The record, 18 mars 2014, Cahier 1

Bedford Hotel destroyed by fire Page 5 THE 2 4 MAR, 2014 SEMBLÉE RECORD The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 nglos expect no more or less Sharon McCully - Page 6 75 CENTS + TAXES PM#0040007682 Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Quebec election 2014: the basics New England Christmas in Townships GORDON LAMBIE Isa?; Û&J’fPt.i: Sherbrooke’s Downtown was dressed up for a New England Christmas last weekend and into Monday morning for the filming of “North Pole,” a Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for TV movie.The filming took place in several different parts of the city, and drew on nearly 200 locals for background roles.Living with disinformation Study day on the Secularism Charter Gordon Lambie With four and a half weeks remaining until Election Day, it’s important for those interested in voting to start getting the details together as to just how to do that.For some, the information is likely old news, but with every election that comes along there’s a whole new crop of eligible voters, a changing field of play, and a new range of political issues, so it is not always clear just where to go and what to do when it comes to participating in the democratic process.In an effort to clear the political cobwebs.The Record offers the following “election basics.” The parties There are 19 authorized political parties in the Province of Quebec, according to Elections Quebec.They are the Bloc pot, the Coalition Avenir Québec, the Quebec Conservative Party, the Équipe autonomiste.Mon pays le Québec, The Quebec New Democratic Party, Option Nationale, the Parti des sans parti, the Parti equitable, the Parti indépendantiste, the Quebec Liberal Party, the Marxist-Leninist Party of Quebec, the Parti nul, the Parti Québécois, the Parti unité nationale, the Green Party of Québec, Québec - Révolution démocratique, Québec solidaire, and the Québec Citizens’ Union.Many of these parties are not running candidates in the Eastern Townships, so for the purposes of this article, only the Parti Québécois, the Quebec Liberal Party, the Coalition Avenir Quebec and Quebec Solidaire will be presented in detail.It is possible that a candidate is running in a riding as an independent or from a different party, even if not mentioned here.In the most recent election, the Parti Québécois (PQ) formed a minority government, meaning that they won less than half the 125 seats in the National Assembly and therefore could not pass any motion without support from outside their own party.The PQ advocate Cont’d on page 4 By Rachel Garber Record Correspondent A survey has suggested that some 62 per cent of Quebecers think that “intégrisme" - Islamic fundamentalism - menaces Quebec.Groups like “Les Janette” support the proposed Charter of Values - now the Secularism Charter - because of that fear.But the threat is not real.We must not legitimize that fear.So said Michèle Vatz-Laaroussi, speaking in French.She has a PhD in in-tercultural psychology and is a professor at the University of Sherbrooke’s School of Social Work.She was speaking at a study day on the Secularism Charter last Friday.The day was organized by SoDRUS - a research group at the University of Sherbrooke that focuses on society, law and religion.It’s not surprising that the Secularism Charter would be right at the crosshairs of their focus.An audience member identified the threat of Quebec being overrun by “in-tegrists” as disinformation - the transmission of false information.The comments came near the end of the day.Vatz-Laaroussi and her daughter Naoual Laaroussi, of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), were speaking.Their topic was “Muslim women at the heart of the upheaval.” They unraveled various strands of feminism.Many Quebec feminists, they said, support the Charter because they Cont’d on page 3 RECORD RECORD Read The Record online any time, any place Subscribers can view each new issue of The Record, as well as Brome County News, The Townships Outlet and our many special sections with just the click of the mouse.SPECIAL OFFER for Record print subscribers: Receive a full year's subscription to the online edition for only $5 with every new 12 month print subscription or renewal.IL To subscribe, go to www.sherbrookerecord.com, click on e-dition and follow the simple instructions.For information or assistance call 819-569-9528 billing@sherbrookerecord.com Page 2 Tuesday, March 18, 2014 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record The Record e-edition There for you 24-hours-a-day 7-days-a-week.Wherever you are.Access the full edition of The Sherbrooke Record as well as special editions and archives.Renew or take a new 12-month print subscription and get a 12-month online subscription for an additional $5 or purchase the online edition only for $55.•> Record subscription rates 6 mont print: $120.i print: $63.3 month print: $32.12 month web only: $55.1 month web only: $4.99 Applicable taxes are added to above amounts.V " y.Web subscribers have access to the daily Record as well as archives and special editions.Subscribing is as easy as 1,2,3 when you go to www.awsom.ca Click Subscribe.Choose newspaper.Complete form and wait for an email activating your online subscription.: .Weather i * / '¦*' •'J' ,.'J* ' a ** 3 f.-A * ji ; jJ jJ j i ¦'J * 3 * * w * *1* *1' J1 ' * _ -li ¦ ‘ 2 - ** ^ .'1' TODAY: MAINLY SUNNY HIGH OF -3 LOW OF-20 WEDNESDAY: PERIODS OF SNOW HIGH OF 1 LOW OF-15 THURSDAY: PERIODS OF RAIN HIGH OF 4 LOW OF-1 FRIDAY: PERIODS OF SNOW HIGH OF 0 LOW OF -3 SATURDAY: FLURRIES OR SHOWERS HIGH OF 2 LOW OF 7 Mont-Mégantic International Dark Sky Reserve New street amber LED luminaires Notre-Dame-des-Bois Directors of the Mont-Mégantic International Dark Sky Reserve (MM1DSR), which covers Granit and Haut-Saint-François RMCs as well as the City of Sherbrooke, are pleased to announce the installation of luminaires that are dark sky, human health and environment friendly in the municipality of Saint-Ludger, located at 75 km from Mont-Mégantic.These new luminaires offer DEL technology benefits (en- ergy efficiency, controllability, durability), while respecting lighting principles endorsed by IDSRMM and its partners, such as better oriented lighting, less intensity, time-controlled and amber tones.These Philips StreetView luminaires, equipped with 1,800 K amber DEL, are doubly innovative.Firstly, they emit optimum colour while minimizing nocturnal blue light and its impacts on the dark sky and human health.Secondly, factory programming enables a gradual inten- sity reduction of 50 per cent at midnight, followed by a return to full power by 6 a.m.These features contribute simultaneously to reducing energy costs, preserving the dark sky, protecting living organisms from impacts of nocturnal blue light, while supporting a warmer, less glaring nocturnal environment.These DEL luminaires fully satisfy regulatory requirements overseeing outside lighting in the Dark Sky Reserve.This innovative installation carried out by the mu- nicipality of Saint-Ludger thus demonstrates that it is possible to implement DEL technology in our territories without jeopardizing the dark sky and the nocturnal environment with white light.The new street lighting is well appreciated by authorities and citizens and shows once again that it is feasible to counter light pollution while adequately meeting security needs.Source: Sébastien Giguère Overloaded trucks cause springtime