Dear Editor,
This past week the Cornwall community was stunned by a Facebook post claiming an “attack” had been perpetrated on a Cornwall City Councillor and the Cornwall Mayor.
Information in the post suggested that the weapon used in the “attack” may have been a pen, rumoured to have been mightier than a sword; this along with the thinness of the male victim’s skin, caused many to fear the worst.
A source familiar with the Facebook post would not comment when asked whether the male victim responded to the attack by dragging a thicker skinned female companion into the fray for protection. The same source however, was quick to dismiss claims that the attack was accompanied by cries of, “Naturopath! Naturopath! Someone call a naturopath!”
It was later established that the “attack” was not physical at all, and was instead a fracas that erupted over news reports that Cornwall City Council was seduced into sponsoring a “pseudo-science centre”.
The row ‘though not physical, may nevertheless have resulted in wounded pride, emotional scarring, and even temporary confusion. The concussed-like confusion may explain the “too much” protesting in the Facebook post that followed the “attack”. Indeed, the misuse of the reflexive pronoun “myself” in place of the objective pronoun “me”, in the very first sentence – before he went on to pick at the “attack” typos – seemed really weird for a St. Michaels graduate.
The row seems to have been sparked by the councillor’s objection to reports that he and his council companions were making available $45,000 to a naturopathic clinic under the presumption that it was a medical facility.
This all followed a pitch from a local naturopath – not a licenced medical practitioner – requesting taxpayer funding towards a “clinic” building to address Cornwall’s need for “more access to medical care” followed up by this kicker, “We are trained in treating chronic illness.”
So whether naturopath or witch, pitch or spell… councillors were clearly enchanted, with one saying, “I don’t think anyone would have a problem investing in the health of the municipality”, while another chirped up that “we are trying to attract more doctors” and, “We are trying to encourage this kind of development.”
And so… without title to the property, a partner unknown to us, a business plan unrevealed, credit checks unclear, a location not qualified, costs unknown, a cheque is virtually in the mail… Should to simply self-identify as hicks and rubes?
But putting all this foolishness aside, the most distasteful part of this episode is one councillor’s response to the original media article.
In a rambling and petty self-centred diatribe (even declaring applause for himself) he tosses a veiled warning of libel, he inflates his number, he obliquely impugns a free press’s ethics, and disgusting and worst of all… this politician even waved a “Queen’s Commission” to infer credibility for his wandering exercise in manufactured excuses for a council’s poor service… And that’s a screenshot that’s going directly to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Jonathan Holbert “Jon” Vance CMM MSC CD.
Yours,
Blair Clemens