WARRANT

Cornwall, ON – Daniel D’Aoust, 22 of Brockville was arrested on December 16^th, 2013 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged that in the month of August, 2012 the man failed to report to police as directed and a warrant was obtained for his arrest. On December 16^th, 2013 the Cornwall Community Police attended Morrisburg to assume custody of the man as OPP had the man in custody. The man was taken into custody by the Cornwall Community Police, transported to police headquarters and held for a bail hearing.

IMPAIRED

Cornwall, ON – Nicholas Thayler, 21 of Apple Hill was arrested on December 16^th, 2013 and charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle. It is alleged that on December 16^th, 2013 the man was found to be operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in the area of Pacific Lane. The man was taken into custody, charged accordingly and transported to police headquarters where he was later released with a court date of December 31^st, 2013.

The Cornwall Community Police Service Launches Lock it or Lose it Campaign

Police Urge Motorists to Protect Vehicles and Vehicle Contents

Cornwall, ON– The Cornwall Community Police Service is launching its Lock it or Lose it campaign, a proactive crime prevention program that encourages drivers to take precautions to protect their vehicles and vehicle contents from theft, particularly during the holiday season.

“Our police service is joining police services across Ontario this holiday season in urging motorists to lock their vehicles and ensure valuables are not left in plain sight,” said Cst. Daniel Cloutier, media relation officer. “The Lock it or Lose it campaign is about police working with our community to ensure we all take precautions so that crime doesn’t ruin the holiday season.”

In the month of December, 2013 during the Lock it or Lose it, police officers  will examine parked vehicles at several shopping areas to confirm they are locked and that no valuables have been left in plain view. Officers will place a small notice on vehicles checked indicating what safety precautions were neglected and offering some simple prevention tips for drivers to protect their vehicles against theft. The notices also congratulate drivers who have ensured that their vehicle.

The number of stolen vehicles has dropped dramatically recently, with 4,500 fewer motor vehicle thefts in 2012 than there were in 2011, and a 57-percent drop from a decade ago. Despite this positive trend, Ontario’s police leaders and our community partners are concerned that in 2012 there were 12,739 incidents of identity theft and identity fraud reported to police, a five-percent increase over those reported in 2011.

The Lock it OR Lose it Campaign is supported by a number of OACP partners: Insurance Bureau of Canada, Interac Association, Roy Speed Ross/Globali, Mac’s Convenience Stores, Canpar, and TitlePLUS.

The Cornwall Community Police Service is dedicated to their vision “A Safer Cornwall, Reducing Crime Always.”

OPP SD&G

Ontario Provincial Police News Portal [STORMONT DUNDAS and GLENGARRY] Charges Laid / Harassment / Drugs Seized / Domestic Incident 2013-12-16

Ottawa Police Service

Charges laid against an Ottawa Police Officer

16/12/2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, December 14, 2013 12:00pm

(Ottawa) — Today, the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) charged an Ottawa Police officer with three Criminal Code of Canada offences. The 44-year-old man from Ottawa has been charged with two counts of Criminal Harassment and one count of assault with a weapon for incidents that occurred between May and December 2013.

The OPS will not release the name of the officer in order to protect the victim’s privacy as this relates to a domestic matter. We would request the media consider this when reporting on the matter.

The OPS Professional Standards Section is also investigating the matter and charges may be laid under the Police Services Act.
The officer has been assigned to administrative duties with strict conditions pending the outcome of the criminal charges.
“This matter is before the courts and it is important that we respect due process,” said Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau. “The Ottawa Police Service expects the conduct of all officers to be of the highest standard and reflective of the values of our community.”

The officer is scheduled to appear in court later in December, at a date yet to be announced.

Ottawa man charged with Possession of Child pornography

16/12/2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, December 13, 2013 9:00pm

(Ottawa)—The Ottawa Police Service Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE) charged an Ottawa man on Friday, December 13, 2013 following an online investigation.

During the police investigation, the man communicated with an undercover police officer who was posing as an adult female. He engaged in a conversation requesting to have sexual intercourse with her and her two young children.

On December 13th, the man was arrested at a downtown hotel, where he had arranged to meet with the woman and her children.

Brendan David CLARK, 30 years old, of Ottawa was charged with:
• Possession of Child Pornography X 2
• Making Arrangement to Commit Sexual Offence Against a Child X3

He is scheduled to appear at court for a bail hearing on December 14, 2013.

