Cornwall ON – Fire can catch quickly. Being a former fire fighter Mark MacDonald may know about that more than his rivals for mayor of Cornwall Ontario.
Last night the results of his spaghetti fund raiser surprised even himself as the Knights of Columbus Hall was packed to capacity and maybe more as extra tables and chairs were being scrambled for as people simply kept showing up at the door.
It showed a real want for change. There were young people who’ve never voted before. Business people, and council contenders Jason Setnyk, Mike Bedard, Claude Poirier, Maurice Dupelle joined current councilor Denis Thibault in attendance.
Mark A MacDonald speaks to the crowd.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwbHBat7g84
Given zero chance of defeating popular incumbent mayor Bob Kilger Mr. MacDonald’s relentless campaign keeps growing. Rumours are that he’s already out of signs and may have to order more.
Maybe the extra support given by ex-mayor Brian Lynch who has been accompanying Mr. MacDonald’s door to door campaign or Phil Poirier’s efforts are turning the tide?
Many times over the last years in Council Mr. MacDonald has looked like an island of one at the council table, but last night showed that he’s got a strong team dedicated to turning this David and Goliath battle into a victory.
He led the crowd in song dedicating a moment to deceased former city councilor Hugette Burroughs.
While Mayor Kilger has been hamstrung by performing the public duties of Mayor, Mr. MacDonald has been racing like a throughbred to the post.
The question now will be will he have the endurance and finishing power to lead him over the line on October 25?
We’ll be updating this story with video throughout the day as we have a bunch to crunch from the event.
What do you think Cornwall? You can post your comments below.
Mark MacDonald is making this election exciting. There might be a higher voter turnout this year. I would like to wish everyone running for Mayor the best of luck!
Mark should have stayed a councillor. I’d rather have Kilger’s polished performance over MacDonald’s obtuse style when representing the city. Sorry Mark. Hope you’ll be back at the table in four years.
In reply to you, Mr. Palmer, I can only say we can’t afford the polish (34% salary increase for CEO, $900+to attend a funeral perk for Kilger, etc. etc.) but we’d sure like to try out honest, hardworking and accountable for a change. MacDonald has heart and good ears.
Change is good for this city and many are ready to go for it. Good luck, Mark!
Sorry Alan, he’ll be back at the table for the next four years!
WTG MARK! Sure wish I could have been there, but had some phone work to do! LMAO You’ll not only have the endurance and finishing power to lead yourself over the line on Oct 25, you’ll finish the four years with energy and hutzpah to spare!
I would have liked to have gone, however, I never knew about this fundraiser.
Does anybody remember Sheriff Ron Martel? He was going to save the city from council as was Phil Porier.
I truly wish you luck Mark, but I think Kilger has more undercurrent supporting him. By the way where is Bob’s office for this election and who owns the property?
Smee :oh!!! I don’t know if I will love you or hate you when I read your posts. this one I love. On my way home I had just been discussing how no one has mentioned the “rumors” about Bob Kilger and here we are already past the halfway point of the race.
Rumours? We are all aware of how many times Paris Holdings and buds have run afoul of the law (fires, accidents, illegal dump ops), and of who runs DemoPlus (Rose) and how PARIS backer (Healy) is linked to Ponzi star William Wise (all of them profiting and poised to carve up our riverfront) …and Kilger proudly displays his signs on their properties.
So what’s this about a rumour?
As long as you are not involved in education or a retiree (or God forbid both!) Keyene, you and Smee should get along fine. Did I miss anything or anyone you hate smee? I forget where all of your prejudices lie.
Notice the councilors that wanted to vote themselves a 38% raise weren’t there? haha… yes, a time for change is coming, a time when these tools in office won’t be able to do such things as ludicrous raises for themselves will stop!!
Kilger has the support of old boy’s clubs that want to keep things the same.. Let’s show this city what this city really wants, change, real accountability, real progress, not this crap we have going on now and slowly becoming more of a retirement community.
And the rumors fly all over, that’s just the way it is!
All the best of luck to whomever takes Kilger down!
Standup Sahll we try some intelligent conversation fo once.
Tell me, or no share with all the CFN readers why you think a university in Cornwall is a good idea? If you could add to that what is here to attract the facility and what type of local support does it have for programs.
Next if you could explain what your experience is with maintaining a retirement community and how that would be funded?
You do know that in order to begin you need less municipal taxes, and less municipal taxes tend to invite the people with no ambition, not that we lack that now, however it will grow, or in a movie statement “Build it and they will come”
On another note, do you think Kilger would give a rats petooty about seniors. I recall seeing a person write about him not assisting a constituent needing assistnce with a disability pension. If memory serves it was a 62 yr old crippled with arthritis or something similiar. The government pension people told them to upgrade in school and they would employable again. At that point Bob was asked for support and told them there is nothing that can be done.
NavCanada would gladly divest itself of the Training and Conference Centre in Cornwall if there were a buyer, and with 600 rooms and all its well serviced classrooms and offices, along with 600 rooms and onsite food and recreational facilities, it would be almost a turnkey operation for a University.
Unfortunately the community doesn’t have a collegial feel to it, although that could follow in very short order. If only there were a University willing to phase in operations in Cornwall.
As for retirement, there is an opportunity there if health services were beefed up and a centralized leisure and commercial area were established, or simply enhanced …as in, our downtown and riverfront. The spinoffs in healthcare, support services, transportation …all of these things could encourage new facilities and qualified newcomers or training and jobs for young people already here.
Smee, what exactly is it you have against teachers? A straight answer, please.
OMG!!!
I must be losing it! For once I have to agree with Smee!
PJA I have nothing against teachers, please show me where I have said anything against them in this article.