road deterioration Record Staff Sherbrooke Every year, thousands of truckers are ticketed for overloaded vehicles that can seriously damage the region’s highways.Using data obtained through the Access to Information Act, TC Media reveals that between January 1, 2008 and December 13, 2013, Quebec Highway Patrol officers issued 197,167 tickets, of which 40,609 were for overloaded transport vehicles.Every year, between 6,000 and 8,000 offence reports are issued to trucker “offenders” in Quebec in terms of overloading.In the Eastern Townships, the same time span witnessed 2,447 ticketed offences, including 385 reports for axial loads and 481 for a total overload.In the Coaticook MRC, the town of Coaticook leads with 24 arrests, followed by East Hereford with 14, Compton with 6, and Barnston-West, Saint-Malo, and Waterville seeing two apiece.According to the Manual of Standards for loads and dimensions of road vehicles produced by the Quebec Transport Ministry (MTQ), the maximum allowable load for heavy vehicles varies according to several criteria, including the capacity of tires and axles.For example, the maximum allowable axle load category can vary from 9,000 kg to 34,000 kg in normal times.Though roads are designed to withstand heavy loads, the effect of overloading can be devastating to the asphalt.“There is an exponential relationship between the load and the damage to the road surface,” civil engineering professor and NSERC researcher Guy Doré said.“On a single axle, the legal limit is 10,000 pounds.A load that is 2,000 pounds, or 20 per cent, overweight, causes twice as much damage.This is why the authorities are serious about enforcement.It translates directly into a reduction in the life of the road.If every heavy vehicle were 20 per cent less overloaded, it would mean that a road would last twice as long.” To preserve the condition of the road in the spring when it is most vulnerable, the MTQ limits allowable loads.“The idea of the regula- tion is to maintain a steady rate of deterioration on the roads.In other words, it reduces the load limit because the road is more sensitive during the spring thaw so we try to avoid more damage during the spring than during the rest of the year,” Doré added.During the thaw period, which generally ranges from mid-March to mid-May, the restrictions vary from 12 to 20 per cent of the load, depending on the type of axles and vehicle configuration.“Each year, highway controllers find that the percentage of non-compliant vehicles on the load is four times higher during the first three weeks of thaw than at any other time of year,” an MTQ information brochure says.Besides premature damage to roads, overloading also has an impact on the safety of users.“An overloaded vehicle requires a greater braking distance.When there is an overload of 8,000 pounds, that’s eight tons too many.It’s serious,” says highway patrol officer Patsy Guérette, citing as example an accident that happened a few years ago between a truck and a car that could have had tragic consequences if the truck had been overloaded.“In the mountains, near Mont-Laurier, a heavy vehicle that was loaded at half capacity was cut off by a car on a downhill slope.He hit the brakes and tried to avoid it, but went completely into the ditch.Miraculously, the driver and passenger escaped injury.The driver (.) told me that if he’d been overloaded, he would have been killed, but he managed to slow down enough so as not crash,” she says.Justice I BELIEVE.I GIVE.CAiMPMK (Antouc coc SPOTS ON YOUR HANRS' I he Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Page 3 Annual Symposium for Champlain College Sherbrooke On Thursday March 20, Champlain College - Lennoxville International Studies will host what has become an annual event at the college, its Annual Symposium.Students, teachers and the general public are invited to come learn and discuss about current international and social justice issues.The one-day conference will explore social inequality at the local and international level, but from the point of view of numerous actors who are concretely engaged in tackling these inequalities.This year, there will be no less than 10 guests offering conference talks or participating to thematic panels.“Challenging Inequalities at Home and Abroad," Champlain’s International Studies Symposium starts Thursday, at 8:45 with a Panel called “Local Engagement, International Work.” The symposium will be held in the foyer of Centennial Theatre on the Bishop’s University campus in Lennoxville and is free and open to the public.Everyone is invited to attend.For further information, contact Nicolas Lecomte, at 819-564-3666, ext.191, or at nlecomte@crc-lennox.qc.ca.Saint Patrick's Day celebrations GORDON LAMBIE mm The Jean Coutu in Lennoxville welcomed a crowd of close to 50 for its annual Saint Patrick's Day celebrations on Monday.Locals danced in the aisles to live music, fed by Irish coffee and free cookies.The free will donation, collected every year, was given this year to the Pet Connection.Living with disinformation ConTd from page 1 want to protect the equal rights of women - rights that women worked hard to attain a short generation ago.An example of this is “Les Janette," a group of 20 women who came together in opposition to the Charter.Janette Bertrand heads the group.Their website says they have 20,000 women and men supporting them.They say the principle of equality between the sexes is being compromised in the name of freedom of religion.Other feminists, such as the Federation des femmes du Quebec (FFQ), said Laaroussi, oppose the charter.They point out the inter-connections between racism, sexism and classism, she said.It is patronizing to tell women of another culture how we think they should be liberated.She quoted the Montreal Sisterhood: “Ne me libérez pas.Je m’en charge.” (Don’t liberate me.I’m taking care of it.) Other things besides the veil might have greater importance, Vatz-Laaroussi said.They also discussed feminism in the Muslim milieu, and the need for the various perspectives to be heard.They showed a cartoon of two women looking at each other - a western woman in a bikini wearing large sunglasses, and a Muslim woman wearing a burka, with only her eyes visible.“Everything covered but her eyes - what a cruel, male-dominated culture,” says the western woman.“Nothing covered but her eyes what a cruel, male-dominated culture,” says the Muslim woman.The study day was hosted by the law faculty.Seven speakers from different fields presented their research.The fields were religious studies, law, sociology, applied ethics and philosophy, and social work.About 50 people attended.In the morning session, various conceptions of secularism and religious freedom were discussed by Stéphane Bernatchez of the law faculty, David Koussens from religious studies, Rosaria Maria Tagliente from the sociology department, and David Gilles of the law faculty.Gilles talked about religious liberty within the context of basic human rights, focusing on the European court of human rights.The international perspective, he said, revealed the different meanings that a religious symbol may have in different societies.The Italian view of the crucifix was that is symbolizes the entire western civilisation.Secularism, he said, is a very important principle in French politics.RA GARBER Michèle Vatz-Laaroussi and Naoual Laaroussi spoke at a study day on the Secularism Charter last Friday at the University of Sherbrooke.The afternoon, when