The Ottawa Police Service is a member of the Provincial Strategy to protect children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet. This Project has been made possible by a grant from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Ottawa Police Prostitution « John » Sweep in Carlington

16/12/2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, December 16, 2013              11:05 am

(Ottawa) — In an ongoing effort to deal with community-identified prostitution and prostitution-related problems, the Ottawa Police Service conducted a prostitution John sweep in the Carlington Area of the west end on December 7th and 14th, 2013.

A total of six males were arrested. Four of these males qualified to attend the Pre-charge Diversion Program, which includes attending “John” School. “John School” is a project that applies a restorative justice approach to the effects of prostitution within our communities and focuses on education.

The remaining two individuals were charged with communicating for the purpose of prostitution and mischief.

SIU

SIU Investigates Shooting in Toronto

Case Number: 13-TFI-307

Mississauga (13 December, 2013) —

— Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is probing the circumstances surrounding a police involved shooting at the subway station at Yonge Street and Queen St. Toronto, that occurred at approximately 8:00 p.m. today.

Preliminary information indicates the following:

• Police were investigating a man on a subway car;
• There was an interaction between the man and the police;
• The man was subsequently taken to hospital with gunshot wounds and is in stable condition.

The SIU has assigned nine investigators and four forensic investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident. 

Anyone who may have information regarding this case is asked to contact the lead investigator at 416-622-1898 or 1-800-787-8529 ext. 1898.

The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must

• consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence  in connection with the incident under investigation
• depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
• report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.

Toronto Police Service

53 Division’s “Weekly Wanted,” Terry Tout, 44

Monday, December 16, 2013 – 3:44 PM
53 Division
416-808-5300

53 Division is requesting the public’s assistance locating their latest “Weekly Wanted” target.

Terry Tout, 44, is wanted for:

1. Threaten Death
2. Assault
3. Fail to Comply Probation
4. Assault Causing Bodily Harm

He is described as white, 5’7″, 201 lbs., with short grey hair and blue eyes. A photograph has been released.

If located, do not approach. Call 9-1-1.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), orLeave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.

Toronto Police Service News Release

Man arrested in sexual assault investigation, Church Street and Wellesley Street

Tuesday, December 17, 2013 – 10:44 AM
51 Division
416-808-7474

The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of an arrest in a sexual assault investigation.

It is alleged that:

- on Sunday, December 8, 2013, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a woman was in the Church Street/Wellesley Street area

See previous release.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2013, Yonatan Mekonnen, 30, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with:

1. Sexual Assault

He was scheduled to appear in court at College Park on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at 10 a.m.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), orLeave A Tip on Facebook.

A sexual assault is defined by the Criminal Code of Canada as any form of unwanted sexual contact. It includes, but is not limited to, kissing, grabbing, oral sex and penetration. To learn more about sexual assault, including how to report a sexual assault, please visit our Sex Crimes Unit website.

CFN – Sitting in what was once the principal’s office at a school in Martintown, Ontario – the one Shannon Spooner bought and transformed into a multi-service, pet-centered mecca for clients who come from as far away as upstate New York, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal – I learn that the hundreds of families who turn to Shannoncourt do so, not only for help with their dogs and cats, but their horses, birds, rabbits and sometimes even their guinea pigs.

But minutes into our discussion, Shannon’s GM – Courtney – breaks in through the door with a serious look on her face.

She’s just had an urgent call from a client whose giant breed puppy has been hit by a car and sustained a crushed pelvis. Now discharged by the vet for at-home recovery, the client needs help. The family can’t manage the dog’s care so is turning to Shannoncourt.

Shannon and Courtney immediately run through a rudimentary care plan.  The dog can’t walk so will need help with toileting and hygiene, feeding, comfort and “gentle” sensory stimulation.

Suddenly, I know I have to wrap up the interview.  Shannon and Courtney have work to do including briefing their 16-member team.

So I ask Shannon to summarize what rises to the top.  Meaning, I want her to tell me the top two things she finds her self repeating to people who says they want “the best” for their new puppy.

And in the name of happier, healthier, safer dogs, Shannon is quick to respond:

No. 1, (Scientific evidence shows…)

“Your puppy’s window of socialization will end at about 5 months.  And ideally, should be exposed to about 100 non-threatening people and 50 dogs. ”

And No. 2, (Scientific evidence supports…)

“That working in partnership (versus merely exerting dominance and control over your dog) is the healthiest and safest way to train.”

