Conference kaosws::canada

    I would rent a car, if for no other reason than the fact that it is
    more flexible.  Since Ottawa is only 2 hrs away, and the ride is easy,
    the trip is not a strain.  You can even do Ottawa in a day and return
    to Montreal, depending upon how much you want to see in Ottawa.
    
    I would think that the MPs would be back from Easter break by then but
    its possible that they won't.  There is a general tour of the HOC, and
    I don't think they stop in the visitor's gallery, they pass by.  I went
    into the visitor's gallery after dropping by my MP's office and
    requesting a pass.  Suitable attire is required for this.  I don't know
    about "general" visitors.
    
    Be sure to see the Museum of Science and Technology, the National
    Gallery and the Museum of Civilization.
    
    Pieter
    

There are also rumours that an election is upcoming, maybe in the spring.

No house of commons session during campaigning.

/Mario

    Thanks for the advice so far.  I imagine that I could write a letter to
    either the Canadian Embassy in Washington or the Consulate here in Los
    Angeles and inquire about gallery seats in Commons.  Even thought I'm
    not a citizen, perhaps I could go to the office of the riding I used to 
    live in (Fraser Valley East, B.C.) and get them there.  They may never
    know the difference.
    
    Any advice on the leg from Ottawa to Quebec City?  Looks like a long
    drive on the map.  
    
    In my position, I don't travel much. Anyone know of a DEC rate on a 
    car/hotels in Ottawa/Quebec City?  
    
    Thanks for the help so far!
    -Rick

>    
>    Any advice on the leg from Ottawa to Quebec City?  Looks like a long
>    drive on the map.  
>    
Ottawa to Quebec is about 4.5 -> 5 hours driving ... providing you don't
pick a bad time to cross Montreal.  Driving through Montreal is an experience
in itself!  Beware of bridge construction ... it only serves to make rush
hour delays into don't rush three hours!

>    In my position, I don't travel much. Anyone know of a DEC rate on a 
>    car/hotels in Ottawa/Quebec City?  

Avis car rental is approximately 147.50 CDN per week for a compact car,
unlimited kms ... apparently you now have to pay CDW on Canadian pleasure
rentals.

Hotels from VTX ...

           HOTEL DES GOUVERNEURS                   $85.00
            3030 Laurier Blvd
            Sainte-Foy   Quebec
            G1V 2M5

            Phone:  (418) 651-3030
            Fax: act:  Martin Lachance



            JOURNEY'S END                           $45.88  Jan - Apr
            7320 Boul. Wilfred Hamel                $49.88  May - Dec
            Sainte-Foy   Quebec
            G2G 1C1
            Fax:    (418) 872-1905

            Distance to Airport:    (YQB) 10 km - on main road to Airport
            Distance to DEC Office: 12 km

            Contact:  Marie LeClair

 

    If you don't want to go into Montreal on your way to Ottawa, you can
    take a 4 lane highway (sorry, don't know the number) that leaves
    Highway 40 just east of Montreal and circles to the west, ending up in
    Oka.  You can then take a very short ferry ride to Hudson, Quebec where
    you can pick up Highway 40 again.
    
    I don't know when the ferry runs (which months), but the service is
    very frequent and very cheap - $5.00 for a vehicle and $0.25/person?
    
    I like to take the ferry because it breaks up the trip quite nicely,
    especially if you're travelling with children.
    
    Regards,
                                                  
    Lockyer
    

>Avis car rental is approximately 147.50 CDN per week for a compact car,
>unlimited kms ... apparently you now have to pay CDW on Canadian pleasure
>rentals.

Not if you have a gold VISA/MC or AMEX card which covers CDW.

/john

>
>Not if you have a gold VISA/MC or AMEX card which covers CDW.
>
>/john


Let me rephrase that ...

In Canada, CDW is not included in the rental price.  For business rentals
for Canadian Employees, self insurance and Amex corporate card covers
any loss incurred because of not taking CDW (LDW).  For non-Canadian
employees, on business use, you should check with your local management
if you do not have a corporate card that covers such loss.  For all
personal rentals, you are responsible for paying CDW if you choose to or
for the loss if you don't.  You may have a charge card that provides
insurance to cover the amount of loss if you waive CDW ... but this is not
the same ...

Amex and other cards DO NOT cover the CDW ... they provide equivalent 
insurance ... you are still personally responsible to the rental company 
for any loss up to the renter responsibility.  If there is any problem 
relating to the settlement of the loss in case of an accident, then you 
still must pay the rental company, and wait, hopefully for the Credit card 
company's insurer to cough up!  The renter will not waive your personal
responsibility just because you have a Card that provides CDW equivalent
coverage.


Sorry to be pedantic aboubt this John, but there is a world of difference.
I have heard of people get nailed for $3000 because of exclusion clauses in
the credit card coverages.

Stuart

    
    Stuart,
    
    I'm glad you added the last paragraph at the end of your reply!!
    
    I was just thinking to myself, "Boy, how pedantic can you get!!"
    
    Ben :^)

    It's a 3-hour drive from Montr�al to Qu�bec City.
    
    Ideally, you'll want to go to Qu�bec City by train for 2 reasons... the
    ride between Montr�al and Qu�bec is BORING, and parking is not great
    in Qu�bec City.  It is an old city, with narrow streets that worked
    fine for horse-drawn carriages, but not great for cars.
    
