CORNWALL Ontario – In a bewildering flip flop Cornwall Waterfront Committee member Patrick Clarke sent in his press release to announce his decision to run for council.
Mr. Clarke (seated between Roy Perkins and Councilor Glen Grant) recently at the meeting where the WFC went in camera illegally as outlined in the Fournier Report also voted to amend the minutes to strike CFN as media present.
CFN set a record in June with 62,362 Unique Visitors and over 175,000 total visits which we have surpassed in July, and is the largest and most read newspaper in Cornwall Ontario online or otherwise. There have been estimates even that more people click and read CFN than both the Seaway News and Standard Freeholder combined.
It boggles how one could raise their hand the vote that the most read media isn’t media and then send in their press release.
Pat Clarke has announced his candidacy for Cornwall City Council in the upcoming municipal elections on October 27th, 2014. Pat, a bilingual Cornwall native who is a long time and active community volunteer, is hoping to be elected as a City Councillor.
Following his volunteer involvement with the “Run to end MS”, The Corus Cares Holiday Wine and Gourmet Tastings in support of the United Way, the Rotary Club of Cornwall, the Cornwall Multisport Club, the Cornwall Waterfront Committee, the Cornwall Recreation Advisory Committee and the Cornwall WaterFest Committee, Pat is looking to get involved with City Council in the hopes of continuing to “make Cornwall a better place to live” and to “make a difference in the lives of people in our community”.
He intends to release his campaign platform the week of August,11.
The mild mannered Mr. Clarke was one of the first to raise his hand to move into the illegal in camera session without asking any questions; but simply following the lead of member Roy Perkins and Councilor Glen Grant who seconded the motion to move into the illegal session.
Kudo’s to Mr. Clarke for sending in his release; but surely the question would arise regarding how he could possibly serve the best interests of our community after supporting an illegal in camera meeting and then dissing our loyal CFN viewers?
At the last meeting the committee voted to defer for a month rather than deal with the Fournier report findings even though they were quite clear. As well none of the committee apologized to the community or CFN for its actions.
What do you think of Mr. Clarke’s sucking and blowing at the same time? You can post your comments below.
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The more newcomers running for city council IMHO the better. This way we can get the current crop of councilors out of there.
I agree with Hugger again and the more newcomers that put in their name for council the better to get rid of the deadwood failure that is there now that get in year after year. You don’t vote for the same crap every year you make a change because once people are there all the time they do not leave and they literally screw the people. Think about what the senators here in Ottawa did and are doing not counting what that former premier of Alberta did Redfirn or whatever her name is. Think of politicians as birdcage liners where they need to be changed or they stink to high heaven. Cornwall’s gang sure has proved that one to be true as well.
Jules replacing deadwood with fresher deadwood still leaves you with deadwood.
You are absolutely right Jamie but you have to get rid of what is there just now and we can all agree with that. I don’t know who this Mr. Clark is but even those who came forward just now are not much better. People have to get out there and make changes. You can’t keep the same ones in year after year because that is when real corruption sets in. I see a lot of the same names in here in Ottawa but it is too big to know them. You have to change the birdcage liner all the time or else it will stink. The same with politicians and you have to think of them as birdcage liners. Nothing will change until the people themselves change.
O M G ! Pat Clark for City Council? Please lets hope not!
The decisions he has taken while sitting on the Water Front Committee leave a lot to be desired. As AN Example !
On the less than brilliant idea of building a Condo on the
paved parking lot just east of the Civic Center he was OK with that, stating we didn’t need all that paved parking lot.
Were he to get in as a Councilor we might very well have Condos built even on our historic Pointe Maligne .
Trust is a very Important factor in who I vote for and I just don’t trust that man.
Bill Beattie I said that I never knew that man at all and it should be pointed out to the people as well. It is a good thing that you mentioned it here. I find that there are many who presented themselves for council are not good candidates and like usual the people of Cornwall are really stuck. There are many qualified people out there who can do a good job but the problem is that they don’t come forward. Every year the same rif raf are elected and that is what happens when you elect the same people over and over again. Drastic changes are needed pronto. This can no longer go on the way it is. Cornwall is run by a “don” and his clique and this has to end. People are like scared rabbits running all over the place not knowing what to do. You have to be brave in this life and let nobody scare you and you must all do your part to make a much better community or else it will go to hell. Now is the time to change everything.
Jamie, either educate people like Jules on the candidates as I for one take exception to all he says. I am fresh new blood, I am not rif raf and for somebody whom is a former Cornwallite like him who says he would never move back why does he even comment. Then I say I would not welcome you back. Stay in Ottawa and bitch there! Now, campaigning is only starting and very very slowly, only a few declared candidates have stated their platforms so at this point how can one decide ! Don’t ya just love procrastinators like this! We need to be send positive vibes out there not receive negative insults.
Thanks, now I have said my piece. I am back to campaigning and happy to meet people who live and also visitors and residents alike who support our city !
Hi Rolly, Jules is female btw, and yes, you have been one of the more aggressive and concerned candidates so far. Have a good race! Btw, we are in the process of losing more three more downtown businesses and a handful of very valuable Cornwallites have just left or will have left before the election.
Sometimes saying things in more plain language gets heard better than nicey nice formalities.