But she also says that fun and creativity – perhaps the real artistry of animal training – cannot be separated from either No. 1 or 2.  Here’s an example:  LINK

So, what is the window of socialization?

Briefly, the period during which a dog learns to recognize, communicate with and enjoy the beings it comes into contact with, including: all-age, all skin-colour people, and other animals, such as cats, pet bunnies, birds and so forth.

It also includes new experiences like car rides, trips to the vet, motorcycles passing, doorbells ringing or the school bus pulling up at the end of the driveway.

Point being, all these (assuming no harm to the dog) will help a pup develop an even-tempered personality that’s fertile for lifelong learning.

And what is “working in partnership”? 

Simply put, it’s about a dog owner showing leadership – the opposite of dominance and control – and extends to helping people learn how to consider a dog’s perspective of everyday experiences.

In other words, thinking and acting in partnership can:

• Foster greater respect for dogs – their needs and motivations;
• Help reduce or eliminate myths, such as that a dog is “stubborn” or might urinate on the floor to “get back” at its owner;
• Prevent abuses, such as hitting a dog or resorting to “shock collars”;
• Make training safer for both the human and the dog (dominance training can promote aggression);
• Provide opportunities to learn the most up-to-date scientific findings about dog psychology and training.

Of course, Shannon meets many dogs who have not had the best start in life and who require rehabilitation and sometimes a new home.

Meet Chevy.  (He’s in the video at the top of the page.)

He’s a 15-month-old, neutered and vaccinated mixed breed.  Chevy’s owner loves the dog so has placed him at Shannoncourt for the socialization and training he never got.

Shannon says, Chevy’s doing great. He’s available for adoption and Shannon is willing to give some “free” daycare and four additional training sessions for that special person who is willing to provide daily exercise and affection to this sweet boy who deserves a second chance.

For more information about Chevy, email Shannon at shannoncourt@live.ca

And remember, if there’s art in what you do, I want to hear from you via <a href=”artofeverything@cornwallfreenews.com”

Cornwall Ontario – I stopped going to the Team Cornwall Year in Review two years ago when I resigned from the group until they cleaned house.  The group, which does almost nothing but a few rah rah events essentially should be an arm of the City’s Economic Development Department.    They even give out hockey cards for its members to pass out.

There I am having current Leader of  the Opposition Thomas Mulcair hold mine up at Parliament.    Below Green Party Leader Elizabeth May holds my card while I was a local candidate briefly; before I resigned from all political parties and chose to become Hyper Non Partisan (that’s for a whole other story)

If you read tweets you’ll see a lot of sycophants, brown nosers and sucks up tweeting away the party line.

From Alison Hudson or whatever she calls herself from day to day; one of the biggest toadies in Cornwall History.

$79M new bridge almost ready for traffic! #CornwallYIR

— Alison Hudson (@Alison_Hudson) December 18, 2013

And from Alyssa Blais who doesn’t mention net job loss or gain or the comparative dollar values. IE Lose Parks Canada jobs at over $30 per hour vs new minimum wage jobs.

Big picture of Cornwall, strong activity and over 500 jobs created #CornwallYIR 2013 pic.twitter.com/qudoWhamD1

— Alyssa Blais (@AgapeCornwall) December 18, 2013

Here’s another gem from Ms Hudson

@ChooseCornwall @TeamCornwall #CornwallYIR This is absolutely worth getting up this early in the morning for! pic.twitter.com/TyOynLh5tY

— Alison Hudson (@Alison_Hudson) December 18, 2013

And a farcical media spin;

Mayor Bob Kilger speaking at a “very, real success story” that is Cornwall @TeamCornwall#CornwallYIRpic.twitter.com/aVNvrtFt53

— TheCornwallDaily.com (@tcd_news) December 18, 2013

It’s like The Stepford Wives, but really it’s pretty simple.    You have a core group of people whose livelihoods, or hoped for livelihoods rely on favored droppings from those above them in the feed chain.     Cronyism at its utter worst.   Does anyone really expect Alyssa Blais to rock a boat when her entire life is essentially at the behest and favour of people like Bob Peters and Gilles Latour; not too mention her political mentor Elaine MacDonald (no stranger to sucking off the public pension teet) while fumbling to run the city’s largest foodbank?   (Agape  junk shop Food Bank by their own numbers have cut services while raising costs and deliver a sliver of the percentage of dollars given to them to the hungry as well as having legal issues with employees past and present)

Yes, Cornwall has given away a lot this year.   Should we really be proud of giving away $3.5M in Corporate Welfare to Billionaire Mitch Goldhar and Smart Centres (Wal-Mart) ?  To Seniors struggling to keep their modest homes heated while under huge tax burdens is this good news or something to clap about?

