The record, 3 août 2015, lundi 3 août 2015

[" Meet Dian Cohen Page 5 ¦ THE\" RECORD The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 Cougar hockey going back to the future Sports - Page 7 75 CENTS + TAXES PM#0040007682 Monday, August 3, 2015 Candidates in Sherbrooke and Richmond set to go By Gordon Lambie Sherbrooke With parliament dissolved and Canada\u2019s election engine revving up for the long haul to October, the question quickly arises; who should I vote for?The merits of candidates, parties, and their leaders will be measured on a personal level by each prospective voter over the coming weeks and months, but before any of that can happen people first need to determine who is actually running in their own backyards.In Sherbrooke the incumbent is Pierre-Luc Dusseault who was, at the time of his election, the youngest MP in the country\u2019s history.The NDP representative has spent the last four years growing into his role and working actively on matters like advocating for Sherbrooke\u2019s airport and towing the party line on issues from Canada Post to the abolition of the Senate.Running against Dusseault for the Liberal Party is Lennoxville\u2019s Tom Allen, who picked up the nomination from the local association last year.Allen has a history with local municipal politics and also served as the president of the Canada Summer Games when they came to Sherbrooke in 2013.The Conservative Party candidate in the riding is Marc Dauphin, a former combat physician and published author from the Coaticook area.In Richmond-Arthabaska, the sitting MP will not be running again, putting voters in an interesting position for the upcoming election.In 2011, the riding was one of only a handful of others in the province to elect a Bloc Québécois MP.Leadership struggles in the struggling nationalist party, however, led André Bellavance to leave the Bloc to sit as an independent.Cont\u2019d on Page 3 And they're off! 78-day federal campaign officially began on Sunday £eaJ CHANGE CHANGER ensemble \"om Mulcair green Ready for change isemble pour le changement \t\t\t\t\t 1, I -1\t\t\t\tI I\tV I PHOTO COMPOSITION BY H.D.MCKEEN.PHOTOS: TRUDEAU THE CANADIAN PRESS/DARRYL DYCK DUCEPPE: THE CANADIAN PRESS/GRAHAM HUGHES; MAY: THE CANADIAN PRESS/CHAD HIPOLIT; MULCAIR: THE CANADIAN PRESS/PATRICK DOYLE; HARPER:THE CANADIAN PRESS/JUSTIN TANG The four main opposition party leaders: Justin Trudeau (top left), Gilles Duceppe (top right), Elizabeth May (bottom left) and Tom Mul-cair (bottom right) all launched their campaigns Sunday after Stephen Harper (centre, at right with his wife Laureen), visited the Governor-General and officially launched the 2015 federal election campaign.Election Day is in 11 weeks, on October 19.By Jordan Press The Canadian Press Ottawa Canada faces a \u201ccritical decision\u201d about its best way forward, Stephen Harper said Sunday as he triggered what promises to be one of the longest, most expensive and most bitterly fought election battles in the country\u2019s political history.\u201dAs tourists swarmed Parliament Hill and blinding summer sunshine bathed Rideau Hall, Harper emerged to confirm that Gov.Gen.David Johnston had indeed dissolved Parliament, launching the longest campaign in Canada since 1872.He wasted no time trying to frame the so-called ballot-box question.\u201cCanadians will make a critical decision about the direction of our country, a decision with real consequences, a decision about who has the proven experience today to keep our economy strong and our country safe,\u201d Harper said.\u201cI will be asking Canadians for their support to continue to deliver sound economic management and to take the difficult decisions necessary to protect our country\u2019s security.\u201d A national election \u201cis not a popularity contest,\u201d he added \u2014 presumably a reference to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who now has just 11 weeks to silence those critics who have long accused him of being more sizzle than steak.Heading into the campaign, the Conservatives find themselves lagging behind Tom Mulcair and the NDP in the polls, with the Liberals running third.But make no mistake: for the first time since anyone can remember, all three main parties have a legitimate shot at forming a government after Oct.19.Cont\u2019d on Page 3 EXPO VALLÉE DE LA COATICOOK Cultivons notre fierté! gPlTSa Join us for the Fair! August 6 to 9, 2015 Don't miss it! Page 2 Monday, August 3, 2015 newsr oom@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 $82.21.Record subscription rates (includes Quebec taxes) 1 year print: $155.91 6 month print: $81.85 3 month print: $41.57 12 month web only: $82.21 1 month web only: $7.46 Web subscribers