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Mercury
Inside NEWS
Year 141, Issue 26
Thursday, January 5, 2012 • 32 pages
www.yourottawaregion.com
RPG under the microscope
Three former RCI students died as a result of a crash Tuesday night near Sudbury. – Page 10 –
COMMUNITY
STEVE NEWMAN steve.newman@metroland.com
The Beavers held their investiture ceremony, moving up from Kits Crew to Beavers, in the St. Thomas the Apostle School auditorium. – Page 9 –
The Ontario Superior Court has awarded $85,450 in costs to a group of Round Lake property owners who are pursuing a class action suit against Renfrew Power Generation. Justice Robert Smith delivered the formal order in early December in favour of the group known as Coalition 108. The formal order was a result of Justice Smith’s summer ruling, in which he concluded that the group had grounds to pursue a class action suit against RPG. The formal order was a result of Justice Smith’s summer ruling, in which he concluded that the group had grounds to pursue a class action suit against RPG. See CLASS ACTION, Page 9
Mercury photos by Peter Clark
CATCHING SOME AIR Freestyle skiers spent several days at Calabogie Peaks last week perfecting their aerial moves with the help of the AcroBag. The huge soft air bag is used by young and experienced ski and snowboard athletes across the country as a safe landing site. Visitors included, at right, Douglas Cotter of Kanata.
Mother and daughter die in New Year’s Day crash
SPORTS
STEVE NEWMAN steve.newman@metroland.com
A two-car collision New Year’s Day on Highway 301 has resulted in the death of Renfrew Subway employee Michelle Berndt, 19, and her mother, Guylaine Lepage, 48. The accident happened at 4:30 p.m. on the Quebec side of the Chenaux Bridge, near Portage-du-Fort, resulting in the closure of that stretch of highways 653 and 301 for about four hours. Three people, who were travelling in the other vehicle, sustained minor injuries. Conditions were above freezing, with wet snow on the roads. Berndt, who started working at the Renfrew
Fulton’s prevails in an all-Renfrew peewee house tournament final. – Page 22 –
Major stories in 2011: Gallant, Yakabuski, County Expo 150
Subway last spring, was a cheerful, helpful soul, says fellow Subway staff member Sue Fleming of Renfrew. “She got on with everybody. She was bubbly,” said Fleming. “She always had something to talk about. And if customers had problems, or spoke French, she’d jump in and help.” Berndt’s mother, father (Robert Berndt) or brother (Jesse) often picked her up for the ride home to Litchfield, Que. At the time of the crash, she was returning from her shift at Subway with her mother, who was driving. “I’ve never had to go through something like this before,” said Fleming, who hired Berndt at Renfrew Subway. Berndt was also among employees who attended a Christmas party at
STEVE NEWMAN steve.newman@metroland.com
Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant has been in the eye of many storms since first elected to Parliament as a Canadian Alliance Party member in 2000. Those storms included controversial comments made early last year, about search-and-res-
Fleming’s house just a few days earlier. An anonymous caller to The Mercury said it’s time that highway was better maintained in winter months. “Straight through from Storyland to Portage, the road is never done properly,” he said. “And people have lost their lives more than once on that stretch of highway. What I’m trying to say is somebody should be doing something about it. It’s not very nice to know you have to be worried about the road rather than the weather conditions. It’s just neglect.” The accident is still under investigation. There is no official cause of the collision, at this time, but Sgt. Richard Gagne of the Surete du Quebec said an investigation should be concluded by next week.
cue operations, at a federal defence committee in St. John’s that even had Prime Minister Stephen Harper distancing himself from the comments. But voters clearly saw beyond the muddy waters, as former Liberal MP Hec Clouthier failed to make the inroads he hoped for in the riding of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke. See YEAR IN REVIEW, Page 2
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