the coach: 450 226-6663
Transcription
the coach: 450 226-6663
JANUARY 2013 • VOLUME 13 NO.1 14,000 COPIES PLEASE TAKE ONE www.themainstreet.org ARUNDEL • BROWNSBURG • HARRINGTON • HAWKESBURY • HUBERDEAU • LACHUTE • LAKEFIELD • MILLE ISLES • MONT TREMBLANT • MORIN HEIGHTS PIEDMONT • PRÉVOST • STE. ADÈLE • STE. AGATHE • STE. ANNE DES LACS • ST. ADOLPHE-D’HOWARD • ST. SAUVEUR • VAL DAVID • VAL MORIN • WEIR • WENTWORTH Start of 10K loppet, 2010. Photo by Chris Beames. WATERFRONT FOR SALE THE COACH: Helping you is what we do. FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES BILL JOHNSON: • Former/Retired CEO McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada • Former President, McDonald’s Mexico See my ad on Page 46 62 450 226-6663 bill@iammcjobs.com/www.iammcjobs.com 123 rue PrinciPale Saint-Sauveur 450-744-1755 SPecializing in taPaS WilliamMain MacKimmie Lyndsay Wood / Lorne Deschamps Street April 2012 FRED FORTIER real estate broker Real Estate Broker REMAX SELECTION 2 terraceS | ParKing www.bodega-taPaS.com groupe sutton laurentides AGENCE IMMOBILIÈRE 599 RUE PRINCIPALE LACHUTE, QC J8H 1Y8 ffortier@sutton.com office: 819 326-2244 My home, my fax: 819 326-9529 quality of life, 147, rue Principale East, my broker! Ste-Agathe, Qc J8C 1K4 514 953-7336 (cell) Bodega July 2012 Main Street Ad cell: 514 707-8855 WDMACKIMMIE@LIVE.CA FIND MY AD ON PAGE 22! www.fredfortier.ca GROUPE SUTTON - LAURENTIDES EST FRANCHISÉ INDÉPENDANT ET AUTONOME DE GROUPE SUTTON, QUÉBEC DELIVERY St-Sauveur/Piedmont Ste-Agathe 450 227-4663 819 326-6655 Ste-Adèle 450 229-6655 Mont Tremblant 819 425-2721 PhiliPPa Murray To all our friends & guests: a healthy, prosperous New Year. Cell: 450 530-5787 Ofc: 450 229-6666 Relax by the fireplace and dine by candlelight. Real Estate Broker philippa@philippamurray.com 422, route 364 Morin Heights QC DES SOMMETS Agence Immobilière. Franchisé indépendant et autonome de Remax Quebec Inc. ViSiT My PrOPErTiES aT PhiliPPaMurray.COM Pippa Murray Cover Jan13 Ad 50 Chemin du Val Carroll (ch. Rivière Rouge), Harrington 819-242-7041 www.aubergevalcarroll.com SALE 2012, BOULEVARD SAINT-ANTOINE (ROUTE 158) SAINT-JÉRÔME ON WHEELS & TIRES SEE PAGE 33! AUTOLEMIEUX.COM 1 877 891-3047 Six-course gourmet supper at $48.50 pp (bar, taxes & service not incl.) Overnight Packages available. Reserve early to celebrate Valentine’s Day January 2013 Val Carroll Ad: Jan 2013 Main Street 1 MASSIVE LIQUIDATION OF INVENTORY WE PAY BOTH TAXES ON ALL STOVES IF YOU BUY BY JANUARY 31* *UNTIL STOCK RUNS OUT Monday to Friday: 9 am to 5:30 pm Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm Sunday: by appointment only 2 January 2013 Partner: WHAT’S ON MY MIND.... Susan MacDonald, Editor If we didn’t have politics and the weather to talk about Canadian conversation would be challenged indeed. It seems to me that we all wished just a little too heartily for a white holiday season this year for the old adage of “be careful what you wish for,” comes easily to mind. Three snow storms in less than two weeks was a little over the top. As true people of the north, we pulled out the shovels and took the first one relatively in stride, undaunted by a foot of heavy, wet snow and a few scattered poweroutages. Storm Two, followed shortly by S-Three, were much less appreciated and caused several thousand people to lose electricity, water and phone service for several days. The switchboards, if they still have such things, must have lit up like Christmas trees at the Bell Canada and Hydro Quebec head-offices. But, those calls were answered. We tend to appreciate things more after we lose them and our phone lines and electricity are no different. We don’t need to know the “how or why” our services are out, we only want to hear the “when” they will be restored. We seldom stop to think what this implies for the repair workers who are out in sub-zero temperatures, driving hazardous roads, climbing through deep snow and cutting down trees to get to our broken lines. During the recent storms, these crews worked steadily, 24 hours a day, holidays included, to restore our services as quickly as possible. Those who I was fortunate enough to meet during the outages were smiling and polite even though they had been working so extensively. They, too, had families to be with and parties to attend but they were faithfully out on the job doing their best to get our power and phones back up and running again. I would like to extend a thank you to each crew that helped get our services restored, our roads cleared and our holiday festivities back on track. Storms and power failures are just part of country living and many residents are generally prepared for short-term emergencies. Generators and woodstoves are as common as a backup supply of canned goods, drinking water, candles and batteries. However, not all are so fortunate and for them, particularly the elderly, these outages were frightening. Their relief came from within their communities who united together and looked after their own. Community centres opened their doors and offered a safe haven for those in need of shelter, a warm meal and a social connection. Voluntary door-to-door visits ensured nobody was left out in the cold or unable to provide for their basic needs. Neighbours checked on neighbours and strangers helped each other out. It was a trying time, but, once again, we made it through. Country living definitely has its ups and downs, but our community spirit is what makes living in the Laurentians so special and the holiday season of 2012 is a perfect example. With few exceptions, the Christmas turkey, and all the trimmings, were served on time. The worse fall-out from the storms, and winter in general, has been an enormous increase in accidents and illnesses, which has resulted in a massive overflow of people requiring medical attention. Emergency waiting rooms across the Laurentians are over-loaded; waiting times have stretched beyond any semblance of acceptability. People are being told to stay home unless their condition is of utmost urgency and to consult Info 8-1-1, whose lines these days are always busy, before heading to the hospital. For those fortunate enough to have family doctors, delays are lengthy there as well and it’s a sad truth that by the time you finally get to your appointment, either you are cured or have had to wait several hours at the emergency room, either way, suffering miserably during the interim. A friend of mine who recently left for vacation arrived at his destination and was diagnosed with bronchitis at a walk-in clinic, at 8 pm on New Year’s Eve. His waiting time was less than 15 minutes, his medication was dispensed on site and the cost was a whopping $9. I don’t want to make comparisons, but I am contemplating getting on a plane and heading south. If our new governments were serious about wanting to gain favour with the populace, improving our health care system certainly would be a good place to start. There was a deep sadness over the holidays this year that was felt across the nation. The tragedy of the senseless killings in Newtown, Connecticut touched our hearts deeply, resurrecting memories of a similar tragedy, which occurred in Montreal not that many years ago. Fear demands that we find cause and solution to these incomprehensible acts of violence but the answer, if there is one, continues to elude us. Strong opinions point the finger at improper gun control, while others place the guilt on disillusioned individuals, family denial and a lack of support for mental health illnesses. Perhaps, it is a combination of them all but the cold reality is, that individually, none receive the full attention it merits. Whether we admit it or not, our times and society have undergone a major change. The days of freedom for our children have gone, replaced with the unsettling reality of metal detectors and increased security measures within the sanctuary of their schools. We can only pray it will be enough to keep them safe until the answers we seek are found. For the families in Newtown, our hearts are with you. We have lots to think of as we step into the New Year and I hope we all will take the time to think our choices and decisions through carefully before acting upon them. A new beginning, a time for new opportunities to do things right. Choose your resolutions well. Happy New Year - be safe, be happy and be kind to all. January 2013 3 Observations When Dominos Fall David MacFairlane - Main Street “The crisis takes a much longer time coming than you think, and then it happens much faster than you would have thought, and that’s, sort of, exactly the Mexican story. It took forever, and then it took a night.” - Rudiger “Rudi” Dornbusch. - 1942-2002 German economist who worked for most of his career in the US. Ford Professor of Economics and International Management at MIT. A distinguished economic theorist and a revered teacher.* It will happen overnight, dear readers. We will wake up one morning and the world will not be the same as it was when we last went to sleep. A major economic depression is unfolding in the largest economy in the world. Which one do you think that is? No, it’s not the US. It’s the EU, with a larger GDP and a larger population than the US, and much larger problems. EU banks are the largest in the world and they are leveraged (the ratio of debts to assets) at a much higher rate than other banks, including the US. Unemployment rates are at alltime highs, money is being withdrawn from accounts by the billions and parked in safer jurisdictions like Switzerland, Singapore and Caribbean off-shore banks, bad debts are escalating, economic activity is slowing, and depression is the spectre that haunts the region. The other problem is that since all economies are inter-connected, the entire global economic engine is sputtering and the risk of collapse grows daily. To look at this situation more closely, let’s start here, at home in Canada, the land “of moose, maple syrup and Jean Poutine” as a US commentator said recently. (Does anyone remember Rick Mercer telling the hapless George W. Bush that Canadian Prime Minister “Jean Poutine” had endorsed his candidacy?) The Canadian problem is not unlike the situation in the US - too much loose money sloshing around in the banks, enormous budget deficits, excessive personal and government debts, and fragile real estate and financial markets. Unlike the US, where the housing market is in shambles, the Canadian housing market is presently in a colossal bubble and, although we like to regard this situation as a sign of our prosperity, this “irrational exuberance” will soon run dry when this bubble bursts, as all bubbles do, inevitably. While Americans are seriously deleveraging their debts, Canadians are blithely spending and taking on more debt. On a household debt-to-GDP basis, Canadians are deeper in debt than Americans by a good margin and this is something that should concern us all. The Huffington Post reported in September, “Household debt levels have reached a new high, increasing the vulnerability of average Canadians to unexpected economic shocks just at a time when uncertainty is mounting.” The renowned US financial analyst, Jesse Colombo, stated recently that “Canada is caught up in a full-blown bubble ...based on a commodities export boom, a massive housing bubble that is larger than the US bubble was at its peak, a household debt bubble and global “hot money” investment inflows......Canada faces severe economic risks posed by the eventual popping of these bubbles” He goes on to say that ...”Canada’s housing bubble is now 40% larger than America’s bubble at its 2005 peak....price-to-rent ratios are flashing clear warning signs,....Vancouver homes are now pricier than NYC homes....the popping of Canada’s housing bubble can easily result in a Canadian version of the Lehman Brothers crisis as Canadian banks are some of the most leveraged in the world.” Mr. Colombo warns that “with Canada being the US’s largest export market, the risks posed by the popping of Canada’s bubble are no trivial matter for the already suffering US, and thus global, economy.” He is not alone in issuing this warning of impending disaster; both the IMF and Moody’s have warned about consumer and bank exposure to excessive debt and leverage, and the Bank of Canada warned that Canadians are vulnerable to two major, inter-linked events; a decline in housing prices and a sharp deterioration in the job market. In fact, on December 14, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) downgraded the ratings of six Canadian financial institutions, amongst them Scotia, National and Laurentian banks and the Caisse, citing a softening economy, low interest rates and heightening economic risk in the banking system. S&P also placed these banks, as well as BMO, CIBC and TD banks under review for possible further downgrades. Moody’s has already cut the ratings of 15 of the world’s largest banks, including BofA, Citi, JPM and Goldman Sachs. The situation in the US is much worse than anyone, from the President on down, Published by Les Éditions Main Street Inc. P.O. Box 874, Lachute H8H 4G5 1 866 660-6246 • 819 242-2232 Fax: 819 242-2022 email: main.street@xplornet.ca www.themainstreet.org 4 can admit to without causing panic in the markets and the population. The numbers are mind-boggling; stupendous budget deficits, over $100 trillion unfunded liabilities, $16 trillion national debt and climbing, unemployment at around 20% according to Shadowstats, but claimed to be about 8% officially, 47 million Americans on food stamps, 50% of whom have jobs, only 41% of households earn a paycheque, Medicare and Social Security funds are bankrupt. Inflation is rising and hyperinflation is waiting in the wings as the US Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) keeps printing billions of dollars to buy US Govt. bonds in order to fund these grotesque deficits, a suicidal policy at best. The Fed also lends these worthless dollars to the major banks for zero interest, and the banks, in turn, also buy US Govt. bonds, which pay a guaranteed rate of interest, rather than lend the money out to their customers, as they should in the course of normal banking practices. But nothing is normal anymore, and the old rules do not apply anymore. The old ideas of American free enterprise and free markets do not exist except in myth. Everything has changed; the entire structures of government and financial markets are infected with greed and corruption, and the reckless abandon with which the US pursues war and political hegemony can only bring the entire world to its knees very soon. Although the US portrays itself as a nation seeking peace, nothing could be further from the truth, It has military stationed in 900 bases around the world, with a budget exceeding $1.3 trillion, about 50% of the general budget of the US. It is the biggest warmonger and arms merchant the world has ever known. The US government relentlessly becomes more intrusive and controlling as it sinks deeper and deeper into debt, while inflation inexorably eats away at the value of citizens’ dollars and destroys their savings, making them poorer month after month, and there are no signs on the horizon of improvement in the business climate worldwide. I’m neither an optimist nor a pessimist; I do think of myself as a realist and I strive to understand the nuances of everyday life as it unfolds before us to find some context by which to understand how the events that we see happening around us can affect us and our families. After all, preparedness is a virtue alien to the masses, so, in order not to be panicked when a crisis hits, forward planning is the answer. It will always pay a big dividend to one who is aware and foster a state of mind that will distinguish a survivor from a victim. For example, what if the ATM machines do not work one fine morning and the banks are closed? What if you go to your local grocery store and the shelves are empty because others, who got there before you, emptied them? What if you need to fill up with gas and find long lines of cars ahead of you at the gas station, which is rationing its supplies? What if, due to “force majeure” or some other emergency, social services and other government payouts were suspended for a period of time? Could you survive? Could you look after your loved ones and those who depend on you? Do you have any idea how close to total financial collapse we came when Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy, way back in 2008? The next financial debacle will surpass Lehman’s implications by far. We are, perhaps, just one more crisis away from collapse, when all the structural underpinnings of our systems of social welfare and other entitlements start to crumble and society begins to revolt. Get smart, dear readers. Do not count on any outside agency to save yourselves and your families when the crunch comes. You will be all they have, and your wits and your preparedness will be all you will have to count on when the structures of our society begin to fail and your survival skills are put to the test. Impossible? That’s what they said about the Titanic. That’s also what they said about the extent of Lehman Brothers leverage in the financial markets prior to its collapse, and about Hitler during the early stages of his rampage through Europe. Impossible! Yet, it happened and we were blown away by the magnitude of the events that followed. We survived the “end of time” on December 21, 2012, when the Mayan Calendar indicated the end of recorded time. That date was widely misinterpreted to represent the end of the world. However, according to a Mayan shaman I heard interviewed on CJAD Radio, that date simply indicated the end of a long cycle of about 25,920 years and the beginning of another cycle. Contrary to popular thinking, the Mayans saw time as cyclical; time without end, merely moving from one cycle (or era) to another, without an end, without a beginning. When the dominos begin to fall, they will bring the house down. 2013 will be a year that none of us will ever forget. *The 1994 Mexican economic crisis, known as the “Tequila Crisis”, was caused by the sudden devaluation of the peso in December 1994, the last year of the administration of Carlos Salinas de Gortari who, to save his failing Presidency, launched a high-deficit spending programme, to his final detriment. Founder: Jack Burger Co-owners: Steve Brecher, Susan MacDonald Advertising Sales: Steve Brecher Editor: Susan MacDonald Associate Editors: Jim Warbanks, June Angus Art & Design Director: Anne Secor Sales & Special Projects: Colette Couvrette Contributing writers: Ilania Abileah, June Angus, Joan Beauregard, Peter Cloutier, Steve Brecher, Grace Bubeck, Lys Chisholm, Chris Collyer, Dale Dawson, Sheila Eskenazi, Beth Farrar, Steve Friedman, Christopher Garbrecht, Ac, Michael Gevers, Ron Golfman, Joseph Graham, Grif Hodge, Marion Hodge, Michel Labreche, L.L.B. D.D.N, Rosita Labrie, Efrat Laksman, Jim Lawson, Lori Leonard, Lisa McLellan, Yaneka McFarland, Craig McVeigh, Jessica Million, Marcus Nerenberg, Claudette Pilon-Smith, Michael Dubois, Michèle St. Amour, Christina Vincelli, Barry Young and countless other contributors from the Laurentian community at large. • PUBLISHED THE 2ND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH • NEXT EDITION: FEBRUARY 8 REQUEST FOR ADVERTISING MATERIALS BY MONDAY, JANUARY 21 main.street@xplornet.ca 14,000 copies distributed throughout the Laurentians © 2013 Les Editions Main Street Inc. Reproduction in part or in whole wihtout written permission is prohibited January 2013 2013 Jack’s Unsung Hero Monthly column in memory of Jack Burger, founder and creator of Main Street. Jack believed that regular people often do outstanding things for their community. Snow Angels that I thought they were all “hydro angels” coming to the rescue. They were both grateful and pleased for the acknowledgement. The other day when we drove through St. Sauveur, we actually counted 18 hydro trucks. By the way, many Asplundh trucks and drivers also dotted our local towns. By Lori Leonard This month, we are featuring a number of Unsung Heroes who helped every community across the Laurentians through a very trying holiday season. These individuals worked tirelessly to clear our roads, restore electricity, and provide medical assistance, shelter and food to residents in need throughout the snowstorms in December. Their help was invaluable during this difficult period. Thank you to everyone who helped out. Recently, our communities were hit and shaken with three snowstorms, which led to many power failures. In some cases power outages lasted longer than six days. During the holiday season, most freezers were loaded up with Christmas goodies and several families had guests staying at their homes. While some people may have wood burning stoves sufficient enough to keep warm, other families do not, thus leading to very low temperatures within their homes. As well, with no power, many people lost a freezer full of food. It was not just the cost of the frozen goods that people lost, but also the hours of labor it took to make all of their cherished Christmas goodies such as tourtières, sausage rolls and an array of baked goods. Due to low temperatures, pipes cracked, froze or even worse, exploded, spraying water inside homes and with the cold temperature, it was difficult to clean up or to reach a plumber, as they too, were inundated with calls. Many individuals worked tirelessly around the clock, in particular the hydro crews. These committed individuals were on a mission and toiled in extremely inclement weather (including leaving their families on Christmas Day) to help everyone out in very difficult circumstances. Employees from Hydro-Quebec (St. Jérôme office) were joined by hydro employees from several other cities such as St. Bruno, Boisbriand and Montreal when they learned of our situation in the Laurentians. In some cases, for many remote residences, they actually had to painstakingly work on electrical problems one house at a time. Even though the crews were exhausted, they smiled, maintained a positive attitude (after 6 days of difficult work) and claimed that they would work until all power was restored to everyone. They obviously did not look forward to the next snowstorm, which hit us on December 27, however, they tried diligently to restore power to as many homes as possible before this storm hit. When I talked to the hydro group, whom I met at lunchtime at a nearby restaurant, I thanked them and told them A huge thank you goes out to the “hydro phone angels” as well. These people literally received thousands of calls from concerned, upset, Laurentian dwellers that were without power throughout Christmas. These receptionists kept their wit and calmness at all times. I know that even though we were personally without power for only two days, I called them several times to know when power would be restored in our particular area. They responded to all of my questions in a very calm and reassuring manner. Aside from our “hydro angels,” it was gratifying to see literally hundreds of other “heroes” amongst us: neighbors who helped each other out by offering a simple, warm meal, a cup of coffee or a welcome bath or shower, or neighbors who offered to look after others’ children or pets while people tended to unusual, necessary tasks. There were also those kind and generous souls who came to assist complete strangers. Tow truck drivers were out in abundance, working around the clock, helping to pull cars out of ditches or driveways. We experienced our own situation, when a tow-truck driver tried to locate and help my partner, Tom, whose car ended up off the road due to blustery, snow conditions. This driver actually drove in the area for over an hour to find him to help out. Hats off to this driver! Paramedics, ambulance drivers and first care responders were also out on the treacherous roads, ready to assist those who experienced accidents and who required urgent medical care en route to hospitals. Work shifts were long and tiring but they were on hand to deal with all emergencies. Legions, churches, municipal community centres and other organizations opened their doors, welcoming in those in search of warmth and a hot meal. There were countless others who unselfishly offered assistance in any way possible. For all of you, the hydro workers, hydro receptionists, first care responders, ambulance drivers, nurses, physicians, tow truck drivers, plumbers or electricians, kind neighbors and friends, you know who you are, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being our Unsung Heroes and for coming to assist us in our time of need. This is what I call the “True spirit of Christmas.” 3 B-Impressed. A Daimler Brand The All-New 2013 B-Class is here. And the first three months payments are waived2. THE 2013 B 250. TOTAL PRICE1: $32,115** FINANCE APR LEASE APR 3.4 5.4 %* n All-New 2.0L turbocharged 4Cyl engine with 208 hp fuel economy with ECO start/stop technology n Class-leading safety features such as COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST n Improved 60 MONTHS 1 36 MONTHS PAYMENTS WAIVED2 FOR A LIMITED TIME. LEASE PAYMENT 399 %* $ * $3,995** DOWN Taxes extra. Franke Mercedes-Benz •1751 rue Principale Street, Ste-Agathe•1 888-480-9075•Open Saturdays © 2013 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. 2013 B 250 shown above, National MSRP $29,900. **Total price of $32,115 and down payment include freight/PDI of $2,045, RDPRM fee of up to $55.49, air-conditioning levy of $100 and a $15 fee covering EHF tires. 2First second and third month payment waivers are capped for the 2013 B250 up to a total of $1,200 (including taxes) for lease programs and up to a total of $1,800 (including taxes) for finance programs. Payment waivers are only applicable on the 2013 B-Class, C-Class Coupe, Sedan, GLK-Class and E-Class models. Not applicable to AMG models. *Lease and finance offers based on the 2013 B250 available only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit for a limited time. Lease example based on $399 per month for 36 months. Down payment or equivalent trade of $3,995 plus security deposit of $450 and applicable taxes due at lease inception. MSRP starting at $29,900. Lease APR of 5,4% applies. Total obligation is $18,213. 18,000 km/year allowance ($0.20/km for excess kilometres applies). Finance example is based on a 60-month term and a finance APR of 3.4% with a total price of $29,900. Monthly payment is $488 (excluding taxes) with $5,204 down payment. Cost of borrowing is $2,390 for a total obligation of $34,450. Vehicle licence, insurance and registration are extra. Dealer may lease or finance for less. Offers may change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. See your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for details or call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Relations Centre at 1-800-387-0100. Offer ends January 31, 2013. January 2013 5 TECH SOLUTIONS TECHSPA INC MACS iPADS iPHONES PCS PRELOADED RENTALS GAMES & GAMING DEVICES HI SPEED, MOBILE & RENTALS SERVICE REPAIRS WIRING PIEDMONT VETERINARY HOSPITAL Drs. David Mance, Lyne Farmer, Madeleine Tremblay and Lisiane Rivest 15 CASES ROUTERS DRIVES GRAPHIC DESIGN $ OFF SERVICES WITH THIS AD 750, rue Principale, Piedmont, QC, J0R 1K0 450 227-7888 LIMIT ONE PER CLIENT ON SERVICES. VALID UNTIL JANUARY 31, 2012 450.227.4118 INSTALL INTEGRATE SET UP s ’ e l p p Get A one, h P i , d a iP ted a l e r Mac & ries in o s s e c c a s. n a i t n e r u a L the TECHSPA.CA 75 AVE DE LA GARE D-6 GALERIE DES MONTS ST-SAUVEUR Vet Piedmont Jan 2012 Main Street Ad 6 TRAINING: APPS DEVICES January 2013 Improve Family Literacy with Fifteen-Minute Fun Activities NC - Parents are a child’s first teacher. Kids look up to them and mimic many of their daily routines. So even at the end of a school day, it’s important to ensure that learning continues at home. Spending just 15 minutes a day learning together with your children can go a long way to developing a love of learning and improving literacy skills. Commissioning of a Third Medical Evacuation Sled on the MRC d’Argenteuil Territory Five years after the commissioning of a second medical evacuation sled, the council of the MRC d’Argenteuil is proud to announce the addition of a third sled, serving the territory of the MRC d’Argenteuil. In honour of Family Literacy Day’s 15th anniversary, taking place across the country on January 27, 2013, ABC Life Literacy Canada offers five, 15-minute bursts of learning activities for both parents and kids: • Read a story to your pet (or stuffed animal or friend). Children’s books are usually short, and are a breeze to get through in 15 minutes. This medical evacuation sled is intended for transporting any person in distress, injured or sick, from a trail, or the forest, to the road, under the supervision of trained ambulance personnel. • Tell four knock-knock jokes. This helps practice oral communication. • Text a friend or family member and tell them about your day. • Bake some cookies. Most recipes take less than 15 minutes to prepare, plus, measuring ingredients helps children understand math and numbers. • Log on to your favourite online word game during Family Game Night. There are great games available at www.hasbro.ca. More information is available online at www.FamilyLiteracyDay.ca. As was the case for the other two sleds, which were put into operation in 2002 and 2007 and are stored in Lachute and Gore, this emergency vehicle was kindly made available to the population of the MRC d’Argenteuil by the Hibou Blanc Snowmobile Club, owner of the sled. The vehicle will be used in the event of a medical emergency occurring in the forest or on a snowmobile, ATV or cross-country ski trail, with the assistance of the Fire Department of the Township of Harrington, which is responsible for storing the first-aid sled. Is Poor Indoor Air Quality Impacting Your Family’s Health? Health Canada For many families, the onset of cold weather often means more time indoors, with the windows shut tight and the fireplace burning to keep out the chill. All this time inside may leave you desperate for creative ways to keep the kids entertained, but it should also bring another question to mind - is the quality of the air in your home affecting your family’s health? As Canadians, we spend close to 90% of our time inside; at home, at work and in recreational environments. Most people, however, are unaware that poor indoor air quality can have adverse effects on health. Mould, carbon monoxide, radon, and dust mites - all may lurk in your home and could be a contributing factor to poor health. The most effective strategies for improving indoor air quality are (in the following order), 1) to eliminate the source of the contamination, 2) improve your ventilation, and 3) filter the indoor air. Combat mould In general, the procedure for using the sled is as follows: upon receiving a call from the Chaudière-Appalaches Emergency Call Centre (CAUCA) (911 call service), the Township of Harrington Fire Department will transport the medical evacuation sled by road to the location designated by the ambulance service, to enable the patient to be transported by ambulance to the hospital as quickly as possible. MRC d’Argenteuil Prefect Ronald Tittlit stated that the addition of a third medical evacuation sled on the territory of the MRC will complement and improve the emergency services already in place since 2002. The Mayor of the Township of Harrington, Jacques Parent, welcomes the conclusion of this agreement and wishes to express his sincere thanks to the representatives of the Hibou Blanc Snowmobile Club, whose great kindness and generosity and exceptional spirit of openness have made possible the realization of this innovative project, which will certainly help to improve the safety of outdoor enthusiasts in the Argenteuil region. CAQ Action Committee Appointments in the Laurentians •C onduct regular visual inspections of your home, looking for stains or discolouration on floors, walls, window panels, fabrics and carpets. • Promptly repair any leaks Reduce carbon monoxide and radon gas levels Both carbon monoxide and radon gas are odourless, colourless gasses that can build up in your home. The key to reducing both is prevention, testing and maintenance. At low levels, carbon monoxide can cause flu-like symptoms including headaches, fatigue and shortness of breath. At very high levels it can cause convulsions and even death. Installing a Canadian Standards Association (CSA)-approved carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home is key, but you should also follow these simple steps: •T wice a year, check to make sure that your carbon monoxide detector has batteries that are working, and that the detector itself is working. •M ake sure that all fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, fireplaces, gas stoves and water heaters are well maintained and working properly. Have your appliances inspected by a professional at least once a year and be sure to use a ventilation hood for gas stoves. Make sure your chimney is cleaned once a year. •N ever use a barbecue indoors, and don’t use kerosene or oil lamps in enclosed areas unless they are specifically designed for indoor use. •D on’t let vehicles or other gas-powered tools (lawnmowers, snow blowers) idle in the garage. •T obacco smoke is a source of carbon monoxide, so don’t let people smoke indoors. Following the CAQ Phase II tour, organized in order to meet the members and party supporters, Coalition Avenir Quebec President Dominique Anglade is proud to announce the appointment of new directors of various local action committees in the Laurentians. - Nicole Chouinard (Argenteuil) - Philippe Sauvé (Groulx) - Raymond Blouin (St. Jérôme) “Their commitment to the Coalition is really an asset for us. This is what can make the difference in the end between a large and a small victory,” said CAQ Party Leader François Legault. CAQ 1 year old Coalition Avenir Québec celebrated its first anniversary as a political party on November 14. Following a series of consultations conducted by François Legault across Quebec in November 2011, thousands of Quebecers of all political persuasions decided to establish a political vehicle capable of advancing Quebec interests. “With these 19 MNAs and its thousands of members across the province, the CAQ is the only political party to embody true change. Do not forget that we are at the origin of the anti-corruption movement. We are very proud of this and will continue as long as necessary,” said Anglade. Tim Hortons Smile Cookies Argenteuil Hospital Foundation Receives $3380 Recent research by Health Canada estimates that 16 per cent of lung cancer deaths among Canadians can be linked to radon exposure, making radon gas the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking. The good news is that it is Lachute area residents have enjoyed cookies for a good cause during the annual easy to reduce the risk. Tim Hortons Smile Cookie fundraising campaign, which raised $2,380 for the Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can