CORNWALL Ontario – Humility can be a great lesson. What we are learning today as Transport Canada and the Federal government allowed Trillium Distribution Cornwall Inc. to pour concrete and finish their Chemical tanks on our waterfront is that when you don’t work together you lose.
In this case our community loses. It’s a very very clear picture. You have city management at Economic Development either not sharing crucial info with council in a timely fashion or they did share and it was hushed up.
When it did go public petty politics ruled the day with Chamber of Commerce not issuing its press release to the largest, most read newspaper in the city because of past petty politics with their utterly incompetent director and board members.
When we started our online petition did the community pull together? Nope, instead three others were started.
Did the Mayor, MP, MPP and other leaders condemn the tanks loudly and clearly? Nope.
When there was a rally did the community pull together and walk two blocks to send a clear message? Nope. In fact the event was sabotaged by the very man whose name has been synonymous with it, Chuck Charlebois who made a point of saying that he was not going by issuing a press release to area media even though he showed up and led the march on the day of the event.
It’s been suggested the only reason there was a delay was because of Akwesasne. According to an unreliable media source, the seaway news, Mayor Kilger has thrown Akwesasne under the bus and stated that because the Grand Chief pulled their review process down to facilitate talks about the City acquiring land that the tank construction could start again. Akwesasne has not issued a statement although this scribbler has zero doubts that the only reason construction stopped was because of Akwesasne thus further indicting the weakness and inability of Mayor Kilger to have any impact as a leader.
This is not to point fingers. The exercise here is to show a snapshot of what the “powers that be” saw while this was going down, and it was a weak and petty community divided that offered no real strength or opposition.
When I suggested to some that we get a group together and bring in legal ammo and get an injunction people lost their legs.
I knew our City Hall would not protect Cornwall in this case based on their cover up of the facts and Mayor Kilger’s first comments; that the tanks wouldn’t stick out of the ground much. How do you say you knew nothing and come up with that gem?
This morning one of the council hopefuls has called for a peaceful rally in front of the site for one hour. I think it’s called “A Wake” in other places. Most of those that attend are the real reason why the concrete is setting.
Our choice is to learn from our mistakes and grow or to keep repeating them. As for me? I will keep defending my community as best I can. It’s part of why I will be at City Hall today at 2 PM and be having a press conference where I will be making two statements regarding my own, and our fair city’s future.
It’s sad that so many here in Cornwall hide from the truth rather than face it; that so many live in fear and lies instead of as our police chief Dan Parkinson likes to say; the Sunshine.
Today is an opportunity for change and for the people of Cornwall to start to work together for that change. If given that chance I think I can help, and if we truly want a better Cornwall it’s within our grasp come November.
See you at City Hall
Jamie, I will be at city hall 2PM this afternoon to support your efforts.
Something really needs to be done to wake up the residents of Cornwall and stir the pot at city hall.
“Did the Mayor, MP, MPP and other leaders condemn the tanks loudly and clearly? Nope”.
A nice deviation to keep the citizens of Cornwall eyes off the real issues.
What are the real issues to you Tom?
How many people showed up? I would suspect not many as it is the time when most people are working
I WILL BE THERE THIS AFTERNOON FOR SUPPORT TO END THIS INSANITY.
The real issues – stay focus on the Mayor, the counsel, and the election. I can understand that the tanks could become a “cause” for change, but it has been a good news grabber, while the Cornwall budget proceedings has had some coverage. It is like Mr. Hudak talking to the media about “a right to work province” while he says nothing about all the millions mishandled by the Liberals, and why we are in such a mess.
Waiting for Harper government and local gong show bunch to support the people and to do what is right is like waiting for the Hartford Whalers to come back to the NHL and win the Stanley Cup. It ain’t happenin’ I think we need the Pussy Riot girls to come show us how action is done.
You never know that maybe Bare Ass was paid to turn the other cheek.
WE LOST THIS FIGHT BUT NOT THE WAR JAMIE KEEP IT UP. THE FALL ELECTION ,,,,,,,IS THE TRUE WAY IF CORNWALL…WANTS A CHANGE
@ Max Score. I can picture Julian Fantino wielding the bull-whip.
Don’t take the Grants money like the rest of them.
