LTE Mary Anne Pankhurst on Freeholder White Wash In City Elder Abuse Whistleblowers Legal Fee Story

Whistleblower Diane Shay
Whistleblower Diane Shay

The welcome return of sunshine should have buoyed my mood yesterday but the front page of the Freeholder (Friday, June 14) has left a big cloud.

 

The greyness starts at the top of the page, where the headline trumpets the close to $200K the city has spent, in part, going through the process of being found guilty of serious abuses.

 

Specifically, the complex and anxiety-producing case that involved not only the abuse of a person in longterm care, but also the abuse of the healthcare worker who suffered (at the hands of the city) when she rightfully and dutifully attempted to protect the victim.

 

Yet, the headline speaks of money being spent because of some “complaints.”  Complaints.  It’s the word that disturbs me.  It makes it sound as though Diane Shay (and Rob Hickley) are merely complainers instead of professionals motivated by what they believe is the right thing to do.  Rights supported by law.

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Not only, but the story gives page one prominence to now quite useless detail that Shay’s original statement of facts were found to be “unsubstantiated.”  And readers have to turn fully to page two, the second last paragraph, to find out city hall managers did indeed act illegally.

 

Similarly, the bottom half of the front page is devoted to a photo of jubilant back-to-work employees posing on the playground equipment of Heart of the Family daycare  – arms raised in triumph – after the Children’s Aid Society rightfully investigated serious issues of child endangerment and sexualized behaviours.

 

It’s the mood of the photo that disturbs me.  Imagine a similar photo of Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin celebrating on the front steps of parliament – Woo-hoo, despite the investigation, we’re still at it!!!

 

Something is wrong.  Incidentally, today is world elder abuse day.  Think about it in the bright light of day.

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12 Comments

  1. Great story…….$200000 spent for nothing when true professional could have dealt with it internally at no cost to the tax payers, yet cowards covered things up to the point of where we are today.

    What about the $200000 plus given to the man who started this Mr. Fitzpatrick? what about Ms. Derouchier and her almost $150000? what about Menaugh and his $300000 add in the rest Ms. Adams did not tell??

    How dare the city say it was just $200000 and how dare a counselor (Ms. MacDonald) go on record to say it was money well spent? This is what Cornwall is faced with, people who are elected to work for the public and our best interest running to serve their own agenda and cover ups because of a pathetic leader in Mayor Bob Kilger.

    How dare any one of you continue to lie, you are all a disgrace to Cornwall and should all be totally ashamed of what you have done and continue to do.

  2. cornwalllaughter’s post says it all. The truth here cannot be told any better. The freeloader’s take on this story was not the only media coverage to miss the boat on the real issue here as the coverage by Bill Kingston and Jesse Tieman at the Cornwall Daily Groaner. com was just as pathetic lacking the hidden truth of the matter in every way. Bob’s spokesperson Elaine MacDonald saying that taxpayers should NOT be upset at the costs as they were justified and money well spent as taxes were increased over 2% this year. REALLY??? Elaine, in my opinion, is such a sellout and hypocrite to all social democrats and the main reason I left the NDP party. This woman rides the Orange while kissing the Red Mayors ass (her lips must be so sore) and she always votes Blue on Social issues. So Sad !!! I hope she does not campaign next time Putting People First because she and her pals at 360 Pitt Street don’t give a rat’s ass about us anyway. There are so many loons at city hall that you will never run out of news to cover here Jamie. – Love it.

  3. I said it before here in CFN that it isn’t just Bare Ass and his so called council alone who are guilty of all the crimes going on. Cornwall laughter sure said it best indeed. The crimes go on behind the scenes from people that you do not see every day from the managers down to the lowest positions. Bare Ass, Fitzy and the rest doing what they did – honest to God I say thank God that my parents were not put in a seniors home. Thank God that they died in a hospital. I would never want to see any of us in my household go to such a place and would rather die than to be treated in that way. Kilger and his gang as well as those at City Hall should be whipped to death for what they do. I would never pay those taxes like what you will all be stuck with and it won’t end until Cornwall aka Fossoli is bankrupt and that is exactly what Bare Ass and his clique are doing.

