host picture

August 2012 Archives

Happy Birthday to August Fenton-Webster

augustafenton.jpg
Breakaway listener Augusta Fenton-Webster turned 100 years of age today. Marianne Philippeaux, is the coordinator at the seniors home where Augusta lives in Trois-Rivières, and where the phone has been ringing all day with congratulations.



Download Flash Player to view this content.

Isle-aux-Coudres' island doctor

Although he won't talk politics, Dr. Marcel Ethier is the kind of family doctor being talked about so much in the current provincial election campaign. Dr. Ethier is the only doctor on Isle-aux-Coudres, with about 1,200 patients relying on his services. Sometimes the good doctor even arrives on horseback! The CBC's Peter Black met with Dr. Ethier and his horses, Patouf and Maggie.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

New Richmond Bluegrass Festival bigger than ever

new_day_dawning.jpgUp until Sunday, on the site of New Richmond's Gaspesian British Heritage Village there will be more than 50 shows on three stages as part of the Bluegrass Festival. Some of this continent's best will be performing, including Nashville's The Roys, originally from New Brunswick, and these days climbing the charts in Nashville. We catch up with siblings Lee and Elaine Roy, and the director of this big event, Mike Geraghty, who talks about the festive atmosphere, with free camping and loads of late-night jams.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

Dead or deranged gannets showing up along the Lower North Shore

Over the past week, Lower North Shore residents have been reporting dead gannets washing up on shore and others exhibiting strange behaviours in the region.  Randy Jones, mayor of Gros Mecatina, called in from Tabatcher to explain what he's seen and heard about this strange and troubling situation involving these large seabirds. 
Download Flash Player to view this content.

Touring the mills on Isle-aux-Coudres

399729_440003796040885_1145704302_n.jpg
Today was the official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Isle-aux-Coudres for the half-million dollar project to repair and restore the 176 year-old windmill on the island. The last time it worked was back in 1999. This weekend, the CBC's Peter Black visited the Économusée de la meunerie and toured both the windmill and the watermill with guide Jean Castro.

Download Flash Player to view this content.

L'Isle aux Coudres celebrates 50 years since NFB documentary

Pour-la-suite-du-monde_small.jpgThe NFB documentary "Pour La Suite du Monde" captured community life on L'Isle aux Coudres, in the Charlevoix, in 1962. This past weekend, people on the island marked the 50th anniversary of the film with a special screening and an exhibition. The CBC's Peter Black met with Francine Tremblay, the grand-daughter of one of central characters in the film.
 
Download Flash Player to view this content.

English School Boards react to CAQ's plan to abolish their institutions

Reaction today from the Central Quebec School Board (CQSB) in response to the CAQ's plan to abolish school boards across the province, if elected on September 4, 2012. Party leader François Legault wants to transform the province's elected school boards into unelected school service centres. The CQSB is responsible for a territory that covers 30% of this province, with English schools from Trois-Rivières to Schefferville. Stephen Burke, the Chairman of the CQSB, spoke with Jacquie about his concerns. 
Download Flash Player to view this content.

A union for junior hockey players?

It's not just the NHL that has looming labour troubles. There's a movement afoot to unionize major junior hockey players. The Canadian Hockey League Players Association hopes to file applications for unions covering players in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. One of the most outspoken advocates for better working conditions for junior hockey players is Gilles Lupien. The former NHL player is now an agent, and earlier today he spoke with producer Peter Black.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

Rediscovering St. John the Evangelist Cemetery

rahce.jpgSt. John the Evangelist Cemetery dates back to 1845, but over the years, its exact location was lost and the site largely forgotten. Canon Harold Brazel went searching for the cemetery in the 1980s, but never found the spot. Steve Cameron, co-founder of the Irish heritage and history group Coirneal Cealteach, recently took up the search and found exactly where it was located, on St. Margaret's Range. He took our Rachelle Solomon there to see what remains and to talk about the history of Irish settlers in the region.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

Riding Profile: Lévis

The riding of Lévis was once a Parti Québécois stronghold. Then it went ADQ. But now the Liberals are trying to retain their hold on the south shore beachhead of Lévis. The CBC's Peter Tardif met with most of the candidates in that riding and prepared this riding profile.

Download Flash Player to view this content.

The Craig's Road in St-Sylvestre

578657_437178739656724_638317450_n.jpgIn the early 1800s, the Craig's Road opened the province to new immigrants, connecting Quebec City to Boston. Earlier this year, in June, the municipality of St-Sylvestre designated a 200m dirt road an historical site, identifying that it is indeed an original section of that historic route. Steve Cameron, co-founder of the Irish historical and heritage group Coirneal Cealteach, took the CBC's Rachelle Solomon for a drive along Route 269 and then a walk along the re-discovered site.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

Coirneal Cealteach: Preserving Irish History

stevecameron.jpg

Steve Cameron is a co-founder of Coirneal Cealteach, an Irish history and heritage group based in Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbinière. Coirneal Cealteach means Celtic corner and it's also the name given to the site of the Celtic cross that stands in Sainte-Agathe. Fueled by a passion for preserving the history of their ancestors, the volunteers who make up the group are putting up physical markers to ensure future generations know this province's Irish history. Before taking the CBC's Rachelle Solomon on a tour of two re-discovered heritage sites, Steve Cameron talked about researching the stories in the region.


Download Flash Player to view this content.

Second edition of the Eastern Townships Film Festival underway

The second edition of the Eastern Townships Film Festival showcases over 30 films from 12 countries, not to mention workshops, guest speakers and a film competition for young filmmakers. The woman behind it all is General Director Pepita Ferrari. She's also a filmmaker herself - an animator, director and producer. She tells Rachelle Solomon all about the second edition of the festival, which takes place this weekend in Brome Lake.