have access to the daily Record as well as archives and special editions.Subscribing is as easy as 1,2,3; go to: www.sherbrookerecord.com Click e-edition.Complete form and wait for an email activating your online subscription.Weather TODAY: MIX OF SUN AND CLOUD HIGH 26 SUNRISE: 5:34 SUNSET: 8:13 TUESDAY: SHOWERS HIGH 23 LOW 13 WEDNESDAY: SHOWERS HIGH 19 LOW 12 THURSDAY: CLOUDY HIGH 20 LOW 11 FRIDAY: 60% CHANCE OF SHOWERS J a j HIGH 21 LOW 12 From the ETRC Archives We need a little help from our friends Lennoxville We are reaching out to readers once again for help with these head-scratchers! Two photographs (see Photo #1 below and Photo #2 at right)) come from a series of photographs depicting a large group of men very hard at work building this floating bridge across the Mas-sawippi River as well as the raft to float the car across.With the help of one photo showing St.Mark\u2019s Chapel at Bishop\u2019s University in the background, we know the photographs were taken in Lennoxville around the 1920s or 1930s.However, we would like to know who these men are (maybe they are from a lodge or a church group?) and what they were up to.Do these photographs bring something to mind in your memory?Please let us know.The third photograph (Photo #3, at right) is of a seemingly abandoned village.The photo was taken during a canoe trip that a group of boys took from Sherbrooke, up the Magog River, through Little Lake Magog and down Lake Memphremagog to Newport, Vermont in 1920.For this reason, the village was likely somewhere along their path but we have not been able to successfully identify it yet.Drop us a line if you think you might know where the village is located.You can call at 819-822-9600, ext.2261, or email at etrc2@ubishops.ca.We look forward to hearing from you! ETRC ARCHIVES ¦c i Photo #2: Car raft, ca.1930s ETRC ARCHIVES Photo #3: Mystery village, 1920 >?~ f< - y Photo #1: Makeshift bridge over the Massawippi, ca.1930s ETRC ARCHIVES Ben by Daniel Shelton $KfZlTCH f I FEEL > LIKE I'VE BEEN 1ARRBP ANP FEATHEFEK \\>- < J (,U/ > Ah: '¦ v/W 'A The Record newsroom@sherbrooke record.com Monday, August 3, 2015 Page 3 ^ r\tr\tin t\t\t J\u2014\tLocal 1\\\tews\tPolice say the four victims were all in the same vehicle and are likely a Montreal-area family.Campaigns off and running in several local ridings By Matthew McCully Sherbrooke Sunday\u2019s election call officially started the 2015 campaign in four Eastern Townships ridings.Here\u2019s a look at the declared candidates so far.NDP incumbent Jean Rousseau will campaign to hold the Compton-Stanstead riding.He is pitted against Liberal Marie-Claude Bibeau and Conservative candidate Gustavo Labrador.The Bloc Québécois candidate is France Bonsant, who Rousseau unseated in 2011.The Brome-Missisquoi riding is currently held by the NDP\u2019s Pierre Jacob.He is not running for re-election, and Catherine Lusson will replace Jacob as representative for the NDP.Charles Poulin is the Conservative in the race and Denis Paradis represents the Liberals in the riding.Patrick Melchior will hoist the Bloc banner.In Shefford, which includes Waterloo, Valcourt and Granby, Réjean Genest of the NDP currently holds the seat, but will not run in the coming election.Claire Mailhot is currently the only declared candidate for the nomination.The Conservatives\u2019 Sylvie Fontaine, Liberal Pierre Breton and Jocelyn Beaudoin of the Bloc, will face off against the NDP candidate, currently set to be nominated on Aug.12.NDP François Choquette is the incumbent in the Drummond riding.He will be challenged by Liberal Pierre Côté, the Conservatives\u2019 Pascale Déry and Diane Bourgeois of the Bloc Québécois.Hells supporters gather in Saint Denis-de-Brompton Record Staff Sherbrooke About 100 supporters of the Hells Angels in Quebec and Ontario gathered behind TR Autos in Saint-Denis-de-Bromppon Saturday in support of gang members charged under Operation SharQc, according to a report in La Tribune.The newpaper reported that on Friday, event organizers announced a change of venue.The event was originally scheduled to be held in St-Elie but the provincial liquor authority revoked the liquor licence at the request of the applicant.The bar owner refused to host an event related to the biker group.The report stated that the event was organized by a Hells Angels affiliate club \u2014 the Devils Ghosts.A heavy police presence monitored the event, but there were no reports of trouble.It is believed the event was designed to raise money for the legal defence of members of the Sherbrooke chapter, whose trial begins today.Seven members of the chapter are charged with murder and conspiracy.On Friday, two accused, Louis Ruel, 51, and François Goupil pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and it is expected that some of the remaining accused \u2014 Claude Berger, Sylvain Va-chon, François Vachon, Yvon Tanguay, Michel Vallières, Christian Ménard, and Martin Emery could make similar pleas today.Two final defendants, Robert Bonomo and John Coates, will be tried in English beginning in January, 2017.Four dead in Granby crash The Canadian Press Granby o threeTa: uebec provincial police I say a fiery crash involving a tanker truck and fars Friday night has resulted in the death of four people near Granby.Police say the four victims were all in the same vehicle and are likely a Montreal-area family.The car was completely consumed by flames after becoming trapped under the fuel tanker.Two other cars were involved in the accident, resulting in one injury and a woman being treated for shock.The driver of the tanker truck sus tained mild injuries.Recon struction experts are investigating the crash site.No serious injuries in Eastman balcony collapse Record Staff Sherbrooke Six people were slightly injured at a party Saturday evening in Eastman when the balcony they were standing on collapsed beneath their weight.According to the Journal de Montreal, five ambulances were needed to transport victims to hospital.Fortunately, the six suffered only minor injuries or nervous shock and chest pain.The accident occurred on Quatre-Goyette St.at around 8 p.m.Cowansville man charged Record Staff Sherbrooke A 33-year old Cowansville resident faces multiple counts of committing indecent acts in front of children.David Gingras was arrested last Tuesday and was formally charged in Granby.According to court documents, the alleged crimes al- legedly took place on July 16.Gingras is charged with \u201cintentionally committing acts of indecency in the presence of children under 16 years of age.\u201d He also faces charges for having \u201cexhibited his genitals in a public place in the presence of children under 16 years.\u201d Gingras was released and will return to court on Sept.28 for further proceedings.Election call Cont\u2019d from Page 1 Across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Que., with the emblematic Peace Tower looming in the distance, Mulcair called for change on Parliament Hill after nearly a decade of Conservative rule.\u201cWages are falling, incomes are stagnant and household debt is skyrocketing .middle class families are working harder than ever but can\u2019t get ahead,\u201d Mulcair said.\u201cThe economy has shrunk in each of the last five months and many are claiming that Canada is already in another recession .clearly, Mr.Harper, your plan isn\u2019t working.\u201d In Vancouver, Trudeau accused the Conservatives of planning to grow the economy by making \u201cwealthy people wealthier.\u201d The election, he said, is about which party can give middle class Canadians a real and fair chance to succeed.\u201cYou want change that works for you,\u201d Trudeau said.In addition to being the longest campaign in more than a century, it promises to be the costliest ever, with taxpayers contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to help Elec- tions Canada oversee the vote, and rebates to the parties for every dollar they spend.Combined, the parties could spend more than $53 million on their national campaigns, and candidates on average about $214,000 \u2014 more money than they\u2019ve ever been allowed to spend before.The increase in spending limits \u2014 up from about $25 million for parties and $101,000 on average for candidates \u2014 is a result of the Conservative govern-ment\u2019s Fair Elections Act, which upped the spending limits for every day a campaign runs beyond the traditional campaign period of 37 days.Harper said he called the campaign earlier than usual because his rivals were already campaigning, and doing it on the public dime.It\u2019s important, he said, \u201cthat the money come from the parties themselves, not from the government resources, parliamentary resources or taxpayer resources.\u201d He also acknowledged that his party was on the best financial footing to run an extended campaign, sitting on significantly more cash than the NDP, Liberals, Greens or Bloc Québé- cois.\u201cIn terms of the advantages this party has, in terms of the fact that we are a better financed political party, a better organized political party and better supported by Canadians, those advantages exist whether we call this campaign or not,\u201d he said.\u201cWhat we do by calling this campaign is making sure we are all operating within the rules and not using taxpayers\u2019 money directly.