Government of Canada grants $133,540 in funding to the Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders

Support for tourism development in Grosse-Île

Grosse-Île, Quebec, October 27, 2009 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced that the Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders has been awarded $133,540 in non-repayable funding under the Community Economic Diversification Initiative – Vitality to establish a tourism development plan for Grosse-Île.

Every summer, a growing number of visitors make their way to picturesque Grosse-Île, drawn by the site’s unique character, the tree-covered points jutting out into the ocean and the warm hospitality of the small English-speaking community’s 550 or so inhabitants. To accommodate this increase in tourist traffic to the archipelago, improvements need to be made to the area’s reception infrastructure and new activities developed to meet the demands and expectations of the market.

“The Government of Canada is today reaffirming its commitment to support communities that, through projects like this one, are taking their future in hand and furthering the reach and reputation of their region. Through this plan, the Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders is seeking to establish a framework for tourism initiatives on Grosse-Île and support local concerted efforts to develop the cruise industry by capitalizing on the many tourist attractions the area has to offer. The entire Îles-de-la-Madeleine economy, which depends heavily on the fishery industry, is sure to benefit from this diversification measure,” explained the Minister of State.

“Implementing the recommendations of this plan could result in the creation of seasonal employment and encourage more young Magdalen Islanders to remain in the region. This project is well in line with the strategy our government has put in place through Canada’s Economic Action Plan to support communities that, despite the current economic downturn, are stepping up their efforts to succeed. This project could lead to concrete business opportunities for the region and allow it to face the future with greater confidence and optimism,” Minister Lebel added.

Tourism is the second most important industry on the archipelago and a key development priority for Canada Economic Development’s Gaspésie and Îles-de-la-Madeleine business office. It is estimated that some $50 million in economic spinoffs is generated by the 52,000 or so tourists who visit the region every year.

For more on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, see www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Magdalen Islands Drinking Water

A vast operation to dig for drinking water has been underway for two weeks now here on the Magdalen Islands. The objective of the work is to guarantee the provision of drinking water for the next 30 years.

Hydro-geologists, who are now here must dig 33 wells 200 feet deep between now and November. “What we want, is to determine the zones where we can dig the wells to connect to the [aqueduct] network already existing on the island of Grindstone with that on the island of House Harbour,” explained the Mayor of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine Municipality, Joël Arseneau.

Eleven wells will be put into production and branched to the aqueduct network over the course of the next year. The 22 other wells will serve for observation points, said engineer, Denis Richard, president of the firm, AGEOS. “We’re digging holes and we're measuring the evolution of the ground water, the depth and the pumping function that we can do from the production wells.”

The drinking water reserves of the ground water on the Islands, is precious and it must be managed with prudence. The pressure exercised on the aqueduct network and the production of the fish factories necessitates this additional production of potable water.

It is foreseen that in one well only, the island of Grindstone will need from 300 to 500 gallons of additional water per minute in 30 years. The contract of one million dollars for the work has been given to the consortium, Madelin’Eau.

It seems to me that, if anything, the municipality is destroying their own drinking water. How many times over the past few years have they say that the water table cannot take the drainage that 'we', the people of the Islands keep taking from it. The geologists have publicly said that there is a tender balance between the fresh water table and the salt water of the Gulf. That if we remove the ground water before it can replenish itself with melting snow, ice and rain, then the salt water will move it to take the place of the fresh water and eventually, we will be without drinking water.

Now I'm well aware of the nitrogen cycle and the water cycle and how the acid rain water gets filtered by the vegetation and layers of gravel it must go through to reach the water table. But if that water table turns salty then all but the most shallow vegetation, ie beach grass, will survive. It not hard to envision where that leaves the population of the Magdalen Islands.

Of course, that is enough doom and gloom. The Magdalen Islands has survived 50 million years, they can certainly survive the Municipality of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine. I hope the rest of us can.

Note: this is a blog and it is my personal opinion on the situation of the Magdalen Islands. It is not necessarily the news as it would be in a newspaper. I have never hidden the fact that I believe the Municipality of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, for the want of a better word, stinks.

Harper Accused of Inertia In Seal Hunt Dossier

The president of the sealers association for the Magdalen Islands, Denis Longuépée, denounced the immobilization of the Harper government in the seal hunt dossier.

Mr. Longuépée deplores the mutiny of Canada at a time where the anti-hunt campaigns are multiplying around the world.

As well, recently, the group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has added its voice to those of the International Funds for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and to the Humane Society of the United States. The organization is going to start a vast international campaign on the internet with the film star, Canadian actress, Pamela Anderson. “We hoped that the international sales of the white coats will continue to diminish” preached the PETA speaker, Michel McGraw.

For Denis Longuépée, Ottawa must reply. He noted that since the summer and the announcement of the boycott of the hunt products by members of the European Union, the government has not done anything more in the dossier. He doesn’t have the money to defend and save the hunt, deplored the Madelinot, who’s worried for the future of the industry.

“The Canadian government, and others, the seal hunt is nothing more than a grain of salt. This is not important. But if we speak of petrol, it would be somewhat more important, and Mr. Harper would be somewhat more interested to help us that he is presently doing.” - Denis Longuépée, president of the Seal Hunting Association of the Magdalen Islands.

Ottawa contested the European boycott internationally, as always, according to Mr. Longuépée, Canada must therefore launch a vast international campaign of information.

You know, I really don't understand the position of the animal humane groups. I'm not one who agrees with killing animals but killing a seal is of no greater value than killing a cow or a pig for food. People eat seal meat and sell the pelts. People eat beef and sell the pelts. I remember having the most beautiful pigskin jacket when I was younger and I still eat porkchops.

Also the fat from the seal is rendered into omega 3 oil, which is well known for it healthy qualities.

NOTE: In the seal hunters favor, the white coats are not taken for pelts or anything else. It is against the law to kill a white coat or a baby seal. Contrary to PETA and IFAW statements, white-coats are not killed.

The Voluntary Vaccination Campaign Countering the Swine Flu H1N1

At a press conference held on October 22, 2009, the representatives of the Regional Organization of Civil Security and the Health and Social Services Agency of the Gaspesia and the Magdalen Islands presented the actions taken to counter the feared H1N1 pandemic by giving general information on the important vaccine campaign which will be progressively deployed in the region starting October 26th, 2009.

The region will receive, in a gradual manner at regular intervals, sufficient quantities of doses of the vaccine to counter the struggle against H1N1. The first people who will receive the vaccine will be the health workers and some priority clients, such as women who are pregnant, children from six months to five years of age, and people under 65 years who are chronically ill.

In that this concerns vaccinations destined to the population, the region has identified seventeen vaccination sites in each of the territories with health and social services centers of hundreds of people at the same time, seeing that, in certain places, a thousand persons per day can be vaccinated. The agency indicated that it will have sufficient vaccinations for the entire population.

A vaccination exercise similar was unveiled in the region in 2006 and justly aimed at the preparation for an eventual pandemic. This type of operation necessarily mobilizes the numerous care resources of the health and social service centers of the region, that is to say with five hundred people in each of the vaccination sites.

The vaccination constitutes the best means of effectively countering the grippe and stays one of the more secure and efficient measures of prevention in the history of modern medicine.

The agency reminds everyone that the vaccination is voluntary. Each health and social service center is responsible of informing the residents of their territory and the vaccination logistics. The population is invited to watch the local medias for messages concerning the public interest which will be broadcast over the course of the next few days.

It is possible to obtain all the information linked with the vaccination at the website – www.pandemiequebec.gouv.qc.ca
Starting Saturday, October 24th, 2009, the schedules and vaccination sites will be available in the section “In My Region – Gaspesie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine” at the government website.

Swine Flu Has Islands College Cleaning Up

The swine flu is being taken very seriously in the CEGEP college campus here on the island as well as in the Gaspesia and the Lower North Shore. Intervention plans are underway with preparations made in collaboration with the ministers of Education and Public Health. Classes will not begin before next Thursday, a full week later than originally planned. They are hoping to avoid a new outbreak of the viral sickness this fall.

As well, students, professors and staff members of the CEGEPS must pay special attention to quality hygienic measures. At the entrance, there will be antiseptic hand rinses installed at strategic places in hallways, entrances and the cafeterias.

The director for Human Resources for the Gaspesia and Islands Colleges, Nicole Brunelle has been assured that the hygiene material has been ordered and the recommendation of a firm specialized in this area, is being followed.

Maintenance workers will be asked to mop the floors more often on ramps and stairs, and clean counters and doorknobs. There will be notices and signs on the room walls, asking that each person does his part to help prevent the spread of this virus.

If the classes are suspended during the semester session, the establishments have already taken all precautions necessary to assure essential services, such as the student loans.

Most strange news cast indeed, since classes are starting on Tuesday, here at the CEGEP level. Registration is on Monday, the 17th of August. Hmmmmmmm!

There have been several cases of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) here at the islands hospital this summer. Visitation rights were often suspended and at least one nurse contracted the virus.

The SEDNA IV Moves To Gaspe

According to the president of the organizing committee for the Gaspe festivities, Claudine Roy, the presence of the ship represents a veritable blessing. “It’s extraordinary. All in all, we are pleased in having her attached here for the summer financially. Then we will have free visits for the Gaspesians and the visitors who come,” said Mrs Roy.

The legendary ship will go into dry dock of the Maritime Shipyards Forillon in order to prepare for a two year scientific voyage around the world.

The man responsible for the Sedna IV’s missions, Jean Lemire, wishes to give leave to his crew, “The Sedna IV has become an ambassador who sails the world and we like that the scientific crew has a regional base. Why not the Gaspesia?”
The foundation of the Sedna IV has considered buying a house in Gaspe to create a museum. “There are many projects. We hope that we will be able to announce something soon. But the idea is to have a base port in the region,” commented Jean Lemire.

The Sedna IV is a steel sailing ship with three masts, which is 51 meters long. She was constructed in 1957, in Germany and underwent a complete refit in 1992 to respond to the needs of her private owner.

Acquired in June 2001 by a group of Canadian men of action, it has traveled the northern oceans and the Australian waters and has accumulated oceanographic missions, of which the Antarctic in the most popular.

The next mission, which will take on the loss of biodiversity and the access of potable water, is foreseen for 2010.

This is a surprise! The Sedna IV was supposed to be based in Grand Entry harbour. In fact, the new section of the harbour built in 2003 was made to accommodate the ship's berth. The company had bought the bar at Grand Entry Point to retain the records of the scientific escapades of the ship. Then they tore the historic bulding down after moving several small businesses out, all of which never recuperated. To my knowledge the ship was never brought to Grand Entry, not even for a visit. Occasionally she would appear in Grindstone harbour and tours would be given by the crew. The Sedna IV is a beautiful tall ship!

The ship sailed the Northwest passage in 2003.

Coast Guard Removed 650 bags of Contaminated Sand From Islands Dunes

The Canadian Coast Guard discretely unearthed 650 bags of sand that had been contaminated with PCB’s from the west beach of the Magdalen Islands last May.

These bags had been the waste of heavy oil that had been released into the Gulf when the oil barge Irving Whale sank in September 1970.

In December 2008, one of the islanders had found one of the bags on the West Beach, but because of snow and high tides, the work to recuperate the bags had been postponed until May 2009.

The recuperation of the bags left a large hole of around 25 square meters in the dune. More work will be necessary to restore the site, explained the superintendent of the Coast Guard, Martin Blouin, “The work has cause a cavity but not a breach, very near the area of the lagoon, therefore there will be some consolidation of the dune to do.”

It has been 39 years since the barge, Irving Whale sank to the north of Prince Edward Island, causing black sea on the beaches of the west side of the Archipelago. At that time, the authorities had decided to bag the contaminated sand that had been soaked with the oil and bury the bags in the dunes of the islands.

Some 200,000 bags in all had been buried. The burial sites had not been recorded. Since the ship wreck, 7000 bags have been found.

The Coast Guard will present it’s action plan to the municipality of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine this fall.

Parasite Affected Crab Has DFO Minister Worried

On June 29th, 2009, in a press communication it was said, that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) was worried about the presence of a microscopic parasite that is both contagious and deadly which attacks the meat of the crab. The parasite has been identified in Nova Scotia and the Minister wishes to avoid a propagation in other fishing zones, such as the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

The sickness developed by the parasite hits the crab during the molting season, when the carapace is changing. Then the parasite infects the blood, modifying the texture and the taste of the meat of the crab, before it finally kills the crab.

“It is not really a meat that is very interesting to eat. It’s texture and taste properties have been profoundly altered by the parasite,” indicated biologist, Bernard Ste-Marie.

The illness of the infected crab does not pose a danger for human health. However, it lowers the commercial value of the catch and the fishers of the crab are affected. The federal minister want therefore to stop the propagation, but also avoid an epidemic resembling that of the Alaskan infestation, where the parasite costs are approximately 5 million dollars a year for the fishermen.

“The fishermen are warned that if they find an infected crab, they are not to throw the crab back into the water, where it can infect other crabs in the area. They must bring it to shore,” explained the biologist.

Exact Air Island Air Service Suspended

The air delivery service between Mont-Joli and the Magdalen Islands will be suspended for the summer months starting on the 18th of June, 2009. The company Exact Air and the regional airport of Mont-Joli have decided on this decision because the service is used less at this time of the year.

In a daily flight, the number of passengers doesn’t cover the costs of the service. The direction of the airport stated that the link responded particularly to the business clientele and to certain institutional clients, whom are people who travel very little during the summer season.

The managers of the airport and of Exact Air wish to profit from this suspension of activities, to meet with the ministers, organizations and the businesses, who have shown interest in having this service put in place and in order to learn how to better respond to their needs.

Lobster Industry Crises: Financial Aid of Almost One and a Half Million Dollars

The Minister of Agriculture, Fishing and Food and the Minister responsible for the Regions of Chaudière-Appalaches and of the Centre-du-Québec and Deputy of Frontenac, M. Laurent Lessard, announced on June 9th, 2009 that a series of measures evaluated at almost one and a half million dollars is to be given in order to help the lobster fishing enterprises of Quebec. He is working in collaboration with the Deputy of Gaspe, Mr. Georges Mamelonet and the deputy of the Magdalen Islands, Mr. Germain Chevarie.

As well, the lobster fishermen can prevail on measures of transitory aide which will be in effect until March 31, 2009. The first measure is made up of an amount by the Minister, to be used to help with the interest on their loans. The second proposes to reimburse loans fof the fishermen profiting from government funding, in the form of a loan guarantee.

“It is well that the federal government had announced recently the funding of 10 million dollars for the commercialization and the promotion of lobster, this incentive will be in effect for the fishermen only for the year to come. The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans must accept her responsibilities and restructure the fishery, as the industry of Quebec requested and the other fishermen of the Atlantic. It is necessary to increase the minimal regulation size of the lobster, support the restructuring of the industry and allow fishermen to benefit from the employment insurance. The other provinces must be inspired from the industry of Quebec, to increase the quality of lobster and improve the value of their fishing businesses. I’ll continue to follow very close to the situation of the lobster fishermen over the course of the season, in order to assure the appropriate support,” Mr. Lessard said precisely.

Elsewhere, the Minister Lessard will follow his representations to the federal government in order that this last request be put to work on concrete solutions for the support of the industry of Quebec.

“The objective is the sort of aide for the fishing businesses, which were struck by the world wide economic crises, so that they can follow their activities, which represent an essential part of the economic development of the maritime regions of Quebec,” indicated the deputies of the Magdalen Islands (Germain Chevarie) and of Gaspe (Georges Mamelonet).

