The record, 16 décembre 2015, mercredi 16 décembre 2015

[" The Hunchback comes to Galt Page 3 THE RECORD The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 HUGS for the Homeless See story- Page 5 75 CENTS + TAXES PM#0040007682 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Quebec teachers\u2019 unions close to agreement By Matthew McCully Sherbrooke According to Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT) President Richard Goldfinch, teachers\u2019 unions have, in their hands, the project of an agreement in principle in relation to sectorial demands in collective agreement negotiations.Careful not to jump the gun, Goldfinch said the agreement was passed unanimously by the Conseil federal of the Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE), but still needs to be voted on by the delegates of the QPAT board of directors.\u201cI\u2019m confident it will pass with QPAT,\u201d Goldfinch said, adding the vote will happen this Friday.The agreement will then go to members for ratification, likely in the New Year, he said.Goldfinch said the tentative agreement is an improvement on what was offered last year.\u201cWe managed to back them down literally on everything,\u201d he said.While not all the demands were total wins, Goldfinch said there were no losses.\u201cWe wanted class size ratios lowered pretty much all the way through the system,\u201d he said, while the government wanted increases.The compromise was that kindergarten classes drop by one student, with the balance of the grades maintaining current ratios.Cont\u2019d on Page 3 Lennoxville\u2019s new murals put community on display i& V \\ a s»:fcu mm.-.jAjHUM.v.W-iiv.' / ™ _ V \u2022 \tife\t\tiPi.\t¦ XWÊffiêSÈt- .'-Si\t \t\t \tm i\t*\t GORDON LAMBIE Serge Malenfant (L to R) President ofM.U.R.I.R.S; David Price, Lennoxville Borough President; Lara Poulin, Artistic Director ofM.U.R.I.R.S; Sylvain Ross, bagpiper; Sylvie-Luce Bergeron, Vice President of Destination Sherbrooke; and Sandra Tremblay, Sherbrooke Artist and mural painter By Gordon Lambie Sherbrooke The long-awaited Lennoxville mural circuit is now officially open, though the artworks themselves have been gradually going up on walls along Queen Street since the end of November.Clustered in three sites along Lennoxville\u2019s main street, the ten paintings offer perspectives on the theme of \u201ccommunity\u201d in ways more and less overtly connected to the borough itself and were completed as part of the second annual Sherbrooke Mural Art Symposium this past August.\u201cWe\u2019re just thrilled in Lennoxville to have the murals here,\u201d said Lennoxville Borough President David Price.\u201cWe\u2019ve been asking for them for quite a while.\u201d At a cold and rainy ceremony held in the public parking lot next to the Lennoxville florist building at 159 Queen, Price joined representatives of local mural collective M.U.R.I.R.S.and Sherbrooke\u2019s tourism agency, Destination Sherbrooke, to unveil the last piece of the mural puzzle; metal panels at the three sites that inform visitors of the artists and ideas behind each individual work as well as the vision of the project as a whole.The panels are all bilingual and highlight program sponsors alongside the information about the murals themselves.\u201cThere are some people who say they are not murals, they\u2019re panels,\u201d Price said, qualifying that 95 per cent of the feedback he\u2019s received about the works has been very positive, \u201cWhatever, they\u2019re nice.\u201d Cont\u2019d on Page 3 2016 Calendars now available! The Record has produced a beautiful 2016 Calendar xuith scenes from the Toumships.Only $ 1 O.Drop by our office at 1195 Galt East, Sherbrooke and pick one up today! For more information call 819-569-9528 or billing@sherbrookerecord.com rrom the Townships enes JEEGORD -a Page 2 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 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 30 days of archives.Renew or order 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: 1.\tVisit the Record website: www.sherbrookerecord.com 2.\tClick e-edition.3.\tComplete the form and wait for an email activating your online subscription.Weather TODAY: MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS HIGH OF 0 LOW OF -4 ^ : n jjjj j THURSDAY: RAIN HIGH OF 7 LOW OF 0 FRIDAY: MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS HIGH OF 0 LOW OF -6 SATURDAY: PERIODS OF SNOW HIGH OF -4 LOW OF -9 Yfr -, & SUNDAY: CHANCE OF FLURRIES HIGH OF -4 LOW OF -12 KEEPING IN TOUCH 2016 Townships Calendars Are Here ToWN/hipper/ The 2016 Eastern Townships calendars have arrived giving you or a friend 12 months of vivid regional scenes captured by Knowlton photographer David Chapman.TOWNSHIPPERS' ASSOCIATION As the offices close for this festive time of year, the entire team at Townshippers\u2019 Association extends their warmest wishes for the holiday season to our community, friends, partners and supporters.We hope your festivities are very merry and bright! A photographer for more than forty years, Chapman specializes in taking professional photos of products, architecture and home, travel and landscapes which are used in Catalogues and Magazines.In the 2016 calendar he features iconic colourful scenes from across the re The calendars, which come with a choice of four different covers, would be a great stocking stuffer or holiday gift \u2014 we know we\u2019ll be stocking up! Get yours for just $15, tax included, before Town-shippers\u2019 offices close for the holidays! Stop by the Association\u2019s Townships Expressions boutique during business hours at 257 Queen St.in Sherbrooke\u2019s Borough of Lennoxville or call 819-566-5717.Plan a Safe Ride Home With holiday parties in full swing, safe ride options ensure that everyone makes it home this holiday season.Having any amount of alcohol when driving increases the risk of being involved in a crash.As well as risking an accident, you risk facing stiff penalties or even losing your licence.If you are planning on celebrating with alcohol, take a few moments ahead of time to also plan a safe ride home.Take a bus, call a taxi or a friend or, if you want to drive home in your own car, contact Opération Nez rouge/Operation Red Nose which has been providing more than 76,000 safe rides in Canada every year.ONR/ORN is a free and confidential chauffeur service.A team of volunteers will drive to your party location.One driver and a navigator will drive you in your vehicle, followed by an escort, to your destination.Donations are accepted by volunteers with 100% of funds supporting various youth or amateur sports organizations.Donations from users in the Sherbrooke area support Corporation études-sports de l\u2019Université de Sherbrooke, the local Lions Club in Lac-Mégantic and Les Grands Freres Grandes Soeurs des Ap-palaches in Thetford Mines.To check the service area and schedule visit operationrednose.com or call 1-866-DESJARDINS (1-866-337-5273).Want to be a hero of the party season?Consider volunteering for ONR/ORN, you can reg ister online.ONR/ORN also has an app which uses the location tracking feature on your device to find the centre nearest you and their operating hours, or find an alternative for a safe return home.You can also set a reminder so you don\u2019t forget to plan ahead.Season\u2019s Greetings; Festive Season Office Closure The holidays are almost here! Before they arrive, all of us at Townshippers\u2019 Association would like to wish you and your families the very best during the festive season.We\u2019ve had an amazing year working with great people on some very wonderful projects and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone for making 2015 so special.Townshippers\u2019 offices in Sherbrooke and Lac-Brome will be closed from Monday, December 21 through to January 1, 2015.We look forward to working with you when the offices will reopen on January 4, 2016.From our families to you and yours, warmest season\u2019s greetings! For more information on Townshippers\u2019 Association and our activities, keep reading this weekly Keeping in Touch column in The Record and visit us on Twitter @Townshippers, Facebook and our website www.Townshippers.org.Connect with Townshippers\u2019 offices in Sherbrooke at 100 - 257 Queen St.819-566-5717, toll free: 1-866-566-5717 or Lac-Brome at 3-584 Knowlton Rd, 450-242-4421, toll free: 1-877-242-4421.Ben by Daniel Shelton HAVIN&A POG LYING IT BVEN SOUNPS FAMILIAR.