Halloween time warp
In the 50s and 60s when I grew up in Cowansville, Quebec socks were darned, baths shared, kids roamed wild, and we licked the cream off the paper tops of milk bottles. As a kid, my mother and I spent the entire month of October, being excited for Halloween and costumes were planned. There was happiness in the air Halloween night with lots of "thank you," and "please come again” as doorbells were rang and the words “Trick or Treat” were heard in the air.
Most of the kids that lived on Albert Street climbed the big hill to William Street first as word on the street was “the best candy in town” was located there. It was the first place I ever saw treat-size chocolate bars and you could barely move because there were so many children.
In 1962 I officially became a Beatnik at the age of 11. There were no official notices, no immediate black clothing; I just got up one morning and started to write bad poetry, and that was that. The primary inspiration was the fact that my father said that Jack Kerouac was a bad influence on young people, and that was enough for me.
That year my Halloween costume was a green wool sweater that barely covered my derriere, thick red tights, and a red beret. Yes, I was dressed as part of the Beat Generation. As one of my friends said it was Halloween and everyone was entitled to one good scare-- and I was it.
High school came and It was now that part of my life where I wanted to be accepted. Unfortunately fitting in on Halloween included toilet paper, soap and shaving cream. We teepeed quite a few houses with one ply and eggs were thrown. I knew repenting later would not cure mischief, so I declined to participate. Thankfully nowadays, deer destroy the carved pumpkins and eggs are hopefully being celebrated with a local food drive.
In my 20s I became a fashion designer and because I was so eclectic everyday became Halloween for me and I never really looked back. Some people just didn’t get my thoughts on style and still don’t. My thoughts? If the broom fits, keep on riding it.
Nowadays kids seldom know the past joys of trick or treating we enjoyed. Along with non-flammable costumes they only accept gluten free, non GMO, and locally sourced candy. There’s no “App” for the past to portray the scary plastic costumes of witches, vampires or ghouls of days gone by. They are now only part of our past memories. Maybe it’s a good thing, because at this point in the month of October my blood type is now registered as Pumpkin Spice. Now that’s scary!
On October 19, 2018, the presidents of the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) and, its French counterpart, the FCSQ, congratulated our new Education Minister, Jean-françois Roberge, and requested a meeting "as soon as possible" to discuss priority issues in education.
No question, one of those issues will be the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) education plan to transform elected school boards to practical administrative service centers. This will be done by scrapping school board elections and investing precious school tax dollars in schools and their governing boards, where the major decision-making will be made by those closest to our children.
This past weekend the QESBA held its Annual General Meeting, an Executive Committee Meeting, and a Board of Directors Meeting.
According to QESBA'S 'Weekly Message,' details of their Strategic Plan will be finalized "to put in place a concrete road map" for the next three years, starting in 2019.
The 'Message' also stated that prior to these meetings, QESBA Executive Director, Russell Copeman, was interviewed on the CAQ position on School Boards.
A CTV piece was titled: "Copeman: English education not subject to 'Notwithstanding, ' and the CJAD: "CAQ can't get rid of English school boards that easily: Cope an."
That said, let's review what MNA Christopher Skeete, who is Premier Legault's parliamentary secretary for relations with the English-speaking community and responsible for the secretariat said on the matter.
" The CAQ has been clear: English-speaking Quebecers are a founding people of Quebec, English people should feel at home in Quebec and that is never going to change." "What we’re talking about with school boards is giving more power to English-speaking Quebecers by decentralizing decision-making, empowering parents, empowering teachers and empowering the local principals .... I think it’s an empowerment vehicle, not a disempowerment thing or a disadvantage."
For the greater good, in this high-tech communications world, the CAQ education plan should be welcomed by the Anglo community. TO THE EDITOR
ICHRIS EUSTACE MONTREAL, QC
n your recent Seniors supplement you included an article headed Top 5 questions you should ask your doctor about prescribed medications. There is an important sixth questions you should always ask, is there a possibility of any significant side effects? Some time ago I started taking a prescribed medication and began having severe backache. I googled this particular medication and found that backache was a common side effect. I consulted my pharmacist and he confirmed that this was so and immediately called my doctor to get it changed. I think my doctor would have warned me in advance if I had asked him.
YOURS, JOHN HOBLYN