“The Fishermen Association of the Magdalen Islands (APPIM) and the group of professional fishermen of the south of Gaspésie estimates that Ottawa will use the example of the government of Quebec, which is to help it's fishermen victims of this major crises. The delivery of this funding program will allow us to concentrate on our work on a second level of aid to help the Quebec lobster fishermen,” declared M. Leonard Poirier and Oneil Cloutier, who had been encouraged by the support of the Minister Laurent Lessard.

The Quebec lobster fishing industry is comprised of 550 fishing businesses which supports 1,400 persons and which contributes in an important manner to the creation where it maintains some 2,000 employment positions in factories in maritime Quebec.

I'm thinking that fishermen of Quebec and the Maritimes don't benefit from a systematic Cooperative, such as that of the Cap Dauphin in Grosse Ile.

The New Entry Island Ferry To Start This Week

The ferry , Ivan Quinn*, was constructed at the Maritime Méridien Shipyard in Matane, will soon be starting her service of a daily delivery between Entry Island and Grindstone Harbours, on the Magdalen Islands this week. The ultra modern ship had been constructed in eight months at a cost of seven million dollars.

The president of the ferry society of Quebec (STQ) Georges Farrah, highlighted that the ship had been constructed on measure for to respond to the needs of some one hundred residents of Entry Island.

The managers of the STQ ad met the citizens for this project. They had concluded that a ship adapted to their needs. As well, the Ivan Quinn will transport heating fuel to Entry Island and will transfer waste products to the truck on the central island.

Moreover, those isolated who want to do their grocery shopping in Grindstone will have access to a refrigerator and a freezer during the voyage.

*Mr. Ivan Quinn was a colourful person of Entry Island. He was a warm store owner and the mayor of the island for many years. Mr. Quinn had also been known for his talents as a musician and a singer. He was a composer of country ballads on Maritime themes.

Possible Rise In Lobster Outfit Charges

It seems the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Gail Shea, agrees to actual study of the possibility to raise certain charges that exist for the lobster fishers and put a rationalization plan in place.

Last Thursday, Mrs. Shea was hard pressed to try avoid of questions from the part of the deputies of the opposition in the Chamber of Commons, in Ottawa. The liberal critique in the matter of fisheries, Gerry Byrne, estimates that certain fishermen will be relieved to see a raise the charges they can demand for their permits.

Other people who intervene suggest that the number of boats be reduced, for example by 25% to 30% in the Northumberland Strait, which separates Prince Edward Island from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

The plan for the funding of 10 million dollars announced recently by the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, to come to the aid of lobster transformers in the Atlantic Provinces and Quebec has received a half-hearted welcome on the part of the fishers.

Clam Digging Areas Closed

On the Magdalen Islands there are few species that people don't need to have a permit to fish. Clam digging is one of those species. All you need is a digging tool and a bucket to carry the clams ashore. However, as in years past, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have closed certain areas of the lagoons to clam fishers because the clams are contaminated with bacteria.

The reason for the pollution is not what we normally consider as pollutants. The problem is nature itself. There are certain areas of the lagoon where seal love to bask in the sun during the four seasons. Their waste products are polluting the areas where they tend to congregate.

The areas have probably always been polluted since the seal have always been in those areas. Most like there are no clams in the areas since the seal would eat them, so no human has become ill in the past from consuming these clams. However, the DFO sees fit to assure the public that the clams in these areas are unfit for consumption.

Areas Closed For Mollusks Harvest In the Clam Sector

Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the Quebec region, wishes to warn the population of the Magdalen Islands that the following clamming sectors are closed for the harvest of mollusks because of pollution and this in virtue of the ordinance mentioned thereafter and given in conformity with paragraph 3 (1) of the regulation on the consumption of contaminated fish:

Ordinance No.: QSN-416

House Harbour Lagoon, north-east sector, from the Narrows bridge (Detroit Bridge) for an approximate distance of 500 meters west.

Ordinance No.: QSN-417

Bassin Lagoon Brook, the brook of the Bassin lagoon and less that 150 meters along the water’s edge.

East of Pointe-aux-Loups, The foreshore and the waters of the large marsh, comprising between a point located to the south of the large marsh until a point located three kilometers east of Pointe-aux-Loups.

For more information on this subject you can call the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Grindstone at:

ILES-DE-LA-MADELEINE                                           418-986-2095

Lobster Industry In A State Of Crises

Lobster continues to be a serious issue on the Magdalen Islands!

The Magdalen Islands fishermen are to be paid five cents more per pound for their catch this week, but that is leaving the buyers in an unhappy state. The problem is not so much the price but the fact that the buyers can not easily find markets for their product and the many of the precious lobster are dying before they reach their destinations. Dead lobster does not help anyone.

The Quebec government started and advertising campaign early in May, within the province, with the slogan "Crack me open, I turn red!". However, it does not appear to be doing much good. Grosse Ile pound seems to be selling all the lobster they get in, but if the buyers can't re-sell the product quickly, then trouble is closer then the horizon, even for here.

Leonard Poirier from the Lobster Fishermen's Association for the Madalen Islands (l'Association des pecheurs proprietaires des Iles-de-la-Madeleine) is one of the members who has gone to Ottawa this week, to be a voice of reason for Quebec fishermen and for the 10,000 some odd fishermen of the Atlantic, their 25,000 helpers and the 25,000 lobster factory workers transforming the product (numbers are approximated). He denounced the the efforts of the governments, saying that they are not putting enough into the billion dollar industry, where the aide is needed. On May 22nd, Ottawa announced an offer of ten million dollars set aside for the fishermen of the Atlantic coast and Quebec to help in promoting their catches and bringing them to market.

The director of the Fisherman's Association will plead the cause of all Quebec fishermen today, May 26th, before the federal governments Fisheries and Ocean's Committee. Mr. Poirier believes that it will take sort term funding to cover a part of the costs of production for the fishing businesses. The money set aside to help the industry is not a solution for the immediate problem, as far as the fishermen are concerned. The proble right now is that there are not enough markets for the live lobster and this causes a risk fo general failure for the lobster fishery.

The three requests that were made to Ottawa by the fishing associations of Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces were basically all refused by the federal government.

Low Lobster Prices Causes Worry

The consumption of lobster, considered a luxury product, has dropped considerably on the American and Canadian markets during this period of economic recession. This drop in the consumption has caused a serious drop in price.

As well, the lobster fishermen of the Atlantic Provinces and of the Gaspesia request an emergency meeting with the Federal and Provincial Ministers to attempt to find a solution to this problem. In a communique, The Union of Fishermen, who represent some 9000 fishers, estimate that the authorities are ignoring the important benefits of this fish. The price paid for the lobster is actually somewhere around $2.75 to $3.50 per pound, which hasn’t been so low in thirty years.

The fishermen of Prince Edward Island are harvesting less lobster then they can, for fear that they will not be able to sell the product. They must limit their catches because the buyers on the wharves refuse to give them more than $3.50 per lobster.

For their part, the Fishermen’s Association of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, the industry and the Deputy of Gaspesia have launched a vast campaign to convince consumers to buy Quebec lobster, last Friday evening.

Almost Six Million Dollars For Drinking Water In Grand-Entry

Today, May 11th, 2009, the Vice Premier, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Territory Occupation and the Minister Responsible for the Region of Gaspesia and the Islands, Mrs Nathalie Normandeau and the Deputy of the Magdalen Islands, Germain Chevarie, announced a financial aide of $5,630,215 in the framework of the Infrastructures Program Quebec-Municipalities (PIQM), for the construction of infrastructure for providing the distribution of drinking water in view of serving the future marine product transformation factory for the company, Cap-sur-Mer, located at Grand Entry. This last is the result of the merging of Madelimer inc. and Les Pecheries Gros-Cap inc., Madelimer and Big Cape Fisheries.

“The Madelimer factory employed around 320 workers before it was lost to fire in 2006. Taking in account held for this event and for the reorganization of the fishing industry in the last two years in the region, the construction project of the factory is linked to the restructuring of a new system to provide drinking water, and our government is proud to participate in raising the financial amount for the work,” declared the Deputy Chevarie.

The provision of drinking water is a primordial resource for re-launching the industrial activities, in the sector of Grand Entry. At the start of the new century, the enterprise Madelimer had problems providing water, with the existing wells. They had been using both Mario’s and John Fred’s water wells. However, minerals were deposited in the wells by the intrusion of sea water. These wells are no longer usable. After the infusion of salt water, Madelimer continued to use the water for the workings of the factory, but the sea water from the wells hastened the deterioration of the factory’s equipment. The construction project of the new factory, Cap-sur-Mer, is therefore linked directly to the re-drilling of a new system providing enough drinking water in this sector. For the first phase of the project, around forty-five residences will benefit from this investment in procuring quality drinking water. In the long term, the population of Grand Entry will be served by a providing infrastructure and a modern processing factory.

To accomplish this project, it is necessary to invest the amount of $5,926,542, in virtue of regulation 2.1 of the PIQM. The government of Quebec will contribute $5,630,215 and the Iles-de-la-Madeleine Municipality will provide the amount of $296,327.

“The aide agreed upon today with the Municipality of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, nicely illustrates the engagement of our government, together with the communities in their efforts aimed at improving and having durable infrastructures. These investments written in the Quebec Plan for infrastructures, which will oversee more than 41.8 billion dollars for the period of 2008-2013, which 3.6 billion dollars will serve to maintain and update Municipal infrastructures,” said the Minister Normandeau.

For his part, the mayor of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Joel Arseneau rejoiced in having the support of the Government of Quebec for the accomplishment of this project, which allows the fishing industry to be restructured and his municipality to have it’s infrastructures rejuvenated.

Industry in Distress

The lobster industry’s fishermen for the Maritime Provinces, have called for an emergency meeting with the Federal and Provincial governments. Representatives of the lobster fishermen of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence have requested the meeting to discuss the crisis that their industry now faces.

They have asked the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Gail Shea, to organize the meeting and that she convene the Ministers for Fisheries for the Atlantic provinces and Quebec.

The lobster fishermen on the Atlantic know the difficulties without precedent. The price they are offered at the wharf for their catches are lower then they have been for the last 30 years.

The weekend before last, the Federal Minister, Peter MacKay had indicated that Ottawa will look at many scenarios for helping the fishermen. Leonard LeBlanc, a fisherman of Cheticamp, isn’t rejoicing too quickly, “We are optimistic, but I think that we will have to wait and see exactly what it is they have to offer,” he said.

The fishers have three requests to ask of the Minister Gail Shea. Leonard LeBlanc explained that the first thing the fishers want is some security measures which will give all the fishermen admission to the employment insurance.

Second, the fishermen request that there be subsidies which will help them overcome the crisis.

Third, they request help to reduce the effort of fishing. “The third request, is for money from the Federal, Provincial governments and from the industry to repurchase long term permits,” Leonard LeBlanc said precisely.

They are now waiting for the response of the Minister, Gail Shea. The fishermen of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence dream of suspending the fishing, indicated Christian Brun, Speaker for the Union of Fishermen of the Maritimes (UPM).

European Embargo on Seal Products

It was announced yesterday that the European Community would no longer accept products made from seal, caught during the annual seal hunt, in Canada.

The embargo was put in place, on all seal products on May 5th, 2008. The decision had been voted on Tuesday, by the European Deputies, with 550 votes for the embargo and 49 against. The Parliamentary vote is yet to be taken by the governments of the European Union within the next several weeks. The prohibition will begin in vigor by the next seal hunting season.

This ban on seal products will not affect the Inuit Communities of Canada and Greenland, who can continue their traditional hunt. Of course, this decision depends entirely that they do not hunt a large scale seal hunt for the pelts, oils and meat of the seal for commercial purposes within the European Union.

Canada and Norway have already announced that they will contest this ban before the World Business Organization. The decision of the European Union came after the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper went to Prague, to participate in the launching of the negotiations of an economic partnership with the European Union.

The International Humane Society Organization is rejoicing the decision of the EU and views it as historic. “This ban marks the start of the end of the massacre of the seal of Canada, a massacre that the whole world disapproves of,” declared Rebecca Aldworth, director of the Canadian branch of the International Humane Society.

Joel Arseneau, mayor of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, deplores the decision of the European Union. He had indicated that this prohibition would represent a challenge for the industry, which must now find other markets. Mr. Arseneau declared that he cannot immediately know the economic impact of this decision. The mayor of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine precisely said that the enterprises have already started to explore other sectors, such as those in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

C.A.M.I. Will Receive A Grant For $24,725

The Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders will receive a grant for $24,725 from the govenrment of Quebec to help support a better quality of life for the elderly in the community of Grosse Isle.  This announcement came from the National Assembly of Quebec today.

The Deputy of the Magdalen Islands, Germain Chevarie mand the announcement in the name of the Minister Responsible for the Elderly, Mrs Marguerite Blais, the grant of $24,725, in a project that is  destined to improve the conditions of life for the elderly of the community, within the framework of the program, 'From the Heart of the Action for the Elderly of Quebec'.

“The power of this program rests principally on the doing what it takes to help the initiative of local organizations.  The Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders (CAMI) of Grosse Ile has been accorded this aide to accomplish some of the projects which will assure the active growth of the elderly and which will favour as well their participation in the Anglophone community of the Archipelago,” declared the Deputy.

This year, 80 projects have been given to those who work for the benefit Quebec, for the financial aide of the government of Quebec. The total annual budget of the program is 1.6 million dollars, and the maximum functional aide accorded, by the project, is $30,000.

In the framework of the 2008-2009 edition, particular attention has been given to projects associated with the struggle countering the isolation of elderly persons, to support the helpers of the elderly, to the promotion of the adoption and of the maintenance of healthy ways of life around elderly persons, to the struggle countering the abuses and the mistreatment and to the prevention of suicide. 

“I would like to highlight the important collaboration of the community organizations and the regional dialogue tables, for the improvement of the condition of life for the elderly.  The government of Quebec is proud to support their initiatives which have not only beneficial incidences for the elderly persons, but also for the whole of society,” concluded the Minister Blais.

Why I love Blogging!!!

I recieved this award for the Magdalen Islands Blog , from AngelBaby at "Your Caring Angels".  Angel writes and inspirational web log that is full of character and wisdom. When visitors leaveher blog, they leaves with a sense of wellness and spiritually happy. If you have the time for one more read, try Your Caring Angels. It isn't a waste of your time.

Over the past few years, I've been doing a lot of blogging. I really enjoy writing, researching and learning new things. I doing all of these on multiple blogs, I have come to meet many people all over the world, who give me great joy in the simple matter of communicating. From these people I have learned to be patient, to love myself as I love others, to learn until the day I die and then learn some more. My life is far fuller now then it has ever been in all my years. LOL, notice that I didn't say how many year that was.

Here are the rules for this meaningful award:

The aims of this award:* 

As a dedication for those who love blogging activity and love to encourage friendships through blogging.*

To seek the reasons why we all love blogging!*

Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it*

Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award.*

Answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging.*

Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.*

Don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post. 

These are the bloggers that I am giving this beautiful award to:

Darrel Day

Jadey

Keith Hillman

Angel Baby  (I'm giving it back to here because she really is a caring angel, you know)

I'll think of a few others tomorrow.

Canada Seal Hunt To Be Supported By A Song

This time of the year, the Canada Seal Hunt is always in the news. This time, at the suggestion of Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette, the senator and singer Jean Lapointe will consecrate a song to the seal hunters, on his next album.  

The initiative will be aimed as well at countering the groups who are putting the pressure 

on, to end the seal hunt in the eastern side of the country.

Mrs Hervieux-Payette estimates that the song entitled “La chasse aux phoques” (The Seal Hunt)

 represents a gift for the hunters of the Magdalen Islands, New

foundland and Labrador and for the North, as well as for all Canadians.

