Cornwall ON – This is going to be a true test of Social Networking. Local School teacher, poet, photographer, musician, writer, and political activist Jason Setnyk has announced his candidacy for City Council on Cornwall Ontario today.
He’s using Facebook as a tool in his campaign as well as tried and true methods like door to door canvassing and making sure to be at events.
He’s the founder of the Rock for Charity series which has raised funds for local charities across Cornwall.
Hello Friends,
My name is Jason Setnyk and I am running for City Council in Cornwall
Ontario. The municipal election is on Monday October 25th 2010. First
I would like to introduce myself, and then I would like to share my
vision of Cornwall Ontario with you. I also want to hear from you, and
my email address is below.I grew up in Cornwall Ontario. I graduated St. Joseph’s Secondary
School, and then attended the University of Ottawa. I graduated with
three Bachelor of Arts degrees, in Honours English , Honours History,
and Education. I now teach English and Social Sciences at the Ontario
Hockey Academy, a private school located here in Cornwall Ontario. I
sometimes work as a freelance journalist. I also volunteer, I am the
founder and event co-ordinator of Rock for Charity, which raises money
each month for different charities and non profit organizations. My
hobbies include writing, photography, exercise, and music. I am
married, my wife and I have a house here, and Cornwall is our home. I
think Cornwall is a great place, but I want to help make Cornwall
become an even better city! I am ready to work on City Council to
achieve these goals!Here is my platform to help make Cornwall an even better city:
-More job growth and a diverse economy – including good paying jobs
-Update and expand incentives for job creation and businesses that go green
-Cut the red tape, especially for new businesses starting up in Cornwall
-Long term municipal planning, with clear goals and objectives
-Affordable City Transit to help make Cornwall a more green city
-More bicycle stands along Montreal Road and other high traffic areas.
-Investigate the possibility of getting a University in Cornwall.
-Stronger funding for local sports, arts and culture, especially for youth
-More outreach programs to reduce narcotics use and help reduce crime
-Promote more infant daycares spots for mothers
-Work with the Cornwall Police and residents to help keep our streets
clean and safe
-Resolution that City Council cannot vote themselves more than a 1%
raise in a yearServing the constituents of Cornwall Ontario would be both a privilege
and an honour. I hope to earn your vote. I am here to listen to what
you have to say. I want to make Cornwall an even better place to live.
My platform above is just the beginning, I will listen to what the
people of Cornwall have to say.Thank you for your time.
Be the change!-Jason Setnyk
Contact: jasonsetnyk@gmail.com
Jason’s actually 1st place in the poll we started for the Municipal elections that take place October 25th across Ontario. What do you say Cornwall Ontario? Will you vote for Jason Setnyk? You can vote in our poll until the election.
You can choose up to 10 selections in the poll.
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If you don’t stand for something you don’t stand for anything Jason H 🙂
Affordable city transit – does that mean taxpayers pay more than users?
The 1% raise – may look enticing, but are there options somewhere else to cover extra workloads etc?
Promote more infant healthcare – Cost? I would prefer a spouse or family member in the home if tax dollars were being used. Not sure what promote would entail, I would rather promote be a term for neighbourhood watch.
Best of luck to you.
Admin
Nice twist on Malcom X quotes.
Jason
I have spoke to Lauzon with some ideas , He told me we have retired entrepreneurs looking into it. This is not just a small idea but one that is huge and growing on a global scale. It could have great economic advantages for Cornwall and area as well as secure employment. We just need to be first in the area. I have not seen any progress from the rretirees either.
I have attended the green meetings and it is all the same. They have no goal or mandate and are not open to ideas outside of their spectrum, tiny as it maybe.
I have tried to meet with Brownell but he is too busy trying to establish his privates in Toronto. All you get from Jeremy is direction to another number. Which is a hec of a lot more then you can get from Brownell.
I think Jamie would be a better man then Private Jim for the job at any time. I just have a little problem with the hiring my friends kids.
I have inquired about the upcoming water meters. I had asked what kind of s study was done to justify the need, and what the installation procedures would be and who will monitor them. I have been waiting for that information since December. I also proposed other more efficient options then they have planned. They could not understand how it would work. Personally I have no idea how they can track a leak in the system only at the end of line. As it stands it’s just to extort money out of Cornwallites.