______^ NEXT TO YOU FEELS MICE,\t0 k DOESN'T IT?f^AM lis RÂeSiâS! The Record newsr oom@sherbrooker ecor d.com Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Page 3 \t LOCAL NEWS\t\u201cInstead of having the classic way of telling the story, our play is a free adaptation,\u201d Hunchback of Notre Dame haunts Galt Thursday GORDON LAMBIE Drama students at Alexander Galt are hard at work on a whimsical version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which opens this Thursday By Gordon Lambie Sherbrooke The Hunchback of Notre Dame opens to the public at the Alexander Galt Regional High School auditorium tomorrow night, having been diligently rehearsed and re-imagined by 25 of the school\u2019s finest young dramatic minds over the last three months.Working from an adaptation by American playwright Patrick Rainville Dorn, the high school actors will be presenting a play-within-a-play version of the classic Victor Hugo tale that Director Olivia Lousie Grenier says will take the audience on a slightly more lighthearted journey through the familiar story.\u201cInstead of having the classic way of telling the story, our play is a free adaptation,\u201d Grenier explained.\u201cIt\u2019s much more comedic and appropriate for high school than the original story.\u201d Traveling band of gypsies In Dorn\u2019s version of Hugo\u2019s story, the audience is still told the story of Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame, but through the eyes of a travelling band of gypsies who are presenting a play on the events fifty years after they took place.The result, according to the Director, is a more whimsical and character-focused play that works through TEACHERS Cont\u2019d from page 1 The government\u2019s attempt to increase teacher workloads to 32 hours per week with an additional three hours for unspecified personal work is now off the table, according to Goldfinch.Teachers will be guaranteed their 27 assigned hours, with an additional five for personal work, totalling 32 total in-school hours.\u201cWe were able to protect annexes for special needs students,\u201d Goldfinch went on to say, adding that help was added for students with behavioral issues.Goldfinch said many teachers in the Adult Ed sector were in a precarious situation, with a 100 per cent workload but no job security.The tentative agreement offers a number of permanent posts, he said.Regarding teacher sick days, Goldfinch said the agreement has returned to the system used in the early 1990\u2019s.During collective agreement negotiations in 1996-1997 under the government of Lucien Bouchard, Goldfinch said concessions were made on behalf of teachers for unused sick days, previously paid out end of year, to be banked and paid out when an employee left the board.The catch was that only five of the six days were bankable, with the sixth a use it or lose it situation, Goldfinch said.audience interaction and fast pacing.\u201cIt\u2019s a very theatrical play in that we really focus on the actors,\u201d Grenier said.\u201cIt relies a lot on the actors\u2019 talent and their ways of bringing the characters to life.\u201d Dedicated Grenier and her team of 25 have been hard at work on the play outside of class time since mid-September.Rehearsing from four until six on weekdays and also on Saturdays since the middle of last month, the team working on the play have needed to display dedication and commitment to the project and, according to the director, they have not disappointed.\u201cThe students are very dedicated, they are a good group that works very hard and that is a big help,\u201d the Drama teacher said.\u201cThey get a lot from it, too.\u201d Grenier pointed out that the cast of volunteers learn how to find a balance between their school work and their play work while also getting boosts to self-esteem and in reaching outside their social circles in ways that they might never have otherwise.In this way, she said she has seen many students grow more self-confident and reliable over the four years she has been working at the school.Cont\u2019d on Page 5 The new tentative agreement returns to the original model, where a teacher's unused sick days will be paid out at the end of the year, with the sixth day payable as well, according to Goldfinch.While the agreement is promising, Goldfinch pointed out the inter-sectorial demands, which brought the Common Front together, mainly related to salary increases and retirement, have yet to be agreed upon.\u201cThat will be a hard battle,\u201d Goldfinch said.\u201cWe are very mobilised.Teachers are still with us on this one,\u201d he said, referring to the two legal strike days still available.\u201cThe government wants an end to it, but when that end will come I\u2019m not 100 per cent sure,\u201d Goldfinch said.\u201cMy feeling is we won\u2019t need to go there.\u201d Negotiators at the central table, addressing intersectorial issues, are expected to report back to their respective delegates on Thursday.While agreements are still tentative and there is still work to do, Goldfinch, without setting anything in stone, said the new year could see an end for work-to-rule, and possibly even the removal of the looming threat of strike action.Describing QPAT as a bottom up style union, Goldfinch said ultimately the decisions will be made by the teachers.\u201cWe go to our members.They have the last say on everything.\u201d MURALS Cont\u2019d from Page 1 \u201cThey\u2019re called accessory murals,\u201d explained M.U.R.I.R.S.President Serge Malenfant.\u201cThey\u2019re made of materials that are very lightweight, so we can take them off, bring them back to the studio, and fix them up again if needed.\u201d Despite that flexibility in design, Malenfant said that the outdoor artworks are made to last and likely won\u2019t need any kind of work for at least 20 years, unless they are damaged in some kind of unforeseen way.While pointing out that nothing lasts forever, the M.U.R.I.R.S.President said he feels it\u2019s more likely that a mural would need to be taken down because of a problem with the wall than the painting.Price said that some in the borough have questioned why it is that the art collective created the ten small works rather than murals on the scale of the works done in downtown Sherbrooke and clarified that it comes down to a matter of cost.\u201cWe would have had maybe one at the cost we got for all ten of them,\u201d the Borough President said, adding that he feels the display of ten makes for a more dynamic perspective on what Lennoxville represents.The city councillor said that he has heard some criticism from people who feel that they don\u2019t understand the paintings, but suggested that now that the information panels are up, a lot of those mysteries will be solved.Sylvie-Luce Bergeron wears many hats in the city when it comes to arts and culture, but was present at the conference in her capacity as vice president of Destination Sherbrooke.She hailed the new artworks as great new additions to Sherbrooke\u2019s \u201cOpen-slcy gallery.\u201d \u201cThese murals have become a point of pride for the city,\u201d Bergeron said.\u201cIt is the most requested activity from visitors at the tourist information bureau in downtown Sherbrooke.\u201d The Lennoxville murals follow in the footsteps of the East Sherbrooke mural circuit that was established after Sherbrooke\u2019s first mural symposium two years ago.Those murals have been installed on buildings along King Street East, but gained some notoriety in taking close to a year before being installed for the public to see.Given that experience, Price said that the borough council had not expected to see the Lennoxville murals installed before the spring and they are pleasantly surprised that the warm weather has allowed for a faster presentation.In addition to the physical information panels, the Lennoxville mural circuit also features a virtual tour that is available in both English and French with photos and more information about the creation of each panel.The online tour is curated by local company Balado Decouverte and is availably either on the website http://baladodecou-verte.com or through the company\u2019s smartphone app.Asked if the mural symposium project will continue in the coming years, Malenfant said that the project is currently being considered by Destination Sherbrooke and is not a sure thing.\u201cDestination Sherbrooke is evaluating what\u2019s going to happen in the next few years right now,\u201d the M.U.R.I.R.S.President said.\u201cIt has to be seen as a global investment for the city.\u201d While that is being considered, Malenfant said that the art collective plans to go back to creating large scale murals downtown to finish out the circuit.