LTE Mary Anne Pankhurst on Cornwall Ontario City Council Reaction to 100 Letter Campaign – February 12, 2013

kilger slumpPerhaps it was being born in the 50s and growing up in the shadow of the African-American Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War that governed and informed my earliest understanding that abuses of power and ignorance could exact great and profound injustice.  

 

Perhaps it was because, in an era when some of my best teachers were the pages of Life Magazine and the Toronto Star, I learned that bad things could happen to good people, but that “the people” could prevail.

 
Perhaps it was being born to Ben and Barb; Dad who became a Catholic during World War Two so he could marry the love of his life, and who in partnership with my mom taught us the value and importance of human rights and freedoms.
 
Perhaps it was my understanding (thanks mostly to Mom) that freedom-of-the-press is a privilege not shared by all nations.
 
Perhaps it was my own personal experience with prejudices; being pushed off the sidewalk on the way to school, or being treated badly by high school teachers who – for no other reason – ignored my Straight A performance and judged me by my long-haired boyfriend.   
 
Perhaps it was experiences with others, who, not knowing I was Shabbes goy for the local orthodox Rabbi, shunned me for a whole other set of other prejudices.
 
Perhaps it was going off to university and getting a degree in journalism that helped me understand how – after the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1450  – the rise of journalism and the spread of literacy rocked the reigning aristocracy and ushered in democracy itself.
 
Whatever it was, it instilled a great impatience for ludicrousness.  And last night’s “show” over a simple link to the City’s website for a letter-writing campaign about why our community is great has – instead of driving me to silence – awakened my voice for “we the people.”
 
I hope everyone will consider making a contribution to the 100 letter campaign, not only to overcome last night’s ludicrousness, but to prove there are good people and good things about Cornwall.

(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)

To submit your entry into our 100 Letter contest email 100letters@cornwallfreenews.com or info@cornwallfreenews.com

For sponsorship information please call 613 361 1755

To read the entries posted so far please click here.

Real Estate

8 Comments

  1. Perhaps we need to keep the question of promoting Cornwall away from City Council.

    I thought councilors were supposed to represent the people of Cornwall’s interest not their own, but then I may be an idealist.

  2. I like Bob. I always have. I respect his ‘professional’ history as well and his ability to come through, ahead for each election drive he’s gone on. Some with surprise.

    What rags me is all the rumors, stories, truths and half truths that have surrounded him for so many years. They have been like a plague on the whole city, bringing all of us down. For a mayor, these has been a difficult issues reflecting on all of us.
    That is to bad.

    Yet, at this time Bob’s recent health issues have concerned all of us, despite what appears to be a full recovery.

    I do feel that a lot of the discourse with regard to this proposal here had much to do about nothing, except a lot of school boys and girls rallying around their leader.

    The few that were in support of this ‘motion’, brought in under new business, rather than a ‘notice’ of motion, nor whether ‘money was a part of it WHICH it was NOT, was simply an additional smoke screen issue meant to deflect or add innocuous questions giving slide room to vote against it, or was that to have it as a notice of motion. DO WE REALLY KNOW YET.

    By voting on the motion, it became dead in the water. Question, was it the motion that dies, or as it CFN that council was hopeful would be punished for past transgressions.

    My vote is the later and that council was NOT willing to put ANYTHING behind them. Perhaps this was more a personal dislike for the owner of CFN.

    TIME and NEW ELECTIONS will see how the public see’s it.

  3. Have you noticed how invisible our elected officials are?

    I’ve been going to the King’s hockey games and tonight the Colts. Fabulous hard hitting, fast skating and bang on the stick quick passing and tremendous play sets to keep your head flipin back and forth.

    Yet with all this excitement, nary a politician is in sight. So, when is that next election? We’ll probably see’em then aye!

  4. I also watched the drama surrounding a simple motion put forward by Councillor Dupelle to assist in promoting our city (100 Letter Campaign) twice. The unfortunate conclusion I came to was that certain individuals present in the meeting seemed to think that the motion was about them personally. Failing to be able to see the bigger picture and being able to leave their egos at home would be reason enough for this reader to leave them off the potential candidates list next go around.
    Thank you Mary Anne your words have served as inspiration for me to contribute my positive take on Cornwall.

  5. I hear you Mary Anne and I hope that you are heard by our Councillors. In the meeting They have mentioned many times that they are not too happy about what is said about them. And to raise their complaints under the same roof that represents the best of Cornwall can do. I find that to be very childish. Being scrutinized is part of the job.

    I don’t always agree with foul words. but they are words spoken by those who may have voted them in the first place. The 100 letters… is a chance to speak up where our children and ourselves may either wise be stiffled. Thank you

  6. @ David, thank you so much. I love this community. There’s a chance down the road we’ll move away to be closer to grand kids and it will hurt to leave.

  7. @ Michael. Thank you. My letter isn’t really directed at councillors. My hope is that more people will write stories about our community, which is a hidden gem.

  8. Mary Anne this was a top notch letter that you wrote and yes it hurts to leave Cornwall and if that comes the time for you and others they will know the hurt.

    If the mayor (Bare ass) and his council cannot take the criticisms that they deserve then they better leave office because all politicians are criticized since they are in public view and hold public office. The mayor and council are there to serve the people and not their own interests.

    Today my husband was listening to Fox News about Detroit and their mayor is up for corruption. In Cornwall everything is swept under the rug. Well Mary Anne we all know about the corruption.

    Mary Anne I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s and yes through Vietnam and everything and I can tell you that never have I seen such a corrupted mayor like Kilger (Kilroy bareass) has become. When you get in with the wrong kind of people that is exactly what happens. You and I grew up in a different time than a lot of the young have and we respected our elders. Too many of these “so called elites” have hurt plenty of innocent people and I remember that just like it was yesterday. The visions and sounds of those days will never exit my memory. When reading about Cornwall (Tombstone’s) sex abuse it brought back all the memories of those days and I literally cried my eyes out because there was so much more that was not posted and everything was absolutely true. I have absolutely no respect whatsoever for such garbage.

    I live in Ottawa and would never go back to Cornwall to live and I mean ever. I will go down for a visit and I intend to do that this week but I will never live there again. I had to toughen my spirits up and move on to better things. If I wanted to live in another small town it would never be Cornwall. My family knows how I feel and I am mighty embarrassed how the mayor and Willie put Cornwall on the map of negativity. It will take many decades for the town to heal if ever.

Leave a Reply