get into the home Argenteuil Hospital Foundation to which was added an additional contribution of undetected through cracks in the foundation or gaps around pipes. The only way $1,000 from the local Tim Hortons franchisee. Yves Barbeau, owner of restaurants to measure the radon level is to take a simple and inexpensive test. Health Canada in the area and some of his employees presented the donations at the Bethany recommends testing for a minimum of three months starting in the fall, when Avenue Tim Hortons restaurant in Lachute on December 19. windows and doors typically remain closed. Community needs As part of the long-term testing process, you can hire a certified professional “The campaign this year was a great success, which would not have been possible to test your home or purchase a do-it-yourself test kit. At the end of the testing without the involvement of the entire Argenteuil population,” stated Foundation period, send the detector to the laboratory and a report will be sent to you indicating the level of radon in your home. If radon levels are found to exceed the Director General Marie-Josée Condrain. “In fact, the total of sales of chocolate chip cookies was donated to the Foundation, which supports many projects at Canadian guideline, it can usually be fixed at a reasonable price. the Argenteuil Health and Social Services Centre. Funds collected will be used to Improve Ventilation purchase new medical equipment to allow the Health Centre to continue serving By following the steps outlined above, you will help eliminate or reduce harmful community needs. chemicals in your home. After you’ve tackled the source of the problem, the Nationally, Tim Hortons restaurant owners support 345 local fundraising initiatives second key strategy for improving your indoor air quality is to increase your through the Smile Cookies campaign. This year, funds raised totaled $4.2 million. ventilation. Ventilation removes the stale indoor air and reduces indoor air pollutants. Ventilation also helps limit the build-up of indoor moisture, which can The Argenteuil Hospital Foundation was created in 2002. For additional information, visit the www.csssargenteuil.qc.ca website. contribute to mould growth. January 2013 7 Simply Words on Paper With Rights Must Come Responsibilities Jim Warbanks - Main Street The much-discussed 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Bill of Rights (1791), as ratified by the States and authenticated by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, reads: “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” U.S. Supreme Court decisions have since influenced its interpretation, including one that severed the link to service in a militia. Despite the horror of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut where 20 small children and six adults were killed by a teacher’s son and the two volunteer firefighters later ambushed and killed by a gunman who spent 17 years in prison for murder in New York, I was disinclined to comment on the gun control issue until I read an op-ed article by contributor Lawrence Hunter published on the Forbes Magazine website. Gun control His claim is that gun control tramples on the certain virtues of a heavily-armed citizenry. He insists that the 2nd Amendment was designed “to ensure that individuals retained the right and means to defend themselves against any illegitimate attempt to do them harm, be it an attempt by a private outlaw or government agents…to protect themselves against government as much as against private bad guys and gangs.” He insists that it was designed to “prevent individuals’ enslavement to government, not just to guarantee people the right to hunt squirrels or sport shoot at targets.” This may indeed have been a realistic expectation in the 18th century, but is surely not equally applicable in the 21st century. Short-arming U.S. President Obama is seeking better background checks on potential gun purchasers, as well as the banning of specific assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Hunter characterizes this as “short-arming the citizenry,” by limiting the right to own and bear arms to those that “do not pose a threat to the government’s self-proclaimed monopoly on the use of force.” Strange that he does not advocate extending the provision in law to a heavier arsenal that might include artillery and tanks. The government he mistrusts has access to much more destructive armament than assault rifles. In analyzing the militia provision in the legal text, he concedes that “state militias were replaced by the National Guard in the early 20th century,” but still links 2nd Amendment protection for “a person’s musket behind the door, later the shotgun behind the door and today the M-4 behind the door.” One must wonder what he envisages as adequate protection against the scrutiny by satellite prevalent now. A compact surface-to-air missile behind the door? Liberty He quotes Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson: “When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny,” claiming that he and Father of the Constitution James Madison “understood as well that the greatest threat to liberty was not foreign invasion or domestic unrest but rather a standing army and a militarized police force without fear of the people and capable of inflicting tyranny.” It seems to me that U.S. forces in two world wars and the conflicts that have followed demonstrated power far exceeding anything that those supporting the maintenance of arms in private hands could possibly challenge. I can perhaps envision the Jefferson / Madison stance as justified in a small, backward country under contested rule, but even the smallest conflict today Committed to building LEED homes Viceroy Maisons Roco ad Main Street June 2012 Argenteuil Health and Social Services Centre Recruitment Campaign Your Reference Makes the Difference Looking for GPs, medical specialists and nurses, the Argenteuil Health and Social Services Centre is launching a major recruitment campaign, Your Reference makes the difference, during the Holiday Season. This is intentional. “The Holiday Season is quite appropriate for our campaign,” indicated Argenteuil Health and Social Services Centre medical recruiter Mélanie Dumais. “While enjoying this period when there are many exchanges with family, friends and acquaintances, it becomes easier to think that every proposed Reference can make the difference. Your Reference makes the difference is a very simple principle. Everyone referring one of the persons sought by the Health Centre leading to their hiring gets a reward (conditions apply). Human Resources Director, Simon Drouin, maintained that “the more the Health Centre has the required staff and a full medical team to provide care and services to the population, the more it will benefit.” The CSSS has joined with ambassadors to help spread the word: the CLD d’Argenteuil, Argenteuil MRC, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Argenteuil, Argenteuil hebdos -L’ExpressTribune, Le Regional, Planète Lov’ radio, the Société de Développement Commercial de Lachute and l’Imprimerie Chal-Info. To date, the Argenteuil Health and Social Services Centre has recruited a number of nurses through its advertising distributed in the Publisac on Nov. 7 to some 200,000 households. “To meet our needs, we are looking for 18 people to join our nursing team,” noted the Human Resources Director. Concerning the need for medical staff, the medical recruiter has emphasized that “by May 2013 we will have the privilege of having five new GPs. By July, it seems reasonable to believe that seven other doctors will join the medical team in place.” An efficient, high quality health care establishment for the Argenteuil area is paramount. This recruitment campaign solicits everyone, because everyone, near or far, needs a good health care facility nearby. As part of this major recruitment campaign, the population and ambassadors play a key role. Spread the word! Community Efforts in Gore escalates through escalates international arms sales through international well beyond anybeyond arsenal arms sales well heldarsenal by individuals any held by or groups of like-minded individuals or groups of individuals. individuals. like-minded Defenseless Hunter concludes that “a heavily armed citizenry is not about overthrowing the government; it is about preventing the government from overthrowing liberty. A people stripped of their right of self defense is defenseless against their own government.” Clearly the children in Connecticut and the volunteer firefighters in New York were truly defenseless against legislative inaction, not potential government tyranny. Though deploring “a gun violence epidemic plaguing the United States,” U.S. President Barack Obama has reiterated his support for the Second Amendment, but has assembled a task force, led by Vice President Joe Biden, to draft a set of proposals and vowed to take a close look “at a culture that, all too often, glorifies guns and violence.” With public opinion in the United States so fragmented, as demonstrated by Hunter’s screed in a reputable media source, Obama’s best bet is to link eventual legislation to the individual responsibility which cannot be dismissed when benefiting from any enshrined right. 8 January 2013 This year, Holy Trinity Church, supported by the Municipality of Gore and the Gore Fire Service, delivered approximately 100 boxes of food to over 30 families residing in Gore. Just before Christmas, each family received boxes of both non-perishable and fresh or frozen food, including a turkey and a Christmas log. The project was managed by Rose Manconi (centre left) who, with her husband, Don, has taken responsibility for the project for the past several years. The members of the Gore Senior’s Exercise Group contribute a small amount of money each time they go to a session and Terry and Mary Chuprun donate this money to the church for community outreach programs. In the summer, the money goes towards paying for school bags for children in Gore. This Christmas, Terry and Mary gave $500 towards the Christmas Baskets. Their efforts and generosity contributed significantly towards the cost of the baskets and were deeply appreciated by Holy Trinity, and indirectly, by the recipients themselves. Reflections The Importance of How we Die or by patients are generally not taking place. However, according to Dr. Saul, when he and his team actually began talking to people about death, “they loved it.” Steve Brecher - Main Street How did the medical team achieve such a positive response? “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” - Steve Jobs First, they began asking patients the following question: “If you lose the capacity to speak for yourself, who would you choose to speak for you?” Dr. Peter Saul is the Director of Intensive Care at Newcastle Private Hospital in Australia. He recently gave a compelling “TED Talk” entitled “Dying in the 21st Century.” Next, they inquired; “Have you spoken to that person about what is important to you, so that they could have a better idea about what to do if you were to become incapacitated?” TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. It is a global set of conferences owned by a private non-profit foundation formed in 1984 to disseminate “ideas worth spreading.” To date, TED Talks have been seen over 500 million times. Dr. Saul began his talk by informing us that in the next 24 hours, 2,000 of our brain cells will die and not be regenerated. So dying, he contends, is always occurring. Still, with the continual advances in medical science and technology, we are striving to find new ways of prolonging life. This has led to a shift from the traditional causes of death. In First World countries we are no longer likely to die of starvation, violence or acute diseases. In fact, current medical science and prevalent health care facilities have reduced how we will die to only 4 ways: sudden death, terminal illness, organ failure and frailty. First, sudden death is the least likely way that we will die. Notwithstanding accidents and acts of violence, sudden death is a rarity. Second, terminal illness is more likely to occur in younger than in older people. For example, according to Dr. Saul, only one in 10 people over the age of 80 will die of cancer. That leaves organ failure and frailty. Dr. Saul refers to these two ways of dying as “growth industries.” Frailty is the inevitable part of aging and is the main cause of death today. Since we are living longer, more of us are likely to die while in Intensive Care. Dr. Saul informs us that, in the United States, 1 out of 10 people will die in Intensive Care. In Miami, Florida, a haven for “golden-agers,” the number is increased to 1 in 5. Having been intimately involved in the dying process of over 4,000 Intensive Care patients for the past 35 years, Dr. Saul explains that we typically experience 7 times the level of stress by dying in Intensive Care than anywhere else. Peripherally, the stress that is likely to be felt by the families of those who die is also enormous. The way in which we die continues to live on in the minds of those who survive us. Therefore, how we die is important, not only to us, but also to those closest to us. And yet, according to Dr. Saul, only 1 in 500 people that he surveyed had a plan of what to do if they were to become seriously ill. Discussions in regards to goals, treatments and outcomes, initiated either by doctors In Dr. Saul’s experience, most of us want to have control over how our dying process proceeds. Therefore, he urges his patients to reclaim that process from what he refers to as the “medicalized model.” Steve Jobs of Apple What is certain is that we are all going to die sooner or later. Nevertheless, surveys reveal that many of us are optimistic that medical science will develop cures for diabetes, dementia, and cancer in the foreseeable future. According to a recent Wall Street Journal survey, “fear of dying” has become one of our most chronic diseases. Therefore we are encouraged to speak openly with loved ones about their dying at the crucial stage of life. Furthermore, lying to protect them often leads to them feeling isolated. Since for many it is still a taboo subject, our culture doesn’t adequately deal with the importance of preparing to die. And yet, it can give us what we are all seeking; peace of mind. Those versed in this process advise us to take every opportunity to say “I love you” to those we care about. Finally, there are currently several popular books that can help us to overcome the existing taboo. One example is Jane Brody’s “Guide to the great beyond: a practical primer to help you and your loved ones prepare medically, legally 27 rue de l’Église, Saint-Sauveur J0R 1R0 and emotionally for 450.227.6402 • petites.pattes@hotmail.com the end of life” (Random House 2009.) “Lemieux” Cleaning Products Environmental - Economical - Biodegradable Sold in Bulk... bring your container Cleaning • Laundry • Dishes Soaps & Body Oils • Shampoo & Conditioner 27, rue de l’Église, Saint-Sauveur 450.227.3246 www.boutiquebio-terre.com LITIGATION WITH LAND? I’M YOUR MAN! Me PAUL JOLICOEUR, LAWYER 433, Principale Saint-Sauveur QC J0R 1R4 Tel: (450) 227-5099 Fax: (450) 227-5636 pauljolicoeur@bellnet.ca GICs, Paul Jolicoeur Ad April 2012 Main Street RRSPs, RESPs, TFSAs Paid for in part by January 2013 27 rue de l’Église, Saint-Sauveur J0R 1R0 450.227.6402 • petites.pattes@hotmail.com 9 A Library Addict’s Choice A pick of new books at the Lachute Public Library for residents of Harrington, Lachute, Gore and Wentworth. Grif Hodge - Main Street You are entitled to a no-charge library membership card if you live in any of the municipalities listed above. FICTION Adler, Elizabeth - A Place In The Country: “Adler smoothly blends suspense and romance in a tale of betrayal and murder” - Publisher’s Weekly. Caroline Evans, in the wake of a divorce from her unfaithful, duplicitous husband, James, leaves Singapore and settles with her 15-year-old daughter in the English Cotswolds. She finds satisfaction working in a local pub. Suddenly, James appears in the village and his subsequent murder in Singapore threatens to destroy Caroline’s new life. This story works on many levels, including how often a tragedy occurs when someone, desperately trying to be free of destructive forces in life, is dragged into those same forces once more. 4Korners Offering Parenting Workshop By Michelle Booth At the beginning of September 2012, 4Korners Family Resource Center opened its satellite office in Ste. Agathe at 50, Rue Corbeil. This office is the result of the collaboration with the CSSS des Sommets and the English Communities Committee. Rola Helou, the Executive Director of 4Korners, is planning to launch a parenting workshop in Ste. Agathe in February 2013. The workshop is in response to a need, which has been identified by the community. More than 70% of respondents to a questionnaire distributed at Ste. Agathe Academy indicated a need for a parenting workshop. The course will be held on Tuesday evenings from February 26 to April 30, facilitated by Laura Young of www.mostimportantjob.com. Laura is a mother of 3 children, a parenting coach and author of the book, The Most Important Job in the World. After years of experience as a nanny, teacher, daycare worker and specials needs educator, Laura realized that many of us have parenting challenges and so she designed Parenting 101 to answer this need. Our day-to-day lives have become so busy that we often feel way over our heads and this stress affects our family lives. Laura designed her course with this reality in mind and acknowledges that parenting is “more of an art than a science” and the idea of “a one size fits all family is not realistic. We are all different and unique and this is what makes us special.” Parenting 101 participants will receive Laura’s e-book, and a workbook. The course aims to provide a positive, non-judgmental, safe environment for parents to come together and learn from each other. Parents will learn to honor their children and create the tools to focus on what is positive within their family dynamic. Laura believes that each family needs to find the balance that suits their particular lifeChabon, Michael - Telegraph Avenue: This is another of those books that you will style. Parenting 101 offers a sensible guide to parenting with a dose of laughter. The either like or hate. One reviewer at the Goodreads website says, “This book drove busier we are in our lives, the more confused we may become, and this course will me a little nuts. Its plot is overstuffed...” Another reviewer at the same website says, teach parents the tools to simplify their lives so they can find the time and energy to “Sentence to sentence, just great. There’s some wonderful writing about babies, achieve peace within their family lives. commerce and old stores ...” Chabon has previously won a Pulitzer Prize. According to Laura, our hectic lives can lead to a whole range of problems and as Dickey, Eric Jerome - An Accidental Affair: In the midst of the filming of his a result, we attempt to “fill the holes in our lives with things instead of love.” And latest script, starring his wife Regina and her leading man, Johnny Bergs, James while there are plenty of self-help books “there is so much information, people Thicke receives a video of the two of them caught in the most compromising of don’t know what to do with it all.” situations. James responds to the affront by savagely attacking Johnny. Both the Through Parenting 101, Laura’s goal is to help others through the process of raising paparazzi and the police take an interest. James goes on the run, but he still tries their kids and aims to help parents make choices and take action to ensure the to protect Regina from Hollywood’s underbelly of lust and blackmail. Revenge bond between them and their children is always strong. It will help parents accept becomes his constant companion. Will an accidental affair spell permanent the choices that they’ve made and end the guilt. damage to their relationship? Spaces are limited. To register or obtain more information call 1 888 974-3940 Garwood, Julie - Sweet Talk: When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia or email: Laura@mostimportantjob.com. Parenting 101 is offered free of charge MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression. The beautiful, tough, young attorney to members of 4Korners. For membership information please call the toll free has stumbled into the middle of an FBI sting operation and has reduced it to chaos number above or contact by email@ months of surveillance and careful planning go down the drain. Kincaid’s partner is kim@4kornerscenter.org. furious and lets Olivia know that she’s ticked off the wrong guy. After all, he’s FBI. Ste Agathe office hours are Tuesdays from But she’s something even scarier . . . she’s IRS and she’s on the trail of an elaborate 8:30 am - 4:30 pm located at 50 Rue Corbeil. Ponzi scheme. Brashares, Ann - Sisterhood Everlasting: Remember Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and the delightful movie that was made from the novel? Now the setting is ten years later and Tibby has sent tickets to the others for a reunion in Greece. The jeans may be long-gone, but the sisterhood is still strong. Roth, Veronica - Divergent: In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian, Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue; Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteenyear-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. Beatrice makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. Sanford, John - Mad River: Virgil Flowers is on the trail of three teenagers on a killing spree in rural Minnesota. By the time this Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator closes in he is forced to call on the resources of an army of lawmen; Sheriff Duke of Bare County, city cops and the National Guard. Compulsive reading. NONFICTION Young, Neil - Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippie Dream: Follows this Canadian’s career that spans 40 years in Rock and Roll, Folk and Country musical genres. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as both an individual artist and as a member of the group, Buffalo Springfield. He is known as an environmental and political activist, a co-founder of Farm Aid and is a backer of the Bridge School. His choice of material is quite eclectic. His most recent album includes God Save the Queen set to a rock beat. But through his music runs his love of Canada and the prairies. Schwarz, Shelley Peterman - Home Accessibility: 300 Tips For Making Life Easier If you missed any of the six Harry Potter movies, the DVD collection has them all. Other DVD titles that have received acclaim include War Horse, Tin Tin, the Narnia and Shrek series and Where The Wild Things Are. There is a list of the titles broken into the following headings: Fiction, Children’s, Animated titles, and Documentaries. www.ville.lachute.qc.ca/biblio News From Sainte Agathe Jessica Million - Main Street After some major dumps of snow, power outages during the holiday season put a real damper on things. No matter how beautiful it looked outside, if you were shivering in the dark for a few days, I am sure that you… like me, were not your regular happy celebrant this year. Let’s hope its behind us for the rest of the winter season and that the old saying “In like a lion, out like a lamb” rings true this winter. Now that the shortest and darkest days of the year are behind us and every day is a little bit longer, we can look forward to more sunny days and nicer weather for outdoor activities. Ste. Agathe’s Festi-Neige winter festival events continue this year and there is a series of exciting activities every weekend throughout the month of January. Here are some of the highlights to pencil into your calendar. - Saturday, January 12 and Sunday, January 13 - It’s the St. Hubert Derby with many teams of horses participating in the National Competition. The final race is Sunday from 11 am - 3 pm, with a $ 10,000 prize for the first place winner! 10 RGPA Offering Group Activities The Relief Group for Persons with Aphasia (RGPA) invites all who have suffered from a stroke, or Aphasia, to come share their life experiences with others living in a similar situation. You are invited to participate in many varied activities, such as singing, language stimulation, brain-gym, arts and crafts, board games, outings etc. But mostly, join us for the enjoyment and warmth of friendship, which always prevails. Jackie and Jeanne-Mance are two motivational providers who offer you support, compassion and encouragement. Come join us every Friday morning from 9 am to 1 pm at the CSSS Pavillon Lachute. For more information please contact Jackie 450 533 5699 or Jeanne-Mance 450 562 4608. We will be more than happy to answer any inquiries. Our next fundraiser will be held on April 27, 2013, when we will present to you the incomparable group, “Aphasic Theater.” More information will be coming soon. Le groupe relève pour personnes aphasiques des Laurentides (GRPAL des Laurentides) invite toute personne ayant subi un AVC et/ou est aphasique à venir partager son vécu avec d’autres personnes dans la même situation, à participer à des activités de toutes sortes du genre chansons, activités de stimulation de langage, activités artistiques, jeux de société, sorties etc. mais surtout où le plaisir et la chaleur humaine priment . Jackie et Jeanne-Mance sont deux intervenantes qui vous offrent du soutien, de l’écoute et des encouragements. Venez-nous rejoindre tous les vendredis matins au Pavillon du CSSS . Pour toute information appelez Jeanne-Mance : 450 562-4608 ou Jackie : 450 533-5699. Venez-nous voir, vous pourriez être agréablement surpris. P.S: Notre prochaine levée de fonds, le 27 avril 2013, nous vous présenterons l’incomparable «Théâtre Aphasique». Plus d’informations à venir bientôt. - Saturday, January 19 and Sunday, January 20 - RZR, All terrain-vehicles races, Saturday competitions from 10 am - noon and Sunday, the ladies and special personalities compete from 1 pm - 4 pm. $5000 in prizes to be won. - Saturday, January 26 and Sunday, January 27 - Canadian Tire’s ice fishing competition is back this year. With over 200 trout being added to the lake, this competition is for people of all ages. Sign-up is from 8:30 am - noon and a permit is required. The tournament ends on Sunday at 3 pm. - Saturday, February 2 - Antique snow mobile exposition. Also, you can go on a dog sled ride from 11 am - 4 pm. - At 5 pm, everyone is invited to a Dinner/Dance supper for the Duchess of the Carnival, $30 per person. The crowning and fireworks follow at 8 pm. At this time I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the incredible work and time sacrificed from their families, to all the Hydro Québec crews (and the out-sourced crews from Ontario), who worked so hard during the past few weeks. Hats off (not in the literal sense, too cold!), to all the employees of Hydro. I even had the pleasure of receiving a phone call from one to advise me that one of my rental clients power was back on there! Outstanding service!!!! Thank you! Jessica Million www.jessicamillion.com jmillion@doncaster.ca January 2013 Two Great CrossCountry Ski Events laKE aCCESS! ste-annedes-LaCs. 5 Minutes to st. sauveur. ideaL weekend getaway or fuLL-tiMe HoMe. priCed to seLL $129,000 MlS 10189165 Two of the most important and popular crosscountry ski events are scheduled during the month of February and so far, ski conditions are looking better than they have in years. MOriN hEightS. in tHe viLLage. waLk to everytHing! BeautifuLLy renovated HoMe. faBuLous view of tHe viLLage. $139,000 MlS 9021076 The Canadian Ski Marathon, the longest and oldest Nordic ski tour will be following the 160 km route from Lachute to Gatineau on February 9 - 10. This is its 47th annual challenge. The tour is not a race and all participants, regardless of distance travelled, are winners. More details are available at www.csm-mcs.com. PhiliPPa Murray The Morin Heights Viking Loppet, another popular and important cross-country skiing event in Eastern Canada follows on February 24. This day is also open to snowshoe enthusiasts and there are several categories to enter for both disciplines. Details can be found at www.skiloppet.com. Affiliated Real Estate Broker Cell: 450 530 5787 Ofc: 450 229-6666 philippa@philippamurray.com 422, route 364 Morin Heights QC DES SOMMEtS agence immobilière. franchisé indépendant et autonome de remax Quebec inc. ViSit My PrOPErtiES at PhiliPPaMurray.COM Murray/Lalonde Jan 2013 M Laughter is the Best Medicine Robert Elimeleck - Main Street The Hamsterdam basketball team was called for double-gerbiling. This year Montreal hockey fans are Hab nots. In the Mediterranean grape growing race, who is the currant leader? Bugs was born in Allbunny, New York. French poodles are tame. French wolves are wild because they haven’t been kept in the loup. Paris is for Louvrers. Two Noodles For Sister Sara is my favourite spaghetti western. A Michelin-Man-For-All-Seasons would have won Best Picture, but the in tire cast was nailed. Her life may have gone to pot but she still wears the pans in the family. EXCELLENT ASIAN CUISINE: POLYNESIAN - SECHWAN TAKE OUT AND DELIVERY SERVICE JanuaryPorte 2013de Chine December 2012 Main Street Ad 11 Quebec Municipalities Infrastructure Program $1.8 Million for the Val-David Drinking Water System Front left to right: Sylvain Pagé, MNA for Labelle and representative for the Laurentian region, Mme. Nicole Davidson, mayor of Val-David, and Claude Cousineau, MNA for Bertrand. Back: Barbara Strachan, counselor of district #1, Raymond Auclair, counselor of district #5, Yves Frenette, Director-General. Labelle MNA Sylvain Pagé, responsible for the Laurentians region, and President of the Government Caucus is pleased to announce, on behalf of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Transport Minister and Jonquière MNA Sylvain Gaudreault, that the Village of Val-David will receive government financial assistance of up to $1,836,000 for the replacement of water mains in the municipality. This assistance is provided through the Programme d’infrastructures QuébecMunicipalities (PIQM). More precisely, the project is intended for the replacement of water mains along chemin de l’Air Pur, as well as de la Cèdrière, des Chèvrefeuilles, des Fougères, des Lys, des Muguets, des Pensées and des Roses streets in the Village of Val-David. Access to quality public services LUNCH TIME DURING WINTER MONDAY, TUESDAY, AND WEDNESDAY FAMILY SUNDAYS YOUR PARTY “Every Quebecer should benefit from access to quality public services. That’s why our government is committed to provide municipalities with the necessary support to enable them to renew and expand their infrastructure,” indicated Pagé. “I am very pleased with the financial support today for the Village of Val-David. I recognize the need for new water infrastructure to provide adequate basic services to the population, such as access to drinking water which is a fundamental right, an essential service for all,” added Bertrand MNA Claude Cousineau. The realization of this project requires government financial assistance of up to $1,836,000, under section 1.5 of the PIQM. With a total budget of $462 million, the new PIQM program component is intended not only to ensure the sustainability of infrastructure, but also to enhance the quality of life of the population and create many jobs across Quebec regions. This funding is part of the Plan québécois des infrastructures, which provides nearly $44.18 billion for the 2011 - 2016 period. Extension of Cellular Coverage in MRC d’Argenteuil Rise in Flu and Gastroenteritis Cases The Director of Public Health for the Laurentians, Dr Éric Goyer, has issued a public advisory about the currently prevailing rise in flu activity as well as gastroenteritis cases in the Laurentians region. Avoid emergency rooms “Unless someone is experiencing complications, most infections caused by the flu virus or the gastroenteritis virus can be treated at home without any need to visit either the emergency room of a hospital or a health clinic,” stated Dr. Goyer. We recommend that anyone presenting flu-like or gastroenteritis symptoms contact the Info-Santé help line by dialling 8-1-1. To help make sound decisions when dealing with flu symptoms, please use the decision chart on the Agence website, www.santelaurentides.qc.ca. The MRC d’Argenteuil is very pleased to announce the activation of a new cellular telecommunications site in the Pine Hill sector of Brownsburg-Chatham. Recently, Bell Mobility put into operation an HSPA site that will extend its HSPA network coverage along Highway 327 between Dalesville in Brownsburg-Chatham and Lac Émerald in the municipality of Grenville-sur-la-Rouge. Given the hilly topography of the area, the quality of cellular reception may vary depending on the location of the receiving antenna (mobile or Internet). This HSPA signal will enable the use of mobile phones, including smartphones, and provide access to mobile highspeed Internet using a Bell Mobility Turbo Stick or Turbo Hub. It is the second cell tower that Bell Mobility has put into operation within the MRC in 2012. Last May, Bell Mobility installed an identical HSPA site in the municipality of Mille-Isles. Prevent spread “This is important progress for the citizens of Argenteuil. As well as mobile phone service, these two sites provide access to high-speed Internet, a key priority for the MRC. In addition, they provide coverage along significant portions of two national highways (Highways 327 and 329) that were still without cell coverage. We believe that the addition of these two sites will significantly improve the safety of our citizens and those passing through the area,” mentioned Ronald Tittlit, Prefect of the MRC d’Argenteuil. Flu vaccination is still available for the general public. Anyone interested in the flu vaccine should contact their local health and social services centre. As a final recommendation, we remind you that proper hand washing offers effective protection against infections and prevents the transmission of the flu and gastroenteritis viruses. Note that, for more than three years, the MRC d’Argenteuil has been actively working on extending access to high-speed Internet (HSI) throughout its territory, and that cellular technology is an integral part of its strategy to do so. Refrain from visiting Please avoid contaminating your friends and loved ones staying in a hospital or a care facility for persons with a loss of autonomy; to best protect them, we recommend that you refrain from any visits while you are exhibiting flu symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever, difficulty breathing) or gastroenteritis symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea). Please be aware that gastroenteritis remains contagious for 24 to 48 hours after symptoms have disappeared. 