\u201cThere are a few murals that are too far from one to the other,\u201d Malenfant said, adding that there are no new sites or themes chosen as of yet. Page 4 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record Jen Young Christmas Giving Success Saturday was the first ever Christmas Giving Tradeshow, held at the former Inspirations Encore beside The Shalimar Restaurant on Queen Street and what a success it was.While the objective was to offer local tradesmen and women a venue to introduce the public to their wares, the main pur- pose was to collect non-perishable food items for the Corner Stone Food Bank and warm clothing items for the Lennoxville & District Women's Centre.Numerous boxes and bags were filled for the local groups and organizers couldnt be happier.Organizer Hayley Harrison said, \"There is so much donated to help people that I could cry.This is the point of Christmas.\" Because the event was so successful, organizers have decided to hold a seasonal Tradeshow and they say they are looking forward to a Spring Fling Tradeshow where more not-for-profit outreach groups will be helped.I, myself, had my own table with a few Yankee Candles, as well as The Record's new calendars and History Books.The Record will give me 10% of anything I sold and I will continue to have them at the big store (1730 Wellington South) for sale until Christmas.The 10% will help me feed and care for the over 70 animals I have with me right now hoping to find them new homes.Also, thanks to Hayley, a large gift basket was made by all the venders who were at the Christmas Tradeshow, valued at over $250.Tickets were sold at 1 for $2 or 3 for $5 and all the profits also go to helping animals.During the day, over $120 in tickets were sold and the raffle will continue until December 23rd at the big store.I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came on Saturday and who donated to the local charities.We may not have any snow, but the Christmas Spirit is truly alive and well in our little community.\t Cap is 5 months old.He is a Rottweiler mix and so very affectionate and intelligent.We're hoping this perfect little man can find a home for the holidays.Myka is a wonderful dog.Good with other dogs, kids, cats, you name it.She is very obedient and will make a family very lucky to have her.Kittens.We have a dozen young kittens, of every colour that needs a new home.We hope they can find their forever homes soon and have a family to spend Christmas with.Feel free to come in to Blue Seal (1730 Wellington South) to visit with them.Everyone who is ready has been fixed, had their shots and had their microchips.Blacky is 13 years old.He came to us over 2 months ago when his owner died and he was left, he and his Beagle brother, John, with nobody to care for them.While John was in relatively good health, Blacky was not.He suffered major ear infections, rotten teeth and large cancerous masses on his body.I was left with a difficult decision, but as usual, my decision was to try and give him the best quality of life I could.Regardless of how many years he has left on this earth.His daylong operation was a success.He now acts 10 years younger and is found most often than not playing with his tennis ball.He is very friendly and happy and now, healthy.I hope that there is a home out there that can give him a happy end to his life, whether it be another year or another 5 years.His brother John has been lucky enough to find himself a new loving forever home and we hope for the same for Blacky.If you could give this older gentleman a happy ending to his life, please contact us.This page is provided by Blue Seal - The Animal Nutrition Centre and The Pet Connection.Y .Œ/b- CENTRE DE NUTRITION ANIMALE MEGA SALE THIS WEEK on ALL YANKEE CHRISTMAS CANDLES Visit the\tBuy one\u2022 9et one 50/o off 25% off Boutique at 96 Queen St.on all accessories Shop early for best selection! BERRY TRIFLE YANKEE CANDLE America\u2019s Best Loved Candle Sale ends December 19, 2015 1730 Wellington Street South Sherbrooke \u2022 819-348-1888 blueseal@agrianalyse.com The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Page 5 Mental Health Estrie needs more HUGS By Matthew McCully For the past nine years Mental Health Estrie has organized the Walk in My Shoes-HUGS for the Homeless campaign throughout the winter months, collecting hats, underwear, gloves, soclcs/scarves and other warm clothing and toiletries to donate to Acceuil Poirier, a local shelter.\u201cWe need a little boost this year,\u201d confided Executive Director Judy Ross.\u201cPeople don\u2019t think about long johns unless we see some snow,\u201d she said, explaining the warmer weather has had an impact on donations.The winter-long campaign aims to keep Acceuil Poirier, located at 400 Galt Street West, well stocked with warm clothing and toiletries for the clients, most of whom arrive at the shelter with only the clothes on their back.HUGS also provides special gift bags for anyone spending Christmas at the shelter.\u201cIt was a stretch to get the bags made this year,\u201d Ross said.\u201cWe have enough to get through Christmas, but we need enough to get to the end of March.I know we don\u2019t have enough for that.\u201d The idea for HUGS started during a November board meeting in 2006, according to Ross.Instead of doing a Christmas exchange, the Mental Health Estrie board members decided to put the money normally spent on gifts together to buy socks for the homeless.The campaign grew from there.The connection between Acceuil Poirier and Mental Health Estrie is not a random one.A shelter spokesperson said that roughly 70 per cent of the clientele suffer from some form of mental illness.According to Ross, the shelter serves about 600 clients per year.Among them, around 10 per cent are women.Because they don\u2019t have the funds for 24 hour service, the facility is open be- HUNCHBACK Cont\u2019d from Page 3 While any theatrical project is an undertaking, Grenier said that this play also represents a return to an abandoned tradition at Alexander Galt in that this is the first time in many years that there will be two school plays in one year.\u201cIt\u2019s a revival of a tradition that used to exist many, many years ago; having one play at Christmas time and then another one at the end of the year,\u201d the director said, explaining that rehearsals for the spring play are set to begin after the Christmas holidays in January.Grenier said that although some might think that doing two plays in one year would overcomplicate her life, there are actually separate groups of children who tend to get involved in each production and, because of that lack of overlap, the work is not as hard as it might seem.\u201cIt\u2019s more like adding a new activity than trying to schedule two activities around each other.\u201d Asked if there have been challenges ¦ W'mmm - wm \t MATTHEW MCCULLY Mental Health Estrie staff and board members posing with Christmas bags destined for local homeless shelter Acceuil Poirier as part of the Walk in my Shoes-HUGS for the Homeless campaign.Seen here are intervenor and administrative assistant Tanya Gibson, board president Esther Barnett and Treasurer Norma Salisbury.In total, 25 bags were prepared for men and 15 for women, along with some large bags of bulk items for the shelter to distribute as needed.Gibson, not wanting to spoil the surprise of what was in the gift bags, insisted the recipients will have a warm Christmas.jority of the clientele.Right now, there is not much in the way of warm clothing like flannel shirts, turtlenecks, insoles for boots for men, Ross said.\u201cThey have to leave by 8 a.m.\u201d she said, adding the first place most clients head is to the soup kitchen, La Chau-dronnée, located at 470 Bowen Street South.\u201cThat\u2019s a long walk across a cold bridge,\u201d Ross said, explaining that if people can leave in the morning with warm dry clothes and a few simple comforts like a tube of chapstick and a tooth brush, it can make a big difference in their comfort level throughout the day.Donations can be brought to the Mental Health Estrie Office at 257 Queen Street in Lennoxville, suite 900.In addition to warm clothing and toiletries, the campaign also accepts financial donations, Ross said, which are put towards specific needs identified by shelter staff.The office will close on Dec.18 for the holidays and re-open Jan.4.Ross pointed out that the campaign continues until the end of March, so donations are also welcome in the new year when the weather is likely to be coldest.For more information on the HUGS campaign, call 819-565-3777 or email mhe.info@bellnet.ca.tween 5 p.m.and 8 a.m.The clients are served a warm meal, and they can shower, do laundry, watch TV, or simply enjoy a warm bed and a reprieve from the elements, Ross said.\u201cWe have a dedicated Knitter that does slippers every year,\u201d Ross said.When clients arrive, if they have wet feet, they can change into some HUGS provided slippers for the night as their shoes dry out.