Spending most likely over $3M in various scandal costs and destroying the careers of multiple long serving City Managers; is that something to be celebrating?    Are these people celebrating the assertions from former Deputy Fire Chief Rob Hickley who was forced into retirement when the judge refused to cover court costs in his case that alleged Conflict of Interest over the Mayor’s hiring of his son to the Fire Department?

Drive down Pitt Street and Montreal Road.   All those empty stores; is that something to celebrate?    Cornwall Square being propped up by emergency pillars since about May of this year with no apparent repair work done.   Again, pride?

Killing beavers, gassing pigeons, fighting 3 month campaigns to have the public write in about how great Cornwall is; is that what we’re proud of?  Is that what we are celebrating?   The new bridge is not a new project.  It’s been celebrated now how many years at this gathering?

Should we be proud of Cornwall Kinsmen Lift Off which has lost over half of its crowd in less than 3 years, and where are the mentions for the Sylvain family that are trying their darndest to save the Port Theatre which btw, would be a great venue to hold next year’s YIR as it seats more.     What about some of the other small businesses that are seeing successes but aren’t connected to the Kilger cliques?

We’ve had two strip malls open recently; one with traffic issues now costing taxpayers extra monies and one that apparently has floors cracking in less than one year because it was built on a swamp.   Even our new bridge has reports that one of the pylons from the old bridge has to remain because of an engineering oopsie.

And of course our crowing item of pride this year is the Mayor and his Economic Development department not bringing the fact to council in June  that the Federal Government was going to allow tanks to be built on our waterfront sabotaging essentially the community’s plan for revitalization.   An act that Mayor Kilger has yet to actually condemn or show leadership in fighting.

There are some things for our city to take pride in but sadly this group; this event that excludes the genuine successes of people in our community who don’t cow tow to them, are not.

And even more sadly most of the public gets it too.   Do we really want to live in a community of fear and suck ups?

If you want a full glass of the Kool Aid check out hashtag #cornwallYIR on Twitter!

What do you think Cornwall?  You can post your comments below.

(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)

CFN – On June 20^th, 2013, my then fiancé (we’ve since got married), and I got a chocolate Labrador retriever puppy. I have never had a dog, so, my husband and I talked about it, and came to the decision of getting Drake together. (He is named after a male duck, not the artist!) My husband had one years before, but sadly, he died young due to disease and D couldn’t bring himself to get another one, until now. He told me about how great Gunner was and how smart he was and how easy he was to train. It all sounded really nice and I looked forward to the day that we could pick Drake up.

The first couple of weeks with him were interesting for me, a whole new experience… There was no sleep the first few nights. He thought super-puppy-playtime was at 3 am…. My husband entertained him a couple of times, but we had to get him out of that routine. I would wake up at the slightest noise to take him out for a bathroom break, sometimes 4 times a night… I never wanted him to wake my husband during the week, he needs all the rest he can get, as his job can be dangerous, made even more dangerous by an un-alert mind. Our idea of puppy-proofing seemed to be to put anything he showed interest in chewing that he should not be chewing, up on the table. (We have barely seen our kitchen table since…) As well, we would keep him in our room while we slept with the door closed so that he could wake us up for bathroom time and generally cause less trouble in the house. We got toys for him to play with and destroy, but they didn’t seem to interest him in the least. Every time he “did his business” outside, he was rewarded with a treat. Pretty typical from what I understand. It was cute at first, I will admit, when he would massacre a roll of paper towel, usually left about to clean up after his “accidents”, but that cuteness wore off as the massacres added up.

