer in question, the investigation was handed over to the Montreal detachment of the QPF.Though officials involved with the case would not release the officers name, CHLT radio said the detective under investigation is Denis Lamontagne a 10-year veteran of the force.Dubord would not release details of the investigation, but said it involved incidents in which the officer may have bro- them establish a policy for serving drinks and cutting patrons off at the bar once they’ve had enough.Following a fatal accident where alcohol is a factor,the Coroner’s office will systematically inform the liquor licensing board and action can be taken against the establishment.Individuals in their own homes are not exempt from responsibility and they too must share legal blame for allowing a friend or relative to drive after drinking too much.Last weekend, municipal police in Bromont stopped 21 is under ken the police code of ethics and the Criminal Code while on duty as a police officer.He has since been suspended without pay pending the result of the investigation.Dubord pointed out that the officer has yet to be charged, and that the suspension is a normal procedure whenever a police officer is under investigation.“He is under investigation, but it isn’t even known if he will drivers, none of whom were impaired; 30 were stopped in Brome Lake and one was given a breathalizer test.Sixty-two drivers were stopped at a municipal roadblock in Waterloo and none were tested, while 135 were stopped in Farnham, and one was tested.None were found to be over the legal limit.This weekend, graduates will be on the roads celebrating the end of their high school years and prom organizers are hoping the alcohol-free prom and increased awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving will prevent young people from risking it.the gun be charged,” Dubord said.Henry Keyserlingk, the Crown prosecutor who is now examining the findings of the QPF report, agreed with Dubord.“Right now it’s at the stage where it’s too early to tell if there will be any charges laid or not,” Keyserlingk said.Keyserlingk said that decision will probably be made sometime next week.‘Too early to tell’ — Crown Magog detective The RECORD—Friday, May 31, 1996—5 Townships 5 Why does such vandalism happen?The quiet of the churchyard was disturbed It’s happened before, it’s happened again.Vandalism in St.Paul’s Anglican Church, Sydenham and in the Maplewood and Moore Cemeteries.The lovingly built and maintained building and grounds are among the few remaining tangible signs of Kingsey Township’s pioneer families.The little white country church stands alone with a small woods behind it, at a crossroads close to two campgrounds.Its unique architecture of spires and buttresses make it a landmark.Built between 1839 and 1842, it was the centre of the hamlet of Sydenham Place.A blacksmith shop and general repair shop, a post office and a school were located across the road.There is an eloquent passage on Sydenham, written by Donna Roach, in The Tread of Pioneers: Annals of Richmond County and Vicinity, volume 1, published by the Richmond County Historical Society in 1966.This is the church I attended regularly for the first six years of my childhood.I, along with all of my siblings, was baptized there.On the day of our engagement, Russell drove me to the churchyard and there gave me my engagement ring.We were married at St, Paul’s the following summer.So, this picturesque building means a great deal to me.I can remember my Grandma playing the organ and singing, especially at the annual harvest services held after the church closed.These services were preceded by a mqjor com- St.Paul’s was the centre of the hamlet of Sydenham Place.Susan C.Mastine munity undertaking.Women and children from the former congregation would gather with brooms and mops and milk cans of water to “clean church”.We had to get the church spruced up and fresh smelling after a year of being locked up.The men did the outside work, helped with the decorating and put the carpet down the aisle.The day of the service, the church, gloriously decorated with garden and orchard produce and brilliant red wood vine, would be nearly full — and for one day the building would vibrate with life once again.Only a handful of Anglican families with roots here remain in the parish—none of them close by.Nowadays, there is one service a year.And once in a long while, a wedding — there’s one scheduled for this July.Last Saturday night, the quiet of the churchyard was disturbed by intruders who, failing to force the lock, smashed the upper panel of the door and climbed in.They limited their disruption of the interior to putting the lectern across the font, stealing several kneeling benches, and yanking the altar railings out of place.Maplewood Cemetery belonged to a Baptist congregation until 1912 when it was turned over to the Anglican church at Sydenham.The Baptist church is long gone, and the cemetery in which most of Kingsey’s pioneers were laid to rest sits in quiet isolation on an infrequently used gravel road.There my paternal grandparents, great-and great-great-grandparents The graceful