Vatz-Laaroussi and Laaroussi spoke, focused more specifically on the Secularism Charter and the Muslim community.Claude Gélinas of philosophy and applied ethics and Sami Aoun from applied politics also spoke.Claude Gélinas spoke about the need to win immigrants to our values, and the “we versus them” attitude.Are Muslims less “québécois” than non-mus-lims?Is it “Muslim Quebecers” or “Quebec Muslims?” In fact, he said, some 83 per cent of 813 Muslims in Canada surveyed in 2006 said they were “profoundly attached to Canada,” compared to 79 per cent of persons in the general population.But, he said, they also said they felt they were negatively perceived by Quebecers.And 62 per cent said they were profoundly attached to both Canada and their culture.The integration of these identities, he said, is personal and different for each person.He pointed out the irony in the Quebec government’s recruiting of Francophone immigrants, many from Muslim countries, but now proposing to limit their rights.The Charter, Gélinas said, risks marginalizing women, especially, and reducing their participation in society.Its effect, so far, has been to make Islamaphobia -fear of Islam - commonplace.Sam Aoun gave a gripping reflection on the neutrality of the state in the context of the Arab Spring.He especially spoke about the events in Egypt, and the new constitution in Tunisia.At its height, he said, the Arab Spring uprising in Egypt was humanistic.But the values of dignity and liberty, then so important, are now “in the coffin.” The challenge, in Quebec as well as in Egypt, is how to connect secularism to a democratic foundation.The Tunisian model, Aoun said, is extremely interesting because its new constitution identifies the Tunisian people first as “free and democratic,” giving Islam less importance.It is the first time a constitution in a Muslim country has given primacy to liberty of conscience, he said.Tunisia’s constitution also says that the law may not make reference to a religion -effectively preventing the rule of the traditional Islamic Sharia code, subject to so many differing interpretations.Motorists still speeding through school zones Record Staff Sherbrooke An average of two motorists a day are stopped in the new 30 km/h zones near Sherbrooke schools and police are determined to do something about it.Since the beginning of the 2013-14 school year, 287 tickets have been issued to drivers who violated the new rules.Of these, 91 were issued for speed exceeding the 30 km/h limit.“We are holding operations al- most every day in school zones,” says SPS operational support officer Lt.Yves Rancourt, The City of Sherbrooke reduced speed limits to 30 km/h in front of 29 of the 34 primary schools in the area from Monday to Friday, 7 a.m.to 5 .p.m.“This regulation is also in effect on pedagogical days.We must not forget that children go to school for daycare during school holidays,” Rancourt says.Officers routinely perform speed control operations in areas that remain problematic, such as Blvd Mi-Vallon in front of La Maisonnée, President Kennedy near Boisjoli, Thibault St.near John XXIII, Papineau St.near Sainte-Famille-Laporte, Galt West at Champlain, and Saint-Esprit on Union and Kingston.“It’s is a phony excuse to say that the signs are not visible.They are the same size as all the others.Most motorists intercepted even exceeded 50 km/h.The margin becomes major when one considers that the limit is now 30 km/h” said Rancourt.Travel Vaccination Service ¦ Hepatitis A and B • Typhoid ¦ Update your immunization schedule Thursdays 10 a.m.to I 1:30 a.m.Rachel Lajeunesse Sylvie Lussier Marie-Claude Lapointe Jean Coutu Santé Beauté 147 Queen Street Lennoxville Blood Test: On appointment only.For more information, the team from the laboratory will be glad to help you.819-569-3601 Page 4 Tuesday, March 18, 2014 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Police briefs: Prisoners protest prohibition Record Staff Sherbrooke Prisoners at the Sherbrooke Detention Centre on Talbot St.are fuming over the new anti-tobacco measures at the institution and have begun a hunger strike to make their feelings known.Since Jan.27, tobacco has been banned from the provincial prison, a measure that will soon be extended to all prisons in the province.Nicotine patches are provided to inmates to help them stop smoking, but some prisoners were using them ‘inappropriately’ and had access suspended.According to Sherbrooke’s La Tribune prisoners are claiming that many are being punished for the misdeeds of a few leading to a great deal of unrest with the centre.“They want to keep the inmates on edge.Without nicotine, inmates become more aggressive,” one is quoted as saying.The Department of Public Security, in response, has said that prisoners to whom access to the patches has been denied can meet with a nurse if they want to demonstrate they could continue treatment correctly.So far, inmates have expressed concerns that the tense situation at the prison could potentially explode if things continue as they are.Drug dealers busted Sûreté du Québec Investigators from the Estrie Division of Regional Investigation, in collaboration with officers from the Haut-Saint-François, dismantled a narcotics point of sale on Principale St.in Cook-shire.Following an investigation that lasted several weeks, police located and identified two individuals suspected of trafficking drugs from their homes.The two subjects, two men in their twenties, were arrested by police on their arrival on the scene.Three prohibited weapons (brass knuckles), cannabis plants and cannabis buds ready for sale were found at the scene of the raid.Eight Sûreté du Québec officers were involved in the raid.Young man missing Sherbrooke Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a missing person.On March 12 at around 9 p.m., Samuel Brise-bois, 23, left the area around Ch.de St-Élie and Ch.St-Roch on a black and red Yamaha Phazer MTX 2009 snowmobile heading towards Megantic.He has not been seen since.Brisebois is described as a white male, 5’8” tall, weighing 150 lbs, with brown eyes and shaved brown hair.He was wearing a blue Yamaha snowmobile suit with red on the front and a grey helmet.Anyone who might have information regarding this case is asked to call Det.Stefano Dario of the Sherbrooke Police at (819) 821-5555.Memphremagog roundup Memphremagog Police report that on the morning of Saturday, March 16, a snowmobile was stolen from a private yard on 18th Avenue in Magog.The machine is a black Skidoo MXZ 800 with orange and yellow decals, worth about $7,000.Also on Saturday morning, at around 1:15, a 54-year old driver from Longueuil was inter- cepted with a blood alcohol content exceeded more than twice the legal allowable limit.His licence was suspended for 90 days and his vehicle seized for 30.Police target cell phone use Patrols from police forces across Quebec have begun a province-wide road safety operation, which will continue until March 30.Officers promise to pay particular attention to the use of cell phones.Any driver caught behind the wheel using a cell phone is liable to a fine of $80 plus fees and contributions, for a total of $120.While the law does permit the use of hands-free devices.Article 44 of the Highway Safety Code makes it illegal to have headphones or ear buds in both ears.Quebec election 2014: the basics ConTd from page 1 for Quebec sovereignty and have traditionally been close with the province’s labour movements.The party leader is