A few years back I spoke with the now CEO about plans down the road for Cornwall in economic development. He was unsure due to the recession. Oddly enough a recession is a time for money and infrastructure spending by all levels of government. How did we do with that? Last time I was in town it looked like we missed the boat again.
Solutions I have, it is in part of what I do for a living. My career also provides me with insight to many different perspectives on many issues. I have had the privilege to meet some pretty accomplished individuals as well. It is amazing what you can learn.
Considering I have tried on a few occasions to present ideas to Cornwall I have decided that if you want my advice you need to meet my current income at the least.
However usually I market with a higher rate and often achieve my goal. The last increase was substantial decided by the client.
Bold and cocky yep, clients love it and I seem to be in demand. I am currently employed with two other clients promising work in the fall.
Solutions are easy, Cornwall is not
Eric,
There is a perceived need for more infant daycares spots in Cornwall. Infant daycare spots are not always cost effective. Ideally I would like to find a market solution that is affordable for parents with young children. Whether it is approaching child care companies about the demand in Cornwall, or finding individuals who can run legal daycares out of their homes. If there is a real demand for more spots, I think the City should be active in helping parents with young children. If we can not find a market solution, maybe we should open up a second daycare to complement what the city has started with Richelieu daycare.
In regards to Cornwall Transit, the budget for it was, I believe, 1.3 million dollars. Municipal, Provincial, and Federal governments talk about making cities, our province, and country green. We also talk about offering vital services to people. If we can find funding from all levels of government, about $400,000 from each level of government, we could have free transit. That means free for everyone. Affordable buses is about helping a large cross section of the community, including working people, senior citizens, single parents, teenagers, environmentally conscious people, and people on social assistance. People in Cornwall will always have the choice of using their car and paying for parking and gas, or taking the bus. If more people use public transit, that means less traffic, less pollution, and a greener community, and more affordable transit is going to help a lot of people out.
If lots of people in Cornwall don’t want this or that idea, that’s fine, I have plenty of other ideas. Even if some ideas do get rejected by voters or at the council table, debating helps gives us a clearer vision of what we want and don’t want from our city.
-Jason Setnyk
Now Jason don’t go snatching bits of other people’s platforms 🙂
I support and promote what I perceive to be good ideas. I’m always listening to what people have to say. I think I might have heard you talking about the idea of having three levels of government split the spending for transit. If so, my apologies for not giving you proper credit. It was an excellent idea, I support finding out if this is viable and if it is what enough people in our community want it.
Well Mr. Setnyk, if I am confirmed next week as the Green Nominee for SD&SG, and am fortunate to be voted to serve the people of this riding; and you happen to win a seat on council, I hope to have your support for my proposed initiative.
I feel that if Cornwall Ontario had a free public transportation system it would put us on the map in a lot of ways. As a progressive and aggressive riding and city that wants to lead in evolution and not revolution of our society.
Free Public Transportation in Cornwall would help promote and grow our city; the largest of SD&SG. It would help care for those that need it most, and it would help people have an option besides taking their vehicles to where they want to go; at least on occasion.
All for about $300K each per year if split equally by the Federal, Provincial, and Municipal governments.
I think it’s a very Green solution, and Green solutions can lead to our country’s Evolution!
If it’s a great idea for our city, I’ll support it and promote it, regardless of political party or affiliation. Indeed, free public transpiration could help with our cities growth, help many people who live here, keep our community green, and it would show a lot of leadership and initiative and create a very positive image of our city.
Free transit, ok let’s be realistic. Who will use free transit? The needy no doubt but there are already systems in place to help them to a certain degree.
What about the people we see every morning lined up at Tim Horton’s, or the people lined up at lunch or in the early evening. You can give all the free stuff you want, but first you need to get the mindset. Take a look at the general population of Cornwall. Not many of them are in the best of shape, and that is by choice and from lining up at Timmies of course.
Day care is a good idea, but you would have to add that cost to people on maternity leave for a year (it all comes from the same coffers) How are you going to pay for it. If people can’t afford to pay for a bus how will you expect then to afford day care?
Should people with no children or people with mature children have their taxes dipped into for another’s care? Of course we already do it with the education system in Ontario.
