Archive
Lettres - Letters
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31 octobre / October 31
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“Happiness is found in the heart”
Fred Ryan
The 14th Dalai Lama spoke to a full house at Lansdowne Park’s Civic Centre, October 28, following a exhibition of Tibetan film, music and dance. The event attracted people from across the country, inlcudng many from Aylmer and West Quebec. Speaking as the leader of Tibet’s government in exile and as the head of Tibet Buddhism, the Dalai Lama described himself as “a regular person with no formality”. Using a lot of humour and parctical examples, he impressed upon the crowd the importance of compassion as well as internal and external kindness in all of life’s problems. He said compassion, a major Buddhist concept, is “warm-heartedness”.
Speaking of world peace, he told the audience to seek a holistic approach to peace and non-violence, noting that war is obsolete because whatever military actions are taken, they inevitably come back to harm the originators. He proposed banning arms sales, the merging of armies into regional forces, and the replacement of military actions with a “peace corps” to provide purpose and self confidence to the world’s youth as well as to aid downtrodden peoples.
On the question of Tibet and China, the Dalai Lama repeated that his country does not seek independence from China, but more autonomy. “TIbet has been a country very poor in material things, but very advanced in spiritual things,” he said; by staying within China, the country’s health and education will be improved especially in rural areas, and more autonomy will allow the Tibetans to pursue their spiritual goals. He said China is changing and the Chinese people are listening and want Tibet to keep its principles. He mentioned the troubles in Burma, lead by Buddhist monks, and said that protests must be done with compassion to avoid a violent response. He said he doubted the situation will be resolved without the intervention of China and India. Resorting to violence, he said, is a bit “like suicide.”
The following day the Dalai Lama met Prime MInister Harper on Parliament Hill. This visit, plus the Americans’ awarding him the Congressional Gold Medal the week earlier, has angered the Chinese government.
Photo: David R. McColl
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Les trois bureaux de poste
Je me permets de vous écrire au sujet des trois bureaux de poste qui desservent le secteur d`Aylmer. Il est regrettable que tous trois soient maintemant situés au nord de la rue Principale, alors que celui qui existait du coté sud n’est plus qu’un dépôt. Les aînés de Glenwood pouvaient alors plus facilement prendre un peu d`exercice en marchant jusqu`a la poste sans avoir à traverser la circulation intense de la rue Principale.
Il y a probablement une explication logique à cet état de choses.
Louise Owens
Aylmer
Mise en garde pour vos animaux domestiques
La SPCA, soucieuse de voir la fête de l’Halloween se passer sans accidents fâcheux pour les enfants et pour les animaux de compagnie, rappelle ce qui suit :
- Les chiens domestiques n’apprécient pas particulièrement les adorables « petits monstres déguisés » hurlant à la porte. Ils peuvent, par instinct de protection de leur territoire, attaquer ce qu’ils perçoivent comme de l’agressivité. Il est donc recommandé très fortement aux propriétaires de chiens d’enfermer leurs compagnons loin des activités afin qu’aucun accident fâcheux ne vienne ruiner le plaisir de la fête (+/- 117,000 Québécois sont mordus par un chien chaque année – dans 50% des cas ce sont des enfants);
- La période de l’Halloween est la période la plus taxante de l’année pour les animaux domestiques perdus et égarés. L’ouverture continuelle des portes pour recevoir les jeunes créé l’opportunité idéale pour nos animaux de nous fausser compagnie. Par conséquence, on se rend compte seulement en fin de soirée que l’animal de la maison a profité de la porte ouverte pour prendre la clef des champs. Encore une fois, il est prudent d’enfermer ses compagnons le soir de cette fête.
Merci de nous aider à veiller sur le bien-être des animaux ! Pour toute information, communiquez avec 819-243-2004.
Yves Geoffrion
SPCA de l’Outaouais
Gatineau
Appauvrissement de nombreux aînés
En marge du passage à Gatineau de la consultation sur les conditions de vie des aînés, comme le candidat du NPD dans Hull-Aylmer, je dénonce les politiques des gouvernements tant conservateurs que libéraux.
