The record, 25 juillet 1996, jeudi 25 juillet 1996

Summer Work Available $11.25 to start.Mo experience necessary.Trainina orovidpH iiauuny j-M vj v tutrcj.C3H Vector Canada today (319) 821-1075 The Voice of the Eastern Townships since 1837 THURSDAY July 25, 1996 WEATHER, Page 2 50 cents MPs plan private member bill to reclaim losses Descendants of Loyalists owed billions by U.S.By Mark Dunn OTTAWA (CP) — It looks like a case of tit-for-tat.Or perhaps, what’s good for the eagle is good for the beaver.Two Liberal MPs plan to mirror the American Helms-Burton law that allows U.S.firms to sue foreign companies using property in Cuba confiscated from Americans.The so-called Godfrey-Milliken law in Canada would permit descendants of United Empire Loyalists, who fled the United States following the 1776 American Revolution, to reclaim land that was “confiscated unjustly and illegally by the American government and its citizens.” John Godfrey (Don Valley East) and Peter Milliken (Kingston and the Islands) said Wednesday they plan to introduce their law as a private member’s bill when Parliament sits in September.Private member’s bills seldom pass.“If the Americans are serious about Helms-Burton, we can be serious about this,” said Milliken, who added the bill is partly tongue-in-cheek.“If they’re prepared to withdraw Mayors demand inquiry into how fast dams were opened By Jack Branswell LA BAIE (CP) — A trickle of Saguenay residents inspected their flood-ravaged property Wednesday while others questioned whether dams in the region contributed to the flooding.The mayors of Chicoutimi and Lac-Kenogami called for a public inquiry to determine if dams were opened quickly enough as rain spilled over reservoirs to flood Chicoutimi, Jonquière, La Baie and other areas.“It (an inquiry) could improve how the dams are used and also make them more secure,” said Réal Godin, Lac-Kenogami’s mayor.But Premier Lucien Bouchard threw cold water on that idea.“If there had not been dams it would have been worse,” Bouchard said at a Quebec City news conference.He said the dams contributed to a 17 per cent reduction in water levels at the beginning of last weekend’s storm that forced the evacuation of about 12,000 in the region and left seven people dead.“I understand that people have questions, but no one could have predicted this,” Bouchard added.“Sometimes nature gets angry.” Companies like Alcan and the city of Jonquière use water from the Kenogami reservoir to generate hydroelectric power and they have become a target for frustrated locals.Jean Vanier, a geotechnology professor at the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, said there’s a perennial conflict over water levels in the region’s reservoirs and especially in Lac-Kenogami which overlooks Chicoutimi.“The companies like to keep the water at the maximum level.It becomes risky when there’s a lot of rain.It takes one big rainfall to cause the reservoirs to overflow.” But Denise Dallaire, spokeswoman for Stone-Consolidated, doubted the company could have prevented the damage.All the waterways in the area were already swollen by the rain before its reservoir emptied.“What could you do?The water was coming from the sky,” she said.“The situation deteriorated so much so fast there was no way anybody could foresee it.” Civil protection authorities said about 600 to 800 people in Jonquière were allowed to go home Wednesday.But those were people whose houses were undamaged.In nearby Laterrière, Lisette Fortin and her family had their first look at their flooded home.“It’s depressing to see this, but my children are safe — that’s what is important,” she said.Their house was flooded up to the first floor and they lost an above ground pool and a small boat.Sweeping her hand out towards her house, she said: “That’s 10 year’s work there.“Oh well, 1 guess that’s life,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.Bouchard announced the government will double the maximum amount of compensation to $100,000 from $50,000 to pay for houses and land.The government will also pay 75 per cent of damages above $100,000.The government will give households $15,000 for furniture and compensate municipalities up to 90 per cent for infrastructure damages.liums Helms-Burton I think 1 can safely say .I would be willing to withdraw this bill, too.” The bill would also enable Canada to deny entry to corporate officers or controlling shareholders of American companies that are using property in the U.S.confiscated from Loyalists.Spouses and children would alsp be excluded.Sound familar?A provision of Helms-Burton would deny visas to shareholders and senior executives of Canadian companies doing business in Cuba.Toronto-based Sherritt International Corp., a company with mining interests on the Caribbean island, was the first foreign company stung by Helms-Burton.See LOYALISTS: Page 2 Don’t look down V Construction workers can’t be afraid of heights on this job — building a new type of bridge which will rise nearly 32 feet above the Ascot River between Johnville and Martinville.For the full story please see Page 4.recordbruce patton Fears raised that next march will kill Irish peace process By Helen Branswell LONDON (CP) — Northern Ireland may be plunged back into violence by the coming Apprentice Boys march, a key figure in Sinn Fein warned Wednesday.Martin McGuinness said the march, to be held Aug.10, could stir up the sectarian violence that ignited the province earlier this month over another disputed Orange Order march, at Drumcree.The worst of the violence took place at Londonderry, the province’s second largest city and the site of the Apprentice Boys march.