Cornwall Ontario – Lawyers can be a smart bunch, cagey too. It’s rare to get them “on the record” unless they want to be on the record which is why it’s so much fun to get them to chat off the record when the opportunity arises.
“Flipper is as good a politician as she is a lawyer.”
When your peers view you in that manner it makes for interesting chat. Let’s take a moment and examine her record of the last two terms.
She’s been a leader on a council that has raised the levy almost 20% per term without adding value to the ratepayers. Many call this TAXRAPE. Most of the monies have gone into supporting runaway emergency service raises and covering up scandals. Maureen Adams has refused to state how much BLG, Gowlings, and other power firms have made from Cornwall. The latest disaster, the City suing MPAC could cost us over $250K alone in a year of record tax hikes and empty reserve funds! Bernadette is a big part of that.
She was on the River Institute when the city was wiping out Beavers in Guindon Park. She was silent on that issue. After a group from BC paid their own cash to help the beavers and install devices word is that some were torn out and the are has been allowed to become overgrown and a disaster.
As a board member of Glen Stor Dun Lodge she presided through the Whistleblowing scandals. She actually was involved as a councilor as well terrorizing one of the Whistleblowers.
She was a leader in destroying the city’s 36 year Cornwall Public Art Gallery, with many saying it was only because yours truly was on the board and had actually saved it. We stretched six months monies into two years. Clement actually told council that she couldn’t support giving the gallery the paltry Lift Off donation because of our governance. She had failed to effect new governance for the gallery (she was supposed to be helping) and was fully aware that the board I was on had enacted and voted through a new conforming charter when she made that statement.
Flipper ironically now is leading the charge for the purchase of the BOM building to be turned into an Art Centre. It was done in the shadows, with no real local community monies and will cost more to sit empty than the city spent yearly supporting the old art gallery. And at least two law firms were screwed out of buying the BOM building as the safe there was perfect for lawyers. In other words Ms Clement supported using tax dollars to screw two local businesses while supporting the Elaine MacDonald follies in an adventure that has already cost nearly 1 tax point in a year of record tax increases.
She’s now trying to embrace technology using facebook live chat. It hasn’t been working well for her, but there’s a stink of hypocrisy when she talks about attracting jobs to Cornwall. We’ll use this media company as an example. Her artificially vanilla blarts on facebook were enough to make many snicker before turning her off.
She was more than happy to have our support before the Conspiratorial City Boycott which she embraced and has supported. She was more than happy to be on our online radio station too.
So what you had was local investment creating local opportunity, and helping the local economy get conspiratorially attacked by the council she sits on.
We ended up folding our radio station and cancelling plans for our online TV station which would’ve seen SIX full time emerging media jobs in this city in its first year. Does that sound like someone that wants to support attracting jobs?
She didn’t support our 100 Letter campaign which was geared to promote Cornwall and local business. Again, is that really about attracting growth for the community?
She has of course supported the CFN boycott. While hurting this newspaper it’s devastated the local economy as businesses that want to advertise with us that have city hall connections are fearful. The former Art Gallery president while I was there, lost a contract when his client was told to dump him because his client had a contract with the city. Another prominent business person who owns multiple local firms had to dump us as one had huge contracts with city hall. These are only two of many examples sadly.
Ms Clement was party to all of this or certainly didn’t voice any complaint.
As a lawyer she’s sat on a council that has been bullet ridden with lost lawsuits and scandals. While not repping the City surely her being at the bar would suffice her to simply say that certain actions wouldn’t pass a legal stink test?
As a lawyer that tries to win Human Rights Tribunal cases she sat silent during the 2014 Chamber Debates bizarre charter violating demands for the debate. While others did to as a lawyer that supposedly has some understanding 0f our Charter you’d think she’d at least wave her arms around and say something…..
And oddly enough she has her hen parties at NAV Can. NAV is a lovely facility that pays little to no taxes to the City because they have some Federal government connection. Why push business to them when there are facilities in Cornwall that pull full freight? Why actually have events leave local business for NAV?
And then you have the darkest secret that’s hovering in the room. In 2018 what politician wouldn’t admit to being gay? It’s not a crime in Ontario and Canada. Former premier Wynne had no problems outing herself, and her latest historical election loss was not about her sexuality, but her utter abuse of the public.
It’s not about privacy either. If someone is going to lie about that what else would they lie about? Who are you really voting for? Some apologists suggested it was because she was trying to protect her alleged long time girlfriend who could lose her gig because she works for a backwards hypocritical organization that has had multiple historic scandals but apparently has an issue with homosexuality. Why a lesbian would want to work for them lord knows, but then again how many with her background have gone bankrupt for $35K or so?
I digress. This sadly is the front runner in this election for mayor of Cornwall. Is it any wonder that business is leaving, young people are leaving, and seniors? After two failed kicks at a run to be MP surely the community would realize that this emperor wannabee surely isn’t wearing any clothes? Getting lame duck mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy to run to vote split though was a great tactic that just might work, but at the end of the day it’s the people of Cornwall that lose because in this election there simply is no worthy choice for mayor.
You have a #metoo corporate hack. You have a muddling former Real Estate guy who got into power on the backs of corruption that Flipper was a part of, and the support of this newspapers viewers, and you have the political train wreck that is Bernadette Clement who Kathleen Wynne wouldn’t even touch, and then you have a Nicole Spahich who…..
If Bernadette Clement is the best you have for Mayor of Cornwall maybe Jules was right about this town….
What do you think dear CFN viewers? You can post your comments below.