12 January 2013 Happy 40th Anniversary Franke Volvo By Lori Leonard Left, the original Franke Volvo. Right, the Franke Volvo of today, both on the same site in Ste. Agathe. It is difficult to believe that Bernard Franke and the employees at Franke Volvo are celebrating quite a milestone….. their 40th anniversary of operating the business in the Laurentians. Bernard Franke opened the Franke Volvo dealership, located at 180 Principale in Ste. Agathe des Monts, in 1972. In fact, they are still located at the same address today, although the appearance of both the building and the Volvo have evolved dramatically. Bernard also opened a Mercedes-Benz dealership eight years later, in 1980. Bernard explained that the most popular Volvo 40 years ago, was the 144 model, which was produced and sold up until 1974, when it was replaced by the 240 model. The price tag for a Volvo in 1972 was a paltry $4,000 and the most popular colors sold were dark blue metallic, orange and light blue metallic. Initial sales of the Volvo were 20 cars per year which has advanced to a record number of 336 cars per year. Franke Volvo is currently the Canadian National record holder for Excellence awards, with 12 Dealers of Excellence and 7 Presidents’ Challenge awards. Franke Volvo is also very active within the community and participates and supports a number of events, which include a sailing regatta for children, triathlons, acrobatic skiing events, Pro-Rally racing, motor racing and cycling. As well, they are a long-time supporter of the Fondation Tremblant. In 2012, the Franke organization achieved the Gold Donor level for their commitment to Fondation médicale des Laurentides. Today, the Franke Volvo organization is run by CEO, Reinhilde Brand, President, Bernard Franke and Vice-President, Sales, Alex Zucker. Best of luck and many more years of success. Throughout the decades Volvo has progressed from a square, boxy car to a pinnacle of Scandinavian luxury. Active and passive safety is still one of its core elements. However, it has moved upscale into the luxury car segment. European performance, craftsmanship and a very dynamic driving experience have been added. Originally, the Volvo was driven by more men than women. These days, the brand is really not gender specific. Conversely, certain models are driven more frequently by women and other models are better appreciated by men. The most significant changes throughout the years in the automobile industry are that cars in general have become cleaner, safer, faster and more fuel-efficient. Also, the fact remains that computer technology currently controls many of today’s car functions. In the very near future, cars will also feature an autopilot. The Volvo 144GL 1973. The car on the picture is identical to Franke Volvo’s first Volvo demonstrator when the franchise business was started in fall 1972. What a beauty! January 2013 13 News Wire From Weir Air, Snow and Ice for the Weekend Pharmacie Jean Coutu Claudette Pilon-Smith - Main Street If you’re lucky enough to be in the mountains, you’re lucky enough! Festi-Neige in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts The entire Festi-Neige team was proud to invite the public to the opening of the sixth edition of Fest-Neige on Saturday, January 5 at 11 am. The opening festival celebrated the first weekend of activities with a focus on kites and sculptures of snow and ice. Daniel Desjardins, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce of Ste. Agathe would like to remind the public that all activities are free at Festi-Neige and that children and adults can also enjoy the slides and skating on the lake. Due to the snowstorms, power outages and computer technical problems, Claudette was unable to share the news from Weir with us this month, so, in place of her regular column, here are a few happenings taking place in the Weir-Montcalm area. The municipal library houses a collection of 2300 books, in French and English and also has on loan another 1200 from the Regional Centre of Public Services Libraries. The library also offers free Internet service. Opening hours are Thursdays from 5 pm - 8 pm and Saturdays from 9 am - noon. January 26, starting at 6 pm, there will be snowshoeing under the moon at Terravie. For information, please call 450 227-5416. February 8 - 17: Fun and family activities at the 4-Villages Winter Carnival - more details to follow next month. Info available at www.4villages.org. February 23: 11 am - Family Carnival Day with an evening performance at Morgan Farm. For information please contact - 819 687-2434. Happy New Year to all, have a safe, happy and healthy 2013! laKE aCCESS! ste-annedes-LaCs. 5 Minutes to st. sauveur. ideaL weekend getaway or fuLL-tiMe HoMe. priCed to seLL $129,000 MlS 10189165 Santa’s Visit to Mont Tremblant On Saturday, December 8, Santa and a team of funny elves welcomed nearly 200 children from the Tremblant area at City Hall. Each happy child received a special gift as well as a souvenir photo. MOriN hEightS. in tHe viLLage. waLk to everytHing! BeautifuLLy renovated HoMe. faBuLous view of tHe viLLage. $139,000 MlS 9021076 laC BarrON MagnifiCient property witH aCCess to 5 LaCs, Large private Lot overLooking LaC Barron, Modern open fLoor pLan, state of tHe art features, Heated sLate fLoors, douBLe-faCed firepLaCe, aMpLe dayLigHt and MuCH More, **take a tour on MlS 9063657 asking $365 000. ContaCt LiLLian LaLonde for More info. lilliaN lalONDE PhiliPPa Murray Affiliated Real Estate Broker Affiliated Real Estate Broker Cell: 450 530 5787 Ofc: 450 229-6666 philippa@philippamurray.com 422, route 364 Morin Heights QC Cell: 450 565 7780 Ofc: 450 229-6666 422, route 364 Morin Heights QC DES SOMMEtS DES SOMMEtS The Ville de Mont-Tremblant would like to thank its partners: Robert IGA, Marché agence immobilière. franchisé indépendant et autonome de remax Quebec inc. Tellier, Joupi Mont-Tremblant, Maxi, Metro Mont-Tremblant, S. Bourassa Ltd., ViSit My PrOPErtiES at PhiliPPaMurray.COM Souris Mini, Tim Hortons and Uniprix Mont-Tremblant. agence immobilière. franchisé indépendant et autonome de remax Quebec inc. ViSit www.lilliaNlalONDE.COM Murray/Lalonde Jan 2013 Main Street Ads and beverage 6 SMOKED MEAT 4 99 On presentation of this coupon only. Can not be combined with any other promotion. One coupon per visit. Plus taxes. 215 ch. du Lac Millette Present this coupon before ordering. St-Sauveur Offer for a limited time only at St-Sauveur. 14 with fries 99 On presentation of this coupon only. Can not be combined with any other promotion. One coupon per visit. Plus taxes. 215 ch. du Lac Millette Present this coupon before ordering. St-Sauveur Offer for a limited time only at St-Sauveur. SUBMARINE CLUB SANDWICH 7 49 On presentation of this coupon only. Can not be combined with any other promotion. One coupon per visit. Plus taxes. 215 ch. du Lac Millette Present this coupon before ordering. St-Sauveur Offer for a limited time only at St-Sauveur. 2 POGOS with fries HAMBURGER TRIO with fries with fries and beverage 6 99 On presentation of this coupon only. Can not be combined with any other promotion. One coupon per visit. Plus taxes. 215 ch. du Lac Millette Present this coupon before ordering. St-Sauveur Offer for a limited time only at St-Sauveur. CROQUETTES 3 89 On presentation of this coupon only. Can not be combined with any other promotion. One coupon per visit. Plus taxes. 215 ch. du Lac Millette Present this coupon before ordering. St-Sauveur Offer for a limited time only at St-Sauveur. 1 2 ...........499 ...........599 4 ............. 99 6 ............. 99 10 12 On presentation of this coupon only. Can not be combined with any other promotion. One coupon per visit. Plus taxes. 215 ch. du Lac Millette Present this coupon before ordering. St-Sauveur Offer for a limited time only at St-Sauveur. January 2013 499 On presentation of this coupon only. Can not be combined with any other promotion. One coupon per visit. Plus taxes. 215 ch. du Lac Millette Present this coupon before ordering. St-Sauveur Offer for a limited time only at St-Sauveur. CHICKEN WINGS 3 .............249 6 .............299 9 .............549 12 ...........799 On presentation of this coupon only. Can not be combined with any other promotion. One coupon per visit. Plus taxes. 215 ch. du Lac Millette Present this coupon before ordering. St-Sauveur Offer for a limited time only at St-Sauveur. 1073997 CHICKEN PITA OR GYRO TRIO with fries Cell phones: How to Protect Yourself By André Fauteux, Editor La Maison du 21e siècle magazine www.maisonsaine.ca Recent medical studies indicate that the risk of brain, auditory nerve or salivary gland tumors may double with heavy use of a cell phone over a decade, defined as at least 30 minutes per day. The risk of glioma (a brain cancer that kills people in 400 days, on average) even quintuples in those who begin regular cell phone use before the age of 20, according to a 2011 study by Swedish oncologist Lennart Hardell. The tumor typically appears on the same side of the head as where the handset is held. Many other studies have linked exposure to radiofrequency (RF) microwave radiation from cell phones and towers with fertility problems, cancers and various symptoms of intolerance to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), such as migraines, insomnia, depression, tinnitus and burning skin. While the research is inconclusive and contradictory (70% of studies financed by industry have found no such links), in 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified RF microwaves as ‘’possibly carcinogenic.’’ Many European countries thus recommend reducing your exposure to this kind of radiation. Here is advice from the European Centre for Research and Independent Information on electromagnetic radiation (CRIIREM) as well as from engineer Alasdair Philips of the British group Powerwatch and American EMF consultant Cindy Sage. Prefer wired phones or texting • Only use a cell or cordless phone when absolutely necessary and hold is as far as possible from your body. Use a landline or text; or use the speaker mode or an earpiece. Avoid Bluetooth-type headsets as they deliver EMFs into your ear. Bluetube is preferrable because sound is delivered in the air through a plastic tube. • Kids under 15 should not a use cell phone except in an emergency, recommends the British government. They are more vulnerable to EMFs because their bodies are still growing. Also, lifelong EMF exposure has cumulative effects. • Pregnant women and those equipped with medical devices (pacemakers, hearing aids, etc.) should also avoid wireless devices. The placenta water and embryo cells are very sensitive to EMFs. • If you buy a cell phone, pick the one with the lowest Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of microwaves as as possible, preferably less than 0.7 watts per kilogram of body weight. SAR values of North American models can be found on the Environmental Working Group website (ewg.org). However, consider that a low SAR value is not a guarantee of absolute safety unless you reduce your exposure to a minimum. Cellphones with the lowest SAR values can kill body cells and give the highest EMF doses if used heavily. Choose the model with the longest conversation time, meaning it is less powerful (consuming less watts). • Avoid internal antenna cellphones. External antennas reduce your RF exposure. • The only way to disable a cellphone, besides removing the battery, is to put it in airplane mode. Otherwise, it constantly communicates at full power with the nearest base station. Select the airplane mode in the Applications list, via Settings. It will stop all RF microwave emissions by disabling cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and FM radio applications. You will still be able to take pictures, use the calculator, alarm clock and write e-mails and text messages that you can send later after reactivating your cell. Protect yourself • Never put a cellphone against your head: in their user’s guides, manufacturers recommend keeping it up to an inch away. CBC News discovered this is to respect national RF exposure limits which are considered lax because they don’t consider possible long-term health effects. Many experts recommend holding the cell at least 20 inches from the body using speaker mode. • Based in Ontario, Lessemef.com sells various protective devices. The Skin-Blok ($11.95) is a thin transparent fabric that sticks to the cellphone block RFs by at least 40 dB but is inappropriate for touchscreens. It also offers the famous BlocSock ($24.95), a cover that reduces exposure by 96% during calls and while carrying the phone. Finally, the RF3 Envi Headset ($ 29.99 or $ 39.99 with an ear hook) is similar to the Bluetube and reduces head exposure by 99%. • Avoid so-called protective chips: they give a false sense of security and encourage heavy use of cellphones and other electronic devices, which can be dangerous if the chip is defective. • Do not carry your phone in a shirt pocket or on your waist. If you must to carry it on you, use a protective sleeve and prefer the back pocket of your pants while keeping the antenna pointing backwards. Limit your calls • Limit the number and duration of calls, ideally no more than five or six daily and lasting two or three minutes. Observe an average of an hour and a half between calls. Exposure limits are based on six-minute calls by a grown man (youths receive greater head and body doses per kg of body weight). • Only use your cell in top reception conditions (no less than four bars on your display screen). For each bar missing, your phone compensates with greater power and doubles your radiation dose. • Do not call while moving, whether walking, driving or in public transit : motion also makes your cellphone boost its output. Never call even in a parked car : emissions are increased because reception is poorer through metal which creates the “Faraday cage” effect, blocking, capturing and reflecting RF microwaves. • Keep your cellphone upright and away from you while calling, as emissions are strongest before it starts ringing. • Know that when you use your cell in public, others may suffer the radiation emitted by your phone. European surveys have shown that more than 10% of people have become intolerant to passive EMF - exposure up to four meters away in the case of former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland. At night, never put an activated mobile phone less than 20 inches (50 cm) from your head. It should ideally be in airplane mode if you use it as an alarm clock and never under your pillow! For more details: www.powerwatch.org.uk • January 2013 15 Really Pretend! Reality and S T R I C T LY B U S I N E S S Imagination in Picture Books By Lori Leonard Marion Hodge - Main Street In the last twenty years Canadians have enjoyed a flood of books from which to choose just the right title. Fact and fiction alike, if you share a passion for children’s literature, in particular the very special experience known as a picture book, then you understand the wistfulness I feel when I have to take just one book and leave the other thousand beautiful works on the shelf. Lots of special anniversaries this month….. Happy 40th anniversary to Denis and Denise Parent of Boutique Denis Parent, who are celebrating 40 years of business in our community! Wow, what an achievement! Thank you for always being there to help us decide on the latest in skis, ski boots, ski apparel, snow shoes, cross-country gear and much more. May your success continue for many more years to come. Happy 25th Anniversary to Tapis LGL. Congratulations to Denis Monette and Louis Gauthier. It is quite a landmark and rarity to be able to celebrate 25 years of business in St. Sauveur. Congratulations on achieving 15 years of business for Océann Coiffure. Bravo to Roxane, Brigitte and Céline. They are located at 895 boul. des Laurentides (in the Interclub complex) in Piedmont. Many more successful years to you. Axis Store Happy 10th anniversary to Scott Reeves, Fréderic Lamarche and Philippe Chouinard, owners of the Axis Store (and related franchise stores) located in Piedmont. We wish you many more successful years! You can see a special 10th anniversary documentary (which is free) about Axis at youtube.com/ axisboutique. Also, the Surf Outlet Store, located at 684 Ch. Avila (facing Axis) will be closed as of mid-January 2013. Congratulations to the new members of the Chambre de Commerce Committee. They are Johanne Roy (Caisse Desjardins de la Vallée des Pays-d’en-Haut), Jacques Gariépy (SADC des Laurentides), Marcel Ménard (consultant RH), Mélanie Beauchamp (Étude Major Lazure Notaire Inc.), François Parizeau (François Parizeau Law Office), Anne Léger (Sutton Laurentides) and Mathieu Bergeron (Multi-Prêt). Welcome Parfumeries du Nord to St. Sauveur. This new perfumerie is located at 200 Principale St. in the Promenades St. Sauveur (#1A). They offer a wide variety of fragrances such as Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Armani, Givency, Yves St-Laurent Phone: 450 227-3636 We are really pleased to hear that Maestro Restaurant, is now “open for business” in their beautiful new building which replaces the one that burned down last summer. Maestro is located at 339 Principale St. in St. Sauveur. Best of luck to owner Sylvain Cormier. Phone: 450 227-2999 One might assume that a book about multiplication would be the last place to find a sense of wonder. But in Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar the reader is shown an intricate and beautiful jar. Inside the jar is a sea. Upon the sea is an island. On the island are two countries, each with three mountains. The story continues until we end with the original jar standing in the cupboard. The author’s explanation, and further development of the concept of factorials at the end of the book, emphasizes the pattern of increasingly larger numbers of things evident throughout the story. Cabaret St- Sauveur has recently moved to their new address at 389 rue Principale, St. Sauveur. This is a great place for “baby boomers” to meet. They have several types of interesting evenings such as Karaoke on Wednesdays, Dinner and Dancing on Fridays and Saturdays and social dancing on Sundays. For more information call 450 227-4605. With a teaching background in mathematics, and a fascination with science, Mitsumasa Anno exemplifies what he called, “teaching without teaching providing the conditions that allow children to learn for him or herself. In treating children with respect for their innate sense of curiosity and ability to think abstractly, Anno’s work joins other artists and writers who have crafted enduring narratives that are loved by children and adults. Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak, came out in 1963 and has sold over 19 million copies, as well as being recreated in different media, including a film released in 2009, and appeared on many year-end Top Ten lists. Institut MediSpa has recently relocated New Maestro Restaurant to 108 rue Principale, St. Sauveur. Good luck in your new location. www.institutmedispa.com, phone 450 744-1440 La Clinique Podiatrique des Monts located at 125 de l’Eglise, St. Sauveur has opened a brand new office at 409 rue John F. Kennedy in St. Jérôme. They can be reached for both locations at 450 744-3244. Best of luck with your new office! Le Lounge - Pub Urbain located at 193 rue de la Gare, St. Sauveur has recently changed its look and concept. They will have a live DJ on Thursdays and Fridays and live musicians on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Drop by for a visit. For more info call 450 227-0166. If your office/company is celebrating a special anniversary or if you are moving your office to a new location, please send me an e-mail at lori. leonard@sympatico.ca. Book your Valentines Day ads for the February 8 Main Street now! 16 One author/illustrator who has been celebrated over the past 40 years is Japanese illustrator Mitsumasa Anno. In 1984, Anno received children’s literature’s highest honour, the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, in recognition for his unique gift for communicating to both East and West. In an interview concerning his book, show Me a Story! Why Picture Books Matter, Leonard S. Marcus spoke to Anno about how children think. Anno believes that children are able to think abstractly. Even a two-year-old will recognize a stick figure as Mother or Father, according to Mitsumaso Anno. He adds, “A child’s mind, unlike an adult’s, can absorb anything and accept any number of new ideas. For this reason, it is not always good to teach only ‘correct’ ideas to children. Scientific understanding is important, but imagination should also be encouraged. When some adults see a rainbow, they think they must explain the color spectrum to a child. The sense of wonder at such things should come first.” I know that I am not alone in having picture book characters take up permanent residence in my imagination. As a teacher, I have enjoyed listening to children and adults describe their own pictorial companions. Picture books play a vital role in our lives. If this were not so, would we be able to recall with ease a favourite story that made a powerful impression on us? We return again and again to an image that resonates with us. Such an image carries a message that seems as though it is for us alone. Editor’s note: Family Literacy Day is a national awareness initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada to help raise awareness for literacy. It is an annual event scheduled on January 27. For ideas on activities to share with your family, please visit the website www.abclifeliteracy.ca. The Municipality of Wentworth is Set to Bear the Responsibility to Preserve the Lac Rogers Dam At the public meeting of December 3, 2012, the City Council of Wentworth decided, unanimously with its members, to meet the immediate requirements of Revenue Québec and the Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec (CEHQ), and declare the intention of the municipality to take over the responsibility for the Wentworth Lac Rogers Dam. The council’s decision involves the support of the CEHQ, Revenue Québec and an agreement for the creation of a working group, uniting property owners of Lac Rogers and representatives of the municipality. Mayor, Edmund Kasprzyk, says, “The fifty lakes on the territory of Wentworth are the gems of our environmental heritage and any event that poses a threat should be considered a priority by politicians and the administration of Wentworth.” All the facts surrounding the issue of the Lac Rogers dam had been examined at a public information meeting held Friday, November 23. On this occasion, representatives from Revenue Quebec January 2013 and CEHQ had responded positively to the request of Mayor Ed Kasprzyk to grant a reasonable time prior to the work that would have disastrous consequences on the surrounding properties. On this occasion, representatives from Revenue Québec and the CEHQ had responded positively to the request of Mayor Edmund Kasprzyk to delay the opening of the dam so that an alternative could be found. This would have turned it into nothing more than a mere stream. January 2013 17 Geezer’s Corner Don’t you just hate people who are whining all of the time? I like to refer to those individuals as having a bad bout of Whinnieosis. Now, don’t go running for your medical dictionary to look up this common ailment, as most medical practitioners don’t recognize its existence. As they have no idea how to treat it, they’ll stuff cotton in their ears and hope that the complaining person will go away. You have to be careful of Whinnieosis as it’s very contagious and you will find it in abundance in your everyday activities. It’s a sneaky sickness and will creep up on you if you aren’t prepared. There is an antidote for this malady however and it’s free and it always works. All you have to do is laugh. When some dour old curmudgeon tries to infect Dale Dawson - Main Street you with this disorder, just step back a safe distance and laugh. If you can’t really laugh - fake it. Once you har, har, har at him a few times and you see the confusion on his face, the real laughter will come along. Within a few seconds you will be walking away in a great mood and Whinnieosis free. You may have even cured the curmudgeon. You may think that I’m kidding, but I’m not. If you want to live longer and enjoy each day, avoid all grumpy types that try to bring you down into their dismal world of gloom. Keep yourself armed with a belly laugh at your disposal. Keep on Laughing I shouldn’t be saying this, but old Auntie Anna and her parrot had two of the worst cases of Whinnieosis that I’ve ever encountered. That old darlin’ could whine the bark off a butternut tree while the parrot mumbled on in the same manner. They liked to moan in stereo. Over time we got to know the different levels of seriousness in their fussing by the tone of their anguish. We could ignore them when their wailing was carried out in a clear soprano pitch as that indicated they were lamenting about some minor incident; we did pay attention however, when the screeching reached a frequency that shattered glass. We never did figure out which one of them was responsible for breaking windows. Of course, everyone went running for their black clothes when the old dears resorted to their heartbreaking bass mode of the ailment. I was younger back then and didn’t recognize that they suffered from this blight. What a pity that none of us understood that all we had to do was laugh at them and maybe they would have been cured. I suspect that if we could have cured Auntie Anna that the parrot would have recovered also. I recall a man that suffered from the worst case of this disorder ever and he was nasty besides. The sky was always grey in his world and it was everybody else’s fault. Most people knew that the only way to get along with Mr. Winkle was to ignore him or as Uncle Zack used to say, “Pretend he’s a stump. Don’t even nod in passing or you’ll get him going.” Awe, but it was hard for some to ignore him completely. One day in late January the fellow was in the back yard splitting wood for Aunt Maudie. She’d been warned to leave him alone, but it was a bitterly cold day and she wanted to be nice to the old grouch. She stood on the back step and sweetly called out, “My, its cold today, Mr. Winkle…” Before she could finish, he yelled, “Too damned cold for me!” He threw the axe down and stomped out of the yard. Aunt Maudie didn’t laugh at this behaviour and would have chased him down the road if she’d had her boots on. This condition was a problem through the centuries and it’s only recently that we’ve discovered the cure. I can see it all now: Old Glug limping out of his cave grumbling at his mate while tugging with both hands at his bear skin drawers. “Hey Glota, are you sure you remembered the fabric softener when you washed my favourite undies in the creek? They’ve shrunk and there’s nothing worse than a bear skin wedgie.” He went on tugging, grumbling and complaining until sundown. Now, here was the place where poor Glota should have hidden behind a tree and laughed at him. She could have cured his sickness, but she’d flunked out of Frozen Mammoth U just before the final semester on whiney mate clubbing. Okay, I’m starting to wander off into the enchanted kingdom now, so before I go - I’d just like to mention that it’s important to keep on laughing and there is plenty out there to laugh about. Opening hOurs: 7 days/week 11am - 10 pm Take out & free delivery special chef’s chOice: Mon/Tues/Wed $6.95 & Thurs to Sun $7.95 (not applicable with deliveries.) Welcome to everyone. Thank you for your support! Construction McVeigh Inc. Craig McVeigh 450-226-7448 RBQ 8313-0252-37 125, Bethany Lachute Qc J8H 2L3 450 409-3535 LRHS Santa 6 Charity Run Katharine Morrill - Main Street CoqOBec Jan 2013 Main Street Ad It is not often that a group of red and green-clad teenagers are seen running around Lachute; however they made their 2nd annual appearance on December 12. The LRHS Santa Run is well on the way to becoming a holiday tradition within both LRHS and the local community. Fifty-six members of our staff and student body gathered together in an effort to raise money, which was later donated to several charities. Despite a damp and cold morning, the weather had cleared up by noon and runners were left with a beautiful sunny day that stayed with us the entire time. After running from LRHS down to Main Street, we received a very kind welcome at LES, where the students were all excited to receive their candy canes and meet Santa. His 6 km run was probably good training for his big night to follow. The staff organisers of the event would like to thank all the students who participated, and in particular, the LES staff who opened their doors to us. 18 Have a Happy New Year filled with love, health and prosperity. January 2013 GORE A Youthful Perspective The Last Desperate Cry for Help Yaneka McFarland - Main Street WINTER CARNIVAL SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2013 COME JOIN US AT THE TRINITY COMMUNITY CENTER I have chosen to speak about suicide because I was recently, personally and deeply saddened by the loss of a teenager …. Raising suicide awareness could help prevent the heartbreak and pain of so many families and communities. It’s not about the statistics and numbers but it’s about the people. Support each other and do not blame. Loss; it’s the pain that never truly goes away, the grief that looms over you like a dark storm cloud. A family member, a friend, or even someone you have only seen once. The sad thing is that you only realize how much they actually mean to you when they are gone… When dealing with a suicide, all you seem to think is “what if?” What could I have done differently? A wave of questions hits you so hard, you are no longer able to think and there are no answers. On the outside they may seem fine; just the average teen with teenage problems. What we don’t see is the pain and anger, eating away on the inside. Every day is a struggle and only adds to their heavy load resting on their fragile selves. It all boils inside them until they have finally had enough; suicide is the last desperate cry for help. (2 Cambria road) AND AT THE GORE MUNICIPAL PARK (45 Cambria road) There are so many tragic stories about young teens who take their own lives but only when it happens close to home, does suicide truly become a reality. Suicide is not a subject of ordinary conversation but rather a delicate matter. However, it should not be regarded as a taboo or a topic that is frowned upon. We cannot be afraid to speak up and be there for one another. As an adolescent, I know that it is hard to talk about it. We are afraid of judgement or being perceived in a different way. There are alternative resources such as Kids Help Phone and the Faubourg des Laurentides, which are available 24/7 and remains anonymous. Calling is not a sign of weakness but one of courage; asking for help and more importantly admitting you need it. A qualified and experienced resource person will listen, counsel and give you tools to deal with the pain. ALL DAY LONG ACTIVITIES FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY, FEATURING: Assorted arts and crafts, horse sleigh rides, crafts for sale, contests, various sports including hockey, and lots to eat! THE EVENING WILL INCLUDE: Spaghetti dinner with live music and dance, a demonstration of the Afro-Brazilian martial art: Capoeira AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!!!! Personally, I cannot imagine being in such a dark place where you feel so alone it becomes unbearable to even live. We don’t understand suicide: how they felt or what they were going through will always remain a mystery. I ask myself the question; what were they thinking in their final moments? Did they consider all the people who loved them who they were leaving behind with nothing but grief and confusion? Why? The guilt and the sorrow we experience when we think of the reasons why they left us behind? The only thing we can do is move on. It does not mean to forget but to accept and continue living life like they would have wanted us to. To those who are no longer with us; You were young and didn’t realize how precious life was. Now you are gone, but your memory will live on like a burning flame to bring the light to those in dark places. Kids Help Phone: 1 800 668-6868 - Faubourg Des Laurentides: 1 866 277-3553. ARC (Awareness Resource Center) Comes to the Rescue Lori Leonard - Main Street ARC is a non-profit organization, providing support and help to those who need assistance to handle troublesome, stressful challenges in their lives (relationships with themselves, a partner or a child). People often call ARC to seek guidance or tools as a last resort, after they have tried everything possible to resolve their issues. Communication problems between family members are often a major factor. Teens and adults often don’t know how to express themselves properly and sadly, often end up in a crisis situation, or even worse, try to commit suicide. For more information and dinner reservations contact Tammy Hall 450 562-2025 ext. 21 Director, Millie Demitro, explained that many people are just not aware of their behaviors or reactions as they act on automatic reflex, which must be changed. Millie has always had an inner calling to defend and protect children. She completed her studies in the US with teachings by Dr. Wayne Dyer and Louise Hay. While living in New Jersey, Millie read about the suicide statistics in Quebec and noted that it was rated as the 3rd highest in the world. She decided to do something about it and returned to Quebec in 2005. Upon her return, she commenced work with Attitude Resource Center, which is now called ARC. Workshops are offered at ARC to assist people to determine what the problem is and then clients are offered other ways to deal with their particular situations. Services offered at the center are Self-Esteem Workshops, Overcoming Grief, Teenage weekends, Couples’ weekends, Universal Laws and Financial Security. Or visit our website: www.cantondegore.qc.ca ARC also offers a “New Course on Life Session,” which is a four-day, five-night course. All of the participants stay at Centre In’Afu, located in the Laurentians. This course offers people the opportunity to examine their lives and rid themselves of excess pressure and confusion that block their pathways to happiness. Millie Demitro and her team, comprised of five facilitators, provide the course. They include Marc Jarry, President, who works with teens, Benoit Corbeil, a psychotherapist, Frederic Allaire, Life Coach, and Stéphane Martin, ARC Administrator. Each of these members brings their own special “gift” to the sessions. The overall mission of ARC is to bring out the best in people who want to improve their quality of life. If you would like more information, please call ARC at 450 563-1004. Website is www.awarenessresourcecenter.org. January 2013 Gore Winter Carnival Ad Jan 2012 Main Street 19 TFSAs Make Money and save on your taxes Since January 2009, the TFSA (tax-free savings account) has become part of the