\u201cIt\u2019s the men\u2019s things we need,\u201d Ross said, explaining they make up the ma- in stepping into the role of leading the legacy of theatre at Galt, Grenier said that she is more focused on students\u2019 experiences than on keeping up with any traditions.\u201cThe legacy is very strong of course, but it\u2019s been a few years that I\u2019ve been working on these plays with these students and in the end it\u2019s more for their experiences than for the program,\u201d the Director said.\u201cI feel like it\u2019s important to not just give them the same type of experience over and over again, but give them experiences where they will learn to act in different ways.\u201d The curtain rises on The Hunchback of Notre Dame at 8pm tomorrow night, with follow up performances to take place on Friday and Saturday nights at the same time.Tickets are on sale at the door for nine dollars each and the play runs just under 2 hours with an intermission.\u201cWe\u2019re hoping to keep everyone on their toes for an hour and 45 minutes,\u201d Grenier said, calling the show fast paced and fun.m*wË ¦iVVjÏ Iw m ' THE i RECORD LOOKING FOR AN ORIGINAL GIFT: TWO DECADES OF HEADLINES COMPILED INTO TWO BOOKS.The Record has compiled two books covering some of the most important headlines and stories that appeared on the front pages of the newspaper - Book 1 from 1911 to 1920 and Book 2 from 1921 to 1930.They cover everything from wars, depression, floods, crime and punishment.We have a limited number of books available at a cost of $25 each plus taxes ($28.75) or two for $40 plus taxes ($45.99) while supplies last.For more information, call 819-569-9528 or email us at billing@sherbrookerecord.com. Page 6 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record ~Y\tffTTiTTAP T A T\tBill 86 has two obvious goals: i) to save money; and ii) to give parents and indi- J\u2014\tQ/JLAI A\tvidual schools more power.Proposed Education reform falls short Bill 86 is a top-down, arm-twisting affair By Scott Stevenson One of the most powerful forces on Earth comes out of people working together.\u2018Grassroots movement\u2019 evokes this force.Bill 86\u2014Quebec\u2019s latest Education reform\u2014stands like the old ruins of a lord\u2019s domain in contrast to the grassroots it\u2019s trying to serve.Unfortunately, the grassroots in Education-individual students, parents, teachers, and school staff\u2014did not produce this reform.The most important people in it\u2014students and their parents\u2014have in fact been all too silent in managing many of our schools, and therefore in designing the latest Education reform.There are of course exceptions to that generalization.But how many people show up to vote at school board elections?How many parents compete for seats on governing boards?And how many parents attend those governing board meetings, not to mention a school\u2019s annual meeting of parents or monthly school board meetings?If our Eastern Townships School Board and its largest high school are any example, the numbers are almost non-existent.Popular sentiment across Quebec pushed the current provincial government to the reform announced a week and a half ago.That\u2019s a type of grassroots expression, granted, which fed the proposals of the Action démocratique then the Coalition avenir Québec years ago to abolish school boards.But the current reform lays out such a byzantine process that governance will continue to be too far removed from the most important people in the Education system.Bill 86 has two obvious goals: i) to save money, and ii) to give parents and indi- vidual schools more power.The first is achieved as easily as a bulldozer going through topsoil, by wiping out school board elections and commissioners\u2019 pay\u2014between $10 and $20 million in savings, according to different media reports.The Bill fails on its second goal.It gives school governing boards more powers of \u201cadoption\u201d rather than \u201capproval,\u201d but school principals and their staff\u2014who bear the brunt of all the work involved in managing governing boards\u2014are already stretched too thin.And you can be sure that parents aren\u2019t about to jump up and run for election because they can adopt things now rather than approve them.Then we have the central pillar of the government\u2019s back-of-the-envelope design: a new approach to the governance of school boards themselves.Consider this for streamlining and motivating grassroots involvement: i) At a school\u2019s annual meeting of parents, the parent members of a governing board are elected.This usually involves more arm-twisting than election.A parent member of the governing board is also chosen to represent the school on the school board\u2019s parents\u2019 committee.More arm-twisting.ii) The new body governing school boards\u2014a \u201cschool council\u201d rather than the current \u201ccouncil of commissioners\u201d\u2014will have 6 parents out of its 16 members.They will be chosen by the parents\u2019 committee mentioned above, iii) Another 6 members will represent the community at large.They are the only ones who can be elected by the grassroots\u2014the population at large\u2014but the secretary general of the school board must first consult the population at large to ask if we all want to have an elec- ^ D'rerr,a/i 5o/r>^çJoL-y.Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada \"\u201c1 1 800 567-ACDM Until there's a cure, there's us.-\t¦ IHbw RECORD 1195 Galt East, Sherbrooke, Quebec JIG 1Y7 Fax: 819-821-3179 e-mail: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Website : www.sherbrookerecord.com Sharon McCully Publisher .(819)\t569-9511 John Edwards News Editor.(819)\t569-6345 Stephen Blake Corresp.Editor .(819)\t569-6345 Serge Gagnon Chief Pressman.(819)\t569-9931 DEPARTMENTS Accounting.(819)\t569-9511 Advertising .(819)\t569-9525 Circulation .(819)\t569-9528 Newsroom .(819)\t569-6345 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 sendees 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 A VISIT FROM THE GHOST OF HOUSEHOLD DE&T PRESENT de&t-to- RATIO .SHOPPING hst shopping I UST J jr w.\u2014 'Zi : wa SVGAS' tion.If we don\u2019t, then the parents\u2019 committee also chooses the 6 community members.News reports have the province\u2019s current parents\u2019 committees liking this idea, of course.The rest of us are hard-pressed to find the time to figure it out, and many of us probably won\u2019t even answer the secretary general\u2019s consultation\u2014no doubt what the government is banking on.The result of this complicated new system, which will be costly for the people who have to implement it, will continue to be a top-down governance of our schools.Friends of friends and people known to not make too many waves will have their arms twisted to fill vacant seats.Our children deserve better.Our schools deserve more resources\u2014financial and human.Students, parents, teachers, and school staff are the ones best placed to guide us.Make the reform work for them.Make it simple.Make it direct.Draw on the power of the grassroots.The Record will offer more detailed analysis of Bill 86 in our Thursday edition next week.Letters Dear Editor: It has been close to a year now, since I changed my work place.I wondered how I could let those that have touched my heart in so many special ways, know that I think of them often and care about them deeply.This is the reason for me writing to you, as I thought that it might be the only way possible that my greeting could be able to reach by everyone.My special Christmas wish is being sent to Manoir St- Francis in Lennoxville, to all the residents and staff This Christmas season gives me the opportunity to send everyone my love.May all have a wonderful Christmas with family, friends.May the New Year bring all a well wrapped gift of love, health and happiness.Love Bev Grey Lingwick QC The Record welcomes your letters to the editor.Please limit your letters to 300 words.We reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, legality and taste.Please ensure there is a phone number or email where you can be reached, to confirm authorship and current town/city of residence.Names will not be withheld but the address and phone number of the writer are not published, except by request.Preference is given to writers from the Eastern Townships. The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Page 7 \t\t Columni\t1ST\tOver fifty tellers gathered from across Canada to participate in workshops, listen to storytelling concerts and attend to the business of the organization.The Townships Tellers\u2019 25th! By Ann Rothfels Once upon a time there was a group of storytellers who met monthly year after year.Before they knew it, twenty-five