SPEC Headlines, May 4, 2003

Nathalie Normandeau  two responsabilities, Regional Development and Tourism
Gilles Gagné

Bonaventure Member of National Assembly Nathalie Normandeau received two
nominations to the Cabinet, on April 29th. She will be Delegate Minister of
Regional Development and Delegate Minister of Tourism. She will work in
collaboration with Michel Audet, the former president of the provincial
Chamber of Commerce, who will be Minister of Economic and Regional
Development.

The importance of both ministries is somewhat reduced in the new Cabinet,
because the two responsibilities did not carry the adjective "delegate" in
the previous government.

Ms. Normandeau was reached at press time and she was very happy to work in
two fields related to her region. "I am also very happy to work with Michel
Audet. I have enjoyed every minute of this day so far".


DFO closes cod fishery
Charlene Eden

Last Thursday, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Robert Thibault confirmed
the closure of the Northern Cod and northern and southern Gulf of St.
Lawrence cod fisheries to both commercial and recreational fishing.  The
decision comes despite a recommendation by the Fisheries Resource
Conservation Council (FRCC) to avoid a moratorium by lowering total
allowable catch (TAC) levels in the three zones.  The moratorium will affect
some 6,000 workers, including 2,000 in Quebec.
    Upon announcing the decision, Mr. Thibault pointed to the weakness of
the stocks to justify closing down the fishery.  ³For all three stocks,
abundance and the number of spawning adults is low and declining.  To
compound this difficulty, high mortality and low production of juveniles is
slowing growth of the adult population.  All three of these stocks are below
the levels where the harm is serious, and it may be very hard to reverse
this trend.  Keeping these fisheries open would reduce the spawning stocks,
and increase the risk of commercial extinction of these stocks,² he said.
   
No funds for Military Museum
Phillip Doddridge

    Since 1995 a small but dedicated group has been working to establish a
Military Museum in New Richmond. The purpose of the Museum is to preserve,
for posterity, the memory of the efforts and sacrifices of military men and women
 of the Gaspé Coast who gave their youth and in too many instances, their lives,
in the cause of freedom. In the beginning, we were advised to engage a design
firm to suggest plans and offer directions for the establishment of a museum.
This was a costly venture, but we did receive some money in the form of grants
to cover the cost. However, the manager of this corporation was so impressed
by the fact that fifty-three men from Maria, St. Jules, Grand Cascapedia, and
New Richmond, had enlisted and gone to Hong Kong, that he emphasized the
role of Hong Kong Veterans in World War II.