CORNWALL Ontario – Yesterday my inbox was full. My phone kept ringing and I nearly lost my voice.
Hi Jamie
I believe you made this happen.You have made a huge, positive influence against incredible odds.You have helped to change the culture in Cornwall in a positive way.I will savor this one blessing of small positive change in my old hometown.Regards, XXXXXX
This last term of council frankly was one that should have involved the police. A lot of good people were hurt including myself and CFN. We have hung on by a thread through a brutal Kilger council led boycott that includes false police charges which I believe lead to Queen’s Park. A production order proving I never made any of the declared phone calls has now been around for nearly six months without my charges being dropped.
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This election was tainted with the same corruption as this last term of council as well. It was ugly, brutal, and dishonest. If the Seaway News were a member of the Press Council I’m sure editor Todd Lihou would be sanctioned. The Seaway News not only refused to interview me as a candidate during the campaign, they also refused to sell me an ad and actively trashed myself and my campaign.
Cogeco gave me less air time than the other candidates including their manager refusing to allow me to speak with Todd & Chuck on election night. It was nice to see the former Cheryl Brink back on the job; she too had no questions for me even though she was in the election room most of the night.
These people in this picture should not be working in media and that includes Bill Kingston who runs a news site now that links news stories only from the Seaway News and Standard Freeholder both of whom have less readers than we do and who we frequently scoop. He also links to their opinion pieces.
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And that folks is why in spite of all of the corruption and burying of the message this election the results showed that the truth can’t be buried; at least not totally.
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The desired effect of having a lower voter turnout in Cornwall happened, but Mayor Bob Kilger and some of his most loyal supporters, chiefly Glen Grant, followed him down in flames.
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Clearly the people of Cornwall decided enough was enough when it came to scandals and corruption. Removing Syd Gardiner, Glen Grant, and Denis Carr was huge. Even with the skull duggery of Elaine MacDonald and her Labour Council we today have hope for a better future.
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Was it perfect? Not at all. Cornwall still has huge issues to face. The secret Kilger Waterfront negotiations, will Leslie and his new council open up an investigation to what really happened with the Chem tanks and hold Economic Development responsible?
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I was asked by a key O’Shaughnessy supporter what I was hoping for. Of course an end to this City Boycott of CFN; but what I wanted most was simply for our viewers to be respected. Sadly people like Bernadette Clement, David Murphy, and Carilyne Hebert don’t understand media relations and how we tick and how even if you don’t like a journalist or outlet that it’s always the viewers that count, and that one day you might not be able to rely on corruption or Union support to be elected. Just ask Glen.
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This quote is from the report written by Bob Peters that led to the boycott by the city.
A review of local news websites show that only two allow anonymous posts: the Standard-Freeholder and the Cornwall Free News. Both sites have some moderation of comments, but a review of activity over the past several months have led staff to concur with the generalized assessment of the practice by the American Journalism Review: “Comment sections are often packed with profanity, and vicious personal attacks.”
Clearly CFN is not often “PACKED” with profanity or vicious personal attacks and clearly the Seaway News, as few comments as they allow online, do allow anonymous posts. And that quote from the AJR has never been found to date.
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CFN actually has the most stringent rules in effect that prevent much of what people really get upset about when it comes to anonymous comments. If you don’t believe me you can see trolls complaining about them on the Standard Freeholder frequently.
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City Hall has refused us on multiple occasions to have our moment in open council to rebut a clear lie that was issued by staff. There have been many other lies and as most know “Lies travel much faster than the truth.”
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This council has a chance to right many wrongs from what has been done at tax payer expense to this community and this newspaper to Whistle Blower Diane Shay. There is a real chance to effect healing and move forward and help build Cornwall. The question is will Mayor Elect Mr. O’Shaughnessy and his council take that road or will it be business as usual in Cornwall?
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Clearly there is a lot of work that needs to be done if we are to move forward. The first test was sent out yesterday to the new council with no reply as of this story.
