CORNWALL Ontario – Politics has been compared to war in some ways; but sometimes it’s just petty and sometimes it’s just personal.
Maybe it’s because The Seaway News is the number three media in Cornwall? ( they moved up after Corus Radio shut down its newsroom losing three jobs in Cornwall)
Before CFN was created I had applied to work at the Seaway News as a humble journalist. Rick Shaver at the time made a joke of hiring a student instead. Apparently he did the same thing with seeker chick editor, and my former protege Jason Setnyk.
Fast forward a few years and TC had Rick take me out to lunch asking for me to become the Seaway News Editor and for TC to buy out CFN.
Clearly at that meeting my feelings were that Rick was doing what he was told by his superiors. I’m not sure what he told head office; but there was no magic at the tete a tete.
Todd Lihou was brought back to journalism and became editor instead, and they added a writer position after awhile as they’d fallen to the bottom of the pack here in our market, even behind the lowly seeker chicks.
Fast forward to this year, and for some inexplicable reason much beloved and honoured former Liberal MPP Jim Brownell decided to join up with a motley pack which included of all people, hyper conservative Tammy Hart, who’s the deputy mayor of South Stormont where Mr. Brownell resides.
The group’s first incarnation, a boycott CFN group was taken down for the use of hate symbols and harassment. In this case apparently anti-semitic language/images was posted.
I emailed Mr. Brownell and asked him if he was aware of some of the antics of this group and who was in it and why? Chiefly I emailed him about its leader defacing the poppy. When one of our contributors did a story about the defacement of the poppy a representative from the Legion responded.
“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.
Now at the top of this page is the image. We have whited out the actual offensive image at the centre; but you can see the originator of it mocking those that were offended.
Now I think this is personally rather childish. Just for further reference I would like you to all know NO POPPYS were hurt during the making of the picture.
The image was made in tribute to one of the group’s members who was suspended from the social media group for violations of the conditions.
Personally as someone whose grand uncle was one of our Canadian troops that helped liberate the Bergen Belson concentration camp in WWII, and had another grand uncle who was a guerrilla fighter in WWII and then finished his career in the Israeli army as a Colonel, a real one; not an honorary one, maybe that was why I was shocked and offended myself?
Mr. Brownell sent this via email after all of the images and info were emailed to him and he responded clearly so it’s not like he could say he wasn’t aware.In total nearly 20 emails went back and forth.
I am not my brother’s keeper, but I can still be a friend with my brother, even if I do not believe in or agree with comments from my brother. The same goes for my friend. I don’t abandon family or friends, just because they write or say something I don’t agree with. So stay out of my life, and don’t try to make me feel guilty, because I DON’T FEEL GUILTY, IN ANY WAY!Jim
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.
The man, who operates a website in Cornwall that often posts items related to community events, was asked by Mayor Bob Kilger to change his t-shirt which contained what the mayor felt was an offensive image. His likeness was, apparently, featured on a milk carton.
A man (I refuse to publish his name for a couple of reasons: one, you already know who he is and two, I’m not about to give him any more publicity than he can conjure on his own) who operates a website was wearing what Mayor Bob Kilger deemed an offensive t-shirt.
It contained a likeness of the mayor on a milk carton – not sure I understand the symbolism, but Kilger took it to heart and offered the man a choice: change or get out.
The man said no way, and had to be ejected from the chambers with a little help from the police. (By the way, hat tip to the cops for getting there in less than a minute – wow!).
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Mr. Lihou continued:
I’m not here to suggest the posts I’ve read are accurate or not – but what is lacking is a deep sense of professionalism.
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Irony is that what professional journalist wouldn’t ask how seven police officers, including at least one CERT officer were able to be on the second floor of a building, during a snow storm, in less than a minute without being wet, or wearing winter wear? Or did Mr. Lihou not notice in his own words that it’s not up to the mayor to define the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that greater minds did or that a responsible journalist would actually call Mayor Kilger out for the violation of those rights?
I encountered the website operator Monday night, and used language I’m not particularly proud of – but still stand by – in letting him know what I thought about the unwarranted criticism we received. It was probably just as unprofessional as the t-shirt, maybe more, but in the heat of the moment I felt justified in standing up to him
Yes, Mr. Lihou, outside of the council chamber, with children present, whipped out a f bomb laced diatribe at yours truly. He just let loose.
Now when Claude McIntosh or myself write “Opinion” it’s one thing. When Todd does as well that’s fine too; but there seems to be a certain personal attack quality by him and Mr. Shaver directed at myself and CFN that clearly is spilling into “news coverage” and the election process.
And that’s about as toxic to Democracy as well…..defacing the poppy who many consider the equivalent to defacing our flag.
Obviously Mr. Brownell, Mr. Shaver, and Mr. Lihou are not defenders of our proud heritage and those that serve us protecting our Canadian Democracy.
The election is October 27th. Hopefully Cornwall voters can survive this black stain that these gentlemen have marred our town with.
The people will have their say and perhaps one of the reasons TC has just downsized in Cornwall, giving up most of their rented space on 2nd street after closing 20 weeklies in their chain is because more of the public read and trust CFN than those forced to get the Seaway News just to get their flyers.
You can post your comments below; something that many of us also are not allowed to do on The Seaway News.
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@Mary Anne,
Thank you, you have said it all.
To think a man that so many of us held in high esteem (former M.P.P.) Mr. Jim Brownell has conducted himself in this manner leaves us wondering if this really is the same person we thought we knew.
How could someone do this.
