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19 décembre / December 19
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Cottage Living has a photo contest winner!
Lakshmi Sundaram
Starting from a large group of photo entries, both prints and emailed copies, Michael Bones of Aylmer has been chosen as the winner of the 2007 Cottage Living magazine photo contest. His photo, taken at the family cottage on Lac Hughes, captured 13 year old Christopher Bones lolling in a kayak.
The photos were judged on sharpenss of focus, composition, lighting, and subject matter. Using a Canon D30, with a zoom lens, Mr. Bones easily fulfilled all criteria; the judges were unanimous in their choice. His photo reflects the essence of cottage living. “Christopher didn’t know I was taking the photo,” said Mr. Bones “It was mid day and he was just taking in the sun.”
Cottage Living received many incredible photos in this year’s contest, depicting all aspects of cottage living. In the 2008 issue of Cottage Living, the judges’ favourite 2007 photo entries will be scattered throughout the magazine. Readers will be able to compare the ultimate cottage living experiences of their West Quebec friends and neighbours.
Cottage Living magazine is published every summer. Look for the 2008 issue, available free of charge, at the end May.
Editor Lakshmi Sundaram presents Michael Bones with his free vacation at Les Cabines Chutes Coulonge.
Photo: Julie Murray
Le concours de photo de Vie de chalet a son gagnant!
Lakshmi Sundaram
Michael Bones d’Aylmer est le grand ga gnant du concours de photo 2007 du magazine Vie de chalet; un nombre impressionnant de photos, en versions imprimées ou électroniques, ont été soumises au concours. La photo gagnante de M. Bones a été prise à son chalet familial au lac Hughes et montre son fils Christopher Bones, 13 ans, dans un kayak.
Les critères de sélection des photos comprenaient la netteté de la mise au point, la composition, l’éclairage et le sujet. M. Bones, avec son appareil Canon D30 muni d’un objectif zoom, a facilement rencontré tous ces critères; le vote des juges a été unanime. Sa photo représente bien l’essence même de la vie de chalet. « Christopher ne savait pas que je prenais la photo », dit M. Bones, « c’était au beau milieu de la journée et il ne faisait que profiter du soleil. »
Vie de chalet a reçu beaucoup de photos superbes pour le concours de cette année, tous les aspects de la vie de chalet s’y retrouvaient. Les photos préférées des juges se retrouveront ici et là dans l’édition 2008 du magazine Vie de chalet.
Le magazine Vie de chalet est publié à chaque été et est disponible gratuitement à la fin du mois de mai. Gardez l’œil ouvert pour l’édition 2008.
(Trad.: C.B.)
La Caisse Pop aide le Centre Alimentaire
Dans l’ordre habituel: Stephen Brûlé, Directeur du Comité du Fonds d’Aide au Développement du Milieu a remis le chèque en compagnie du Directeur de la Caisse Populaire Desjardins d’Aylmer Luc Grandmont ici accompagné de Donna Lévesque, directrice générale du Centre Alimentaire et Jacques DeRop, Président. Photo : Stéphanie Proulx
Birdwatchers’ Corner: Follow the mob
Crows can often be a birder’s friend if you take the time to listen to what they are saying. Perched owls and hawks are often harassed by noisy crows. This defensive action which is called mobbing is meant to chase the predator out of their territory. Mobbing includes loud and persistent cawing and shrill cries and sometimes flying bypasses.
On December 8, I was birding in the Cedars when I heard a large flock of crows mobbing a victim somewhere in Parc Claude-Rioux at the north end of Canotage. I decided to investigate the din and slowly made my way to where the noise was coming from and discovered a Barred Owl perched in a tree about eight feet off the ground. The owl did not seem to be overly bothered by all the commotion and I did not try to get too close as it already had enough to deal with. Later in the day fellow birder Donald Dallaire was able to take the accompanying photo of this owl and as you can clearly see it has dark eyes. All other owls in eastern Canada have yellow eyes so if you find a dark-eyed owl you are looking at a Barred.
Reports this week come from Rachèle Vallée, Richard Brouillet and André and Christine Gravel. Rachèle’s feeders have been busy at her home on Denise Friend where her regular visitors include Cardinals, Juncos, Chickadees, Starlings, Redpolls, Starlings and House Sparrows. She has also had a Cooper’s hawk that takes the odd song bird. These predators will often show up at backyard feeders during the winter as they are simply following their food supply. Richard birded along the Steel Line and in the Gatineau Park where he and his wife spotted sixteen species including a Red-tailed hawk, Bald and Golden Eagles, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, Redpolls, Wild Turkeys and a late Common Grackle. Andre and Christine spotted a total of 30 Wild Turkeys in various spots between Breckenridge and Eardley together with Pine Grosbeaks, Snow Buntings and a Rough-legged hawk.
Red-throated Loon at Deschênes
Early on December 10 I was checking the river in Deschenes as a fellow birder had reported a Common Loon in the open water below the rapids and I wanted to add this bird to my winter list (December 1-Feburary 29). Before leaving the area I decided to check above the rapids as well and was rewarded by locating a very late Red-throated loon. This bird is listed as “very rare and not normally present” at this time of the year.
