The Home Stretch for the Mayor’s Race – City Councilor Mark A MacDonald – Cornwall Ontario – October 21, 2010

Cornwall ON – It’s hard keeping up with Mark MacDonald as he takes aim at unseating popular incumbent Bob Kilger as Mayor of Cornwall Ontario in the October 25, 2010 Municipal elections.

Mark visits a local Mosque – Video from Vince Pilon

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oaY21SKYvk

Councilor MacDonald as been busy visiting mosques, visiting schools, knocking on doors and beating the bushes during the last embers of the campaign.

Video from Vince Pilon

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWUalDoPHGU

It hasn’t all been kissing babies and shaking hands.    Mr. MacDonald has weighed in a few issues of late and sent we media the following statements.

On the CFIB report:

I am disappointed that the recent entrepreneur survey done the the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) had Cornwall ranked 100th out of 100 communities.  However, I am not surprised by the very low ranking because of Cornwall’s high property taxes and the poor reputation of Cornwall’s building permit department.

On City Media Spending:

I am disappointed that the City of Cornwall is running a full page and a half  political ad in this   week’s The Journal of Cornwall outlining the building activity that took place in Cornwall during the past four years, most of which were non municipal projects, and having the ad run beside Mayor Kilger’s full page political ad. This City of Cornwall ad under the heading of 4 years of success and advancement in Cornwall is wasteful spending of taxpayers’ dollars and is designed to boost the Mayor’s campaign.  The City of Cornwall should not be running partisan, political ads.  This sleazy practice should be banned.  The Mayor should pay for his own political ads.

Mark A. MacDonald

Tonight is the last debate of the election, at the Army Navy Club on the Environment.   With four sleeps until voting day on October 25th we’ll all find out if Mr. MacDonald has what it takes to finish this race as strongly as he leapt out.

What do you think Cornwall?  You can post your comments below and please remember to vote on October 25th!

25 Comments

  1. I’d like to know where the evidence is that the City funded this advertisement in any way, shape or form. Personally, I do not believe that at all. I think it speaks a lot to Mr. MacDonald’s character to make such bold accusations that are patently false. In addition, to use words like “sleazy” just reflects even more on the sort of dirty politics and campaigning practises we’ve come to expect from the blue sign camp. I’m voting for someone with real integrity. I would be ashamed to let someone like Mark MacDonald represent my City to the world abroad … you should be too.

  2. I do believe that Mr. MacDonald would not make any false accusations without proof. He has ran the most “moralistic” campaign. I will be proud to say that I voted for the person who will run this city with the upmost dedication and integrity!!!

  3. I was shocked to see a City ad next to Bob Kilger’s in this week’s Journal of Cornwall. Unlike Skeptic, I saw Cornwall city logos there that convinced me that it’s clearly a city ad. What was a partisan political city ad doing there? Mixing a city’s so-called achievements with promoting Bob Kilger is very sleazy.

  4. I think this whole argument trivial and petty. As if adults cannot separate a campaign ad from a City Ad and I really doubt this impacts the election. These tedious issues are exactly what we need Council and the City to skip over and focus on the real issues – poverty, local business, new business and education.

  5. I am sure there is a lot of evidence missing in regards to proving things that have happened during this campaign but it definitely looks like the city is if not funding the ad then supporting Kilger. In sales it’s called suggestive sellling.

  6. Look what the clerks department sent out today. Has someone been naughty?:

    To all Municipal Candidates:

    I must draw your attention to the following Copyright Notice regarding the use of the City of Cornwall’s Logo and this notice is on the City’s web site:

    “The City of Cornwall logo is a trademark and official mark owned by the City of Cornwall. The logo should only be used for official City business and the City of Cornwall reserves all legal rights to control and limit the public use of the brand.”

    At no time during a municipal election would the City permit the use of this logo by any candidate. This policy would apply to the official City logo, the City crest and the ChooseCornwall.ca logo.

    Accordingly, please govern your activities to respect the City’s copyright of its logo(s) and trademarks.

    Denise Labelle-Gélinas
    City Clerk

    City of Cornwall – Clerk’s Department
    Direct Line: 613 930-2787 x2537
    Fax: 613 932-8145

    Please visit our website:
    http://www.cornwall.ca

  7. Mr. MacDonald…having municipal leaders who have the heart and willingness to serve everyone in our community is key. Nice to see you extend the hand of service to all.

  8. ok…. what’s wrong with you people….

    If you believe everything that Mr. Macdonald says….. he’s have you following a rainbow. Instead of wasting your time yapping here ….. Pick up the phone and Call Le Journal and ask them who paid for the Ad? Who Placed the ad? who’s idea was it for the ad? The City cannot get involved in ANY media promotions what so ever!!!! Then call Mr. MacDonald and ask him where he got his facts……

    Wake up people, look at what he accused people of doing and ask him for the proof? All he is doing is trying to get your goat and you are listening….. Can you imagine what he will do if he is elected as Mayor.?

