CORNWALL Ontario – Flags were not lowered today in Cornwall Ontario after the death of Cpl
Nathan Cirillo in Ottawa.
LINK TO CFN COVERAGE FROM WEDNESAY
Communities across Canada had lowered theirs including in nearby South Stormont.
CFN spoke to Cornwall Clerk Helen Finn this afternoon.
She said that the city was now going to lower the flag as it followed what the Federal government is doing. She cited a policy CL.05-02
The policy states under Half-Staffing
Flags are flown at half-staff as a sign of mourning and the “Flags at Half Staff” shall be implemented upon mourning those identified within the policy.
Mayor Kilger has not issued a statement as of press time. He was at the Legion today having a photo op for the upcoming Red Poppy campaign. He has yet to make a statement about his friend former Liberal MPP Jim Brownell being part of a face book hate group that defaced the poppy while using a profile picture in his honorary Lt. Colonel Uniform of the Glens.
The policy notes that it’s the office of the Clerk that shall be responsible for enforcement of the policy.
Mayor Bryan McGillis of South Stormont commented to CFN:
“We had a moment of silence at Wednesdays council meeting and lowered our flag in honour of Cpl Cirillo. I’m still in shock over this senseless shooting. I know this sort of thing has happened around the world, but for it to happen here in Canada brings it home. We offer our prayers and thoughts to his family and all of our Canadian Armed Forces.”
CFN offers its own condolences, thoughts, and prayers to the friends, family, and all of our Military after this sad and tragic loss of life.
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Give Helen Finn a break already. This involved a member of the Canadian Forces who was on post at arguably our most sacred monument. The research required and reading and legal interpretation of the policy obviously demands supreme cognitive powers and considerable time and effort. We should applaud her for actually being able to come to a conclusion in such a timely fashion rather than having succumbed to being bogged down in the red tape as possibly so many other jurisdictions may have found themselves. Commonsense alone is not enough in such a complex situation as this was. Kudos Helen Finn for getting the job done at all under such enormous pressure. Bravo, a true Canadian and patriot. Such humanity.
How much work does it take to lower the flag? If I were young and was able to climb the flag pole I could have lowered it myself. It is completely ridiculous to go through hoops of ridiculous mumbo jumbo to lower the flag when such tragedies happen. This is insane.
Welcome to 2014 Jules.
Thank you Mayor McGillis for making a public statement on behalf of our township on such a sad day following the tragic loss of one of our own by another of our own who was obviously easily led astray without anyone noticing. I think now, more than ever, we need to embrace our neighbours for the safety of our community as a whole. United we stand, divided we fall.
Common sense would of dictated to me to lower the friggin flag out of pure respect. Every minute of dis-respect towards a fallen soldier by not simply lowering the flag is unacceptable. It does not require justification of policy this n that or finding the right person…do it. The next excuse to come will be the cost incurred in lowering a flag, and who is going to put it back up? Respect to Corporal Nathan Cirillo and Warrant officer Patrice Vincent. Cornwall apologizes for the delay.
Immediate Half-Staffing is reserved only for cronies….
I think not lowering a flag at Half mast Cornwall City should consider how lucky they didn’t have that here a attack a slain soldier esp. a Canadian is one of our own it’s time to vote and it don’t look good for our town
Cornwall is so mighty backward that their brains are just mush but nothing there for common sense or intelligence. This Helen Finn who is a lawyer for what? What is she doing as a common clerk? What did she do wrong in Québec not to practice law (she could have written the exams for Ontario and be licenced to practice law) something is mighty wrong and cannot take and lower a flag for God sake. Like I said if I were young again I might have climbed that damn pole myself and lowered it and maybe threw the pole and the flag on her head. I am mighty angry believe me I am angry. Jamie is too good of a person for Cornwall and yes Mr. Oldham is too and there are others as well. No wonder I go with my head down in shame about Cornwall. I could write a book on that but I have to leave that to Jamie since my English is horrible and he has good phrasing.
Some of us are getting mighty tired of hearing how Cornwall is backwards and not good for anything. It’s time for all this negativity to stop.
I think the actual negativity in our community should stop, and of course some would construe your comment as negative. It’s fine to argue a point; but you or anyone else really has no right to tell anyone what to post on CFN. We have clear guidelines about posting on CFN. Thanks
I wouldn’t keep bringing this up on CFN comments if they wouldn’t continually knock Cornwall down. It gets tiresome for me and I’m sure others reading the same Cornwall insults and putdowns over and over again. Perhaps if something positive was posted by them once in a while we wouldn’t always be butting heads.
Sounds like typical “being caught at not doing your job”. Not entirely reserved for government. I see this so much everywhere. People just don’t care about anything but themselves. I wish I could fire all those people twittering and surfing the web half of their “work” day. Bravo! For at least spending half her day on finding a typical excuse too