Pauline Marois.The party held 54 seats in the National Assembly.The Quebec Liberal Party, also known as the Parti Liberal de Québec or PLQ is a federalist party focused on promoting economic development in Quebec while also promoting social programming.The Party supports the notion of Quebec’s distinct identity within Canada and is led by Philippe Couillard.The Party held 50 seats in the National Assembly prior to the start of this election.The Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) describes itself as economically conservative while socially liberal, and frequently advertises itself as a third viable option to the two main parties.The party called for a ten-year moratorium on independence referendums during the 2012 election, and stands for Quebec nationalism, though not necessarily for its independence.The party most recently held 19 seats in the National Assembly Quebec Solidaire (QS) held only two seats in the National Assembly in the most recent government, but are running candidates all across the region.The Party stands for Quebec’s independence, but based on principles of social-justice and making the province a better nation, not just as a goal to be achieved.The party platform revolves around preservation of rights and environmentalism.To know who to vote for, however, one must know in what district he or she is living.The provincial electoral districts (ridings) of the Eastern Townships are as follows: Brome Mississquoi: Stretching from Notre-Dame de Stanbridge in the West to West-Bolton in the East, nestled between Granby and the American border, this riding has been held by provincial Liberal Party representative Pierre Paradis since 1980.Candidates Running: PQ: René Beauregard PLQ: Pierre Paradis CAQ: Francois Lemay QS: Benoit Van Caloen Mégantic: This district was newly recreated for the 2012 election and runs from Cookshire and Stoke to the Maine Border, and as far north as Disreali.In 2012 it elected Liberal candidate Ghis-lain Bolduc with roughly 35 per cent of the vote.Candidates Running: PQ: Isabelle Hallé PLQ: Ghislain Bolduc CAQ: Pierre-Luc Boulanger QS: Ludovick Nadeau Orford: This riding starts on the Eastern border of Brome-Missisquoi and goes as far west as Hatley Township.Lawrenceville sits at the northern edge, and the southern area follows the American border as far 3s Stanstead.Orford has been a Liberal riding since it was created in 1973.Pierre Reid has represented it since 2003.Candidates Running: PQ: Michel Breton PLQ: Pierre Reid CAQ: Marc-Alexandre Bourget QS: Patricia Tremblay Richmond: This riding sits diagonally above the Sherbrooke and Orford ridings, starting at Valcourt in the West and going as far east as Saint-Joseph-de-Ham-Sud.It includes the community of Ul-verton and the Sherbrooke Borough of Rock-Forest-St.Élie-Deauville, and has been held by the Liberal Party since 1981.In the 2012 election, liberal candidate Karine Vallières, daughter of longtime MNA Yvon Vallières, won her seat by only 269 votes against PQ competitor Étienne-Alexis Boucher, who is running again this year.Candidates Running: PQ: Étienne-Alexis Boucher PLQ: Karine Vallières CAQ: Alain Dion QS: Colombe Landry Saint-Francois: One of the two main Sherbrooke ridings, Saint-Francois lays claim to the boroughs of Brompton, Fleurimont and Lennoxville.The district also accounts for a large amount of more rural territory as well, however, starting from Stanstead East and running along the border to East Hereford.It includes Waterville, Compton, and Coaticook, and has been represented by Réjean Hébert, the Parti-Quebecois Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister for the Estrie region and Minister for the Elderly, since the 2012 election.Prior to 2012, the district had been Liberal for 27 years under Monique Gagnon-Tremblay.Candidates Running: PQ: Réjean Hébert PLQ: Guy Hardy CAQ: Gaston Stratford QS: André Poulin Sherbrooke: The other main Sherbrooke riding, and the smallest Eastern Townships district, geographically, is made up of the boroughs of Jacques-Cartier and Mont Bellevue.This urban-core riding was represented by former Liberal Premier Jean Charest, from 1998 to 2012, when PQ representative Serge Cardin unseated him.Cardin is a former a Sherbrooke city councillor, and also served as the city’s Bloc Québécois MP from 1998 to 2011 Candidates Running: PQ: Serge Cardin PLQ: Luc Fortin (Critical of Cardin’s silence, but nonlocal and relatively inexperienced, interested in youth retention.) CAQPhilippe Girard QS: Hélène Pigot Knowing who is running and who to vote for are key components of the democratic process, but before the vote can take place, interested individuals need to make sure that they are registered on the list of electors.If, at this point, a household has not received a form in the mail verifying the names of those on the list of electors at its address, then no one in that house is on the list.Registration can be carried out at the revision office in each riding.A relative, spouse or someone who lives with the person registering can file an application on that person’s behalf if needed.Offices are open till March 25, 2014, from 9 a.m.to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday and from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m., on Saturdays and Sundays.To register, you must present two valid pieces of identification.To be eligible to vote an individual must, by April 7, 2014, be at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, and have lived in Québec for at least six months.Individuals who are imprisoned or are under the curatorship of another are not eligible to vote.Additional information, including the address of local electoral offices, can be found on the election website: http://www.monvote.qc.ca 12th annual Shoot for a Cure Dart Tournament proceeds for Breast Cancer Research Saturday, April 5 at the Stanstead Legion Registration starting at 1 p.m.Games start at 2 p.m.401 double in/double out.Bring your own partner.All welcome For information contact Marilyn McComb 819-838-4770.;vs Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Page 5 1 he Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Municipalities want more provincial infrastructure money Sherbrooke uebec’s mayors are demanding I Ithat the provincial government step up to the plate to help them deanWth the problem of deteriorating municipal infrastructure.Although some 58 per cent of the province’s public infrastructure is municipal only eight per cent of the budget of the Quebec Infrastructure Plan is earmarked for municipalities, the mayors of some of Quebec’s major cities claim.Municipalities pay 76 per of municipal infrastructure costs cent while Québec pays 14.The mayors of Rivière-Rouge, Deborah Bélanger, Montréal, Denis Coderre, Gatineau, Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin, Montmagny, Jean-Guy Desrosiers, and Sherbrooke, Bernard Sévigny have united to state that the time has come for the bill to be divided more equally so as to ensure the quality and safety of transportation infrastructure, underground installations, ad sports and recreational facilities, in order to protect past investments, keep facilities in good condition, and to offer Quebecers a better quality of life.The mayors spoke in a single voice Monday and demanded commitments from the political parties on two major issues - the problem of municipal workers pension plans and municipal infrastructure.More than 20 mayors from across the province gathered at the invitation of the Quebec Municipalities Union in Quebec City over the weekend to discuss municipal concerns and to demand commitments from the political parties currently scurrying for votes in the upcoming election.First, the mayors are demanding an increase in the $650 million per year allocated to municipalities under the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, an assurance of complete and rapid transfer of allocated funds, and to include all categories of municipal infrastructure in federal and provincial programs.Finally, the mayors are demanding a municipal seat at the Quebec-Ottawa negotiating table for the conception of programs, as it is they who best appreciate the needs of their citizens.For Quebec City mayor Régis Labeaume, Longueuil Mayor Caroline St-Hilaire, Victoriaville Mayor Alain Rayes, Lévis first magistrate, Gilles Lehouillier, the government, regardless of which political formation is running it, will need to act before June in order to avoid a major blow to taxpayers.