You have some good ideas I just wonder how much thought went into them.
smee you have to look at an issue and then look at the cost. I’m a firm believer that what monies a government spends should be on taking care of society; not just corporate society, and that it should make fiscal sense.
It’s one of the biggest reasons I’m so upset with the medical system and their governmental confreres and the horrid way the medicare system has been decimated.
Spending over a million dollars plus maintenance on a gym in Cornwall to me is a bad idea. $300K per year to have FREE Public Transit is a good one. There are a lot of people that go to work in Cornwall and a free public transportation could play a role in more industry and business coming to Cornwall.
It’s a discussion point when businesses look at Cornwall. Look at the parking lot of Star Tek. Packed. Do you mean some of those people wouldn’t take the bus to work if it was free?
We need win win situations to show the difference that Cornwall has over other communities. If we can show that to our people then maybe, just maybe, more will get involved in the process too, and feel that their tax dollars are being spent better across the board.
Again it’s Evolution, not Revolution. You’re not going to change a culture and how things are done overnight or even over a political term. You just have to start one area at a time, one project at a time, and one vote at at time.
The only why Mr. Setnyk got any votes is because he told people on facebook to vote for him. You can vote up to ten times, right? So maybe only 7 or 8 people actually voted for him, but he still “got the most votes”.
He is not qualified for this position. He lives in a dream world. If he believes he can accomplish anything within his term, then he definitely does not understand how the world works.
the only reason*
NHI you can vote for up to ten choices, not ten time. 🙂 It’s a poll. During an election you tell “your people” to go out and vote, right? Facebook and social networking sites are not a medium to be sneezed at. I can tell you during the police incident here in Cornwall last night our Facebook lit up like a Christmas tree and we had over 400 visitors overnight.
Well, I’m guessing that you’re facebook was filled with hearsay and not actual facts.
Jason is not qualified. In real life, these people who voted for him would not. It’ll be a cold day in hell before he gets elected.
NHI sounds like you have a personal grudge against Mr. Setnyk. You do realize it’s pretty cowardly to post crap without disclosing who you are? And the only person using a form of hearsay is yourself as your slinging goop without substantiating it. Jason has filed his papers so he’s met the qualifications to run for council. As for voting, if he gets some people to vote at the municipal level who normally wouldn’t then I would suggest his campaign was a major success.
Now would you like to disclose who you are and what you do so we can review your success in life and qualification? 🙂
Updated to add that NHI tried to post again, but our Newspaper is not a spot to just anonymously trash or slur people. I’m sure there’s some dark hole in the internet to vent your screed, but this isn’t it. If you want to slur someone please sign your name to it.
not-having-it said of Jason “He is not qualified for this position. He lives in a dream world. If he believes he can accomplish anything within his term, then he definitely does not understand how the world works”. I think that ‘not-having-it’ is a city councillor who is disgruntled at the new blood showing up. How else could the statement be made that Jason is not qualified? The statement that he won’t be accomplishing anything during his first term has to come from someone experienced enough to make that statement. Maybe ‘not-having-it’ is PO’d at a virtual newcomer wanting a share of the trough!
admin,
When you say “free transit” did I miss where you explained how it would be funded? It just cost $80,000 to put in a speaker system to do what the drivers use to do.
1-take a look inside those cars at Star Tek or better yet watch them walk into work. Do you honestly think they would loose there stop at Tim Horton’s in order to take a bus.
2- if costs are too high why do people at Star Tek not car pool?
I can almost bet more people take their own car then car pool. Besides in most places like Star Tek the people are young and working for their first car, do you think after finally achieving the goal of owning your car you would take the bus?
Then we have an additional 2 hours added on to your day, 1 hour to work and 1 hour home. Using an average, do you think enough people will want to do that to justify spending the money on free transit?
It isn’t just about cost but a whole change of life style. Getting up earlier, home later and still having to do all the domestic responsibilities.
Yes it is a good idea, but you seem to be missing too many points when considering the concept.
Oh and in closing the word FREE, well you again show poor judgment,
An old saying about life, “Gas, ass or grass cuz nobody rides for free”.
Or as Emo Phillips says
I gave the first glass of lemonade away for free; The second one was five dollars and held the antidote.
Who has the second glass in the free transit case?
So you believe Jason cares, I have a question about your professional career.