Our city of Cornwall has suffered the Stockholm Syndrome for the last 60 years…….always accepted the negative direction’s of our city hall. Now, finally, some tangible changes are evolving on Brockdale that is for sure. But the real problem until now was the protectionism of their networks while not allowing 401 ‘lights, camera, action; activity identifications along this route much like so many other cities from here to Windsor. First, set up plans to move city hall away from the downtown core….like up on the North side of the 401. WHY you say, what ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT, WHAT ABOUT……..the excuses for regress and sponsorship of our downtown core have left us in the doldrums for decades relative to the growth of so many sister cities. Take Sarnia for instance. They relocated to the outer edge of their city and look what happened……so much expansion all around them and their major highway near by. They are visible, modern (glass) and open for business. The spinoffs were incredible. Oh, and their downtown has never had such a resurgence of growth.
The current city hall would lend itself to an annex to the new one or even better, more CONDOS. I have been suggesting this for years. A city hall 4 to 6 stories high, all round and glassed in would be the ideal model for quick identification by 401 travelers. It could bare a large ‘City of Cornwall City Hall’ ‘Open for Business’ or similar logo (bilingual of course……
Well citizens CORNWALL…..what ‘other’ media support will he get as well as his own? What do you have to offer him as an idea man and a progressive politician. What ‘other’ roadblocks will find there way in his campaign….selfie shirts, charges, law suits. Do you think he will handle things differently? Plus or minus. He certainly is a driven man. I wouldn’t be write him off or demean him…hear him out just like you would any other candidate. We owe him the same treatment.
Furtz: Mr Fantino is too busy screwing our veterans for his boss but if leather and whips are his thing I could see that too.
Mr. Windsor you sure do have a good idea but one downfall is that it would increase the tax base even worse than what it is just now and Cornwall has a great deal to clean up first before that building can go up. I agree that the present City Hall is an eye sore and mighty archaic but there are things that have to come first. If the people themselves do not change I guarantee you all (and you know that I do not say things that I do not mean) that nothing will change in Cornwall at all. What is important are good by-laws and better laws are regulations. When you have that downpacked then you clean up the water front and everywhere else so as to encourage businesses. As long as those so called laws which are not laws (only for a certain few) exist then Cornwall can be given a funeral and put to rest for life. If the people do not change themselves for the better then you can kiss Cornwall goodbye. Jamie is an excellent man to have on board but it takes the people who make the town what it is and what we see now is not going to work until the people themselves change their ways. The best thing for the people of Cornwall is to go and live elsewhere for quite a while before going back so as to get into the 21st century instead of their heads buried into the 10th century. People need to get educated as well and in order to do that you have to leave Cornwall and get up to date and see what is needed to change. Jamie lived in Montréal and Los Angeles so he knows about change.
Jules;
Not everyone agrees with your opinion of Cornwall. I, for one, enjoy living here. Every city has its quirks and you learn to deal with them or move on. I lived in Ottawa for 49 years before I decided I had had enough. When I got married we moved to a town between Ottawa and Cornwall. And just before I retired we moved to Cornwall. And that was the best move I ever made. When I was living in Ottawa I was getting tired of the big city mentality and hassles. I find Cornwall is just the right size for me. And if it doesn’t have something I need / want then Montreal and Ottawa are less than 2 hours away. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But to me your constant digs at Cornwall and its residents are not welcomed.
Hugger I have lived in both Cornwall and Ottawa and I was born and raised in Cornwall all my life. I left Cornwall in the mid 70’s and was lured to Ottawa by a girl from Cornwall who left since there was nothing down there at all and that was when Cornwall was more alive. Today Cornwall is like a grave yard and that is the honest truth. The mentality of Cornwall is unbearable and so many of my friends and family have said the very same things. I just learned from my son that a family member is leaving Cornwall and so are many other people. Cornwall will not be a place for young people nor for people who want a life and not be in a graveyard state. I am 63 years old and not 90 and I can no longer adjust to Cornwall’s mentality and never could. I need a big city mentality. Just yesterday my husband spoke to a lady from Syria and she asked my husband if he spoke to people here in Ottawa and he said no that the only really good friend that he had is deceased and that he doesn’t bother with anybody and she told him that she feels the very same way. We love where we live and believe me we couldn’t ask for a better place and that is the real truth. We rented and we owned and this is the very best. We have everything we want at a few minutes drive or walk. Our neighbors are exceptionally great and not a peep out of them – it is heaven on earth. We have the very best landlord and the very best supers and I couldn’t get better anywhere at all than what we have now. We lived here in the mid 70’s as well but now the owner that bought this building is the very best that anyone could ever want to be quiet, etc. His own sister lives here in the building as well.