According to the Liberal Senator, the song sung by Jean Lapointe will also be broadcast in Europe.

The launch of Jean Lapointe's next album, entitled “L’eau” (The Water), will be first seen by its first audience on Wednesday, April 29th, 2009. 

Jean Lapointe is a Current Member of the following Senate committee(s):

Library of Parliament (Joint)  

Possible New Control Position For Chandler's Docking Bay

Last December 22nd, a serious storm had damaged the electronic equipment of the landing dock of Chandler, which the CTMA Vacancier uses, during the summer season.

So to avoid having the situation happen again, the new control position will be mobile. The cost of the bill will rise to $300,000 and the insurance company for the town of Chandler does not cover these types of damages.

The mayor, Claude Cyr, has requested for the Minister of Transport of Quebec to pay the total of this sum.

As always, the time is short, because the CTMA Vacancier will be starting its first voyage to Chandler around mid-June.  This is why the town is not waiting the cheque from the Minister for to launch the work involved.

The director of the Groupe CTMA, Gérald Leblanc, explained that a 'plan B' is on the table if the docking bay of Chandler is not repaired in time.

Pilot Project Winter Ferry Service Declared A Success

The pilot project for the first winter ferry services between Souris Prince Edward Island and Grindstone, Magdalen Islands has been a great success this past winter.  The amount of usage for the service was largely surpassed.

According to CTMA employees, many Islanders are hoping that the service will be offered once again next winter. Robert Sumarah couldn’t confirm if the service will be offered again.

Nearly 3000 passengers had used the new service in February and in March.  That is almost one and a half times more passengers than was expected by the Groupe CTMA.  The number of vehicles on the ferry was greater than 75% more then expected.

The director general of the Groupe CTMA, Gérald LeBlanc, estimated that the winter service must be maintained. He said that in his mind, they would not have any difficulties finding 5000 to 6000 passengers for this crossing.

Canada Seal Hunt : The War On Bad Information

The seal hunters of the Magdalen Islands denounced the bad information broadcasted by the International Foundation for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The organization alleged said the hunt was funded by Quebec and that Ottawa decided the quotas by the function of the wholesale value of the seal products.  It was affirmed in a communication that the price of $30 for each pelt payed to the hunters of the Magdalen Islands at the start of the month was a subvention or subsidy of the province of Quebec.

The Vice-President of TAMASU, Paul Boudreau, who bought 20,000 of these pelts, affirmed that these allegations were false.  “It is completely false, the same as the majority of the information which leaves the IFAW. There, we can contradict them completely,” TAMASU has benefitted from an $80,000 subsidy, which he has noted allows the company to follow its research on the heart valves of the seal.

The IFAW confirmed that they said that Fisheries and Oceans Canada decided that the quota that would be authorized would be as a function of the markets, and this was what the authorities of the Minister gave.  They say that this last information highlights that the viability of the herd is at the heart of all the decisions.

The President of the Association of the hunters of the Islands, Denis Longuépée, denounced these tactics used by the IFAW. He precisely said that some members of the organization have gone on to film the hunt around the islands, but that they have not found any infractions in the method of the killings.

Photo: PC/Jonathan Hayward

$107,644 Funding For The Material To Restore The Church of Saint-Francois-Xavier of the Bassin

The Magdalen Islands Deputy, Germain Chevarie announced in the name of the Minister of Communication and Conditions of Women, Mrs Christine St-Pierre, that a financial aide of $107,644 has been accorded to the materials for the accomplishment for the work of restoring the church of Saint-François-Xavier of the Bassin on Amherst Island.

“We have the collective responsibility to preserve and give to the future generations, the inestimable heritage that constitutes our churches and our link to our culture.  It is why we follow our efforts to restore and put a value on the more significant elements of this unique heritage,” declared the Deputy, Mr. Chevarie.

The church Saint-François-Xavier is marked by the quality of its architecture at the original time and is anchored into te countryside.  In effect, the two bells in the facade of the building is distinct of the Archipelago churches during which the siding is fo the wooden shingles painted is typical of the traditional architecture of the Magdalen Islands. 

The aide furnished corresponds to 70% of the total cost of the project and will allow the restoration of the exterior finishing and the windows of the church.  It is overseen by the intermediator of the Council of Religious Heritage of Quebec who administers the program under the restoration of Religious Heritage of the Minister of Culture, Communications and the Conditions of Women.

Photo: Gérard Verdier (Amherst Councillor), madame Laurette Deveau, President for the Fabrique of the Bassin and Germain Chevarie

Recycling : Magdalen Islanders Are Leading The Pack

Magdalen Islanders, who have been pioneers in the matter of the recycling of throw away waste products, for over 20 years now, have passed the objective fixed by the Quebec Political Management of residual material. 

In 2008, the residents of the Magdalen Islands had recycled 62% of the domestic garbage in comparison to the provincial objective of 56%. 

Recall that each person of Quebec generates 1.7 tons of wastes per year, while each Magdalen Islander generates less than one ton. 

The result of this study shows that the industries and businesses of the Magdalen Islands are not doing their part.  Only 43% of their waste products are being recycled and saved from elimination of incineration. The National objective is 72%.

Canadian Government Has Restored The Channel Depth To The Grindstone Harbour

Magdalen Islanders will benefit from the improvements made to the port of Grindstone and financed by the Canadian Government. The Canadian Minister for Governmental Public Works and Services and Lieutenant of Quebec, the Honorouble Christian Paradis, had officially declared the work of dragging the harbour finished, on April the 8th, 2009.

This investment, in the order of 1.2 million dollars, has allowed the restoration of this essential channel to maintain it’s original depth of 6.6 meters.  This project was vital in creating employment and will contribute to stimulate the economy.  The Grindstone harbour is the only port on the islands that serves te entire population of the islands.

“Our government assures us of maintaining the commercial and touristic exchanges, all in supporting the local economy,” declared the Minister Paradis.  “The port of Grindstone is one of importance capital for the Magdalen Islands because the ferry service constitutes the principal link with the continent,” added the Minister. 

Situated in the heart of the Archipelago of the Magdalen Islands, the port of Grindstone is considered as a remote site according to National Marine Politics.  It is the only commercial port of the Magdalen Islands which has different wharves dedicated to different works.  It has docking stations for the petroleum ships, commercial ships, deep-sea fishing boats, inshore fishing boats, for each of the two ferries coming in from Montreal and Prince Edward Island and the Provincial docking bay for the Entry Island ferry. The ferry service from Souris, PEI alone transports around 100,000 passengers a year, according to CNW Telebec.

This news story has a distinct off islander view to the islands in general.  It originated through CNW Telebec and I don't believe the history behind it is completely valid. I don't believe that the PEI/MI ferry has ever brough in 100,000 passengers. But I could be wrong about this, if islanders who come and go as well as the tourists.  The numbers seem a little high to me.

A New Building and Development Code for the Magdalen Islands: New Regulation Directives

The Agglomeration  council for the Magdalen Islands has finally adopted  the new building and development code for the Archipelago during its regular public meeting, last Wednesday evening.

The revision of this document, which possesses more than 250 pages, took thirteen years to do. After long bouts of work, the priority has been given to agriculture, tourism and heritage in this new building scheme.

Mayor, Joel Arseneau, highlighted that the weak, superficial habitable regions of the Archipelago, being it is 160 square kilometers, has force the people to make compromises.

Industrial Park Projects for example, have been abandoned. “It is necessary to restrain the development of unmovable (projects)”, added M. Arseneau, who admitted that there will be a lot of work to implant the new regulations.

Someone Is Reading The Magdalen Islands Webblog

There are twelve votes from people who would like to have a Magdalen Islands newsletter sent to their email inbox. I'm working now on fitting an opt-in box on this and other sites. It is difficult because there are financial constraints. But I'm learning how to get around those tiresome little bugs, lol.

I have been studying at the Niche Profit Classroom and learning how to work in such a way that I can afford to stay and do things like create newsletters. I know that is not important in itself unless I put what I learn to practical use. I still have many things to learn but as soon as I get the optin box in palce I'll offer a news letter which will not only give the news of the week but also a few interesting stories. 

I wrote a story about Lorne Clark's last boat that some of you might be interested in. It is at the Iles-de-la-Madeleine weblog at today.  I've put a tourist weblog at Today.com because they pay for interesting information about any topic, They chose to accept my proposal for a regional weblog, Iles-de-la-Madeleine.  The link is Iles-de-la-Madeleine.  The URL address is http://iles-de-la-madeleine.today.com.

I've also been writing at a niche weblog called "All Things Horse" This is of great interest to me and it is an enormously popular site. This site is a wordpress site and offers more flexibility then blogger. 

I'm a member of Twitter.com and my profile is Gimme A Dream, and I can be contacted there amongst the 8 million plus other people using twitter.

 http://twitter.com/GimmeADream

Soon there will be other sites, depending on how long it takes for me to learn how to place the opt-in box on individual sites.

To The Present, To The Future!

For those of you who are reading this web log, and I do notice there are a few you, I have installed an odiogo podcast for each article.  This causes the article to be read out loud for those of you who do several things at once on your computers and find the audio preferable to actually reading the post.  

I use odiogo on several other weblogs that I write for and thought to would be well suited here.  

I write three separate weblogs about the Magdalen Islands. This one has a lot of stories that have reached the islands present day news. The Iles-de-la-Madeleine web log is a paid blog which covers the culture and historical aspects of the islands.  It is called Iles-de-la-Madeleine and it's at http://iles-de-la-madeleine.today.com. It is wrote in English and there are no news worthy items listed.  There are legends, ecology, geology, historical and cultural stories there.

The other, I'm not sure about. It is called The Magdalen Islands Network at www.gimmeadream.com. It has many optional programs, most of which are up and running.  But I don't think it will pay me enough to continue with it, on a private level.  I think I will end up buying another domain name, with the Magdalen Islands in the name. I also will be buying a social network program to hook into it instead of using the NING network that is presently being used.  My plan is to have advertising pay for the site, the programs and at least my wage....  I don't think "Gimme A Dream" will do what I want.

Once I settle the Magdalen Islands site into something that has a future, it is my intention to start a newsletter. It will hopefully have a printed version for people who don't use computers regularly. That is, if the need warrants it.

If anyone is interested in horses, I also write for AllThings Horse.  This weblog started out as a practice to teach myself how to use a wordpress template, but without advertising, All Things Horse seems to have a good following, increasing by about ten people each day.  If its population continues, then I will take it out of wordpress and give it its own domain.

An Islander Has Won First Place for the Radio-Canada 2008 Literary Prize

Jonathan Harnois from the Magdalen Islands has won the first prize for the Radio Canada - 2008 edition for literary creativity, for his short story called “Sonam”. The winners were announced by Christiane Charette on her radio show. 

The first prize is accompanied with a grant of $6,000 and the text will be published by the magazine “EnRoute”, sometime between March and August 2009.

Jonathan Harnois was born in Joliette in 1981. He published his first novel called, “Je voudrais me déposer la tête” (I want to Get Rid Of My Head), in 2005 with the publishers Éditions Sémaphore.  Claude Poissant has adapted the work for the theater in 2007, and a documentary has also been inspired from his universe.  An adaptation for the Cinema is in the works.  Sonam is Harnois's first short story.

Granting of the Exploitation Contract for the Entry Island/Grindstone Ferry

The Society of Quebec Ferries wants to inform you that the contract for the exploitation of the Entry Island/Grindstone ferry has been accorded to the CTMA enterprise of the Magdalen Islands, following a public call for tenders.

From the first of April, the internet

 site of the Society www.traversiers.gouv.qc.ca will contain a page, dedicated to the Entry/Grindstone ferry, which will furnish all the information and necessary links in order that the customers will be able to plan their trips.

The ferry service will start its 2009 season as usual, on the first of May.

By the improvements of the service that has been put in place to travel the Entry/Grindstone ferry, the Society has shown that it aims to contribute to the social, economical and touristic development of the islands, particularly in opening up a way for the isolated people.  The Society witnessed very concretely, that it will fill the daily engagements and to continue in its mission.

Well..., la, dee, da! Isn't that a fine how-dee-doo! To the best of my knowledge, the people of Entry Island are all of English background, but when I went to the given website, this particular story was given only in the French language, even though there was an English option to click on....

No Contaminants Found In The Drinking Water In Pointe-aux-Loups

The drinking water in fourteen Point-aux-Loups residences was tested recently. The study was done to find any indication of contaminants in the water table of the Magdalen Islands. The test was also done in the water system on Grindstone Island. All was declared at normal standards.

According to the superintendent of governmental intervention for the Canadian Coast Guard, Martin Blouin, some samples had also been sent to the laboratory for further testing for the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks.

Mr. Blouin stressed that the analyses done was very sophistic and would have shown fit there had been traces of PCB’s contaminating the water. But there was no link involving the water table and the Irving Whale.

However, there are two pilot projects aloft to find a way to dispose the bags of contaminants that were buried in the sand dunes since the wreckage. The bags must ultimately be brought out.

The Irving Whale was a shipping barge belonging to the Irving Oil LTD., that had sunk in the Gulf 60 km north-east of PEI and North Point and south west of the islands on September 10th, 1970. She was carrying a load of heavy bunker C oil, which contained the PCB's.

Some of the oil escaped and washed up along 80 km of beach on the western side of the Magdalen Islands. The majority of the oil remained on board the barge, which laid 67 meters on the seabed. However, during the cleanup on the islands, almost 200,000 large garbage-sized bags filled to capacity of the PCB contaminated congealed oil were buried into the dunes on the Magdalen Islands.

During the autumn of 2008, some of those bags surfaced near Pointe-aux-Loups and have caused the residents of of the village to hold several demonstrations to petition to have the bags removed for Magdalen Islands soil. The reason for the removal is that it is an environmental time-bomb on an already fragile environment.

Did You Know:

• The Irving Whale sinking was blamed on stormy seas and unsecured hatches on the barge, which was being towed by a tugboat called the Irving Maple.

• Built in 1966, the Irving Whale was an oil supply barge serving the coastal areas of Atlantic Canada. It was about as big as a hockey rink and was laden with about 4,200 tonnes (about five million litres) of heavy bunker C fuel oil.

• After the Irving Whale sank, an oil slick covered an area of about 650 square kilometres. Divers secured the hatches to prevent the leakage of more oil, which was already slowing because the cold waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence had made it congeal.

• The Irving Whale was owned by Irving Oil, a gigantic oil company and shipbuilder based in Fredericton, N.B. Founder K.C. Irving said the company was monitoring the situation "like a cat on a mouse" and, when asked who was responsible for the cleanup, said he hoped there would be nothing to clean up.

• When the federal government approached Irving Oil just days later to recoup over three million dollars in cleanup costs, Irving said that because the event had happened beyond Canada's 12-mile territorial zone, the company was not subject to Canadian jurisdiction. In fact, the law was on its side, rendering the government powerless and prompting new legislation aimed at bettering government control over oil pollution.

• Irving Oil was compensated for the loss by its insurance company, which in turn made no effort to recover the barge or its cargo.

• Environment Canada has predicted that "Based on current levels of tanker traffic, Canada can expect over 100 small oil spills, about 10 moderate spills and at least one major spill offshore each year. A catastrophic spill (over 10,000 tonnes) may occur once every 15 years."

• Between July 30th and August 8th, 1996, the Irving Whale was raised from its watery grave and brought to dry dock in Halifax, at the expense of Canadian taxpayers.