Please send your bird reports and/or questions to me at gmcnulty@videotron.ca or at 819-684-9861. Merry Christmas and good birding!
Garry McNulty
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Plan de couverture des incendies, eau et environnement – grandes lignes du budget 2008 de Gatineau
Julie Murray
Le conseil a décidé d’investir dans l’infrastructure en 2008, entre autre, 6 millions$ serviront à l’achat de nouveaux camions à incendie et à la construction d’une caserne de pompiers dans l’est de la ville pour rencontrer les normes provinciales de sécurité en matière d’incendie. La construction d’une usine de traitement des eaux à Aylmer coûtera 15 millions$ et 9 millions$ iront à la rénovation de l’usine de traitement des eaux usées à Gatineau, tandis que 16 millions$ serviront à la réparation des systèmes d’eaux et d’égouts.
Formule ‘tout en un’ de recyclage et recyclage de plastique
Le budget fait la promotion de choix responsables face à l’environnement. Chaque foyer aura des frais de 159,77$ de plus que l’an dernier pour couvrir les coûts de 5,22 millions$ pour la gestion des matières résiduelles; le recyclage ‘tout en un’ est prévu à partir du 1er mai. La ville compte aussi dépenser 50 000$ pour un programme de recyclage de contenants de pla stique aux centres sportifs, 57 000$ pour planter 150 000 arbres.
L’utilisation des surplus
La ville investira 8,7 millions des surplus prévus pour 2007 dans des projets d’envergure tel que le complexe sportif et le réseau des bibliothèques. Parmi les autres projets importants on retrouve l’aménagement du rivage de la rivière des Outaouais, le long de la rue Jacques Cartier; il s’agit d’un projet de 32 millions$ en partenariat avec la Commission de la Capitale nationale. Voir aussi la page 32. (Trad.: C.B.)
La patrouille-neige
La neige doit demeurer sur votre propriété
La Ville de Gatineau rappelle aux citoyens l’importance de collaborer lors des opérations de déneigement dans le but de faciliter le travail des équipes sur le terrain. Il est interdit de déposer de la neige sur l’emprise de la rue; les chemins publics; les trottoirs; les sentiers récréa tifs; les bornes d’incendie; toute autre place publique, et tout autre terrain sans le consentement du propriétaire.
Une patrouille-neige sillonnera les rues et des constats d’infraction d’un montant minimum de 100 $ , plus les frais administratifs, seront distribués aux propriétaires, ou à toute autre personne à qui incombe la responsabilité de l’entretien de l’immeuble, qui auront contrevenu au règlement municipal.
Renseignements : 3-1-1
(FR)
Riel veut le Rapibus au boulevard des Allumettières
Julie Murray
De peur que le nouveau boulevard des Allumettières encourage les gens à conduire leur voiture plutôt que d’emprunter le transport en commun, le conseiller du quartier no.3 et membre du conseil d’administration de la STO, Alain Riel, souhaite voir le système Rapibus s’étendre vers l’ouest jusqu’à Aylmer, là où la construction domiciliaire explose. M. Riel propose que l’îlot central de la nouvelle autoroute à quatre voies serve de voie expresse pour autobus. « Le besoin d’agir dans l’ouest de la ville est urgent – il faut relier Aylmer au Rapibus le plus tôt possible », a confié M. Riel aux médias. Aylmer compte plusieurs nouveaux projets résidentiels et 16 000 personnes additionnelles se retrouveront dans le projet à haute densité prévu pour Aylmer-nord. M. Riel a aussi confié au Bulletin que la Ville a déjà approuvé la construction de 5 000 nouvelles maisons dans le secteur ouest ce qui, a-t-il dit, donnera 8 000 voitures de plus sur les routes. « Nous voulons que les gens laissent leurs voitures », dit-il, « et c’est le système d’autobus qui devra le faire. »
Tout en faisant remarquer que la Ville a pu amasser 200 millions$ pour la construction du Rapibus qui opérera entre l’ancienne ville de Gatineau et le centre-ville de Hull en 2010, M. Riel ajoute : « Le métro de Laval a coûté 10 fois ce montant, soit 200 milliards$. En tant que quatrième plus grande ville du Québec, Gatineau a le droit d’avoir une part équitable (des subventions provinciales). »
(Trad.: C.B.)
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Fire plan, water, environment top Gatineau’s 2008 budget
Julie Murray
Council decided to invest in infrastructure in its 2008, including $6 million to purchase new fire trucks and construct a fire station in the east end, required in order to meet the province’s fire safety standards. It will spend $15 million to construct a water treatment in Aylmer and $9 million to renovate the Gatineau wastewater treatment plan, as well as $16 million for repairing water supply and sewer systems.
All-in-one recycling and plastics recycling
The budget promotes responsible environmental choices. Each household will be charged $159.77, $48 more than last year, to cover the $5.22 million residual materials management program, which will see all-in-one recycling beginning May 1. The city also plans to spend $50,000 to set up a recycling program for plastic containers at Gatineau sports fields as well as $57,500 to plant more trees, with a goal of planting 150,000.