\u201d Green party Leader Elizabeth May, speaking in Sidney, B.C., chastised Harper for setting up an unfair system that would cost taxpayers \u201ctens of millions of dollars\u201d and give the Tories an unfair advantage.Canadians \u201cdeserve MPs who put Parliament ahead of party\u201d and can set aside \u201chyperpartisanship for citizenship,\u201d May said.Harper stands to become the first prime minister since Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 1908 to win four consecutive elections.His party has used its bulging war chest to deliver attack ads against Trudeau for months, including ever-present radio and TV spots that describe the Liberal leader as \u201cjust not ready\u201d to be prime minister.Liberal insiders admit they\u2019ve been effective, contributing to the Liberals\u2019 slow decline in the polls to third place from their front-running status over the previous two years.NDP insiders have also suggested they were happy for Harper to focus on Trudeau, hoping it would push voters to the official Opposition, which has set it sights on improving on its breakthrough electoral performance in 2011.Late Friday, the Conservatives suddenly turned their sights on Mulcair with similar attack ads depicting him as an unethical, opportunistic \u201ccareer politician.\u201d Having helped drive Liberal support to the NDP, they\u2019ve now evidently de- cided they need to blunt Mul-cair\u2019s momentum as well.Follow @jpress on Twitter Locals Cont\u2019d from Page 1 Among those hoping to pick up Bellavance\u2019s seat are Alain Rayes, the mayor of Vic-toriaville and recently named Conservative candidate, and Myriam Beaulieu, the riding\u2019s New Democrat candidate.\u201cTeam Trudeau\u201d is running Richmond native Marc Des-marais in the riding.Neither the Bloc Québécois nor the Green Party have candidates for either of these two ridings at this point in the campaign.RECORD Serving the entire Eastern townships with three publications Jo-Ahh Hovey Advertising Consultant Townships Outlet Bmme County One number 819 569-9525 jhovey@sherbrookerecord.com Page 4 Monday, August 3, 2015 newsroom@sherbrooker ecor d.com The Record ASK THE EXPERTS.ASK THE EXPERTS.ASK THE EXPERTS.ASK THE EXPERTS.ASK THE EXPERTS.ASK THE EXPERTS.OPTOMETRISTS Clinique Opto LRÉSEAU Optométrique Dr.Meggie Faust - Dr.Alain Côté, Optometrists 160 Queen Street, Sherbrooke 819-563-2333 Tim Goddard INVESTMENTS \u201cCoaching 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The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, August 3, 2015 Page 5 Meet Your Neighbours So you think you know Dian Cohen?MATTHEW MCCULLY Dian Cohen with a set of penguins that she knit and plans to sell at the upcoming Ayer's Cliff Fair.The nationally recognized journalist was invested into to the Order of Manitoba last month in Winnipeg.By Matthew McCully Ayer\u2019s Cliff I\u2019ve actually got no secrets,\u201d joked Dian Cohen.The well-known economist, journalist and author pointed out that you could find out practically anything you want to know about her online.There are a few small details, though, that neighbours of Cohen might be surprised to find out.Did you know she was born in Winnipeg, and was recently awarded the Order of Manitoba?\u201cIt was loads of fun,\u201d she said.She was honoured at a ceremony alongside 11 other Manitobans, including NHL celebs Jonathan Toews and Sheldon Kennedy, as well as musicians Tom Cochrane and Chad Allan.\u201cIt was all very formal,\u201d she said, referring to the ceremony.During the dinner that followed, Cohen said a military band playing background music started playing through the tunes of Allan and Cochrane.\u201cHe got up and sang Life is a Highway, I danced right beside the stage.It was loads of fun,\u201d she said.She remarked that Winnipeg looked better than it did when she lived there.\u201cI left very young.I didn\u2019t think I fit in there,\u201d she said.\u201cI subsequently figured out I don\u2019t really fit in anywhere,\u201d she laughed, realizing later in life that the world is more about making a place for yourself rather than fitting in.Something else you might not know about Cohen?\u201cI knit toys for relaxation,\u201d she said, pointing to a raft of penguins on a nearby table.\u201cI\u2019m going to sell them at Ayer\u2019s Cliff fair,\u201d said the 83-year-old nationally recognized journalist.\u201cGrowing up in the \u201940s, \u201950s and \u201960s, you learn basic house-wifing skills \u2014 because that was your lot in life,\u201d Cohen joked.While she ultimately chose a very different career path, she said she thoroughly enjoys knitting and makes a variety of animals and toys.The penguins are actually a set, she said.\u201cIt\u2019s meant to be a drunken Christmas party.