financial vocabulary of many taxpayers. TFSAs are an ideal vehicle for making your dreams a reality or for building up an emergency fund. With a TFSA, not only do you accumulate tax-free savings, but you don’t pay a cent in taxes on your withdrawals or your interest income. A TFSA is a registered plan that allows you to invest in a broad range of investment products of your choosing, up to a limit of $5,500 per year. What’s more, any unused annual TFSA contribution room is carried forward, while withdrawals from previous years can be put back into your plan. The funds withdrawn from a TFSA create additional contribution room for the following year. Your savings are accessible at all times. You can also share assets with your spouse and double your tax-free savings. think strategically. Make tFsas part of your investment strategy. talk to your advisor about a tFsa. He or she has all the tools necessary to put forward a winning strategy. Caisse de la Vallée des Pays-d’en-Haut 450-227-3712 desjardins.com/RrspTfsa 20 Cooperating in building the future January 2013 Call to Artists About Sainte Adèle Chris Lance - Main Street Ilania Abileah - Main Street Completely covered with snow, Ste. Adèle looks very seasonal. Streetlight poles laden with icecoloured lights line our streets. Northbound buses dropped-off friends and relatives during Xmas week, however, that influx of people have left town now leaving us with a few things to think about as 2013 rolls in. The skeleton of wood in the village centre, the People’s Pavilion, stands still and needs to be finished. The SQ has settled into the overall picture of our town. After all the hell broke out with the mayors in Laval, Montreal and other towns and cities throughout Quebec that have been caught with their hands in municipal coffers accepting bribes and favours from the construction and engineer firms, one hopes that our town is clean. Other administrations have been caught and dismissed in our recent past history. It must be difficult being a politician at the municipal, provincial or federal level. Look at the recent mess created by Doctor Arthur Porter, the former head of the MUHC and his apparent ties with the mafia, SNC Lavalin, prominent English business elite, the provincial liberals and of course our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who appointed Dr. Porter, to the Security Intelligence Review Committee to keep tabs on the operations of Canada’s spy agency, CSIS. What a web of deception, misrepresentation, fraud, bribery, payoffs, and now, problems for the existing hospitals operating at a huge loss. There will be cut backs to the General Hospital, perhaps the Quebec government might act as trustee and administer the hospital. There was a time that our Ste. Adèle was run by the Quebec government. Our mayor, Mr. Charbonneau, must not relish being a politician who is building an expensive new building, knowing citizens must be wondering if he is honest. What do we have in place to make sure he is honest? We do have Quebec’s anticorruption task force, but they seem to have their hands full these past months. There is absolutely no reason to think our mayor is dishonest. He is full of political ideas for our town, and gets so enthusiastic at gatherings, that he looks like he will pop-out of his shirt and jacket one day. Stay honest Mr. Mayor. This is the first month of the New Year. Our taxes are up, the savings for our new police department change is years away and probably will be forgotten. But, our town looks quaint, safe and wonderful in the winter. You can ski, skate, sit or walk on Lac Rond. Enjoy hot chocolate and horse-drawn sleigh rides at Centre Equestre le Zephyr. You can play hockey, but can’t watch it (yet). You can make fires and have dinners at home with friends, or, at one of our great restos. You can even check out the artwork on the walls at the local IGA. You can also enjoy great films at our Pine Theatre and feed your pets with great food from Moulees du Nord or see Harmonium, at the Salle Augustin-Norbert-Morin on January 26. Order in a great party-pizza for the Super Bowl from Restaurant Med Pizza, or chicken from St-Hubert. You can breakfast at numerous venues including the hidden gem, Starca, over in Mont Rolland, or a local favourite, like John LeGrec, in the town centre beside Lise Paris Coiffure for men. From the window of John LeGrec, you can stare at the wood-skeleton structure of the People’s Pavilion and sit and watch our tax dollars get boarded up. Think constructive thoughts. Arts Morin Heights: Arts Morin Heights celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2013. Artists from the Pays-d’en-Haut region who are interested in joining can find information and application forms on the website: www.artsmorinheights.com. Through the years, Arts Morin Heights has grown and become a dynamic group, playing an important part in the cultural scene of the region. From the traditional highlight in the form of an annual exhibition, they have now evolved to a thriving group with monthly exhibitions at the Library. The group has over thirty members who do painting and sculpture, wood turning, pottery, stained glass, photography, ceramics, photography and more. Laurentian Funds for the Arts & Letters: The Laurentian Council of culture calls for artists to submit their portfolios for the funds available. A total of $190,000 per year is allotted to professional artists and writers and professional art organisations in the Laurentians. Due date: Jan. 21, 2013! Conseil de la culture des Laurentides, 223 rue St. Georges, Suite 400, St. Jérôme, 450 432-2425. Contact Karine Gariépy: developpement@culturelaurentides.com 1 866 432-2680, ext. 106. http://www.culturelaurentides.com. L’En Verre du Décor - St. Sauveur: The 11th “L’En Verre du Décor” will be held in St. Sauveur and will feature artists who work with fire: glass & ceramic arts. This event has become a tradition in the Laurentians. In 2013, it will take place on July 12-14, between 10 am and 6 pm daily, at Park Filion, next to the St. Sauveur Church. Artists are encouraged to register early to enjoy maximum publicity. Registration package is available on line www.passagedartistes.com (“inscription” button). The cost of registration includes a 10 x 10’ booth and a table (72 x 30”). There is no commission on sales. The event will be advertised in local media as well as Magazine “Traces” (circulation 24 000 copies). Contact: Annie Depont, Passage d’Artistes, 6 rue Filion, St. Sauveur. 514 833-8718 www.passagedartistes.com. 13th Annual Young Laurentian Visual Artists’ Competition: The “Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides” is holding its annual competition of young Laurentian Visual artists. There are two prizes: the 1st is for research and creation offered by Rochon, Thériault, Chartrand, services conseils, le Groupe Platinum construction et le Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides. The value is $2,500 and also entitles the winner to have a solo exhibition at the museum. The 2nd grant is for training at “Atelier de l’Île” of Val David, a value of $1000, which covers initiation in silk-screening by one of the master printers of the center, comprising seven days of assisted-production (including materials required for printing), a limited edition, plus lodging and living expenses. The contest is for artists with a career of less than ten years, and young artists under thirty-five years of age, who reside in the Laurentians or originate from the region. The contest is open to artists practicing painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, photography and video art. Due date is January 25! Registration package is available on the museum’s website www.museelaurentides.ca or at the museum, 101, place du Curé-Labelle, St. Jérôme. 450 432-7171. You may have noticed the protection car at the Hydro site near the Metro. It seems thieves have been digging up cables that contain cooper at these electrical stations. At $3 a pound, I guess there is a profit if you can mine enough electricalwiring. It will cost Hydro millions in security costs. Just saw our mayor having breakfast at John Le Grec restaurant. We wished each other a good morning and we both sat and stared out the window at the pavilion. I waved at him as he left the restaurant. Restaurant le Gourmet Get out and enjoy this season, lots of snow has fallen. Cold, crisp, crunchingsidewalks and paths through the woods wait. Stay safe and have a Happy Year. Table d’hôte supper every day of the week Meeting room for gatherings and events (10 to 22 people) Real Estate 2012 into 2013 Brunch every Sunday $25* *taxes & services not included Our chef, Luc invites you to savour our new splendid table d’hote and his house pastries. Paul Dalbec - Main Street Broker-owner of Royal Lepage, Mont-Tremblant region Gift certificates available! Happy New Year, my friends! I wish you all a healthy year for without health, life is more difficult. I also wish you lots of love, another important ingredient of life. Let’s have a quick look at 2012! Clearly a buyer’s market and lots of good deals were made. Those who had enough guts to get off the fence and buy, did very well; the ones still on the fence will probably stay there in 2013 unless they find the right property and believe that the end of the world is not on the threshold. Lots of people invest in brick and mortar (homes) or dirt, rock, trees and water (land) instead of the stock market. Investing in real estate is not an easy thing to do but it can be very profitable, especially if you will use and enjoy the property. Some people prefer only to invest in real estate. Financial advisers often overlook real estate as potential investments, but long-term properties, that can be included as part of a client’s estate, is a very feasible option. Spa & Supper What a great idea! My advice for 2013 is for sellers to clean their home and property; refresh the paint and make it look its best without spending like crazy. The interior as well as the exterior should be spic and span. The properties that showed the best, and were listed at the right price, sold well last year. Vendors need to adjust to the realty of the market. 1-866-996-1796 www.spalerefuge.com Meanwhile, enjoy winter and play outside in the snow. Cross-country ski, snowshoe, ski, slide, skate and enjoy the beautiful region we live in. Live the good life! Rebate facebook fan 500, route 364 West, Morin Heights (Québec) Canada, J0R 1H0 January 2013 Le Refuge January 2013 Main Street Ad 21 Volunteer Recognition Evening William MacKimmie Re/Max Selection 599 Principale Lachute, Qc 514 953-7336 Jean Allaire: 2012 Volunteer of the Year The Lemuel Cushing House The Board and the management team of the City of Mont Tremblant honored 60 volunteers involved in the 14 committees of the City during the Volunteer Recognition Evening, December 12, at the Village Church. Domaine SaintBernard trustee, Jean Allaire was named the 2012 Volunteer of the Year. Circa... 1829... Situated on landscaped acre lot overlooking the Ottawa River in Cushing, Qc. (Brownsburg) Allaire has been a volunteer in the city since 1999, especially as a Domaine Saint-Bernard Acting mayor, Roxanne Lacasse, trustee. “He is a lover of open spaces and pays and the recipient of recognition great attention to conservation in order to leave award, Jean Allaire. a precious legacy for future generations. For over 13 years, he has been a priceless gift to the city due to his effectiveness and rigor at work. He is open-minded, has lively repartee, and demonstrates a great sense of humor and attention to detail. All these qualities have enabled him to deserve the 2012 Volunteer of the Year award,” indicated Acting Mayor Roxanne Lacasse. Rich in tradition,this lovely stone home has only had 4 owners in almost 200 years... Five bedrooms, detached garage, shed, greenhouse and sprinklered English gardens in back of house with southerly exposure… Action démocratique Own a piece of history for only $369,000… MLS # 9497583 wdmackimmie@live.ca MacKimmie Remax January 2013 Main Street Ad Allaire is a retired lawyer, and he is a Quebec politician well known for having founded the Action démocratique du Québec party in 1994 and for writing the Allaire Report in 1991. Acting Mayor Roxanne Lacasse praised the achievements of members of committees and commissions during 2012, such as: the Steven Guilbeault conference on climate change, the Christmas decorations workshop, the Mon Tremblant fleuri and Mon Tremblant Magique contests, planting trees as part of the un enfant, un arbre program, the Fête des sucres, the green day for the exchange of perennials, and participation in the Guignolée food drive. The Volunteer Recognition Evening is an annual event that pays tribute to 60 citizens who volunteer for the well-being of the community. They share their talents, skills and experiences within the 14 municipal committees and commissions. Palliacco’s First Trek Under the Stars PALLIACCO is organizing its first Trek Under the Stars on January 26, from 5 pm to 9 pm at Domaine Saint Bernard in Mont Tremblant. This fundraising activity will be held annually and will kick off PALLIACCO’s annual fundraising campaign. PALLIACCO is a non-profit organization that provides support to people with cancer, to the terminally ill, to caregivers and to the bereaved. During the last year, from November 2011 to October 2012, 165 clients benefited from PALLIACCO’s services and 880 services were rendered, such as accompaniment in the home, individual monitoring, access to a support group for cancer patients, for caregivers and for the bereaved, etc. A Trek Under the Stars is a fundraising activity to help PALLIACCO to continue its work and to continue to provide these valuable services to its clients who are in great need of them. The totality of donations received are to provide services to beneficiaries. A Trek Under the Stars... it is a torchlight trek of approximately seven kilometres, on cross-country skis, on snowshoes or on foot, with two scheduled stops for tasting and ending with a wine and cheese at the Petit Saint Bernard. ous en avez assez des lentes Tired of waiting forconnexions high-speed service in your area? par ligneinternet téléphonique ou par satellite? A total of 25 to 30 teams of ten participants each will be formed, the objective being to raise a minimum of $1,000 per team for a total of $25,000 to $30,000 or more. Fed up with SLOW dial-up and e À partir dsatellite connections? 29 To register: You can register a team with a captain or participate in a team by registering solo OR become a volunteer by registering on the website: www.palliacco.org. Idéal pour nouveaux For additional information, please contact PALLIACCO by calling 819 717-9646 or Ideal for new développements immobiliers 1 855 717-9646 (toll free) or email: info@palliacco.org. $ and Residential /mois Commercial Service Real Estate developments nEW AREAS: If you cannot attend A Trek Under the Stars, you can sponsor a team or make a Code promo du donation. Donations are accepted throughout the year and tax receipts are issued immediately if the donation is made printemps pouronline. les To get a tax receipt for April 2013 requires that donations werenouveaux made priorclients to December 31, 2012. - vice •internet haute vitesse sans fil dans les Laurentides Participating in A Trek the Stars on Saturday, January 26, 2013 is to participate Lac des Trois Montagnes # Under GAC159 Starting at in an unforgettable experience and it is also to help PALLIACCO to continue to pursue t maintenant à : Brownsburg-Chatham, Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Tremblant-Nord, St-Faustin-Lac-Carré, Brébeuf, Ivry-sur-le-Lac, its mission. gathe, Lantier, Sainte-Lucie, Val-David, Val-Morin, Saint-Adolphe-D’Howard, Sainte-Adèle, Estérel, Sainte-Marguerite, Prévost, nne-Des-Lacs, Saint-Sauveur, Morin-Heights, Lac-des-seize-Isles, Wentworth et Wentworth-Nord, Saint-Calixte, La Conception, au, Labelle, Arundel, La Minerve, Montcalm, Weir, Gore (Lac Barron, Grace Park, Lakeview), Mille-Îles, Lachute, Saint-André d’Argenteuil, on, Brownsburg-Chatham, Val-des-Lacs, Grenville, Rigaud. entôt disponible à : Entrelacs, La Macaza, Piedmont, St-Remi-d’Amherst, Saint-Colomban, Saint-Donat, Saint-Hippolyte, Val-Durn. 29 • Lac Caribou • Lac Laurel • Lac Lauzon /mo • Lac Earl z notre site web à www.acces.com et remplissez notre demande d’information Promotional code • Lac des Écorces for new 1 877 777-3637, poste 13 info@acces.com customers is • Lac Labelle #GAC 155 • Lac Sauvage Our high-speed wireless connectivity is available in the Laurentians! G12-131 $$ Gift certificates available!! GAC nOW SERVES: Arundel, Brébeuf, Brownsburg-Chatham, Estérel, Gore, Grenville, Harrington, Huberdeau, Ivry-sur-leLac, La Conception, La Minerve, Labelle, Lac-des-seize-Isles, Lachute, Lantier, Mille-Isles, Montcalm, Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Tremblant nord, Morin-Heights, Prévost, Rigaud, Saint-AdolpheD’Howard, Saint-André d’Argenteuil, Saint-Calixte, Sainte-Adèle, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Sainte-Anne-Des-Lacs, Sainte-Lucie des Laurentides, Sainte-Marguerite, Saint-Sauveur, St-Faustin-Lac-Carré, Val-David, Val-des-Lacs, Val-Morin, Weir, Wentworth, Wentworth-nord Visit our website at www.acces.com Pet food, accessories, clothing, grooming products and counselling services for dogs, cats, birds, horses, rabbits and more. and fill out our information request form 1-877-777-3637 extension 13 22 January 2013 Moulées du Nord Jan 2013 Main Street Ad Lori’s Lookout minutes pass before you make a decision. Make a list of 20 activities you can do instead of giving in to temptation such as eating those chips, avoid going to the gym, picking up a cigarette, or making a purchase. Try five of these deflecting activities each time you are tempted. Keeping those New Year’s Resolutions Whether it’s losing weight, exercising, quitting smoking, drinking less, my new year’s wish is that you keep your resolutions to become fitter, slimmer, healthier and happier in 2013. Happy New Year and good luck to all. Lori Leonard - Main Street In the December issue, I wrote about traditions. Seeing that we just started the New Year, I thought that it would be fun to write about New Year resolutions. Yes, you know, those promises that we make and break each year. Please feel free to e-mail me at lori.leonard@ sympatico.ca with your thoughts or comments. According to Wikipedia, a New Year’s resolution is a commitment that a person makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or is the reforming of a habit. A key element to a New Year’s Resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year and new beginnings. People committing themselves to a New Year’s resolution generally plan to do so for the whole following year. This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as advantageous. In other words, if you set forth a goal and manage to achieve it, you keep your resolution. What are the most popular New Year’s Resolutions? Weight loss, stopping smoking or drinking or ending a bad habit are the most popular. By mid-February, nearly all resolutions are broken. “Dieters” will gain back the weight they’ve lost, people will propose “I will just have one cigarette or just one drink, which won’t hurt me” and inevitably they return to their bad habits. Need someone to help you with a particular job? According to well-known physician, Dr. Mantell, these are some of the psychological reasons why we cannot keep our good intentions and resolutions: - Our resolution includes too many goals or are personally insignificant. - Our resolutions only exist in our mind because we never wrote them down. - We hide the sheet with our written resolutions and don’t ever look at them. - We don’t recalibrate our resolutions even when conditions change. We don’t tell anyone about our resolutions or what our goals are (go ahead and tell your family and friends, this will really help. If you don’t remember, they will certainly remind you). Administration, event planning, translation (Referrals are free) e-mail: lori.leonard@sympatico.ca • Home renos, house cleaning, handyman web: www.lorislinks.com Linking you to the right • Snow removal Call lori’s links at 450.224.7472 people at the right price. Paid advertisement - We avoid working on our resolutions with others. • Anyone or anything... Here are some helpful ways to keep at least some of your resolutions: Compose and read a list of every single advantage you can think of to keep each resolution every day. Read this list daily for months so that when you feel like giving up or if you are faced with temptation, the advantages will be clear in your mind. Prepare what you will say to yourself in advance when keeping that resolution becomes difficult. Write down these reasons and read them frequently. Lori’s Links Ad January 2013 Main Street If you make a “slip-up,” be kind to yourself, excuse yourself and get right back on board again with your original resolution. One error should not permit you to forget about your goal. If your resolution is to lose weight through dieting, there should be no excuses. Either you can eat whatever you want, or you can get thinner, but you cannot achieve both. People are so taken up with what they eat between Christmas and New Year’s, when they should really be concerned about what they eat between New Year’s and the following Christmas. Goals need to be logical, realistic and rational. Remind yourself of the reasons why you made your resolutions. When you are faced with temptation, let a few Look no further for all your TV, Internet, wireless, and Home phone needs. • Spectacular TV with breathtaking HD picture quality, up to 1080p – the best available • Internet with great speeds, generous usage every month and Wireless Home Network included at no extra cost • An amazing selection of superphones and smartphones • The most reliable Home phone1 Plus, bundle your services and save. Available at the following Bell store: Ste-Agathe-des-Monts 80A , boul. Morin 819 321-0265 Current as of October 12, 2012. Available to residential customers where access, line of sight and technology permit. (1) Applies to traditional copper-based (excluding fibre-based) wireline telephony; compared to cable telephony and based on continued service during extended power outages at customer’s home. January 2013 23 COME AND SEE WHY WE SELL CARS IN THE LAURENTIANS! theost m USED CAR LIQUIDATION EVERYTHING MUST GO TO MAKE ROOM FOR NEW ARRIVALS 4 WINTER TIRES FREE WHEN BUYING A USED CAR CHANCE TO WIN ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTS WITH OUR LUCKY WHEEL 24 January 2013 MEGA SALE ON ALL 2012 HONDA MODELS. $2500 DISCOUNT ON 2012 CIVIC, RATE STARTS AT 0.99%. DISCOUNTS OF UP TO $5500 AND NO PAYMENTS FOR 90 DAYS!!! # NORD SUD HONDA IS ON THE NORTH SHORE 325 boulevard J. F. Kennedy Saint-Jérômewww.nordsudhonda.com 1.800.363.5640Accumulez des points sur vos achats! 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Come visit us on Shayne Huneault Representative 25 COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD January 2013 ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION LA LÉGION ROYALE CANADIENNE Branch 171 Filiale Morin Heights Jan. 12: 5 pm - Honnours Awards Feb. 9: 6 pm - Valentine’s Day Supper. Donation $15. 1st & 3rd Mondays: 1 pm - Military Whist 2nd & 4th Mondays: 1 pm - Cribbage Wed. & Fri. 7 pm - Darts (maximum 24 players). Happy New Year and all our best wishes for a wonderful year in 2013! For information on any event call 450 226-2213 (after 12 noon) Branch 70 Filiale Lachute Feb: 28: 6 pm - Smoked Meat Dinner, $9. SENIOR CARDS Euchre: every Tues. 1 pm Cribbage: every 2nd Thursday at 1 pm Shuffleboard: every 2nd Thursday at 1 pm Happy New Year to all and best of health, happiness and prosperity in the new year! For info call 450 562-2952 after 2 pm Branch 71 Filiale Brownsburg Happy New Year! Downstairs bar/lounge (side-entrance) Fridays from 3 pm - closing For information , please call Trevor Holmes 450-562-8728 or Jim Lavis 450 566-5771. Branch 192 Filiale Rouge River Jan 13: 10 am - 1 pm - Legion Brunch Jan18: 6 pm - T.G.I.F. Jan 19: 11 am - General Meeting Jan 19: 1 pm - Bowling Party Jan 26: 5:30 pm - Dinner ROBBIE BURNS Cribbage every Tuesday night at 7:30 pm Bridge every Wednesday afternoon 1 pm Darts on T.G.I.F. Fridays at 3:30 pm Rental of legion hall is available for all communities served by our legion. For info: call 819 687-9143 or 819 687-3148 Happy New Year 2013 may you have health, joy & peace! To find out what is going on in and for the English community in the Laurentians, go to: http://www.cssssommets.com/english/70/English.html to see the Community Calendar of meetings and other events across the territory. Check it also to help you set the date for your own meetings to make sure that there is nothing else scheduled for that date. Instructions are on the site for having your events posted too. BADMINTON! Join this group of ladies Mondays and Fridays at 9:15am at the St. Adolphe d’Howard Community Center on Rue de College. For more info call Betty Reymond at 450 226-6491 or Robin Bradley at 819 327-2176. 26 REL I GI O U S SE R V IC E S MORIN HEIGHTS UNITED CHURCH 831 ch. Du Village January Sunday services will be held at the regular time at 10:30 am MARGARET RODGER MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 463 Principale St. Lachute 450 562-6797 Minister Dr. Douglas Robinson CHABAD OF SAUVEUR Jewish educational & social events Call Rabbi Ezagui 514 703-1770 or visit www.chabadsauveur.com Lenten Services and Luncheons: February 28, March 7, March 14 and March 21. First lunch served at 11:15 am followed at 12 pm with a church service and another luncheon sitting at 12:30 pm. DALESVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH 245 Dalesville Road, Brownsburg-Chatham Pastor Eddie Buchanan - 450 533-6729 Sunday school 10 am, Worship Service 10:45 am BROOKDALE UNITED CHURCH, BOILEAU Info: 819 687-2752 Friday, March 1: 2 pm - World Day of Prayer HOUSE OF ISRAEL CONGREGATION 27 Rue St Henri West, Ste. Agathe Office: 819 326-4320 Spiritual Leader: Rabbi Emanuel Carlebach Cell: 514 918-9080 • rabbi@ste-agathe.net Services every Sabbath, weekend & holidays LACHUTE BAPTIST CHURCH 45 Ave. Argenteuil - 450 562 8352 Sunday School 9:45 am - Worship Service -11 am Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study -7 pm HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH 12 Préfontaine St. West, Ste. Agathe (corner of Tour du Lac and Préfontaine) Rev. Canon Ralph Leavitt: 819 326-2146 Services every Sunday at 8 am (Breakfast afterwards in a restaurant) And also at 10 am (Music, Sunday school, coffee hour). Christians of all denominations are welcome. Dress is casual. Parking and elevator for handicapped. LOST RIVER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 5152 Lost River Road, Lost River SERVICES START 11 am: Eveyone is welcome. TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH 757 du Village, Morin Heights Worship Service Sundays 11 am Rector: Rev. Bryce Sangster 450 226 5307 e-mail: wbsangster@hotmail.com Please join us. Visitors very welcome. ST. FRANCIS OF THE BIRDS ANGLICAN CHURCH 94 Ave. St. Denis, St. Sauveur 450 227-2180 Service Sundays 9:30 am. Rector: Rev. Bryce Sangster 450 226-5307 wbsangster@hotmail.com. All welcome. UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Rouge Valley Pastoral Charge Lee Ann Hogle, Worship Leader 819 687-3331 Everyone welcome. CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP CENTRE OF THE LAURENTIANS (CFCL) Chalet Pauline Vanier 33 de l’Église, St. Sauveur 450 226-7621, 450 229-5029, 450 229-7858 Please join us every Sunday at 10 am HARRINGTON UNITED CHURCH & ST. ANDREWS UNITED CHURCH, AVOCA Alternating Sundays - 11:30 am Everyone is welcome. VICTORY HARVEST CHURCH 361 des Erables , Brownsburg-Chatham Sunday Service 10:30 am Pastor Steve Roach 450 533-9161 Call to confirm: Wed. 7 pm Prayer/Bible Study ST. ANDREWS EAST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 5 John Abbott Street, St. André d’Argenteuil Information: 450 537-8560 Please call for schedule of services. SHAWBRIDGE UNITED CHURCH 1264 Principale, Prévost (corner de La Station) is seeking members for the congregation. Sunday service time is 9:15 am You are welcome to join us after the service. MILLE ISLES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH The Mille Isles Presbyterian Church Services are scheduled for the last Sunday of each month. Please come and join us. THE ANGLICAN CHURCHES NOTRE DAME DES MONTS PARISH Huberdeau 10:30 am Laurel 9 am Montfort 9 am Morin Hts 10:30 am 16-Island-Lake 10:30 am Weir 9 am ANGLICAN PARISH OF ARUNDEL & WEIR Grace Church, Arundel: services are held every Sunday at 10 am. Refreshments will be served after the service. Jan. 22: 7 pm - an ecumenical & bilingual service of prayer during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Refreshments will be served after the service. Feb. 3: The Annual Vestry Meeting for all members of the parish will take place after the service. All are most welcome to attend bienvenue à tous & toutes! ARUNDEL UNITED CHURCH 17, du Village, Arundel 819 687-3331 Sunday Worship Service 9:30 am As well as alternating services at 11:30 am at Harrington and Avoca. We regret that during the winter months, there is no wheelchair accessibility. January 2013 meeting for cancer patients, families and caregivers is SATURDAY AFTERNOON January 19 - 1 pm GROUP DISCUSSONS St. Eugene Hall (rear entrance) 148 Watchorn, Morin Heights NEXT MEETING: Saturday, February 16, 1 pm Holistic Journaling with Jill Boileau Meetings are conducted in English ADMISSION IS FREE For more information about meetings and the group's other services call June Angus 450-226-3641 Email: cancer.laurentia@yahoo.ca PO Box 2645, Morin Heights QC J0R 1H0 Resource library available. Bring a friend or family member. January 2013 ALONG THE OTTAWA 9:15 am Sunday services held in Christ Church, Montebello, Holy Trinity, Calumet, and Church of the Nativity, L’Orignal 11 am Sunday services held in St. Matthew’s, Grenville and Holy Trinity, Hawkesbury ST. SIMEON’S ANGLICAN CHURCH 445 rue Principal, Lachute The Rev. Paul Tidman: 450 562-2917 All are welcome to our services Jan. 13: 10 am - Communion with Music Jan. 20: 10 am - Morning Prayer Jan. 27:10 am - Communion with Music Feb. 3: 8:30 am - Communion 10 am - Communion with Music Feb. 10: 8:45 am - Family Service 10 am - Communion & Music Feb. 13: 5 pm - Ash Wednesday Service Feb. 17: 10 am - Morning Prayer Feb. 20: 5 pm - Service and Bible Study Feb. 24: 10 am - Communion with Music Feb. 27: 5 pm - Service and Bible Study Mar. 3: 10 am - Communion & Music Mar. 6: 5 pm - Service and Bible Study Mar. 10: 8:45 am - Family Service 10 am - Communion & Music Mar. 13: 5 pm - Service and Bible Study Mar. 17: 10am - Morning Prayer Mar. 20: 5 pm - Service and Bible Study Mar. 24: 10 am - Palm Sunday Service Mar. 28: 5 pm - Maundy Thursday Service Mar. 29: 12:00 noon - Good Friday Service Mar. 30: Easter Vigil Mar. 31: 10 am - Easter Sunday Service Please join us for coffee, tea and treats after most services. PARISHES OF THE LOWER LAURENTIANS St. Aiden’s - Louisa 86 Louisa Road, Wentworth Jan. 20: 10 am - Morning Prayer Feb. 17: 10 am - Holy Communion March 17: 10 am - Morning Prayer St. Paul’s - Dunany 1127 Dunany Road, Gore March 31: 2 pm - Easter Sunday Holy Trinity, Lakefield Jan. 27: 10 am - Holy Communion Feb. 24: 10 am - Morning Prayer March 24: 10 am - Holy Communion March 29: 10 am - Stations of the Cross Christ Church - Mille Isles 1258 Mille Isles Road, Mille Isles Jan. 13: 10 am - Holy Communion Feb. 10: 10 am - Morning Prayer March 10: 10 am - Holy Communion March 31: 10 am - Easter Sunday Joyful Noise Choir A new session is about to begin if you want to share your voice with us, and get ready for SPRING! Now is the time. Starts: January 15th, 2013 @ 7pm Community Centre St-Eugene’s, 148 Watchorn, Morin Heights, Qc. Joyful Noise Choir sings an eclectic assortment of music in four part harmony. JNC will present a delightful concert on June 2nd, 2013. Please contact Penny Rose at 450 226-2746 or pennyrose@jenanson.com. COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD January 2013 Harrington Valley & District Fiddle Club Lost River Community Centre will be meeting every second Friday of the month, starting January 11, for an evening jam session with lots of dancing. Please come and join us at the Margaret Memorial Presbyterian Church, 463, rue Principale in Lachute for a great evening of entertainment. For information, please call 819 687-3468. January 27: Annual curling fun spiel at the Brownsburg Curling Club. For registration or information please call Ruth at 819687-3733 Harrington Meals-on-Wheels Do you know someone who may be having difficulty preparing hot meals at home? We deliver meals to the Harrington area every Monday morning - $4 per meal. For further information contact Rose at 819 687-2659. Arundel Municipal Library Lecture Series 2 Village Street, Friday evenings, 7 pm For info, call the library at 819 687-8246. Gore Seniors Network EAT & GREET: Takes place every last Monday of the month at 12:30 pm at the Trinity Community Centre, 2, Cambria Road in Gore. For more info contact Cécilia at 450 562-2161. Bazaar in Lachute “Le mouvement personne d’abord’’ invites you to come and find everything at low, low prices! Location: 177, Bethany in Lachute. Tuesday & Wednesday 10 am - 4 pm, Thursday 10 am - 8 pm and Friday 10 am - 2 pm. Also open the 1st Sat of the month. We are a non-profit organization supporting young people suffering from intellectual deficiencies to integrate and participate in the development of their own store. Donations of clothing, shoes, books, etc. are appreciated. WHY BE A VOLUNTEER? It’s not for money. It’s not for fame. It’s not for any personal gain. It’s just for love of fellow man. It’s just to give a helping hand. It’s just to give a little of oneself. That’s something you can’t buy with wealth. It’s not the medals, worn with pride. It’s for that feeling deep inside. It’s your reward down in your heart. The feeling that you’ve been a part. Of helping others, far and near that’s what makes one want to be a VOLUNTEER. February 2: The Lost River Carnival at the community center. Outdoor activities will include children’s games in the morning and hockey, sawing contests and other outdoor activities in the afternoon. A canteen will be set up in the community center for hotdogs and drinks for lunch. For further information or to register for any of the outdoor activities please call the Lost River General store at 819 687-2477. In the afternoon, there will be a cash bar, which will be open to and through our famous, delicious potluck supper that will be served at 6 pm. For information please call Ruth at 819 687-3733 or Lynn at 819 687-2616. February 10: 9 am till noon - Monthly breakfast. The menu will be scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, beans, French toast, fruit, juice, tea and coffee. The cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children. Looking