Further – I fail to see what Ms Clement’s sexuality has to do with her run for mayor. She has been a staunch proponent for GLBTQ rights in Cornwall for years. You, sir, on the other hand, have done little else but besmirch the reputation of others and hint at “dark secrets” related to their sexuality – certainly doing nothing to enhance the position of the GLBTQ community in Cornwall.
Sorry Sue. My record is far stronger than most in this community. I’ve saved beavers. I’ve helped Walmart workers, school bus drivers, students, the art community, and many many more incidents that don’t go public because as I’ve shared repeatedly, people who seek attention don’t move to Cornwall Ontario.
You on the other hand, between this post and the abusive one that wasn’t approved, clearly have a bias. You’re allowed. It’s election time and you can support who you wish even if they have zero morals and are self serving political parasites who earn their monies off the public teat instead of creating and contributing value to a community.
Edited to add that this newspaper sponsored Pride events in Cornwall for years(watching as each group fought itself into the ground) as well as the Vagina Monologues. We also had The Vagina Hour, a radio show produced by, hosted by, and for Women’s issues that Ms Clement was happy to be a guest on. Again, if you’re going to take a run at someone like an emotional wreck, you should do your homework.
{MODERATED} Sorry Sue. Our comment section is not for trolling or abuse of anyone, especially myself or our writers. There’s a HUGE difference between debate and simply acting like a loony. While I don’t expect you to understand that based by some of the spewing you’ve attempted, I’m sure others understand.
Yes the City is suing MPAC and why wouldn’t they , I rather think that option
is long overdue and perhaps those legal fees will be shared by others .
I do hope that the City wins , as MPAC needs to be taken to task .
Further before you make any comment about it , I most certainly do support
Leslie O for Mayor , as of the 3 running he’s the most qualified to again fill
the Position
Again, you’ve been partisan about ol Les so honestly you’re perspective really doesn’t shift the needle Believe Me. 🙂 Again, you know better, but still choose to follow that path. That’s the beauty about Democracy. You have the freedom to be wrong. Right?
I have always figured that Ms. Clement was one of those LBGTQ or whatever they call themselves. I have seen many in Cornwall and there are plenty everywhere – Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and the list goes on and on. Not too many normal people left. Ms. Clement is the most qualified to be mayor and is a well educated person and that is the truth. I would rather see our Jamie as mayor.
So Jules are you endorsing Bernadette over David and Les?
None of the 4 running for mayor are qualified for the job.And none of them will get my vote. Just because O’Shaughnessy was mayor doesn’t mean he is qualified. He proved that in the last 4 years.
In regard to NavCentre not paying their share of taxes it goes back to when NavCanada was under the Transport Canada umbrella. Now that they have to have realistic budgets they should pay full taxes.
“Believe Me 1”
You must be one of the very few that would still vote for O’Shaugnessy ! Why is he known in town , as the “bus driver” ? Does Diane Shay ring a bell to you ? He used her case on his platform, got elected & turned his back on her ! Any comments “BM1” ? Any one would be better than he !
Regarding MPAC, only the Ottawa lawyers will win !
Is all it takes to condone betrayal, failure and corruption a committee seat Bruce? Do you believe me on this one 😉
Ms. Clement is a lawyer and she is over qualified for that job as mayor but she is not trustworthy at all and I would not hire her to be my lawyer if I needed one. Ms. Clement would put everyone to sleep and not get the job done. Jamie I mean every word that I say and you are the very best in your paper as well as to be a good mayor. When you decide to run you are the best.
0 of 4. Which incompetent boob will get the job??
whichever one Maureen wants 😉
Jamie have you fallen into Fitzies bed or what? In no way would I endorse Bernadette Clement or any of them except yourself. Just listening to Bernie puts me asleep. Bernie is a lawyer and she talks like a lawyer where she goes around the long way and makes you forget why you were there for help. Bernie is part of the clique and the way politics is done in Cornwall is a scream.
Also Target Canada owes us CAD $59,900:
CITY OF CORNWALL 100030099 PO BOX 877 CORNWALL ON K6H 5T9 CA
Sad. I hope there will be no vote rigging.
Hugger we’re seeing candidate rigging. How many running are earning their salary already from the city? In what other city is Kelly Bergeron allowed to run for council when her entire stipend was granted based on an amateur 1 page spreadsheet? IE we’re already paying her freight? Alex de Wit? Whose job with the Social Development group (now there’s value for your investment he wrote tongue in cheek) is now being manned by Carolyne Hebert who’s also running again. Do we really not have a single female candidate whose salary doesn’t come from the public purse?
Agreed. The number of candidates who shouldn’t have filed is astounding. But knowing the level of understanding of “conflict of interest” in this city I’m not surprised. The list of candidates I might vote for is getting shorter and shorter by the week. Keep it up monkeys!!
All you have to do is look at who signed their nomination endorsements. How many did Chris Munro sign? And does she even live in Cornwall?
Regarding alleged conflict of interest & residency issues, by wa-na-bee “gongers” . Is the Clerk responsible ? Whom is the body that oversees these issues ? Agree with “HUGGER”, the pool is bloody shallow. Personnaly,,,,, please DO NOT VOTE for any incumbent around the horse-shoe ? As far as the mayor, were screwed, but, we will get rid of two of them !
No I would not endorse Bernadette over Les nor David. I may be a bit wacky but not that far gone. I hope not. Hubby and I are feeling under the weather today and I wanted to sleep but will remain awake till tonight. This sure made me laugh. Jamie if you were to run and if I lived in Cornwall you would be the only one that I would endorse and I mean that fully. Cornwall is a mighty funny plac