CFN – Today I was in a chat with someone. They mentioned an incident in Cornwall and forgot that it was CFN that stepped up and came to the defense of their own business and that of others. It was one of our first ombudsman pieces and an experience that I was very proud of even though this person was essentially crapping on us and like many others taking that assistance for granted.
This person owns a business. In fact they were a sponsor and caved into the pressure of the clique that has led to a boycott of CFN even though they, like others, deny it. That boycott while hurting CFN has hurt the community far more.
As a matter of fact that business lost more than just its grand fathered advertising deal when it capitulated. We actually spent more in their business than they spent on our ads.
I know. It’s crazy. Some people put it down to “small town” stuff, but I live in a City of nearly 50,000 people and frankly this culture hurts us all.
I see things changing though. Light is peeking in and there’s some exciting news coming out next week hopefully that I’m still being gagged by my legal beagle about. I think some people are feeling it too judging by the emails and calls I’ve had recently as well.
We need people to be allowed to excel to make our community grow. We need people to have opportunity even if we might not agree with them. Refusing to allow someone like myself to be on a City Committee is something all of council should be embarrassed of especially when you look at some of the choices made. Others have been refused too; some very good people. It sends a bad message.
Sometimes we have to allow people we don’t like to contribute because frankly they live in the community too and if nobody else can bring what they bring then again, we all lose.
Winterfest is a prime example. Because of petty inbred politics and a cliquey group trying to hold fast we had no Winter event in our city. We were on board for Lift Off last year for the first time since its best year ever in 2010. Lift Off improved in many people’s eyes this year. The new group led by Terry Muir has refused to work with us for this year’s event. Does that make any sense? Should Kevin Wilson really be allowed to continue in his role with the fest with behaviour like that?
Likewise when a business treats a media outlet like CFN badly they may in their own heads think they are reacting to myself, but really they are reacting to our viewers and we have the most viewers of any media in this city, and are in fact the only media outlet that posts raw numbers. We’re also the only media outlet that is there when the chips are down as we were for the Walmart cashiers who were being stopped from drinking water from water bottles at their stations.
Media plays a far larger role than just being a PR outlet for those in power. It’s supposed to hold a community accountable in some ways. Lawyer Milena Cardinal took me to task once saying that media should spend more time in the courtrooms as were the only ones that could hold the system accountable.
Looking at how the recent story of how Gilles Latour was charged with defrauding his mother is a prime example.
You did not see the Seaway News or Seekers cover it and the Freeholder, late to the game, buried it last on a court docket page long after the date and nearly a week after CFN broke the story.
There are some people really upset that Sun TV went black last week. They cite diversity and different viewpoints.
It’s time for some people to really think about the importance of media diversity. You’re not supposed to agree with each story, but we in media are supposed to tell the truth, even Brian Williams knows that now.
Today someone called me a shit disturber. Frankly that’s not me. We do not stir on CFN. We do shine lights. We do cover hard news and scandals locally. We do give voice to many whose voices we’d never hear from and we defend those that rarely get defended in this world. And I totally get how some people don’t like their chicanery exposed. I get it.
Is that really such a bad thing? What does that say about a community that doesn’t stand for that and tries to expel it like a kidney transplant being rejected?
What do you think dear CFN viewers? You can post your comments below.
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Until the mentality of the population as a whole changes nothing major will change. Sure, we got rid of the head of the dragon in the last election. But the cliques have simply moved on to other things. No matter where city you live cliques are a reality. If you think they will ever go away you are sadly mistaken.
This mentality is exactly what keeps Cornwall from shining like it should.Cornwall has such a great advantage of being a hub so close to Ottawa,Montreal,USA but continues to make the same mistakes over & over & expects different results each time, they just never learn
excellent
Mary Bray you hit the nail on the head as the truth. When there is very poor management and the clique in the way things go to hell and it is what the clique wants so as to look after their own interests and being that Cornwall is known as a “closed society” not wanting anyone to know about their dirty habits. Well things do get out. I was stunned when Jamie filmed the present mayor of Cornwall Leslie O’Shaughnessey when he got elected and guess who showed up to congratulate him with his wife well folks your one and only “Holy Cow Gilles Latour” and if you think that the clique and their dirty, lowlife actions have disappeared think again. A politician will do anything to get elected lies and all. If any of you are doubting what I am saying go and look up Jamie’s video on this subject and you will see what I am talking about.
No one said the clique have disappeared. They have just moved on to other things trying to control what happens.