Last week I sent out press releases to area media. It invited members of the press to attend my conference in front of City Hall.
Only one outlet showed up and I gave out my information and was asked some good questions as the reporter is one of our better ones in this city.
One of the reasons I didn’t run for office in 2010 is that I felt I wouldn’t get a fair and professional shake from our area media.
This year; with really only two local outlets with newsrooms left I didn’t expect much better. In this case I even invited Cogego and the Seekers as I thought they might actually find something by attending the event.
I had announced in Social media that I was going to spill some beans and at my event I was asked a very interesting question. I was asked how I would handle wearing both hats; as editor of the largest newspaper in Cornwall and as candidate for Mayor?
I answered clearly. That I would embargo CFN to give media a fair chance to get the cream from any announcement during my campaign. I told the reporter that I would not write about what occurred until Monday. Even though people kept pestering me I stayed mum giving the reporter a chance to get his story out.
Today is Tuesday of course and the Standard Freeholder did not write a piece even though I was twice assured. The Seaway News did not show up at all or email.
Now is this chiefly fair to the public? Should the public not be appraised of what candidates have to say; especially for Mayor?
It’s not like I send out missives and releases daily; nor even write in my campaign blog that often?
It makes one wonder if the two beneficiaries of the bulk of the city’s near $300K per year in advertising are practicing journalism at times or are simply playing fast and greasy? Would they have run the story if I wasn’t editor of CFN?
The announcements were three. I wanted to squelch a few rumours. Chiefly that I was “In to Win” and would not be pulling out of the race based on the current slate of candidates.
Two, I would not be shifting to run as councilor no matter what happened.
I wanted to make those two points concrete clear.
The third issue I wanted to share with the my fellow members of the Fouth Estate was that after reading another media outlet talk about our police board giving out new three year contracts to our Police Chief and Deputy Chief that no such contracts should be tendered by this board and no new contracts given out until after the election.
Cornwall has enough image issues and with what has occurred this term and the fact that a candidate for mayor has conditions from charges laid that have been proven without a doubt to be false, that the current mayor and his campaign manager having potential leverage over the process are not the optics to help build a city upon.
Add in that the first crown in my case has a father that is connected to City Hall via Heart of the City and there simply are too many dots that raise too many questions; some of which will have to be answered at some point even though Crown Jennifer Burke has now been removed from my criminal case.
To have anyone accused of making threatening phone calls from a specific phone number, at a specific time, for a specific duration be put through what I have without the police ever looking at my phone or phone records; having a crown refuse to ask for a production order for those phone records until asked to refuse in writing, and then when the production order clearly shows that the calls as detailed were in fact never made surely should end any question as to the situation.
Yet here we are just about at the six month mark with conditions hanging over my head that allow the person who falsely claimed I phoned them taking pot shots on Social media while if I were to write; even without naming the person; what happened the day of the charges could be held in breach and charged.
We do live in Canada and this being Cornwall and an election coming up we need to use what are termed “The Best Practices”.
In this case we should not be handing out any new contracts that could have any whiff of taint on them.
So there you have it Cornwall. I am IN TO WIN in 2014.
If you really want change in Cornwall. If you want a mayor to work with to lower taxes, retain and attract our young people, work with local business to promote growth as opposed to corporate welfare that simply bloat taxes and take money out of local businesses pockets you have only one clear option.
I will not kiss babies nor kiss hind quarters. I will not smile and whisper sweet nothing into the voters ears or make promises we all know could never be kept.
Cornwall needs to stand up if it really wants to change, and if Cornwall truly wants change there is only one candidate to vote for for Mayor in 2014.
I hope we can all be that change even if some of TC MEDIA & SUN MEDIA folks won’t play fair dinkum.
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When do the contracts for the deputy and police chief expire?
I believe this year Hugger. Mr. McIntosh was chortling about new contracts in his last column. But I have a hunch they are close to signing, and that would not be clean considering the mayor’s campaign manager is the chair of the police board and Mayor Kilger and Councilor Rivette are also on the board and also running for office.
IMHO anyone involved in the police board should step away from those duties if they are involved in any one’s election campaign. As for delaying the signing the deputy and police chiefs contract I believe it isn’t wise. We do not want to be without either, it leaves the city open to too much possibly going wrong (& no we don’t need to get into a discussion on what’s right / wrong in Cornwall).