The Cap-Vert Corporation Receives Funding

The new Deputy to the National Assembly, Germain Chevarie, of the Magdalen Islands has not sat on his laurels since starting office early in January. On February 19th, he was pleased to announce that the Cap-Vert Corporation would receive financial aide in the amount of $37,000 to accomplish Phase 2 of their revitalization plan, put in effect several years ago. 

These funds will go to the Corporation to allow them to quickly finish the work started in the second phase of the renovations, in order to complete it for the summer season of 2009. “This project is a perfect example that take charge of projects in the area by the people of the community allowing them to save the infrastructures and to assure as well the interesting quality of life, for our citizens,” said Germain Chevarie.

The funds received are brought to the Corporation from a subvention agreed upon by the Vice-Premier Minister of Municipal Affaires, Regions and Occupation fo the Territory and the Minister responsible for the regions of Gaspesia and the islands, Mrs Nathalie Normandeau. “This last response is positive to our requests and I have very much appreciate her excellent collaboration,” concluded the Deputy.

The Economic Viability of Canada's East Coast Lobster Fishery

 On Friday the 13th, 2009,  the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today issued the following statement:

"Today, I met with my provincial counterparts from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and a number of industry representatives from the Maritimes to discuss the serious challenges faced by the lobster fishery, as well as opportunities to ensure the continued viability of this valuable contributor to the Canadian economy.

There’s no question that current markets for lobster are challenging.  Every lobster fishing group and association has expressed this concern. Today’s meeting identified several options for improving the situation, including finding ways to manage supply. I fully support efforts by industry and my provincial counterparts to improve market access for lobster, and I am optimistic that, working together, we will deliver concrete results. All of the participants in today's meeting recognize the need for immediate action to secure Canadian lobster in the global marketplace. Officials at both levels of government are working with industry on a range of marketing activities targeted at increasing the profile of Canadian lobster in wholesale, retail and food service markets.

The Government of Canada is providing support to industry sectors that are feeling the impacts of the global economic crisis. Our Economic Action Plan will help resource-dependent communities through initiatives such as the two-year, $1-billion Community Adjustment Fund, which can help by supporting economic diversification in communities affected by the declining global demand for seafood. We have also acted to improve access to credit for fishing enterprises, and to provide tax relief for small businesses.

It’s also clear that we must also look beyond short-term fluctuations in landings and market conditions to long-term conservation of lobster resources. If we don’t manage our fisheries in a sustainable manner, we will put the economic benefits we derive from them at risk. During recent consultations with lobster harvesters and fishing organizations, including a meeting in Moncton on February 11, most groups highlighted the need for a rationalization program as well as additional conservation measures. We will continue to work with the industry to provide flexible tools to reduce their operating costs and pressures on lobster stocks."

A number of years back, the DFO implemented a number of conservation methods here for the islands, for conserving the long-term viability of the lobster stocks and thus creating a sustainable industry.  The lobster stock around the Magdalen Islands seem to be in good shape as far as numbers and weight are concerned.  

However, the economic slowdown is definitely a concern for the fishermen here.  Many of the licences have been bought by younger fishermen for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The older fishermen are retiring at a younger age because of the ability to get such a high price for their paid for outfits. That leaves many younger fishermen, not all but definately many, heavily in debt, usually because when they buy their new fishing business, they also tend to buy a new truck and perhaps a car to save on gas, a new home morgaged to the hilt, a new larger boat with an engine to make the boat move at incredible speeds and some even buy new fifth wheels to vacation in.

It must be scary for these fisheren, when the price of lobster go from $7.00/lb in 2007 to less the $5.00/lb, as it did last year.  They say that the price will not be rising much any too soon and those younger fisheren are really going to have to scour the bottom to pay for their debts. 

Islands School Board To Receive Funding

Earlier today, it came down from the National Assembly in Quebec, that the Liberal government will invest a large sum of money into the Islands French Catholic School Board.  Our new Islands Deputy to the National Assembly in Quebec, Germain Chevarie was pleased to announce, in the name of the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Mrs Michelle Courchesne, the governmental investment of $1,129,853 to the Islands School Board, Commission Scolaire des Iles, in updating its heritage real estate.

More precisely, this sum will serve to effect work on several of the French Catholic islands schools, on the Magdalen Islands.  This government aide was attributed to the Commission, in the framework measures of maintaining buildings and of the reabsorption of the maintenance deficit of the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports.  The maintenance money will be available to the school board in two parts, with respective budgets of $230,500 and $126,700, during the year. These sums will be awarded to the school board for the all of the building under their jurisdiction on the islands, for the maintenance of the schools for 2008 and 2009. These measures have been registered with the Quebec Plan of Infrastructures.

“It gives me reason to rejoice, for the students and for the teachers, who will continue to benefit from these quality infrastructures for many years to come. Our government has put in motion, in a clear manner, by means of this investment in the education heritage and in offering to the population of the Islands, favorable places for meetings,” declared Germain Chevarie.

Although the English school will recieve none of this funding because all the Protestant schools are under the Eastern Shores School Board, in New Carlisle, on the Gaspesia Peninsula, this is nevertheless good news for the islands.  Our schools are getting older and more delapitated.  The schools amongst the Iles-de-la-Madeleine communities have had relatively little money re-invested into them for many years and all the schools are aged. Some of the elementary schools on the islands as well as the Polyvalente des Iles have had little or no renovations, in recent years.  None of Catholic schools have the fresh-air quality of the English schools of Grosse Isle and Entry Island.  Though very clean, they all seem to have that closed-in, over-populated, worn-out, concrete cinder-block atmosphere about the buildings.  The only institution which is condusive to learning is the College Campus, CEGEP de la Gaspesie et des Iles.

On that note, I will say that I truly believe that te governments of the past have over-looked the benefits of small schools, while consolidating the institutions.  It is my belief that there would be far less reason to have armed guards, patroling the hallways of our youths institutions if the hundreds and even thousands of students were not piled in on top of each other.  I would think it would be far cheaper to invest in more instructors for smaller schools then in maintaining extremely large multiple building institution and busing children away from their home.  Here on the islands, the youth of Grand Entry spend almost 2 hours a day on the school bus. For me - I find that ..., every negative word, I can think of.

Education : A View To The Future

The Regional Elected Conference, CRE (Conférence régionale des élus) from Gaspesia/Magdalen Islands has adopted a plan to reform the professional and technical teaching of the area, last Friday. Three large changes have been identified in the document:

To assure a larger accessibility to training;
To favour a real approach to enter the professional and technical training;
To respond to the aspirations for qualifying individuals and those who are in socioeconomic development.

According to the president of the CRE, Bertrand Berger, these initiatives will reform the training adaptations, better to fit the needs of the region.

A Piece of Good News To Brighten 2009

The word has come down from the top, that Navigation Canada will not be closing it’s manually run station here on the islands or at Mont-Joli, Quebec.  This is better then great news for islanders, not only because it keeps the airport traffic watch manual, and therefore with better security for air traffic, but it keeps our air traffic technicians employed and here at home.  Nav Can indicated that this decision is reflected by the consultations that were taken this past autumn with its employees and the concerned population.

The speaker of the society, Nadège Adam explained that Nav Canada regularly evaluates its services. The last evaluation took place in 2003.  It is now time that the company be brought up-to-date.  The enterprise had reviewed the installations of 46 places across the country.

They had decided to keep 18 information stations, those of which were the Mont-Joli and the Magdalen Islands.  It is apparently evident that these information stations of regional flight are essential for the security, indicated Nav Canada, “We had judged that the level of service was perfectly appropriate at this time”, added Mrs Adam.

Just before Christmas 2008, the employees of Navigation Canada had received word that a top Nav Can official would be coming to the islands to discuss terms of their contracts.  The thought then was that Nav Can would be automating all airports with under 20,000 incoming flights per year. Since the Magdalen Islands had less than 5,000 incoming flights, it was taken for certain that this would be one of the first to be automated. 

I'll bet a lot of people are breathing well tonight.

Pictures of satellite photos of the airport in House Harbour, Magdalen Islands.

CTMA Vessel IceBound Between MI/IM and PEI

The normal sail for the car ferry between Souris, PEI and Grindstone, Magdalen Islands is five hours - six hours in icy waters. The Madeleine is normally the ship that makes the sail, although the Voyager sometimes takes the Madeleine’s place when there are mechanical problems or she adds to the Madeleine, when the ship is running with a full load and there are vehicles backed up on the wharf waiting. Yesterday and part of today the ferry took 31 hours. The ship left Grindstone at 1:00 am Tuesday morning and arrived this afternoon at Souris harbour.

The CTMA vessel became imprisoned in an ice pan south of the islands until the light-duty ice breaker, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Sir William Alexander, could come to break the ship free. “The ice was very thick,” recalled one of the attendants aboard the ice breaker. “The vessel was already blocked by the ice before the ice breaker arrived and the (CCGS) Sir William Alexander became caught up in the ice also, after a period of time because the Gulf sea had closed the ice in and around the breaker each time it advanced a little.”

According to Steve Comeau, manager of the rescue, “it was difficult to obtain information from the crew of the ice breaker, because the manoeuver to disengage the CTMA vessel required the attention of the entire Coast Guard crew.”

All I can say is, "What a mess we must have out there. I only hope that merchants got in enough stock for winter, instead of depending on the ships sailing the next two months."

On a brighter side of things, the chances are that we shall be able to watch the seal birthing their pups from the capes this year. Chances are that the tourist industry and motels will do well also with seal watchers coming for an adventure holiday. That is if the economy hasn't got the tourists squeamish about spending lots of money.

On another note, I haven't heard if the Vancancier has been released for the ice near Matane. If not, I imagine the passengers will be either flown to their destinations or go be rail. I can't imagine CTMA keeping the passengers on a ship, when they are so close to land.

The Perilous Ice Conditions Continues...

It's All Part Of The Fun!

This is the third day the ship CTMA Vacancier has been stuck in ice, two of those days have been within 100 meters of the wharf at Matane. The ice breaker Terry Fox from the Canadian Coast Guard has been close, trying to make a the ice loose so that the ship can pass. They have not so far, been successful in any way.

The Terry Fox has itself been caught up in the ice bed trying to rescue the Magdalen Islands ship. At 7:30 a fissure broke open in the ice flow, more then five square miles in size, letting the crew and the passengers believe that reaching the wharf would still be possible.

Of the 300 passengers, 150 are participants of the Ski Gaspesia event who are prisoners aboard the ship each paid $1600 to take part in the event. The event was to have one week of skiing. The organizers of the event must now re-adjust the schedules for the event. Nadia Guérette, speaker for the event organization says that traveling by ferry is part of the great adventure of the event and that all types of incidences make up the adventure.


Apparently, being stuck for three days on board a ship that is unable to move is all part of the fun. I've been stuck on board the Madeleine for 12 hours once. It isn't all that fun, but I suppose that there is a grand party going on and the crew are catering left, right and center to the passengers, which is what happens on board ships which can't come into port on time. Still it does become dull.

Also, I've been trying to think of the Vacancier when she first came to the islands late in the last century. It seems to me she was called the Isle of Turkot (Turkot is not spelled correctly) or something similar and I have the idea that she came from the Mediterranean Sea, but that may be wrong. I also had the idea that this ship did not have a strong enough hull to withstand the great impact of crushing ice.... I remember thinking, 'why would they bring a ship without at least the same or better qualities then the Lucy Maud Montcomery', the previous ship that sailed the Souris-Grindstone run. But then they took the Isle of Turkot to a ship yard to upgrade it to standards so I never considered the ship again. I have sailed on the Vacancier and she is a nice, well equipped ship. I remember going downstairs and into the berth area. The corridor down each side looked like it was miles long..., lol! I remember that I didn't like the smell of the Vacancier but then I don't like the smell of the Madeleine either. I do remember I took a hundred and one photos of the ship inside.

A Case Of Bad Timing - Perhaps?

Prisoners In Ice

It would appear that the large ferry that services the Magdalen Islands from Matane to Grindstone during the winter is stuck in ice off the port of Matane. She has 300 passengers who were participating in the “Grande Traversée”, a Gaspesia Ski event this past week. The Groupe CTMA Vacancier has been used as a cruise liner, and sporting event ship for a number of years, bringing people to the islands and supporting the tourist trade extensively.

The CTMA Vacancier is not the only ship that is stuck at Matane. Another car ferry, the Camille-Marcoux, which travels between Matane and the North Shore of the Saint Lawrence was immobilized at seven o'clock last evening and just managed to enter the port at 7:30 this morning. The rail and car ferry, George Alexandre Lebel is still at large, off the port of Matane and has been since Sunday afternoon.

To make matters worse, the Terry Fox a Canadian Coast Guard ice breaking ship is also there, not so much stuck but unable to break the ice after five tries.

Is this a bad case of timing? It could be ..., seeing that this is the first year that the ferry, the Madeleine sails from Souris, Prince Edward Island to Grindstone, Magdalen Islands, the entire year. It has been a long, hard struggle for the business commerce of the islands, to attain such a recognized activity. Ferry service to the Magdalen Islands twelve months a year...? In years gone by, many people would have said that it would be impossible..., but here it is, written in the proverbial stone..., and straight from the federal government's mouth.

In all fairness, it has been years since we have had any real ice in the Gulf. Certainly nothing to stop the large routine ferries. So it is quite understandable that the pressure would be strong to keep the Gulf ferry system functioning the whole year. No one last fall could have imagined the cold that we have been having since January 2009 arrived. Record lows all last week only to be broken this week. Only today, the temperature felt like -33C according to the weather network. I'd say the weather man wasn't here, because it felt a whole lot colder. The weather site is calling for warmer temperatures for the rest of the week. Perhaps we will end up with our traditional January thaw in February, which is always the coldest month of the Gulf winters.

Was this just an exceptionally bad winter to try an experiment with the ferry service? Or will the temperatures become more seasonal? Has global warming really screwed with our environment or is it just Mother Nature playing trick on us?

The Satellite Maritime Ice Map
This map was produced by Environment Canada Weather Service on January 26 at eighteen hundred hours (6:00pm). It shows the islands in the center with the yellow to the southeast. The yellow indicates there is light ice skimming Pleasant Bay and the surrounding water. The red colour which dominates the Gulf, indicates ice at a concentration of 9 - 10 out of 10 on a scale of 1 - 10. The white indicates ice free conditions.

The conditions around Matane are also coded red.

An ice warning is in affect.

To find the ice conditions around Canada follow-up on the Canadian Ice Service

Canadian Coast Guard Reveals New Policy For Small Boats

The Canadian Coast Guard has adopted new regulations concerning the towing of small boats (under 30 meters), in icy conditions. These regulations are creating quite a stir amongst seal hunters and factory workers who transform the seal meat and pelts into usable items. Apparently the Coast Guard will not be towing any more boats, in light of the towing accident last March, where four islanders lost their lives, during the seal hunt.

The only way the Coast Guard will intervene with a boat is if the crew is in danger or a member of the crew is in a life threatening situation. They will then remove the crew from the boat in question and the captain of the distressed must call a privately owned towing company to aide if there is a malfunctioning boat involved. The ice breaker may bring technical crew to aide in getting the boat mobile. However, rescue operations are what the Coast Guard is obligated to do.

For the seal hunters, if the Canadian government truly supported the hunt and the Fisheries and Oceans Canada supervise these activities, then the Coast Guard ice breakers, which are maintained by the ministry, must continue to aide the sealers boats in the case of mechanical distress.