“A deficit of five billion dollars is heavy,” a communiqué reads.“If nothing is done, the deficit cannot help but increase.To guarantee the sustainability of the pension plans and reduce their burden on taxpayers, it is time to come up with an effort that is fair to everyone and to confirm a fifty-fifty sharing of current and future deficits, so that municipalities can attack the deficits of the past.” Troubled, historic Bedford Hotel destroyed by weekend fire Record Staff A violent fire completely destroyed the Bedford Hotel on River Street in Bedford Sunday throwing a dozen permanent residents into the street in freezing temperatures.A hundred firefighters worked hard to contain the blaze, which began in the basement around 4:45 p.m.A resident, overcome by smoke, managed to sound the alarm.Upon their arrival at the scene, firefighters found that the fire was widespread.“This is a building that is almost a century old.It is very large and there is wood paneling everywhere.It took off like wildfire, said Bedford Mayor Yves Levesque.By 5 p.m., flames were coming out of the cornices.” According to witnesses, the fire was extremely intense and widespread, while firefighters’ work was hindered by the cold.The building, which also contained a bar, is old, and according to locals was not very well maintained.Firefighters from Nôtre-Dame-de-Stan-bridge, Saint-Armand, Cowansville, Farn-ham, and Sutton assisted their Bedford colleagues to successfully control the fire after more than four hours of fighting.Even firefighters from Swanton Vt.crossed the border to assist.“They’ve done an amazing job, so far.” Levesque said.“The teams are out of breath.It is far from easy to work when the hoses freeze.Luckily, they had reinforcements.” The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and an investigation is ongoing.The Hotel Bedford enjoyed some considerable notoriety prior to the fire.In 2000, the Hotel was the scene of a drug-related murder, and in August of 2006 the hotel’s bartender was beaten with a baseball bat by two men who broke into the business to get their hands on the cash register.In December 2008, a feud PHOTOS COURTESY KAREN SMITH wm mêm :'4- .1 W&mz *'¦ '¦ tissa > rfmB •I s 1*11 » A*-'- .'/is# >•.between two women degenerated and Sûreté du Québec in connection with one was stabbed in the abdomen with a the sale of drugs was conducted in the knife.Finally, in May 2011, a raid by the hotel.Read all about it Two decades of headlines compiled into 2 books The Record has scanned and digitized original copies of the front pages of our newspaper from the turn of the century.Read about the efforts and sacrifices of two World Wars, the Depression, fires, floods, crime and punishment.More than that, the pages are a testament to the builders and leaders whose names grace our street signs and institutions.The Record was a driving force behind the formation of boards of trade, a watchdog over town councils, a lead advocate for the extension of the railway to local communities and a vigilant protector of the region’s natural resources.reiPQSS üi&f f, T ^ - v - • O, Cv-2 __ v wx .r Our goal today is to print volumes in segments highlighting the most important stories of each decade.• Volume 1 is from 1911-1920 • Volume 2 is from 1921-1930.Only a limited number of the bound 10” x 13” editions have been printed and are for sale for only $25.each plus taxes ($28.75).Drop by our office at 1195 Galt St.East, Sherbrooke and pick them up.For more information call 819-569-9528 or email us at billing@sherbrookerecord.com Page 6 Tuesday, March 18, 2014 newsroom@sherbrookerecord .com The Record R’rDimrw1 T A, IT Somebody has to school these politicians whose absurd pronouncements trivialize J.1 / a J1 ^ J and negate the contribution of English-speaking Quebecers.Anglos expect no more or less By Sharon McCully Election campaigns are filled with surprises, but there is always the certainty that one candidate will pull the ‘best-treated minority’ card out of their hat and claim credit for the magic.The notion that co-inhabitants who breathe the same air, pay the same taxes, suffer the same delays in health care, smack into the same pot holes, and endure the same corrupt politicians should receive any kind of ‘treatment,’ either good or bad, has always been a mystery.Just last week Jean-François Lisée insisted: “Anglophones are Quebecers too.” Why then, should some ‘Quebecers’ require special ‘treatment’?Surely the minister with the oxymoronic title, PQ Minister Responsible for Anglophones, was not suggesting that Anglos are being accorded ‘special treatment’ by allowing them to attend the schools, universities and hospitals built by their forefathers and supported today through their taxes and donations for the benefit of all Quebecers?Maybe he was suggesting Quebec spends more money per capita than most to provide services to its minority?No, that can’t be it.A study conducted for the Fraser Institute by researchers at the Université de Montréal in 2006-2007 found that Quebec was at the bottom of the list when it came to spending on minorities.Perhaps he was referring to the ‘love’ majority-language Quebecers feel for the minority.Hmm.Don’t think so.Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages said that’s not what he is hearing.Responding to a CBC-EKOS poll that found half of Quebec’s non-francophones seriously contemplated leaving in the last year, the commissioner told Le Devoir, “(The English-speaking community) doesn’t see many gestures by the French-speaking majority, or the government, showing that the English-speaking community is valued.” “It is tolerated, accepted, but not valued.” ‘Poppycock,’ says Pauline Marois.She hasn’t seen any concern among Anglophones (she really must broaden her base of English acquaintances), and the Townships own Saint-François MNA Réjean Hébert denies there was ever an exodus of English-speakers as a result of Quebec’s political uncertainty.