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The people of Cornwall have spoken and they clearly wanted change. That’s a good thing and something we all should be proud of. Now the question is will we truly see that change?
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The answer lies in the words, deeds, and actions of 11 elected officials and the policies and directions that they tender to staff and agencies connected to City Hall. CFN has withstood a strange term of political weirdness. We’ve seen a lot of dragons slain. We will remain vigilant and reflect the news which clearly you the public appreciate by the amount of clicks you make including nearly 50,000 page views according to google analyticator the day of the election.
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What do you think Cornwall? Will Mr. O’Shaughnessy and his new council change the game in our city? You can post your comments below.
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When journalists fail to cover, suppress or under report, they’re demonstrating a return to partisan press. Disturbing and dysfunctional. Did they not learn anything at J school? Reporters need to be unshackled or, as you point out, the public is not served or respected.
That’s part of the problem with the society we live in, democracy. Journalists can decide whom they interview and when and whom they sell ad space to.
Hopefully the new council will set a new example for others in the city to follow.
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Now, let’s see if Brock Frost really donates his council salary to charity. He says he’s reduced his real estate activity. And he wants to propose a tax freeze. I’d like to see that. But is it realistic?
Jamie, I have watched your Municipal issues from afar with keen interest and for many of the same reasons I do here in my city of Oshawa — the political games and corruption runs amuck, and if it were not for good people like you, it would be worse. Thanks for being a voice in Canada for social justice, and a watchdog for TRUTH and FACTS – usually buried by mainstream media to allow their masters to continue darkness. You are a light of justice for Canada. Keep your head up and stick on the ice my friend. I know what the costs are, for trying to help the greater good and I am proud of you! Always!
wow, thanks Barry! It’s hard to effect any real social justice and it’s usually because people can’t work together. I have seen it big time here in Cornwall; but I’m sure it’s the same in Oshawa and other places. Many times it’s those fighting for justice the fail more than anything.
If you tell the truth loudly enough things eventually sort things out.
Now to get my police charges dropped so I can write about the people behind it who incredulously have been busy trashing me all over during this time.
Justice is only justice when the victims are made whole.
Hopefully the relationship between CFN and the city can be repaired. As well, it would be nice to see all media outlets working together instead of pulling in different directions. That one will require work from all involved.
Hugger during CFN’s life time we have always been open and generous with other media. We did a tribute story for example to the Seaway News on their 25th anniversary. We have let other media use our photos with attribution and I’ve personally helped some journalists when requested.
Sadly for some reason that culture doesn’t exist from many in this city. I think much of it stems from people like Bill Kingston and Todd Lihou and some former editors of the Freeholder.
As for the city I have never been anything but positive when working with the city. We sent them the most traffic from any media source locally in 2011 even though were number 7 on the payroll and handicapped by Bob Peters. In 2012, the first year of the boycott we were still #1 from old archived ads from before. Think about that. And the city spent more money in legal bills monitoring CFN than they spent advertising with us in 2011.
All myself and CFN have ever asked for was to be treated fairly. Since our inception that has never happened. Even the few ads we did get from the city had to be heavily discounted to the point of a refusal looking prejudicial which is one of the reasons I think the boycott was started in the first place.
An example is the City of Cornwall Bulletin which we published for $999+HST for an entire year. The City was paying around $1400 monthly to the Freeholder. And the Freeholder is a Quebec owned company. CFN’s bulletin also had extra content space which the city refused to take advantage of.
It was examples like this that pushed forward the boycott as our argument was clear enough in that we got better results for less and were local.
If there was no boycott last year alone would have meant over 29 million page views for the city and the businesses that followed the boycott either out of fear or hate. Can you imagine the impact to our city’s bottom line?
I know some of our advertisers have done great and some even have had clients engage them from as far away as Toronto and BC purely from their ad on CFN.