years had passed! On Saturday December 5, 2015, at 6 p.m., seven members of the storytelling group \u201cThe Townships Tellers\u201d met for a potluck (what they call \u201cthe feast\u201d) and a celebration of twenty-five years of story at Heather Davis\u2019 house in Sherbrooke.Ann Rothfels (who is responsible for the group), Phyllis Baxter and Carol McKinley are original members.Michel Thibault, Minna Trower, Heather Davis, Shirley Nortcliffe and Lise Provencher joined the others along the way.Heather Lewis was not able to attend that evening.Carol McKinley was the one who bestowed the name upon the group (the original name was \u201cShare a Story with Sheherezade\u201d) and she was the one who encouraged Rothfels to keep ajournai in which she recorded who was present and what stories were told.Rothfels used those two journals that evening to read out a history of the group and to reflect upon those tellers who have since passed away: Bernie Epps, Dorothy Hew-son, Edith Warner, Norma and Claude Reiss, and Gail Pflaster.A highlight from the twenty-five years was their hosting of the 2001 national storytelling conference at Bishop\u2019s University for Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada.Over fifty tellers gathered from across Canada to participate in workshops, listen to storytelling concerts and attend to the business of the organization.The Townships Tellers were able to show off the best of the Townships, including a feast at the Unitarian Universalist Church of North Hatley where local produce was featured (including organic strawberries freshly picked at Ferme Sanders) and evening concerts by the group \u201cLe Grand respir\u201d and the Sacred Harp choir.The tellers meet on the third Thurs- day of the month at Uplands in Lennoxville, seven months of the year.The evening gatherings provide a safe place to try out a story for the first time and to get feedback when requested.Listening is intent and appreciation is deep.The group \u201cThe Townships Tellers\u201d is one of the best-kept secrets of the area.by Morgane Davis-Demers ¦©UP I Sri.From left to right: Lise Provencher, Carol McKinley, Ann Rothfels (who is responsible for the group), Michel Thibault, Phyllis Baxter, Shirley Nortcliffe and Heather Davis SUBSIDIZED CHILDCARE SERVICES RATES FOR 2016 IT\u2019S A GOOD IDEA TO BE INFORMED AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY Effective January 1, 2016, the contribution by a parent whose child attends a subsidized childcare service will include a basic contribution of $7.55 per day, per child, and an additional contribution that is adjusted according to f a m i I y income.The basic contribution and additional contribution are indexed annually on January 1.To view the new rates for 2016, parents can visit the Ministère de la Famille website at mfa.gouv.qc.ca/tool, CALCULATION TOOL Use the \u201cAdditional contribution for childcare expenses\u201d calculation tool available on the Ministère\u2019s website to estimate the total amount of the additional contribution per pay period.TO AVOID HAVING TO PAY THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION WHEN YOU FILE YOUR INCOME TAX RETURNS \u2022\tSet aside the amount of the additional contribution.\u2022\tIncrease the Québec income tax withheld at the source by your employer.\u2022\tIncrease the amount of your instalment if you are self-employed.ENSEMBLE^ 4* on protège nos sen/ices publics mfa.gouv.qc.ca/new-rates E3 E9 E9 E9 Québec Page 8 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record (((Siriusxnf))) caitavaNKips lüllliilïîl :l3s51ias?Jlîlî= lllltîllplïslîl ïï \" = ir Üliillfiiî! llllHî ffilfîli wain Beyour event REDUCTION0 ENDS DECEMBER 31ST *1,745 SAVE CirilT rUADTCC ON OTHER SELECT 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE MODELS Clum UIHKUlj (EXCLUDING sport models) LIMITED QUANTITIES.DEALERS CAN'T ORDER.ütoi liante December 1 to 31 HOLIDAY BONUS CASH on most 2016 models BONUS ON SELECT 2016 MODELS, EXCLUDING 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT AND 2016 JEEP PATRIOT SPORT MODELS Starting From Price for 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 4X4 shown, including $1,745* discount on freight charges and $500* Holiday Bonus Cash: $36,280** 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT 4X2 STARTING FROM: PURCHASE FINANCING STARTING FROM: t | PURCHASE FINANCING STARTING FROM: 25,495i$141®3.49 PRICE INCLUDES $500- HOLIDAY BONUS CASH, FREIGHT AND A/C CHARGES.CANADA'S MOST CAPABLE SMALL SUV EVER0 THE NEW 2016 JEEP RENEGADE SPORT 4X2 PURCHASE FINANCING STARTING FROM: STARTING FROM *20.995 X X BI-WEEKLY i/{ FREIGHTCHARGES INCLUDED.\to PRICE INCLUDES $500* HOLIDAY BONUS CASH AND FREIGHTCHARGES.Starting From Price for 2016 Jeep Renegade Limited 4X4 shown, including $500* Holiday Bonus Cash: $34,040** iIS III mini îilîfll nmîmiimn ÏMÜÜ-ijîsMîi iftilïiîiit I 1 '6, Starting From Price for 2016 Jeep Patriot North Edition 4X4 shown, including $4,000 in Jeep Cash and $500* Holiday Bonus Cash: $26,335*- THE MOST AFFORDABLE SUV IN CANADA* 2016 JEEP PATRIOT SPORT 4X2 STARTING FROM: *15,495 PRICE INCLUDES $3,250* IN JEEP CASH, $500* HOLIDAY BONUS CASH AND FREIGHT CHARGES.PURCHASE FINANCING STARTING FROM: $oo UU BI-WEEKLY FREIGHTCHARGES INCLUDED.@3.99% FOR 96 MONTHS AND $0 DOWN VISIT YOUR QUEBEC CHRYSLER | DODGE | JEEP® | RAM RETAILER jeep.ca/offers CHRYSLER Jeep The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Page 9 InfoSherbrookois is no more Record Staff The City of Sherbrooke has decided to cease publication of its thrice-yearly InfoSherbrookois information booklet.The latest edition, distributed via Pub-lisac last Wednesday was the last in its current format Last year, Council had called into doubt the relevancy of printing the information tool, which is distributed to all city homes three times a year.Nevertheless, the printing contract was renewed for the year 2015.Total expenses this year, including distribution, amounted to $268,000.A notice was also distributed to all households last week to announce the publication\u2019s final issue.The City had conducted a study to identify the real needs of the population and to study the means of communication used in other cities.Surveys were conducted in 2010 and 2013.InfoSherbrookois combined information on municipal services and para-municipal organizations to allow 313 eligible organizations to advertise their activities and another focused on each district.The printing process was, how- ever, constraining and forced agencies to provide their material eight weeks in advance.The majority of information was also posted on the web already, or other paper formats.It was therefore determined by the Communications Department that people wanted to keep written copies of the so-called unchanging information and that this will now be recorded in a printed citizen's guide.It will include, for example, procedure to obtain any permit or to pay a ticket.The organization guide will be found on the internet where citizens can search for information by location, type of activity, or cost.A newsletter will also be created to spread all new information that is deemed important.These new tools will allow more frequent updating of available information.According to the City, savings generated in 2016 will be $108 525, as the different platforms are created.Recurrent savings will reach $218 950 beginning 2017, when the process in complete.These savings will be reinvested in other communication tools as required, the city says.cmiioi PRonalure CFITIOTO Canada * Side by side 2015 Z \"Force\" 800 45, rue Craig Sud, Cookshire \u2022 www.scie-carrier.com O ° o ivierr CHRISTMAS V* ^ r new^ Neck Warmed V*n 9 colours J Scarves AUSTIN GLOVE Ski & Work BUY LOCAL Leather Gloves starting at $5.00 Mittens Hats Scarves %ON REG.PRICED I GLOVES &¦ MITTENS F not on already marked down items with presentation of this coupon Valid until Dec.24, 2015 1140 Panneton St., Sherbrooke * 819-569-2531 Mon.to Fri.: 10 a.m.to 5 p.m.; Sat.: 10 a.m.to 3 p.m.PRE-CHRISTMAS SALE Best prices - guaranteed! Well-known brands A.N.A.F.UNIT 318 THE HUT December 16, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.sharp For information: 819-346-9122 (noon to closing) 300 St.Francis Street, Borough of Lennoxville YANKEE CANDLE' Blue Seal, 96 Queen Street Best selection ofgiftware in town!\t \u2022 Candles\t\u2022 Gourmet \u2022 Jelly Belly\tliquorice \u2022 Flags\t\u2022 Partyware \u2022 Catseye\t* Balloons .and so\tmuch more! Gift certificates available.\t Shop early while supplies last!