What is the GPA of the students you t each. How reputible is Ontario Hockey Acedemy with academics, what is there mimimum requirements for education??
Jamie, (admin) I beg to differ, the money government spends should be taking care of infrastructure and staying out of the lives of people as much as possible. So that society itself learns to appreciate and develop and create on its own. The more society relies on government the more dysfunctional and reliant we become. the prof is in the pudding…Niels Velduis, a senior economist for the Fraser Institute has stated that the only reason the economy in Canada has slightly come out of the recession is because of private businesses NOT stimulus money nor government. Now, I do agree that there is a place for government and their need to help our society to some degree. But we have gone way too far.
Tammy that’s where we may differ philosophically. I consider the population part of the infrastructure. I want a strong healthy medicare system; not an American wannabee that gouges taxpayers.
I want proper care for seniors and those that can’t take care of themselves. We as a society have to make choices. I’m all for smaller government. I think there’s tons of pork and waste. Just look at Mr. Harper spending a BILLION DOLLARS showing off for the G8/G20, or the Refinstahlian Olympic display or the plane time and ad time spend on the Action Plan.
There’s plenty of room to cut. I just don’t think it should be cut from spending on the needs of Canadians. Cut the waste; tax fairly, pull together. The reason’s why the country has been in good shape financially is not because of Mr. Stephen Harper. It’s in spite of Stephen Harper and his policies.
Smee it’s really simple. If the revenues for public transit are less than a million dollars per year, and it’s split three ways I think there’s incentive enough to “git er done!”
Free Transit would show how progressive Cornwall can be. It would attract business. Help those that need the help, and yes, some of those cars would not be in the parking lot if there was free public transportation.
It’s certainly worth discussing; considering; and in my opinion doing as a 3 year pilot project so that the results could be measured and considered.
Not every city could have free public transportation. Based on the numbers here in Cornwall however I find it very very practical. Compared to some of the other monies spent here it’s really not terribly expensive; especially when you have some councilors wanting to spend $200K per year to fund the creation of a gymnasium and that doesn’t count its maintenance.
Jamie, I dont think we totally differ. I do think you are dreaming to some degree. Remember, people have brains, they can think for themselves and we should allow that to happen. Too much government interference and people become complacent and expect government to solve their problems. I can tell you from being on council alot of the government programs downloaded to the municipalities are redundant, time consuming and costly. And you wonder why there is so much government. Its called make shift programs to please people. Just keep paying high taxes.
Now, you are correct when you say there’s alot of waste. I maintain a lot of the waste is at the Provincial and Federal level because they are so far removed from the tax payer. And I would agree that Stephen Harper has been a real disappoint. G8 and G20, as well as all that stimulus money…all wrong. But, if I had to choose I still would rather Harper, I am so fearful of socialist minded Liberals. And remember I have been every stripe. Now that I am in politics, its a real eye opener. Around our table at council, almost all are Liberals and often times when a piece of legislation comes across our table, I hear remarks like “this is ridiculous”, or sighs of being fed-up. And the first words out of my mouth is “AND WHO DO YOU VOTE FOR?” (I am talking provincially)
When you take away the pride of the people, you take away the country.
Yes Tammy. That’s why we discuss things. Frankly Mr. Harper has clearly shown that he has zero skills to manage a government. The hostility in Ottawa; the Stephane Dion Attack Ads; muzzling MP’s and staff; the fascist attempt to control the media, and mostly the destruction of the momentum and strength of the Canadian economy are not the something that positive legacies are made of. Even Brian Mulroney can be proud of some things in spite of being caught with his hand in that German fellow’s cookie jar.
Frankly I’m a bottom line kind of guy. Look at Canada’s economy under the Liberals, and under the Conservatives. There really isn’t anything to debate on that one.
Frankly though I’m not 100% sure I want to hand the Liberals under Mr. Ignatieff the keys to the Kingdom either.
We need to find that missing sense of accountability that society has seemed to have lost. We need to get people back into the reality of political life in Canada. We need to fight Apathy. We need people to care more about the society we all live in because if we don’t then others will design it for us if it isn’t already too late. We need to fight for that before we all get bar coded and given a best before date.