metal lettering has been peppered with gunshot holes.Moore cemetery: oOne of the graves has been dug up, and there is a well-worn path down to the river’s edge.Elm Mm ¥ ; 4 Moore cemetery: oOne of the graves has been dug up, and there ; are buried, as well as my husband’s maternal great and great-great-grandparents.Now there are times when the scene is anything but peaceful.It has become a late-night meeting place for questionable activities.The grace-ful metal lettering “Maplewood Cemetery” has been peppered with gunshot holes.During the night of Wednesday last week, vandals knocked over most of the gravestones.The Moore Cemetery, private burial grounds on a knoll along the St.Francis River bank, has also been the victim of sacrilege.One of the graves has been dug up, and there is a well-worn path through the cemetery down to the river’s edge.Why does such vandalism happen?The isolation of these sites, some say.Yes, but there’s more to it, in my opinion.Attitudes of disrespect, need for anger and frustration outlets, lack of awareness and appreciation of our local heritage.What’s needed?Class trips to these sites?Volunteer involvement by young people?Moving the gravestones to another location?There’s probably no one solution.Rereading parts of The Annals of Richmond County and Vicinity made me realize how little the average adult knows of our local history.The younger generation know even less.Perhaps there are members of local historical societies who would volunteer some time to bring our local history alive to elementary school students in classrooms.r- mm ; ~ .-W ,V -V MHÉÉI The cemetery in which most of Kingsey ys pioneers were laid to rest sits in quiet isolation on an infrequently used gravel road.STEAMATIC j Residential I Furnace ¦ Pacts KFAi UAiOe //It: Carpet G Fur/j/ture C/ean/na Carpet Cleaning Carpet Cleaning Furniture Cleaning the total cleaning service i $189 SINCE 1968 A/r Duct C/ean/na GRANBY AREA - (514) 777-3234 SHERBROOKE AREA - (819) 565-4343 12 Outlets or less b 4 Rooms and Hall Arm Chair & Sola Set 2 Rooms and Hall Editorial 6—The RECORD—Friday, May 31, 1996 If you don’t own a chunk of it.The Eastern Townships.Rolling hills, beautiful mountains and babbling brooks.In the fall, an explosion of colors followed by cool, crisp evenings.The inspiration of artists and outdoor lovers alike, it just doesn’t get much better.But just try to step out of your car and it’s a different matter altogether.The Townships, with all its breathtaking beauty, suffers from one problem.It’s over 90 per cent privately owned, another unique feature of the region.So in other words, if you don’t own a chunk of it, then there aren’t many places you can go to really take advantage of all that pastoral beauty.That’s why the idea of turning the Montjoye ski hill property into a regional public park is such a great idea.It means that for those of us who don’t own land, we would have a place to go where we can bycycle, picnic, and hike to our heart’s content.But the park needs money — $5000 a year per municipality in fact.While some municipalities have already decided to give it a go, others are dragging their feet, expressing fears that it will lead to the region becoming overrun by tourists.Dominated by those who already own their own little chunk of heaven, they don’t want someone else enjoying for free what they — or as often as not their parents and grandparents — had to pay for.In actuality, the creation of a park will take the pressure off of those few areas that are already overcrowded.After all, most cyclists would probably prefer to go to the park than to a town like North Hatley, where they haven’t been made to feel particularly welcome anyway.With the recent demise of Mont Bellevue in Sherbrooke, people will be looking for a place to go.Now for some municipalities, $5000 a year is a lot of money.For others, it is a drop in the bucket of their recreation budget.But in the long run it will bring benefits for all municipalities in the region, even if those benefits aren’t entirely financial.When it comes to quality of life, it can’t always be measured in dollars and cents.The region surrounding the Montjoye property is at a turning point.The municipalities can refuse the deal, depriving their citizens of access to a large peice of natural beauty, or they can purchase the land, providing access to nature for generations to come.In the 90 days remaining before the funding deadline hits, the public should make their feelings known to their town councils.Let’s all push to see this magnificent piece of nature made available to us all.MAURICE CROSSFIELD r$\t $*\à fm on ail trie.GST :ik \ MONEYU REFUND CLAIM ^ g \ —- Could mean wrongful convictions Hiding records could backfire By Jim Morris OTTAWA (CP) — Justice Minister Allan Rock’s intention to protect the therapeutic records of alleged sexual assault victims could result in innocent people going to jail, says a defence lawyer.Rock said Thursday he plans to introduce legislation soon to make it more difficult for defence lawyers to obtain the private records of assault victims from rape-crisis centres and shelters for battered women.