‘ The fact that there is yet another triumphalist march by the Orange Order in a city which is overwhelmingly nationalist .I think lends itself to a fairly rapid deterioration of the situation unless all the parties to the difficulties which surround that march agree to sit down and negotiate a way through,” the Irish nationalist leader told a news conference.“We are facing in my opinion a very serious and critical time in the history of our country.” The Apprentice Boys march is the annual celebration of Protes- tant defiance against Catholic King James II in 1689.The Apprentice Boys take their name from 12 apprentices said to have slammed Londonderry’s gates against James’s army at the start of the unsuccessful 105-day siege.While its origin is steeped in victory, the march’s more recent history is steeped in conflict.There were mass riots in 1969 when Catholics clashed with marchers.From 1970 to 1993, in the worst of Northern Ireland's so-called Troubles, the march was rerouted to avoid confrontation with the nationalist community.But last year trouble flared up again when nationalists tried to block the parade from passing through a disputed area near the Catholic enclave known as the Bogside.British government officials, nationalist politicians and leaders of the Apprentice Boys fraternity have been holding discussions about this year’s parade route in an effort to forestall the type of confrontation that occurred at Drumcree.That deadly conflict was touched off when the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the soldiers who police Northern Ireland, refused to let Orangemen march down a traditional route through a Catholic neighborhood in Drumcree because of community objections.That led to a four-day standoff, with swelling numbers of loyalists insisting that the RUC back down.Loyalists took revenge throughout the province, burning and looting Catholic homes, businesses and churches. 2—The RECORD—Thursday, July 26, 1996 Working just for tips is against the law TORONTO (CP) — Waiters and bartenders “volunteering” to work in Canada’s struggling restaurant industry say it’s a decent way to make a buck: no wages, but all the tips you can collect.Others call it exploitation.Now the controversial practice has set off a heated debate in Ontario as the Labor Ministry investigates two small-town bars where servers act as self-employed “agents.” ‘They can make $500 a week, that’s not slave labor,” says Aldo Mauro, owner of Screaming Tale bars in Belleville and Port Hope.“People are banging down my door to get a job here.” While government officials have focussed their attention on Mauro’s bars, industry workers say the concept is nothing new.And Lisa Hardie wants to know what’s wrong with it.“None of us would do it if we weren’t making good money,” Hardie says from Belleville’s Screaming Tale bar.“We’re all grown-ups.” But Richard Clarke, director of Ontario’s Employment Standards office, says the laws are there for a reason.“If you don’t set minimum standards, employers will take advantage of vulnerable workers.” At least two workers at the Port Hope bar complained to Labor Ministry officials.Mauro says they failed to hustle for the big tips.The bar was a “sinking ship” when he took it over early this year.He cut the price of drinks to $1.65, started an aggressive marketing campaign to lure more customers and offered workers a chance to “volunteer” for big tips.Today, it’s the busiest bar in town.“It’s taken a big chunk of the pie away from the rest of us, ” said Spiro Angelatos, owner of a local strip bar.“It forces a price war and they get ahead because they have no payroll deductions.It’s not fair.” President hiding in embassy basement Army denies coup in Burundi BUJUMBURA, Burundi (Reuter) — President Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was in hiding in the U.S.Embassy on Wednesday, but the army denied it was staging a coup.A spokesman in Washington said the president, whose two predecessors both met violent ends, took refuge at the American ambassador’s résidence in Bujumbura on Tuesday night.Ntibantunganya, a 40-year-old former journalist, is Hutu.The army is led by Tutsis.The president has the same personal experience of ethnic hatred as most of his six million countrymen.His wife Eusebie was bayoneted to death by Tutsi soldiers Oct.21, 1993, in a failed coup that killed Burundi’s first democratically elected president, Melchior Nda-daye, a Hutu.The soldiers hunted in vain for Ntibantunganya, one of Ndadaye’s closest friends and foreign minister at the time.But he survived and went on to become Burundi’s third Hutu presi- dent in less than a year after Ndadaye’s successor, Cyprien Ntarya-mira, was killed on April 6,1994.The Tutsis form about 15 per cent of the population.That is the same percentage as in neighboring Rwanda, where between 500,000 and a million minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus were butchered between April and July 1994.Burundi is a former German colony and Belgian protectorate.Ntibantunganya sought U.S.protection the day after escaping from an angry crowd of Tutsis at the funeral ceremony of 300 Tutsis killed by Hutus on July 20.An army spokesman said Wednesday no coup was planned.Later, the military top brass met in private.In a phone call to Burundi Radio, Ntibantunganya called on Burundians not to support the coup attempt.