Surplus used
The city will invest 2007’s projected $8.7 million surplus in major projects such as the sports complex and its library network. Other major projects include developing the Ottawa River shoreline along Jacques Cartier Street, a $32 million partnership with the National Capital Commission. (For more detail see page 30.)
Gatineau taxes up 4.8%
Julie Murray
The results of the budget for 2008, tabled December 11 include tax increases totalling about 4.8%, including a waste disposal fee that will rise from $111 per household to an amount between $155 and $167. Mayor Bureau said inflation will eat up 1.9% of the tax increase, while projects required by the province will add much of the remainder. The tax hike will fund infrastructure work such as the burial of electric lines on Aylmer’s Rue Principale, the renovation of Maloney Boulevard, the connection of des Grives and Allumettières, and the construction of two new fire stations. The tax increase will also cover spending to prepare for the Quebec Games, to be held in 2010, including constructing and renovating sports complexes.
Masson-Angers votes against
While councillors apparently back the budget unanimously, Masson-Angers Councillor Luc Montreuil plans on voting against the three-year infrastructure section because he says Mason-Angers receives too little funding in proportion to the tax revenue it contributes. He told Le Bulletin d’Aylmer, “Masson-Angers contributes four percent of Gatineau’s tax revenue, but we receive less than four percent in spending.”
Council’s discussion of larger, more contentious projects, such as the Guertin Arena, library renovations, and the construction of the Dallaire Space, will be held during the spring, when the annual surplus is announced.
Fines for dumping snow on sidewalks, streets
Julie Murray
Mayor Marc Bureau says the city needs to crack down on citizens and businesses who leave piles of snow on the sidewalks after shoveling their driveways or entrances. Beginning this week, the city will impose a $138 fine on those who do so and send out three to five inspectors during storms to verify conditions.
During the last snowstorm on December 3, which left 30 centimetres of snow on the ground, the piles of snow on sidewalks broke six of the city’s twelve sidewalk snowblowers. “We encountered mountains of snow on the sidewalk, so much that half of our equipment broke. That made it difficult to clear the snow on the sidewalks.” Nearly two weeks after the storm, some sidewalks remain uncleared, far from the city’s promise to clear one sidewalk on each street throughout the entire city.
During the last snowstorm, inspectors handed out 120 courtesy notices and around a dozen infraction warnings. The city’s bylaw prohibits people from dumping snow on streets, sidewalks, recreational paths, or on fire hydrants. Mayor Bureau commented, “Up until now, we’ve been very patient. But we’re moving towards fines. We need the help of citizens and businesspeople.”
Casino suicide statistics: court orders release
Julie Murray
After a five-year battle, Hull’s Bill Clennet has prevailed in his fight to have Loto-Quebec release statistics on ambulance calls, suicides and attempted suicides in the province’s three casinos, inlcuding the Hull casino at Lac Leamy. The Quebec Appeals Court decided unanimously in his favour. The court rejected Loto Quebec’s argument that releasing the information would compromise security at the casinos in Hull, Montreal, and Charlevoix, because the information on security guards’ investigative methods could fall into the hands of organized crime. The court rendered its verdict without hearing from Mr Clennett’s lawyer, Jean-Carol Boucher.
Loto-Quebec may still appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. However Mr Clennet told the media he doubts they will. “I think it’s enough. The Supreme Court doesn’t hear just any case and I don’t think that Loto-Quebec has a serious reason to go that far. The decision of the Court of Appeal is a sign that Loto-Quebec must change its culture of secrecy, of hiding information.”
Should government be in gambling?
Mr. Clennett believes that making the casinos’ suicide statistics public will help to widen the debate over whether the government should be promoting gambling. “It’s hard to have a real public debate when not all the information is available,” he told the media. “These statistics will allow a better debate on the promotion of gambling in Quebec and on the importance of prevention. And ultimately, they could lead to a reduction in gambling options in Quebec.”
Mr. Clennett told the media that he believes that in the past ten years, eight to ten people have tried to commit suicide at the casinos. “When I was part of an anti-poverty organization called the Association for the Defence of Social Rights, there was a concern about impact of gambling had on people’s lives,” he said. “We wanted to understand what was going on at the Casino de Lac Leamy. By its obstinacy and refusal to provide any information, Loto-Québec created the issue of government transparency.”
Casinos double gambling addicts?
Citing the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, Casino
watch.org notes that “The number of problem gamblers doubles when there’s a casino within 50 miles.” According to other sources quoted at the site, problem gamblers have a rate of attempted suicide that is 200 times the U.S. average. However problem gamblers also provide casinos with between 37% and 50% of their revenues.
According to Lotoquebec.com, between September 18, 1998, and March 31, 2007, there were 1,631 ambulance calls to the three casinos for patrons’ “health problems.” Mr Clennett plans to analyze the information and then make it public. “I certainly intend to get this information out because it is in the public interest,” he said. “I think now people will want to know why Loto-Quebec put so much effort into hiding the information from the people.”
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