(He’s obviously better in science than math.) Seriously though, before Quebec’s Education Ministry completely rewrites history.somebody has to school these politicians whose absurd pronouncements trivialize and negate the contribution of English-speaking Quebecers.Let’s begin with a cursory introductory course for Quebec’s Health Minister and PQ candidate for election in Saint-François.M.Hébert: The Sherbrooke Geriatric University Institute where you forged your distinguished career, and where your work is still very much appreciated, began at Sherbrooke’s first hospital founded in 1888 by business and industry leaders from the English community: R.W.Heneker, Andrew Paton, TJ.Tuck, William Farwell, John McIntosh, James Davidson, G.G.Bryant, WA Morehouse and Israel Wood.The hospital opened in 1896 to serve the city’s English-Protestants, but of course, served all residents of the region.It became an acute care hospital in the 1960s offering a full range of medical services and its Foundation received, and invested, millions of dollars.In 1996, the Sherbrooke Hospital was merged with the Youville long-term care facility to create the Sherbrooke Geriatric University Institute.It was renamed the Argyll Pavillion of the Sherbrooke Geriatric University Hospital.The research institute which began with a team of two is today an internationally acclaimed Research Centre on Healthy Aging attached to the Université de Sherbrooke with more than 30 researchers and is considered a Canadian leader in the field of geriatrics.It is affiliated with Sherbrooke’s Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHUS), where political opponent Liberal leader Philippe Couil-lard practiced neurosurgery and introduced the revolutionary Gamma Knife, paid for in part with a $2 million donation from the Sherbrooke Hospital Foundation.For more than 40 years, the Sherbrooke Hospital Foundation raised funds and helped purchase medical equipment, distributing more than $10 million between 1969 and 1973 alone.When the Foundation folded, the remaining $12 million was re-distributed to Townships’ health care institutions and seniors’ residences.The lesson we would like political revisionists to glean from this, is that our health care institutions were jointly built, funded, managed and maintained and remain a source of great pride to all Townshippers, regardless of language.We’re not asking to be ‘treated’ differently, just treated equally.i ¦ THE — RECORD 1195 Galt East, Sherbrooke, Quebec JIG 1Y7 Fax: 819*21-3179 e-mail: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Website: www^herb rookerecord.com Sharon McCully Pubusher .(819)569-9511 Daniel Coulombe News Editor.(819) 569-6345 Stephen Blake Corresp.Editor.(819) 569-6345 Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman.(819) 569-9931 DEPARTMENTS Accounting.(819) 569-9511 Advertising .(819) 569-9525 Circulation .(819) 569-9528 Newsroom .(819) 569-6345 Knowlton office 5B Victoria Street, Knowlton, Quebec, JOE 1 VO Tel: (450) 242-1188 Fax: (450) 243-5155 PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS GST PST TOTAL Quebec: 1 YEAR 120.00 6.00 11.97 $137.97 6 MONTHS 63.00 3.15 6.28 $72.43 3 MONTHS 32.00 1.60 3.19 S36.79 ON-UNE SUBSCRIPTIONS Quebec: 1 YEAR 55.00 2.75 5.49 $63.24 1 MONTH 4.99 0.25 0.50 $5.74 Rates for out of Quebec and for other services available on request.The Record is published daily Monday to Friday.Back copies of The Record are available.The Record was founded on February 9, 1897, and acquired the Sherbrooke Examiner (est.1879) in 1905 and the Sherbrooke Gazette (est.1837) in 1908.The Record is published by Alta Newspaper Group Limited Partnership.PM#0040007682 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to The Record.1195 Galt East, Sherbrooke, QC JIG 1Y7 Member ABC, CARD, CNA, QCNA Facing the elements Susan Mastine Winter 2013-2014 has been one well long remember with its long stretches of frigid temperatures, nearly constant blustery winds, and substantial snowfalls.And this season that many of us love to hate appears to be going on, and on, and on—as though winter is running on batteries built for the Energizer Bunny.Does Mother Nature have her wires crossed?Doesn’t she know that we are quickly approaching the season of the Easter Bunny: has she not realized that spring is but days away?Enough with scarves, mitts, and winter boots already.It’s time for rubber boots, running shoes, and sandals—if not today or tomorrow, at least in the very near future.The weather over the past several months has been a drain on both our stamina and our reserve of positive thoughts.Many a conversation is tinged with weather-related frustration.Many a body is yearning to enjoy the outdoors without the threat of frostbite or falls on the ice.How about a new approach to dealing with this never-ending winter! Wear yellow; listen to Caribbean music; paint your nails a vibrant colour; construct a beach setting in your living room with lawn chairs, drinks with umbrellas, and gaudy beach towels; treat yourself to a few bright, fresh flowers or spring bulbs in bloom; start a new project.Take a step where you normally would not.Take inspiration from Canadian Olympian and Townshipper Clara Hughes who last Friday cycled out of Toronto, launching Clara’s Big Ride.Her 12 000-km route will circle Canada’s outer limits—west, east, north, and south—and take 110 days to complete.The event’s focus: mental health.The goal: to raise awareness of the issues, erase the stigma, and involve youth in the conversation.Several years ago, this cycling and speed-skating athlete took the bold step of publicly discussing her struggles with depression.It was a physician at the London Olympic Games who steered Clara to sounder mental health.“She’s the one who told me I was depressed, that help was available, that I could start to get better.We all have to seek professional help to help us find our way.” “Movement is indeed the medicine I need.My daily dose is a run or a walk and it never fails to shift the chemicals that are blocked or flowing out of balance.Makes my spirit come alive and gives me the energy I bring into each encounter the day ahead holds.” Clara has made it her mission to help others realize that mental illness should not be suffered in silence, swept under the rug, or ridiculed.Although more and more of us are talking about mental health and accepting and admitting that mental illness exists, both out there generally and within our own lives specifically, few of us realize how prevalent it really is—one in four Canadians will be affected during our lifetimes.Mental illness can hit anyone; no one is immune.Regrettably, there is still a long way to go in terms of eliminating the sense of shame and/or failure that the person afflicted experiences.And unfortunately, access to help is far from certain—especially in English, in rural areas.When services are available, wait times can also be an issue.In addition to putting mental illness front and centre in the public’s mind, Clara’s Big Ride is encouraging us to support local mental health organizations.(Mental Health Estrie, 257 Rue Queen, Sherbrooke, Québec JIM 1K7, would undoubtedly appreciate some support.) As winter continues to throw its punches, Clara is out there facing them.Her journal entry for March 14, the Test Event, reads: “We finished our ride in Whitby, Ontario at an old friend’s bike shop to a crowd that was braving the elements to show their support.