“Ignore politicians who aim to plunge our country into chaos by seeking to overthrow our current leadership institutions,” he said.The fear and hatred between majority Hutus and minority Tutsis has caused about 150,000 deaths since 1993.The current killing rate is at least 1,000 a month, human rights workers estimate.It was unclear if the president had relinquished office.He failed to address reporters as scheduled at the ambassador’s residence.But a source there, who declined to be identified, told reporters: “He has not resigned and he is considering his position.It looks as though a coup is unfolding.The centre of government has been undermined, in fact there is no government.” Political sources said if Ntibantunganya decided to throw in the towel, he would be flown into exile in neighboring Tanzania.As the ethnic conflict in the small central African country degenerated, members of the United Nations Security Council implicitly warned the army not to take power.“They strongly condemn any attempt to overthrow the present legitimate government by force or coup d’etat,” council president Alain Dejammet of France said in a statement.Weather disasters fuel concerns about global warming By Dennis Bueckert OTTAWA (CP) — Droughts and downpours, hail storms and hurricanes.The rising incidence of weather-related disasters has set off alarm bells in the property insurance industry.The Saguenay deluge of the last week is part of a trend that has in- LOYALISTS Continued from page one American officials shrugged off Godfrey-Milliken.“It's not worth responding to,” said Kevin Long, a spokesman for Indiana Republican Dan Burton.Long suggested the two MPs have nothing better to do with Inside Ann Landers .14 Births and deaths .11 Classified .12-13 Comics .15 Crossword .14 Editorial .6 Farm and Business .7 Living .8 Sports .16 The Townships .3-4-5 surance companies around the world calling for action to combat global warming.“There’s no question in the mind of the insurance industry that there are more storms and they’re more severe,” Paul Ko vacs, vice-president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, said in an interview their time.A spokesman for Senator Jesse Helms refused to comment.Godfrey and Milliken suggest that descendants of the tens of thousands of Loyalists who fled the United States and whose property was confiscated should be allowed to prosecute U.S.citizens who benefit from seized Loyalist assets.WEATHE R Increasing cloudiness in the morning followed by a 60 per cent chance of showers in the afternoon, a risk of thundershowers and a high near 25.Outlook for Friday: Cloudy with clear periods and a 60 per cent chance of showers.Wednesday.The bureau, which represents hundreds of Canadian insurance companies, has set up a special group to study the impact of climate change.Scientists have been saying for years that rising temperatures could change storm patterns and cause more erratic weather.A rt ;ent report this month from the International Panel on Climate Change, comprised of hundreds of scientists, concluded that with climate warming “the hydrological cycle will become more vigorous.” Insurance executives tend to use more direct language.“You will get periods of intense rainfall, thunderstorm-type events, hailstorms, alternating with quite prolonged, nasty droughts,” said Andre Dlugolecki of General Accident PLC, parent company of General Accident Assurance Co.of Canada.“The balance of rainfall will be changing and we do believe that there are signs of that already hap- pening,” Dlugolecki said in an interview from Perth.Scotland.“There are definite signs that extreme rainfall events are becoming more numerous.” This month in Geneva, a group of 60 insurance companies called for early and substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, blamed for global warming.In a position paper released at a UN climate conference, the companies said they have concluded that human activity is already affecting climate on a global scale.How you can help out the flood victims A partial list of organizations donating money or accepting donations for the victims of floods in Quebec’s Saguenay region: — The Red Cross has hundreds of volunteers on the scene.— Bank of Montreal has donated $25,000 and is accepting donations.— Royal Bank donated $100,000 and is accepting donations.— City council in St.Thomas, Ont., donated $1,000.Also accepting donations: — Laurentian Bank of Canada.— Toronto-Dominion Bank.— Canada Trust.— Bank of Nova Scotia.— Jean Coutu pharmacies.— Toronto Star.— Several independent gas stations.— Montreal’s Sun Youth Organization.— The Ontario Knights of Columbus.Accepting food, water, sleeping bags, clothing: — Executive Forwarders, a freight company.Broadcasting public service announcements: — Global TV.— French and English CBC-TV.— CTV.— Life Network.RecorH a division of Quebecor Communications Inc.2850 Delorme, Sherbrooke, Que.J1K1A1 819-569-9511 819-569-9525 Fax: 819-569-3945 Member ABC.CARD, CDIMA, NMB, QCNA Randy Kinnear, Publisher.819-569-9511 Susan C.Mastine, Community Rel.819-569-9511 Charles Bury, Editor.819-569-6345 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 Qepartrmmts Accounting.819-569-9511 Advertising.819-569-9525 Circulation.819-569-9528 Knowlton office.514-242-1188 Mail subscriptions Canada: 1 year 104.00 6 months 52.00 3 months 26.00 GST 7.28 3.64 1.82 PST 7.23 3.62 1.81 TOTAL $118.51 $59.26 $29.63 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. Townships The RECORD—Thursday, July 25, 1996_3 ‘Dialogue, moderation and reason’ Canada-firsters waving flag for the future KNOWLTON (MC) — With their first public meeting behind them, members of One Canada are looking to the future with an eye on keeping the country together.The unity group’s first meeting in Stanbridge East on July 5 attracted some 90 people who feel, like the groups founding members do, that politicians have failed to serve the people who elect them.