forward to seeing everyone for our Valentines Day breakfast. Bring your sweeties out for a romantic and delicious breakfast. Weekly Meditation Wednesday evenings: 7 pm - 8:30 pm. Morin Heights/St. Adolphe. Open to all, no meditation experience needed. For information call Grace Bubeck: 450-226-3251. Willkommen Sind sie interessiert and der Pflege der Deutschen Sprache?Deutschsprachiger Klub sucht neue Mitglieder. Treffen einmal im Monat: Kontakt: Luise 613 678-6320 Eva 450 451-0930 Dany’s Book Club invites you to join us for a monthly meeting. We exchange our reading experiences with a chosen bestseller and share our thoughts during a round-table discussion. General area of Ste. Anne des lacs. For information call Dany at 450 224-5469. THE LAURENTIAN CLUB OF CANADA Join Allen Macartney for highlights of his solo Yukon paddling adventure. TUESDAY, January 22, 2013 - 1:30 pm HOLY TRINITY CHURCH HALL, 12 Préfontaine St. W., Ste. Agathe des Monts Last summer, Allen Macartney retraced the route of the 1898 Klondike gold rush by canoe. He paddled solo from Whitehorse to the Arctic Circle -1300 km - all alone in grizzly bear territory. Allen will share highlights of his trip using photos and videos. All Laurentian Club meetings are in English, discussion is lively and refreshments are served, so reserve the fourth Tuesday of each month, September through April (excluding December). The Annual General Meeting and luncheon will be held in May. Annual membership is $25 per person. Guests $10. Come along and bring a friend. Feel free to share your ideas for future speakers and/or other suggestions. For those who are joining or renewing, please come early to help ease congestion at the door. For information contact thelaurentianclub@gmail.com or call June at 450 226-3641. We look forward to seeing you January 22! TO POST A COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT OR EVENT FREE OF CHARGE, EMAIL: MAIN.STREET@XPLORNET.CA FAX: 819 242-2022 Lifestyle Stress Management for Caregivers FINDING IT HARD TO COPE AT HOME? Training program provided by the Rene-Cassin Cavendish CSSS in collaboration with the Montreal Caregiver Coalition for Training facilitated by Dr. J. Wilson - FREE English Stress Relief Training Program for Caregivers Starting Sunday, January 27, 2013, 2 pm - 5 pm St. Eugene Community Center, Morin Heights: 148 Watchorn Morin Heights J0R 1H0 Duration: 6 weeks For more information please contact directly Dr. Wilson at 819-327-3797 or Laurentians CARE at 855 522-7372 E dible A rt T as t y CAKE Make your event a memorable one with a custom design by Shawna 450 226-5756 shawna.dunbar@cgo cable.ca MRC d’Argenteuil is Proud to Honor Firefighter Graduates It is with great pride that the MRC d’Argenteuil made an official presentation of diplomas to 24 firefighters who have successfully completed the Firefighter I course - Pumper Operator, Extrication Officer and non-urban. The ceremony took place on December 10 at the MRC d’Argenteuil for firefighters from the municipalities of BrownsburgChatham, Gore, Grenville, Grenville-surla-Rouge, Lachute and Wentworth. In the presence of MNA for Argenteuil, Roland Richer, and the deputy warden of the MRC, Scott Pearce, the registrar of the l’École nationale des pompiers du Québec (ENPQ), Benoit Laroche, awarded 24 diplomas to the firefighters of the MRC d’Argenteuil, under the watchful eyes of their families and elected officials. The MRC d’Argenteuil submitted a draft covering its fire safety plan, in accordance with Article 20 of the Fire Safety Act, to the Minister of Public Security, Jacques Dupuis, who issued the certificate of conformity of the plan in August 2005. Since then, the MRC implemented the actions to be taken to achieve the eight objectives of the plan. Among these actions, the upgrade of the training of firefighters and officers of the nine fire departments operating in the territory of the MRC d’Argenteuil was a major issue. It was for this reason that the MRC ratified an agreement on September 11, 2006, with ENPQ for managing training across its territory. Therefore, the MRC d’Argenteuil is now able to provide training sessions accredited by ENPQ in accordance to the demands and needs of the constituent municipalities. The fire safety coordinator and person responsible for the implementation of the agreement for the MRC d’Argenteuil, Sylvain Modérie, says it is now easier for firefighters within local municipalities, through this agreement, In 2014, Steve O’Brien will embark upon an to receive appropriate trainamazing 6-month Cross-Canada Tour by bike, ing in order for them to handicap-bike and wheelchair as well as runbe able to carry out their ning and walking. He will cross Canada from the work safely. PENNY COLLECTION TO HELP DISCONNECTED KIDS AND TO FIGHT CANCER! most western province all the way to the east coast. This will be another incredible challenge for Steve. Why? Because Steve wants to raise funds and awareness to help disconnected kids and people afflicted by cancer. To get an excellent start on fundraising and to make good “cents,” Steve and members of his team will distribute large water containers in well-known stores and places located in the Laurentians to start collecting pennies for this extremely worthwhile cause. So, if you see one of these large water containers labeled with the Steve O’Brien Foundation logo, please drop in some cents for the cause. It makes good “sense”! As we get closer to the date, you will hear more information about Steve’s Cross-Canada Tour. January 2013 Is there a gambling problem in your family? Gam-Anon might help parents and friends of compulsive gamblers. Info: 514 484-6666 - 1 866 484-6664 www.gam-anon.org 27 Out & About Ilania Abileah - Main Street Music Andrée Belle-Isle - Val Morin Originating from Rouyn-Noranda, this Montreal singer has been performing on the international scene since 1996. She sang in casinos, bars and at corporate events, in Quebec, the United States, Mexico and Africa. She released her first album in 2011. In this program, Andrée Belle-Isle - Val Morin the singer/songwriter presents her original repertoire as well as a few other pieces. Two other musicians, playing guitar and bass, accompany her on stage. Fri. Jan. 25, 8 pm. Tickets: $20. Théâtre du Marais: 1201, 10e Avenue, Val Morin. 819 322-1414. theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. Leclerc - Brel Val Morin For Love of Country En Scène - St. Jérôme Yann Perreau - Val Morin The nephews of famous singers (Jacques Brel and Félix Leclerc), Bruno and Gaëtan are getting together to pay homage to their respective uncles. Bruno Brel’s voice Following the success of the televised series on ARTV, this is a performance on stage to please country music lovers, with Guylaine Tanguay and other popular Quebec country artists. Sat. Jan. 19, 8 pm. Tickets: $36. Salle André-Prévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. Adam Karch Val Morin “Cotton Fields” is Adam Karch’s homage to Afro-American music with the top blues of the 1930s plus a few original songs. Sat. Jan. 19, 8 pm. Tickets: $25. Theâtre du Marais: Bruno Brel who performs January 26 in Val Morin with 1201, 10e Avenue, Val Gaëtan Leclerc Morin. 819 322-1414. and style are similar to his uncle’s, theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. but, uniquely his own. He has been Marie-Mai - St. Jérôme performing since the age of sixteen. The themes of his evocative songs For her fourth tour, Pop-Rock singer/ are drawn from daily life, as well as writer, Marie-Mai, presents songs heart-breaking world events; songs that from her recent gold album, “Tournée may bring tears to one’s eyes, such Miroir.” Marie-Mai recently received a as “La Rivière Bambou,” dealing with gold award at the Félix event of 2012. the Rwanda genocide, or, “La Terre de Sat. Jan. 26, 8 pm. Tickets: $48.25, Picardie” and “Les vent des dunes,” Salle André-Prévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. describing the beauty of Normandy. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. His voice is warm, his compositions enchanting and touching. Gaëtan Premiere Ciel - Harmonium Leclerc follows in the footsteps of his Ste. Adèle illustrious uncle, poet, Félix Leclerc. Having performed in the Laurentians He recorded the album “Hommage à this past autumn, this is a show that Félix” (1999) and “Chante Leclerc … is making waves. Here is another Chante” (2003) and was invited to chance to see them. Sat. Jan. 26, 8 perform on the stage of the Plains of pm Tickets $48 - Tabagie Le Calumet, Abraham in Quebec. With his voice, 1128 boul. de Ste. Adèle, 450 229-2724 he commemorates his legendary or by phone 450 745-3161. Diffusion uncle. Sat. Jan. 26, 8 pm. Tickets: Ste. Adèle: Salle Augustin-Norbert$35. Théâtre du Marais: 1201, 10e Morin, 258 Boul. Ste. Adèle. www. Avenue, Val Morin. 819 322-1414. diffusionsteadele.ca. theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. Yann Perreau sings the words of Claude Péloquin. Perreau won the Félix Songwriter of the Year Award in 2009 and another Félix award for Show of the Year, in 2011. “À genoux dans le désir.” Fri. Feb. 1 and Sat. Feb. 2, 8 pm. Tickets: $35. Théâtre du Marais: 1201, 10e Avenue, Val Morin. 819 3221414. theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. Dans les souliers d’Elvis En Scène - St. Jérôme This is a special project celebrating 35 years since the death of the King of Rock. The project “In Elvis’s Shoes,” is a competition where contestants are judged by submitted videoperformances. Winners are invited to perform in regional semi-finals and will participate in recording the album, ”Dans les souliers d’Elvis.” Winners will go on to the final show, Mar. 24, at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. The firstplace winner will win a trip for two to Memphis, Tennessee for the “Elvis Week 2013.” Sun. Jan. 27, 7 pm. Tickets: $25. Salle André-Prévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL SERVICES OFFERED AT THE CLUB FOR 30 DAYS, SUCH AS: • Orientation Session/Training • Access to group kinesis and TRX (exclusive to GYM SPA BIEN DANS SA PEAU) • Spinning, Yoga, Zumba, Pilates... • Training Ropes • Cardiovascular& Muscle Building Apparatus • Sauna IT’S POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN RESULTS IN 30 DAYS! Offer reserved for new clients only UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE CLUB TRY 1 MONTH 50* $ ...At the heart of your home! KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS 28 January 2013 GymSpa January 2013 Main Street Ad * Offer valid for new members only. Trio Lajoie Mozart Evening - Prévost Solomé Leclerc - En-Scène St. Jérôme Ariane Lajoie (violin), Chloé Dominguez (cello), and Akiko Tominaga (piano). Arian Lajoie achieved her doctorate at the University of Montreal, studying with Vladimir Landsman in 2007. She plays with the Claudel Canimex Quartet and Solomé Leclerc - “Sous les arbres.” Sat. Feb. 9, 8 pm. Tickets: $27. Salle Antony-Lessard: 101 Place du CuréLabelle, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660 www.enscene.ca. 3rd “J’aime Ste. Adèle” Festival Mark your calendars for St. Valentine’s weekend, Feb. 15, 16, & 17. Ste. Adèle celebrates “love” with a program featuring well-known artists’ performances, snow activities, culinary workshops, art exhibits and much more. Tickets: 450 229-2724 or 450 745-3161. http://www.jmsteadele.com. France d’Amour - Café de la Gare St. Sauveur Trio Lajoie - Mozart Evening - Prevost received a grant from the CALQ. She plays a Baptiste Vuillaume violin, lent to her by Canimex. Chloé Dominguez recently received her doctorate from McGill University studying with Matt Haimovitz, where she studied with a private stipend offered by the Golden Violin of the Schulich Music School. She plays the Nicolas Gagliano McConnell cello of 1824, lent to her by the Canada Council of the Arts. Akiko Tominaga was born in Japan, received her degree at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and studied at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. She obtained her doctorate at the University of Montreal under the direction of Marc Durand and has been described by Claude Gingras of “La Presse” as a mature, imaginative performer. She now teaches at the Mount Royal College in Calgary. Sat. Feb. 2, 8 pm. Tickets: $25. St-François Xavier Church, 994, rue Principale, Prevost. 450 4363037. www.diffusionsamalgamme.com. Kim Richardson & Barbara Secours Jazzilarant - Val Morin “Bubble Bath & Champagne” is a program including some well-known, soft, jazz songs and a few new ones. France d’Amour sings “Unforgettable,” “Hound Dog,” “The Look of Love” (Diana Krall), and “What a Wonderful World,” as well as some new compositions. It promises to be an evening of sheer delight. Doors open for dinner at 6 pm. Section - A: $100; Section - B: $90; Section - C: $80; Show only $40 (check availability two weeks before show). Sat. Feb. 16. Café de la Gare, 90, rue de la Gare, St. Sauveur 450 227-1368. www.lecafedelagare.com. Live musicians perform on weekends. Tavernak: 555, boul. Ste. Adèle, local 122 (Promenades Ste. Adèle), near the Métro store, Ste. Adèle. 450 745-1716. http://tavernak.ca. Bistro l’Ange Vagabond St. Adolphe d’Howard Musicians perform every weekend. Reservations are required! L’Ange Vagabond, 1818, Chemin du village, St. Adolphe d’Howard, Reservations: 819 714-0213. Brian Tyler’s Thursday Night Blues Jams - Lachute Kim Richardson & Barbara Secours This popular singer previously sang with different groups until she took the solo route in 1999 with her first album, “Le Chihuahua,” which received three Félix awards. Her second album, “Papillons,” came out in 2001, strengthening her standing as a songwriter on the Quebec music scene. Her words are touching and her music has a hint of country, rock and folk. She returns to the Laurentians with a unique recital. Fri. Feb. 8, 8 pm. Tickets: $30. Théâtre du Marais: 1201, 10e Avenue, Val Morin. 819 322-1414. theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. Different musicians perform every weekend at “Le Mouton Noir,” 2301, rue de l’Église, Val-David info@ bistromoutonnoir.com 819 322-1571. Fred Pellerin presents his new program titled “De peigne et de misère.” Fri. Feb. 1, and Sat. Feb. 2 at 8 pm. Tickets: $44. Salle André-Prévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. On Screen Opera Produced by “Theatre Dream Team,” written by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, directed by Hugues Frenette, featuring actors Emmanuel Bédard and Vincent Campoux. A Nobel Prize winner accepts to meet a journalist… Sat. Feb. 9, 8 pm. Tickets $44. Salle AndréPrévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. Maria Stuarda - Donizetti Met Premiere Sugar Sammy- En Scène - St. Jérôme Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, one of the world’s most exciting singers, in the role of Mary, Queen of Scots. Elza van den Heever sings Elizabeth I, and Maurizio Benini conducts. January 19, 12:55 pm. Duration: 3h 15m. Rigoletto - Verdi Rigoletto - Verdi: Diana Damrau. Blues with the Brian Tyler Team and invited guest musicians - one never knows who will take the microphone. The restaurant has a “Table d’hôte” for supper, or you can come in for drinks or coffee and dessert. Thursdays: 8:45 pm. Au Vieux Charbon, 481 Principale, Lachute. 450 562-3030. Live Music at Ye Olde Orchard Pub St. Sauveur The programming for live music on Tuesday, Friday & Saturday is announced at the pub, as well as on their website. Ye Olde Orchard Pub, 173, rue Principale, St. Sauveur. 450 227-8888. www.yeoldeorchard.com. “100% en français” is the title of Sugar Sammy’s new show! This is a comedian who plays for sold-out shows around the world performing in four languages, English, French, Punjabi and Hindi. Born in Canada to Indian parents, Sugar Sammy draws his material from Indian ancestry, arranged marriages, drugs and other relationships. His Canadian success began at the “Just for Laughs” festival, where he was the first comedian to perform in both English and French. He appeared in the festival for six consecutive years in addition to performing in other festivals around the world, such as the Sydney Comedy Festival and the Cape Town Comedy Festival. In June 2009, he was featured in a comedy special, “Sugar Sammy Live in Concert” for HBO Canada. He also appeared in other comedy This is a new production at the Met. Sat. Feb. 16, duration 3 h. Conductor: Michèle Mariotti. The cast: Gilda: Diana Damrau, Maddalena: Oksana Volkova, Duke of Mantua: Piotr Beczala, Rigoletto: Željko Lučić, Sparafucile: Štefan Kocán. Rigoletto is an opera in three acts based on the play “Le roi s’amuse,” by Victor Hugo. On Stage Puppet Theatre for children Val Morin “Janvier et les histoires oubliés” is a puppet theatre telling the story of Janvier; the village vagabond has a knack for finding lost objects. He is assigned a mission to help find stories from the past with the help of a black horse. For children aged 3 to 8. Sun. Feb. 10, 2 pm. Tickets: $8/$12. Théâtre du Marais: 1201, 10e Avenue, Val Morin. 819 322-1414. theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. Dorice Simon - Val Morin Brian Tyler’s Thursday Night Blues - Lachute Variations Énigmatiques - En Scène St. Jérôme Opera screenings in HD directly from the Metropolitan Opera New York two locations in the Laurentians: Pine Cinema: Phase 2, 1146, rue Valiquette, Ste. Adèle 855 739-7463; and Cinéma Carrefour du nord: 900 Boulevard Grignon, St. Jérôme, 450 436-5944. http://www.cinemapine.com. http:// www.cinemast-jerome.com/horaire/ Tavernak - Ste. Adèle The Lounge has recently been renovated. They feature live musicians every Wednesday. Le Lounge, 193 Avenue de la Gare, St. Sauveur. 450 227-0166. www.publelounge.com. Mara Tremblay - Val-Morin Fred Pellerin - En Scène - St. Jérôme Weekly Club & Pub Live Music “Le Lounge” - St. Sauveur “Jazzilarant” is a dynamic duo reminiscent of some famous duos of the 50s. Barbara and Kim revisit the music that inspired them and add a touch of humour. Karl Surprenan (bass), Paul Shrofel (piano) and JeanFrançois Beaudet (guitar) join them on stage. Sat. Feb. 16, 8 pm. Tickets: $35. Théâtre du Marais: 1201, 10e Avenue, Val Morin. 819 322-1414. theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. Le Mouton Noir - Val David A story telling comedian, Dorice Simon presents a live, colourful, and creative show. Sat. Jan. 12, 8 pm. Tickets: $25. Théâtre du Marais: 1201, 10e Avenue, Val Morin. 819 322-1414. theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. Réveillon - En Scène - St. Jérôme A mayor (without opposition for the past 37 years) of the small municipality of St. Mathieu de Gonsague, Gérard is campaigning again on New Year’s Day in the community hall with the city employees and their families, in fact, almost the entire village. Everything goes smoothly, until this time, when there is another candidate running. With: Michel Charette, Pierrette Robitaille, Jeff Boudreault & Martin Héroux. Sat. Jan. 12, 8 pm. Tickets: $44. Salle André-Prévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www. enscene.ca. January 2013 Sugar Sammy - En Scène - St. Jérôme (Photo credit Montreal Gazette) shows on television. He won the Just for Laughs Comedy Award for “Discovery of the Festival” as well as other honours and nominations. Sugar Sammy has performed in the USA, UK, Australia, South Africa, India, Ireland, Holland, Dubai, Germany, Hong Kong, Thailand, The Philippines and the Caribbean, and toured across Canada. It is surprising how well Sugar Sammy delivers in French…in his words; he wished to have success east of St. Laurence Street! Thurs. Feb. 7 and Fri. Feb. 8, 8 pm. Tickets $38. Salle AndréPrévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. Les Denis Drolet -En Scène St. Jérôme The Denis Drolet present a third program, “Comme du monde” in which they are trying to live as the rest of the world does: an elegant house, a prestigious job, dressed properly, having children, a dog that does not shed too much…trying to be accepted. Fri. Jan. 11 8 pm. Tickets: $25. Salle André-Prévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. 29 Alexandre Barrette - En Scène St. Jérôme Visual Arts Monique Bélisle Re-visits her Travels Brownsburg-Chatham A first one-man show titled “Et personne d’autre” by a unique, original stand-up comedian. Fri. Jan. 18, 8 pm. Tickets $38. Tickets: $38. Salle AndréPrévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. Genevieve Oligny St. Adolphe d’Howard Until Jan. 20 an exhibition of paintings by the students of Bouchard School in Brownsburg-Chatham, directed by their teacher Isabelle Lalonde, will be on display. As of Wed. Jan. 23, another exhibition, titled “(re)Voyage(r),” by Monique Bélisle of the group Arts Morin Heights, will be exhibited until Sun. Mar. 3. Monique has an affinity towards structures, be it houses or public buildings such as churches, and sights around the world. She draws on her experience as a professional architect, a profession, which she studied at the Carleton University, Ottawa. She now concentrates on Queen Ka - Val Morin Queen Ka is a humorous and poetic “Slammer.” Her name is Elkahna Talbi. She is a Concordia University graduate in the theatre program who, since 2006, has also been known as Queen KA in the French slam-poetry/ spoken-word scene. Fri. Feb. 15. 8 pm. Tickets: $20. Théâtre du Marais: 1201, 10e Avenue, Val Morin. 819 322-1414. theatredumarais@ccgocable.ca. LNI “Sur la route” - En Scène St. Jérôme La donation by Geneviere Oligny During the ski season, Mont Avalanche features artwork by the St. Adolphe d’Howard artist, Genevieve Oligny. She creates unique lanterns of light and shadows, using paper, lace and other materials, to create a magical atmosphere after sunset. The center also provides weekend après ski entertainment with various musicians. Mont-Avalanche Sports Station, 1657, chemin de l’Avalanche, St. Adolphe d’Howard, 819 327-3232 info@ mont-avalanche.com. LNI “Sur la route” - En Scène - St. Jérôme This is the 35th year of the LNI team improvisations shows. It started in Ste. Agathe in November and now the improvisations continue on the road. The “Théâtre de la Ligue Nationale d’Improvisation (LNI)” presents game shows conceived by Robert Gravel and Yvon Leduc. Thurs. Jan. 24, 7 pm. Tickets: $25. Salle André-Prévost: 535 Rue Filion, St. Jérôme. 450 432-0660, www.enscene.ca. Denise & Pieter Mayer St. Faustin The solo exhibit “Capter l’imaginaire,” by Denise and Pieter Mayer, is on until January 13. The digital print work is derived from camera, with minute details, weaving in dreamy imagery. La Maison des arts et de la culture de St. Faustin, 1171, de la Pisciculture, St-Faustin-Lac-Carré. Open: Tue. to Sun. 11 am to 5 pm. 819 688-2676 maison. arts@cgocable.ca www.maisondesarts.ca. hours: Tue. Wed. Thurs. 11:30 am - 2 pm and 5 pm - 8 pm and Fri. & Sat. 11:30 am - 2 pm and 5 pm - 9 pm. Restaurant Faim-Fino, 338, rue des Érables, Brownsburg-Chatham, 450 407-0708. For more information call La Société culturelle du Pavillon des Jardins: 450 495-8022 scpj@live.ca scpj.wordpress.com. Daniel Hogue and Denis Fecteau Val David Exhibit Centre Exhibition continues to Feb. 24. On Sat. Jan. 19 at 3 pm, meet the sculptors. Daniel Hogue, who lives in Val David and Montreal, teaches art at the CEGEP du Vieux-Montréal. Les êtres de traverse, by Denis Fecteau, is an exhibit of drawings and mock-ups. The artist lives in Rawdon and teaches art at the Lanaudière regional CEGEP in Joliette. Centre d’exposition de Val David, 2495, rue de l’Église, Val David. Opening hours: Wed. - Sun; 11 am 5 pm 819 322-7474. www. culture.val-david.qc.ca. Bill Vazan - “Soundings” at the Museum - St. Jérôme Monique Bélisle Re-visits her Travels visual art. Her visual language includes linear ink drawings of structures augmented by colour. Monique favours small images on paper. Despite her architectural training, her paintings are done with light-handed lines, almost as if she sketches to capture something seen fleetingly, through the window of a car. She presents a fragment or the main features of each place, mostly a door or a window, and surrounds it with soft watercolours. She shares her travel impressions with the viewer in a pleasant aesthetic manner. Opening Bill Vazan’s project is titled “Soundings” (1964 to present). Each piece of this collection is associated with a different site from which the artist kept a bit of earth or rocks. This exhibition continues to Feb. 10. It will be followed by an exhibition titled Va-et-vient/Back and Forth, by Jessica Peters, which is a new body of work including large canvases inspired by Laurentian urban landscapes. Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides, 101, place du Curé-Labelle St. Jérôme. Opening hours: Tue. to Sun. noon to 5 pm. 450 432-7171. www. museelaurentides.ca. Be an owner for $270* a week! Boisé Des Erables Le NEW BUILDING PROJECT IN SAINT SAUVEUR ! D L SO % 0 5 In the village, 52 av des érables Discount on all frames in stock for the month of February! More than 2500 frames in store 714384 TURNKEY PROJECT IN HARMONY WITH NATURE! *No downpayment required. Conditions may apply. Sales office oPen HoUSe open Sat and Sun 13:00 to 16:00 Info: 514 377-8836 or 514 730-1285 www.habitationsdeville.com 200 rue Principale, 1B, St.Sauveur www.zyves.com 450 227-1470 Not applicable with other in-store promotions. 30 JanuaryYves 2013 Opticien Jan 2013 Main Street Emmanuelle de Rouville Maison de la culture - Lachute ICI par les arts - St. Jérôme An emerging artist, ‘’Francheska,’’ presents her colourful acrylic paintings starting with her vernissage, which took place on Thurs., Jan. 10, during a 5 à 7. The exhibit will run until the end of January. This will be followed by a collective exhibition to celebrate “Love & Peace,” starting Feb. 6. Opening hours: Mon. - Wed. 9 am - 5 pm; Thurs. 9 am 9 pm; Friday 9 am - 5 pm; and Saturday 11 am - 4 pm. Closed Sundays! ICI par les arts, 712, rue St. Georges, St. Jérôme. 450-569-4000 www. iciparlesarts.com. A mixed-media artist, Emmanuelle De Rouville exhibits from Feb. 3 to 21. Opening hours: Mon. 10 am to 3 pm; Tue. 10 am to 6 pm; Wed. & Thurs. 10 am to 8 pm; Fri. 10 am to 6 pm; Sat. & Sun 10 am to 4 pm. Maison de la culture, 378, rue Principale, Lachute. 450 562-3781. Le Temps… Nous - Val David “Le Temps …Nous” presents the work of artists Lise Bolduc, Lorraine Joannette, Jean-Sébastien Lajeunesse, Lucien Lisabelle, and Mirka Monette. Exhibition continues until Mar. 17 at the Val David Church. Community Hall at the Church, 2490, rue de l’Église, Val David. Open Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays from 1 pm to 4 pm. Free admission. 819 322 5690. letempsnous@yahoo.ca. Gallery Montfort The group of artists of the Montfort Gallery present their winter exhibition, which opens Sat. Feb. 2, 2 pm to 4 pm. You can meet all the participating artists until March 3. The exhibit is open weekends from noon to 4 pm. Pavillon Montfort, 160 rue Principale Wentworth-Nord, 450 226-7898. Patrycja Walton - Mont Laurier Patrycja Walton studied Craft and Design (1974-76) in Brockville, Ontario and then transferred her studies to the Alberta College of Art in Calgary (19771979) where she graduated in Textile Design. She furthered her education at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute, followed by studies at the Visual Arts Centre in Westmount. Walton has exhibited widely and her works can be found in both private and public Patrycja Walton - Mont Laurier collections in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, USA and France. This exhibition is a Tea Cup series: “Une tempête dans une tasse de thé (A storm in a teacup)” by Patrycja Walton of Montreal. Fifty works made of collage and recycled materials, some accompanied by writing. Each assembly describes a moment of solitude represented by a teacup at the corner of a table. The artist questions daily life, domesticity, motherhood, family life, love, personal relationships, age and feminine identity. Each cup represents a moment of reflection in the life of the artist and her place in the world. These different visions follow the progression along the artist’s loss of sight. The artist utilises her handicap with tactility of the material, a sense, which became important. Show opened Jan. 10 and continues to Feb. 23. Maison de la culture 385, rue du Pont, Mont Laurier, Québec 819 623-2441 ceml@lino. sympatico.ca www.expomontlaurier.ca. Country Fairs 2nd Snow Festival St. André d’Argenteuil The 2nd Snow Festival will take place February 9, at the Ice Fishing Center, 340 route du Long-Sault, St. André d’Argenteuil. The organizer is calling for new activities to be presented to the board for consideration. Interested exhibitors should contact Mélissa Larente for a registration document, at fetedesneiges@hotmail.com. 15th Festi-Vent - St. Placide Another date to mark on your calendars: The annual Kite Festival at St. Placide will be held on February 16 & 17. This is an event to be enjoyed by the whole family! The program includes giant kites, kite workshops, musical performances, outdoor fun activities and lots more. www.festi-vent.com. Art News 4th Amat’Art Competition The winner of the fourth Amat’Art competition is pianist, Jerome Vezina, of Morin Heights. Amat’Art wishes to extend their appreciation to the musical organizations who supported this event: The Metropolitan Orchestra, The Appassionata Ensemble, Cammac Musical Camp, The Contemporary Ensemble of Montreal, The New “Ensemble Moderne” and the Coop Vincent-d’Indy, as well as the sponsors: Caisse Desjardins of “La Vallée-desPays-d’en-Haut,” MRC Pays d’en Haut, Assembly Member, Claude Cousineau, and a private sponsor who provided financial support. The 5th Amat’Art 2013 is already being planned. The renowned concert pianist, Michel Fournier, is planning to be on the 2013 jury. 514 912-3060. www.amat-art.org. 5th Parle-moi d’amour l’Échelon des Pays-d’en-Haut The project “Parle-moi d’amour dans les Pays-d’en-Haut” will exhibit selected artwork during the St. Valentine’s period and conduct a silent auction at the St. Sauveur Library, Chalet Pauline Vanier. The l’Échelon des Pays-d’enHaut, is a community center that welcomes adults with mental health problems. For information contact Marie Andrée Dupuis, at 514 894-0421. L’échelon des-Pays-d’en-Haut, 734, rue Principale, Piedmont 450 227-1996. Please submit items for inclusion in the next edition (covering the period Feb. 8, 2013 - Mar. 8, 2013), by January 20 to: ilania@IlaniaAbileah.com, or call me at 450 226-3889. The essence of nature Live the Japanese experience, live Ofuro Spa The house goes to his ex ?!!! thermotherapy - massotherapy - body care esthetic care - lodging - meeting room. If you haven’t updated your will, you might leave more than grief behind. Thermotherapy I can help. I’m a notary. Call me. Your cherished one matters. Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday 777, chemin St-Adolphe, Morin Heights 450-226-2442 1-877-884-2442 www.spaofuro.com The most ZEN spa of all Gifts certificats available Prices can change without notice 27$ tx in. January 2013 707, chemin du Village, #201 Morin-Heights QC J0R 1H0 T. 450.644.0444 F. 450.644.0330 ba.thompson@notarius.net www.notarythompson.com 31 Viennetta Ristorante Lachute Ilania Abileah - Main Street Dining Out Ilania Abileah Main Street Ever since I moved to the Laurentians in 1992, Viennetta has been the Lachute destination for celebrating family events, monthly association meetings and friends’ get-togethers. Whenever one comes to Viennetta there is either a group of people having a party, or, the reception hall is filled with members from some organization. The restaurant has been open to the public since 1976, and is currently under the management of Savvas and Bruce Vassiliou, who warmly welcome their customers into the restaurant. The atmosphere is friendly with a brightly lit, windowed dining room. And the service is amicable. Viennetta is a place to come after shopping on market day or just to meet up with friends for a relaxed meal as we recently did with my friends of the Red-Hat Glitzy-Butterflies of Mille Isles. At the table beside us was Michael Dubois, who writes the Main Street Healthy Channels Perimenopause, Menopause and Acupuncture Christopher Garbrecht, Ac. - Main Street I know that I already wrote an article about hot flashes and acupuncture, but I often have women come into my clinic for help with various symptoms related to menopause, so I decided to write a general article about this stage of life. It corresponds to the end of the reproductive period for women. It usually occurs around the age of 50. This is when the ovaries stop producing ova, as well as the hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Medically speaking, a woman is considered menopausal when she has not had a menstruation during 12 consecutive months. The period of 2 to 7 years before menopause is called perimenopause. This is the time when the ovulation becomes irregular and the level of estrogen in the body can fluctuate. It is generally during this period of transition when the menstruation becomes erratic and the more troubling symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep problems and mood swings may occur. The intensity of symptoms varies from one woman to another. The more common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems, mood swings, a drop in libido, dryness of mucus membranes and hair, aging of the skin, and slight weight gain. It is important to keep in mind that this is a natural part of aging, but it is also a transition which comes with a lot of physiological changes. Because of these changes it is often a period of time when a woman feels emotionally vulnerable. This is why it is a good idea to have a solid set of lifestyle habits in place before any symptoms arise. The best lifestyle habits for a woman to work on, particularly during her 40’s, include a proper diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin K, and omega-3’s. A diet rich in phytoestrogens, such as soybeans, flax seeds, chickpeas, and onions is also essential in order to help replace the loss of estrogen. Practicing regular exercise that works the heart and the joints, as well as exercises that work on flexibility and equilibrium are important to help with loss of bone density and mood swings. Finally, cultivating a positive attitude towards life in general is essential during this transitional phase of life. The Glitzy Butterflies of Mille Isles - Front Left to right: Eileen Kerr, Sylvia Miron, and Joan Hudson; back left to right: June Ward, Beverly Riddell, and Françoise Talbot. column, “My Health in Mind,” with a group of people who organize outdooroutings for people over fifty in the Lachute area. The restaurant’s cuisine is Italian and French, with a daily lunch menu including smoked meat, chicken, pork & pasta, trout with leek (Truite à la tombée de poireaux), veal hamburger steak with mushrooms, and smoked-salmon salad (Price range $10 to $15). I chose the trout with a creamy leek sauce, served with rice and vegetables. It was very tasty ($16.10 tax included). One of my friends took the roast-beef plate and really enjoyed every morsel. The table d’hôte also includes salad, soup of the day (or minestrone), a daily dessert and coffee. They also serve organic coffee ($2.50). At lunchtime they offer a 10-oz draft beer for $3.25, and of course, you can order wine by the bottle or glass. This restaurant serves moderately priced, familiar dishes as well as some to suit different tastes. The regular evening menu includes salads, pasta dishes, beef, veal, seafood, pizza and combination plates. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and ample parking is available. Reservations are encouraged! Viennetta Ristorante: 324 Bethany, Lachute 450 562-0291. In Western medicine, there are a few common pharmaceutical approaches to help combat the different problems associated with menopause. General hormonal therapy replaces hormones that the ovaries stop secreting. This therapy helps the majority of women to reduce or stop their menopausal symptoms. It is important to note however, that the majority of women have their symptoms reappear once they stop taking the hormones as their bodies go through a hormonal transition once again. Hormonal therapy is generally reserved for women with symptoms which severely affect their quality of life. Local hormonal therapy can be used to help with the thinning and drying of mucus membranes. Finally, non-hormonal treatments can be used to help with certain symptoms related to menopause. These treatments usually include antidepressants, hypertension medication, and various medications for osteoporosis. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, menopause is principally associated with the kidneys. The kidneys represent the base of all our energy which comes from our genes and from our lifestyle (quality of food, water, and exercise). This kidney energy is further divided into two, the Yin and the Yang. The Yin represents matter and our bodily mass. It is associated with coldness, rest, the descent of movement, water, the night, etc. The Yang represents movement and circulation. We associate it with heat, activity, the rise of movement, fire, day, etc. During menopause, it is this Yin energy of the kidneys which often declines for women. This decline of Yin creates an imbalance between Yin and Yang and explains the symptoms associated with menopause. For example, as the Yin, which is associated with cooling, lowers, the Yang, which is associated with heat, becomes more amplified and hot flashes and night sweats result. It is most important to realize that as we age, we go through various transitions. We have already gone through transitions from being a baby to being a toddler, from being a child to being a teenager, and from being a teenager to being an adult. This is one more natural transition for a woman to go through. With the proper lifestyle choices and professional help, it can be a very smooth transition. Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or comments about perimenopause, menopause, or acupuncture, please e-mail me at: Viennetta Roast Beef plate cgarbrecht@yahoo.ca or consult my blog at: acupuncturevaldavid.blogspot.com. 11am to 11pm RECENTLY RENOVATED 32 Moe’s January 2013 Main Street Ad January 2013 About Food 2 tbsp (30 mL) mild curry paste Slow-Cooker: Indian-Spiced Chicken 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated gingerroot 3 tbsp (45 mL) all-purpose flour Topping: Slow cooker meals are a wonderful and easy way to prepare some of the best comfort foods that will always warm the soul and bring smiles to the table. Here is a simple tasty dish to help ward off the winter chill. 2/3 cup (150 mL) thinly sliced red onions Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh coriander 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt 2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice or lemon juice 3/4 cup (175 mL) plain yogurt Preparation: 12 chicken thighs, skinned In Dutch oven, heat oil over mediumhigh heat; brown chicken. Transfer to slow cooker. Drain fat from pan. 4 cups (1 L) thinly sliced onions 1/2 cup (125 ml) orange juice 1/2 cup (125 ml) sodium-reduced chicken stock Fry onions, stirring occasionally, until almost softened, about 10 minutes; scrape over chicken. Whisk together orange juice, stock, curry paste, garlic and ginger; pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced. Scrape onions off chicken. With slotted spoon, transfer chicken to platter; cover and keep warm. Whisk flour with 1/4 cup (50 ml) water; whisk into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until thickened, about 15 minutes. Pour over chicken. Topping: Meanwhile, sprinkle onion with salt; let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse in cold water; pat dry. In small bowl, toss onion with lime juice. Top each serving with yogurt then red onion and sprinkle with coriander. Additional information: Bone-in thighs are best for this dish because they stay moist and tender. Serve with basmati rice. R E A L E S TAT E B R O K E R S * When selling becomes serious business O v e r 2 5 y e a r s o f d y n a m i s m , e x p e r i e n c e a n d p r o fe s s i o n a l i s m CLOSE TO AMENITIES VERY DESIRABLE RECENT MAJOR RENOVATIONS SEMI-COMMERCIAL CLOSE TO AN ACRE Ste. Adèle. Slow combustion stove, nearly two acres, screened porch, cold strge, recent const, heated pool, hot tub, sauna, dbl gas frplc, garage, MLS 9568564. $399 500 Ste. Adèle, great location, recent const, 2-floor garage with 3 lockers. Lake access, pool, tennis courts at country club, roomy, exquisite kitchen, MLS 10514707. $359 500 Ste. Adèle. Great value for the quality of home. Detached garage, close to all amenities, exceptional view, immense solarium, hot tub, gas frplc, MLS 9365967. $329 500 Ste. Adèle. Well-maintained triplex, recent evaluation $300,000. Heart of village, possibility of $18,000/yr. revenue. For rent at $1500/month, MLS 8660558. $289 500 Val Morin. 3 floors, 3 bedrooms, slow combustion stove, well-landscaped, easy access, pool, lots of storage, cathedral ceiling in master bedroom, MLS 9479283. $274 500 NEAR BELLE-NEIGE SKI HILL CLOSE TO GOLF BALMORAL 60’ BORDERS LAC DES SOURCES NICE “QUEBECOISE” INUNDATED WITH LIGHT Val Morin, recent const, mountain view, can be multi-generation home, duplex, or single. Gas fireplace in each lodging, easy access, MLS 10488074. $255 000 Morin Heights. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, near aerobic corridor, quiet location. Austrian style, attached garage, 2 fireplaces, visible beams, MLS 9011555. $239 000 St. Hippolyte. Level terrain, quiet and peaceful area with good sun, cathedral ceilings, stone fireplace, possibility of acquiring adjacent land, MLS 10564515. $179 500 Ste. Marguerite, easy access, 3 bedrooms, recent renos, warm/charming/wooded, intimate lot, slow combustion stove, terrace with pergola, MLS 9032988. $179 500 Ste. Marguerite, recent renos include kitchen. Intimate, level lot borders stream, open concept, cathedral ceilings, with mezzanine and spa, MLS 10965552. $169 500 VERY AFFORDABLE CLOSE TO ALL AMENITIES MAJOR RENOVATIONS LAND FOR SALE LAND FOR SALE Ste. Adèle. Corner condo. View of ski hills, fireplace, terrace, good orientation for sunlight, open concept, 3 bedrooms incl. 1 soundproofed, MLS 9104415. $159 500 Ste. Adèle. Priced below municipal evaluation, corner unit condo, corner fireplace, three bedrooms all on the same floor, open concept, MLS 10278446. $144 500 Val Morin. In the heart of the village, close to walking paths, 3 bedrooms on one level covered terrace, cabana, 9 foot ceilings, MLS 9136511. $139 500 St. Faustin Lac Carré. 2.6 acres bordering golf course, incredible view of both golf course and mountains, close to walking path, ready to build, MLS 9841898. $109 500 Ste. Adèle. 21,727 sq ft, municipal water, pretty topography, up and coming area with easy access, infrastructure for water entry paid, MLS 8720492. $49 500 + taxes Office: 450-745-0160 Ste-Adèle: 450-229-2957 Montréal: 514-877-5508 * independantly owned franchise of Via Capitale Laurentides and franchisor L E M I E U X U S E D A U T O Jean Fortain Via Capitale • January 2013 Main Street Ad • Half Page January 2013 P A R T S 33 Now available! THE all-NEW 2013 XV CROSSTREK With All-Wheel Drive Features Cash purchase starting from $26,205 * StANDArD •Subaru’s symmetrical full-time All-Wheel Drive system •HighperformanceSUBARUBOXERengine •VehicleDynamicsControlSystemandTractionControlSystem Freight and preparation included, taxes extra Financing and leasing available •17-inchbespokealuminiumalloywheels •Raised-profileroofrails •Bluetooth®mobilephoneconnectivity(voice-activated) optionAL •Lineartronic®CVT(continuouslyvariabletransmission) foragreaterfuelefficiency XV CROSSTREK Fuel economy (L/100 km) ∆ CVT Lineartronic® City 8.2 / Hwy 6.0 5MT City 8.9 / Hwy 6.7 Recommended minimum octane: 87 Estimated Data * Cash purchase starting from $26,205, taxes extra, for the 2013 XV Crosstrek (DX1-TP), with manual transmission. On buying, freight and preparation ($1,595), taxes on air conditioning ($100) and on new tires ($15) are included. Dealer may sell for less. ∆ The fuel consumption data are estimates based on information compiled by Natural Resources Canada. Actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving conditions, driver habits and vehicle load. Technical specifications are subject to change without any prior notice. Vehicles shown for illustration purposes only. See your local participating Subaru Dealer for complete program details on this offer. 34 January 2013 Living Country End of the World Beth Farrar - Main Street We woke the Friday morning before Christmas expecting to go to the LRHS Christmas breakfast, but instead, were faced with the second snowstorm of the week. School had been cancelled. The boys were okay with that but it was another day of shovelling, not only for us, but also some customers who ask the boys to keep their walkways, stairs and decks clear of snow. So, it was annoying when the power went out at 7:25 am that morning. We had already had a stretch of power outage earlier in the week. Tuesday saw us with a full bathtub of water and candles and flashlights at the ready. Hubby had gone to pick up our eldest son at the train station, as CEGEP was finished for this term and he was home for the hollies. Luckily, he called and I asked him to pick up something for supper. The power was back on by 8:30 pm and life was good. We weren’t as prepared for Friday’s power failure and shame on us. Essentially, the bathtub wasn’t filled and the next three days were spent melting snow on the fireplace so we could wash dishes and flush the toilet. Ah, the finer things in life! People have often asked us why we keep a landline telephone and it’s just for these instances that we do so. Without a landline we would be totally cut off from the world and not know that Hydro “was aware of the situation and power would be restored by 8:30 pm.” Every time we called, the time power would be restored was pushed back 12 hours or so. We gave up calling for updates when they told us that it would be on Monday at 11 pm; too depressing. But Hydro was working their buns off and kudos to all those who worked long hours to get our power on before Xmas; we had it back Sunday night. Thank you! So, what do you do for three days with no power and three boys? Well, there were no computers, though we had some battery life to watch one movie. The eldest and youngest both read The Hobbit and we had some wild games of Crazy 8 Countdown. I sat around a table with my boys joking and laughing about things from our pasts, and learned more about them in a few hours, than I had in a few years! They are a funny bunch of guys. Hubby was able to find a great deal on a generator in Laval on a Xmas lunch outing on the Saturday and it saved our collective minds from dark winter depression. As we approached home that Saturday afternoon, we noticed that some lights were on at homes along Rte. 329. The lights were on at the Gore town office. They were on at the top of our road, but not at any homes on our road. We could see the homes across the lake had power and their lights winked at us across the frozen water. Hubby got that generator up and running within an hour, hooking up the fridge, one light and the T.V. We gathered around the light like survivors who had been locked away for years and cared not what we watched on the television. Cooking shows? Yes, please! American football? Why not! We cooked supper on the fireplace and ate together in the shining glow of that one light bulb hanging above the table. Throughout the power failure, the boys were obliged to fulfill their commitment to their snow removal clients and had to wait until a huge tree was removed from Sherritt Road, in order to even reach one woman’s house. At least it broke the monotony of the day. Sunday dawned, still no welcoming light on my T.V. to let me know that we were up and running. Hubby and I headed out to get more gas for the generator and drinking water for the humans. He had a few errands to run in the afternoon and once again the boys and I gathered around the kitchen table to play a game of Crazy 8 Countdown. I don’t think I’ll be playing that game anytime soon. After another fireplace-cooked supper, it was off to good friends, Al and Betty’s, for a wonderful hot shower. As fate would have it, an hour after supper and the shower, the power came back on. There was much rejoicing and dancing about the kitchen. The boys were turning on lights and I was yelling at them to turn them off! Don’t overload things you young thoughtless numbskulls. But the power was back to stay. With only a few lights allowed, they scampered down to the basement to turn something electronic on! Fair enough. And hubby and I? We turned off the generator and washed up the dishes in water still hot from our tank. We left the Christmas tree lights on and headed upstairs to kick back and relax after the stress of the last three days. Yes, that’s it, relaxing. Relaxing so much that we fell asleep by 8:30 pm! So, Friday didn’t bring the end of the world, as we knew it, just a re-adjustment of what’s important in life. Being together and safe, having drinking water and heat, and knowing that no matter how hard you try, you can’t beat the boys at a stinking card game! Happy New Year! Oshtalo Michèle St. Amour ©2012 January 2013 35 Two Dynamic Leaders RE/MAX Laurentides, St. Sauveur Nature’s Gift Healing Through Nature By Lori Leonard - Main Street By Rose Labrie - Main Street RE/MAX has very interesting beginnings in the Laurentians. Ann and André Pilon purchased the first RE/MAX offices, which were located in Ste. Adèle, St. Sauveur, St. Jovite and Mt. Laurier, twenty-nine years ago and then, nine years later, sold all of them except for the one in St. Sauveur. Marc-André and Louis-Charles Ménard, RE/MAX. Marc-André, son of Ann and André Pïlon, started in the real estate business in 1984 when he was only 21 years old, which in those days, was highly uncommon. Most agents were in their thirties or forties, but Marc-André grew up learning all the ins and outs from his parents. Marc-André and Louis-Charles Ménard became partners and purchased the RE/MAX office in St. Sauveur in 2010. In 2012, it came full circle when they also purchased the offices in Ste. Agathe and St. Donat, and opened one in St. Adolphe d’Howard. In fact, the brand-new office in Ste. Agathe just recently opened on October 1. Two years ago, there were only 21 agents. Now, RE/MAX Laurentides boasts close to 50 agents, almost an equal number of men and women. In 2012, RE/MAX also launched their fresh, new magazine, which includes 4 issues per year. They are the only real estate company in the Lower Laurentians to have launched this type of magazine. They have also launched an info-letter and a new website. Marc-André and Louis-Charles explained how the role of a real estate agent has changed over the years. It has become more of a friendship with clients rather than an agent/client relationship. They both realize there is so much emotion involved when buying or selling a home, as a home embraces all the fond memories of a family’s life. It’s no wonder it is difficult for families to hang out the “For Sale” sign. These two men have much in common. Both Marc-André and Louis-Charles totally enjoy real estate and strongly believe in community. RE/MAX Laurentides has donated more than $300,000 to charities over the past ten years and have been involved with Enfant Soleil for the last 30 years. RE/MAX Laurentides has also held a blood drive to raise funds for them for the last two years. Louis-Charles has an 8-year-old daughter, Elyse, who loves to dance and a son, Julien, who is 20 and attends military college. Marc-André has three daughters who also love to dance; 19-year-old Laurence, 17-year-old Rafäel and 16-year-old Ève-lyne. I guess their dancing daughters are what keep these men on their toes. Louis-Charles and Marc-André both enjoy skiing and golfing in St. Sauveur and Mont Tremblant. Here are some interesting real estate facts: I am the storm in the pit of your stomach, my lightning supplies electrical shocks I am the clamp in your chest that tightens until you can breath no more I am the merry-go-round spinning and whirling in your head until you are dizzy I am the ghost that haunts you in your sleep I am the broken compressor that deprives you of energy I am the poison creating nausea I am the virus increasing or lowering your appetite I am the voice of confusion I am the sadness that makes you cry a river of tears I am the darkness in your soul, for you no longer see the light I have no sense of time or place I cannot be seen I cannot be heard I cannot be touched, I am intangible I AM DEPRESSION I am certain that there will be many different reactions to the above poem. This is where I was five years ago. If you have been there, you will understand and if you have never been in such a dark place you do not want to go there. Along with talk therapy and taking medication looking at the world through my camera has helped me heal and find my way back home. Nature has been the main resource for my healing. Taking a walk in the woods with a cool wind blowing on my face, soft moss under my feet as I walk, the musty smell of fallen leaves, music of birds singing and warm sunshine seeping through the trees is a therapy session that has no price. This has taken me away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, which we all deserve to do once in a while. Also during what I call my, run away moments, I have encountered specimens of rare birds, interesting vegetation and beautiful scenery which all have turned into beautiful photography. This year I have been given the privilege to share my nature journeys and photography with the readers of Main Street. I thank Steve and Susan for this new adventure ahead and I am anxious to share it with everyone who would also like to share this with everyone who would also like to enjoy a few run-away moments with nature. An inspection of - The average lot size in the Laurentians is 35,000 to 50,000 square feet. - On average, it takes 150 days to sell a house under $300,000, 6 months to sell a house selling between $300,000 to $750,000 and an average of one to two years to sell a house that is priced over $750,000. - The most popular areas to buy a home currently are Prévost, Ste. Anne des Lacs, Morin Heights and St. Adolphe d’Howard. your central system when the seasons change is - 20% of people change their home every 5 years. - More people are working from home and are now buying their primary, not their secondary home, in the Laurentians. a wise choice. - It is a lot less expensive to purchase an older home and renovate it rather than building a new home. Louis-Charles and Marc-André hope that when you are thinking of buying or selling a home you will drop by their office to meet their brokers. And while out on the slopes or greens, you never know, you just might meet one of these dynamic men on the golf course or ski hill. RE/MAX Laurentides: 286 rue Principale, St. Sauveur; 450 227-8411, lcmenard@ me.com or info@mapilon.com. SPCA - Waiting for Love Meet Betty Boop and Sarah, two mature cats who have been living at the SPCA for quite some time. Both have watched many young kittens, small cats and even a few of the big boys come and go, and yet both are still at the shelter dreaming of their “forever homes.” They are hoping they will soon find a place to call their own, with loving families and people to cuddle with. Betty Boop is a sweet, 4-year-old with semi-long hair. Her lovely tri-colour of white, cream and grey gives her a very special elegant appeal. Sarah, only 2 years old, also wears a dramatic semi-long coat. Her darker colour gives her a serious appearance but she is bright and curious and loves attention. Both these lovely felines have been spayed and vaccinated and are available for adoption at the SPCA-LL, 355, rue Demontigny, Ste. Agathe. Please call 819 326-4059. 36 TOLL FREE January 2013 Refrigeration MB January 2013 Main Street Ad JANUARY 4 TO JANUARY 13, 2013 ! y a d o t n Joi E E F N O I T A R REGIST FREE SHIP! F F O % 0 5 WITH O M MBER E M R A E Y NE- ONE YEAR R E D N U EMBERSHIP January 2013 37 My Health in Mind “My Health in Mind” in Brownsburg-Chatham and Lachute Michael Dubois - Main Street If you have been following the “My Health in Mind” program in Argenteuil, you know that seven out of nine municipalities are fully committed to making health their number one priority. To that effect, it is with great pleasure that the MRC d’Argenteuil announces the arrival of the initiative in the remaining two municipalities, Brownsburg-Chatham and Lachute. To keep right with the program’s maxim “A unique approach for each municipality,” it will be slightly altered to really stick to the realities of the last two towns. Though tailored to their specific needs, Brownsburg-Chatham and Lachute will tackle the same issues the program has set out to improve. • A smoke-free environment (0 tobacco); • Healthy eating (5 fruits and vegetables or more per day); • The practice of regular physical activity (30 minutes of daily exercise or more). Both municipalities have started drafting an action plan that will address and act upon those three fundamental foci. Bolstered by its own experience in implementing the program in the other municipalities of the territory, the “My Health in Mind” team expects very positive and innovative initiatives from Brownsburg-Chatham and Lachute! It is also noteworthy to mention that the “My Health in Mind” program will come to an end on December 31, 2013. Ergo, this month marks the inception of the last year of the initiative and, we hope, its most promising. Not only does it mean that this year will touch the remaining citizens residing in the last two municipalities, representing 50% of the total population of the MRC, but it also means every single municipality of the MRC d’Argenteuil will have an action plan entirely dedicated to health concerns in their community. The MRC d’Argenteuil continues to be a leader in community health across the province and wishes a happy New Year to its innovative program and most importantly to all its citizens. Québec en forme Argenteuil For the beginning of 2013, the local partners group of Québec en Forme Argenteuil is pleased to offer their very best wishes of health to all Argenteuil kids and their families. For this New Year, we promise you some exciting novelties and will focus on the adoption of physically active lifestyles and healthy diets throughout the MRC d’Argenteuil. Here are some examples: - For all of you curious kids, go on WIXX.ca quickly, but be careful, you never know what activity is coming your way! For all parents and others who are curious, visit operationwixx.ca and be ready to witness a revolution amongst pre-teens in Québec! - Family gardening near you! The project Un trésor dans mon jardin comes alive in several municipalities. From seed to harvest, discover the origin of food and get ready to chew on truly fresh veggies! Have we caught your attention? Our local partners group is more dynamic than ever and wants to offer the whole community opportunities to move for fun! Schools, community organizations, municipal services, “My Health in Mind” committees, and more, are invited to join the group and take action! For more information or to make your interest known, contact Renée-Claude Bergeron, coordinator of the local partners group Québec en Forme Argenteuil at 450 562-1623. Not to be missed Open swimming schedule at the Lachute indoor pool (452, Argenteuil avenue) Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 7 pm - 8:30 pm Sunday: 2 pm - 4 pm Children and students: $1. Adults: $2. Wearing a bathing cap is compulsory. Open skating and hockey schedule Arena Kevin- Lowe - Pierre-Pagé, Lachute Open skating: Mondays and Wednesdays, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm (free of charge) Friday, 6 pm - 7:15 pm ($1 children, adults $2.50) Open hockey: Tuesday, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Ages 16 + (free of charge) Thursday, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Ages 15 - (free of charge) Arena Gilles-Lupien, Brownsburg-Chatham Open skating: Sunday, 12 noon - 1 :15 pm ($1 children, adults $2.50) Open hockey: Thursday, 4 pm - 5 pm Ages 16 + (free of charge) Friday, 4 pm - 5 pm Ages 15 - (free of charge) Discovery Walk The 50+ Bouger+ Committee invites you to its next walking event on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, on the enchanting site of the Wilson Waterfall in the Parc régional de la Rivière-du-Nord. For more information about the departure time and meeting place, contact Michael Dubois at 450 566-0530, ext 2305. For any questions or suggestions, contact Michael Dubois at mdubois@ argenteuil.qc.ca or call 450 566-0530, Ext. 2305. Have you missed the previous column? You can find it at www.argenteuil.qc.ca. Good Goods & Great Services in LACHUTE Weekday Lunch Specials Starting at $9.50 Evening Table d’Hôte Groups Welcome Counter lunch Salads and sandwiches Prepared meals and cold buffets Marc Tremblay & Deanna Copp owners Address: 254, Bethany, Lachute Closed on Sunday 450 566-0660 585 rue Principale, Lachute • 450.566.0426 Delivery Thursday - Sunday: 5 - 9 pm Tuesday to Friday 11:30 - 2:30 • 4:30 - 9:30 Saturday & Sunday 4:30 - 9:30 - from the Madden family MADDEN MACHINERY MACHINERIE • OUTILS VENTE •• SERVICE SERVICE TOOLS 38 573, LafLeur, Lachute J8h 1r5 450-562-9142 Visit us at www.Locationmadden.com yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Best wishes for a Happy New Year filled with love, health and prosperity. yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy January 2013 “I’m Just Saying” English Link - CSSS Ron Golfman - Main Street Sheila Eskenazi - Main Street The Wonderful Joys of Winter: Ice Scream! Emergency Department Priority Checklist By now we’re all in the midst of continuously shovelling out from yet another big dump of snow or on a steady diet of crackers and water due to a post-Christmas of barren wallets and inflated turkey tummies. It’s January, or in the Canadian psyche, the onethird mark in our angst about “do I clean the roof” and “it’s cheaper to put Alcool in my windshield washer container than the $8 blue crap made from leftover popsicles.” In winter, we all share in the symptoms of menopause in that getting in one’s car with a parka only makes you feel like you’re in a sweat lodge, followed by parking and having the bitter cold invade your body as you try to zip up your Michelin suit with numb fingers. Vanity prevails for many, mostly men, who don’t want to have whatever hair they have left looking like Gene Wilder’s or Einstein’s by wearing a hat. Gloves and mitts are hardly worth mentioning as by this time of winter most of us only have one, the other presumed to have gone to meet that sock which vanished from the dryer. Have you found yourself sitting in the waiting room of the emergency department at the hospital, wondering when you were going to be seen? Did you hear people who arrived after you, being called in while you were left to cool your heels for hours? Did you wonder how the decisions were made regarding who has priority for treatment in the emergency room? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, read on to learn how the Laurentian Hospital of the CSSS des Sommets has worked to make the process understandable and transparent to you. Working with the Users’ Committee and the staff in the emergency department, the communications office of the CSSS des Sommets has produced an explanation of the levels of priority that the triage nurse uses to establish the order in which patients are seen. This document is available separately in both English and French, so, even if the triage nurse happens not to speak English well, you can receive the explanation in this written form, with your priority level checked off, knowing that Cleaning the walk is a solitary function, monotonous and the daily repetition is right the triage nurse deals with the identical information in both languages. On the back out of Groundhog Day. The only aspect of that exercise, aside from working on a of the page containing the numbered list of priorities is a section that explains all the coronary and a sore back, is the tranquility. Amongst men, it is understood that when doing this job, the quiet is so sweet that one dares not speak, unless to say ^@$# when other factors that affect the speed at which you will be seen, such as the number of people waiting, the arrival of ambulances, and the number of doctors on duty at that the shovel strikes ice and careens back into your chin. particular time. The driveway section of this commentary has a life of its own, a somewhat sadistic When you arrive, unless it is by ambulance, the first thing you do is wait opposite the and almost predictable episode in the maintenance of winter. Each one of us can recall slaving away at it for hours soaked in sweat, shivering as the driveway is finally passable. door to the triage nurse’s office until you are called in for evaluation. That is when you After that moment when you realize that whoever you are now going to visit will have to will be given a preliminary examination, have your vital signs checked, and be asked a series of questions designed to help the nurse understand your medical history and endure a drenched and post mega-perspired guest, the sound of evil fills the air. your current complaint. The nurse will then make a decision about the urgency of your You run and jump into your car, realizing, all at once, that you should have warmed it case. It is at this point that you will be given the form with your priority level marked up earlier as you can’t see through the windows. Suddenly, like a re-make of Godzilla in a box at the top of the page, so that you can compare your situation to the standards with chains clamoring, the plow barrels by. You leap out of the vehicle waving for all degrees of urgency. frantically for it not to...whoosh...three feet of slushy snow now makes your entrance Adjacent to the box where the nurse will have written a number from 1 to 5 are boxes impassable, and you can see in the plow’s rear-view mirror, Satan behind the wheel for the nurse to check whether you can or cannot have anything to eat or drink while grinning like Dexter after another kill. you wait. It is important to follow these instructions because it can affect any tests and For those of you who heat with oil and have an outdoor tank, it is akin to having examinations that you will undergo later. royalty visit who then leaves you with a thank you note for $600. Why royalty? Well, Beneath the box where your priority code has been written is a list of the 5 levels of much like the red carpet, the delivery guy will not grace your yard unless the path is priority, beginning with the most urgent, called Resuscitation, and described as when clean. Must be the brother of the snowplow guy in some devious plot. your life is in immediate danger from such events as cardiopulmonary arrest or major Every year I complain about having to dress like a human club sandwich, walking in trauma. At Priority 2, you are considered to be in Very Urgent Condition, meaning that Herman Munster moon boots, you know the ones where the liner always comes out there is potential danger to your life, the integrity of a limb or its function, which may when you remove them. With snow pants and a parka, when walking alone at night in be caused by something such as a heart attack or a stroke. the tranquility of the Laurentians, comes a touch of paranoia most people don’t admit Urgent Condition, at Priority 3, means that your current state presents risks, but your to. That swish-swish of material, which breaks the sounds of silence, causes one to life is not in danger, such as if you are feeling chest pain or are bleeding heavily. If feel as if either the big bad wolf, or worse, is following. I’ve tried to attach little rearview mirrors to the shoulders of my coat but they won’t stay upright. Walking swiftly is your state does not require immediate treatment for such things as a sprained ankle or a urinary tract infection, you will be classed as a Priority 4, Semi-urgent Condition. almost pointless in all that gear because the faster you walk, the closer and louder the Minor health problems like a cold or back pain, whose investigation and treatment can sound appears to be. ‘I’m Just Saying’ it’s a very Twilight Zone experience. be delayed, are the lowest priority, at number 5. Now that the holidays are over, most of us who leave for work between 7 & 9 get If at any time that your state of health deteriorates while you are waiting, advise the to play the weekday game “behind the school bus.” This is a hit or miss experience triage nurse immediately. largely due to the fact that it isn’t only up to you. The bus can suddenly appear from a cloak of invisibility like a yellow stealth, it’s flashing red lights snapping you to If you have any questions or comments about the service you receive in the emergency attention. If you’re behind the bus in winter, you’re burning 5 extra litres of gas with room, or anywhere else in the CSSS des Sommets network, contact the Users’ the stop, idle and go. In the case of my trusty old Intrigue, it’s more, a case of shake Committee, your advocate for dealing with the system, at comite.usagers.sommets@ rattle and roll. Though glad the little darlings are safely on the bus, it’s a one-in-three ssss.gouv.qc.ca, by phone at 819 324-4000 ext. 4334 or toll-free at 1 855 SOMMETS chance that when you wave, in the hope of getting a smile in return from one of the ext.4334, or by leaving a written message in the box placed for that purpose in the smiling angels, a middle finger or a stuck-out tongue is your prize. emergency waiting room. Don’t do the friendly wave with a high school bus, as you are likely to learn that a full moon can take place in the daylight in a moving vehicle. Heart of Healing Loving It All Old habits and new challenges There is nothing Grace