Actually one of the reasons I’m running is that we are losing some great people. I myself have lost some personal friends who have or are leaving Cornwall. It’s sad to see people you care about leave for one reason or the other.
Jules;
I guess we both have our reasons for being where we are now. You like Ottawa, I don’t. I like Cornwall, you don’t. I guess we’ve learned what is best for each of us. To me Ottawa is a nice city….to visit. I will never live there again. For me it has too many hassles and I don’t like it’s big city mentality. I guess we agree to disagree.
Hugger, your comments were refreshing. Thank you. I too have come to know Cornwall and have come to appreciate it. I too see possibilities for growth. Some discussion in recent past has been about an outdoor swimming beach area. Seems a number look towards the canal to service that and other functions. I do dream a lot about divergent approaches such as trying to ‘change’ the linkages transfixing far too much effort towards Lamoreaux and our two failing downtowns. There is an old clique….If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we’ll get what we’ve always got’.
So what if now and then I/we come up with a long shot such as ‘getting city hall out of dodge’. So what if many among us envision an Arts Centre (some would incl. it with a Cultural Centre too. Sure, I get shots from friends when I show support for such things, but you know what….most of these people wouldn’t know a potential idea if it was right in front of them and even if they liked it they can’t ever see potential in it because ‘this is Cornwall’ and Cornwall can never have these things because our people are ‘beneath’ them, we can’t afford them, they only exist in fairytales… you know what I am talking about.
Well, you must know that some men and women of courage see a University as a possibility right here in Cornwall. Others see the potential for a car parts manufacturing facility right here as well as a major distribution centre.
My honest view is that our downtown core will indeed do much better if the government took their noses out of it….this very much includes our own city hall. If these area can not pay their own way, so be it. I am as much for Mom and Pop business’s as the next guy….but people sell, pass away, etc. and others EXPECT the city to pay their way. \\\no. we have gone broke propping up failed after failed entities of one kind or another. Survive or move on and make room for the many companies that want to be part of our city but have not been given freedom to chose their location. location and locations.
Not all has been wrong with the cities approach to business and industry, yet I see different directions.
Too much time is spent on patting each other on the back so that the city gets a façade of some good here, giving a sense of compassionate, caring people. Good god. Its the same thing every year and it is always people from downtown or the city services. The outer limits of our city are virtually ignored.
That brings me to another overdue prospect for Cornwall to enhance its limits through annexations of areas such as Rosedale Terrace and perhaps even as far out as St. Andrew. Each could be labeled as Boroughs within Cornwall. They receive our water and bus links. Perhaps it is time to incorporate them as well. Another reason why our City Hall should be out and in their reach and midst.
So, you see Hugger1, you are among those who see a win. win in change, where other would rather do the old whine, whine scenarios. As for where is the money, well let me tell you, build it and they will come and the universe really will unfold as it should.
‘.
@Hugger1
There is danger in referring to Jamie’s targets as “Cornwall”. They have been: people, concepts, cliques and clubs, but I don’t believe he’s ever targeted the city itself.
I perceive his gestures to be those of a person who loves where he lives. Is it not natural to wish to improve the city when you are a committed resident? If he had a history of silent complaisance I figure he’d be a lame choice. He even displayed the humility to admit he backed the wrong choice in the last city election.
@Hugger!
Please ignore my last comment. I was distracted and thought you had directed your comments at Admin..
It’s nice to hear that some commentors are happy in Cornwall – of course it fits some people’s needs. After all, it’s not a refugee camp!
@ Dave Windsor, while your appreciation of Cornwall is admirable I don’t think that the people in Rosedale Terrace or St. Andrews share your enthusiasm. There is a reason why people choose to live and work outside of Cornwall’s boundaries. Simply expanding Cornwall’s tax base is not going to solve the current governance issues. Now if South Stormont were to absorb Cornwall and the OPP were to take over policing…..I’ll leave that up to your imagination.