So you can be partisan or you can look at the issues and make up your own mind. If you want to admit that Mr. Harper has been a zero, but you still want to vote for him…..well that’s your choice. It’s not mine however, and come next election time we’ll see how many Canadians feel that way.
What I do see in the next election is another minority government and if that happens I sincerely hope that we hold our politicians more to account and get them to focus on working together on making Canada better instead of this ridiculous infighting led by the biggest bully in Canadian political history; our PM Stephen Harper.
About half of every dollar we send to McGuinty, goes to health care, and I am not seeing the strong healthy medicare system reducing waiting times or user fees for things like prostate testing. Madeline Maier (Lib MPP) changed the defination last year of bilingual so more money could be directed to that cause is an example of how the money is being spent. Eye exams were removed a few years ago, but more money is going into the system. We already have 2 tier health care here, it is not that scary.
The idea of free anything is misleading, each of us pay tax to all three levels of government and if they have money to share, they are getting to much.
Jamie,
I do think there has been good results with Harper ie. his environmental stance, why bring down Canada like your famous Dion wanted to do. I like how he protected our banks from being charged a fee, to use in a global recession we survived this recession and our banks did fine.
He reduced the GST by two points, he is looking at increasing Canada Pensions, he stiffened up the crime penalties…do the crime, pay for the crime. He is re-evaluating the immigration policies.
I like his position on the de-tainee issues, I believe in a healthy military so butt out socialists, and I cant remember some of the other things.
But again, yes he has wasted foolishly, I am extremely disappointed. His communication with the people is definitely poor and he does muzzle alot of his MP’s but the reality is that this country especially Ontario and east is very much socialist and they want to bring him down. Look at our media CBC news, Maccleans , Ottawa Citizen. Need I say more.
Tammy,
Here goes point by point.
Mr. Harper’s environmental stance scares the crap out of me and an awful lot of concerned Canadians. The Oil Sands are a disaster to the Environment, and Mr. Harper’s Alberta Oil friends are well protected by him. Oil drilling in Canada? Again, what’s happening in the Gulf could happen here too.
He reduced the GST by two points knowing full well the HST is coming. And he has given tax perks to cover the HST to large corps at the expense of you and I so that we’re paying the full brunt of the HST instead of everyone.
Crime? Rahim Jaffer.
And who will pay the cost of these crimes? And what about Fraud? That’s the biggest crime in Canada, and I’ve seen no legislation or noise from Mr. Harper on that one.
Immigration? We need immigration as Canadians can’t afford to not work and take time to have children and care for them properly. Want to see a full parking lot in Cornwall? Go by the Children’s Aid society.
The Military? He wants to turn over Military hospitals for our SOLDIERS to Quebec!! The Ste Anne’s Veteran hospital is under the gun. Where is your Mr. Harper? And speaking of the military; why are we spending so much and more? Canada should be nothing more than a peacekeeping military. We should take care of minimum domestic issues, and contribute to world issues via Nato or the UN. And how many billions have been hidden in military growth since Afghanistan and where have they gone?
You keep spouting the word “Socialists” as though it’s a slur. There’s nothing wrong about wanting a society where we take care of each other and work together, is there? There’s an old adage about being able to tell the quality of a society by the way we take care of our elders.
I believe we should have less government; less spending, but that what we do be spent on society. Better education; proper medicare system; better social net for those who need it. You want less crime? Make the world a better place and not have people turn to crime as easily. When people feel the system and world is corrupt it makes it more reasonable to be corrupt.
We could be doing a lot better.
As for media, let’s look in Cornwall. Corus? They interviewed the finance minister of Ontario and refused to run the interview. The Seaway News? Well it’s mostly Guy Lauzon this and Guy Lauzon that. The Free Holder? Not much better. CTV brutalized Mr. Dion, and you now have a Fox North type channel being contemplated. I betcha you’ll get more local coverage in your election run because you’re a Conservative than I do because I’m not.
See Tammy. I think we all need to find the middle, common ground and start working together to make Canada better, make SD&SG better, and make Cornwall better. I think we need to do a much better job of working with each other.
Personally I reject the politics of Stephen Harper and hope that more people do. You see the time and space you’ve had on our site? Do you think a “Social Capitalist like myself would get that on CFRA with Lowell Green?