\u201d Did you know Cohen, who founded her own economic communications consulting firm, was also elbow-deep in the kitchen of her daughter\u2019s restaurant in Ayer\u2019s Cliff?\u201cI would help out,\u201d she said modestly, \u201cI was kind of the weekend cook.\u201d Her daughter Tami ran Café Main Street for over 10 years, Cohen said, and she lent a hand when needed.And what is Cohen up to now?No tennis, no golf, no bridge, she said.\u201cNone of that stuff,\u201d she said, admitting that she is a workaholic.Looking back on her career, Cohen described herself as an interpreter, a popularizer, and even a vulgarizer.\u201cI was no good at the jargon stuff.I knew I wasn\u2019t going to be the next John Maynard Keynes, but I realized I\u2019m really good at communications.\u201d \u201cI took the theoretical stuff and made people understand it.\u201d Following that comment, this reporter asked Cohen to explain, in laymen\u2019s terms, why all political addresses refer to the economy as some volatile pet that must be tamed and fed and stroked regularly to avoid a ferocious attack.\u201cIt\u2019s a really complex issue,\u201d she said, and then proceeded to lay it out plainly.\u201cA politician will say this is what the economy needs.The big problem is that people are unaware of how to evaluate what that politician is saying,\u201d she said.\u201cThe politician has an agenda.The economy has no agenda, it just reacts.There are a few rules that make it flow along, but what we hear in the media generally is opinions about what\u2019s good or bad, not what is actually good or bad.\u201d She used the example of politicians promising to preserve subsidized daycare in perpetuity.\u201cYou should know it\u2019s unsustainable,\u201d she said.\u201cMaybe we all want to believe things like that, I don\u2019t know.\u201d \u201cFor as long as I\u2019ve been an adult, I\u2019ve wondered why we don\u2019t teach money matters to children.\u201d Cohen said.\u201cWe all learn how to read, we should all learn how far a dollar goes.\u201d Cohen explained that it is usually after years of trial and error that people factor in taxes when budgeting, and learning about savings and investments.\u201cWouldn\u2019t it be great if you knew it when you were 12 years old?\u201d she asked.\u201cHow do you get from where you are to where you want,\u201d she said, \u201cThere\u2019s not a lot of that kind of thinking.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m at the end of my career,\u201d Cohen insisted.\u201cI\u2019ve been busy for so many years.I\u2019m just looking at how the world works now, trying to make a little space.\u201d Cohen has left her communications company.She has collapsed her 13-woman investment club.\u201cEverybody took their money.We all made money, we all learned stuff.\u201d Cohen sits on only two boards now, and her last major project was helping with the Massawippi health co-op.\u201cI\u2019m putting things into compartments now,\u201d she said.\u201cI\u2019m too old to go on new boards, but I\u2019m not too old to contribute what I\u2019ve learned.\u201d \u201cNow I have 5-10-15 years left.I\u2019m looking at the world in terms of can I add value,\u201d she said.\u201cWhere are the gaps in the system?\u201d During her recent trip to her hometown of Winnipeg, Cohen noticed that the city looked better than she remembered, but added that the aboriginal population at the North End of town is a huge invisible problem.\u201cThey\u2019re in as dire straits as one can imagine,\u201d she said.\u201cThere may be a way of doing something,\u201d she said, a pro at getting the most from her money.Cohen offers bursaries at the University of Manitoba and Bishop\u2019s University from funds she built up and set aside when paid for speaking engagements at the institutions.\u201cThere may be a way to direct that money,\u201d she said, \u201cthat\u2019s what I\u2019m thinking about right now.\u201d One would expect that an economist and money whiz of Cohen\u2019s stature would pinch every penny and be meticulous with her time and money.The last thing you might not know about Cohen, not a surprise to many Townshippers: \u201cI like contributing.\u201d By Matthew McCully COOKSHIRE T|he Coolcshire Fairground was buzzing over the weekend for a combined birthday party for Chilston Lowry, who turned 90 years old, and his wife Mildred McVety Lowry, who will turn 99 years old this coming week.Family and friends of the Lowrys came from all over the area, many from Ontario, for the milestone celebration.Chilston and Mildred have 12 children, with local Keith Lowry being the only son among 11 daughters.All the children attended the party.Happy Birthday Chilston and Mildred The organizing was done by youngest daughter Andrea, and took roughly six months of organizing, according to Keith.The family extends to 31 grandchildren, and 31 grandchildren, he added.The festivities on Saturday, which had a guest list close to 200 friends and family members, included music from Ronny Hazelton and Janis Graham.Chilston, a fiddler himself, made his way to the stage to play a few tunes for the birthday crowd.His great-granddaughter, Mikayla Dawson, who carried on the fiddling tradition, also MATTHEW MCCULLY ÆÊlK Mildred McVety Lowry (left) and Chilston Lowry held a joint birthday party last weekend in Cookshire.performed.