“We’re a concerned citizens McCully takes group,” said One Canada spokesman Gib Rotherham.“We are not affiliated with any political party and have no intention of becoming a political party.Actually I’m sure that there were at least a couple of people at the meeting who were card-carrying members of other political parties.” The bilingual, non-partisan group is based on the belief in “-dialogue, moderation and reason.” With that in mind Rother- he editor’s reins ham says a clear representation of the facts is “all we need” to prove that Canada works.Rotherham also said that while unity groups have sprung up in other parts of Quebec such as the Outaouais or Montreal’s West Island, One Canada — the founders write it ‘1 Canada’—is the first of its kind in the Eastern Townships region.“We feel it is important for Townshippers to take part in the dialogue,” Rotherham said.“I think in this region we can get along and tell all Canadians why we should stay together.” An example of that at the group’s first meeting was provided by Marissa Tessier of the Townshippers Association.She told the audience how the closure of the only bilingual hospital in the Sherbrooke area led to new ways of providing English-language health care in the remaining hospitals.But unlike other groups of its kind, One Canada isn’t getting into the debate about the partitioning of Quebec.“We are specifically nonpartitionist,” Rotherham said.“We want to attract those people who are interested in Canadian unity.” Rotherham said the group will be spending the rest of the summer preparing itself for a variety of fall activities, including more meetings and a newsletter.Change of leadership in Record newsroom SHERBROOKE — The Record has appointed Sharon McCully as its new editor-in-chief, effective immediately.McCully takes over from Charles Bury, who becomes the paper’s executive editor and senior columnist.Randy Kinnear.McCully will be responsible.mm.The appointments are part of a series of ongoing changes at the Eastern Townships daily which began late last year with the announcement by Québécor Inc.of its plan to boost flagging readership by making major investments in equipment, distribution and marketing.“With the resources now available to us, we are going to make the Record the best community newspaper in Canada,” McCully said Wednesday.“Thi-s is going to be fun.” McCully, 46, has been a senior reporter-editor and manager of the Record’s Knowl-ton office for nine years.Before that she was editor of SPEC, the highly respected weekly newspaper of the Gaspé Peninsula.She is a past president of the Quebec Community Newspapers Association and is currently vice-president of the Canadian Community Newspapers Association.Bury, 50, has been editor of the Record for 16 years.He was previously editor of the Lennox-ville monthly the Townships Sun and is past chairman and current vice-chairman of the Canadian Association of Journalists.Record publisher Randy Kin-near said McCully will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the Record’s editorial department, hiring and managing staff and resources, Sharon McCully.‘This is going to be fun working with chief correspondent Dwane Wilkin to ensure regional coverage, planning, organizing and taking ultimate responsibility for the paper’s content.Bury will retain responsibility for the paper’s opinion pages, letters and commentaries and develop the Records new Community Forum, as well as supply regular columns of his own, Kinnear said.McCully and Bury will continue to represent the Record at public functions and are both looking forward to their new tasks, which fit closely with the paper’s on-going restructuring, modernization and community orientation.“It’s just like in the movies,” Bury said.“I feel an enormous weight rising from my shoulders.Now I can get back the basics and do what I really like — which is writing stories.” Following a major decision by Québécor, the Record is currently introducing state-of-the-art production equipment to freshen the look of the newspaper and liberate reporters to cover more of the news that matters most to Townshippers.The restructuring will also reduce production costs, and enable the paper’s expanding network of community correspondents to provide readers across the region with better local coverage.d Charles Bury.‘Just like in the movies.’ ‘Through the Red Cross’ Flood help: IODE helps start the ball rolling SHERBROOKE — The Quebec Chapter of the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire is one of the many organizations donating money to relief efforts for disaster-tom northeastern Quebec.“When we heard about it we tried to figure out a way we could help,” said provincial IODE president Ursula Ruf of Stanstead.“Since there is no way we could provide direct help, we decided the only way to do it was through the Red Cross.” Ruf said the provincial chap- ter is donating $2,000 to the Red Cross relief effort.The national chapter is kicking in another $1,000.The Canadian Red Cross announced Wednesday that $50,000 from the Canadian Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund has been donated to the Quebec Flood Appeal to support the massive relief effort in the Saguenay Lac-St-Jean area.“Our relief workers in Quebec need money to buy food, blankets and other basic things like toothpaste, soap, and shampoo,” agency secretary Douglas Lindores said in a news release.“Right now we have over 700 Red Cross volunteers and staff working in the region and hundreds of volunteers across the country taking calls.” The Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund was set up in 1955 following the devastating floods in Winnipeg that year.