CORNWALL Ontario – Jim Brownell is very upset. He’s ranting on his facebook page about yours truly.
His invective is pretty out there for the normally mild mannered and polite retired school teacher and former Liberal MPP for our riding.
I have been a huge supporter of Mr. Brownell, but sadly; due to the Liberal Boycott of CFN led by Cornwall Ontario Mayor Bob Kilger it’s caused a lot of divisiveness in the community and a lot of damage to my business and myself.
Mr. Brownell sure didn’t consider me a “blogger” back in 2011. As a matter of fact I took a day off at his invitation to accompany him to Queen’s Park to cover his special day.
I sat next to another old Liberal, Pat Finucan. Mr. Finucan has never been silly enough to public call the editor of this city’s largest and most read newspaper a simple Blogger; not that there’s anything wrong with blogging or being a blogger. It’s quite bewildering actually to see some in Cornwall use that term like it’s a cuss word. It shows how backward and uneducated some of their generation simply are.
“Just wanted you to know that my posts are now without a photo. Unfortunately, Cornwall’s BLOGGER had Facebook remove it, as he took the photograph. My staff at Queen’s Park, in 2011, placed it as my profile photo, and I had used it since that time, as it was the only photo I had on the day that my Private Members’ Bill was debated and passed in the Legislature.
Apparently, Cornwall’s BLOGGER had taken the photo, and he has now asked that it be removed on Facebook. Unfortunately, I did not know how to remove it, so I guess I’m going to need assistance in getting a new photo with my posts. Cornwall’s BLOGGER can take the photo and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine! To my Facebook friends, I’m sorry for being so blunt, but Cornwall’s BLOGGER is way over the top.”
Hate group founder Photo: Facebook
Mr. Brownell has joined what many consider a hate group. It was originally a Boycott Cornwall Free News group; but the popular social media site shut it down for the use of hate symbols and harassment. It was founded by one of his former students.
The group also posted an image not only mocking the poppy, but defacing it after one of its members was suspended from facebook for posting in the group. A story we published including a quote from the Canadian Legion:
“It is a first. I have never seen such a blatant defacement of our sacred symbol and believe that if other Canadians could see it, they’d be as outraged as I am,” says Bill Maxwell, who is secretary of the Legion’s Poppy and Remembrance Committee.
After several email exchanges between Mr. Brownell and myself he remains a proud member of the group and considers himself a friend of its founder; a convicted criminal who simply started another group the day after.
At that point I asked Mr. Brownell to remove the photo I took of him as it really made no sense to have one of my images floating in a group that is pretty much dedicated to trashing myself and my business, and includes images of my home and posts my address and brings my family members into this; or posts images that other people have felt were a threat to my pets even.
Mr. Brownell refused and Facebook removed the image for copyright violation; but that didn’t stop him from ranting away on his facebook page. LINK
back in 2011 he allowed my staff to post that photo, as the staff really controlled the site. Now that he’s ticked off with me, as I’m a “friend” with a few of his enemies, he runs to Facebook, to have it removed! Absolutely petty, but I have no control over that.
Of course he didn’t post that I was at the event at Queen’s Park at his invitation, and as his guest.
Cyber bullying and hate crimes are not new exactly.
Cyberbullying is the use of information technology to harm or harass other people in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner.[1]According to U.S. Legal Definitions, Cyber-bullying could be limited to posting rumors or gossips about a person in the internet bringing about hatred in other’s minds; or it may go to the extent of personally identifying victims and publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them.[2]
There have been over 1,000 images captured from this group that Mr. Brownell belongs to. There have been a number of removals via facebook. There have been suspensions for some of its members. There has been copyright theft on multiple platforms. And there are three current police investigations under way.
This essentially is the group that has unfortunately led to the removal of Mr. Brownell’s photo that he is so lamenting.
The big question is why of all places is Mr. Brownell in this group? He has many former students; but he certainly is not in all of their groups?
The sad truth is that Mr. Brownell is simply party to attacks from a clique of people. Is it no surprise that my police charges have not been dropped when his hand chosen heir apparent Pat Finucan is Chair of the Cornwall Police Board which also has Cornwall Mayor Bob Kilger as a citizen representative on it? Those charges btw, which have now proven my innocence clearly. IE Bell telephone has provided records that I never made any of the phone calls I was alleged to have made.
Pat Finucan, Jim Brownell, and Mayor Kilger certainly didn’t consider CFN a blog up until their boycott? And of course most of them would be challenged to actually state why there is a CFN boycott.
As one city councilor once stated;
“If you throw dog poop into someone’s back yard why would you complain if they throw it back?”
I endorsed Mayor Kilger in the last election. There certainly was no bad blood. As for Mr. Finucan he took me out to lunch before making his run for the Liberal nomination. That was a smart move as our online newspaper’s support is never a bad thing because of our 60,000 + unique visitors per month. Mr. Finucan decided to take the guidance of Joey Gault, Paul Lefebvre, and Graham Greer instead of what I offered. He lost to Mark A MacDonald on the first ballot.
As for Mr. Brownell? The NDP once attacked him sending out press releases to do so. They suggested he was not showing up to Queen’s Park for reasons other than the truth at that time; that he was ill. I blasted their media person in Toronto sharing that with Mr. Brownell.
At one point I appealed to Mr. Brownell and Mr. Finucan as the two “Greybeards” to try and have a discussion regarding the bewildering boycott with Mayor Kilger; but both gentlemen refused. In one conversation with Mr. Brownell about the boycott where he was upset about stories we’d written I asked him point blank; “Should I simply do nothing while his friends attempted to destroy my business and reputation?”