  4. Shame on all involved. Shame on Bob Kilger and every single person who sat around the table with him and did absolutely nothing but spend taxpayer money to protect image. How protected is you images now you bunch of %#$#^#^#%

  5. Maybe we should hold back our tax dollars being it is being wasted left & right & telling us its the best….are you starting to wake up yet!

  6. What an absolutely perfect breakdown of the Freeholder’s article and the lack of importance they put on the truth and the outcomes as to why we paid for these legal fees in the first place. Well done! It is evident that these two individuals, Ms. Shay and Mr. Hickley, are anything but complainers. I do believe that if we have never experienced harassment, bullying, or vindictive behaviour, it may be difficult for us to fully realize how far these professional, dedicated employees had to be pushed to arrive at this point. According to the timelines, it seems evident that for their employer–the City of Cornwall–they were willing to absorb a lot before that “straw that broke the camel’s back” kicked in. They both look so broken and it is that look that our Council is so guilty of creating and should be so ashamed of. Following the departure of the culprits, has Council even once tried to speak with these dedicated and loyal employees to set things right? Apparently not. They just hire law firm after law firm to hide behind–at our expense. Shame doesn’t seem to affect them. Just like water off the back of a duck.

  7. Ms. Shay and Mr. Hickley are not complainers, they are caring people that have morals, beliefs and know the laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures. They have enough experience to know the difference. They have had to follow protocol for years now and their experience led them to putting an end to this huge cluster mess at their workplace.

    This could have been dealt with in a much more professional manner and cheaper as fas as the city hall got involved….SHAME on them.

  8. Hey council, do something different, help the community by stopping crimes, that are within your own organization, stop it now, before something else bigger happens again and a much bigger cost will be dropped on the Corp of the City of Cornwall, then what, you will be on council for free, or will the corp go bankrupt????

    Don’t let the employees, that are breaking the laws, brown-nosers get away with this kind of bs/crap. This day and age not acceptable, for owners, partners, to slip, zero tolerant should be in effect, there is no excuse for this kind happening, don’t allow them to blame others for their irresponsible actions either. When personel commits this kind of bs, tighting up the ship, charge them, fine them, fire them, and once you fire them hand them their free police record check (a gift- a life one) on the way out, and get rid of them once and for all, no law firm needed here…that is my opinion…..end of story. Start today.

  9. Great article Mary Anne! It seems that we are constantly hearing the same thing over and over again as to how bumbling and stupidity reign at city hall, especially from a number of counsellors who keep popping up and making themselves look very silly indeed. Ms MacDonald keeps burning herself with her “factual lies”. Also the Sf’s article was written very smugly by writing something on the front page and making the reader turn to the second page to read the truth. What fools they think we are. I felt the same way you did.

  10. Yes Mrs. Shay along with Mr. Hickley are two people with good conscious and very good morals. I salute these two people and I salute Perry Dunlop even though this man is not with us I give this man all the credit for bringing things forward from the beginning – not about elder abuse but about child abuse and the Catholic church. There are many people out there who know a lot about what goes on and went on and are afraid to come forward. I know that many are afraid and many may have evidence but after what happened to Perry Dunlop I don’t blame the people for their fears. I would say in order for Cornwall to heal and go forward something has to happen. One thing that has to happen first is that Bare Ass Kilger has to resign immediately.

  11. Mr. Sampler and the rest of the comments echo my own thoughts. Shame on Elaine for backing this Mayor. That goes double for Ms. Clement, I’m very disapointed that they along with the rest of the gang have sold out Diane Shay and Robin Hickley, where are their values and morals with regard for our community and our elderly? I’ve heard it from several family members and employees at the Lodge that “palliative care” is alive and well, pardon the pun. They state that within days of visisting their loved ones, they notice that some residents have died, sometimes suddenly, and several on each floor.

    Our poor city of Cornwall has enough historical bad rap to contend with, Project Truth was an outrage! Now this ongoing ordeal has blacken another eye yet again. Look at our downtown core, it’s disapearing, no farmers’ market, empty store fronts, centralized crime and drug use, homelessness. The Agape and the Salvation Army can’t keep their shelves stocked because of the great need, Cornwall is becoming impoverished and rough. Lets vote them out of power, lets insist they step down, no confidence!!

  12. What hppened in/at Oc Transpo in 1999 could happen here in the city organization also.

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