‘This fund allows us to respond quickly when disaster strikes a Canadian community,” Lindores said.“Today’s donation is the largest draw on the National Disaster Relief Fund since its beginning.” The response from Canadians has been tremendous.Canadian Red Cross offices from coast to coast have been receiving hundreds of calls from people wanting to help.The Red Cross office in Alberta says they have not received this many calls since a tornado struck Edmonton in 1987.“Right now we need cash” says Don Shropshire, emergency services co-ordinator for the Red Cross.“People wanting to help with the Quebec relief effort can donate to the Natio- nal Disaster Relief Fund.” Donations are being accepted by hundreds of banking and retail outlets across the country.You can donate money at all Red Cross offices, any branch of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Toronto Dominion, Royal Bank, Bank of Montreal and Bank of Nova Scotia, Jean Coutu pharmacies, HMV music stores and Japan Camera shops across the country.Or you can call the Red Cross’s own toll free lines at 1-800-592-7647 or 1-800-592-7649. Townships 4—The RECORD—Thursday, July 25, 1996 Strong enough for the biggest trucks Route 251 bridge to ease traffic in Lennox ville?By Bruce Patton EATON TOWNSHIP — There’s a little old bridge located between Johnville and Mar-tinville that’s soon to be no more.It’s being replaced by a new one which according to Transport Quebec representative Georges Mercier, will be strong enough to safely handle any vehicle on Quebec’s highways.Route 251 has been declared a transit route but the present bridge, with a maximum capacity of 20 tonnes, is no match for the mega-truck” of today.According to Robert Ran-court, foreman on the construc- tion site, the new bridge will cost about $1,050,000 and should be complete by October of this year.Bridges of this size traditionally have a pylon or support midway across the span.The new structure, which will rise nearly 10 metres above the Ascot River, sometimes known as the Salmon River, and be 48 metres long,will also have a centre pylon, but only during construction.Prior to its completion a series of steel cables will support the entire length, and the centre pylon will then be removed, making this a suspension bridge.Rancourt said it’s to be the first of its kind of this size in Quebec.When completed, heavy trucks travelling between Cookshire and the U.S.A.via Stanhope will easily be able to bypass Lennoxville.That traffic will then be able to use Route 251 and then pass through Moe’s River on Route 208.That’s probably good news for the folks in Lennoxville but not especially so for ‘Moe’s Riveri-tes’.It’s also not the best news for Monique Beaudoin, whose house, located next to the new bridge, is now some 75 feet closer to the road than it used to be.maximum m 20t J ; ' rt»20t mm v;’n .liai mm.0' oné above The old bridge has a centre pylon sitting on the river The sign says it all.Besides being in need of repair, bed.The new structure will replace this with steel the old bridge just can’t handle the heavy trucks on cables.the roads today.Completion of the new bridge will see an increase in the volume of heavy vehicles like the crossing the Moe River on Route 208.lnuiuMffhf .SES» UMS Ijjcal residents survey the progress from what will be the new location of the road leading to the bridge.The new bridge will rise much higher above the river and be somewhat longer as well.RECORD PHOTOSB RUCE PATTON RECORD—Thursdi Townsnii The July 25 1996—5 ay.Sunbeams, Now that we have had a couple of days with less rain, we’ve had a chance to see a couple of dramatic skyscapes.The vertical shot, taken from Suitor Road in Huntingville, shows the cirrus cloud being blown away from the top of the cumulo-nimbus thundercloud by the winds of the jet-stream.The other view is from near Dunant Road overlooking Sherbrooke and the mountains to the west.The pond on the property ofDJL asphalt company on Bel Horizon Road reflects the sunbeams revealed by the atmospheric haze in the direction of Mount Orford.RECORD PHOTOS/PERRY BEATON World Tamil Tigers not backing down Bombs kill 63 as Colombo troops reach base COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Two bombs ripped through separate cars of a commuter train Wednesday, leaving bodies, briefcases and other debris scattered in the wreckage.At least 63 people were killed and more than 350 wounded in the attack blamed on Tamil separatist rebels.It was the worst terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan capital since a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber devastated Colombo’s commercial district in January, killing 88 people.The bombings occurred as 2,000 Sri Lankan army reinforcements reached a major military base in the northeast, where the government had just suffered one of its worst defeats in 13 years of civil war.Of the 1,200 soldiers who had been manning the base when rebels seized it last week, the reinforcements found only 11 survivors hiding in a well, military officials said.Attacks on both military and civilian targets in one week showed the Tigers are not backing down, despite several months of government victories that had given some Sri Lankans hope the war was ending.The two bombs exploded simultaneously in separate cars of the train, which was pulling out of a station in Dehiwa-la, a middle-class suburb just south of Colombo on the Indian Ocean coast.Police said the bombs were concealed in parcels.Rescuers making their way through the blasted-out cars found bodies lying among shoes, briefcases, handbags and other debris.Hundreds of people were taken to hospitals.Nimal Perera, a fisherman who lives in a nearby hut, said many of the injured were taken away in cars and buses before ambulances could arrive.