The Westmount examiner, 12 juin 1986, jeudi 12 juin 1986

[" MNA French enjoying honeymoon in office By PETER BLACK Sx MONTHS a cabinet minister, West- mount's eclectic MNA Richard French, takes some satisfaction in having seized control of a thorny ministry of communications and now he says he relishes the opportunity to make a positive mark on his portfolio.But on the more public side of a cabinet minister's life, Mr French feels less in control, still smarting from little pricks of inaccuracy | ina recent Montreal Magazine profile.i Mr French, talking, as is his style, as if \u2018his plane is already taxiing down the runway, : explained over breakfast last Friday in the elegant Parlementaire restaurant in the Assemblée Nationale, that what irked him most about the piece was a misquote having him say \"I worked much harder before I got into cabinet.\u201d Mr French is angry and a bit hurt at this opposite interpretation of his pace as a cabinet minister, and, to emphasize the point, he plunks a fat sheaf of paper down on the linen tablecloth, containing his three-week agenda.He is concerned THE EXAMINER has chosen to visit him in the provincial capital on one of the least pressured of days since his swearing in as a cabinet minister six months ago today, on Dec 12.Mr French, indeed, has been busy of late, having found himself in the spotlight within the cloistered world of the provincial legislature, with the PQ opposition filibustering the minister's bill to scale down the provinciaily- owned TV net work Radio-Québec.This has meant the hyperkinetic MNA has had to drum his fingers in the ornate chamber, sometimes until midnight, while the PQ drones on, in defence of this particularly sacred PQ cow.Filibuster or not, Mr French is delighted to have the ministry of communications.\u201cIt's exactly the one I wanted,\u201d he says.He describes the sensation he felt when he first strode into his departmental office in the nondescript Edifice G, conveniently situated a brisk walk from the assembly and the trendy Grand Allée, as one of enormous responsibility.With an annual budget of over $200 million and 2,000 employees under his sway, Mr French says \u2018\u2018there are a lot of people depending on you.\u201d He says the feeling is \u201clike the guy who walks up to the bridge of an ocean liner which is in motion.He has to decide where he wants to go and to start to get the thing turned around.\u201d Part of the minister's mission at the helm since he took command of communications has been to jettison unnecessary cargo 9 \"REWARD OFFERED \"FOR DUCK KILLERS Tux Westmount Municipal Association is offering a $500 reward in the hopes of snaring the killers of six ducks on the morning of May 31 in |.Westmount Park.The ducks were found mutilated and their bodies strewn around : the park\u2019s pond, following a suspected beer-fueled attack at about 5 * am.Two birds, including a large male, were rushed alive to the SPCA, but could not be saved.The ducks had been placed in their new home only two days prior to the slaughter.A resolution approved at Monday's \u2018meeting of WMA directors offers the cash to whoever can supply \u201cinformation leading to the arrest and conviction of the party or parties responsible for the attack on the ducks located in Westmount Park.\u201d The resolution urges as well \u201cother organizations and individuals to add to that amount and offer their full support to the effort of identifying the perpetrators.\u201d * The original motion, proposed by WMA president Stuart Robertson, called for a reward of $1,000, but that figure was thought too rich by directors John Udy and Barbara Wiesenfeld, and was reduced by another motion.- Insuggesting a reward be offered, Mr Robertson said, \u201cThere\u2019sno way that we are going to catch these people \u2014 that is, we, asa society.\u201d He said the only way to flush out the duck killers is by enticing a witness oraccomplice to thecrime to \u201crat out\u201d on his or her colleagues.\u201cSeveral members expressed the hope that the city would contribute to the reward fund.\u201d Anyone with information on the killings is asked to call the MUC Police at Station 23 and ask for Sergeant Detective Maurice Francoeur, the investigating officer, or Lieutenant Detective Frank Pilkionis.The number is 280-2523.Alternatively, WMA president Robertson may be reached at 484- 8027.Six new ducks donated to city Six ducklings, seven-weeks-old, have been donated to the city and have taken up residence in West- mount Park duck pond in the wake of the recent duck killings, Mayor Brian Gallery announced yesterday.The birds were presented by Peter McKinnon, a Westmount citizen who is a director of Brome Lake Ltd, His Worship said.NEXT WEEK'S WEATHER By Capt Eric Neal June 12 to 19 Our summer commences with the coming full moon.Mainly sunny, misty and very warm to commence the week.High humidity and sultry during the day, \u201cwith risk of evening thunderstorms for many districts.Temperature range, night and day during the week: In the south, 3°C to 28°C; in the Laurentians, - 2°C and 24°C; for northern and eastern counties, -1°C and 20°C.Fifty sunny hours.Continued on page 12 Making all of Westmount your home Westmount PQ, H3Z 2Y8, Thursday, June 12, 1986 Vol.LVIII, No.24 Proclaimed for Tuesday: Neighbors Night Out \u2014 e sounding off against crime \u2018 Westmounters are being urged to turn on their porch lights and go into the streets to meet their neighbors next Tuesday between 8 pm and 9 pm in a symbolic fight against crime.The occasion is Neighbors Night Out, a coast-to-coast crime prevention program taking place June 17, and proclaimed here in Westmount by Mayor Brian Gallery at the city council meeting last week.\u201cWhat we plan to do is to tell burglars that collectively, as a community, we intend to take them on,\u201d Mayor Gallery said.\u201cWe're showing that we're present as a deterrent.\u201d To help push the project, the city is offering more than 40 home security devices as prizes, to be distributed by Neighborhood Watch block captains in separate drawings.A new 12-page booklet outlining 37 tips on burglar-proofing the home will be handed out by security patrols during the evening.The black and white pamphlets were prepared by the Insurance Bureau of Canada.In proclaiming the special night, Mayor Gallery urged children to make the event a \u201ckids night out\u201d by making noise in the street between 7 and 8 pm, followed by a \u201cparents night out\u201d between 8 and 9 pm.Individual blocks may decide to design their own activities such as Beyond Westmount's Borders .23 Building permits .31 Classified advertising .\u2026.32-35 Coming Events .16 Community calendar .2 Editorials/We Say .4 Education .38 Entertainment and eating .19-23 Examining the Files .\u2026.5 Fire calls for the week .3 Home improvement .\u2026.30-31 Judy Yelon\u2019'scartoon .5 Letters/You Say .4 Official Notice Board .\u2026 Lo.2 OurMPsays .5 OurMNAsays .Ce 5 Professional cards .12 Realty .6-9 Religious news .37 Social and women's interests .24-29 Sports and recreation .36,38-39 J By LAUREEN SWEENEY outside parties or barbecues; others may only depend on individual citizens to turn on their lights and meet each other for a few minutes.Although many communities participated in the national night out program last year, this will be West- a 7 on / rm ordi a! mount\u2019s first time, according to Neighborhood Watch co-ordinators who are planning the event here.The project is promoted on a national basis by Canadians for Crime Prevention and Alliance Prevention, associations of law enforcement and social groups.Continued on n page two L 2 BIG CHANGES AT ST MATTHIAS\u2019: This sign was posted recently outside St Matthias\u2019 Church, heralding some big changes at the local Anglican church.To see the complete sign, giving all the details, turn to page six.++