Mary Anne Pankurst you are a very nice lady. People don’t realize that history repeats itself like what is written in the Bible is true today. People don’t realize the horrible sacrifices that the military have made and many come back in mighty bad shape and don’t get the help that they deserve. I want to say something else Mary Anne if Brownell or his family “DARE WEAR THE POPPY THIS NOVEMBER OR ANY NOVEMBER” please look down on him and give him a piece of your mind in front of everyone – make him shameful in front of everyone. My husband wants to leave Ottawa and talks about Cornwall and I said no way because of what Jamie and some others have suffered under. I could never go through what Jamie and others have gone through at all. For many long years businesses have been booted out of Cornwall because of that dirty clique and that clique has to go and I mean that fully. Bare Ass, Brownell and all have to go. The people don’t know and appreciate the good people like yourself Mary Anne and like Jamie and Leslie and all the good ones. They fall for the bad ones who boot stomp on them all and ask for more. All this has to change now. Don’t vote for Bare Ass and his gang of thugs or else things will be a great deal worse than what you see now.
One Who Cares if any of that gang in council had a conscience as well they would all walk out on Bare Ass but only one walked out and had the guts to say the hell with him and his council and that was Leslie O’Shaughnessey and a lot of us admire what he did and for mighty good reasons. If the people of Cornwall had a conscience they would not accept what is going on down there at all and would literally boot Bare Ass and his clique out of town. I would not even vote for a mayor here in Ottawa at all knowing that Bare Ass is affiliated with them. I literally tore up David McGuinty’s little newspaper that he sends around every so many months and put it in the recycle bin. That is how loyal I am to all this scum bags. David represents my area of Ottawa – Alta Vista. He can go the same way as his brother did. I want nothing to do with any of them. I am concerned about what is going on in Cornwall and it is a mighty serious situation and I wouldn’t say that if it were not true. Cornwall is in mighty big trouble if things are not taken care of very soon. Even the Barney Fife PD is in mighty big trouble. Twenty-six cops left Cornwall because of the BS going around there and they couldn’t take it. I sent it to Jamie to look at and it is all true. Nobody publishes nonsense unless it was true.
Jamie it sure is not how one grows a community at all. Bare Ass has really destroyed Cornwall and I use the word destroyed because that is exactly what he did. You spoke about Mr. Menaugh and he had a high post in Cornwall as well as in Hamilton and at his age it is just about impossible to get employment even without his record. With this man’s record it would be even worse. This man can bring down Cornwall along with some others who know plenty.
Here is a quote from former US president Thomas Jefferson:
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.
The present governance in Cornwall is tyranny and those are the exact meaning that I wanted to use and now I have a well known leader’s words to make myself understood. This type of governance is evil – demonic and Bare Ass is both evil and demonic.
Do you ever post actual news on the site or is it all opinion/editorials?
Why yes we do; quite a bit actually; but thank you for your query and of course our slogan since 2009 has been News, Views, and Reviews 24/7!
@ Paul Thomas, who asks if CFN reports on actual news (Btw, opinion and editorials do constitute news and service to news consumers, as much as do feature stories, hard news, investigative reports, soft news (PR-type community stories), raw news releases, political cartoons and satire, book reviews, arts and entertainment, sports etc., all which form content of CFN.
I can’t/don’t speak for Mr. Gilcig’s newspaper(s) but relative to this particular piece and comment thread (in which you pose your question), it was preceded by the following news story, which I contributed purely as a conscientious citizen. There was also a follow-up story on the matter of cyberabuse (below it).
http://cornwallfreenews.com/2014/07/cornwall-n-area-facebook-group-defiles-poppy-and-royal-canadian-legion-sees-red-by-mary-anne-pankhurst/
http://cornwallfreenews.com/2014/07/could-paula-todds-extreme-mean-trolls-bullies-and-predators-online-help-us-in-cornwall-i-think-so-by-mary-anne-pankhurst/
Paul Thomas said: Do you ever post actual news on the site or is it all opinion/editorials?
Paul…look up the definition of gonzo journalism. That’s what Jamie and CFN do.
@ Hugger, not all CFN content is gonzo. There have been a number of columns and columnists that published on CFN including:
Earth Matters: By Jacqueline Milner
Spirit Matters: By Shirley Barr
Open Mike: By Mike Bedard
The Polyglot: By Dr. Allyson Eamer
…as well as others, who would not self identify as being gonzo.
It should be noted that CFN stories are picked up Nationally on a regular basis by Canadian news aggregators Bourque Newswatch and National Newswatch with CFN and myself listed on Bourque. No other Cornwall media have achieved that.
National Newswatch rocks! It’s my home page.
Bourque, not so much. It keeps refreshing every few minutes to keep the hits high. Very annoying.
Drudge does that too Furtz. Btw, watched Goats on Netflix last night. Great little film….
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1577052/
Goats are so cool! Lots of different breeds, and each goat has its own personality. My fave are the Nubians with the big floppy ears and the loud voices.
Most annoying when a page keeps refreshing for no good reason. I contacted Pierre Bourque about this several years ago. He claimed that it was necessary because he was constantly adding new content, which is absolute BS. He adds new content no more than once a day, if that.
If Bare Ass gets in again you can all kiss Cornwall goodbye. I would take up Furtz offer and go and raise goats in the boonies compared to living in Cornwall.
I was wondering what happened to Rob (in the fire dept.), Diane Shay and even Mr. Menaugh. People get destroyed for telling the truth just like what happened to Jamie. I bet that there are many out there who would love to come forward with what they know but are petrified after other people’s experience. If Bare Ass gets in again kiss Cornwall goodbye forever.