\t CENTRE DE NUTRITION ANIMALE 1730 Wellington S., Sherbrooke 819-348-1888 A blueseal@agrianalyse.com Gift Subscriptions (Jive tfiegift this year that never goes out of style.The Record Cad today and aslj about our special Christmas subscription rates.819-569-9528 ~ 450-242-1188 billing@sherbrookerecord.com CIK AUDIO VIDEO Since 1998 iLËÊÎttÛNIÊâ G0MPUÏLHS AUDIO WS Clhiristmas PromotLons SONOS 1979 King Quest Sherbrooke.www.cik.qc.ca 819-822-0045 Combo 2xPlay:1 Only 379$, 129$, Page 10 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record \t\t ¦'T\tLocal Sports\tStamkos has 11 goals and 11 assists in his first 31 games this season.Maple Leafs speculation continues to swirl as Stamkos returns to Toronto By Stephen Whyno THE CANADIAN PRESS Steven Stamkos returned Tuesday to the city that likes him back.In the aftermath of a furor over \u201cliking\u201d a tweet about the Maple Leafs pursuing him, the Tampa Bay Lightning captain came to Toronto on Tuesday to face the team many hockey observers have speculated could sign him this summer.Stamkos - who grew up in nearby Markham, Ont., - has said his actions on Twitter, recently and two summers ago, were accidental.After NBA star LeBron James went \u201chome\u201d to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Stamkos also liked a tweet speculating about him being hockey's version of that.No matter the intent, Stamkos not having a contract extension with the Lightning is more than enough fuel for speculation about his future.Information about negotiations has been tightly guarded by his camp at Newport Sports and Tampa Bay management.Stamkos has never ruled out the possibility of playing for the Leafs at some point in his career.This would be his chance.\u201cI'm not going to look too far into that just because I don't have a crystal ball,\u201d said Leafs forward Shawn Matthias, who was Stamlcos's roommate at the 2008 world junior championship.\u201cI can't predict the future.He's a great player.I'm sure everybody around the league would love to play with him because he's done so much in the game already.\u201d Stamkos has 11 goals and 11 assists in his first 31 games this season but is almost a point-a-game player in his career.In 523 NHL games, he has 287 goals and 233 assists for 520 points.Add in the fact that Stamkos will be 26 in February, and he's due a major payday.A long-term contract worth an average of US$10.5 million per year isn't out of the question.The elephant-in-the-room question is whether Stamkos will be paid by the Lightning or another team.\u201cHe's scored so many goals and he's a great player,\u201d Matthias said.\u201cHe seems like a good leader.I'm sure if you asked anyone if they would love to play with him, everyone would say, 'Yeah, of course.' He's that good of a player.\u201d Stamkos told reporters Monday in Columbus that he doesn't let his status \u201ccreep into the (loclcer)-room\u201d with the Lightning.He was named captain in the spring of 2014 after general manager Steve Yzerman traded Martin St.Louis to the New York Rangers, as the veteran winger requested.A year ago, coach Mike Babcock was the biggest impending free agent and buzz about him going to the Leafs came true.Looking back, Babcock said he didn't think about it or let it affect his job.\u201cThe only time it bothered me to be honest with you (was) when I came here and people would be yelling at you, 'Are you coming here?' Other than that, you didn't even notice it was going on,\u201d Babcock said.\u201cYou didn't worry about it.And I expect it's the same for him.I think the noise around you only affects you if you listen to it.\u201d \u201cIf you just get on with your life, the hunting channel and country music, THE CANADIAN PRESS Steven Stamkos you don't even know what's going on.\u201d Stamkos can insulate himself a bit in Tampa, but Tuesday brought the subject back to the forefront.Canadiens goaltender Carey Price wins Lou Marsh Trophy after career best season The Canadian Press Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has made history again.Price became the first hockey goal-tender to win the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's top athlete on Tuesday.Price hit career highs with 44 wins with a 1.96 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage for Montreal in the 2014-15 season.He also won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender, the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player as voted by the Professional Hockey Writer's Association and earned the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL MVP as judged by his fellow players.He also shared the William M.Jennings Trophy for most goals allowed with Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blaclchawks.Price's 44 wins set a record for most in a season by a Canadiens goaltender and was tied for fifth with six other players for most in a season.The 28 year old from Anahim Lake, B.C., is only the second player in the storied history of the Canadiens franchise to win four NHL awards in one season.The Lou Marsh award is selected annually by a panel of sports journalists from across Canada and is named after the former Toronto Star sports editor.It's been awarded every year since 1936 _ save for the 1942-44 _ with a hockey player winning 13 times.Bobsledder Kaillie Humphries won the award in 2014.New Roughriders GM Jones filling out his football operations staff The Canadian Press The Saskatchewan Roughriders have given Jeremy O'Day a new title with the CFL club, naming him assistant vice-president of football operations and administration on Tuesday.He served as interim vice-president of football operations and general manager for the final nine games of the 2015 season.O'Day, who played 12 seasons with the Riders, joined the front office in 2011 and spent four seasons as assistant general manager and director of football operations.The Roughriders also hired John Murphy to be their assistant vice-president of football operations and player personnel on Tuesday.He spent the last five seasons as Calgary Stampeders assistant GM and director of player personnel.The announcements came just over a week after the Roughriders named Chris Jones as their head coach, GM and vice-president of football operations.The former Edmonton head coach guided the Eskimos to a Grey Cup victory last month.LIGNE POUMON-9 1888 POUMON-9 Quebec Lung Association To help you quit smoking The Record production@sherbrookerecor d.com Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Page 11 Datebook Death\t\tDeath\t\tDeath WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2015 Today is the 350th day of 2015 and the 85th day of autumn.TODAY\u2019S HISTORY: In 1773, Tea Act protesters dumped hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor, an act that came to be known as the \u201cBoston Tea Party.\u201d In 1835, a huge fire destroyed nearly 700 buildings in New York City.In 1944, German forces began a 90-minute artillery barrage against the Allied front, signaling the onset of the Battle of the Bulge.In 2000, President George W.Bush selected Colin Powell as the first African-American secretary of state.TODAY\u2019S BIRTHDAYS: Jane Austen (1775-1817), author; Noel Coward (1899-1973), playwright; Margaret Mead (1901-1978), anthropologist; Arthur C.Clarke (1917-2008), writer; Philip K.Dick (1928-1982), author; Lesley Stahl (1941- ), journalist; Steven Bochco (1943-\t), screenwriter/producer; Shane Black (1961-\t), actor/screenwriter/director; William \u201cThe Refrigerator\u201d Perry (1962-), football player; Benjamin Bratt (1963- ), actor; Krysten Ritter (1981- ), actress.TODAY\u2019S FACT: Margaret Mead was named \u201cMother of the World\u201d by Time magazine in 1969.TODAY\u2019S SPORTS: In 1973, Buffalo Bills running back O.J.Simpson became the first player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.TODAY\u2019S QUOTE: \u201cThe only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.