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CFN suggests you post comments using your real name. If you wish to post with a pseudonym you can register that user id by emailing info@cornwallfreenews.com with your name, address, phone number and user id you wish to register.
That’s why I basically said with the new mayor and council it would be nice if everyone could play nice with everyone else instead of building walls higher and higher.
Well Hugger I’ve done my part 🙂 It’s up to the new council now.
You did do you part. Thank you Admin.
Citizen Kane the William Randolph Hearst family. This family sure knows the newspaper business. The actor that played the part is on the tip of my tongue and this senior age forgets so many things it is unreal. There was a famous actress that he was either married to or starred in films and I can see her face in front of me just now and I am trying to get it out. Rita Hayworth is her name – at least me the dingbat got that name out. The man was the one who played a role of a radio announcer who scared the hell out of the people during WWII. He is extremely famous. Jamie help me the dingbat senior with that name. That is what happens when we get old. LOL LOL. ROLF!
Agreed Admin, you have done your part. I’d still like to see the various media outlets get along better and cooperation amongst each other. But I think that is unlikely to happen. I see it as a conflict of personalities / styles and perhaps egos. I guess we’ll see over time if this can happen.
That would be Orson Welles Jules. It’s odd as Mr. McNamara seems to have intended this meme as an insult….It would suggest that I had a direct impact on the election….
Without a doubt, it was the Cornwall Free News that unseated Bob the Knob from his pathetic throne… baring his arse for all to see.
It was CFN, and a few very brave souls, that blew the whistle and exposed a self-serving city hall clique so despicable, as to defy description (in all but the foulest of language).
Good riddance to that gang of city hall miscreants, and thank-you to the Cornwall Free News, its contributors, commenters, and supporters.
McNamara? I don’t see any comments from a McNamara.
Simon we’ve only burst the pustule. There still is some cleaning to be done. It should be interesting to see what happens the first 90 days of this council.
I think Jamie has just hit the tip of the ice burg!!!
The meltdown hasn’t started yet, just the impact and that was quite powerful enough.
I have no doubt more will come.
Jamie you hit it on the head Orson Wells. I had his picture in my head but couldn’t get the name out. Thank you. Jamie you did things that the toilet papers of record would not touch at all and you helped direct the people in the right way. Believe me if it were not for CFN the people would have buried themselves literally without an ounce of hope. You gave the people that hope and that is very important. I hope that Leslie does the town good and I see him as a good person and he is out with the people in his real estate sales and he knows all kinds of people and yes even the wacky and frustrating ones like me. LOL LOL. ROLF! You don’t know the half of it. I screwed up on my computer and my daughter spent hours trying to fix it and she did. When you say frustrating you want to believe it. LOL LOL.
I had the opportunity to speak with Julie the other evening as you may be aware Jamie and anyone who doubts the toll this stress has taken on her life, should think otherwise.
Thank you for caring Julie!
I also had the opportunity to network with some others who also have suffered from issues that have taken place in this community. When they should have been supported, unfortunately, they were not and they also suffered.
Good luck with your book Jamie and your writing career.
People still need a lot of help in this city and a lot of healing must take place yet.
I did thank you the other night Jamie when we talked and met. Thank you again!
Maybe one day the culture will change and maybe one day good people will not be punished or further hurt when they speak out against wrong doing and tell the truth. Maybe?
Thank you for the kind words that night. I’m hoping that this election will see some improvement and that it’s a first step. People don’t realize how huge this election was if for no other reason getting rid of Glen Grant and all the corruption connected to him including the Benson Centre.
You are most welcome. They came from the heart in appreciation for all you done, and bravely so and not always with the support you should have had.
Yes, this is first step, I agree with you. Glen has not cared about some other issues he should have either, but the people voted and told the truth!
It was nice to see you. There will be more telling their horror stories of neglect. I know there will be.
How does a city ever heal from this is the question.
Thank you Jamie!!!!!!