Needless to say, many islanders intend to contest this new policy adopted by the Coast Guard, following the shipwreck of the Adadien II which was a simple towing operation for a mechanical failure, effected by the ice breaker of the Coast Guard, that went all wrong and four Magdalen Islands seal hunters died during the accident. See:

The Vice President of the factory for the treatment of seal pelts Tamasu, Paul Boudreau, compared the role of the Coast Guard to those emergency services during accidents on the highway. “If an ambulance caused an accident on the road, they wouldn't stop all ambulances from rolling just because one ambulance was the problem. I don’t think that the Coast Guard should stop it’s services because there is a problem with ice breaker,” validated Paul Boudreau.

Of the numerous hunters, many are now thinking of abandoning the hunt, particularly if the Coast Guard refuses to tow boats less than 30 meters, except in the case of distress or in life threatening cases. In case of mechanical failure, the captain now must make a call to the private towers. This might not justify the price of going to the hunt.

In light of the new policy, when the captain of a small sealing vessel calls a private towing company, it is he who must 'foot the bill', so to speak. As it was, prior to this year, the Canadian Coast Guard did not charge for the service. Now a sealing captain must re-evaluate the costs of the hunt. The boat he is using is undoubtedly the same he uses during the lobster and crab seasons. Now he must add the extra potential costs of losing his outfit to the sealing season. I'm certain many hunters will think twice before sailing their precious commodity into waters that have ice cakes and bergs floating loosely around.

Annual Telephone Coverage From CTMA

Is This A Joke???

We received an envelope in the mail recently. It said:




"Because of circumstances beyond the control of the Groupe CTMA, an unexpected error was found in the 2009 telephone book that arrived at every building and residential home on the Magdalen Islands recently. The telephone number is NOT CORRECT for the ferry service for the Magdalen Islands!

A self-adhesive sticker was sent to each mailbox on the islands with the proper means of contacting the company for making reservations or asking various questions."

But, after a quick look in the new telephone book, under Ferries and under Traversiers, the number was shown to be the exact number on the sticker! Has Groupe CTMA made a second mistake to correct a mistake that was never made?

To be fair to the company, it is true that Groupe CTMA is not in the white pages under it's own name. It is under Traversier CTMA and the fax number is nowhere to be found in the telephone book.

The 2008 Operation Red Nose Edition - SUCCESS!!!

Hundreds of island volunteers helped a total of 711 people safely return home after a lively night out, on the Archipelago during the 2008 holiday season. One hundred and nine (109) of those of those accompaniments were on New Years Eve. That was an increase of more then one hundred safe drives, for drivers under the influence of alcohol.

The coordinator of the organization, Operation Red Nose, Jean-Pierre Gaudet, indicated that numerous volunteers have been eagar to participate. He reminded us that the organization is more then just an accompaniment service, Operation Red Nose is a vast awareness campaign.

Jean-Pierre Gaudet also stressed that the young adults are more frequently calling the organization to register as a volunteer.

The funds amassed during the 2008 campaign will be accounted and credited, and in part will go to the Minor Hockey League Association next March.

Ghostly Tales From The Lonely Iles

I have heard of the story of the black man found dead upon the shores of Pointe-aux-Loups often enough. You must understand that the man had wash up on shore, only to be found by a culture who had rarely, if ever heard of a black race. To say this body disturbed them would be an understatement.

As the story goes:
"There is a sand hill southwest of Pointe-aux-Loups Island which is called 'Negre'. Here, many years ago, a giant of a man was found dead upon the shore. The color of his skin was black and there were no papers upon his person to tell whom he was or from where he had come from.

How he came to be on the shore was a mystery, as no ship had been reported wrecked at any time upon any of the islands. From the condition of the body, the man had not been dead for any length of time.

The fisher folk of the islands buried the man in the sand dunes on which his body was found. But their native superstition made them shun that lonely part of the bleak shore over which the terrific Atlantic winds blow for weeks without let up.

A few weeks after the man was buried, some men, wandering along the lonely shore looking for driftwood blown up on the beach, to use as fire wood to heat their homes during the long, cold winter, saw the body of a man lying near the spot where the unknown person had been buried and where a wooden cross stuck up out of the sand.

The mystified islanders found that the uncovered body was that of the man they had previously buried. The body was lying near the mound of sand that had been his grave, but which appeared not to be disturbed.

The islanders once again buried the body, this time next to the first grave, since no one would uncover the first mound of sand. They placed another cross in the sand beside the first, and the left him there.

The story spread about the islands that the man had refused to stay buried, and soon there were tales that the dead man trod the shore at midnight, searching the thundering waters in vain for the ship from which he had been tossed into the turbulent seas.

Another few weeks went by, and curiosity took several Magdalen Islanders to the double grave of the unknown man. As they suspected, the dead man was lying uncovered beside the two other graves that had been dug for him. Both of those graves seemed to be intact.

The people were reluctant to have a dead man, or his ghost, haunting their island, so after considerable discussion they decided to bury the man again. This time in a third grave beside the other two previous ones, each of which they had supposed was to be his last resting place.

This time, they buried the man face downward in the belief that he could not dig his way out. This time, the mysterious man stayed buried.

Later, green grass began to appear on the third grave, and to the relief of the men of the Magdalen Islands, there were no more reports of a dead man parading the midnight shore." All was well or so the people thought....

But apparently the story of the dead black man doesn't end there. Some time later, he was once again found upon the sand hill with three undisturbed mounds where he had previously been buried. This scared the people seriously and they decided to send word to the traveling priest, who visited the islands once in a while. Remember, this happened at a time when the islands didn't have a regular live-in priest, because very few people lived here.

To make a long, involved story short..., the priest came right away and the people gave the man a proper Catholic burial in consecrated ground. They didn't have a name for him and the cross that identified the grave has long since rotted away. But the man didn't come unburied after that. The people assumed that somewhere along the man's journey through life, he had been baptized and required a christian burial.

An Iles-de-la-Madeleine Song (French)

Group CTMA’s Pilot Project

Winter Ferry Service Between PEI and Islands

The Group CTMA has a pilot project to run the ferry service, Madeleine the entire year in 2009. The service will take place between Souris, Prince Edward Island and Grindstone Islands twice a week during the months of February and March.

Normally the islands are semi-isolated during those months. Yesterday, the federal government confirmed the acceptance of the project by way of communication.

The Magdalen Islands mayor, Joel Arseneau, had declared that he is largely satisfied with the announcement. He indicated that representatives from the Group CTMA have worked a dossier up that the federal government can recognize as a viable economic action for the Archipelago that will put in place two weekly ferry runs for the development of the islands.

The addition of the two weekly voyages will cost one and a half million dollars more for Transport Canada.

The mayor remind all Magdalen Islanders that it is up to the to use the service and prove the to the government the necessity of having the winter ferry service.

I wonder just how many people will use the service! I also wonder what the repercussions of having the ferry service will be for the lower income families, if the governments decide that the Islands are no longer isolated and therefore do not deserve the isolation allowance.

When the Voyager started to make it run once a week the government said that we were only half isolated and therefore cut our isolation in half. Does this new project cut the rest of the isolation credits from islanders? Will our imports cost more to make up the difference of 1.5 million dollars? Will the extra ferry service make the islands more tempting to tourists who would want to travel in February and March? After all, we do have the seal birthing during the early month of March.

There are a lot questions and a lot of responses both on the positive influence and on the negative influence of this project. I suppose only time will tell if islanders will want to get on the ferry, knowing that there is a possibility that the wind will turn and they will be stuck on the ferry for seven, twelve or even twenty-four hours until it is safe enough to dock into one of the harbours.

Nav Canada Has Got Woes...

And this holiday season, they are passing those woes on to their clients and more important..., to their employees. After making a couple really bad economical decisions this year, Nav Canada has decided to automate many of their resources, in airports such as the one on the Magdalen Islands. This being done, many of their employees will be transferred out or worse, they will lose their jobs and pay cheques. Some of their employees are already putting in request for transfer off islands.

Magdalen Islands mayor Joel Arseneau deplores that the consultations are coming about this holiday season. It is a strategy that, in his opinion, is aimed to reduce all opposition that is seen as rational. As well, there are the complaints to consider, of the employees to consider of the private enterprise which controls the air traffic circulation, when the flight information service at the House Harbour airport goes automated.

In a consultation document, Nav Canada highlighted that they register less than 5000 movements per year. This counters the objective of having 20000 movements per year which will justify an airport run manually.

The mayor feels justifiably upset with the status quo. He feels just in considering the security of Magdalen Islanders. Mayor Arseneau intends to mobilize the socio-economic representatives of the islands and question the two levels of government to prevent Nav Canada from automating their flight information services on the Islands. The mayor estimates more that 250,000 dollars is placed into the islands economy.

It was in the wind, a couple of weeks back, that there was a representative of Nav Canada going around to all the small airports to talk with the employees of the changes that were coming to private company. It made the employees nervous just expecting the meeting. The representative came and went quietly and now the mess blows up in the faces of the politicians..., Go Figure!

The Magdalen Islands isn't large enough to justify an air traffic controller, instead they use four or five flight service technicians, on rotation at the airport here on the islands.

Election Day Is Past...

Following a hot struggle, the liberal candidate for the islands, Germain Chevarie, stands victorious here in the Archipelago. The election took place on December 9th, 2008 and at the end of the evening, Mr. Chevarie took the election with 316 votes over his adversary, Jeannine Richard. When the totals were tallied up, Mr. Chevarie took 50% of the Magdalen Islands vote and the péquiste (common name for the Parti Quebecois) took 46% of the vote.

Mr. Chevarie's experience does not come from politics nor did he ever have any aspirations to following politics for a career. Three times he has been asked to run for the candidacy for the liberals and other Parties. Germain Chevarie is no stranger to Islanders though. He has 32 year in the field of Health and Social Services, spending many of those years as Chief Administrator of the CHA (Centre Hopital de l'Archipel or The Islands Hospital Center).

Germain Chevarie is said to have the honour of representing Islanders at the National Assembly. Ms Richard, though saddened, accepted her defeat and wished the liberal party under Chevarie be at the height of the dossiers which he must now attend to. She is said to believe the day had been difficult for her party.

The candidate for the Green Party, Nicolas Tremblay took two percent of the vote. Patrick Leblanc, for the Democratic Action Party of Quebec, who had five percent of the islander vote in 2007, lost support for his party by taking only 1.5% of the Islands vote. For his part, Jacques Bourbeau for the Quebec Solitaire Party took three percent.

Numerous electronic breakdowns of the vote were taken throughout the day of the election until the final vote was made. Three quarters of the voting Magdalen Islander population showed up to the polls to cast their vote.

You know, I can't remember the last time the Liberals took this election.... Perhaps it was some time during the 1980's. The Magdalen Islands has a strong Parti Québécois following and they have taken the provincial vote practically ever since the start of the Party, with René Levesque at the Party head. The Magdalen Islands remained faithful to the party when the Liberals or the Conservatives were certain to sit in power.

I think the Magdalen Islands is growing up. They finally realize that if they want action, they need to have a member of the same party in office in Quebec City. For years Maxime Arseneau took the vote and he, last going off quit probably because he was continuously fighting an uphill battle to get anything done by the government here on the islands. I would imagine the péquiste party is shaking their heads now..., licking their wounds and contemplating the next election, but I can't think of a better result fo the Magdalen Islands, then having the Liberals take the vote except having the Conservative Party take it. Too bad, we don't have the Conservative Party on the ballot here on the islands.

Merry Christmas!!!

The Islands Richelieu Club To Donate Christmas Food....

The Richelieu Club put the past weekend to good use by collecting the money to buy Christmas baskets of food. The amount of food they will buy surpassed all that was expected. Islanders generously contributed the equivalent of some hundred fish baskets full of food, explained the coordinator of the event, Jocelyn Thériault. This is 20% more that was donated last year.

Note: A fish basket is approximately thirty gallons, I would say..., maybe a little less.

The president of the Richelieu Club, Élie Chevrier, said that his part was the sale of tickets for a drawing, until the start of January, will allow for the addition of around ten baskets of a thousand dollars worth of perishable food baskets for Christmas. The distribution of the Christmas baskets, to the families with children in need, will commence around Saturday the 20th day of December.

I imagine that there are quite a few families that live under the poverty level, here on the Magdalen Islands. But not many, if any, go hungry or don't have at least the basic needs to survive well. Unlike on the mainland, if a recession or heaven forbid, a depression hit, the islands would suffer seriously, but food would still be plentiful because islanders have depended on the sea for their survival for centuries. The soil of the islands is rich and although not much of it is being used for farming, the potential for it's use is there.

Most people have regular jobs on the islands. Some full time, others work seasonally. There are a few who live on social assistance, drawn from the provincial government. Most of the seasonal workers do draw unemployment insurance from the Federal government, but many must repay the money when they start work in the spring. The islands economy has traditionally been based around fishing but for the past twenty years or so, the tourist industry has made leaps into a close second for the top spot for the economy. The salt mine probably runs third for employ ability. Then there are wide ranges of local business owners and their employees.

Magdalen Islands Election Poll Reveals...

An election poll held on the Magdalen Islands by the company Tenor Marketing from Sherbrooke has Magdalen Islanders supporting Liberal candidate, Germain Chevarie, by 48 percent. The survey was taken on December 2nd and 3rd, 2008 and was given to 300 people. A margin of six percent was accepted.

Jeannine Richard, Candidate for the Parti québécois for the county of the Magdalen Islands, had 45% of the people in the survey, who had the intention to vote. Patrick Leblanc, candidate for the L'adéquiste received three percent, Nicolas Trembley from the Green Party had two and a half percent and the candidate for Quebec Solidaire, Jacques Bourbeau had one percent.

Islands Dentist Closes Doors

The Archipelago dental clinic, Clinique Dentaire de l’Archipel, will be closed for an undetermined length of time because the clinic has been unable to recruit a permanent dentist to work on the islands. The Magdalen Islands is an isolated, desolated region of Canada..., there is no doubt of that.

This year will be the first where the ferry between Grindstone and Prince Edward Island, will not be laid up for the two worst months of winter. It will make the twelve hour round trip, twice a week. In keeping the ferry running, the government now will have the right to say the islands are no longer isolated and will probably declare us a class ‘C’ state and remove our isolation pay. Of course in removing that credit, professionals will have even less of a reason to stay on the islands more that six months.

Dental hygienist, Micheline Martel, who is also the administrative management of the clinic which belongs to orthodontist, Sonia Lapointe, explained that the clinic has run it’s course over the past five years with temporary dentists. The last on the long list of dentists to quit was Jessica Kerwin, who left her position in July.

Ms Martel has lodged a request to the Minister of Health and Social Services, for permission to dispense her services as dental hygienist in the absence of a dentist. However, the province is in a state of an electoral campaign and her request has gone unheard. The clinic has approximately 2000 clients on their accounts. Without a dentist, Ms Martel must refer the clinic’s emergency patients to another dental clinic which resides in the area or the regions only hospital.

An Interesting Bit of Islands History

The Coming of the Families - Part 1

Captain Philip-Franklin Callbeck (Colbeck) and his wife, Mary Burke and together with their seven children, lived on the Magdalen Islands. The children were Jean-François (John-Francis), Sophie, Eulalie, Eugenie, George, Isaac and Anne.

According to S.R.-D. Gaudet, Callbeck who was a Magistrate or a Justice of the Peace, would put in writing, to Father Plessis, a pressing request to obtain the presence of a resident priest permanently on the Islands and would recommend to the Bishop, the brothers Louis and Firmin Boudreau, would accomplish certain pastoral tasks, in the absence of a missionary.

A company was established on the islands in 1805, with Captain Callbeck, Lieutenant Benoît Boudreau and teacher Édouard Noël. It is interesting on its own that Captain Callbeck was the Magdalen Islands agent and nephew of Sir Admiral Isaac Coffin, and who presumably had a gentle heart for the French speaking population of the islands.