Mr. Dave Windsor of all the time I have been following what you have written you have had good ideas for Cornwall and that is the truth. You have even written about Sarnia with a city hall that is something to attract business there which is true. A former neighbor of my parents went on a visit there and she liked it very much but instead went back to live in Toronto. Cornwall ends at Cornwall Centre Road and that is Cornwall’s limits. If you were to include St. Andrews, Rosedale Terrace and all the rest you would see your taxes escalate beyond reason because already the town has a lot of debt. Here in Ottawa they amalgamated all the burroughs and Nepean was debt free and they had a very good mayor in past years. Kanata is a place of debt and everyone has to carry that debt. I don’t think that the surrounding areas of Cornwall want to belong to Cornwall and many people choose to live out of town because of their reasons. We knew people who moved out of Cornwall and these were Cornwall born and bred and had terrible experiences living in Cornwall and left for a surrounding town and they said never again to ever live in Cornwall. Many people feel that way as well. The people of Cornwall is the root that has to change and without that change then nothing will happen. You can build beeches and buildings to your heart’s content and it won’t bring good changes until the root is changed. I can tell you that from experience and everyone that I knew in past years are gone except for a certain few that I could count on my fingers – everyone left for good. Take a good look around yourself and take the time out and really ask yourself if Cornwall really has a chance the way the people are. If Jamie did not come around to help expose what is happening in Cornwall the people would never know the truth and I guarantee you that. It is all thanks to Jamie to expose what is going on and too many do not appreciate all the good work that he does for everyone.
I for one wanted “mom and pop stores” and someone mentioned to me that the downfall is that their children do not want to take over the business and they do move on. That is the truth indeed. Here in Ottawa there are many mom and pop businesses along Bank Street and in malls and many are young people who are well educated and no job out there. These people have picked up ideas from the US like NYC, LA and elsewhere and want to improve Ottawa and they do just that. Our immigrants have been an asset (a great asset) to Ottawa, Montreal, etc. and that is the truth and in general they work for themselves and a lot of them hire staff. Cornwall needs a real face lift and that is so true but before that face lift can ever happen the people themselves have to change. Cornwall is known as a welfare town and one of sexual abuse and these people have no self esteem left at all in themselves and what else are they going to turn to except crime. I believe in people working and going to do volunteer work is a healthy thing that can lead to employment as well. If people are really concerned about their town then they will get out there and want to help with the improvements. Those run down shacks that we see are horrible and yes being a home owner and especially a landlord is no picnic at all and it takes big money to repair and many tenants do not care. I thank God every day for the landlord that we have and the great supers that he has to clean and repair and paint here and it is no easy job dealing with other people. Mighty big changes are needed to improve Cornwall and that will not be done overnight. My best regards to Jamie and my deepest sympathies as well for what he will be going through if he gets the job as mayor. He will need plenty of prayers and good wishes to go with that job and he will need the people to work with him and that is no easy task at all.
I cannot believe this but for once I agree with Jules. Yes, Nepean was debt free until it was amalgamated with Ottawa thanks to Mike Harris. Nepean has never been the same since. St. Andrews West and Rosedale would never accept being amalgamated into Cornwall. Their taxes would skyrocket as they would have to pay the same as Cornwall residents, but yet be without some of the services. (see areas outside of Ottawa that pay Ottawa taxes but do not receive the same level of services (i.e. buses, water, sewer, etc.)
I for one am also in favour of mom and pop stores, but they are a dying breed not just in Cornwall. A lot of large malls will not rent to mom and pop operations, they only want regional, provincial or national franchises in their malls. It is the children of the mom and pop owners who do not want to continue the stores. A perfect example is Brown Shoes on Pitt Street. Why did it close? Because the kids didn’t want to continue the work of their parents. They wanted an easier life and that did not include the family tradition and store.
Cornwall has to change it’s attitude of accepting being second best. We must believe we can succeed and be the best we can be.
Hugger if Cornwall gets its house in order and it becomes of value to amalgamate then it will happen. It can’t be by force or threat. It makes sense to centralize services. It makes sense to pool resources. It makes sense most times to be part of a larger entity, but it has to be done right and that’s the roadblock at this time. And as long as most of City Management and poobahs live out in the townships and play a role in creating the very reasons that they don’t live within the city limits we will not move forward.
||If Others towns would amalgamate with Cornwall would they be under Cornwall Electric or Hydro One… If under Cornwall Electric that might be enough for them to consider amalgamation…
Exactly Jane Doe – there are potential advantages for all; but all of our houses have to be in order and we have to create the optimal circumstances to amalgamate.
Likewise with policing. Cornwall spent over $16M on the CPS in this new budget. Using the OPP spread out over an amalgamated Eastern Door of Ontario might be huge savings for taxpayers, especially since a huge chunk of our law enforcement including Chief Parkinson I believe, live outside of Cornwall. If it’s safe enough for them to live there with OPP services it should be safe enough for us, no?