Jamie, the saying Build It and They will come rings truth and substance to CFN. You built a place that allowed and welcomed people of the community to gather and share their stories. Oh so sadly many of the stories were of people in this community who were harmed and hurt deeply by those who never should have done so.
So take great pride in all you have accomplished by allowing others a safe place to share and tell the truth about what happened in this city.
You have helped people and you have helped this community and always remember…you did build it and they did come to see you, share with you and talk with you!!!
You can be proud of the good you have brought to our community. I hope we will also see some good stories that lift up and light up our community spirit. We are so in need of healing!
One Who Cares asks “How does a city ever heal from this is the question.”
One way is to not go back to those methods ever again. Another is to put in place mechanisms that allow for non-reprisal against past and future whistle-blowers and to stick to those mechanisms.
Jamie you want to know something and I am speaking the truth and form the heart yes your wacky and frustrating character here on CFN. You did more for the people of Cornwall having your newspaper CFN tell it like it is than to be mayor of Cornwall. I told you before that you do more with the “power of the pen” than anything else and I mean that my dear man. When I same something whether serious or joking I mean it. It takes a lot of time for people in Cornwall to know a person and it is their mentality. If you stick around and keep your paper on the go then people will get to know you a lot better and that is the truth. The mentality of Cornwall is strange in that way and it will take people time to come around to you and believe me I am right in what I am saying to you. It is up to you in what decision you wish to make and you will be working with Leslie and not Bare Ass in January. I wish you the best in whatever decision you make and that book better be a good one. You are a good man Jamie but I say it again Cornwall’s mentality is kind of strange but people don’t take to people very easily who come from elsewhere. Those who live in big cities have a different mentality and entirely different to that of Cornwall so you cannot compare the two. Again you did more for Cornwall by the pen than what you would do as mayor and I guarantee that.
Jules it looks like, I could be wrong, but it looks like the new council has failed its first test to see if there is to be a new direction and healing.
How can they fail if they haven’t taken office yet?
I love the Orson Wells pic even though it was meant to be hurtful, You both told people what they never wanted to hear,creating fear & resentment but voters did wake up to the fact where you were telling them the truth that had remained hidden for so long & would still be hidden today if not for you Jamie, Whereas Orson was fooling with their their deepest fears. You won Jamie!!! & I hope new council will do better & even apologize to all that Kilger & gang caused such agony to innocent people such as yourself, all whistleblowers including my hero Perry & Helen Dunlop
Mary I couldn’t have said it better than what you did. Jamie you did win in more ways than what you can imagine possible. You have no idea what you did – you help to awaken the sleeping sheeple to reality and stop being asleep and know what is going on at City Hall so as none of you will be ripped off. No matter who is in charge people falter and that is why you should never let your guard down. Jamie you are an excellent journalist and that is why the two toilet papers of record including Bare Ass’s vulchers are mighty envious of you. You don’t have to be a mayor of a town or anything like that to be a real somebody because Jamie you are a real somebody. Jamie Helen and Perry Dunlop and their children are excellent people and I wish that you would meet them and you would see what beautiful people that they are and this is making me cry just now. Excuse me I am wetting the keyboard with my tears. Nobody should have to go through that at all. The people of Cornwall are going to have to get their heads together and to stand up and stay strong. You were the one who helped people steer themselves in the right way and I thank you very much for all what you did and believe me you are a very fine man and a very fine gentleman and don’t let the crap put you down. The council is where people really have to start in politics. You are the very best and that is the truth.
It’s not over yet Mary Bray. It is not over yet!! The agony of many still continues.
How do you restore health to people who have been neglected by this city, had their quality of life greatly harmed and their years spent being ignored by this city and it’s leaders. You don’t.
For some this time represents years of health being harmed, years of pleas to a city that closes it’s door and ears and shuts out what they want to keep shut out and down. How do you restore years of health that have suffered due to neglect from a city! It can’t be done. It can’t be restored and many damages are left as deep wounds and scars of the victims, whatever the case may be.