\tfew turns around the dance member of the family, played Mildred, a few days away floor.\tsome country favourites in the from 99-years-old, even took a Songwriter Tim Brink, also a evening. Page 6 Monday, August 3, 2015 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \tSj\tDI\tn\troi\tR1\tLAI\tL\tThis campaign will be the longest since the horse-and-buggy days of the 19th century \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Election 2015: Are we there yet?John Edwards Oh, goody.The federal election campaign is finally upon us.Aren\u2019t you thrilled?Just when you thought you might be able to enjoy the rest of your summer, now we have to dodge politicians on the long march to Oct.19.We\u2019ve been signed up for an 11-week festival of glad-handling, sign-posting, sign-vandalizing, sign-reposting and baby-kissing.Yippee.(Please note: only pre-approved babies will be kissed by the Prime Minister, if Friday\u2019s report on ipolitics.ca is to be believed.) At times, this is likely to feel like one of those overly-long car rides from summer vacations past \u2014 without the option of whining long enough to make Dad stop the car.If you weren\u2019t already sick of the Conservatives\u2019 insipid job-interview ads by now, just wait - you will be.This campaign will be the longest since the horse-and-buggy days of the 19th century, more than twice the length of any campaign period in recent history.Technology has moved forward a bit since then, to a point where there certainly is no need for 2 A months of wasteful spending by parties of all stripes, all desperately trying to convince us of something or another.(That said, there\u2019s an argument that the \u201cpre-campaign\u201d has gone on for 3 A years, or for at least as long as those irritating \u201cEconomic Action Plan\u201d ads have been on.) What is clear is that this longer election campaign will cost the taxpayer many millions more than the usual 37-day length that has served us well over the last 15 years or so.This cost comes both in the fact that Elections Canada will have to spend more to run a campaign that is twice as long, as well as the increased spending limit for parties, which will result in many more (taxpayer-subsidized, natch) political donations.With the ability of media, especially social media, to send messages worldwide in an instant, the official campaign period could well stand to be shorter, not longer.77 days of pre-packaged \u201cpublic\u201d appearances, annoying phone calls, leaflets, signs, more leaflets, more phone calls, and TV ad after TV ad after TV ad is overkill.We\u2019re just not ready.It is an interesting move from a party that claims (somewhat dubiously) to be watchful managers of the public purse, but perhaps not surprising given that they have more money than either of their opponents, and have consistently worked the electoral system to their advantage at every opportunity.The extension is no coincidence after all, given that a largely-overlooked (until recently) provision of the so-called \u201cFair Elections Act\u201d increases the spending limit for parties and candidates for each \u201cextra\u201d campaign day.(Speaking of that Act, be sure that you can actually vote this time.It may now be more difficult to exercise your rights \u2014 even if you\u2019ve voted before.) That being said, this election is a marathon, not a sprint, and is the most important election in this country - at least since the last one.It is the one chance we have every four years or so to decide whether we are happy or not with the direction our country is going, and the way that a significant part of our pay-cheques is being spent.The one advantage we do have is that there is lots of time to scrutinize both the party leaders and the local candidates (that is, the ones whose names will actually be on your ballots come October).While it isn\u2019t a job that takes 77 days, it does take some time, and it is an exercise worth doing.So, like all good marathoners, remember to keep hydrated (in the tradition of the great Sir John A.MacDonald, at 90-proof or higher, if you like), and don\u2019t worry, it will all be over soon enough -ready or not.