Cornwall is in the very worst shape and more to come if things are not changed around for the better. So far I cannot see any good changes unless a miracle from God happens. So many businesses closing for such a mighty small town and much more to come. Hold on to your seats. If Jamie or Leslie O’Shaughnessey do not become mayor God help you all.
Good luck Jamie. I believe with all the announced candidates for mayor and councilors it’s going to be interesting come October 27th.
Jamie I wish you the very best of luck and honest to God I want the best for you. I hope that you win and you are sincere about what you say. This job is mighty big and a great deal more than what people know. You are always on call day or night and it is a huge responsibility. Electing you or Leslie O’Shaughnessey are two mighty good people and getting rid of the garbage in the present administration has to be or God help Cornwall.
The fact that you have not received proper respect/professionalism from a local paper is not surprising. One only has to look at the ownership (anti-Canadian/separatist) to understand why.
Social networking in my opinion could be your greatest source of effectively reaching those that should be concerned with their future here in Cornwall. I am referring to the 19 to 39 demographic (from the 2011 census approximately 12,500).
Jamie you are plugged into the Digital Age, use it. Considered that only 43.5% voted in the last municipal election. So out of a little over 30,000 registered voters only a little over 13,000 inked a ballot. Reach the demographic that I referred to and the seniors that are being left behind by the current administration and IN TO WIN is seriously doable.
Bringing back the current administration ensures that nothing progressive for young families or seniors occurs. Get the message out in a Digital way that showcases your connection with the future of the world that we live in. The social media buzz will fuel the excitement that the old world style media will want to grasp onto to remain vital. Just my opinion.
Hi David. We’ll see how that works out. I know the negative smear I’ve had from other local media certainly have not helped get any message out.
There’s a huge real resistance to change. An example is the CAG (Community Action Group) led by Gerry Benson. That group has refused to meet with me to discuss my goal of cutting taxes by 5% over 4 years. Same for the Chamber of Commerce. They clearly show personal bias over putting the city’s needs first.
That I find very sad.
Turning negatives into positives is what separates winners from losers. Resistance to change is a challenge due the fact that the resistance often opposes simple commonsense because it is fueled by fear. Identify the fear, address it head on and the resistance cracks. Overcoming resistance to change is part of acquiring basic management skills. Don,t ignore the groups that are in opposition to your goal of becoming Mayor of Cornwall, do talk about their bias, do talk about the fact that their collective heads are buried in the sand and that they themselves demonstrate the very reasons why we find ourselves in our current position. Expose them for being part of the problem and that YOU want to be part of the solution. Invite them to come on board or be left behind, make no mistake this community under your leadership is going to set sail on a course for success and failure is not an option. The goal will be reached one step at a time by overcoming these obstacles, not ignoring them.
OMG…..you’re not going to kiss babies ????
Stan the only babies I kiss are of legal age 😉
Hey David I think I’ve been doing that for awhile. It’s funny; but some of them accuse me of “hating” Cornwall when in fact I’ve chosen to stay, make it my home, and try and make it better and put the city first. I wish more of them would be as committed.
Here’s an example. The city was murdering beavers in Guindon Park. Trapping at taxpayer expense. I asked for a 90 moratorium to present to council some alternatives, and not only did they refuse, but they moved the traps next to a beaver lodge and wiped out the family.
Only after I enlisted an outside group that funded the project to replace trapping did the city cave in; but not before OPG and the Ministry tried to play funny beggars.
As a small group we made a truly positive change that improved the water quality and ecological health of Guindon Park.
We can make a difference, but there was only one of our council willing to make that change and he chickened out at the last section. We even had Bernadette Clement on the board of the River Institute supporting the trapping. And the River Institute itself stayed silent instead of leading the way.
It was embarrassing for our community and it showed the only time to budge the status quo was under threat of mass exposure.
That’s what we have to change.