Jamie, Jamie, Jamie its obvious you wouldn’t like Harper no matter what. You would rather see the country go under to save the atom. Let China, Russia, and alot of the other middle east countries who continuously poison our environment live on and prosper and take over…we are moderate compared to most of the world give me a break. And as far as the tar sands…they have delivered on their promise and restore parts of the original tar sands 100% back to the original environment. Check it out. I believe most of us in Canada are truly environmentally conscious were just not extreme like you. Oh, by the way try phoning Lowell Green, he might let you on. Let me phone first so that I can tell him to be nice to you, he tends to hang up on people like yourself, the socialist type!
I can hardly wait for the new right wing news show (similar to Fox news in the U.S.) Do you want to know why they are bringing in a new right wing news network Jamie? Because CBC and other Left wing stations are loosing their audience to Fox news in the states. People are fed up with with the Leftest crap.
Tammy Tammy Tammy. I want some of whatever Kool aid you’ve been drinking 🙂 Btw, Your friend Mr. Harper prefers Oil sands to Tar sands. Apparently Tar Sands is considered abusive in Alberta.
I would prefer we leave the oil world and at least start to work towards that. It’s not going to happen with Mr. Harper’s ties to big oil in Canada.
As for Lowell he let me on once. He was arguing over a horrible Conservative crime bill that he was bemoaning the Liberals were shooting down. He challenged any lefty to come to his show and explain why. Nobody called. He offered to make a $50 donation if one would come on and nobody called.
When he raised the ante to $100 I called and after he tried blustering and obfuscating the point ad nauseum he agreed to donate that $100 to my charity of choice, The Alzheimer’s Association.
I never verified if he made the donation or not. I’m one of the few “Lefty’s” to ever best Lowell on his own radio show. As you just point out his type “hang up” on my type. Why is that Tammy? Can he and you not defend your points? Or can you not do so without name calling.
What I will tell you is that we’re starting a political round table show this week and maybe, just maybe, we’ll invite you onto the show and see if you can hold your own. 😉
Final question. Why is it when you make a statement, or your friend John Bolton, or Lowell Green make a statement it’s fine and when someone like I make a statement it’s “Leftest Crap”?
lol, thats what happens when you’re “leftist”…..
Jamie,
Is the round table talks Federal or Provincial? Honestly, I follow the Provincial government more then Federal. But I am always up to the challenge.
Hi Tammy,
The round table will be issue centric. Some may be more global in concept and some may be more local.
Jamie
You have still neglected to say how you would over come the lazy attitude in Cornwall
Perfect example, I watched a discussion between 2 shoppers at food basics Brookdale this past weekend. 1 fellow had asked a guy why he parks in the fire lane at the door. The answer is: the person inside is handicapped” The other person just walked away laughing.
Now this type of attitude one which sends in a handicapped person to shop while they sit in there car at the door will now take a bus? It is prevalent all over Jamie.
Jees Jamie are you ever out of touch here too
The oil sands make industry in Ontario look like a joke. They are managed and operated with more care for the environment then anything I have seen here. Take care of your own back yard first.
If you think oil is bad then maybe you should scrap your free bus system. If it works as you think it would, it may increase the need for hydrocarbon manufacturing. Not to mention the hydro carbons used in the puter you are reading this from.
You also seem to be out touch on socialism as well, what you refer to is called communism, you know from the term Commune or living together all equal helping each other along. Besides what we have now is a socialist government. Now why do you condemn it one paragraph then praise it in another.
Here is a little refresher in Marxism or Socialism as I posted on another of your articles.
Some factors of Socialism or a planned economy
Production targets for different segments of the economy,
Rationing of certain commodities to determine demand for them,
Price and wage fixing by the state, and
A conscripted labor market in which workers are assigned jobs by the state.
You see the government gave us what we want called freedom. Now the right to be ignorant prevails. We exude mill town mentality the right to earn a gracious living while providing no service and holding others responsible for our choices.
Back to Jason’s electoral potential. He still has not answered the GPA for his students.
It is my understanding that he is a teacher amongst potential future athletes. How many of these kids truly have the potential to achieve a professional status? How much does it cost to enroll your child, does Jason encourage other means of success for their future? Or is he just doing his job and perhaps not being entirely forth coming to the students?
Who has this school produced in its time here in Cornwall?