\u201d \u2014 Arthur C.Clarke TODAY\u2019S NUMBER: $2.8 billion -worldwide box-office gross of James Cameron\u2019s \u201cAvatar,\u201d which began its wide international release on this day in 2009.It remains the highest-grossing film of all time (not adjusted for inflation).TODAYS MOON: Between new moon (Dec.11) and first quarter moon (Dec.18).THL ± LUNG ASSOCIATION'\t1 -800-295-8 HI |\tOebec\twww.pq.lung, ca Who is included in the statistics,.This year, Z1 700 Canadians will develop lung cancer and only 2 800 will survive! Your donation could make all the difference! Bernice BESSON Bernice peacefully passed away on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at St.Luke\u2019s Place, Cambridge, Ontario at the age of 94.Loving wife of the late Jean Roland Besson (2007).Dear mother of Kara, Donna and Peter (Mary).Grandmother of 4 granddaughters and 5 great-grandsons.Cremation has taken place and at Bernice\u2019s request a private family gathering will take place.Donations may be made in her memory to St.Luke\u2019s Place Foundation, Cambridge, Ontario or to the Canadian Cancer Society.LOUNSBURY FUNERAL HOME 1766 Franklin Blvd., Cambridge ON PHONE: 519-658-9366 FAX: 519-658-4481 www.lounsburyfuneralhome.com Georges BLANCHETTE (1932-2015) Georges Blanchette peacefully passed away on December 12, 2015 at the CHUS Fleurimont.Husband of the late Jacqueline Forgues, he leaves behind his four daughters Gisèle (Luu Mai), Diane (Richard Bubar), Nicole (Francis Parent) and Élise (Benoit Legault), his grandchildren Marie Parent, Simon Parent, Nicolas Legault (Josianne Lemieux) and David Legault, and his siblings Anne-Marie (Roland Laffance), Henri (Claudette Fleury), Norbert (Marielle Forgues), Thérèse and the late Philippe (Pauline Forcier).He is also survived by the members of the Forgues family as well as nephews, nieces and friends.The family will welcome you at the Steve L.Ellcas Funeral Home, 601, rue du Conseil, Sherbrooke, on Thursday, December 17 from 2 to 4 p.m.and from 7 to 10 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m.until departure from the home at 10:45 a.m.The funeral service will be held on Friday, December 18 at 11 a.m.at the Immaculee-Conception church.The family wishes to thank the staff of the CHUS Fleurimont for their kindness, understanding and the excellent care provided to Mr.Blanchette.As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent to the CHUS Foundation, 530, 10e Avenue Sud, Sherbrooke (Qc) JIG 2R9 or to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2630, rue King Ouest, Bureau 100, Sherbrooke (Qc)J1J2H1.STEVE L.ELKAS FUNERAL HOME\tPHONE: 819-565-1155 601 Conseil St., Sherbrooke QC\tFAX: 819-820-8872 E-mail: info@steveelkas.com\twww.steveelkas.com Get screened for osteoporosis to avoid future fractures ASK DOCTOR K By Anthony L.Komaroff, M.D.DEAR DOCTOR K: I\u2019m 65, and my doctor says it\u2019s time for me to be screened for osteoporosis.But isn\u2019t this condition painful?Wouldn\u2019t I know it if I had it?DEAR READER: Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become less dense, weaker and more likely to break.But unless it leads to a broken bone, osteoporosis is not painful.Osteoporosis is a disease that causes no symptoms for many years \u2014 until it suddenly does.And \u201ccommon sense\u201d leads many people to ask why they should bother to have tests to diagnose it, or treatments to improve it, if it\u2019s not causing any symptoms.The answer is also \u201ccommon sense\u201d: so that it will never cause you symptoms.Most people with undiscovered and (therefore) untreated osteoporosis have never had a fracture.That means they\u2019ve had no symptoms related to their weakened bones.The gold-standard screening test for osteoporosis is \u201cdual energy X-ray absorptiometry\u201d (DEXA).For this procedure, a machine sends X-rays through bones in order to calculate how dense the bones are.The density of bone is determined in large part by the amount of calcium deposited in the bone.The process is quick, taking only five minutes.And it\u2019s simple: You lie on a table while an imager passes over your body.DEXA can measure bone density at the spine, hip, wrist or total body.The DEXA scan or ultrasound will give you a number called a T-score.This number represents how close you are to average peak bone density in the population at large.T-score results are interpreted as follows: \u2014 If your T-score is minus 1 or greater, your bone density is considered normal.\u2014 If your T-score is between minus 1 and minus 2.5, you have low bone density, known as osteopenia, but not osteoporosis.\u2014 If your T-score is minus 2.5 or less, you have osteoporosis, even if you haven\u2019t yet broken a bone.Ask your doctor about being screened for osteoporosis if you are: \u2014\ta woman age 65 or older or a man age 70 or older; \u2014\ta postmenopausal woman under age 65 or a man age 50 to 70 with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis (such as being a smoker or having a family history of osteoporosis); \u2014\ta woman or man with a medical condition (such as anorexia, celiac disease or hyperparathyroidism) or taking a medication (such as anticonvulsants, heparin or loop diuretics) that places you at high risk for osteoporotic fractures; \u2014\ta woman or man who has taken glucocorticoids for at least two months; \u2014\ta woman in menopause who has specific risk factors that increase fracture risk (such as low body weight or a prior fracture); \u2014\ta woman or man over age 50 who has fractured a bone or whose bones look thin on standard X-rays.So, I agree with your doctor.A screening test for osteoporosis is in your best interest \u2014 even if nothing hurts now.Dr Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School RATES and DEADLINES: ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICES BIRTH NOTICES, CARDS OF THANKS, IN MEMORIAMS, BRIEFLETS: Text only: 400 per word.Minimum charge $10.00 ($11.50 taxes included) Discounts: 2 insertions or more: 15% off With photo: additional $18.50.DEADLINE: 11 a.m., day before publication.BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY & GET-WELL WISHES, ENGAGEMENT NOTICES: Text only: $16.00 (includes taxes) With photo: $26.00 ($29.90 taxes included) DEADLINE: 3 days before publication.WEDDING WRITE-UPS: $26.00 ($29.90 taxes included) WITH PHOTO: $36.00 ($41.40 taxes included) Please Note: All of the aforementioned (except death notices) must be submitted typewritten or neatly printed, and must include the signature and daytime telephone number of the contact person.Can be e-mailed to: clas-sad@sherbrookerecord.com - They will not be taken by phone.DEADLINES FOR DEATH NOTICES: For Monday\u2019s paper, call 819-569-4856 between 1 p.m.and 5 p.m.Sunday.For Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday\u2019s edition, call 819-569-4856 or fax 819-569-1187 (please call to confirm transmission) ore-mail: production@sherbrookerecord.com between 9 a.m.and 5 p.m.the day prior to the day of publication.The Record cannot guarantee publication if another Record number is called.Rates: Please call for costs. Page 12 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record My wife is a social worker and says that she helps strangers, so why can\u2019t she help her own family WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2015 Dear Annie: My wife\u2019s niece has a 3-year-old child whom we love dearly.We help take care of this child and pay for a great deal of the baby\u2019s care.The problem is, my wife frequently offers advice to her niece.The niece cusses her out, and my wife ends up in tears.But my wife insists she has to keep doing this in order to help the baby.I disagree with her logic.I told her she is simply repeating the same pattern over and over, setting herself up for misery.This niece is not a nice person, she treats her own mother (my wife\u2019s sister) poorly.Her crying is disturbing to me.My wife is a social worker and says that she helps strangers, so why can\u2019t she help her own family?\u2014 Stop Already Dear Stop: She can\u2019t help her own family because she is not objective enough.She also believes her background will somehow give her more authority over her niece, when it obviously does not.Unless your wife enjoys being a martyr (and she may), she should back off from giving advice and simply transfer her professional skills toward the care of the baby, who will benefit from being loved by someone who obviously has a great deal to give.Dear Annie: I keep reading letters from women who are concerned that their husbands of many years look at porn, go to strip clubs or have affairs.That sounds awful.But guess what can happen after 25 years of marriage?Husbands look forward to the last 25 years of their lives with their loving wives, and all of a sudden, the wives act as though they don\u2019t like their husbands anymore.All affection stops and some wives even announce that there will be no more sex ever.We men wonder what is going on and then realize that this is menopause.So now, the last 25 years are not going to be nearly as good as we had anticipated.More than half of my male friends got divorced when their wives were in their late 50s, and sometimes the wife initiated the divorce.I have not had sex with my wife in years.Please don\u2019t advise counseling or hormones.The women don\u2019t believe anything is wrong, and they are justifiably reluctant to take drugs that have serious side effects.So, ladies, decide which is better: Men viewing porn and masturbating (which the medical community agrees is healthy for men who aren\u2019t having sex with their partners) or getting a divorce because the husbands are starved for affection and sex.There are two sides to every story.