Cornwall Ontario to Lose Another Newspaper by October 31, 2021 – By Jamie Gilcig

AUGUST 15, 2021 – When I started CFN back in February of 2009 I never, ever, expected to see it evolve the way it did.

I expected to build a small, local newspaper which focused on our community in a refreshing Gonzo way. I had been taught that journalism was telling the truth. How you told that truth was relative to your talent.

However I was gravely mistaken at the ugly root of corruption, bullying, and straight out systemic cultural cronyism stemming from people like Ed Lumley who many have named as the power behind the attempt to cancel CFN and myself personally.

There have been some good times, some fascinating times . I’ve got to meet some great people, but I’ve also seen some good people go weak and impotent when facing the bully culture of Eastern Ontario.

While this occurs in many places it’s ritualized here; even in Akwesasne.

But this isn’t about starting to itemize the bad and evil of this area or its failures. From crooked cops, drug and cigarette smuggling, pedophile central, and those that cover it up, or how the heck Diane Lahaie became a judge…it’s simply too easy and frankly not productive to just expose the guilty and non worthy.

I’ve always said that if I ever gave up on Cornwall or left it wouldn’t because of the thugs and bullies, but simply that “the good” people simply didn’t care enough to stand up for their community and each other.

I’ve seen the best and worst of human nature during these years at CFN, but when you get to a certain age you ask if you really want to invest time and resources on certain places and people, and that’s where yours truly is today.

So after chatting with some consultants it became really really really clear that in the digital age it’s freaking easy to rebrand; especially when the Cornwall brand has such little value.

But being an optimist, I and the CFN team are going to give the community a chance to step up. That means standing up for each other. It means more viewer donations via e interac payments to info@cornwallfreenews.com. It means more businesses stepping up and buying an ad, which many desperately need during these trying times, even if someone from Kinsmen or City Hall tries to bully them from doing so.

I’m good either way. Really. I’ll either be shockingly and pleasantly surprised, or I’ll simply grow and evolve forward, which after all, we all truly need to do. I have a hunch I’ll do much better overall than the tragic direction Cornwall is moving in if the people don’t demand change at City Hall.

It’s your call Cornwall, SD&G, & Akwesasne. We have an audience which many controlling Cornwall disrespect. The irony is that most of them will come with us when we move, but you’ll be left behind.

Two and a half months moves quickly, especially during election time during a pandemic.

You can reach CFN via info@cornwallfreenews.com or jamie@cornwallfreenews.com