Je suis préoccupé par l’écart grandissant entre les mieux nantis, d’une part, et la classe moyenne et les plus démunis d’autre part. On a parlé longtemps du déséquilibre fiscal. Mais il y a aussi un déséquilibre social. Les personnes très riches sont encore plus riches. Mais pour tout le reste des gens, la situation est pire. Après des années de coupures, les aînés ont été gravement touchés.
Les coupures dans les transferts fédéraux en santé ont fait très mal. Marcel Proulx est représentant du parti qui a fait le plus de coupures dans les années 1990, et on s’en ressent toujours. Le manque de logements abordables est un grand pro blème. Il n’y a pas eu de nouveaux investissements fédéraux dans les soins à domicile. Soyons clairs : les aînés se sont appauvris tant sous les règnes conservateurs que libéraux .
Je partage les préoccupations de l’Association québécoise des retraité(e)s des secteurs public et parapublic (AQRP) de la région de l’Outaouais ainsi que plusieurs autres groupes qui dénoncent l’appauvrissement de trop d’aînés. La protection des fonds de pension est également une priorité pour le NPD.
Il va en profiter pour distribuer la « Charte des aînés », une initiative du NPD et adoptée par le Parlement en 2006.
Pierre Ducasse
Aylmer
Le candidat du NPD dans Hull-Aylmer
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Don’t vote in school board elections
Voting in Quebec’s School Board elections November 4th implies approval of a broken and non-transparent system. The best way to tell the government you do not approve is to withhold your vote.
The English school boards spend hundreds of millions of dollars under little public scrutiny; the usefulness of these boards to the English community in Quebec is now long past. Any public system receiving less than 15% of voter interest certainly requires extra scrutiny and modification.
Affiliation Quebec has called for the abolishment of the School Board system, along with the termination of property taxes as the basis for financing primary and secondary education.
Affiliation Quebec ( www.affiliationquebec.ca ) is a new political party formed to pursue the full rights and interests of staunch Canadians living in Quebec.
Allen E. Nutik, Leader
Affiliation Quebec
Montreal
Spaying stray cats
Animal Aide Outaouais (AAO) is a not for profit registered organization working to help eliminate pet overpopulation in our area by providing financial support to individuals or rescue groups for the spaying and neutering of stray/feral cats. For further information on how to apply or to donate to the Feline Fund, please visit AAO Website at www.animalaide.ca or contact us at 819-684-4081.
Isabelle Beauvais
Aylmer
Minor hockey’s rigid rules
I would like to let people know what I am going through with minor hockey in Aylmer and Shawville. My son is 10 years old. He played hockey in Aylmer last year (his first year). This year he was registered in Aylmer again, but I was called by the Aylmer Minor Hockey Association (AHMA) to learn my son could not play for the AHMA as he lives in Luskville (9 kms from Aylmer) and that he would have to play for the Shawville Minor Hockey Association (SMHA). Shawville is 49 kms from Luskville.
I called Trevor Fraser of the SMHA to see if my son could play in Aylmer. He said under no circumstance would they release him and that he would have to play for Shawville and pay the $330 registration fee. In Aylmer the fee is $175.
So not only would we have to travel 40 kms more each way but we would also have to pay $155 more to do so.
My son goes to school in Aylmer and has classmates who play on the same team as my son. In Shawville he knows no one. He goes to school in Aylmer; plays in Aylmer with his friends, plays tackle football in Gatineau. What will this do to him emotionally? The only boy in his school playing for a rival team — he could become an outcast.
We are not talking about a competitive hockey team. It’s supposed to be just for fun and exercise.
I also contacted everyone in the Quebec / Ouatouais Hockey circle in Quebec, and no one will return my calls or emails.
Is this the end of his hockey days? It looks that way.
Another problem is travelling in winter down Highway 148; everyone knows it is poorly maintained and is a dangerous stretch of highway.
I will once again comfort my crying son tonight and explain to him how society has failed him and maybe one day he will be able to play hockey again with his friends. Remember he is ten and has done nothing wrong; he doesn’t deserve this treatment.
Kevin McNally
Aylmer
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