No person should have to plead for support in their community regarding any issue, toxic or otherwise.
What name do we put on a city such as this? Many come to mind! Cornwall unfortunately remains a community of many victims. It will take years to restore healing in this community, and apologies should be the word of day, but like many things, this never happens or seldom.
I would like to see apologizes made from those who did this to the many victims (regardless of the issue) in this community before times passes and people are made to suffer any longer.
To those who blew the whistle and told the truth, how very brave and courageous you were and are to have taken such a step forward.
It is the present Administration ( others involved such as the EOHU) that needs to apologize, not the new coming in. They did not create this mess in our community of cover ups and denial and more.
So the word of the day should be an apology (perhaps they should look up the word and grasp the depth of what it means) to all who were neglected and continue to be neglected, harmed, denied their rights and more in this community. Now is the time, not later!
One Who Cares….agreed that people need to apologize. Will it happen? I doubt it. If they did they would be admitting they did something wrong. They will never admit they diud something wrong.
Yes Hugger I agree. So they remain silent trying to convince themselves they are not guilty.
Silence is golden to those who harm but no longer acceptable to victims as they come forward.
An apology needs to come from the EOHU also! I doubt that will ever happen either.
It appears to be some code of (non-ethics) that they keep as their primary source of avoiding admittance of neglect (or whatever each victim would call it).
OWC at this point I’m hoping that within the next year that Dr. Paul is removed from his position for the documented action (or inaction) and corruption.
You don’t put politics ahead of people’s health, ever.
Admin,
Dr. Paul has since 2009 refused to protect the citizens of this community from a known airborne form of toxic pollution. That pollution is known as fine particulate matter from breathing and exposure to PM (2.5) that comes from wood burning and woodsmoke.
Dr. Paul has after a meeting in the Fall of 2013, denied public education and protection to Cornwall residents.
One man who has pleaded for help that is a congestive heart failure patient, with an implant and linked to the Ottawa Civic Heart Institute. Another lady who is a cancer patient and another resident who has respiratory issues, and another resident who was being harmed by the toxic emissions in their respective neighbourhood. These people after making their presentation at the EOHU office/board room of Dr. Paul were turned away after the meeting with nothing and left to suffer again another year from breathing the toxic emissions in their neighbourhoods.
This is Neglect! If you wish to discuss this at further length you have my contact.
I am the activist who desperately for years sought help from the city of Cornwall regarding this toxic issue.
Three meetings were held at the EOHU with Dr. Paul, all meetings, all contact and all pleas for support of these people were denied. So, people have suffered greatly from neglect in this community regarding toxic issue that never should be allowed to exist!
This is documented!
Dr. Paul at one point purchased a tiny ad from CFN waaaay back in 2011. A week later another gentleman with the same last name demanded a free ad to promote an event.
When we refused that was the last we heard from Dr. Paul who refuses to send us press releases even at this point.
Again, if people refuse to do their jobs fairly and professionally they should be removed. If you want to be a political pee fart on your dime that’s one thing; but if you are spending the public’s money there should be zero tolerance. Zero.
Press releases should be sent to CFN from the EOHU.
Something is very wrong when people appeal for help and they continue to remain neglect by especially the EOHU.
The next person who is subjected to such suffering will be in shock if they think any support will come from the EOHU, unless policies change along with attitudes!
Not protecting the people of this community from a know, documented form of airborne pollution (PM 2.5) that does exist in pocket areas of this community, including outside burning (fire pits and devices)is absolute neglect!
There is nothing fair about a community not being updated and educated about a form of airborne pollution that is present in our community. There is nothing fair about people being turned away from the office of the EOHU with no support/help or hope of receiving such help.
I agree, there should and must be Zero tolerance for such neglect from the EOHU and from this present administration who have failed to support community residents in need of support.
If they can support issues of the geese and the pigeons and the beavers what is the excuse for neglecting the health of Cornwall residents. Neglect is…neglect!!