In 1806, Sir Isaac came to the islands, on his first and only visit during his concession of the islands, came to unsuccessfully deport the Acadians from Saint Pierre & Miquelon, who had been on the islands since 1792. According to Chantal Naud’s book, Îles-de-la-Madeleine 1793-1993 Deux siècles d’Histoire, he did this under the pretext that these inhabitants were of the France French culture because they came from the French islands of North America and therefore were enemies of the King. Apparently, he also changed his agents at this same time, because when he left the islands, he left orders and recommendations for his new agent, Louis Boudreau, who became the official agent of the islands at this time.

What is also even more interesting to note, is the genealogy of Callbeck’s wife, Mary Burke. Her father, William the 1st was also the father of William the 2nd, who was the father of William the 3rd, who was the father of Thomas Leboeuf, the Burke who married Emily McLean in Saint Luke’s in Grindstone, in 1854. Thomas’s mother was Margaret Dingwell from Fortune Bay, PEI. Thomas was believed to be the first Burke to live on the Magdalen Islands. Indeed, he is the Burke to bring the name to the islands, but Mary was actually the first Burke of the same family to live here, more the a half a century before.

Bringing History Into the Present

La Vielle Ecole - Grosse Ile

I watched this video which is called the Old or Former School - Grosse Ile. The hardwood reminds me of the 'Old English' School in Grande Entree, now belonging to Paul Warren, who uses it as his summer home.

There is the Old School of Old Harry, owned by C.A.M.I. and made into a museum. But Old Harry also had an earlier school, that was the original home of Henry Clark Sr. After he built Aunt Rhoda's house (oldest existing house on Old Harry), he would use the original house as a school for his grandchildren. As Old Harry became more populated, he donated the house and some land at Old Harry turn for a proper school for the day. This happened around 1870 and it stayed as a school until 1922, when the little red school house was built.

Timmy (Ivan) Clarke and Sandra Vigneau's home was the old School of East Cape, but I'm fairly sure that this is not the school, the video is referring to.

The first school in Grosse Isle was a building hauled to Grosse Isle Head. It was a one room school and is thought to date around 1860.

Also, there was a one room school built around the turn of the century, that was bought by Creighton Richards. It was moved to the Richards land and his brother, George turned it into a house. The house burned down while Stuart Richards was the owner, around the early 1980's, I think.

However, there is a house owned by the late John Clarke, on Grosse Isle North, that was part of the old two-room school house of Grosse Isle. The school had been built in 1934 by Arthur J.C. Goodwin and Douglas Clarke. This might possibly have been the old school in the video.

According to the picture in the video, the old school is John's house on Grosse Isle North. I haven't been inside it but it looks similar to Paul Warrens house according to the video.

For more information about the Magdalen Islands schools, including those of Entry Island and school life for the English on the islands, see the C.A.M.I website for a book they have created. They can also be communicated with at (418) 985-2116. Fax: (418) 985-2113 or e-mail: cami@magdalenislands.ca.

C.A.M.I.
787ch. Principal
Grosse Ile, Qu.
G4T 6B5

Islands Telephone and Telegraph Cable

The telephone and telegraph by cable which linked the islands to Cape Breton was installed at a cost of $91,485. This was lot of money for the era, but it was absolutely necessary for the well-being of navigators and an isolated population. The cable was 84 miles long. It had been submerged during the month of October, 1880 for a connection to a station in Grosse Isle. The following year, an other cable , 8 miles in length was laid between the Bird Rocks and Grosse Isle. Also, they added a land line between House Harbour and Etang-du-Nord.

This telephone/telegraph communication system gave excellent service over the next 30 years. But on February 10, 1910, the cable between the mainland and Grosse Isle snapped, possible because of large iceberg that had been reported passing by. This break could not be repaired and so left the Islanders more isolated that ever. There was a state of panic amongst some of the people and so an idea was formed to send a vessel without a pilot. It was too dangerous to send a wooden fishing boat with the ice moving in the Gulf so Alcide J. Gaudet, then employed with the J.R. Leslie Company Limited, exporters of lobster and smoked and salt fish had the idea to launch the ponchon (a wooden barrel with a sail, on which was painted “Winter Magdalen Mail”, and a rudder). The ponchon was launched from the most southern tip of Amherst Island. The whole of Amherst village participated in its launching on the Sandy Hook beach. The idea was to send “Her Majesty’s mail” from the people on the Magdalen Islands to an undetermined destination. There was some one hundred letters in the barrel.

With favourable winds and acceptable currents the small vessel was carried south, traveling toward Cape Breton and landed on the beach near Port Hastings, Cape Breton in very good time.

The Federal government immediately dispatched the stem ship “SS Harlow” to the Magdalen Islands.

Le lose of the telegraph cable resulted in the installation of a Marconi station, in Grindstone on the top of the hill know as Marconi hill, in 1911.

A documentary film was documented by Sister Rose Delima Gaudet and filmed during the school year of 1970-71, by Professor Rosaire Vigneault to recall the memorable event. Professor Vigneault was my professor that year for des Art Plastique, where we learned to film animated still art. It was a fascinating course.

Note: This story has been told by the French speaking people for as long as I can remember but I begin to have doubts to it complete truthfulness. For one, was it that the "Winter Magdalen Mail" went through the Canso Causeway and was that even built in 1910? And why was it called the Winter Magdalen Mail and not the Poste d'Hiver Madeleine? I have heard stories to the contrary about who came up with the idea and where the idea originated. Also the population on the Magdalen Islands was 6,623 people according to the 1911 census. I would think that it would have been hard pressed to find one hundred people who knew people abroad let alone write to them. The English speaking people where well educated for the time but the French education system was in poor shape if what I have read is anything to go by.

In the 1990's, group of islanders took it upon themselves to recreate the launching of the ponchon. It was a school project for the secondary five (grade 11) students at the Polyvalente in Laverniere. While using all of the data that had been saved from the first successful attempt, they waited until the weather, wind, currents, tides were all the same and they failed in that they were never able to track its voyage. It became lost at sea.

An Interesting Bit of Islands Lighthouse History

In 1828, Captain Edward Boxer sent a report to the Grand Admiral of Maritime Britain, in which he mentioned: "I have found a great need for lighthouses in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. On this sea, navigation is so dangerous because of strong and irregular currents, and there is not a single lighthouse in all the Gulf. It is truly lamentable to find so many shipwrecks at different places on the coast... the number of lost lives is very large and certainly incalculable...."

One of the most talked about shipwrecks on the Magdalen Islands is the immigration ship, the "Miracle", which was transporting families from Ireland to Canada, when she went ashore at East Point during a violent storm. The Captain of the "Miracle", Master H.H. Elliot, while expressing his gratitude and admiration for their Magdalen Islands rescuers in his report, highlighted the necessity for having lighthouses in these areas. "This is to certify that the ship "Miracle" under my command wrecked on the Magdalen Islands on the 19th, of May, 1847, with 446 souls on board, and through the exertions of Mr. James Clark and his sons succeeded in saving nearly the whole of them and they deserve great praise for their exertions, both in supplying them with provisions and shelter.
I firmly believe a light on the east end of the island would save many a shipwreck, as Brion and Bird Rocks can be sure."

Note: The ship "Miracle" carried a ship's fever, typhoid, when it went ashore. The victims were cared for at East Cape, shelter in the home, barns and outbuildings of the Clark family. Mary Goodwin, James Clark's wife, contracted the contagious disease and died that same spring.

Also note: In July 1969, Leonard Clark, the great, great grandson of James and Mary, spearheaded a project to place a cross at East Point, where it was believed the victims of the "Miracle" were buried. The cross was very large, maybe 20 feet or more in height. It took many men to lift it into place. The cross blew down the next winter. The brass plaque had been removed and finally found it way to the museum, Muse de la Mer in Amherst.

Road Work

You can sure tell it is an election year!!!

The roads have been resurfaced from Amherst to Laverniere, in House Harbour, Etang-du-Nord and here on the main road to everywhere. Technically this is part of Fatima, but the reality is that they tore the road up, dug about 20 feet down, and stopped traffic both ways for at least four weeks. It is incredible what a party will do to stay in power. The wonder of it all is that, I can't figure out what they did it for. It looked like they were running a sewer system but heaven only knows who they are running it to or from would be better to ask.

On the bright side of road work..., it forced us to slow down and see the islands. Beautiful as they are, even the dust and dirt flying from the truck on the red sand base could not dim the colors of the Magdalen Islands.

STOP THE EPIDEMIC OF DRUGS ON THE ISLANDS!

Is this not what we stand for?
This is the response of the Organizing Committee against drugs to the Chief of Police.

Stop the epidemic of drugs on the Islands,
Is this not what we stand for?

Then walk to...
- Stop minimizing the problem of drugs.
-Make people aware that their involvement is important.
- Sensitize, educate and make long term prevention.
- Get more help for users, their family and friends.
You are invited, you and yours, to participate in an awareness walk. We rely on your involvement to spread the word around you. Together we can make a difference.

Sunday, October 5th 2008, 14:00p.m.

The walk will start from the Civic Center in Grindstone.
(If it rains the walk will be postponed to the following Sunday)

The drug use on the Islands is the responsibility of each of us. Whether it is to help someone you love go out of it, to protect children and youngsters from the ill effects of drug use, or to report to the authorities activities related to drug trafficking by using the Info-Crime line or direct call to Surete du Quebec (local police force) on the Islands, you can make a difference. Let's pull together.

So, on October 5th for yourself, your loved ones and the whole community of the Islands, take a step in the right direction, Together let's walk to give the growing generation a clean and healthy Islands where it is good to live.

Long live our beautiful Islands!

The organizing committee for a walk.

Sunday October 5th, 2008, is an election day in Quebec.
I find it interesting that the Organizing Committee does not appear to have a name.

Letter To The Community!

Sûreté du Québec
Poste des Îles-de-la-Madeleine
C.P. 8185, Cap-aux-Meules, Québec) G4T 1R3
tel(418)986-5555 fax (418) 986-5704

Courrier électronique : Poste.muncipalite.iles-de-la-madeleine@surete.qc.c

The letter below is recorded as it was sent. The officer is French-speaking and wrote the letter in English, therefore the grammatical choices are understandable .

August 27th,

Drug Summary

Hello,

I am taking advantage of this occasion to share with you the results concerning the work that was realized in regards to the fight against drugs. In 2007, the message that you sent to us was clear : we had to attack the phenomenon of drug trafficking and drug consumption on the archipelago (islands).

In place for 2 years now, I had myself observed that drug consumption was trivialized and that it was often done at the sight of everyone, we had to act. The plan that we built for ourselves in the Spring of 2007 contained four parts: Equip and educate the police officers of the islands, be more repressif in regards to the fight against drugs, make drug consumption an important matter and work on prevention with the youth.

We followed our plan and that is what has permitted us to attain the excellent results which will follow. Above everything, it is also your precious collaboration that often permitted us to make our investigations progress and to be able to go knocking at the doors of these criminals. In the chart below is the number of interventions that were realized during the past three years.

The work that our police officers have realized during the past two years is huge. I wish to salute their involvement and devotion to this cause. Without a doubt we can say "Mission accomplished". This is the perfect example of the police working with the community, the police is close to the citizens and is preoccupied by the local problems.

In conclusion, be assured that we will continue to work to the fight of drug trafficking with the same determination. Thank you for your collaboration. The denunciation of these crimes and the quality of the information that was given to our officers are essential during the process of investigations.

Lieutenant Jonathon Jauron
Director of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine unit
Sûreté du Québec

Commentary by me:

I hate criticizing the local police force but honestly, I don't think I would bring this up to any of the parents to whom this was addressed - the English-speaking population of the Magdalen Islands, as a conversation starter. I don't think I would hear the end of it.

According to the Drug Prevention organization working with the police, the islands is running rampant with illegal drug abuse. We are a global community (French 11,000+, English 1,000-) of just over 12,000 permanent residents. These numbers, in the table above, seem staggeringly low, to me.... And to say, "Mission accomplished", I thought meant they cleaned all of the illegal drugs off the Archipelago. But that is no where near the case....

I'm sure the police are doing their jobs and that Lieutenant Jauron means well, but I can understand the parents and guardians of past, present and future addicted children, when they protest, with signs and banners, up and down main street in Grindstone.

Well It Is An Election Year....

Posters on the electricity poles..., that is the first sign of election frenzy on the islands. If it can be called frenzy. Islands elections are pretty dead until the day of the election. Then it becomes a pull, drag, push or tow electors to the polls, it seems.

I guess there are only three candidates running for the provincial nomination. Raynald Blais will return, trying for a third term in office for the Parti Quebecois. An independent, Gaston Langlois is running and Darryl Gray is returning to Gaspesie/Islands politics after fifteen years 'politicking' at the Canadian level. Gray is running for the Progressive Conservative Party.

And All Eyes Are On...., the American Election and the Obama/McCain issue.

Ho hummmmmm! Another dull election coming up! I guess that is the reason they tore up the main highways in Fatima, House Harbour and the full length of the Amherst/Grindstone causeway. Oh and lets not forget the umpteen dollars granted to repave the Grand Entry and Etang-du-Nord Harbours....

More to come as the event draws near!

All Beautiful and Well

Original came from Journaliste: Hélène Fauteux
Translated by Wynn Currie
The program, Belle et biens dans la peau (Beautiful and Well Under the Skin), for women who have cancer, will be open on an autonomous bases on the islands. The islands Center for Health and Social Services has concluded a collaboration agreement in this sense with the Cancer Association for Eastern Quebec. Lise Turbide, psychosocial intervener at the CLSC of Grindstone, explained that a team of fifteen people has bee formed, at the end of June, in order to offer Belle et bien dans la peau workshops to Magdalen Islanders. These workshops aim to aide women who have cancer to surmount the secondary effects of the treatments on their appearance. They will teach specific techniques of makeup and the means to compose with the loss of hair.

Awaiting the next Belle et bien dans sa peau will be offered in October, the program will be dispensed to reason of four times a year, on the Archipelago. Lise Turbide precisely said that some forty odd more Magdalen Islanders have received a cancer diagnosis.

Ottawa To Invest In Islands Infrastructures

The federal government of Canada has decided to invest 14 million dollars into the break water for the Grindstone harbour. The project consists mainly of consolidating the existing structure. This work will start tis fall and will be finished for the summer of 2010.





The House Harbour airport will receive the amount of $1.4 million for improvement work. They will install a lights and a system to facilitate manoeuvrings, when the visibility is reduced.

These investments were brought up at a meeting held for Minister Blackburn when he announced the winter link to Prince Edward Island.
(Photo by Danny Poirier, journalist for the Radar)

Father Landry Wins Donald LeBlanc Award

Father Frederic Landry was honored with the Islands 2008, Donald Leblanc award, on Friday, August 22nd, during a ceremony held at the historical site, 'La Grave' in Amherst. He was chosen because he is one of the pioneers to the rebuilding of the site. Achille Hubert, owner/editor of the French weekly newspaper, 'The Radar' presented the award saying, "the historic site of 'La Grave', would certainly not exist without the work of the courageous and clairvoyant man and all those who followed him".

Father Landry founded the Amherst museum at the historical site, 'Muse de la Mer' in 1969 which started the work of rebuilding the site. He is also one of the initiators of the islands aquarium, located at 'La Grave'. Frederic Landry is the author of dozen or so books, written in the French language, many of which are about the maritime history of the islands. At least one of his texts has been translated into English, 'Captains of the Shoal'.