I agree with Roland. Jules continues to complain as a former resident. But as seeing she moved away what 40 years ago I’d say her right to complain about Cornwall expired 39 years ago. I wish Roland Besner and most of the candidates running for city council good luck. We need basically to have a clean sweep and replace most of the current members on council
Hi Hugger, We agree, on your point of needing a clean sweep of Council ! Totally dysfunctional ! But getting back to Pat Clarke declaring himself as a candidate, he has much explaining to do, regarding his position of kicking out the MEDIA & the PUBLIC from a “WFC” committee meeting ? He must clear up this contentious situation before I could support him ? We cannot allow, our elected officials to continue having these closed door sessions-meetings ! Come election time, they all profess to demand TRANSPARANCY” in government ! BALL-DER_DASH !!!!
To the one who wondered if I was a man or a woman I am a woman and yes I left 40 years ago and came back to Cornwall and left again in 2004 back to Ottawa. As for me bitching yes I bitch and I was born and raised in Cornwall. I see a great deal of what is wrong in Cornwall and more than what a lot of people know. There was nothing left for me in Cornwall and the only reason that I went back was because of mom being very sick and dying. Take a good look around you what is happening in Cornwall where the taxes are way too high and businesses cannot make a go of things nor can people who own houses nor people who rent. Some lunatics want to build very expensive condos and a lot of people are leaving for good reason. Who is going to occupy those condos when everything will be gone and that is why I am trying to open up everyone’s eyes because most are asleep and don’t care about voting and I don’t blame them at all because it is the same crap that get in year after year after year.
Hugger I remember a very fine gentleman (I think that it was Mr. Valentine) said on Jamie’s CFN that I must be concerned about Cornwall or I wouldn’t be posting and that is true Hugger. Do you really think that I want to see Cornwall go down the cliff. I am trying to open people’s eyes and ears and if I have to shock the living hell out of them to see what is going on then I will do my best to do so. The “so called elites” of Cornwall have done so much damage to Cornwall’s reputation for their dirty dealings and you can’t help but get mighty upset over everything. All those on council now maybe except for one or two have no clue whatsoever for what they are doing. Yes I get mad as hell and at least I express myself. If more and more people expressed themselves it would be good so as to get other opinions. Very few people put themselves out to be on council and the same bunch of clueless idiots keep getting in year after year after year.
I may out on a limb by saying this, but I think deep down Jules would want to move back to Cornwall on some levels. I get saddened about events in Montreal as well even though I haven’t lived there since the 90’s.
On the surface Mr. Clarke seems to fit the current mold responsible for the caliber of councilors that we have. He would therefore be an appropriate fit into the Cornwall political circus. I will have to inform myself further on his possible ability to assist this City out of its current quagmire. Again, on the surface it would appear that Mr. Clarke doesn’t represent a step forward for this community and as a taxpayer I simply cannot endure another step backward.
Admin (Jamie) how did you know that sometimes I would like to move back to Cornwall? I almost typed in Ottawa instead. LOL LOL. I just came back from the doctor with my daughter and she has to go back in another month or so and I have been on the hop. I just got home about 1/2 hour ago. I was talking to the doctor’s secretary before patients came in and before the doctor came in and we were talking about some of this as well. She remembers Ottawa when it was better (smaller). Now Ottawa is getting more like Montreal and Toronto. Sears on Rideau Street is gone and the store is being renovated outside and in for a high end store called Nordstrom. Condos on Bank St. in the Glebe where the football stadium is located and all high rise buildings. YUCK! I bet there are times that you miss Montreal but nowadays these cities are too big and cramped. My daughter does not like big cities and prefers small places like Cornwall. Even the doctor said that Ottawa has changed so much. I wish that the good old 50, 60’s and 70’s were back again down to sanity.
Jamie and folks when I left Ottawa for Cornwall it was in 1990 and Ottawa was no way like what it is today. You look at Ottawa today after being away and coming back to this was a shock and I mean a shock. Speaking about condos and you know that I hate those monstrous, and ugly structures there is a write up on yahoo.ca about Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa about the condos and that they are not selling so fast. Many people have commented that they are not what people think. Of course not you live like you are renting in these bird cages and you are paying big money to have others do the upkeep for you and you don’t know if that money is going to go to the right place for the upkeep and they cost way too much money only for the rich Asians. Keep Cornwall in a good way and don’t overbuild. Overbuilding YUCK! When I lived in Cornwall before coming back to Ottawa I had a horrible dream that I was travelling with my kids as babies in the bus and all I saw around me were wall to wall high rise buildings and to me it was a bad dream. I woke up out of that dream and now what is going up are those ugly high rise buildings but my children are all grown up.
Jules if you move back to Cornwall we promise not to bite.
Hugger I don’t bite and I do get mighty angry at times and that is the truth. I hate it when people do not read and keep up with what is going on and to make the necessary changes and boot out the bums from office when needed. This is a mighty crucial time for Cornwall and I am very serious. If this keeps up GOD HELP EVERYONE.
No argument there Jules. An almost clean sweep is required of the current Cornwall city council.
I read a while ago and I think some time ago as well that in Cornwall they were going to build another Wal Mart am I right? If that is the case then what are they going to do with the present one? This is crazy unless something isn’t working out with the present location.
Someone commented about the Sydney Street Public School on 8th and Sydney Streets and when we went by it became some sort of a church and no longer a school. It was a French public school before and before that back in my day it was an English public school. People are leaving Cornwall and schools are closing. Things are much worse than what most people know about. There is no other recourse but to get rid of Bare Ass by whatever means possible because he is literally destroying Cornwall and I have said that for a long time now.
Walmart is building a new store at Cumberland and Seventh / Ninth. Corporate welfare at it’s best.
Old schools are being abandoned by school boards because it’s less expensive to build new ones rather than repair the schools built in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
Hugger would the new Wal Mart be where Westburne Hussey is located? That would be a tremendous traffic jam of an area to come if that is what I am picturing in my mind.