Montreal has already taken pro-active action regarding the toxic issue of Wood burning and Woodsmoke pollution via bans/education,by-laws. Hampstead Quebec has taken action and communities in many areas have moved forward with pro-active action to ban/end/prohibit wood burning and woodsmoke pollution. Yet Cornwall with it’s known word-wide toxic legacy of Big Ben and other issues remains back in the dark ages regarding this toxic form or airborne pollution.
A google search of Woodsmoke and Health will help people understand why there is a need for support from our communities regarding this issue and why there must be education provided by the EOHU, Dr. Paul.
How long will Cornwall and the EOHU keep people in the dark and suffering from this toxic airborne form of pollution present in our community in pocket areas and from all open air burning is the question.
The City has failed to protect the people and without doubt so has Dr. Paul at the EOHU.
The rest is history!
We need more than transparency at City Hall and accountability, we need the same from Dr. Paul at the EOHU!
This has gone on long enough in our community and many people have been made to suffer and have their lives harmed for years.
It is long overdue that Dr. Paul share with the Cornwall public what goes on behind closed doors, especially when it concerns the health of the Cornwall Public.
What the Cornwall public needs to be aware of is the fact that what happened to these city residents can happen to anyone and they must know that the City and the Health Unit (Dr. Paul) is not there to support them.
Any person at any time can become a Woodsmoke victim and your health can be destroyed in a short length of time.
Dr. Paul did not protect people in our community regarding this toxic issue and he to date has not come forth with the education that was promised in a meeting at the EOHU in 2012!
As stated previously, since 2009 till today October 31st/2014 the EOHU Dr. Paul has done nothing for sick people in this city who are being made ill and made to suffer from Residential and Recreational Woodsmoke Pollution.
And from the Hospital, police force, CAS, and other agencies like the EOTB, Seaway Tourism, etc, which may have a connection to city hall or government.
Amin…….yes, I and many others are in absolute agreement with you!!!
It is time and long overdue that more truth be made transparent in this city.
Let us also ban all methane gas emitting from human delivery portals. Legislation should be passed requiring the mandatory use of air tight anal bags (must be recyclable) starting at birth and continuing to time of burial (removal only by licensed technicians in full hazmat gear).
Admin for your interest. The sick city residents that met with Dr. Paul in the Fall of 2013 seeking support and pubic education were told that the Mayor would do nothing to help them.
This means that the fate of these Cornwall residents had been pre determined by Dr. Paul and the Mayor. There was no input from the suffering residents, there was nothing but a door on their way out and back to homes where the toxic air was polluting their homes, harming their health and further destroying their quality of life.
It is frightening to think that behind closed door these decisions are made that concern our health and the air we breathe.
Woodsmoke is a toxic trespass and a Known Public Health Hazard.
For those in doubt………….do a search of Woodmsoke Pollution and Health.
Since Dr. Paul is not doing the job he is being well paid to do, then an activist must do it for him!!!
More dirty behind the scene work in Cornwall, what’s new?
You nailed it David! It’s been proven scientifically that the methane contained in farts not only stinks, but it is a greenhouse gas.
And Linda, are you saying that I should switch from wood to oil to heat my house? I live in the boonies with no neighbors close by.
Furtz, heat your home with anything you want to heat it with.
I am discussing urban Residential and Recreational Woodsmoke Pollution where one neighbour’s property and their wood stack is on top of other homes. That is my point!
The country (in most rural areas) have homes further apart. So please, at least try to understand what this is like for people who are on top of their neighbour’s toxic fumes day in and day out! Even Dr. Paul knows that!
Burn away till your hearts content Furtz.
@ Oldham, your ignorance level regarding this Public Health Hazard of Woodmsoke pollution is appalling!
Not shocking though!
It is a pity you would stoop so low as to mock this issue and people who have been made ill by breathing the toxic emissions. Where is your compassion?