“After we got the injured out, I helped to carry away charred bodies and put them in vehicles,” he said.The seaside station was badly damaged, and dozens of people standing on the platform were iryured.The train was heading for Alutgama, about 50 kilometres away, when the bombs exploded at 6:15 p.m.“I was walking to the exit when I heard two explosions behind me,” said Lakshman Sooriyawardene, 23, an office worker who had just got off the train.“When I turned around, the whole station was filled with smoke.People were screaming and running,” No one claimed responsibility for the bombings, but police blamed the Tamils, who this week marked the 13th anniver- sary of their campaign for an independent homeland in this predominantly Sinhalese country.RecarH Bury Canada Day Winners Congratulations go to: Vida Clark of Lennoxville, and George Lawrence and Bud Olson of Bury, winners of our Canada Day drawings.They have each been given a free 3-month subscription to the Record.May they enjoy reading all the news of the Eastern Townships.Thank you to all 100 participants in our drawing.Our appreciation goes to the organizers of Bury's Canada Day festivities, to Garnet Morrison for providing his 1929 Ford for our editor, Charles Bury to ride in and to Don Parsons for driving the vehicle.Garnet and Don were busy people on their first day of retirement for Alexander Galt Regional High School.Special thanks to all those who visited our Record booth.More community news & views coming your way.Read The Record every day! Recorfl Editorial 6—The RECORD—Thursday, July 25, 1996 AIDS has become a business With the cost of hospitalization spiralling and cut-backs of government increa-sing, the question of diseases which are caused by acts of irresponsibility demands serious consideration.In today’s society, there is a growing number of people who cause their own sickness by irresponsible behavior.These people routinely injure themselves by heavy drinking, smoking and taking drugs.Others are unashamedly contracting AIDS by displaying gross ignorance in sexual behavior, whether homosexual or heterosexual, or through the use of intravenous drugs.In relation to AIDS there are those who voluntarily thrust themselves into a risk that is known beforehand to have a certain negative outcome.Such individuals should never be placed in the same category as people who take care of themselves.Some people are responsible; others are irresponsible.If we take any other stance, we make mockery of the notion of responsibility.Without question, a responsible person can receive AIDS from a transfusion, a situation in which he is simply an innocent bystander.This person does not belong to the same category as people who play with fate and run head on into a situation leading to contracting a fatal disease.A tremendous amount of money is being spent on the research and treatment of AIDS.A more serious disease in Canada than AIDS is tuberculosis, which is increasingly resistant to antibiotics, yet less is being spent on its research.The sad fact is that AIDS usually comes from risky activities such as unprotected sexual intercourse, whereas TB is often contracted simply by the innocent act of breathing.It is difficult to rationalize the spending of huge sums of money on a disease caused by acts of irresponsibility.Less than 15 per cent of all AIDS victims contract the disease by a transfusion.However, AIDS has become a business.Government and industry research money is available.High-profile movie stars have sympathized more with the AIDS victim than with any other illness.Tremendous selling opportunities exist where AIDS is involved, so researchers and drug companies are cashing in.Unfortunately, the waiting lists at hospitals have become longer because of the acts of the risk-takers.Let us hope that future risk-takers may be considerate of those who are ill due to no fault of their own and thus will take all preventive measures to negate the spread of AIDS.RONALD HOLDEN rteïleft }- 0-fjf 1 bought -for XOUfl - %^ yf% COUfN£Tr£ Letters to the Editor So much disregard for love Dear Sir: So much concern about sex.So much disregard for Love.Reading the majority of the editorial page these past weeks, one might assure that all of society has assumed that morality is not based on God but on some sort of group ego.An ego which has determined that sex and love are identical and inseparable.So many Christian writers seem to have developed a built in radar that can detect and judge who is worthy of their love and Perhaps it who is not.It’s a good thing God doesn’t treat them, and us, in the same way.It may be well to reflect that Christ loves us all unconditionally.The acceptance of His love, and its return are basic to all Christian teaching.We are all sinners.What we are asked to do as followers of Christ is love our neighbour.By doing this we will make ourselves and our neighbour worthy of love.The only way a person can be led to love is by being loved.was never This doesn’t mean that sin does not exist.Those Christians who lecture others that divorce, abortion or homosexual acts are moral ways to live, make such judgments based on their egos and not on the word of Christ.More to the point, it’s nonsense to judge that an abuse of human sexuality is more offensive to God and man than a sin that corrupts the unconditional love of God.Brian Timmins Knowlton his intent Dear Editor; I read with interest Ronald Holden’s latest column entitled ‘Power versus influence.’ I was struck by a sentence in the last paragraph where he stated that influence can be positive or negative.A truthful statement, no doubt, but one that left me with a sense of irony.Has he considered, I wonder, whether only rock stars and sports icons unfluence society?Does he imagine that ministers and writers of newspaper columns carry no weight in the public forum?I am referring, of course, to his column of a couple of weeks ago concerning homosexuals in the pulpit.I would not presume to argue religion with a man of God.I would ask him to consider, however, the wording of that article.In it he included homosexuality in a group of ‘behaviors’ that included the criminal behaviors of rape and pedophilia, therely linking them once again in the mind’s eye of the reader.This linkage has been used to justify everything from the firing of gays and lesbians to their outright murder, however invalid positively on society.Will they the linkage may be.encourage fear and hatred or Perhaps it was never his intent spread the deeper message of the to make this connection.If not, Bible, that of God’s love for all then I would urge him to carefully mankind.consider, when he sits to compose Sincerely his column, whether his choice of Ms DEBORAH JOHNSTON words will impact negatively or Waterville Berry's World TONES & SON Farm and Business The RECORD—Thursday, July 25, 1996—7 Sears, Eaton’s, The Bay are suffering financial woes Embattled department stores fight red ink By Sandra Rubin TORONTO (CP) — Canada's traditional department stores are fighting to stay profitable as margins are being squeezed by tight-fisted consumers on one side and cutthroat discounters on the other.It’s a battle they’re losing.“Major department stores have been hit hard — very hard,” Mary Beth Garneau of Statistics Canada said Wednesday.“Their combined sales have been falling steadily since 1992.“Consideiing the economy is in much better shape, they haven’t been performing up to what we would expect.” She said Eaton’s, The Bay and Sears Canada watched their combined year-over-year sales drop 4.7 1994 and 3.7 per cent last year.Battle-scarred Sears has slashed more than 14,000 jobs in the last five years, including the 1,200 pink slips it handed out in the last four to six weeks.And it has warned there could be more layoffs coming.The chain has been battered by the widespread economic woes that have left many Canadians leery of making the big-ticket purchases that are Sears’ bread and butter, says president Donald Shaffer.“It’s as tough as I’ve ever seen it,” said Shaffer, in retailing for 28 years.“We’ve gone through recessions in the past.The issue this time is the length of it.” Sears lost $31.8 million in the second quarter of 1996 after taking a $41 million hit for severance pay per cent in 1993, 1.1 per cent in Big Three chains losing ground Traditional department stores are losing ground, Statistics Canada said Wednesday.Some facts about the major chains: Eaton's: 92 stores, 30 warehouse stores; 18,092 employees.Hudson’s Bay Co.: 101 Bay stores, 300 Zellers; made $34 million profit in 1995 down from $151 million a year earlier.Sears Canada: 110 stores and 1,500 catalogue outlets; about 36,000 employees; made $12.2 million in 1995 down from $44.7 million a year earlier.Number Crunching: Major department stores saw combined sales fall 4.7 percent in 1993, 1.1 Cenbraide SOWING THE SEEDS OF CHANGE We buy and sell used CD's in like-new condition” We pay CDs must be in excellent condition or we won't buy them.153 King St.East Sherbrooke (Bourget Stereo building) 7 per cent in 1994 and 3.7 per cent in 1995.Discount category department stores Wal-Mart, Kmart and Zellers saw combined sales rise 2.0 per cent in 1993, 9.7 per cent in 1994 and 13.4 per cent in 1995.Quote: “What it all comes down to is the customer wants a deal.And you better give them a deal.” —John David Eaton.Myriads of Raspberries to (Rick to Pick Picking raspberries Is a family en)oyment Welcome to the “Raspberry JZingdom" with more than 16 acres of berries to pick.This is the largest raspberry farm in Quebec with all the facilities to accommodate thousands of visitors, fin exciting kingdom for all ages! • Welcome booth » Two road trains for carrying pickers Playground for kids Come and pick our fresh berries and enjoy our different raspberry by-products.48, Couture Hoad Johneille Quebec JOB &I0 (819) 837-2126 VOUE RASPBERRY SPECIALIST J'rcunboisière' de I'Estric ‘ft r and closing warehouse and distribution facilities.And it’s not the only department store bleeding red ink.Things have been grim at the 327-year-old Hudson’s Bay Co., the grand old Canadian retailer that owns The Bay and Zellers stores.In May, the giant chain posted a $53.4-million loss for the first quarter of 1996 hard on the heels of a stunning 81-per-cent drop in profits last year.President and chief executive George Kosich, who did not get a bonus last year because of his company’s dismal performance, declined a request for an interview.But shareholders have watched in dismay as the company’s shares, which traded as high as $40.38 in 1994, declined to $16 at one point in the last 52 weeks.Kosich said at this year's annual meeting that the company “endured the total impact of cutthroat competition like we’ve never seen before and consumer apathy.” A lot of that cutthroat competition came from the world’s biggest retailer, Wal-Mart, which set up shop in Canada in late 1993.The arrival of the U.S.big-box retailers — also called category killers — signaled the start of retailing wars that have forced traditional department stores to lower prices and make other changes to hang on to cash-strapped customers.