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8 - Orono Week Wednesday, January 19, 2005 *3! Monkey see, monkey skidoo A Superior Court judge in Quebec by the name of Helene Langlois has closed a 38 kilometre snowmobile trail through the Laurentians. She also awarded millions of dollars in damages to all citizens living within 100 metres of the trail. The decision leaves several thousand enthusiastic Québécois ski- doo-ers all dressed up in their snowsuits with no place to go. It also sets an ominous precedent for the free and unrestricted movement movement of snowmobilers throughout the country. It's difficult to know what to say in the wake of such a groundbreaking (snowplowing?) (snowplowing?) decision. How about "Justice Langlois for Prime Minister"? I never met the woman, but on the strength of her ruling, I'm elevating her to a front row seat in my pantheon pantheon of Canadian heroes. Right up there with Laura Secord, Charlotte Whitton and Stompin' Tom. Understand that the trail Justice Langlois has closed to snow machines is no back country idyll. It was basically basically a snowmobile thruway for Montrealers anxious to escape from the city. It passed through neighbourhoods neighbourhoods and by the homes of people who had moved to the country for peace and solitude. Ask Normand Lacroix about peace and solitude. His house in Saint-Jovite is about 60 feet from the trail. "It was hell, said Lacroix. "There would be 600, 700 even 1,000 snowmobiles every day." Well, no more. The route is closed. Monsieur Lacroix will now get the peace and quiet that every Canadian citizen should expect as a birthright, and if there's a God in heaven and she isn't wearing noise-suppression earmuffs, this decision will inspire lawmakers from Joe Batt's Arm to Bella Coola. I can remember the time I saw my first snowmobile, many moons ago. I was making my way through an untracked stretch of deep, snow-laden bush in southern Ontario (yes, Virginia, there was a time when 'wilderness' 'wilderness' and 'southern Ontario' did not constitute an oxymoron). oxymoron). It was a sunny day and the snow was deep, but the woods were ominously quiet with only the soft whump of my snowshoes disturbing the silence. Where are the birds, I won dered. How come no 'zing- zing' of pine siskins or rat-a- tat of woodpecker? Then I heard why. The unmistakable snarl of snowmobiles snowmobiles labouring up a hill toward me. In a few minutes three machines appeared and wallowed past me belching and farting exhaust fumes and noise. Their riders looked at me as if I was a mildly curious rock formation. formation. Nobody spoke. We couldn't have heard each other over the machines anyway. anyway. It never seems to occur to snowmobilers that their pastime pastime constitutes a gross invasion of everyone else's' privacy plus a monstrous kick in the privates to Mother Nature. Their machines desecrate the winter winter peace and destroy the very pristine wilderness experience they purport to make accessible. Sure, snowmobiles are important - even critical - to naturalists, law enforcement enforcement personnel, search and rescue teams and citizens who really need them. Fair enough. But the other 99 percent of snowmobilers? The parka'ed up couch potatoes potatoes who would otherwise be slouched in front of the boob tube snorkeling taco chips Feelings are important too How am I feeling? Am I feeling anger, frustration or fear? Because I am starting to tell you, I need you to talk to me or show me how to cope with my emotions. How you react to my emotions affects my self-esteem. How I feel Is as important as how I think. For information on the emotional well being of children 2 Va to 4 years and the community resources that help parents and caregivers, contact Durham Region Health Department at (905) 723-8521 ext. 2401 or 1-800-841-2729 ext. 2401 www.region.durham.on.ca and watching American ! football? The Canadian Council of Snowmobiles claims that snowmobiling is "great exercise". What exercise? exercise? Twisting a throttle? Zipping up a snowsuit? The council also claims that snowmobiling "brings people outdoors to interact with nature". Well, yeah - and good luck, nature. Snow-mobiles don't 'interact' 'interact' with nature - they gang- bang it. On one Saturday afternoon recently scientists recorded higher carbon monoxide levels at the West Yellowstone park entrance than you'd find on an L.A. freeway. In a single winter (1997) at the same park, snowmobiles emitted the equivalent of 68 years' worth of auto pollution. That's because snowmobiles are lousily designed. They use a highly-inefficient two-stroke engine that produces 100 times more. carbon monoxide monoxide and 300 times more hydrocarbons than autos. And that's without considering considering the noise pollution which drives me (and Normand Lacroix) nuts and does God knows what to wildlife. Listen: the greatest glory of this country's defining defining season is the peacefulness peacefulness that winter brings. The ineffable calm of a landscape landscape wrapped in a blanket of snow. And you don't need - in fact, you can't have - a snowmobile to enjoy that. Get a dogsled. Get some snowshoes. Get a pair of cross country skis. Get a life. Caregiver education workshop answers dementia questions New caregivers of people with dementia can learn more about Alzheimers Disease and related dementia dementia at a workshop coming up later this month. Alzheimer Society of Durham Region is running a "Family Caregiver Education Workshop" on Thursday, January 27th from 1 pm to 3:30 p.m. at the Society's office in the Oshawa Centre's office tower. (Suite 207 - 419 King Street West) The "Family Caregiver Education Workshop" features features practical tools that , caregivers can use to help them deal with common issues in dementia caregiving caregiving such as communications losses and coping strategies. Information on the effect of Alzheimer Disease on the brain, an overview of diagnostic diagnostic methods and tools, an explanation of the stages of Alzheimer Disease, current treatments available and support services offered by the Alzheimer Society will also be included. Advanced registration is requested and there is a $5.00 materials fee. Each participant will receive a resource package with valuable valuable information for caregivers. caregivers. To register for the workshop, workshop, contact the Alzheimer Society of Durham Region at 905-576-2567 or 1-888- 301-1106. MORRIS FUNERAL CHAPEL LTD. SERVING DURHAM REGION SINCE 1841 ALL FUNERAL SERVICES PREARRANGED AND/OR PREPAID BURIAL - CREMATION - TRANSFERS "WHERE PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE IS IMPORTANT' FUNERAL DIRECTORS PAUL R. MORRIS DOUG R. RUTHERFORD GARY M. CONWAY DEBRA D. CAMPKIN Healthy Babies Healthy Children Ontario 905-623-5480 4 DIVISION ST.. BQWMANVILLE • »T QUEEN »T. leAllHAMI (iriuaMK BhwMhU Cmly Ybkis