Father Landry declared the he was happy for the honour that is attributed with the Donald LeBlanc award. "I remember my friends and all those who worked with me, who had supported me during those long years, because it will be 40 years, next year that I've been at Amherst.....

Isolation Is A Thing Of The Past!

Apparently, the islands won't be as isolated a it has been in the past. The Government of Canada has decided to establish a winter link between the Magdalen Islands and Prince Edward Island, during the months of February and March. These are the two months when the islands are normally left in near complete isolation from the rest of the continent, due to ice conditions in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

In the past few years, ice has not been considered a problem for navigation around the islands and PEI. However, although islanders ave been protesting for a maritime link, the government has been slow to act. Jean-Pierre Blackburn, the Federal Minister for Economic Development made the announcement on Tuesday, in the name of the Minister of Transport, Lawrence Cannon. The Conservative Minister agrees that the economic benefits generated, that will be set in place for the Islands, will justify such a project.

The mayor of one of the Municipalities of the islands, Municipalité des Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Joël Arseneau, was instrumental in getting the decision pushed through. It is expected to cost between one and two million dollars per year, to open this two month winter link. The link i also expected to start early in 2009. Jean-Pierre Blackburn is assured that this project is probably the best route to follow to establish a permanant link with the continent.

"This is an historical cornerstone for the development and the economic diversification of the Magdalen Islands," said Claire Gaudet, director of the Islands Chamber of Commerence. Raymond Blais, Parti Quebecois deputy, indicated that islanders must remain vigilant where this file is concerned to attain its permanence.

L-R
Joel Arseneau, rest of the islands mayor.
Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Canadian Economic Development
Christopher Clark, Grosse Isle mayor
The three men are holding one of the many paper boats that had been sent to Ottawa in the form of a petition in April 2007, to have and open link to the mainland all year.
(Photo by Danny Poirier, journalist for the Radar)

Drug Bust!

On the last of July, 2008, the islands police force apprehended a youth, 19 years old from House Harbour, while he was in the process of selling marijuana while at the wharf in Grindstone. Around 11:50pm, the police surprised the youth and immediately proceeded with his arrest and the legal search of his vehicle. Inside they found a total of 110 grams of cannabis divided up into three packages as well as the amount of 195 dollars and a weighing scale used in trafficking.

After his interrogation at the police station, the suspect was freed. He must ultimately appear later on, when summoned to face charges for an accusation of the possession of cannabis, with the intent of trafficking.

The individual had been under suspicion, by the police, for delivering the drug for sale, before the arrest.

The local police had been acting in the framework of strategic patrolling.

Corridor Resources Relinquishes Gas Exploration Permits

The Permits have changed hands
Original came from Journaliste: Hélène Fauteux
Translated by Wynn Currie
Updates have been added:

Petrol prospectors from Montreal, Gastem Inc., have taken over the dormant gas exploration license for the territory of the Magdalen Islands. The permit that was held by Corridor Resources Inc. from Halifax, for 10 years, was let go three months ago. The president of Gastem Inc., Marc-André Lavoie, estimated that there were many trillions of square cubic feet in gas reserves ,that were found on the flanks of the salt domes, of the Archipelago.

Gastem Inc., who's value in grants is 150 million dollars, has actually proceeded to update the seismic information that had been accomplished on the islands in the past, in order to determine its gas exploration strategy. Marc-André Lavoie, doesn't anticipate, nevertheless, a drilling forage before 2009 or 2010. According to the president of Gastem, Inc. the drilling of an exploration well on the islands is evaluated between five and seven million dollars, including an extra million dollars for the transport of equipment. Mr. Lavoie, who plans a visit to the Archipelago in September, is said to want to work in partnership with the Magdalen population.

Precisions were made that Corridor Resources Inc. conserve its exploration rights at the marine site of Old Harry, off the islands; and this is because of a moratorium imposed by the government of Quebec in 1998, on all gas and petroleum activities in the Gulf.

Gastem Inc. is an oil and gas exploration and development company with exploration properties covering more than a million acres, located in the St. Lawrence Lowlands and the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec. Gastem Inc is also involved in earn-in projects in Quebec (the Joly Project). In January 2008, the Company signed an earn-in option for Utica shale properties situated in New York State. The company also has a working interest in 24 gas wells currently in production in the Amber Bank project, West Virginia.

The company was incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act in 2002 and listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange in January 2004 (GMR, TSX-Vx).

More on the Old Harry Site:

The Corporation holds Québec exploration licenses covering 123,550 gross acres (123,550 net acres) over most of the Old Harry prospect, lying in 1500 feet of water in the Laurentian Channel in Québec. Corridor acquired 800 kilometres of modern seismic data across and in proximity to this structure in 1998. The prospect has simple 4-way closure covering an area of more than 20,000 hectares, and is one of the largest undrilled prospects in Eastern Canada. Recoverable reserves potential is estimated to be in the order of 1.5 to 2 billion barrels (if oil) or 4 to 5 tscf (if gas). Six natural oil seeps have been detected on the ocean surface by satellite, apparently emanating from the flanks of "Old Harry". The prospect lies mostly in the Québec sector and partly in the Newfoundland sector of the Gulf, and requires agreement between the Québec and Federal governments in order to open up this prospective area of the Gulf to petroleum exploration. Corridor held an exploration license issued by the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board across the northeastern side of the Old Harry prospect (31,068 ha) located in the Newfoundland sector of the Gulf. In December 2002, Corridor completed the acquisition of 500 kilometres of marine 2D seismic across the northeastern end of the Old Harry and adjacent Cape Ray prospect. On January 15, 2005, Corridor's license covering the Cape Ray prospect in Newfoundland and Labrador expired. On January 15, 2006, Corridor's Newfoundland and Labrador license covering the eastern end of the Old Harry prospect expired.

In August 2003, Corridor announced the execution of an option agreement with Hydro-Québec whereby Hydro-Québec paid $500,000 to Corridor for the right to obtain a minimum of 18.75% working interest in the Old Harry farmin opportunity on the same terms as are ultimately negotiated with an operating partner. Hydro-Québec also gained access to the seismic covering the Old Harry and Cape Ray prospects.

Corridor has suspended farmout discussions with a number of major companies that have expressed an interest in participating in drilling the Old Harry structure pending the outcome of discussions between the Federal and Québec governments regarding the management of offshore activities in the Québec sector of the Gulf. Corridor continues to press the Federal and Québec governments for a resolution of the issues preventing exploration drilling in the Québec sector of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. These same issues have also negatively impacted Corridor's ability to attract a partner to participate in drilling an exploration well on the Magdalen Islands and Corridor surrendered these licenses in March 2007. No assurance can be given that this issue will be resolved to the satisfaction of Corridor or that such resolution will occur within a reasonable period of time.

In Memory of the four Islanders Who Lost Their Lives Last March

A notice has been circulating around FaceBook about the lost sealers which says:
(English translation below the French)

En mémoire à nos madelinots, disparus dans la nuit du 28 mars 2008. Cette terrible tragédie qui aura malheureusement couté la vie de Marc-André Déraspe , Carl Aucoin , Gilles Leblanc ainsi que Bruno Bourque.

Si ce n'est pas déjà fais, joignez vous au groupe :

Tragédie en Mer: Hommage à l'équipage de L'Acadien II

N'oublier pas de réenvoyer ce video a vos amis . (Forward)

Merci

In memory of our Islanders, lost in the night of March 28th, 2008. This terrible tragedy which unhappily cost the lives of Marc-André Déraspe , Carl Aucoin , Gilles Leblanc, as well as Bruno Bourque.

If not already done, join the group:

Tragedy At Sea: Hommage To The Crew Of The Acadian II

Do not forget to forward this video to all your friends.

Thank You


Upper Left : Bruno Bourque

Upper Right : Carl Aucoin

Lower Left : Gilles Leblanc

Lower Right : Marc-André Déraspe

Agricultural Commission Shuts Down Plans For ReZoning

The Commission for the Protection of Agricultural Land in Quebec has blocked the Municipality des Iles's plans to rezone and area on Grindstone Islands as Industrial in the area of Laverniere, near the Hydro Plant. The plan caused discontent amongst some Islands residents in the area and they voiced their concerns through public concultations.

Joel Arseneau, Municipality Mayor, doesn't believe that the decision is a good one for the economic development of the islands. In reality, the file for enlarging the industrial zone in Laverniere is now closed. According to the mayor, it is now necessary to look into other possibilities to make room for new and expanding industrial businesses.

In Islands News

Magdalen Islands Mourn As Three Sealers Drown

Fourth person still missing as boat capsizes

HALIFAX, N.S. -- The search continued Saturday afternoon for a sealer missing in the icy waters off Cape Breton, after their boat capsized killing three fellow sealers.

Canadian Coast Guard officials were able to give few details of how the tragedy happened saying that their immediate priority was finding the missing sealer.

"The concern is to finish the search and rescue for the missing person," said Mike Voigt, superintendent, Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue.

The two men who survived the accident were thought to be on the bridge of the boat when it capsized.

Continued at ...

Capsized sealers tell of fight for their lives

Claude Deraspe speaks to the media yesterday.

ILES DE LA MADELEINE, QUE. - Only a few days after surviving a maritime accident that killed four fellow sealers, Bruno-Pierre Bourque and Carl Deraspe spoke yesterday of confusion and terror as they tried to escape from an overturned boat quickly filling with water.

"I was standing in the wheelhouse, except it was upside down because the boat was upside down, and I remember taking a breath, and telling myself [to] wait until the water was up to my ears, because then it would be easier to get out," Mr. Deraspe said. "And I pushed my lips to what was the floor, and took a deep breath and started to swim."

Continued at...

Graphic: Sealing trawler capsizes

Sealer says he radioed icebreaker to stop

Canwest News Service Published: Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Wayne Dickson says he no longer has the will to hunt after watching his friend's sealing vessel capsize while being towed by a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the weekend. Mr. Dickson, 53, and his six-member crew managed to rescue two fishermen, but three other sealers drowned and a fourth is still missing after the damaged L'Acadien II fishing vessel overturned while being dragged over a large chunk of ice, about 70 kilometres north of Cape Breton Island. When he is questioned by the RCMP about the incident that claimed the lives of the fishing trawler's captain, Bruno Bourque, and three others asleep below deck, Mr. Dickson says he will tell them that he radioed the icebreaker several times, yelling at the crew to stop after seeing the vessel dragged sideways over the ice.

On this day in Our Islands History

Magdalen Islands History link

On this day in Our Islands History

Interviews With Sealers from the Magdalen Islanders

On this day in Our Islands History

Check back

In The News Today

The following is a translated letter wrote to the government of Quebec by the Magdalen Islands ZIP Committee, asking for help to clean up a severe situation in the Grand Entry Lagoon. In previous years the lagoon was used for raising scallop in suspended netted traps. The company, Imaqua Inc., which was owned by Mr. Joncas, ceased working the project and left, leaving the suspended gear, anchors and various other pollutants in place. Despite letters and requests to Mr Joncas, the breeding gear still remains, after many years....

Grindstone, February 14th , 2008

M. Joël Arseneau, Magdalen Islands Municipality
M. Donald Arseneau, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for Quebec
M. Paul Morin, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for Quebec
Mme Diane Chassé, Minister for the Sustainable Development of the Environment and Parks Quebec
M. Roger Simon, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
M. Pierre Lauzier, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
M. René Laperrière, Transport Canada


Object: Request of support in connection with the abandonment of the scallop suspension breeding structures in the Grand Entry lagoon of the Magdalen Islands.

Madame, Monsieur,

The Magdalen Islands territory is made up of five major interior water plans and seven Integrated Management Committees have been created for the lagoons. The Grand Entry lagoon is represented within the committees. These committees accompanied by the ZIP Committee and supported by the people, are given as a main mandate, the sustainable development of their water plans, with respect of all the users and the local environment. Some sixty representatives of the area worked voluntarily to favor attaining the aimed objectives.

Presently we, the members of the Management Committee of the Grand Entry lagoon, would like it noted that we have informed Mr. Joncas written correspondence, our discontentment on the subject of the abandonment of the polluting fixed assets within the framework activities of two companies already mentioned, within this bay.

This situation is, in our opinion inconceivable, and we strongly incite you to take, without waiting any longer, the necessary measures in order to correct the situation. This sad reality engenders unfavorable consequences for the Archipelago, at a time of social, economic and environmental levels, and you know that the situational advantage will worsen, if something isn't done.

We ask of you, Madame, Monsieur, in the name of the groups which we have representatives at the heart of our community, to take all legal means possible, in order to remedy the present situation and to avoid the repetition of such schemes in the future. Understand that you can count on our entirety support.

We wait for your availability, if you wish further information and we hope that you will take action helping us as soon as possible.

We sincerely thank you for your understanding and for your collaboration, we request from you,
approval, Madam, Sir, our best greetings.

The members and the resource people of the Integrated Management Committee of the Grand Entry Lagoon of the Magdalen Islands.

________________________________
M. Claude Cyr, for the Integrated Manageent Committee of the Grand Entry Lagoon
________________________________
M. Yves Martinet, director of the ZIP Committee of the Magdalen Islands.
p.j. * Members of the Integrated Management Committee of the Grand Entry Lagoon
* Correspondance written the 8 February 2008 sent to M. Paul-Aimé Joncas.

Integrated Management Committee of the Grand Entry Lagoon
M. Adrien Bénard, Recreational Activities
Mrs Patricia B. Clark, Commercial Fishing
Ms Wynn Currie, Resident
M. Claude Cyr, Commercial Fishing
M. Jérémie Cyr, Commercial Fishing
M. Carlo Éloquin, Mariculturer
M. Mark Joncas, Industrial
M. Jonathan Lapierre, Municipality
M. Égide Leblanc, Resident
M. Yves Martinet, Resource for the ZIP Committee of the Magdalen Islands
M. Maurice Gaudet, Resource for MAPAQ
Mme Selma Pereira, Resource for DFO

On this day in Our Islands History

On this day in Our Islands History

coming for Feb 16 and 17th

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1875, the first Magdalen Islands Municipalities were erected. They were Etang-du-Nord, Amherst (Havre-Aubert) and House Harbour (Havre-aux-Maisons).

- from the official website of the Magdalen Islands
Ephemerides by Lise Bouffard

If anyone has any ideas on the subject, please feel free to make suggestions in the comment section of this posting!

On this day in Our Islands History

Valentines Day and I still haven't found the missing pages. The next date will be the 15th.

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1889, a notice was sent to the Premier of Quebec, Mr. Mercier, by the population of the islands, concerning the holdings of the land on the islands.

In 1962, Mr. Hector Carbonneau, linguist, author, translator and Chief of personnel at the Parliment's General Translation Service of Quebec, died.

- from the official website of the Magdalen Islands
Ephemerides by Lise Bouffard

If anyone has any ideas on the subject, please feel free to make suggestions in the comment section of this posting!

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1809, Jacques Bourgeois, son of Jean and Marie Chaisson was baptized. He was born on the April 20, 1808 and baptized at the home of his parents. The baptismal ceremony was supplied by the undersigned missionary, and named Charles Bourgeois as godfather, assisted by Adelaide Chaisson, whom had marked and X.

J.B. Allain.

- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

If anyone has any ideas on the subject, please feel free to make suggestions in the comment section of this posting!


For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1970, the special show of the Island Women of today, was shown on the television, and had created the very favorable impression of Magdalen Island women. For one time, we had seen and admired the beautiful side of our region.

In 1985, Father Andre Arseneault was no more. He had sixty years of pastoral service life of the Magdalen Islands. He was the director of the Saint-Pierre Academy and priest in charge of Laverniere for more than thirty years.

- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

If anyone has any ideas on the subject, please feel free to make suggestions in the comment section of this posting!


For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1941, the council of Etang-du- Nord proposed that a request be made to whom of the right by the ... will be continued

Pardon this error, the computer has slipped 12 hours in its internal clock. This story, which got missed, happened on February 10, 1941. The story will be corrected as soon as possible.

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1836, the undersigned priest, had baptized Emelie, born last fourth of February, of the legitimate marriage of Thomas Lapierre, fisher, and of Marguerite Vigneau, of this parish. Godfather: JosephLapierre. Godmother: Sophie Lapierre, as well it is noted that the father had not signed. Thomas Leandre Brassard, ptre.

Sorry for the error here, this fact actually happened on February 9th, 1836. My computer jumped ahead of me by 24 hours.

- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

If anyone has any ideas on the subject, please feel free to make suggestions in the comment section of this posting!


For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

The Nomination of Pierre-Marcel Desjardins Is Welcomed

This comes from the Sounds of the Sea of CFIM

The vice-president of TAMASU (seal processing company), Paul Boudreau is satisfied of the choice of Pierre-Marcel Desjards as the independent expert charged with the revision of the regional areas of the seal hunt in the Gulf. This is no the first time the professor from the University of Moncton has worked with the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, DFO. Mr. Boudreau remembered that he assisted the Minister in the evaluation of the market price for snow crab, where he helped set a parameter for the establishment of fishing quotas.

Paul Boudreau said that he hoped the independent expert will have the courage to hold account that the Magdalen Islands harvests just the second stage of the admissible seal in the Gulf since the era where the industry of the white coats killed. The vice-president of TAMASU deplores that the real parts have been calculated on the base of the years of commercial inactivity which has survived the stop of this white coat hunt. This is not that in 2009, that the Minister Hearn will decide if he’ll modify, or not the actual part of the quota for the hunt in the Gulf, of which now 70% of the profits go to Newfoundland. The company TAMASU awaits this decision before making the decision to reconstruct their factory, which was ravaged by the fire at the Grindstone harbor, in January, 2007.

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1946, Magdalen Islander Sergent Emmanuel Leblanc was give a military honor, by Field Marshal B.L. Montgomery, Commander in Chief of the 21st, Britannic Army.



- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

If anyone has any ideas on the subject, please feel free to make suggestions in the comment section of this posting!


For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1880, at a special assembly of the municipal council of Alright, the council of Etang-du-Nord had submitted a proposition to build a mill. The council asked for a general assembly of the people in order to know the will on this subject, on the Saturday after at 10:00 am at the school # 7. Adjourned sine die. Francois Terriau, Mayor.


- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

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For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

In The News Today

House For Battered Women, La Maison à Damas, Closes Its Doors

This comes from the Sounds of the Sea of CFIM

Because of the lack of funds the women’s protection home shall close its doors on February 18th, 2008 for a period of one week. This closure is written up in the pressure movement taken by the groups of community organizations and alternatives in the area of mental health in the Gaspésia and Islands regions, which are working to get the Quebec government to raise its funding for their established members.

This is not the first time that the Maison à Damas had to close it’s doors. Since it opened 20 year ago, the lodging home for battered women or women who were going through difficult periods has periodically closed it doors due to lack of funds. According to the director, Collette Langford, it takes many hundreds of tohousands of dollars more than the Maison à Damas receives in order to offer adequate services and continue working.

The actual finances of the Maison à Damas is $192,000. The missing amount that must be made up is $1.2 million for the regions. Presently, only 68% of the 2.3 million dollars is available to the regional health sector are given to the homes for battered women. Collette Langford explained that a comparable mission, is requesting a financing of $500,000.

Collette Langford precisely said that during the closure week, the clientel already living at the shelter will continue to stay at the Maison à Damas. Depending on need, all the new requests will be directed to the Islands CLSC des Iles.


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On this day in Our Islands History

In 1935, at a special session of the council of municipality of Amherst: Considering that in certain areas, it was difficult to obtain gravel to cover the roads during the summer and the it was more economic to card this gravel during the winter, In consequence that it be ordered to the inspectors to see to the carting of gravel during the months of February and March. That the salary be that of $.20 an hour for each man and $.30 and hour for one man and a horse. It was adopted.


- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

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For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

In The News Today

Independent Examiner Chosen For Seal Hunt Analysis
This comes from the Sounds of the Sea of CFIM

A professor from the University of Moncton, Pierre-Marcel Desjardins, who is also associated with the Canadian Institute of Research in Political and Public Administrations, has been hired by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Quebec, Loyola Hearn to act as an independent examiner in the continuing dossier of the regional seal hunt.

Quebec has 30% of the annual quota of the Gulf whereas Newfoundland has 70% and the Minister wants all aspects of the file looked at and examined to determine an understanding and an agreement in this matter.

The evaluation is to come to an end in the fall of 2008. It must present various options to the Minister Hearn, so he may make various decisions easier for the 2009 hunt season. Therefore there will be maintenance this year, in the regional division, established on a temporary basis for the next two years.


For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1794, at a general assembly of parishioners, after the Sunday sermon in Amherst, the elderly inhabitants and the new inhabitants came together on this fifth day of February, after several publications, have convened to name three churchwardens to take care of matters concerning the Community, which they did right away, of which the persons of Louis Boudrot, for syndic, Nicolas Cormier and Bourgeois Joseph for churchwardens.

In 1970, moon rock were placed on exposition at the Musee des Iles. This exposition was at the museum until February 26. A number of visitors had admired the exploits of the astronauts of the crew of Apollo 11 in July, 1969.


- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

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For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1974, the Central Cooperative factory in Grindstone, was completely destroyed by fire. The fire ravaged one fish factory, two herring smokers and five other buildings. The loss was evaluated at $200,000 and put 175 workers out of work.

In 1987, Azade and Louise Bougeois celebrated their 75 wedding anniversary. Mr Bourgeois was age 95 years and his wife was aged 94 years.


- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

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For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1916, at a special session of the Amherst council, it was ordered and ruled as follows: The superintendent was authorized to put gravel in the burned woods and at the Bassin. He was to choose to cart it from the closest place and to see to the placement and the final report. The council put $120 aside for the burned woods and $30 aside for the Bassin.


- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

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For The Cancer Research Trust Fund

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1910, by special courier, Her Majesty's Mail, left the islands by an unusual method of transportation, by the "Winter Magdalen Mail", to arrive at Nova Scotia.

- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

A few citizens of Amherst wanted to alert the federal authorities of the subject of the completely isolated situation on the Magdalen Islands since the underwater telegraphic cable broke on January 6, 1910. Alcide Gaudet, Octave Briand, Edouard Dupreuil, William Reid, Stanislas (Tanis) Cormier and others prepared a barrel, put the mail in it and set it afloat to sail to Port Hastings, Nove Scotia. In the mail, one letter was addressed to the Federal Deputy Rodolphe Lemieux, giving the isolated situation that was on the Magdalen Islands.

- From Deux siecles d'Histoire, Iles de la Madeleine 1793-1992, by Chantal Naud


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“IF YOU CAN’T WRITE ME - DRAW ME!!!!”

My mum, Marion Clark Currie used to write her sister-in-law, my Aunt Blossom, when they were both mothers of young children. Every few weeks a letter would come through the mail and mum would be engrossed for long minutes, then peels of laughter and tears would come to her eyes. We would gather around to find out what was so funny.

Aunt Blossom lived on the Magdalen Islands, in mum’s home town, village really, of Old Harry. All her family, which was extensive with her being the youngest of thirteen children, lived in the area or passed through the area, while on vacation.

We, on the other hand, lived in Oromocto, New Brunswick or Geary which is 5 miles outside Oromocto. My dad was in the Canadian Armed Forces and stationed at Camp Gagetown. Yes, I know, and I’m proud to have grown up an army brat. But that is another story.

Getting back to the letter writing. This was something that became a ritual between the two good friends. Every two or three weeks this letter would arrive and laughter would sound out. It must have gone on a few years or more. Then the letters stopped arriving. After a few more weeks, Mum must have got frustrated by not having news of home, because she went to the shopping mall, if you could call it that - the Steinburg’s shopping center and bought a card. I remember the card well, for good reason even though I was but a child at the time. It fit in a number 10-sized business envelopment and was made from white card stock. The front had a black silhouette of a fashionable lady with a knee length dress on and high heels and her hair piled up on her head. Nothing else was on the outside of the card. On the inside, only the bold, black, printed words stood out on the right-hand page, “IF YOU CAN’T WRITE ME - DRAW ME!!!!”

She neatly put the card in its envelope, licked it and stamped and sent it to my aunt Blossom, without a word from her except the address on the envelope. A couple of weeks later the letters resumed and there was no longer any difficulties with communication.

Years went by. We had moved several times and each time the letters from home would catch up. Then Dad was stationed in Germany and we all went to spend four of the best teen years, a kid could ever have. Mum became very busy with all the moving, packing, unpacking (we lived in several different houses during those first few months), traveling and visiting all the surrounding countries - twice each. I guess she was too busy to think about family back home.

We were getting ready to take a trip to Holland, when through the mail came a letter clearly addressed to Mum with a return address Old Harry, Magdalen Islands. Mum was busy and put the letter in her purse, planning on reading all the news from home while dad drove the car. She opened up the letter while we were driving along the autobaum and stared at it for the longest while, with the rest of us wanting to know the news. Then she laughed and laughed and laughed. She couldn’t tell us what she was laughing at. My sister grabbed the letter/card and looked at it - a black silhouette fashionable lady on the outside cover. She opened the card and the only words on the inside were, “IF YOU CAN’T WRITE ME - DRAW ME!!!!” The card was in immaculate condition.

Mum had dad stop at the first Post Office in Holland and she sent the card back with only a postal stamp on the inside of the card from Holland and a short letter on a separate piece of paper from the hotel stationary where we stayed. From then on, this card traveled back and forth across the Atlantic ocean, every couple of weeks, for the next four years. Every time it was returned to Canada, it had a different stamp in it. It didn’t stop there though. When we finally moved back to Canada in ‘69, to Calgary, the card continued to arrive on schedule like clockwork and each time it was returned, it had a different stamp from the provinces or states that mum traveled to.

I don’t know when then the card stopped its voyage. Perhaps it was the day mum flew it back home herself and hand delivered it to Aunt Blossom, sometime in the seventies. I saw the card only once since then and I know it was at my aunt’s house long after cancer had taken both her and mum. My cousin took it out of a trunk. It was still in an ancient yellowed no. 10 sized business envelope, with faded addresses on the outside and no stamp. The card was worn and torn and had many finger print smudges, probably from my Aunt or Mum cooking up storms in the kitchen or digging up gardens.

Perhaps the card is still in that trunk. I don’t know. But I couldn’t get it out of my mind this evening and I had to write about it. I know that my son knows nothing of the card and I’m pretty certain my nieces don’t know about it either. This is a story that will let them know just a little more about their grandmother and grandaunt, because they will never know otherwise, any more than I know about my grandparents or great-grandparents.

“IF YOU CAN’T WRITE ME - DRAW ME!!!!”


Please donate to help find a cure for cancer! Go to your nearest cancer research fund or purchase the Winter Rose Song from the Winter Rose Trust. All of your $2.00 goes to cancer research in the country of your choice.

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1897, at the Municipal Council of Etang-du-Nord, it was proposed by T. Carbonneau that the mayor be authorized to correspond by telegram with the Premier of the Province, in order to know if the Council can have the two hundred piastres, voted for a Pretendu road since the road from the Etang-du-Nord Cape just until the North beach.

- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

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The Winter Rose Trust Fund

On January 27th, 2008, I wrote an article called “Wings of Desire (Pink Wings)”, for the Gimme A Dream site. As an after thought, at the bottom of the article I placed a banner for the “Winter Rose Trust” and a link to the Winter Rose Trust Site. The after thought came from singer/song writer, cancer survivor and an internet friend, Phil Planet, who had read a comment I had made on the Winter Rose site during one of my infinite web surfing travels.

Phil graciously thanked me for my comments and asked if I would mention the site on my web log. Well we all know where this is going! I had already posted the “Wings Of Desire (Pink Wings)” only a few minutes before so I said I would add a note to the Dare To Be Pink Cancer Fund Raiser the I wrote about.

I also placed the Wings on a post here on the Magdalen Islands site because Amanda is a Magdalen Islander and there were ties to Prince Edward Island. Also there is a lot of cancer on the Magdalen Islands.

I also said that I would do a review of his site. This is the review, BUT it isn’t a review.... In the three days, that I have known the “Winter Rose Trust” Site, it has grown tremendously. How can I write about something that keeps on changing. It is a great, good change, but change nevertheless.

So I’ll give an overview of the site, that will remain the same. Phil Planet is a British singer/song writer, but principally he is a cancer survivor. However, he was asked to write a song about surviving cancer. As a survivor, he felt the subject was negative and he wanted a positive outlook so he wrote a song about another survivor, the winter rose.

This song is dedicated to cancer research. It can be heard at the Winter Rose Trust site. BUT more importantly, it can be purchased for only $2.00 and downloaded from the site. Because I am the site monitor for Canada. Yes, Canada has its own web site for this fund raiser. It is at http://www.ca.winterrosetrust.com/

On top of writing this post for the “Winter Rose Trust”, I decided that the Gimme A Dream site was declaring the month of February to be its “Cancer Be Gone” month. Every post that is written will have the “Winter Rose Trust” banner and link at its bottom. As an extra effort, the Gimme A Dream Craft Site will also have the banners placed at the bottom of each post. Triple the effort, the Magdalen Islands web log which is guaranteed to have at least one post each and every day for the 29 days, will receive the banners.

I intend to write articles dedicated to my mother, Magdalen Islander, Marion Clark Currie, cancer victim. Mostly they will be amusing stories about her life and the way she choose to live it. Mum was a happy person and there are incidences that are going to be forgotten, if they are not wrote down for generations to come. I hope that no one minds my thoughts on the matter.

PLEASE go to the Winter Rose Trust Site and purchase the song Winter Rose for just $2.00. Click on the flag of the country where you would like your money to go. Then click on donations. Pay through PayPal. It isn’t much and the money goes to such a great cause.

On this day in Our Islands History

In 1881, during a special session at the Municipality of Etang-du-Nord, it was proposed by Louis V. Boudreault and seconded by Sosime Fougere, that John Burke be named Municipal Councilor in the place of Nectaire Arseneau who had resigned.


- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

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On this day in Our Islands History

In 1902, a letter was delivered to the Prime Minister of Canada. His response was:

Dear Mr. Delaney,

I have received you letter dated January 30, 1902. You were mistaken in your opinions concerning Mr. Lemieux, representative of the Iles in Ottawa. I have a lot of esteem for him and I am sure that he desires only to work cordially with you, if you give him the opportunity.

Believe me, sincerely yours.

Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister.

- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

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On this day in Our Islands History

In 1939, at 23:30 the islands hospital received its first patient who was in need of an emergency operation.

In 1992, some of the original acrobats from the Magdalen Islands triumphed in Paris at the Festival of the Cirque de Demain ( Tomorrow's Circus). The three islanders, Alain and Damien Boudreau and Jeannot Chaisson, gave a choreographed presentation and returned with a second place silver medal. Jeannot Chiasson presented a number on a bicycle and won the bronze medal. These four (?) acrobats were part of a group of artists from the province of Quebec.

- From the chronicle's of historian Father Frédéric Landry
Événements Historiques Agenda (Septembre 1993 à Septembre 1994)

If anyone has any ideas on the subject, please feel free to make suggestions in the comment section of this posting!