Bubeck - Main Street like a fourday power outage to catapult us right out of our habitual way of life into a scramble of creative responses and improvised solutions! Of course, not everybody in the Laurentians was equally affected by this preChristmas gift of tons of snow and trees on power lines. I met a colleague in the supermarket who has municipal water and a gas stove, and who told me that it wasn’t a big deal for her family. The situation was definitely more precarious for me: I was functioning without running water, cooking on a basic little wood stove in the basement, and relying on candle light and a pocket lamp after dark. It was certainly a very interesting experience, the longest I have had to face since I moved to the Laurentians seven and a half years ago. I enjoyed the sense of adventure, and I had some brilliant and some not so bright ideas about how to deal with the various challenges along the way. I also realized just how much time and energy are spent on the essentials of life when we have to make do without the creature comforts that we usually take for granted. For sure, there is a strong “woman of the woods” that comes out in those situations and carries me through, but it was with immense relief and gratitude that I sank into a deliciously warm and soothing bath just in time to get myself back into civilized shape for a Christmas eve party. So, here is what occurs to me in reflecting about this experience: we don’t really Sheila Eskenazi is president of the English Communities Committee of the CSSS des Sommets: sheila@ballyhoo.ca. need emergency situations to take us out of our usual habits and we might want to consider which ones really serve us well before we get back into them. Routines certainly make our lives easier and they create a comfortable predictability. But, they also restrict and limit us, in the range of what we do. For example, we reach out more to others than we usually do in emergency situations, both to help and to ask for help. Isn’t that a good thing? Wouldn’t we do well to continue doing so a bit more than we tend to do under more normal circumstances? How about being a bit more adventurous in general, just to introduce some unusual colors into our more habitual everyday color-scheme? How about taking a gentle yoga class if you’re the tough gym type, or doing a creative arts activity if you’re the practical type and vice versa? How about going to bed early if you’re a late night bird or getting up early if you tend to sleep in? The gift of extra-ordinary - that is, out of the ordinary - situations is the unusual things they introduce us to and this can stimulate us in all sorts of new ways. Life is a balancing act between too much and not enough stimulation. Too much is taxing and tiring, not enough leads to stagnation. For most of us, especially as we grow older and more set in our habits, going stale is the more likely danger! So, it could be very helpful to offer ourselves some new challenges. Not because we have to, but because we’ll become more alive and grow in new directions as we meet them. For this New Year, then, I wish you good health and happiness in all ways and just the right balance between the easy groove of old habits and the invigorating excitement of new experiments! To contact Grace call 450 226.3251, or go to www.heartoftransformation.org or www.heartoflovehealing.net. Editor’s note: Last month, you may have noticed, Loving What Is, headed this column. This was a special tribute of recognition for being the inspiration in the search for a new title for Grace. January 2013 39 The Story Behind... Hill 70, Saint Sauveur the injured, and news of the Russian revolution undermined morale. If the Russians pulled out of the war, one million German troops would be freed up to move west. Cochand, the first professional hired to teach skiing in Canada was effectively evicted from the Laurentide Inn in Ste. Agathe when the building was seconded to the war effort in 1915 and began to fill Joseph Graham - Main Street - joseph@ballyhoo.ca with poison gas victims. A vulnerable seed cast to the winds of fate, Cochand and his young wife, Cordon-Bleu chef Léa Berger, established “We were soaked through with rain and perspiration from the efforts we had been making to themselves in a summer cottage in Ste. Marguerite where they struggled to keep skiing alive in the Laurentian hills during the war years. Thomas Drummond, get through the clinging mud (…)we huddled down president of the Montreal Ski Club, sent guests, allowing the fledgling ski centre in the nearest shell hole and covered ourselves to survive, but it is hard to imagine patronizing such an establishment today. with a groundsheet, hoping for some sort of comfort out of the rain, and partly The cottage had neither electricity nor running water in a winter when the believed the sheet would also protect us from the rain of shells. … [R]eloading thermometer dipped to forty below - where Fahrenheit and Celsius meet. Émile ourselves we pushed through the mud again and amid the din of the bursting shells I called to Stephens, but got no response and just assumed he hadn’t heard would carry water in from a stream to be heated and supplied to the guests, allowing them to wash up in the mornings. me. He was never seen or heard from again. He had not deserted. He had not been captured. One of those shells that fell behind me had burst and Stephens The home front faced other challenges as the Spanish Flu rampaged through the was no more.” - Private John Pritchard, Sudbury, Ontario. Laurentians in 1916, striking the Cochands and others in their neighbourhood, but, thanks to help from the Soeurs de la Charité de la Providence at Lac Masson, The quote, taken from Norman Leach’s summary of Passchendaele on the forces. the Cochands and skiing survived. As 1917 began, they faced rationing and gc.ca website, makes no mention of the first name of Stephens, nor where he shortages while the conscription debate tore the country apart. Conservative came from. Shell holes could be ten feet deep and filled with water. The sheer Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden, elected in 1911, faced re-election as the law number of craters left muddy ridges between them, making it impossible to use worked its way through Parliament that summer. Seeing the real risk of a loss, he horses or mules. Duckboards - horizontal ladders - were laid across the gaps, tried to form a wartime coalition, but the conscription bill split the Liberal party allowing the young men to each carry 24 kilograms of equipment with the firm in two. In September, he passed a bill enfranchising women for the first time, but orders that, if a soldier fell, his companions were not to attempt a rescue - to only if they were involved in the war effort, serving in the military or as nurses, reduce the risk of additional drownings. or were the sisters, wives or mothers of servicemen. Men serving overseas were You can find a memorial in many Laurentian towns where a list of the local boys also enfranchised, giving Bennett the power to distribute overseas votes into the and men commemorates their loss in the war that was to end all wars. What ridings as he chose. The election in December gave his wartime Unionist coalition you won’t easily find is the names of the survivors, nor of those whose hearts a majority, and across the country, including in the Laurentians, conscripts went were in the Laurentians, such as Guy Drummond, killed at Ypres in 1915 - names into hiding, often with their hunting rifles. It was hardly an atmosphere to entice commemorated in Montreal, but whose survival would have added much to the skiers seeking a vacation getaway. growth of the Laurentians and its history. Nor will you find the names of those …to be continued. men who survived atrocities and injuries, such as Paul d’Allmen, who became a part of the Laurentians in the years after the war. At the time, the Laurentians boasted foresters, farmers and nascent vacation communities, the most prominent of these last being around Ste. Agathe. Skiing had barely begun in the Laurentians before the war, with the arrival of Émile Cochand from Switzerland and the opening of places like the Manitou Club. The Notary Knows Even though historians are hard-pressed to answer the question of what the Great War was about, Canada is said to have come into its own with the taking of Vimy Ridge, in April 1917. Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng, commander of the Canadian forces, and Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian First Division, were the masterminds. Casualties included 3500 Canadians dead and twice that number wounded, with no statistics for the German side. Afterwards, Byng was appointed to the command of the British Third Army and Arthur Currie, a onetime teacher and real estate developer from B.C. who was later knighted for his role, assumed command of the Canadian forces. A week after Vimy Ridge, the French army attempted to push through German lines on the Western Front, but the advance had not anticipated a new lightweight German machinegun’s effectiveness, and the French army, suffering from almost 200,000 casualties including 29,000 deaths, became temporarily neutralized by mutinies. The French field hospitals collapsed under the weight of Breakfast Served until 2 pm - 7 days a week: PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW HOURS Open: Mon. - Fri.: 7:30 am • Sat. & Sun.: 8 am CLOSe: Sun. - Wed. 3 pm • Thurs. - Sat.: 9 pm Daily Lunch Menu 13 regular menu choices plus Carrefour Argenteuil 505 Bethany, Lachute • 450.562.3520 3 Daily Specials Soup - Dessert & Beverage Included Starting at $8.50 GST/QST New Ruling Michel Labreche - Main Street DID YOU KNOW THAT… the GST is actually calculated at the rate of 5% on the taxable price of an item and the QST is at the rate of 9.5% applicable on the amount of the taxable item plus the amount of GST? For example, $100 taxable plus $5 of GST plus $9.98 of QST will give a total of $114.98. Since the 1st of January 2013 and considering the harmonization of the QST, the rate of QST will be based on an amount excluding the GST. However, the rate of the QST will be raised to 9.975%. Consequently, there will be no change in the end for the consumer, given that the total of GST and QST will be 14.975%. So, when you buy a new residential house (not for rent), the GST will always remain reimbursable, as a credit to the new buyer representing 36% of the amount of the GST and this for a property of maximum value of $450,000 whereas for the QST, since last year the reimbursement given as a credit to the new buyer has been raised to 50% of the QST paid for a maximum value of $300,000. Furthermore, the amount of reimbursement of the QST from $250,000 diminishes, as you get closer to $300,000 value. The reimbursement of the GST also diminishes, as you get closer to the amount of $450,000. Nevertheless, the reimbursement of GST cannot exceed $6,300 and $9,975 for the QST. Above $350,000 you get less reimbursement of the GST and from $250,000 you get less reimbursement for the QST. There is no reimbursement of tax if the price or the fair market value exceeds $450,000 for the GST and $300,000 for the QST. On the other hand, the general economy is still in good health even if some areas are more affected than others. We have to realize that the actual interest rate for borrowing is very low (the lowest in 50 years) and some of us still continue to borrow more than we can afford. Everybody wishes that the interest rate would remain low so the cost of living will be affordable for most of us, otherwise it will not be a pretty sight. I wish you a Happy New Year for 2013 and hope that next year will be a great year. For more information, do not hesitate to contact me, and I will be pleased to serve you. Tel: 450 227-7077 or cell: 514 688-3131. THANK YOU, Main Street Distribution Team Guy Lamoureux 40 January 2013 Joel Ryshpan Rosita Labrie Steve Kennedy Main Street Money Ladies Investment and Financial Education Developed by Christopher Collyer, BA, CFP, Investment Advisor, Manulife Securities Incorporated. Often people ask me why I got interested in the financial and insurance industry. The answer is simple; it happened as a result of a single event in my life. I now help people cope with life no matter what happens, offering financial solutions and insurance to real life situations. My Story… Twenty years ago, I was a publisher of a fashion magazine, living up north with my partner, Michele, who was pregnant at the time. She was on leave from The Bay store downtown, where she was a special events coordinator. Part of my job was to visit Toronto every week and sell advertising space in the magazine. To that end, Michele liked to stay with me in Toronto and tool around town while I worked. Just prior to one visit to Toronto, she had been experiencing pain in her breast and her local Ste. Adèle GP suggested she visit her gynecologist at the Royal Victoria Hospital (Vic). So we set up an appointment and I dropped her off at the Vic and went to my office to do some last minute planning. Then I was to pick her up and we planned to drive to Toronto for the next few days where I had sales calls. I was in my car when I received a call to go to the hospital where Michele had been admitted. Two days later, she had been diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her breast. Total confusion and no knowledge of what this meant to her, to our unborn baby and what all this entailed. I was hoping she would be out within the week and cured. In the short term, a committee of doctors wanted Michele to abort and begin chemo immediately. Many meetings with the staff at the Vic and we compromised on an induced premature delivery. Alex was born weighing 2 lbs. and a few ounces. He was rushed to the Children’s Hospital a few hours after he was born to see if he had a fractured skull as a result of a monitoring probe placed just before delivery. Needless to say, we were all very stressed, confused and desperate. What else could go wrong? It was as though someone grabbed us, put us upside down and shook the very foundations of our lives. Alex was then placed in the premature ward at the Royal Victoria Hospital where he fought for his life over the next few months. Michele started chemo within a few days, and then they removed her breast. Things were turning more desperate for all three of us. I spent most days over the next three months visiting Alex in the premature ward and Michele at the other end of the Royal Vic in the women’s pavilion. At least they were in the same hospital. Michele’s disability insurance helped us financially, but my business suffered, as I felt so confused and was unable to function at the pace needed to keep things going. We decided to draw up a will (by lawyer, so that it had to be probated), got married in January on a weekend pass from the hospital and she died on February 9, 19 days before Alex’s first birthday. She had been sick for almost one year. I lost my business, my savings, and her savings, her RRSP and eventually began to rethink what my life was all about and what direction I should take with my career. Just one underlying theme was there throughout all the grief and trauma. So many people had helped us through this ordeal that I wanted to return the largess, to help people. In retrospect, we should have had in place - a slush fund (extra money for emergencies), a notarized will, and critical illness insurance. These days the chances of a recovery from an illness might be better than 20 years ago. I now have a better understanding of unexpected medical events and would welcome any discussion on what you might want to have in place if you, or a member of your family, gets sick. I now have a critical illness policy, a slush fund, a TFSA, RRSP and life insurance and disability insurance. If you need help understanding these ideas give me a call at 514 788-4883 or my cell at 514 949-9058. The opinions expressed are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of Manulife Securities Insurance Inc. - Health records and Plan to Stay in Shape Today (PSSST!) - Emergency contraceptive pill - Pill dispensation (Dosette and Dispell systems) - Accurate blood pressure assessment (with BpTru), personalized follow-p, and printed report with chart of readings - Glycemia monitoring - Asthma control education - Insulin shot preparation - Recovery of used needles with approved containers - Orthopedic and homecare device sales and rentals - Stoma care products - Enterostomal therapy (by appointment) - Anticoagulation (NR) monitoring - Onsite INR testing with Coagucheck Alex arrived home after all sorts of problems, 3 months later. I managed to obtain some aid from the CLSC, allowing some financial assistance to be used to partly pay for a nanny, Patricia, who lived at the house in Ste. Adèle. For the most part, I stayed at my parents’ house in Montreal and spent the rest of that year with Michele at the Vic or commuting from up north trying to keep my finances and business afloat. Business hours: Monday to Wednesday: 9am to 7pm Thursday and Friday: 9am to 9pm Saturday: 9am to 6pm Sunday: 9am to 5pm FREE DELIVERY SERVICE * * Details in store Danielle Gauthier Pharmacist/Owner 707 Chemin du Village, Morin-Heights tel: 450-226-5222 fax: 450-226-7222 danielle.gauthier@familiprix.com The long-term hope then was that all would turn out well. Remember, I thought Laughter is the Best Medicine everything would be fine after a week. Fortunately, we got a few days as a family up north during the summer after Alex was born. Michele and I discussed her chances of surviving a few months prior to her death and we had both concluded that she would die. Massage TheraPisT/DynaMic sPeaker Family Prix Morin Heights Ad forJacQUeLine August 2012 Main Street gareaU Olympian/Boston Marathon Winner Robert Elimeleck - Main Street -Lectures on total health/fitness The queen had to pawn her chess set last knight. If you’re fast on your feet in hockey, how come your toes are curling? The horse is a misunderstood animal. Positive disposition, but considered a neigh sayer. Those were the most nervous noodles I have ever seen. I am speaking in the pasta tense. -Life balance, well-being, energy, goals -Therapeutic massage and energy work -Year-round running and walking clinics exceLLenT MOTivaTiOnaL sPeaker fOr cOrPOraTiOns/schOOLs 450.229.1743 (Receipts for insurance provided) Classes Workshops SOUL CENTERED COUNSELING & MENTORING Offering an integral approach to understanding life’s challenges as opportunities for transition and growth. Sharon Van Raalte MA, Transpersonal Psychology • 450-566-0440 ridgewalker41@gmail.com • www.sharonvanraalte.ca Dr. Ronald L. Korzinstone B.Sc. D.D.S. Dr. Lynne E. Chadwick B.Sc. D.D.S. DENTAL SURGEONS • CHIRURGIENS DENTISTES • • • • • • • Comprehensive Dentistry Endodontics Periodontics Implantology Oral Surgery Aesthetic Dentistry Minor Orthodontics (450) 562-3101 Residential Seminars parijatayoga.com 450.660.4053 53 rue Morin Ste-Adèle Dr Gilles Dubé Jean Dallaire, D.M.D. Marjolaine Delongchamp, D.M.D. General Dentistry & Aesthetic Denistry 617 rue Principale Lachute, Que. Training 125, ave. de la Providence, Lachute QC J8H 3L4 DENTIST M.SC. ADM. SANTÉ 46, Providence, Lachute (Québec) J8H 3K9 Office: (450) 562-0277 Tel.: 450-562-0266 January 2013 41 Obituaries BEATTIE, Robert Grant (Grant) Farmer of 85 years Lived his entire life on the farm and died peacefully after a brief stay at the Lachute Residence on Sat. Jan. 5, in his 98th year. Son of the late James Campbell Beattie and the late Elizabeth Boyd Chambers. Beloved husband of sixtytwo years of Marjorie (nee:Dixon) and loving father of Bill (Ellen) of Kingston and Barbara (Tim Barber) of Ottawa. Cherished grandfather of Daryl (LeBinh), Ryan, Catherine (Matthew Audley) and Ian Beattie and Janet, Kristen and David Barber. Survived by his sisters Alda Oswald, Eileen Thompson and Mabel Canning (Keith), his sister-in-law Emma Dalrymple and his brother-in-law Robert Dixon (Joan). Also survived by many nieces and nephews and their families. Predeceased by his sister Janet and his brother Ross. A celebration of Grant’s life will be held on Saturday, January 12, at 2 pm at the Margaret Rodger Memorial Presbyterian Church, rue Principale, Lachute, Qc. A reception will follow in the church hall. In Memoriam donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, The Canadian Bible Society or the charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to the J.P. MacKimmie Funeral Home, 660 rue Principale, Lachute, Qc. GREEN, Basil On Tues. Dec. 4, long-time resident and pillar of the Morin Heights community Basil Austin Green passed away suddenly in his home after a brief but intense battle with cancer. He was 84 years young. Basil will be forever remembered by his wife of 46 years, Lucille, daughter Aliesha and son-in-law Lemuel, son Darren and daughter-in-law, Narnia, grandson Noah and sister Joan. A Celebration of Life tribute will be held on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 11 am in the Morin Heights United Church, 831 Village Road, with Lay Preacher Elizabeth Monaco officiating and a reception to follow. Memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Wildlife Federation or to the Daylily Garden, family and friends intend to plant in the spring by the scenic pond Basil himself built. Speaker Series at Arbor Gallery The 17th annual edition of the Speaker Series, “Interesting Talks with Interesting People,” at Arbor Gallery, (36 Home Avenue, Vankleek Hill) kicks off this Sat. Jan. 12 and runs for 14 consecutive weeks, ending Sat. April 13. Start time is 7:30 pm, $6 per person. “We cover a wide range of subjects at the Speaker Series,” says Phil Arber. “There is a great deal of interest in alternative health issues so these subjects are prominent in the 2013 program. As well, controversial issues like obesity and biodynamic farming are also on our program. Informative discussions about the Internet, traveling in the Arctic and the Nature of the Universe round out the list.” Note: 2 presentations in French: Jan. 12 “Étienne Brulé - premier Franco-Ontarien” and March 2 - “Yoga du rire.” “We are working towards a two-pronged approach in the coming years - one series in French and one series in English. Of course these will necessitate individual evenings but we are testing the waters this year to check out the community’s response. Hopefully it will be positive,” says organizer Arber. Printed brochures of the 2013 Speaker Series can be obtained at most local retail outlets. As well, the program is online at www.arborgallery.org, at www.vankleekhill.ca/events as well as at our Facebook Page (philarberexcellentevents). Fresh local refreshments are always a treat on site as well. Arbor Gallery welcomes feedback and commentary on its 2013 program. As well we are always open to suggestions for next year’s Speaker Series. We can be reached at 613 6785086 or via our FB page. Everyone is welcome - Bienvenue à tous! Laurentians Care MACKAY, Barbara Ann (nee: Scott) 1941 - 2012 At the Montreal Neuro on Monday, December 31, 2012 in her seventysecond year. Beloved wife of Gordon MacKay. Dear mother of Pamela (Dan Egarhos) and Scott. Loving grandmother of Leah and Larissa. Barbara was the daughter of the late Arnold Scott and his wife, the late Lydia Millar. Funeral service was held on Friday, January 4, 2013 at 3 PM in the Chapel of the J.P. MacKimmie Funeral Home, 660 rue Principale, Lachute, Qc. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation in Barbara’s name to the ALS Fund, Dr. Angela Genge, MNI, 3801 University St., Montreal, Qc. H3A 2B4. MAXWELL, Roland E. Peacefully at the CSSS d’Argenteuil, Lachute, Qc. on Friday, December 21, 2012 in his eighty-seventh year. Beloved husband of Shirley Soule. Dear brother of Marion. Also survived by his nephew Michael (Anne-Marie). Predeceased by his brother Harold. Funeral service was held on Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 2 pm in the chapel of the J.P. MacKimmie Funeral Home, 660 rue Principale, Lachute, Qc. In lieu of flowers donations to the C N I B or the charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family. Happy New Year! Christina Vincelli - Main Street The L-CARE TEAM is sending wishes that you will all find happiness and balance in your life for the 2013 New Year and years to come. “Father Time” recommends a really fresh start. New ideas, new learnings, new challenges, new friends and new beginnings. Caregiver Tip: New Year, New log. Do yourself a favour. Take a load off your mind by writing everything down. Never had a log? There’s never been a better time to start something new, than January! Logs are not only good to help your mind relax, they are a wonderful way to refer back to tips, issues and events. Professional caregiver, family caregiver or volunteer... log is the way to go! Here is the continuation of the story on young caregivers caring for their ailing parents and how they are overlooked as those needing support. Posted in the Toronto Star by Andrea Gordon, Family Issues Reporter. Often these young caregivers are struggling with huge responsibilities at home, along with the turmoil of teenage years, schoolwork, peer pressure and trying to find out what they want for their future. “Without adequate support the young carers risk trading ‘normal’ childhood and adolescent experiences and development, for the demands of care giving,” was reported in the Toronto Star. There is a 3-year report on young carers in Canada: Hidden Costs and Benefits of Young Care Giving. It is the first report to paint a national picture of this basically invisible group. As there are no formal statistics on the number of caregivers in Canada, a report from Vancouver stated that 12% of teens between the ages of 12 - 17 were young carers. There is a program in Canada “Young Cares Initiative” (www.youngcares.ca) formed by a collation of community organizations, such as our own local tables for seniors and caregivers, of which Laurentians CARE is an active member such as, CASA, through Des Sommets and the Table des Ainées, at Pay’s D’en Haut and TAAL, Antoine Labelle. These organizations are spread throughout the various regions in Canada. These communities offer Drop-Ins for consultation and offer activities such as sports, cooking etc. This offers a respite for young caregivers. This also provides a platform for the families and caregivers to meet and exchange ideas and stories and to receive support. “It’s staggering to know, what the youth bring to the informal care-giving contingent,” mentions Dena Maule, Executive Director for Hospice Toronto. Hospice Toronto runs a similar program, which is funded by the community and the federal government. Mrs. Latour knows, first-hand, the benefits of support aimed at kids in care-giving roles at home, having seen her children go through it. What helped her family, were services offered through The Young Carer’s Initiative Program that met her day-to-day needs such as cooking classes for her son James, and Yoga for her daughter and for them, a chance to drop in and meet new friends. Not only was it practical, it met the needs for support in a most non-judgemental way and it was fun. It’s vitally important that there’s a body of Canadian research to support what’s available for young caregivers. Laurentians Caregivers Association recognizes the need for support for all caregivers of all ages. We are looking forward to the new 3 - 5 year “Master Action Plan” that will be presented at the Annual General Meeting this May. The Mission will be to offer a Laurentians CARE drop-in center for caregivers of all ages and seniors. The center will provide, respite, training for caregivers, consultation for families, activities and socialization. A major fundraising campaign will be highlighted for the entire year at the AGM. As of January 2013, support groups for caregivers will be offered in Morin Heights, St Sauveur, Val David, Arundel and Mont Tremblant. An information session for those who would like to become caregivers or would like information on what L-CARE can offer, will be held at St Eugene’s on Sunday, January 27. For more information please contact L-CARE at the toll free number 855 522-7372. Please remember L-CARE in your donations for the New Year, as our respite workshops are the best, helping those in need of socialization and stimulation. To continue this wonderful activity financial assistance is a must. All donations can be made out to the Laurentians Caregivers Association Resource Center, 4057 Ave. Des Lys, Val Morin, and Quebec J0T2R0. 42 January 2013 Off the Grid The Wonder Dog Peter Cloutier - Main Street The Wonder dog! So named, because it’s a wonder she is still alive! Well, that is one reason. I’ve mentioned in the past, that when she was just a pup (she will be three on the first of January) she got into some “milk soap,” a chemical used to clean and disinfect milking equipment. Almost killed her! Then, anti-freeze leaking from the tractor, oh yeah that was fun. Then the episode involving poison ivy and the skin infection, followed by a real doozie eating an entire block of rat poison, Warfarin no less, an anti-coagulant that causes its victims to bleed to death internally because their blood is so thin. That was close. Well, she had a closer call yesterday. I put birdseed out and of course it attracts our neighbours, the 47,526 squirrels living in our community, and, Cookie being Cookie, wanted to um, play. That’s it - she wanted to play in the snow with her buddies. They played hide and seek and Cookie was “it.” Being such a clever dog, she soon found one under my car... somewhere, or so she thought. I continued with my breakfast and expanding my mind reading a 1956 Popular Mechanics magazine. I couldn’t actually see what was going on but I became aware of a kind of ominous thumping noise outside. Investigating the source, here was the XYZ Wonder dog, on her back under the car with only her back legs, tail and stomach visible. When I got to the car I could see her front legs braced against the bottom of the rocker panel, paws spread, claws gripping the metal edge, and she was just tugging and ripping and growling at something immoveable. Just going to town on it! The whole car was rocking! All this in a foot of wet snow! “Must be one heck of a tough squirrel,” thinks I. Not so! The little Bitch (female dog) had the parking brake cable by the neck, twisted and torn from it’s mounting and she was worrying it into oblivion. A cuff on her butt and several violent and vigorous expletives got her attention and changed her mind about the squirrel, which was up a cedar tree laughing it’s tail off. Upon closer examination I found the remains of a rubber boot of the type to keep dirt and water away from something delicate. Also, a plastic box, that used to be about eight inches square, was now in two pieces four inches square. It was the snug waterproof home of the gas tank pollution controls. The fuel tube to the tank was ripped as well as the return hose and one of the rear drive axle C.V. boots. In her efforts to get at the squirrel the dog was ready and able to rip the whole damn car to shreds! We’re talking serious and expensive stuff to fix here! After a few more, no, a lot more violent and vigorous expletives and entertaining thoughts of the joys of possibly living totally alone, I had to admit she was just a dog being a dog and it was I who had inadvertently invited “the Crimson Horde” in the first place. So, being a wiser yet soon to be poorer man, I returned to the warmth of the house thankful to be able to live in such a quiet, peaceful, actually idyllic place. Living in harmony with nature and all her creatures. “At one with,” as it were. Zen! I went through the still open door to my breakfast... two of the #$%&*@%$ were on the table eating my toast! Awhile ago, I had said that I wanted to make some changes to the micro hydro system that has been adding to my solar system on cloudy days (like the past six weeks). Well I did. Now, instead of the water travelling through 30 feet of two inch pipe before reaching the three-inch pipe it is now three inch all the way. It is also about 50 feet shorter going from 300 feet in length to 250 feet. The filter is bigger, easier to clean and is far away from the problem-causing bottom organic matter. These changes change the output from 74 watts to 93 watts. Not bad at all! As a bonus, the intake is closer to one of the springs that feed the lake (pond) so the inflowing spring water, being warmer, prevents ice from forming around the shutoff valve. Something strange… When I walk Cookie at night, we walk by this spring, which empties only a few inches below the water level near the path, I have seen fish, frogs, salamanders and tadpoles. Yes tadpoles! Under the ice in the warmer water which swirls in the cold water. Weird, even though it is all water you can see the difference in texture? Density perhaps? Like when you pour sugar water into clear water. It swirls and mixes. All this with six inches of ice covering the rest of the pond. Neat! Makes one shake their head at the wonder of it all. Keep Safe While Shovelling the Snow NC - The heavy lifting can be a pain in more ways than one, so these tips from the Ontario Chiropractic Association will help keep your back in top shape: • Don’t let the snow pile up: If the weather report calls for several days of snow, frequent shovelling will allow you to move smaller amounts of snow each time. It’s far less strenuous in the long run. • Pick the right shovel: Use a lightweight pusher-type shovel. If you are using a metal shovel, spray it with Teflon first, so snow won’t stick to it. • Push, don’t throw: Always push the snow to the side rather than throw it. That way you avoid lifting heavy shovelfuls of snow, and sudden twisting or turning movements. • Bend your knees: As with any heavy object, you need to use your knees, leg, and arm muscles to do the pushing and lifting, while keeping your back straight. • Take a break: If you feel tired or short of breath, stop and take a rest. Shake out your arms and legs. Stop shovelling immediately if you feel chest pain or back pain. If you have back pain that is severe or that persists for more than a day after shovelling, see a chiropractor. If you have chest pain that is severe, see a doctor immediately. More information is available online at www. chiropractic.on.ca. VAL DAVID - $134 900 VAL DAVID - $139 000 STE. MARGUERITE - $119 000 STE. AGATHE - $139 000 VAL DAVID - $159 900 NEW PRICE! NOTARIZED ACCESS TO LAKE PAQUIN ± 5 min walk. Quiet area, beautiful large private 29,833 sf lot, mountain views. Garage. 18 ft. above ground pool. Sunny, open concept great room (living room, dining room and kitchen). Covered porch and large balcony overlooks courtyard/mountains. ± 5 MIN FROM VILLAGE. NEW PRICE! Renovated in 2008: roof, wall insulation, treated wood gallery, floor in bathroom. Large level terrain (7484 Sq Ft) facing the trail and the river. 