-\twTHE\t- RECORD 1195 Galt East, Sherbrooke, Quebec JIG 1Y7 Fax: 819-821-3179 e-maii : newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Website : www.sherbrookerecord.com Sharon McCully Publisher .John Edwards News Editor .Stephen Blake Corresp.Editor Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman (819) 569-9511 .(819) 569-6345 .(819) 569-6345 (819) 569-9931 DEPARTMENTS Accounting .Advertising .Circulation .Newsroom .(819) 569-9511 .(819) 569-9525 .(819) 569-9528 .(819) 569-6345 Knowlton office 5B Victoria Street, Knowlton, Quebec, JOE 1V0 Tel: (450) 242-1188 Fax: (450) 243-5155 PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS \t\t\tGST\tPST\tTOTAL Quebec:\t1 YEAR\t135.60\t6.78\t13.53\t$155.91 \t6 MONTHS\t71.19\t3.56\t7.10\t$81.85 \t3 MONTHS\t36.16\t1.81\t3.60\t$41.57 \tON-LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS\t\t\t\t Quebec:\t1 YEAR\t71.50\t3.58\t7.13\t$82.21 \t1 MONTH\t6.49\t0.32\t0.65\t$ 7.46 Rates for out of Quebec and for other services available on re-\t\t\t\t\t quest.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 WHAT\u2019S UP WITH HARRY-IS IT THE EFFECTS OF THE HOT WEATHER?NO - THE EFFECTS OF AN EARLY ELECTION CALL./W; !fj® Letters Dear Editor: I believe I speak for many Lennoxville citizens when I voice concern for the somewhat shoddy appearance of our beloved town.It is ridiculous why our borough council should opt to spend so much money on an unnecessary sidewalk on the north side of College towards Bishop\u2019s when there are so many other matters that deserve attention re.our so-called \u201cbeautification plan.\u201d For example,we need more inspectors hired to check the community for breaches in our bylaws, eg.illegal signage, or rampant neglect of property.Perhaps our councillors themselves could spend time making routine inspections.Before the big garbage collection during the week of July 13, a great number of properties (largely rentals), had unsightly debris stacked outside for weeks before the legal time period of the weekend before the pickup.It is encouraging to see some individual commercial property owners making an effort to improve the appearance of their buildings, but there are others who make little effort, to something as small as failing to weed in front of their business.Student rental places (even in the summer) continue to present a problem, with indoor furniture outside, etc, etc.Furthermore, student rentals are continuingto encroach more and more on properties of Lennoxville homeowners.If former citizens who return for a visit notice the unfavourable change in the town\u2019s appearance,what are parents of students or other visitors going to think?Let\u2019s bring this issue up at council and work together to set some boundaries.I urge all citizens to bring their complaints to the borough office: this is the only way we will initiate any action.It is time for council to take the proverbial bull by the horns in order to restore Lennoxville to a town of which we can be proud.Our citizens will gladly help.Linda Allen Lennoxville Dear Editor: I would like to acknowledge and commend the community spirt of those who volunteer for the annual rummage sale in North Hatley.Each summer many citizens assemble at the PV beach and volunteer a good many hours over three days to process and then help with the sale of the many donated items.It is pleasing to see so many contributing to this worthwhile community event.Many of these volunteers have been doing so for many years and the collaboration witnessed shows the significance of what a volunteer means to a community.From the organizers, to the many who process, prepare, price and place all that is donated, to the staff that help where needed, to those offering themselves and their vehicles to pick up items unable to be delivered by those who donate, to those that prepare the lunch for all volunteers, it is a well-oiled machine that exemplifies community spirit.Further this event brings together all citizens at a time in North Hatley when controversy is adamant: that is the political issues that might otherwise divide citizens.It demonstrates that working together for a common goal is far more productive than the opposite.The proceeds go towards improvement of the municipal beach facility, which includes restoration of the building, as well as recreation and instruction in sailing, tennis and swimming.Community volunteering is an important element for any municipality and I trust this example of working together will be recognized by future generations.Morgan W.Quinn North Hatley The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Monday, August 3, 2015 Page 7 \t\tLebeau is no stranger to leading the Cougars in their first year, as he was the A.\t^/©c