    Disgusted in Cornwall

  9. Not petty, MacBeth. Not tedious but sleazy and needs to be condemned. Washing your hands of it is not a good option. I looked again at this and now I question the entire pull-out format set-up. Look at the whole section on vote 25 October, with its checklist cover. It says your vote is important , suggesting a public service announcement , but contains ads for some councillors and mayoral candidate Kilger interspersed with our Cornwall logo and those ‘lists of achievements’. Did our city administration use your and my taxes to pay for this? A partisan promotion of the status quo that administration obviously likes!
    You want us voters to ‘skip over’ the smell and carry on as before? I say vote them out.

  10. BBM
    If there were no truths would he not be able to hold him liable? Perhaps there are hidden truths all would not have revealed.

  11. Mr. MacDonald will make this city proud when he IS elected Mayor!!

  12. As the city clerk states “the city logo should not be used for advertising in a political supplement” The Kilger camp are playing political games with the city logo.

  13. Louise … what makes you think it had anything to do with the mayoral candidate? There were councillor ads listed too.

    Macbeth’s original point is right, we should be looking at the bigger issues. Which of course begs the bigger question, shouldn’t Mark MacDonald be too (instead of attacking ad campaigns based on false accusations)?

    BBM has the right idea. And if you all picked up the phone, as I did, and did get to the bottom of it from the source, you’d know that the City did not pay for any of the ad, as Mark accused.

  14. Louise,

    I did what you were to lazy to do…… I called Le Journal and you will see a letter coming from them shortly ….. it was a mistake on their part and they apologized.

    Louise, let this be a lesson to you ….. before you go spewing gossip …..Gets your facts straight….. I was seriously considering Voting for Mr. MacDonald ….. but after researching his accusations and they all came back negative….. I’ve giving up.

    Disappointed in Cornwall

  15. Author

    BBM where will you see this letter? They are a weekly paper and the election is on Monday? The “damage” has already been done, no?

  16. I wish all candidates would focus on what their plan is and how they will best help the city instead of relying on lopping off the heads of others to make themselves look taller. If you cannot articulate your plan in clear practical language without bashing another candidate, I cannot vote for you.

  17. The retraction by le Journal has been issued. Mr. MacDonald is still a City councillor. He could have checked out his information before making an accusation by issuing a public statement, but he didn’t. I want a Mayor who is going to work to build relationships, not tear them down by making unfounded accusations, campaign or not.

  18. I was truly undecided about whom I was voting for, truly…. but someone’s true colors are coming out.

    Mr. MacDonald accused the city of paying for an Ad in Le Journal ….. and still today after realizing that Le Journal made a mistake of using City logo during their publication, I went to Mr. MacDonald website looking for an apology and guess what I saw????? The ChooseCornwall logo in the Top right hand corner for everyone to see. Special rules just for you Sir? Isn’t that an infraction of the Elections act?

    Shame on you Mr. Macdonald, I was going to vote for you. I wonder if Korey Kennedy has a room for you to Rent in Ottawa!!!

    Disappointed in Cornwall

  19. It is my understanding that if you are a Choose Cornwall member you have the right to use the logo. So….no surprise the logo would be on his site.

  20. Further to my last comment…Mr. MacDonald is not using the Choose Cornwall logo on his site. He is using a Team Cornwall Logo which he is entitled to use as a member. They do pay for membership and pay for their trading cards to promote the City of Cornwall.

  21. Jacqueline….

    Choose Cornwall logo ….( a city owned logo) has the same rules as the city logo is what city hall told me when I called. Funny how Mr MacDonald removed it so quickly from his website when he new he was WRONG to use it?

    btw Jacqueline, are you related to Louise? cause none of you bother doing any research before bla bla bla’ing on this site. Choose Cornwall is not a member organisation.

    shame on you Mr Macdonald

  22. BBM…
    As mentioned in my last corrected post Mr. Macdonald is using the Team Cornwall Logo on his site…as a member I believe he is entitled to use this logo.

  23. Marc MacDonald’s campaign is the “Gong Show” in training……On Monday, lets choose progress over shallow debates and small politics. Cornwall is on a roll….keep it going.

  24. Jacqueline,

    did you fall and hit your head? This is what your wrote…….

    Jacqueline says:
    October 21, 2010 at 7:18 pm It is my understanding that if you are a Choose Cornwall member you have the right to use the logo. So….no surprise the logo would be on his site.

    Why is it the “Choose Cornwall” has suddenly disappeared from his site?

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