In regards to amalgamation and hydro if they are currently under Hydro One they would remain under Hydro One UNLESS Cornwall Electric would be willing to buy the area to service it. When I lived in Orleans and Gloucester was amalgamated into Ottawa we were with Hydro One. We were told the only way for us to move to Hydro Ottawa was if Hydro Ottawa bought the entire area from Hydro One which never happened. Apparently it is very expensive for one hydro utility to buy an area from another hydro utility. Hydro One doesn’t give areas up easily. And if Hydro One’s recent actions are any indication I’d say they would not sell the areas involved to Cornwall Electric. Then it would be a matter of physically moving them from the Hydro One grid to the Cornwall Electric grid. Not easily done I say as Cornwall Electric gets their electricity from Quebec.
In regard to policing I don’t know if the OPP would be the best option. Most communities with OPP coverage have seen policing costs skyrocket due to the raises the officers have received. In Cornwall overages can be covered in the overall city budget.
Hugger with arbitration that’s mute. If one service goes up eventually the other will be matched when it comes to salary.
For quite some time now OPP was being considered to replace the Barney Fife PD. I have been hearing about that for some time now. If the areas surrounding Cornwall do not want to amalgamate there will be quite a battle. It won’t do any good to amalgamate anyway because the taxes will skyrocket and most people do not want to belong to Cornwall and that is the reason why they moved out.
Mr. Dave Windsor has a lot of good ideas and I remember young Korey Kennedy who was a counsellor in Cornwall not too long ago if all of you remember him. He was at La Citadelle with my daughter and my daughter could hardly believe someone so young and inexperienced as Korey being a counsellor. Well young Korey was going to Ottawa U at the time and was an educated young man and people laughed at him. He had some very good ideas as well but Cornwall could not afford to put them through. Some people are looking at Sarnia and Brockville for ideas and yes you can get ideas by looking at other towns of similar size and see what they are doing. You get the ideas but it doesn’t mean that everything will suit Cornwall – what suits one may not suit another. I don’t remember who came up with the idea of a fish market not far from the Cotton Mill condos and in one way it is a very good idea but in another way a bad one because how long will that place last since most of Cornwall is low income and most people are looking for bargains. Young Korey was an excellent young man to have on board – funny at times and kind of reminds me a little of myself. LOL LOL. I have to laugh because he also reminded me of that Liberal woman from Hamilton Sheila Copps – Sheila Sheila get me the tequila. That was so funny of her jumping over desks after that man from Newfoundland.
I have a question this time and this must be a first but what I want to know is that in the past Cornwall had two electric companies and one was Cornwall Electric and I can’t remember the name of the other one that was under Hydro. The Riverdale area of Cornwall was under Hydro and the rest of Cornwall dealt with Cornwall Electric and I was wondering if it is still like that or has it changed? This did exist in past years and I have not kept up with any of this in a mighty long time.
Jamie if you were to make an amalgamation then you might consider bringing in the likes of Long Sault, Ingleside and Morrisburg as well. OUCH MY EARS I can just hear the people of those towns cursing every dirty word at me saying NO WAY JOSE. LOL LOL. These people are without bus service but they have beautiful towns and I don’t think that they want to ruin it by coming on board with Cornwall. To be honest Jamie the taxes would skyrocket. The OPP gets higher salaries than Cornwall’s Barney Fife PD and that is the truth. So many things would have to change. Even the cost of bus service would go up tremendously and as is Cornwall is struggling to keep buses on the roads. There is a great deal to consider before making any decisions. It is a mighty costly adventure. Kingston did an amalgamation as well and some other cities did that as well. Look into what happened to them and other areas before jumping on the ship.
Amalgamation will never happen, after it went so well in Ottawa and Toronto (NOT).Taxes soared after the forced amalgamations of Ottawa and Toronto. I think the provincial government learned their lesson when those two amalgamations were total busts. Higher taxes for the outlying areas and no new services.And given that the areas proposed for amalgamation are happy where they are it won’t happen.
The OPP will NEVER take over policing in Cornwall. Like Jules said they receive higher wages than the CCPS. And they have an item in their contract we wouldn’t like…..they are to be the highest paid police in Ontario. If another police service passes them in salary it is rectified in the next contract. If it were to happen much wouldn’t change as the officers from the CCPS would simply be transferred to the OPP. That’s how it’s been handled with other cities / towns that have disbanded their police services. The officers would love it as their salary would jump, the taxpayers wouldn’t like it so much.