5 minutes from Ste Agathe and about 1.5 km from the village of Val-David. Exterior paint, soffits and aluminium facia done in 2012. Property located near all activities. Just steps from the beautiful Lake Masson (municipal beach), skiing, snowmobile paths, skating rink, restaurant, etc. Good condition, warm, stone fireplace, good investment possibility for rental, or to keep at a nominal cost. Charming property with attic has 3 bedrooms and an office. Good condition. New kitchen and bathroom, Bathroom with shower. Large lot of 66,713 sf. Only 7 minutes from the village from Highways 117 and 15. Ideal as a first home. QUICK OCCUPANCY! Sunny, Spacious 3-bedroom bungalow, south-facing view of the mountains. Peaceful street, Large landscaped 29,890 sf lot, fruit trees, above ground pool, no neighbours behind. Access to the beach at Lake René. Good condition, several recent renovations. Less than 5 minutes from the village. STE. AGATHE - $149 500 VAL MORIN - $249 900 VAL MORIN - $389 000 STE. ADèLE - $249 000 VAL MORIN - $189 900 Good condition. Many recent renovations to the kitchen, and floor of bathroom in principal residence. Large balcony with unistone in courtyard. Landscaping, etc. The 5 1/2 is vacant for the owner or as an income opportunity and the 3 1/2 is NOW RENTED at $500/mo. Private courtyard in the back. A MUST SEE! “Canadiana” with 12 ft high, 24 X 24 insulated, heated garage. Charming, large beams, hardwood and ceramic floors. Very bright with a beautiful view of the mountains, Lake Raymond and the golf course. Kitchen with oak cabinets, ceramic counters. Stone fireplace with slow-combustion stove insert. Very private and peaceful. ACCESS TO LAKE THEODORE. VIEW OF LAKE AND SANDY BEACH. Spacious. Sunny, private courtyard. Huge open concept living/dining area, cathedral ceiling and 16 ft windowed wall, 48,000 BTU propane stone fireplace. 3 large bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. 2 garages with total of 3 doors + a 3/4. Sunny balcony. 52,093 sf lot. Charming with lots of character, wide plank hard wood flooring, large beams, casement windows, beautiful wood cabinets. 4 bedrooms, possibility of extra bathroom. Renovate basement to your own needs. Beautiful large wooded lot, no neighbours in back except the North River, just steps away. Near Hwy 15 and the 117. Wel-maintained fieldstone property. Far Hills area, adjacent to the Regional Park. 17,496 sf lot bordered by Val-Morin/Val-David Park. 3 bedrooms. Magnificent stone fireplace in the living room. Large sunny kitchen. Beautiful terrain. Garage with paved driveway. NEW wells (private) FALL 2012. VAL DAVID - $184 500 STE. AGATHE - $122 500 VAL MORIN - $269 000 ST. JéRôME - $165 000 STE. LUCIE - $169 000 Within walking distance of the village, Walking path, regional park. 3-bedroom bungalow, one currently used as a den. Large kitchen and dining room. Basement with family room (height 6.6ft) slow combustion stove and external output. Carport and spacious sunny gallery with views of Mount Césaire. 17,707 sf lot. CORNER UNIT. Great condo with 2 bedrooms in the attic. In very good condition. Easy access. Access to the outdoor heated in-ground pool, trails, and cross-country skiing trail at the rear of the domaine. Near the sandy beaches of Lac Des Sables, the village, restaurants, shops, services etc. Quality construction, private site overlooking mountains and Mont Belle Neige. Bright, oak cupboards and woodwork, oak and ceramic flooring. Slow combustion fireplace and cathedral ceiling in living room. Finished basement with exit. Landscaped 28,974 sf lot also has trails. Close to ski hills, Hwy 15 and the village. REPOSSESSION! 3-bedroom, 2 bathroom bungalow. 24x23 garage. Semi-basement of about 6.5 ft in height. SOLD WITHOUT WARRANTY OF QUALITY. LEGAL RISKS AND DANGERS OF THE PURCHASER. Buyer must sign an obligatory annex to the seller with any promise to purchase. Roof (shingles) redone 2012. Needs renovations. NOTARIZED ACCESS TO BEAUTIFUL LAKE SARAZIN (apx 250m from property). Multi-level home in very good condition, cedar dining room/solarium with full sun. Huge living room, natural stone fireplace. 3 bedrooms. Bathroom with shower. 12x22 garage, Beautiful 22,471 sf lot less than 10 min to Ste. Agathe, via Hwys 117 and 15. More properties at www.etiennesavard.com January 2013 43 Zach Factor Monthly column in memory of Neil Zach, co-creator and first editor of Main Street. Predictions 2013 Lys Chisholm and Marcus Nerenberg - Main Street “One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye” - The Fox to the Little Prince in “Le Petite Prince” In 1943, St. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote a novella entitled, “The Little Prince,” a simple philosophical treatise where The Little Prince travels to six planets and meets 6 foolish men. Zach factor has taken the liberty to identify some of the potential candidates for these jobs. Among them are: The King - alias La Premiere Ministre. She sold her castle illegally to a French Citizen. Quebec is one of the few provinces to have strict laws concerning the sale of agricultural land to foreigners. Expect the new buyer to be fast tracked through our immigration system, leaving others who have waited for years, in the dust. Amidst puffy outbursts of bad English, Pauline will make so many embarrassing mistakes that a new, well-read, fluently bilingual, internationally recognized, radically federalist Liberal leader will breeze into office in late fall of 2013. The Negotiator -The Negotiator is a sad and lonesome soul that lives on a tiny ice-free planet by himself. He negotiates to forget that he is ashamed of his greed. However, he believes in a 48-game season by the end of January. The fans believe in learning to play masters hockey at their local rinks. Estimates put the collective fan weight-loss this season at 5 times the national average. TRAVEL INSURANCE Attention All snowbirds Learn about recent rate changes to your age-band. Benefit now from our “early-bird” rates on travel insurance. We are eager to serve you. Media Clown - The media clown wants attention all the time. He asks the little prince to clap for him whenever he writes another sensational school-shooting story. He says that he’s the most wonderful, funny and admired person in the world and we should be grateful to know graphic, horrendous details, of how many rounds the shooter used on the children killed. With the suicide of the British Nurse in charge of Princess Kate and the fabricated Facebook page of a Lanza family member, advertised by the New York Post, media outlets, for better or worse, will be the new target of ethical examination and revised laws on the freedom of the press. For inFormation: 450-227-9307 514-948-3078 1-888-908-3078 info@medicflorid.ca Merchant - The merchant sells pills that would replace water. A big box-store now sells pills that will replace food. If you want anything, you need only go there. Soon, other stores will not be necessary as everything we need will be grown and produced in China. You will save 53 minutes of parking, and opening and closing store doors, but will spend 53 minutes more in a check-out line. The Street Lighter - The street lighter turns on and off the street-light that he has on his planet. Whenever he turns the light on, a new life is born, and the sun rises. Whenever he turns off the light, someone dies, and the sun sets. The Federal Reserve “boss” turns up and down the interest rates on his planet. Whenever he turns the rates down, a new credit line is born. Whenever he turns the rates up, a credit line dies. For now, the rates are down but don’t be fooled. The more we buy, the higher the carbon effects and greater the storms. Expect the fiscal cliff effects in May 2013 when astrologically we fall under the same planetary influences as in November 2008. b medicflorid international 28 rue de la Gare, Suite 201 Saint-Sauveur, QC, J0r 1r0 Medic Florid Sept 2012 Main Street Ad Economists and Astrologers are expecting the Fiscal cliff effects in May, 2013 “Help. The cliff is melting!” Businessman - On his planet, the businessman works all the time keeping track of how many stars he possesses. Prof. Sylvain Charlebois, associate dean of research and graduate studies in Guelph’s College of Management and Economics reports “Retail food prices are expected to grow faster than inflation and to increase steadily.” Price hikes for staples such as meat (4-6%), eggs (3%) bread (3-5%) and cheese are expected to drive record numbers of people to food banks. Prices are soaring due to huge crop losses of feed grain, drought and global weather effects this past summer. Don’t expect this to get better anytime soon. Geographer - The geographer draws maps in his atlas. The UN Environmental Agency was in Nairobi drawing maps around global marine ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, sea-grass meadows and saltwater marshes. These systems capture and store a significant amount of atmospheric carbon. The full potential of these “blue carbon” habitats to mitigate climate change remains overlooked and under protected. The Train Person sends trains in all different directions on his planet like our NOAA weather experts. Recently, NOAA scientists finally concluded that four factors determined global temperatures: carbon dioxide levels, volcanic eruptions, Pacific El Niño pattern and the Sun’s activity. The maximum of the solar sunspot is not yet over. According to emergency preparedness experts the best actions for 2013 are: have at least 3 months food, water and supplies on hand. Take on no new debt and pay down old debts. Buy physical gold and silver. Put real-estate purchases on hold. Find back-up energy sources, solar panels, generators. Safely store hard copies of important documents. Keep an evacuation bug-out pack near a door so you can evacuate within 5 minutes of any local disaster. Happy year ahead Zachians! Be prepared! 44 January 2013 50 + Fit Tip 72 Ramble On The Freedom Travels - Part 1 Resolute Reasoning Barry Young - Main Street “The changes in our life must come from the impossibility to live otherwise than the demands of conscience, not from our mental resolution to try a new form of life.” - Leo Tolstoy It is now sometime in the middle of January and, of course, many of us have made and in several cases already broken our New Year’s resolutions. The most common resolution is to lose weight and get into shape, and as Jay Leno so comically pointed out, there are now more over-weight people in America than average-weight people. So, in fact, over-weight people are now the average. This means that anyone who made a resolution to achieve average weight succeeded. Now, if anyone wants some advice on quitting smoking, I have a method that works like a charm, and I am great at it, because it has already worked 7 times for me. There are a myriad of other promises made on New Year’s but if you look at any one of them, they are all demanding the same thing of us: to become a better person than we were the year before. A few years ago, someone taught me about setting goals and he actually had a brilliant system for success by breaking down goals into short, medium and longterm. He also taught me that we must only set goals that are attainable. Many of us have several things we would like to change, or make better, and the only way of doing this is to be serious about it and have a plan to actually make it happen. After a certain age many of us have faced several failures, be it divorce, lost jobs or a host of others. As a defence mechanism for these failures we usually end up making all type of excuses and placing blame on either our bosses or our exes, and this attitude must be changed. By taking full responsibility for our past failures, we are actually empowering ourselves. As long as we can fault the outside world for our nonfeasance, we are actually saying that we do not have it within ourselves to achieve our success. To prove our theory right, we must first learn to take baby-steps by setting very short-term goals for ourselves, say for instance, going one day without eating any junk food, or promising to take a 10-minute walk. Do this a few times and realize that we now have become successful at the task and move onto something medium-term, such as paying off an additional $50 on our credit card bill this month. Once we have learned to make short-term and medium-term goals, and never fail, it is time to easily step up to long-term goals. I say easily, because most of the long-term goals are just a matter of repeating the short or mediumterm ones for a longer period of time. In other words, don’t make a blind resolution, such as losing 50 pounds this year; break it down by starting with the small steps. After you learn how much weight you can lose in 1 week with the walks and decreased junk food, the medium- Lisa McLellan - Main Street - www.lmfitness.ca The wind is blowing. The air is soft and warm. The water is a translucent turquoise green. The rhythm of the waves reminds me to let go, let be. I see the rugged terrain of volcano-formed Lombok Island from where I sit on Gili Air Island. I see rain falling over there on the horizon but I can also see the pink of the setting sun and the silhouette of a twin-mast sailboat. The power of nature once again soothing my over used nerves. Island life. Hot, sweet, slow. It takes time to unwind. How do I get so wound up? I am in Indonesia near Bali, halfway around the world! I am travelling with Dan and Anthony. Twenty-five hours in a plane. We are on an adventure. And really, it is very different here. Travelling opens your mind to new ideas, new people and unexpected experiences. Adjust, relax, observe. Surrender to the difference. Let your self be moved, feel uncomfortable even and embrace the unknown. Dan is playing the guitar, which he bought in Amlapura for $22. A 30-minute scooter ride away, through steep, narrow and winding mountain roads -YEEHAH - with a view of rice terraces straight out of National Geographic. Awe-inspiring. He is playing with Julien, the violin player from France, who studied music in India. Sometimes I sing. What can I say? Life is good and magic happens in an instant, if you allow ... The snorkelling is absolutely fantastic. Thousands of fish every size, shape and colour from the striped Lionfish to the Pencil fish to the camouflaging Cuttlefish. Spotted turtles too. Big blue starfish in a colourful coral reef teeming with life. Endless expressions and variations on a theme, some so graceful others awkward and quirky looking. Creation was in a most experimental and adventurous phase when designing fish and coral! A whole silent, underwater universe that I can watch like TV, floating effortlessly in the buoyancy of salt water, to the calming sound of my breath ... breathing in and breathing out. What exactly drew me to Bali I am not sure, but what has struck me, besides the glorious nature, is the culture. Here they practice gratitude for life everyday through the ritual of making offerings. The offerings are both meditation and prayer, prepared by making little baskets from banana leaves and reeds which are filled with flower petals, rice, fruit and other sundries as well as a stick of burning incense and then lovingly placed with a blessing. These offerings can be found everywhere on tables, in front of your door, on the sidewalk, in shrines and at alters. The offerings are made by young and old, male or female and always in a state of deep reverence for the spirit of life. When trees or rocks are wrapped in cloth (and they are even in the remotest of areas) this signifies, and reminds us, that these spirits are sacred and must not be harmed in any way. Making offerings is very serious business but done with such simplicity and sincerity of heart. When you make an offering, you are paying respect, you are honouring, you are caring for, feeling gratitude ... quieting the mind, freeing the heart. The Balinese are a peaceful and joyful people, giving rather than taking, never aggressive but very persistent if they want to sell you something. They have a day where they pray for the whole world and a day of stillness were everything, stops including airplanes. I am humbled by the depth and authenticity of their feeling for the sacredness and magic of life. term goal becomes merely a repetition of what you have already proven yourself capable of achieving. Once you reach your desired weight, the long-term goal becomes simple maintenance. This same system applies for anything: make goals that are achievable, have an actual plan and then stick to it. I have gone through this personally for the last 11 years and believe me it works. About 2 years ago a guest at my 50th birthday party quoted their uncle, “If we don’t do something to help at least 1 person during our lifetime then our existence was meaningless” and as a result of this, one of my biggest goals has become “to make a difference.” In the August edition of Main Street, I wrote an article titled, The Power of Moo, where I complained how the CRTC was (according to law) going to shut down the TSN 990 radio station. I also started a petition, posted all over Facebook and it worked! Now, I don’t take personal credit for this success, but in this case, we “little guys,” defeated Goliath and TSN can now be found on 690 on your AM dial, and I was part of the action. Without what I had learned about positive thinking and being goal-motivated 11 years ago, I never would have done this and certainly would not have chosen the topic for this month’s column, so..... Live better, laugh more, love with no boundaries and make it happen! They have a lot to learn about garbage though! Plastic, the scourge of all developing nations litters the countryside, filling the gullies, floating in the oceans, scarring the beaches. For some reason they just don’t see it. They don’t seem to realize that the plastic will not decompose and return to the earth like organic matter does. The irony doesn’t escape me. They are also suffering the uglification brought on by tourism and the almighty dollar ... but who am I to judge their desire for the comfort money can buy? What is it that I want to share with you with regards to the New Year? I don’t know... try something different? Open your heart and let life live in you. Don’t neglect what is sacred. Take care of yourself. Do the smiling meditation often. If it is truly the beginning of an evolution in consciousness as is prophesied, than so be it. What could be better than that in 2013? Do your part and grow in consciousness, in spirit, in love. I am. Let yourself dream my friends. Don’t wait; act now! January 2013 CALLING ALL FLUTISTS! Amateur and Professional 45 Michel Labrèche Real Estate & Mortgage Broker Residential & Commencial Notary ACCESS TO LAKES BARRON & BIRD BEAUTIFUL VERY WELL-MAINTAINED BUNGALOW, LARGE ROOMS. ACCESS TO 2 LAKES. 3 BDRMS, 2 LIV RMS, STONE FPLC, OPEN PLAN, GARAGE/LG SHED/WRKSHP. HUGE KIT W/MANY CUPBOARDS & LOTS COUNTER SPACE + INTEGRATED DINING ROOM. RENO’D ROOF, WALLS, INSULATION, SOME WINDOWS, DOOR, ALL FLOORS. Lyndsay Wood Real Estate Broker 514.774.8019 Royal Lepage Service Plus FREE MARKET EVALUATION lyndsaywood.com PRESTIGIOUS LOG HOME NEAR LAKE AMAZING AUTHENTIC LOG HOME ON 65,137 SF LOT, ACCESS TO LAKE FIDDLER IN UNIQUE DOMAIN. 3 BDRMS, VERANDA W/SPA, SAUNA, STONE FPLC, MEZZANINE, HEATED FLOORS, GRANITE COUNTERS, MAJESTIC STAIRCASE, COMPLETELY FURNISHED, CENTRAL AIR, EXCELLENT RENTAL POTENTIAL. Cell: 514-688-3131 Mtl: 514.745.NORD (6673) ng 200 rue Principale #11 Everunytdesahimr e the roof Notary - Legal Adviser Since 1983 St-Sauveur MICHEL LABRÈCHE, L.L.B. D.D.N. www.lecourtierdunord.com sT. saUveUr BeaUTIFUL vIeW At the top of Domaine St-Sauveur, Quiet location in choice area, near skiing & golf. Private lot. Two large balconies, one off the master bedroom. Open concept ground floor + fireplace. $249,500 sT-saUveUr MINI DOMaINe 2.65 acres wooded land, small stream. Bright with majestic windows, recently built and superior quality. Open concept, heated porcelain tile flooring, cathedral ceiling, fireplace. Carport and cabane. $568,000 M O T I VAT E D S E L L E R ! ! lyndsay_m_wood@hotmail.com LARGE FAMILY HOME LARGE RUSTIC COUNTRY HOME W/ DBL GARAGE ON 27,313 SF PRIVATE LOT. 2 STOREYS + FINISHED BSMNT, 3 BDRMS, 3 LIV/FAMILY RMS, SLOW COMBUSTION FPLC & WOOD STOVE. AMPLE STORAGE, 24X10FT GALLERY, VERY SPACIOUS RMS, TIN ROOF, REPLACED WINDOWS. 10 MIN. FROM SKI HILL, 45 MIN. FROM MTL. LAKEFRONT@ $174 900 116 FT ON THE LAKE, 15 MIN, FROM LACHUTE & UNDER 1 HR FROM MTL. OPEN PLAN 1ST FLOOR, DIN RM W/VIEW OF LAKE, 2 BDRMS, WALK-OUT BSMNT TO FINISH TO YOUR TASTE, 2 BATHS, 2 WOOD STOVES, 19,840 SF FLAT LOT, LANDSCAPED, PRIVATE W/POOL & 2 SHEDS. 14 MIN. FROM SKI HILL. Whatever became of Josephine? Lyndsay Wood Main Street January 2013 WAS $628,000 Chris Beames - Special to Main Street In the mid 1950’s, I was a tobacco planter employed in what was then British North Borneo. One day, I rescued a baby orangutan from some hunters who were trying to sell the little animal. Knowing orangs were protected, I reported the matter to the local Forestry Department, who said they would send someone to look at the orang. After the inspectors came and gave Josephine a clean bill of health, the Director of Forests called to say he would write to the U.K. to see which zoo might be interested in a baby female orang, and get back to me. Meanwhile, I should tend and care for Josephine! And I could call if I needed help or advice. At that time, I was living about three hours away, by Longboat, from the headquarters of the tobacco estate. However, I had about fifty families under my supervision who were thrilled to be part of Josephine’s support group. A few months passed, during which time Josephine grew in size and strength, way beyond my expectations. She roamed free in my house and compound, and was pampered by the community at large. However, being young, curious and energetic, Josephine was very destructive; a real problem when you lived in a palm-thatched bungalow! I never trained her to use doors so she crashed through the walls and the roof of my house at will. Then one day, I received a message on my two-way radio from headquarters saying the forestry officer would be visiting me within the next 48 hours. It was time for Josephine to travel to her new home in England. She was going to the North of England Zoological Society in Chester and would be arriving in midsummer, when it was warm enough for her to play outside. A large, tearful crowd of friends and estate workers watched as I carried Josephine up the gangplank of the coastal steamer and handed her over into the care of the captain. Now, some 53 years later, an old friend contacted me to get the details of my Josephine tale. That made me curious to find out whatever happened to Josephine. I sent an email to the Chester Zoo and this is the response I recently received from Lynne Ainscough, Living Collections Directorate Secretary, Chester Zoo: “Thank you for your email, what an interesting story! I have been advised that a Sumatran Orangutan by the name of Josephine is reported to have arrived at Chester Zoo on September 12, 1959. She died on July 11, 1968. However, she gave birth to a male hybrid (Bornean x Sumatran - before the days that species could easily be identified using DNA screening) on June 14, 1968. He was called Rajang and is currently residing at Colchester Zoo!” Chris Beames is a long-time resident of Morin Heights where he continues to live with his wife Frances. CLASSIFIED ADS Please note that the rates for classified ads are $25 for 1 - 25 words and $50 for 25 - 50 words. Kindly forward all classified ad material to msw_sue@yahoo.ca. We regret we do not accept credit card payments at this time and all payments must be made by cheque and mailed to Main Street, CP 874, Lachute QC J8H 4G5. Payments must be received before publication. Thank you. SEEKING HOUSE-CLEANERS Seeking efficient and trustworthy house-cleaners. Please call Lori’s Links at 450 224-7472 for more information. 46 Office: 450.227.7077 TIRES AND MAGS BF Goodrich all-terrain T/A 31/10.50X15 ON 5-spoke mags from Ford F150 1996. Tires used for maybe 3 months. Great deal, $575.00. Bob Meikle: 450 820-8111. TUTOR Tutor needed for grade-4 student in St. Sauveur area. 8-10 hours per week (flexible). English speaking an asset, Bachelor of education required. $30 per hour. Please contact paveman@ hotmail.com or 613 301-0289. PIeDMONT cONDO WITH a vIeW vaL MOrIN access TO PrIvaTe LaKe Modern recently built condo. Large windows, wood floors. Exclusive area, magnificent views of Mont StSauveur & Avila. Large bath. Two terraces. Walk to services, close to Hwy 15. Washer and dryer outlets. $159,000+tx Private, views sT. saUveUr of mountains, DIscOver ski slopes. Well-lit, great sunsets! Cozy living room with cathedral ceiling, impressive stone fireplace, wood/slate WAS floors. $378,900 $399,999 28,000 sf lot, remarkable country setting. Provides privacy and tranquility. Warm, cozy home that has undergone numerous renovations. Close to 2 lakes, one with beach access. 15 min. to St-Sauveur and the slopes. $158,000 sT. aDOLPHe D’HOWarD LOW PrIce Superior sTe-aNNe Des Lacs construction + with high-end INTer-geNeraTIONaL vIeW quality materials. Two side-by-side almost identical homes, each with individual entrances. Located near ski slopes of St-Sauveur. $479,000 Beautiful, wellWell-located brick/ maintained, Firestone home. Large place. Finished windows, living basement.Wooded, room fireplace, landscaped lot, finished basement, mature trees and garage, cathedral beautiful views ceiling. Fenced, of the mountains. landscaped lot. Access to Lake Central air, central Trudeau (nonheat pump, new navigable). Near roof in 2012. New the ski slopes. water heater. $279,999 $338,000 LavaL NeW www.monlac.com - 5 acres aND MOre, WITH LaKesIDe aND access. $95,000 + Tax aND UP Stone Soup’s On Claudette Hay - Main Street Michel Labrèche Jan 2013 Main Street Ad Choosing something you believe in to, ahem, “creatively” write about each month isn’t easy; so many topics out there. So, like wanting to cook up something from scratch, you look in the mind’s pantry, gather ingredients, hope for inspiration and chance putting something together. Sure enough, something happens after working at it, like stirring or flavouring a soup till it tastes just right. The writer, Annaliese Jakimides, expresses it similarly with, “...I don’t know where I’m going until I arrive somewhere and it’s often a surprise to me.” Same thing happened to me while searching for a January topic. Timely enough, and as Providence would have it, January just happens to be soup month for some in colder climates. It warms innards, while keeping temperaments cool. The subject is important enough, and who could doubt it with all the soul remedies Chicken Soup books offer. Staring down into a warm bowl of it when troubled, and watching the way noodles keep popping up when sinking, could serve as therapy when feeling down. The soup profile is rising and sits high on the list of volunteerism, what with college students spending their spare time working in soup kitchens and coffee klatch groups overheard bragging about who spends the most time volunteering in them. Soup’s been invited to academia, where professors invite students to their “Soup and Science” presentations. Soup goes way back to 16th and 17th century folklore tales, among which, includes the popular, “Stone Soup,” where a beggar fools people into helping him make real soup from a stone and water. The mythological, very old century folkloric Stone or St. Bernard’s Soup illustrates how sharing helps the needy. Aubrey Davis adapted the story into Jewish context for children in Bone Button Borsch, which he used for a Hanukkah reading. On the culinary side, the Toucinho de Almeirim restaurant in Portugal is well known for its “ sopa de pedra.” Soup bones out-flavour any soup-cube, and my grandmother saved all her bones, boiling them down to release the marrow she believed helped ward off illness. She called it her “antibody soup.” You used to be able to ask the butcher for free soup bones, often termed as dog bones, but they’ve now found their place among other choice cuts on the meat counter. I’m beginning to think that the soup tasting party I held before Christmas was right in sync with soup’s new status. Celebrate January with Stone Soup in the pot and see what comes up. January 2013 Garden Talk LAND FOR SALE Houseplants are Good For Us June Angus - Main Street Why do so many people, even non-gardeners, have such a fascination with houseplants? For starters, they allow us to surround ourselves with a taste of nature indoors. In our climate, that’s really important since outdoor vegetation remains dormant for almost half the year. An abundance of scientific research also confirms what all houseplant lovers have known for generations; plants are simply good for us. St-Sauveur: 43,000 square feet. Perfect for nature enthusiasts. Close to downtown St-Sauveur and Morin Heights villages. Ready to build at $35,000. St-Sauveur: In a private park with 2000 feet on the Jackson River. This 8-acre lot comes ready to build with driveway and building area. Exceptional river view. Soil sample, septic plan with implantation included. $165,000 Morin-Heights: 51,000 square feet. Wooded lot, with full municipal road and water. 2 minutes’ walking distance to village. Direct access to cross country ski trails. Morin-Heights: 4-acre estate property. For nature enthusiasts, nice forest, very private. Walking distance to Morin-Heights village and elementary school. $0.87 per square foot. St-Adolphe: 5 minutes’ drive to Ski Morin Heights. 19.6-acre domain with year-round running stream. Ideal for hobby farm or family estate. Municipal front road. $6,500 per acre. 450 226-3959 www.invescohabitation.ca Invesco September 2012 Main Street Ad new AdministrAtion the only gas station with service in ste-Adèle!!! 1000 boul. ste-Adèle, ste-Adèle, QC 450 229-2483 • WE ARE HAPPY TO SERVE YOU IN FRENCH OR ENGLISH • Not only do they add flair to our décor, they also help to create healthier environments by cleaning the air inside modern buildings. Research in the 1980’s, conducted by NASA scientists, found surprising evidence that indoor plants were capable of absorbing and removing everyday pollutants, such as Formaldehyde, found virtually everywhere; Trichloroethylene (TCE) found in inks, paints and adhesives; and Benzene, present in common items such as oils, plastics and rubber. These pollutants can irritate the skin and the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. While healthy houseplants filter and remove these potentially harmful irritants from your home or office, some plants can do a better job than others. For example, a peace lily in your bathroom can help prevent mould. Microscopic mould spores are absorbed by the leaves and transferred to the plant’s roots to be used as food. The result is cleaner tiles and shower curtains along with less sneezing and scrubbing for you. A peace lily also absorbs atmospheric vapors such as acetone and alcohol commonly found in grooming products. Spider plants make great bathroom plants for the same reasons. A Boston fern in the bedroom can help moisturize your skin because these plants act as humidifiers. They restore moisture to the air by releasing water vapor in exchange for atmospheric pollutants, which the plant converts to fuel. Gerbera daisies are another good addition to the bedroom. While most plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen during the day, these plants conduct the process at night. Higher levels of atmospheric oxygen help to stabilize breathing and increase the duration of sleep. African Violets not only look good sitting on a desk, but they can also enhance your brainpower while you admire them. Gazing at flowering plants in the purple family stimulates the release of adrenaline. This energizing hormone improves creativity. Purple also triggers the release of endorphins, which ease stress and improve mood. If violets are not your thing, the body will respond to flowering plants of any color by boosting oxygen flow to the brain, resulting in relaxation. Promotes Wellbeing: Studies have also found that plants are good for our psychological wellbeing. They add peace, serenity and calm to their surroundings making these spaces friendlier places in which to live and work. Plants symbolize friendship and nature and appear to have a peaceful, calming, effect on most people. This may explain why plants are so popular at weddings, funerals, holidays, and birthdays and as gifts for hospital patients. In fact, the overall benefits derived from living and working with plants have been incorporated into therapeutic practices in a variety of settings including nursing homes, hospitals, rehab centers, schools and correctional facilities. Some people are specifically trained as horticultural therapists, others, including social workers, teachers, nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, simply use interactions between people and plants, individually or in groups, as a way of improving or developing physical and mental capabilities or social interactions. Whether it’s for cleaner air, peace and ambience or a more balanced environment, you don’t need many indoor plants to make a difference; one plant for every 90 square feet or so is all that it takes to create a healthier space. Gasoline • Sale and installation of tires (all brands) • General mechanics • 1 $ discount Limit one “GOOD GAS” discount when you buy 25 liters of gas. Value $1 (taxes incl) Cannot be combined with any other promotion. Deadline: January 15, 2013. Garage RPM Dec 2012 Main Street Ad A Little History: So, how did all this get started? Since the time of ancient Romans and Egyptians, there is documented evidence that humans have been collecting and cultivating houseplants by taking plants that thrive in nature and then bringing them indoors to make them an integral part of their lives. During the centuries of world exploration by Europeans, many new exotic plants were discovered and brought back to home countries where they were displayed in the homes of the wealthy. The Victorians attempted to bring their favourite plants indoors to sustain their beauty year round. In the 1800’s, North America saw parlours adorned with beautiful green plants. But it was not until glass windows and heated rooms became more prevalent in the late 19th century that houseplants really caught on for the masses. So whether you’re growing a few African violets on a windowsill or a massive palm in a giant pot, you are part of a movement that stretches over millennia. And the bottom line is that deep down we must have always known that it’s good for us to live with plants. January 2013 47 L U CIEN M AL AK ET F UR N ITUR E S I N CE 1947 RED TAG SALES EVE N T ! HUGE REBA TES on select pro ducts • Inve ntory liqui dation • • On m attresses & furniture • Fina ncing avai l a b le • • NO I NTEREST • REDUCED PRICE UP TO 5 0% REBATE L A R E V E S N O APPLIANCES ON SELE CTED ITEMS er f f o e m i t d e t i lim HURRY! Sale ends January 31, 2013 48 • January 2013
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