    As well, Qu�bec City is compact, and you can walk around the center
    very easily without wheels.  If you bring a car, be prepared to pay for
    parking.  Whatever you do, DON'T MISS QU�BEC CITY!
    
    BTW, Qu�bec City is North America's only walled city.  The Museum
    of Qu�bec used to be a prison, and you can see paintings in the prison
    walls and cells.  The City, itself, is a museum.  You won't believe
    your eyes.
    
    Lucky you... Qu�bec City in April... it should be just glorious.
    
    In Montr�al, make sure you visit the Biodome, the Botanical Gardens,
    St. Joseph's Oratory, Notre Dame Church, the Underground City, The
    Museum of Fine Arts, the Archeological Center, etc.
    
    Normand
    Montr�al  

        My family and I would like to visit the Quebec City area of
        Canada later this month (August).  We would like to combine a
        day or two touring the city with two or three days in the
        countryside (our ideal would be a cabin in the woods near a
        swimming area).  We would probably prefer that the country
        accommodations be close enough to the city that we would just
        drive in there for the day.  Anyone with any suggestions for
        such a place to stay?

        How much problem will it be for us that none of us speaks a
        word of French?  (We have conflicting goals here:  we want to
        go someplace that really "foreign" but we need to be able to
        negotiate our way!)

        Thanks!
        Bob Fleischer

Re: A place to go swimming in August.

If it's outdoors you may find it a bit cool but you may get lucky.

My wife, kid and I went to Quebec city in July and stayed in a place called the
Quebec Inn in St-Foy in the outskirts of the city close to the airport.  It's
an atrium style hotel with tropical plant style setting.  There's an indoor 
pool, jacuzzi, excercise, etc... in the atrium.  If you get an in-facing
room, you can have a balcony right overlooking the pool.  If you have kids 
it's almost guaranteed they'll enjoy it, and it's weather proof.  $88.50/night.
We had room 163 which was right above the pool.

Re: speaking English.

No problem there.  Tourist establishments, restaurants all speak english as 
there are lots of american tourists, from what I could see anyway.

/Mario

    Also in St. Foy is the Chateau Bon(ne?) Entente - it's an older
    establishment with a main building and smaller cabins surrounding a
    play area and pool.  I stayed there a couple of times and think I wrote
    about the hotel in this conference previously.
    
    Regards,
    
    Garry

    
    

?No problem there.  Tourist establishments, restaurants all speak english as 
?there are lots of american tourists, from what I could see anyway.
    
    
    	Hmmm, Mario what does an American tourist look like anyway? :-)
    
    

    The American tourists are the ones wearing the hats with great big neon
    letters that light up and say "AMERICAN TOURIST".
    
    Generally very easy to spot.
    
    Glenn

    RE: Use of English in Ville de Quebec,
    
    When I was there in April, I found that an attempt to speak French was
    appreciated by everybody I encountered.  Although most service workers
    in Vieux Quebec will speak English, they will put up wilt pigin French
    from an American.
    
    Another tip:
    	Although the greenback is redially accepted all over Canada,
    Canadian money is another good thing to have.  Also, exchange rates are
    better in Canadian Banks than in Canadian Tire.
    
    
    
    
    

Mike,

American tourists smoke stinkin' fags and drive cars with american plates.

/Mario

    And we pay a lot less $$ for both!
    
     BBrown

	So we Canadians are the ones smoking stinkin' fags and driving
	cars with Canadian plates...or Mario, are some fag's better smelling
	that others.

	Charlie

   :: The American tourists are the ones wearing the hats with great big neon
   :: letters that light up and say "AMERICAN TOURIST".
    
   :: Generally very easy to spot.
    
    
    
    	Hmmm, 
    
    	I guess that's  why they had all those troubles is the jungle in
    Nam?
    
    	Mario,
    
    	Smells like you have a Jos. Louis on your breath.

    Quebec City.
    
    Re: .9  Plenty of parking under the City. Rates aren't too too bad.
    By the way Normand, what's the deal with the backward question marks
    substituting the "e's" in Quebec and Montreal?  Is it a custom I am 
    unaware of.
    
    My Wife and I are looking forward to our yearly pilgrimage to the Old
    City (late fall).  Looks like it's about that time to recharge the 
    ol' neon sign and take up smoking again.
    
    Steve
    

>>  Looks like it's about that time to recharge the 
>>    ol' neon sign and take up smoking again.
    
    8^)
    
    Glenn

    re -.2
    
    ��� (what you see as ???) 
    are part of the multinational character set supported by DEC if your
    terminal is capable of displaying these (most are if VT220 and up) and
    your port is set to 8 bits.
    
    Jean
    

>>>    ��� (what you see as ???) 
    
    Thanks Jean - I forgot completly about the accents.  I can see 'em
    today considering I'm on my workstation. Yesterday I was on my VT240 
    all day. It was quite uncomfortable :=)
    
    Steve

    What is the best route from Toronto to Quebec city. I know that from
    Toronto you would take the 401 West ------>? But after that , what
    highway(s) should be used ?
    
    Regards
    
    Michael

    Stay on the 401 until you reach QUebec, then panic briefly, soon you
    will be linking up to the Trans-Canada. Stay on highway 40 through
    Montreal go through the Lafontaine tunnel and then stay on the same
    highway all the way to Quebec City. 
    
    Glenn