SPEC Headlines, June 1, 2003

Department of Health trying to solve problems at the Chandler Hospital
Gilles Gagné  

CHANDLER - Québec's Department of Health and Social Services will try to
solve the crisis at  Chandler Hospital, with the collaboration of the
Regional Health Board  for the Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands. So far, one
meeting has been held in Québec City, regrouping delegate minister Roger
Paquet, Régie's director Pierre Portelance and hospital director general
Chantal Duguay.

Minister Paquet reassured the management of the hospital, saying that a set
of measures will be submitted in order to lower the pressure.

A public meeting held  May 20th in Chandler, prior to the intervention of
Minister Paquet, gathered more than 100 people, some of them employees of
the institution. The meeting confirmed that the population of the area is
indeed worried by the departure of Renée Soucy, the only gynaecologist of
the Percé Rock MRC.  Dr. Soucy, originally from Chandler, is supposed to
leave on July 1st, for Montreal.

Gaspesie to reap benefits from accommodation tax
Charlene Eden

    As of July 1st, the Gaspesie region will implement an accommodation tax
under Law 76.  According to the law, inn owners will be required to add a
$2.00 tax to the cost of renting a room per night.  The tax comes after a
majority of inn owners that are members of the Gaspesian Regional Tourist
Association (ATR) voted in favour of it.  The money generated from the tax,
which will ultimately be allocated to ATR by the government, will be used to
create a fund designed for promoting the region.
    According to Tourism Minister Nathalie Normandeau, the Gaspesie will be
the ninth region to implement Law 76.  Miss Normandeau argues that inn
owners have made the right choice in agreeing to implement the tax.  ³When I
entered as Tourism Minister, one of the first files to land on my desk was
the file of ATR, with the accommodation tax.  We are happy to announce that
our government has given, with the help of the region, extra tools in order
to develop and promote the advantages of the tourist industry of the
Gaspesie by putting in place the accommodation tax for the Gaspesie,² she
said.

Charest promises an answer on Murdochville by the end of June
Charlene Eden

    Last Thursday, Quebec premier Jean Charest and Regional Minister
Nathalie Normandeau met with a delegation from Murdochville, including the
town¹s mayor Marc Minville, to discuss the possibility of compensation for
those who wish to leave Murdochville.  The Liberal government promised that
compensation would be given to the town¹s citizens, if no major job creation
projects were on the horizon by the end of June.
    Mr. Minville argues that any compensation package would have to consider
all the town¹s commercial and residential property owners.  According to Mr.
Minville¹s calculation¹s, compensation will come at a heavy price.  "I did
a rapid evaluation for the citizens.  It will take $25 million, if we talk
seriously about compensation.  But these people pay taxes and they deserve
to be compensated.  They cannot sell their houses or their businesses," he
said.
Despite the large sum that it would take to compensate Murdochville¹s
property owners, Mr. Minville is confident that the new government will
honour its promise.  "It is a priority of the new government.  We have
already met with the government last week. I have met with Miss Normandeau
numerous times. I think that the government is serious about compensating
the citizens of Murdochville," he said.