\u2014 S.Dear S.: You have made a valid point that a lot of women will not like.But women who have lost their libido often don\u2019t understand why their husbands aren\u2019t equally uninterested, and sometimes, they don\u2019t care enough to make any effort to maintain this part of their relationship.This risks the marriage.Most men need the affection and comfort that intimacy provides and are not only bewildered by this turn of events, but also hurt and sometimes resentful.Those who turn to masturbation via porn are excoriated.This should not be a zero-sum game.Both husbands and wives need to be educated about these changes and understand how to best handle them within their own marriages.Dear Annie: Each year, I dread Christmas Eve, which is too bad because it used to be such a special night for me.My husband\u2019s two siblings take turns having Christmas Eve dinner at their homes.They always throw it in my face that I never host the dinner.The truth is, I always volunteer, but I want to rent out a banquet room to do so.They act like being outside one\u2019s home is the Annie\u2019s Mailbox worst thing in the world.Annie, my husband and I have one child, so there are only three of us.The other siblings have spouses, significant others, multiple children and grandchildren.When we are together, the little ones run through the house eating everything and making a mess.The one time I held the event, my son was 18 months old.We had just spent nine days in the hospital.I was completely exhausted, and not one of them offered to help.They even told me what time to schedule the dinner so their adult children could make it.I love my husband\u2019s side of the family.They are great people and lots of fun, so I hate feeling like an outcast.What can we do to make everyone happy?\u2014 Dreading Christmas Dear Dreading: You can\u2019t make everyone happy.Your in-laws know you have volunteered to host this holiday dinner, and that you prefer not to have the chaos in your house.But they want the home experience, which means you will never host the dinner.They are being somewhat unreasonable, but then, so are you.You could probably manage to put up with the chaos and mess for one evening out of every thousand.But if you cannot handle that, offer instead to cook part of the meal or contribute to the cost, and stop beating yourself up about not hosting.The reply to their barbs is, \u201cYes, I\u2019m so sorry you won\u2019t let me host it elsewhere.\u201d Dear Annie: I don\u2019t understand the expectation that people should purchase a token gift for a couple with a destination wedding.Do you have any idea of the cost per person for wedding receptions these days?Guests should either decline the invitation, in which case a token gift is appropriate, or they should attend the wedding and give something that\u2019s worth the cost of the dinner being consumed.Giving a token gift under those circumstances is an insult.\u2014 Poughkeepsie, N.Y.Dear Poughkeepsie: We\u2019re afraid you have it backward.A wedding reception is what the couple can afford as they wish to celebrate their happiness with friends and family.It should not be planned with the expectation that guests will help pay for it by giving a gift commensurate with the cost of their meal.That would be a called a \u201cfundraiser.\u201d Extravagant weddings can put a huge burden on the bridal couple and their parents, not to mention guests who feel obligated to give more than they can comfortably afford.We\u2019d like to see a return to simpler affairs.Dear Annie: My heart goes out to \u201cPlus-Sized Good Catch,\u201d who can\u2019t find any men to date because of her size.Tell her that there are plenty of men who like larger women, but they won\u2019t admit it because they fear ridicule from their peers.The Internet has several dating sites catering to this group.One reason the divorce rate is so high is because people select their mates based on appearances.But a woman who is not a perfect 10 can still provide a quality relationship for a man who\u2019s smart enough to see past her looks.If she and I get along and she treats me decently, I could care less what she looks like.\u2014 64 and Wiser in Virginia Dear Annie: My brother-in-law married \u201cRose,\u201d a divorcee, a year ago, although they had been living together for several.This was a second marriage for both of them, and they each have adult children.Rose died three months ago from a quickly spreading cancer.She was only 67.Here\u2019s the problem: Rose\u2019s three adult sons insisted that the name on the death notice, death certificate and grave marker be her first husband\u2019s, with no acknowledgment of her current legal last name.My brother-in-law protested, but was bullied into doing what the boys wanted.But that is not the end of the story.The sons then had their father\u2019s ashes placed into Rose\u2019s coffin and buried them together in a Catholic graveyard \u2014 and their father was Jewish.Our family is distraught over these unethical, horrific, selfish events.Can you imagine being buried with your divorced husband\u2019s ashes?These were not her wishes.Is there any recourse?\u2014 Hurting for My Brother-in-Law Dear Hurting: Were Rose\u2019s wishes in writing?Did she leave instructions with an attorney?Rose\u2019s children want their parents to be together.Your family can consult a lawyer, but it is unlikely you will get the ex-husband\u2019s ashes disinterred unless your brother-in-law is prepared for a legal fight.We suggest your brother-in-law put a second death notice in the paper with Rose\u2019s legal married name so that their friends and family members will know.Beyond that, please be supportive of whatever your brother-in-law chooses to do.Dear Annie: Several months ago, I placed my husband in an assisted-living facility because he has Alzheimer\u2019s disease.My grown children and his doctor helped me make this difficult decision.I\u2019ve dealt with feelings of guilt and several times thought I should bring him home.But then I remember how worn out and frustrated I was when I was doing everything.I see him often.He\u2019s well cared for and content.A friend of mine visits a family member at the same facility.Today, she called to tell me that my husband said he misses me and that he\u2019s lonely.And then she added, \u201cWouldn\u2019t you be?\u201d I know full-well that none of this actually happened, because my husband has been unable to carry on any type of conversation for a very long time.Why would someone want to make me feel even worse?\u2014 Feeling Bad Enough Already Dear Feeling: Nice friend you have.Some people enjoy poking their noses where they don\u2019t belong and eliciting a shocked reaction.It makes them feel important.She may even be projecting her own feelings of guilt onto you.Ignore her.She isn\u2019t worth one second of your time.Dear Annie: I read the letter from \u201cSad Mother,\u201d whose adult son may be suicidal.I know about this.I agree with your advice, and ultimately the burden is on the individual to seek help.However, it is our obligation, no matter the difficulty, to address suicidal statements with severe responses.If the son has said, \u201cI want to end my life,\u201d or has made plans or expressed ideation toward self-harm, that must be dealt with immediately.I had to call the police and have a loved one taken to the mental hospital by force.It is challenging to accept that someone you love may need to be hospitalized.But expressions of self-harm and plans or wishes to die are serious and should not be viewed with a \u201cwait and see\u201d attitude.Waiting could be deadly.I would rather apologize to a living person than second-guess myself at a funeral.\u2014 Empa-thetic Reader Annie\u2019s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column.Please email your questions to anniesmailbox@creators.com, or write to: Annie\u2019s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.You can also find Annie on Facebook at Facebook.com/AskAnnies.E-mail your social news to classad@sherbrookerecord.com The Record production@sherbrookerecord.com Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Page 13 CELEBRITY CIPHER by Luis Campos Alley Oop Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.Each letter in the cipher stands for another.\u201cZP AGUOJN GTX ZMUOJN \u2014 D ADLYNJX DA D EMYWX ZGIJ UOJZ WGYLO, UOJP\u2019X RUMK ADLOUDTL.RUMWJ GWW UOJDN ZGUJNDGW.\u201d \u2014 SJNNP RUDWWJN Previous Solution: \u201cWhen someone does a small task beautifully, their whole environment is affected by it.\u201d \u2014 Jerry Seinfeld TODAY\u2019S CLUE: O Sjenbe 3 Reality Check Nfo, THE D^XN/KS HAVEN'T been WATERED DOWN/- WHY?mv Herman