Jamie and folks I hope that you are all sitting down nicely and ready for my shock I WAS IN CORNWALL THIS MORNING WITH MY FAMILY LOL LOL. ROLF! My husband teased me all the way to Cornwall and all I did was laugh. Hardly any traffic in town, no dog or cat on the road to be seen except for one in Lamoureux Park with its owner. We noticed that the Bob Turner Arena is gone – OMG what a shame. I remember back in 1959 when that was built and Bob Turner himself and his family. No life in the former CGH and don’t know what is going to become of that. Cornwall is so very small a real farm. We were tiptoeing through the tulips at Lamoureux Park and was looking for that mighty strange fellow while looking at the little shack that you call a museum and looking for snow white. The only thing I saw around were geese. We sat down for a few minutes on a bench where the boats are at the marina and left to buy some things to eat before going back to Ottawa. We came back about 1/2 hour ago. I noticed on Brookdale Avenue there is a sign about a Future Shop is supposed to go up there. The stores sure are mighty small compared to the stores here in Ottawa. I was trying so hard to focus that even Wal Mart aka Wally World is so miniature.
Jamie I sure do know how you feel that you want to make Cornwall a much better place and I said it over and over and over again that if the people themselves do not change and kick out Bare Ass and company then they are doomed forever without any hope at all and that is the real truth. We were down to Cornwall this morning and it was dead and more like being in a grave yard. My husband was teasing me saying “look at all the prosperty” and we went by houses falling apart literally and businesses without people and we were some of the very first people in an eatery in Cornwall. We gave them a good business this morning for the four of us. I can’t stop laughing till now. School is out and no families enjoying Lamoureux Park and the only ones out enjoying it were the geese and some boaters getting ready to take off somewhere. It would take a miracle from God to make Cornwall prosper again which it won’t.
Jules….the Future Shop on Brookdale will be one of their new concept stores. With a lot of people doing their shopping online it’ll be a basic store with pickup capabilities. A lot of stores are going that way. There will also be a “Sally” in that mall, but nor until the Future Shop opens. There was supposed to be a Big Lots, but they have pulled out of Canada.
Hugger after reading so many things going on in the US and Canada you are so right that many people are purchasing on line which is doing away with a lot of businesses. When you go to Future Shop and other stores here the place is almost empty and you get no service at all. I think that people are mighty tired of it all and prefer to do their shopping on line. You are right indeed.
Jamie Mr. Oldham has a good point and that is for you to get your message out digitally since young people are mostly on computers and other gadgets. As for Benson, Kilger (Bare Ass) and all the old geezers who have one foot in the grave and their minds are solid like cement (even though I would have loved to add in another word instead – LOL LOL) you cannot change their minds. They won’t be around for too long. The younger generation will be around and God help what kind of a world that they will inherit. Things are not good at all. In past years Cornwall thrived but today it is much worse than the 30’s great depression. It takes people like yourself with ideas that the old geezers cannot dream about. Go to it Jamie and use the radio as well for the old folks.
One more thing Jamie is that even some older folks use cell phones that are computerized and I see this here in Ottawa all the time. Get the word around to everyone digitally and by radio. Never mind about the toilet paper of record – SF and Seaway News – they are on their way out. You will not see many young people reading paper newspapers but are on line. Honest Jamie even in my building it is very rare to see a newspaper at someone’s door.
Jules..the fact that people buy online does not do away with business. It just moves it. When I was a teenager my friend’s dad preached to me that my career path into Information Technology was the new evil. “computers are stealing jobs”. I told him no they’re not. They’re just changing those jobs. The same goes for online shopping. Sure, the large stores may be empty of customers and retail sales people..but behind the scenes there are programers, database administrators, Network systems people making this sytem work, not to mention the warehousing people filling those online orders. Things evolve. Retail is changing. We need to adapt or get left behind. So no…online shopping is not doing away with business. It just moved it.
Marc Houde….I agree, retailing is changing. It’s moving from brick and mortar stores to online. Recently I was looking for furnace filters. I could go to the brick and mortar Home Depot and get one for $17.00 OR I could order three from Costco online and have them delivered for $27, shipping included. I chose to buy the three pack. Retail is slowly changing. If they don’t adapt they will be become empty stores and bankrupt.
Jules…the CSN and CSF have already adapted to digital media. You may not like them. But I chose to read more than just CFN. CFN, CSF and CSN can all exist in the media world. They all serve different needs.