(Note: She does not mention that she is facing the elements for a much much longer stretch of time and distance.) Again, I was reminded why I chose to go on this journey - to unite Canadians in a conversation that will help end the stigma around mental illness.The entire day gave me confidence that the spirit of Canadians across this great country will get me across the finish line and support this cause so close to my heart." Clara will be stopping in Sherbrooke during her Big Ride—on March 28.At 3:30 p.m., there will be a welcome event at Canadian Tire, 4100 Josaphat-Rancourt Blvd.From 5:30 to 9 p.m., the Centre Julien Ducharme, 1671 Duplessis, will host an evening of mental health stories and entertainment.Go, Clara, go.And thanks.We are very proud of you.May the wind be at your back—both literally and figuratively! Spring is just around the corner. The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Page 7 L^oca.For the third straight season, all 45 universities that field women’s hoops teams participated by holding one or numerous fundraising games or activities over the course of the campaign.For Cure raises big money for Cancer Fund raising initiative began in Lennoxville Shoot By Mike Hickey Special to the Record Sherbrooke An important sidebar to the CIS National Women’s Basketball Championship held this past weekend in Windsor was the announcement that the Shoot For the Cure initiative, originally the brainchild of Bishop’s head coach Rod Gilpin, set a new yearly record.The CIS Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced Sunday the organization had raised $112,898 for the Cana- dian Breast Cancer Foundation in 2013-14 thanks to the seventh edition of its annual Shoot For The Cure initiative, making it the most successful edition to date.Gilpin is not surprised that the programme that had such a humble beginning has grown to be so successful.“It doesn’t surprise me at all, the coaches have done a great job,” he said in a telephone interview Monday.“It is an easy cause to get people involved because cancer has affected so many to date.The WBCA has done a fantastic job in raising money and awareness.” The impressive amount was unveiled between the semifinals of the ArcelorMittal Do-fasco CIS championship at the University of Windsor.Ryerson head coach Carly Clarke, vice-president of the WBCA and a former Bishop’s Gaiter, presented a cheque to Cheryl Lewis-Thurab from the CBCF - Ontario Region.An additional $25,462 was amassed by schools that elected to donate their fundraised money to local or provincial or- ganizations, bringing this season’s Shoot For The Cure overall total to $138,360, and the seven-year total to $761,309 since the initiative was launched in 2007-OS to raise awareness and money to fight the deadly disease.For the third straight season, all 45 universities that field women’s hoops teams participated by holding one or numerous fundraising games or activities over the course of the campaign.“We are thrilled with the efforts of our CIS women’s bas- ketball teams and of course the other varsity teams who also participated in making this our most successful Shoot For The Cure ever,” said Jeff Speedy, Shoot For The Cure project manager and head coach at UNB.“To raise this much money and awareness, and to have 100 per cent participation across CIS is truly amazing.We will not stop until we find a cure for the terrible disease but we are getting there and hopefully our contribution will get us one step closer.” Leucan Ski Challenge raises $235,000 COURTESY ¦ M .The Leucan 12-Hour Ski Challenge could not be the success it is without the volunteers of all ages who give of themselves to help children fight cancer.This Saturday’s event at Ski Bromont raised $235,000.Bromont The Leucan 12-hour Ski Challenge, sponsored by Proxim pharmacies, was held Saturday at Ski Bromont and raised $235,000 to support children with cancer.In all, 172 teams of skiers and snowboarders were on the slopes from 11 a.m.to 11 p.m.“Again this year, I am very impressed by the work of volunteers and the organizing committee,” says local sports-caster and Honorary President François Bessette.“The participants have nothing but good words for the Leucan 12-hour Ski Challenge." Leucan made a point of thanking provincial spokespersons, Tobie Bureau-Huot, Marco Calliari, Andie Duquette and Michael Roy, as well as regional honorary president Bessette.“Leucan Montérégie also thanked the presenter of the local event, Proxim, and provincial partners, including Scores and regional partners Ski Bromont, Metro Plouffe, Boom Fm, NRJ 106.1, Rouge FM 102.7, Robert Bernard Tire and Mechanical, Agence Lion Divertiss-ments, Oberson, National Bank, the Robert Jodoin law firm, Thule, Location Pelletier, AWF Pirotechnie and the many others who contributed to the success of the event," says a press release.“We also wish to acknowledge the assistance of homegrown artists who gave extraordi- nary performances - DJ Rapture, Helium, DJ Obeg, Hopeland, The Three of Us and humourists Charlypop and lean-Marie Corbeil.” The Leucan 12-hour Ski Challenge is a fundraising activity for skiers and snow-boarders of all kinds and of all ages in which teams of four must raise a minimum of $500 in donations.Each team member must perform at least one run an hour for 12 consecutive hours.For children 12 and under and for participants aged 65 and older, the challenge is met after six consecutive hours Kutrovsky takes honours at Sherbrooke Futures By John Edwards Special to The Record Bulgarian Dimitar Kutrovsky was the big winner at the Sherbrooke Futures men’s pro tennis tournament, held last weekend at the Rock Forest Recreation Centre.The 26-year-old earned the tournament crown on Sunday with a three-set (6~4, 3-6, 6-2) victory over Englishman Edward Corrie.The win is the second tournament title for Kutrovsky, ranked no.451 in the world, and his first since serving a 15-month drug suspension in 2012-13.Kutrovsky was also a finalist at the Gatineau Futures event, held the previous week.The unseeded Bulgarian advanced to the final with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Vancouver native, and fifth seed, Filip Peliwo and had previously upset top seed Vincent Millot of France in the quarterfinals.Corrie, for his part, did not come away empty-handed, as he picked up the doubles crown on Friday, playing with fellow Englishman Daniel Smethurst.Corrie and Smethurst, who were the top seeds, defeated Tom Kocevar-Desman of Slovenia and Torsten Wietoska of Germany in a match tiebreaker (3-6, 6-3 [10-1]).The win was the fourth overall for the partnership, and their second in as many weeks.Corrie and Smethurst faced off in the singles semifinal, with Corrie triumphing in three sets.The $15,000 (US) event, which is part of the third tier of men’s professional tennis, featured nine Canadians in the main draw, with only Peliwo, Pavel Krainik of Toronto and Hugo Di Feo of Montreal advancing beyond the first round.of participation.Leucan has been committed to the support of children with cancer and their families for over 35 years.With thousands of members throughout Quebec, the Association provides specific and adapted services in addition to funding clinical research.Qualified Leucan personnel have developed advanced expertise to provide counseling and emotional support, financial assistance, referral services, massage therapy, hospital playroom animation, socio-recre-ational activities, school awareness, end of life and bereavement follow-up, and information services.In addition to its headquarters in Montreal, Leucan has eight regional offices.Phoenix hosts end of season gathering Sherbrooke T|he Sherbrooke Phoenix is inviting fens, partners, host families, and volunteers to an end-of-sea-son 5 à 7 at the Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet on Thursday, March 20, from, coincidently, 5 to 7 p.m.Guests will be able to visit the locker room between 5 and 6, chat with their favourite players, and attend the team’s awards gala.At 6, the season's four individual award winners will be presented with trophies for offensive player, defensive player, and most valuable player for the 2013-2014 season as well as the Phoenix Trophy awarded to the player who best conveyed the team’s core values.