“It’s to ensure the records are only taken from the record holders and put before the courts where it can be clearly demonstrated they are relevant to an issue in the trial,” Rock told the Commons justice committee.“It will end the use of subpoenas for intimidation.” But defence lawyer Michael Edelson called the bill a knee-jerk reaction to lobby groups that want an absolute prohibition on access to records.“The Supreme Court of Canada has put in place very stringent rules,” said Edelson, president of the Defence Counsel Association of Ottawa.“We’ve had some successful applications disclosing records, which have established that our clients are not guilty, and charges have been withdrawn as a result of our seeing the records.” Women’s groups argue a woman’s sexual history is irrelevant in a sexual assault case.They fear the information will be used to undermine the credibility of a woman.Edelson countered that records have shown some women laying charges are mentally ill, pathological liars and induced to say things by therapists.“Women’s groups don’t want to Some facts on proposed legislation to protect the records of women involved in a sexual assault: THE NEW BILL: Justice Minister Allan Rock wants it to be more difficult for defence lawyers to obtain the private records of assault victims from rape-crisis centres and shelters for battered women.WHY: Women’s groups argue a woman’s sexual history is irrelevant in a sexual assault case.They fear the information can be used to admit any of this stuff is happening but unless we saw these records, potentially we’d have innocent people going to jail.” Rock said the legislation will define tests for judges to use in deciding if records should be released.It will also prevent the defence from going on fishing expeditions for information.“It will end the practice of indiscriminately serving subpoenas on rape crisis or counselling centres the minute charges are laid,” Rock said.“The subpoena wall only be available from a judge and then only if certain grounds exist.” undermine a woman’s credibility.THE DEFENCE: Lawyers argue the records can show mental illness or that a victim has lied.CURRENT LAW: Supreme Court of Canada says defence lawyers can have access to records.The court set out factors to determine when the records would Kp Tplovant QUOTE: “The difficult balance is between*t>rivacy and equality for women and the right to full answer in defence by the accused.” — Rock.Meant to protect women The RECORD—Friday, May 31, 1996—7 Farm and Business TD, National latest banks to ring in huge profit increase By Sandra Rubin TORONTO (CP) — The parade of higher bank profits continued Thursday with Toronto-Dominion and National Bank of Canada reporting sharp improvements in the second quarter of 1996.Both credited the explosion in stock market and mutual fund investing.TD made a $220-million profit for the three months ended April 30, up from $164 million in the same period a year earlier.That’s an increase of 34 per cent.“Our securities businesses are just going great guns,” said Dan Marinangeli, TD’s senior vice-president finance.“Green Line and Evergreen are doing just great.” He said discount broker Green Line set new records for revenues and transactions, and full-service Evergreen Investments more than doubled its revenues.Marinangeli said areas that were once considered non-traditional banking are becoming increasingly important to TD’s bottom line.“I’m talking about discount brokerage, investment banking, equity sales and trading, loan sales and syndication, those kinds of things.“If you look at the proportion of ‘other income’ to total income, it’s getting bigger.” TD’s return on equity — considered the truest test of a bank’s performance — increased to 15.1 per cent from 12.1 per cent.It was much the same story at National Bank, which reported a second-quarter profit of $71 million, up from $57 million in 1995 — an increase of 24 per cent.“Where’s the big increase coming from?It’s our brokerage side, Levesque Beaubien Geoffrion,” Jean Dagenais, National’s chief accountant, said from the bank’s head office in Montreal.“It increased the ‘other income’ category very significantly.“Also, we were anticipating a reduction in interest rates so we positioned our balance sheet to benefit from that.” National used derivatives to hedge falling rates and beefed up its portfolio with stocks that profit when rates are heading down, he said.The bank’s return on equity hit 13.2 per cent from 10.5 per cent in the second quarter of 1995.The higher profits at National and TD Bank follow hard on the heels of similar increases this week at Royal Bank, Bank of Montreal and Bank of Nova Scotia.With the fiscal year half over, Canada’s big banks are on track to smash last year’s $5.2-billion record profit.Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is the last of the major banks to report, with its earnings coming out next week.TD also announced a share buyback Thursday aimed at minimizing the dilution stemming from its recent deal to acquire U.S.discount broker Waterhouse Investor Services Inc.The $535-million US purchase is being paid for partly in cash, partly in stock.Sable Island gas project proposed HALIFAX (CP) — A $2-billion proposal to tap one of the largest gas deposits still undeveloped in North America inched forward Thursday with formal applications to regulators.A consortium led by Mobil Oil Properties announced the filing at a news conference, saying offshore gas from Sable Island — about 225 kilometres southeast of Halifax — could begin to flow by the turn of the century.“We believe this project offers exciting opportunities for all Canadians, with the potential to benefit those in local communities and across the country,” Paul Tauecchio, with consortium member Shell Canada, said in a release.The project calls for 30 wells offshore and more than 400 kilometres of pipeline to bring the gas to the Nova Scotia mainland.Two gas plants — at Country Harbor and Point Tupper — would also be built, creating an estimated 300 permanent jobs for the hard-pressed areas of eastern Nova Scotia and western Cape Breton.Jean-Charles Boily, LL.B., LL.M.(London School of Economics) François Bouchard, ll.b ATTORNEYS AT LAW Offering a wide range of legal services in business law, litigation, civil and commercial law, banking and family law.455 King St.West Suite 610 Sherbrooke (Quebec) J1H 6E9 Tel.: (819) 563-4898 Fax: (819) 563-5837 NOBLE, DUKE ^ Chartered Accountants A Jackson Noble, C.A.164 Queen Street, Suite 102 Lennoxville, Quebec, JIM 1J9 (819) 346-0333 / Fax: (819) 3460313 Accounting, Auditing, Financial 6 Taxation Services for individuals, Small Business & Corporations Investment Planning, Estate Planning & Settlement, Computer Services Offices in Lennoxville, Cowansville and Knowlton, Quebec PESTICIDES CERTIFICATION COURSE $ EASTERN ' TOWNSHIPSJo' TECHNICAL INSTI^$^ Monday, June 10 Tuesday, June 11 Wednesday, June 12 6:30 pm - 9:30 p.m.COST: $90.00 Sevlgny Building Agriculture Research Centre Lennoxville, Quebec For Information contact Doug Grant 819-563-5627 Tax holiday for new corporations Tax Talks Are you incorporating a new business?If so, you may be able to enjoy a three-year tax holiday from provincial taxes for the business' first three years of operation.New “eligible corporations” can enjoy, subject to certain limits, an exemption from Québec income tax and tax on capital (except for the $250 minimum).Moreover, according to the proposals set forth in the 1996 provincial buget, they can be exempted from the contribution to the Quebec Health Services Fund (HSF) for wages paid or deemed to be paid after May 9, 1996 (the famous 4.26% of wages paid to the Health Services Fund).The latter exemption will apply to the portion of the employer contribution to the HSF attributable to the first $300,000 of wages paid by a new “eligible corporation” during each of its first three taxation years.The term “eligible corporation” is important and is defined below.To be eligible, a corporation must not: a) Be associated with any other corporation (e.g., if a person owns 100% of the shares of both ABC Inc.and XZY Inc., these two corporations are associated and neither one can claim the three-year exemption); b) Be a corporation other than a Canadian-controlled private corporation; c) Carry on a personal services business; d) Carry on a business principally as a result of acquiring or renting property from another person or partnership who or which, at any time in the 12 months preceding that acquisition or rental, carried on the same business with the same property (e.g., a person who ran a convenience store as a sole proprietor and who decides to incorporate his business will not be able to claim the three-year exemption).Finally, a prescribed form must be completed and submitted with the first income tax return filed by the eligible corporation in order for it to qualify for the tax holiday.Lucie Gaudreau, C.A.Tax Department Raymond, Chabot, Martin, Paré General Partnership RAYMOND, CHABOT, MARTIN, PARE chartered accountants fenêtres Orford inc. - W/r.Sears rog.21.99.Each.)5.39 Save 30 Save $5-40 WONDERBRA' BRAS, CONTROL BR/EES & HOSIERY AU CRAFTSMAN CORDED DRILLS Choose from 1/2"and 3/8” siies.a v& Sole prices end Sunday, June 9, 1996, while quantities last lr*£ WssMkilSnt l y and home your fa everything you at deals weekend f great 19 9 6 JUNE SUNDAY ENDS ‘MM: Ü Uelen etlwwlu slated.w«s quantifiai loll.Sditlieo «ay wry by data Copyright 1996.Sears Canada Inc.Expect more from Sears Sears Canada Inc.'Reg.' or was’ refer to Sears prices.Montreal region: Anjou: 353-7770, Brassard: 465-1000, LaSalle: 364-7310, l^val: 68^1200, Pointe-Claire: 694-8815 Repentigny: 582-5532, St-Bruno: 441-6603, Deux-Montagnes: 491-5000, Ville St-Laurent: 335-7770.Quebec region: Québec: 529-9861, Lévis: 833-4711, Ste-Foy: 658-2121.And others: Alma: 662-2222, Victoriaville-Arthabaska: 357-4000, Chicoutimi: 549-8240, Drummondville: 478-1381, Granby: 375-5770, Rouyn-Noranda- 797-2321 St-Jean: 349-2651, St-Jérôme: 432-2110, Sherbrooke: 563-9440, Sorel: 746-2508, Hois-Rivièœs: 379-5444, St-Georges de Beauce: 228-2222.Copyright Canada, 1996, Sears Canada Inc.Not all items, sizes or colors in this page have been offered for sale in all Sears stores.