“What it’s doing is it’s forcing people to adjust to make sure they’re giving customers good value,” said John David Eaton, a spokesman for Eaton’s.“What it all comes down to is the customer wants a deal.And you better give them a deal.” He said Eaton’s is trying to protect its profit margins by making its operating and distribution systems more efficient.But the chain, a private company that doesn't publish its results, is feeling the same heat as its competitors, Eaton conceded.“I guess it would be wrong for me to paint a picture of a bed of roses,” he said.“We're probably experiencing the same conditions as other retailers.Recortl Richmond Q.F.A.Farm Day Winners Congratulations go to: Mona McGee and Albert Smith of Richmond, and Helen Gallup of Danville, winners of our Q.F.A.Farm Day drawings.Each of them receives a free 3-month subscription to the Record.May they enjoy keeping up to date on comings and goings in the Eastern Townships.Our thanks to the 45 participants in our drawing.Appreciation goes to the orgaizers of Farm Day, and to all those who visited our Record booth.?”RYSLERS COLOSSAL CLEARANCE * dodge ram dodge CARAVAN intrepid Financing starting at 2.9% Rebate up to $3000 Believe in CHRYSLER I\LV.Cloutier Inc*.A Dealer you can Believe in! 2550 King St.West, Sherbrooke *(819) 346-3911 CHRYSLER & All you have to do is drive one.Dodge Living 8—The RECORD—Thursday, July 25, 1996 Yearly agrimony baths are good for the skin We collect agrimony here because it grows wild in our pastures and fields, and it has a long list of medicinal properties better known to the ancient Egyptians than to most of us today.I’d never tasted it before though, because none of us here at home have ever needed it.Until recently.The agrimony plant itself, which is gathered when in flower, can grow up to three feet tall.The hairy leaves, with three to five pairs of toothed leaflets, grow alternately on the hairy stem.Many bright yellow, five-petaled flowers grow individually from the long, tapering stem, forming the “steeples”.Agrimony is also known as Church Steeples, Cockleburr and Sticklewort.Agrimony tea is supposed to be perfumy and slightly bitter in flavor, but my first cup of tisane was disappointingly bland perhaps, I thought, because the leaves we have are almost a year old now and ready for a bath.Maria Treben, in Health through God’s Pharmacy recommends an agrimony bath once or twice a year; it’s good for the skin.She says to steep about 200 grams of dried agrimony (or six to eight litres of the fresh herb) overnight in cold water.Next morning, heat, strain, and pour into the bath water.An agrimony ointment can also be made; Treben gives specific directions for preparation, and says it can be used for vari- Mais€ii 'CAMlIlCON H'Ojse ow open SEVEN DAYS A WEEK GIFT & ARTISAN SHOP 1097 Main St., Ayer’s Cliff Frances Whipple, Owner smsssn SPECIAL 15 Scampies or 12 Jumbo Shrimps f or Medium Pizza X 5000 Bourque Blvd., Rock Forest, Que.Tel.: (819) 821-3139 Pizza - Sea Food - Chinese Food C~\ ikh Piraniello Fine cuisine italienne et créative Table d'hôte dinner Entree: - Smoked salmon with spices - Artichokes with garlic and mushrooms - Snails crip with bleu St-Benoft Potage du Chef Main meal with: - Scaloppini Al limone.22.95 - Calf’s sweetbread al fungo con porto.26.95 - Scampis and tortellini, tarragon rose sauce.26.95 - Melsa chicken, raspberries coulis.22.95 - Cream “manicotte” .15.95 Pastrycook s fantasy This table includes choice of entrée, potage, main meal, dessert and beverage.Reservations: Tel.: (819) 821-3525 5000 Bourque Blvd., Rock Forest, Que.Flanagan’s Fields % By Joanne Flanagan 4 cose veins and sores on the lower legs.Michael Tierra, in The Way of Herbs adds that such an agrimony ointment can be effective for shrinking bleeding hemorrhoids.The tea, Treben says, can be used for any inflammation of the throat and mouth (including tonsillitis and thrush), and applied in dressings for skin eruptions.It is supposed to be excellent for anemia, as well as for regulating the digestive processes, particularly those of the liver and kidneys, according to Plantes Médicinales (Grand).Grand, as well as Tierra and Hutchens in Indian Herbalogy of North America, recommends a decoction for agrimony.I tried it, boiling a handful of my old dried leaves in about four cups of water for 15 minutes.Sure enough, the agrimony decoction has better color and more taste than the tisane.Perhaps were my leaves fresher, the tisane might have worked fine, but as it is.I’ll stick to agrimony decoction whenever needed: “A half a teacup or larger (according to age) taken every four hours.Sweeten with honey or pure maple syrup,” writes Hutchens, adding the following word of caution: agrimony “s-hould not be used when there is a dryness of secretions.” I wish to add my own word of caution, here.Herbalism is not an exact science, relying more on anecdotal evidence than on scientific method.Hence, dosages are often approximate at best.The herbs themselves have limited shelf life.I don’t wish to discourage anyone from trying herbal remedies, but would urge interested readers to consult more than one herbalogy in their research, and perhaps more than one herbalist for any treatment.Finally, once you’ve found what works well for you, stick with it.But never abandon the brilliant expertise of medical science we also have at our disposition.AqF *m °Ny 50th Anniversary Open House Donald and Joyce Standish would like to invite their family and friends to an Open House, to be held at their home 140 Pope St., Cookshire on August 3rd from 2-4 p.m.in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary.Best Wishes Only please.e,W