“This friendly event provides a great opportunity to bring together all the people who gravitate around the team, the players, and supporters,” says Sylvie Fortier, Director for Operations for the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Page 8 Tuesday, March 18, 2014 production@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Deaths Deaths Eddy LESSARD 1925 - 2014 Peacefully at the Brome Missisquoi Perkins Hospital in Cowansville, QC, on Saturday, March 15,2014, at the age of 88, passed away Eddy Lessard, beloved husband of Dolly (Edith) Sheperd.He leaves to mourn his children, Joanne, Diane (Jacques), Caroline (Murray), Linda (Doug), Nancy, Pauline and Paulette (Raymond), his grandchildren, Alex (Mylène), Tim (Marie-Laurence), Véronica (Romeo), Mark (Stephanie), Karine (Pat), Annie (Max) and Joël (Pamela), his ten great-grandchildren, his nephews and nieces, cousins and many dear friends.Family and friends will be welcomed at the Desourdy Funeral Home, 4 Vale Perkins, Mansonville, QC, JOE 1X0, Phone: 450-292-3204, Fax: 450-263-9557, info@desourdy.ca, www.desourdy.ca, on Friday, March 21, 2014 from 7 p.m.to 9 p.m.The funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 22,11:30 a.m.at St-Cajetan Catholic Church in Mansonville.Interment in the Columbarium at St-Cajetan Catholic Cemetery in Mansonville.Please Note: Saturday, day of the service, the funeral home will be open from 9 a.m.Donations made in his memory to the First Responders in Mansonville would be appreciated (forms available at the funeral home).DÉSOURDY FUNERAL HOMES 104 Buzzell St., Cowansville, QC, J2K 2N5 PHONE: 450-263-1212 FAX: 450-263-9557 info@desourdy.ca Datebook Today is the 77th day of 2014 and the Adam Levine (1979- ), singer-song-88th day of winter.writer/TV personality.TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1850, the American Express Company was founded.In 1852, Henry Wells, William G.Fargo and a group of investors founded Wells, Fargo and Co.In 1965, Russian cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov made the first spacewalk.In 1974, members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) ended a five-month oil embargo against the United States, Europe and Japan.In 1990, two men stole 13 pieces valued at $300 million from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), 22nd and 24th U.S.president; Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), composer; Peter Graves (1926-2010), actor; George Plimpton (1927-2003), author/actor; John Updike (1932-2009), author/critic; Charley Pride (1938- ), singer-songwriter; Vanessa Williams (1963- ), actress/singer; Bonnie Blair (1964- ), Olympic speed-skater; Jerry Cantrell (1966- ), singer-songwriter; Queen Latifah (1970- ), actress/singer; Dane Cook (1972- ), comedian/actor; TODAY’S FACT: Among the 13 works stolen in Boston’s Gardner Museum art theft in 1990 was “The Concert,” a painting by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer.It is considered the most valuable unrecovered stolen painting in the world, with an estimated value of $200 million.TODAY’S SPORTS: Olympic speed-skater Bonnie Blair, born this day in 1964, is the most decorated female U.S.Winter Olympian, with five gold medals and one bronze.TODAY’S QUOTE: “It is easy to love people in memory; the hard thing is to love them when they are there in front of you." — John Updike, “My Father's Tears and Other Stories” TODAY’S NUMBER: 3 - number of NATO member countries that possess nuclear weapons: the United States, France and the United Kingdom.TODAY’S MOON: Between full moon (March 16) and last quarter moon (March 23).Addictive apps make it easy to shop anywhere FROM CONSUMER REPORTS® by the editors of Consumer Reports Shopping online at retailer websites is convenient and fun, but new apps for tablets and smartphones take it to a whole new level, notes ShopSmart, the shopping magazine from the publisher of Consumer Reports.They make shopping even easier because you can do it not just anytime but also anywhere.More and more retailers are coming out with mobile apps, and shoppers are jumping onboard.Target says that 30 percent of its digital traffic comes from mobile devices, for example, and flash-sale site Zulily reports that almost half of its orders came in via its app during the first three quarters of 2013.ShopSmart took a close look at some shopping apps that are worth checking out.(They’re all free.) — Amazon BEST FOR: buying everything.Shop- ping giant Amazon is like an old friend you can always count on.Its app, like its website, gives you access to a huge marketplace where you can find just about anything.The app’s design mirrors that of the website, so it makes you feel right at home.— Etsy BEST FOR: unique finds.Etsy is a gold mine of handmade and vintage goods, with prices ranging from trinket to treasure.The app, like the site, is full of individual shops set up by artisans selling their creations.Where else could you find an embellished tweed hat next to a ram’s horn wall hanging?There’s so much to see that it could be easy to get overwhelmed, but the app does a great job of categorizing the offerings and paring down your search results.— Zulily BEST FOR: daily deals.This app is all about sales.It’s billed as daily deals for moms, babies and kids, but don't overlook it if you don’t have kids at home.The clothes and shoes featured here are comfy and stylish, and you don’t want to miss the deep discounts on accessories and housewares, either.The sales are limited-time “flash” sales, so be sure to note when one ends (check the upper-right corner).One thing that makes Zulily unique is that it places bulk orders with vendors after shoppers order items.That makes inventories and shipping times a bit unpredictable, but it's also why Zulily can offer such low prices.(Warning: Sales on some items are final, so check before you buy.) — Zappos BEST FOR: customer service.The days when Zappos was just about shoes are long gone.It has become a great etailer for all kinds of merchandise, including sunglasses, stemware and sporting goods.And Zappos clearly wants to be there to help you get what you need.The customer-service phone number is plastered all over the app screen, and you can live chat with a representative.— Nordstrom BEST FOR: finding outfits.The simplicity of this app’s design is what ShopSmart likes best about it.The neutral background lets the fashions shine, and, let’s face it, that’s what you’re there to see.You can even swipe through views and check out the front and back of dresses you’re browsing without having to open each item individually.— Target BEST FOR: making shopping lists.This app does all of the basics really well, so if it’s time to make a Target run, you can get it done without having to go out to a store.But what ShopSmart really likes about this app is its unique list functionality.You have grocery lists.Super Bowl party lists, lists of basics and who knows how many others to try to keep up with.This app creates a space that manages all of those lists for you.Just tap “Target Lists” on the home screen and you can create, delete and manage lists for every event in your life.*X*X*I*.80 years.10,000 wishes.100% Cana' * „ : ï CJ • >.; ¦¦¦¦-'¦• .¦?: ¦ o IT