SPEC Headlines, May 2, 2004

Gaspé College Professor receives award
Jeanie LeLacheur

 Mr. Jean-Pierre Villeneuve, Director of Studies has announced the
recommendation of Robert Wolfe as a recipient of an Honourable Mention for
Teaching Personnel by the AQPC (Association Québecouse de Pédagogie
Collégiale) for 2004.
Mr. Wolfe has taught chemistry on the English sector of the Gaspé college
for over thirty years, and has earned a reputation for being  on the
students side.  "I like to think of it as a team," says Mr. Wolfe, "the
students and I against the material they have to learn."    He speaks of
the importance of trust and respect in  his relationship with his students
and  genuine concern is evident as he explains the need to be available to
the students  when they have time and not necessarily just when he may have
office hours.

Regional budget for roads set at $31.5 million
Gilles Gagné

NEW CARLISLE - The Québec government will inject $31.5 million in road
construction and improvements in 2004 in the Gaspé and Magdalen Islands, an
increase compared to the $26 million budget of 2003 but still $5M less than
two years ago.

Close to $8M will go to asphalt replacement, while $1,476,000 will be used
to improve road structures. The lion' share of the regional budget, $22
million, will go to "road improvements", mainly the construction or
re-construction of stretches of roads.


In 10 years the UI reform has deprived the Gaspé economy of $547 million
Gilles Gagné

    NEW RICHMOND - Changes to the Unemployment Insurance program has
deprived the Gaspé Peninsula and Magdalen Islands economy of $547.4 million
since 1993. This statistic was compiled by the Action Chômage Pabok
coalition, based on data  from the federal department of Human Resources
Development.
    Gaspesians received $214.8 million in unemployment insurance in 1993.
Last year that number was down to $181M. The low point of the decade
occurred in 1997, when $104M worth of cheques were handed out to Gaspesians
following the drastic cuts of 1996, which convinced thousands of people, in
the Gaspe, Lower Saint Lawrence and New Brunswick to demonstrate against
changes proposed by then ministers Lloyd Axworthy and Doug Young.
    Over the decade, the number of Gaspesian recipients also declined
considerably, from 18,000 to 14,500. A study carried out  by former Québec
Minister Jacques Léonard also reveals that the average annual sum paid to
recipients declined by $2,305 since 1994, from $9,018 to $6,713 for the
average Quebecer.