The kicker was the St. Andrews Ball. I drove James Borer, who besides being attached to the Glens was the Liberal riding President, and helped get full sponsorship for the event from a very well respected brewery in the region. Essentially free beverages for 500 people!
Not only was I not thanked and invited, but barred from the event? A call to Mr. Brownell who was chair of the Hospital Foundation which did the barring resulted in an offer for a media opportunity. It was bewildering and embarrassing.
Likewise was his retirement announcement event. I’d tried to contact several people to get quotes and put together a commemorative video for our coverage; but was road blocked by quite a few people. It turned out that someone wanted John Earle, who just lost to Jim McDonell for the Liberals recently, to shoot something instead.
The day of the event I arrived early to prep, which is what I usually do, and the Brownell family actually sat at my table leaving me no seat which meant me standing. That wasn’t a problem. John Earle arrived late with Gilles Latour and they were forced to be much further back. At the end of the event Mr. Latour started shouting about how my “fat ass” blocked poor John Earle. It was bewildering again; but professional people show up for important events in a timely fashion; especially if they have to shoot video.
I feel terribly sad that Jim has fallen to these depths, and is acting out in this manner. His latest rant even includes a shot about my candidacy for mayor against Mr. Kilger.
You bet, Tim! Cornwall’s BLOGGER is running for Mayor of Cornwall, by the way!
..there are three in the race for mayor, Jamie, Bob, and Leslie. I can tell you it’s not Bob or Leslie! To be fair, I placed these names in alphabetical order, by surname. You’ll have to fill in the blanks!
Maybe the founder of the group he’s so proud to be a part of will get him one of their t shirts to go along with his facebook rant?
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Gilles Latour……You mention this guy’s name in any post. I see it along with his mug shot in any newspaper and I am disgusted, this guy is married, has children and enjoys {MODERATED} other women, including a married one, be careful Latour, never know when they will appear. You may think you represent Cornwall, trust me along with your friend Bobby Peters, you know, the one who hired {MODERATED} back in the day on a city credit card, you will always be laughed upon.
You know, Jim’s wife is a very sizable woman. Jim was my teacher at long Sault public, and I can tell you he had his favorites. It was discussing to watch. I was one who was singled out by him sometimess. He would embarras students in front of the whole class. It was the worst having him as a teacher, I still remember those huge bulging eyes staring directly into mine.
Gilles Latour, etc…..part of the infamous Cornwall mafia (clique). Their time will come soon enough.
Stop hating online.
An ex teacher & politician should familiarize himself with the following Government Website and do a little reflecting on what it means to join a gang with the goal of dehumanizing and abusing a person.
Through a public FB group, JB publicly shakes his finger at “negativity” and failure to “take the highroad.” I shake my head.
It’s pitiful.
http://www.getcybersafe.gc.ca/cnt/blg/pst-20140109-eng.aspx
Further destroying and semblance of being a real Journalist seaway FREE news Todd Lihou has set up a page for jimmy boy..remaining neutral is just to much for this guy really sad
Rewarding Copyright infringement is a powerful tool….
No need for a T-Shirt he should just post using as a picture his SD&G COL uniform and in a Kilt no less.
What is the name of the drunk sitting on a car seat above?
Jerry that is the founder of the hate group and apparently a good friend of Jim Brownell and Tammy Hart….With his new found popularity he should run for council in South Stormont… He couldn’t be any worse than Dave Smith, Donna Primeau, or Mike Proulx…
Freud says – Jim Brownell put the word “friends” in quotation marks… Hmmm, interesting for a retired school teacher. What do you suppose that means?
Dave smith, now theres a character.
Jamie would this {MODERATED} happen to be the one that I said would burn crosses on my lawn if he had the chance. He was the one who got up in front of the Mayor of Long Sault and put you down – I think his first name is Richard and the last name Cuerrier. Am I right or wrong.
probably in the family of my use of the term gentleman?
The rant seems terrifically childish and petty minded. If in fact Jim Brownell is responsible for the posting then he should be embarrassed for having taken the low road. Someone with class and intelligence does not travel that road. Unfortunately for us all, we are too often remembered for our shortcomings and our accomplishments fade into the background. Pity.
Mr. Brownell makes no mention of our 20 email exchange which finally resulted in me asking him not to use my photo in a hate group devoted to attacking myself and my business. As someone actually posted in his thread he is name calling. While the silly use of the term blog may be silly it’s clear his intention isn’t to compliment myself. So sad and odd. The good news is that the clique and hate group are showing themselves to the public in his find a new photo group…
Ex-politicians, eh? Still trying to stay relevant. Arghhhh!!!
Actually an honorary Colonel of the Glens supporting someone that defaced the poppy and the joked about it.
I’m not sure what the difference is. You blatantly use this website to further your own right wing agenda. You can bash people all day long but if they bash you, you cry foul. let me follow this up by saying that for the most part I agree with what your saying as far as kilger and the corruption. I just find the way you handle it is like a child who had his cookie taken. Where is the professionalism. Instead of being the better person and giving people and unbiased place to get news you have created what I like to call a tabloid.
Welcome to CFN Paul and thank you for viewing and your contribution. Btw, it’s not about bias. It’s about giving everyone an equal platform to share their side as we have just allowed you. Everyone has a bias to some degree.