Download Flash Player to view this content.

Flash Mob to perform somewhere in Quebec City

choir2.JPG
A Flash Mob will perform somewhere in Quebec City tomorrow, Friday, August 17, at four o'clock. The group, part of l'Atelier d'harmonies de village de Québec, a choir in Quebec City, will surprise the public at an undisclosed location with a song of African origin and a bit of dance. Our Peter Tardif headed out to a rehearsal for a sneak peak of the Flash Mob's performance.

Download Flash Player to view this content.

Remembering two pillars of the English-speaking community

Sad news to pass on. Two very active and beloved members of the English-speaking community died over the past few days: Emma Duncan-Kerr and Marc Deslauriers. The Breakaway team recently met up with both of them when we broadcast the show from Baie-Comeau on March 2, 2012. We extend our sincerest condolences to their families and friends.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

The future of the Gentilly-2 nuclear plant

At almost 30 years of age, the Gentilly-2 nuclear power plant is fast approaching the end of its life expectancy. By December, Hydro-Quebec and the provincial government must decide either to refurbish the facility or to shut it down.  Despite the stakes, the issue has been largely absent from the election campaign. The CBC's Glenn Wanamaker spoke with Quebec energy economist Jean-Thomas Bernard about the plant's future.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

Voter profiles make up video essay

poidsdunevoix.jpgFor each day of these provincial elections, a filmmaker is posting a video profile of a voter living somewhere in the province. The interactive online project is called "Le poids d'une voix: 30 élécteurs," co-produced by the ONF/NFB and Le Devoir. Jérémie Battaglia is traveling Quebec, speaking with people about democracy and asking them to share their political views. Rachelle reached him just as he arrived in Val d'Or. 


Download Flash Player to view this content.

Old Fashioned Day at the Cookshire Fairgrounds

Quilting, wool spinning, weaving, and lace making are just some of the handicrafts that will be part of the demonstrations on Sunday at the the Cookshire Fairgrounds. The yearly event is a fundraiser for the Eaton Corner Museum. Rachelle Solomon called up two participants, Alberta Everett and Wells Coats, who have been bringing their talent and enthusiasm to Old Fashioned Day for many years.

Download Flash Player to view this content.

Different political parties using same stock photo

jeanniebird.JPGA woman from Sutton has appeared in campaign material for three different political parties: the Conservative Party of Canada, the Bloc Québécois and the Parti Québécois. Jeannie Bird participated in a stock photography session in 2011 and has since seen the same image, where she's wearing a red and black flannel jacket, pop up in political ads. Julia Caron tracked down Jeannie Bird and looked into this stock photo situation.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

Circus show inspired by Elsie Reford's life

In 1926, Elsie Reford began transforming what was once her uncle's fishing camp into a garden. That garden, Les Jardins de Métis or, the Reford Gardens, first opened to the public 50 years ago and continues to welcome visitors from all over the world. At the end of the month, an original circus show, Qualia, will tell the story of the gardens and its founder, on site in Grand-Metis. We called up the creative team behind the show to find out how this unique tribute is coming together... 

Download Flash Player to view this content.

Going beneath the Dufferin Terrace

IMG-20120725-00093.JPGIf you've walked along the Dufferin Terrace in Quebec City any time over the last few years, you'll have noticed quite a few changes. Rachelle Solomon takes us beneath the popular terrace to see how history is being preserved by Parks Canada in a new museum.

Download Flash Player to view this content.

New editions of a Lower Saint Lawrence classic

A book written 52 years ago captures so much of the history of the Lower Saint Lawrence, with stories and anecdotes from both permanent and summer residents. Two new editions of Alice Sharples Baldwin's "Métis Wee Scotland of the Gaspé" were released today. Alexander Reford, president of Heritage Lower Saint Lawrence, piloted the project and explained what this classic means to the community.

Download Flash Player to view this content.

White lobster caught on the Lower North Shore

white lobster.jpg

A fisherman on the Lower North Shore has made quite a catch. He's brought up a white lobster and now he wants to find it a home... but he can't seem to find an aquarium that's interested. Mayor Randy Jones called us up this afternoon to tell the story.



Download Flash Player to view this content.

The musical legacy of Joe Drody in Douglastown

As Douglastown Irish Week continues in the Gaspe, Jacquie took a closer look - and listen - to some of the fiddling that's so much a part of the region's musical history. Glenn Patterson explained how this year's festival is celebrating the late Joe Drody and his contributions to the musical heritage of the coast.
Download Flash Player to view this content.

The legacy of the Carrick shipwreck in Gaspé

carricks.jpgIn 1847, the Carrick, one of the over 400 immigrant ships from Ireland, smashed onto the rocks of Cap-des-Rosiers. A few years back, when Montreal's Peggy O'Reilly Sclater saw the monument that marks the mass grave of the victims, she started searching for descendants of the Carrick's 48 survivors. So far, she has eight names. Jacquie spoke with her about the talk she gave in Douglastown as part of the village's many Irish Week events.

Download Flash Player to view this content.

Webster at les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France

jacquiewebster.JPGOver the next few days, les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France will fill the streets of Quebec City with period costumes, music, food and workshops. Hip-hop artist Webster is history-savvy, working historic events and figures from the province into his music. Webster joined Jacquie to talk about the lecture he's prepared about the presence of black people in Quebec and Canada as part of the city's yearly festival on New France.


Download Flash Player to view this content.