Then he started chewing underwear and D’s socks. (I am happy to say he never liked chewing my socks, something I didn’t know I appreciated until this moment!) D never minded his being chewed to spider-web looking pieces of fabric, but it annoyed me to no end. We started closing the laundry room door, and being mindful of where we left our laundry, but that was no deterrent for Drake. He got to them anyway, anyhow. When it got to be around the tenth pair of mine, I went out and bought 7 more. When the number went over twenty, I simply started getting used to wearing ragged looking ones. It was apparent I was not winning this war. Shoe chewing began to be another of his favourite things. Again, D didn’t mind when Drake would chew his work boots, sandals or shoes. I, on the other hand minded very much when he chewed a pair of my tweed fabric heels, or when he chewed my maid of honour’s sandals while visiting during our wedding. I wished very hard at that point that he would learn the difference between D’s and my stuff! If D didn’t care, I didn’t want to be bothered with it. It always seems to upset me more than Drake when I get upset with him. And I could never stay upset long, his youthful, innocent eyes would get the better of me and he would be on me, lapping up all the love he could get. Then, one day D and I went out, and for some reason my Lululemon pants felt weird, when we got home I realized he had chewed the crotch out of them. I hadn’t even worn them ten times yet. I was very upset. I attempted to put my foot down with D. I reasoned that just because he didn’t care if Drake chewed his stuff, he needs to be disciplined because I can’t be the only one to give him crap for chewing things he shouldn’t be. I was starting to feel like the evil step mother, and that was not sitting well with me.

Time went on and things progressed. One day while vacuuming, I took a break to greet a friend, and when I went to finish the task, the vacuum cleaner wouldn’t turn on. I took it apart, and even had D look it over when he arrived home from work. Then we discovered that Drake had chewed through the cord during the 10 minutes it wasn’t in use… Next was my phone charger cord. (I should mention that at this point he has chewed both and now I am reduced to using a mickey-mouse repaired one…) Although, we sense the cat and him were in cahoots on that job. Anytime the cat looks like it is enjoying something it’s playing with, Drake is sure to destroy it. Yes, he may have a touch of innocent jealousy due to his age, but still, really??? We have even caught him up on the kitchen table a few times! And, did I mention he has chewed the seating of our new kitchen chairs? There doesn’t seem to be anything he won’t chew! When travelling around Europe I bought a beautiful miniature soapstone carving in Utrecht inspired by “The Thinker” by Rodin. I have treasured it for many years, the sight of it brings back many happy memories, but alas, not even soapstone is safe around Drake. It seems it was knocked off its Drake-proof perch, and then was decimated to something that only I can now recognize. I was furious. The worst part about being upset with Drake, is that he knows he did wrong. While I was venting my disappointment in words I shan’t type, he just looked at me with eyes that said his apologies. I nicknamed him Schtoopy that day. He is a smart puppy, very cute, but he can be sooooooooooooooooooo schtoopy. Now, he responds to Drake AND Schtoopy, as if he understands and accepts it. I shake my head. The worst part is, I know he is smart. When he realized he would get a treat for going to the bathroom outside, he started faking it!!! The worst was him waking me up to fake it… I caught on eventually… Ugh…

It is now December, and his massacres and “accidents” are fewer and smaller, I am happy to say, but, they still happen. Recent issues are that he has chewed a large section of the drywall in our newly renovated livingroom and he likes to “visit” the neighbours. I can always tell when that happens because in the quiet country air you can hear the neighbours toddlers scream all of a sudden, which tells me he has mown them down…again… He loves children, maybe a little too much. He seems to think that they like it when he runs them over and drowns them with his kisses. The crying doesn’t seem to bother him either, if anything, he takes it as a sign to lick more… Oh, Schtoopy. It is hard to prevent him from visiting, as they always seem to have food out for the birds, which he seems to think is a treat for him, for going to the trouble of going over to visit. This was not good a couple of weeks ago when he inhaled bird seed balls formed with macadamia nut butter around noon. By eleven pm he was bloated beyond recognizable and whining. Every time he would stand up, his back legs would collapse. We stayed up and rubbed his belly, D looking up scenarios on the internet as to what is wrong and what can we do. Needless to say, that didn’t help, and by one am we were on the phone with a vet. The vet assured us he should be ok, and if he is still not well by morning, to bring him in. Around two-thirty am he left the hugest cow patty of bird seed either of us had ever seen. And the gas, it actually echoed in the quiet winter night! He seemed to be mostly back to his normal self after that! A few more bathroom breaks and thankfully, by noon the next day he was totally ok. This experience taught me that birds will indeed eat seed that has gone through a dogs’ digestive system, as there was no evidence of Drake’s patty’s left later that day…

He has grown to almost 70 lbs now and still thinks he is a lapdog, which can be irritating at times, but adorable. He uses his weight to dominate his position on our bed in the middle of the night. He lays between one of us and the wall, then pushes against the wall to secure the most space on the bed. Sometimes we wake up and send him off, and he goes obediently, but as soon as we’re lost in sleep, he makes his return. Persistent can definitely be used to describe Drake… He has become a great travel companion, although he can cause havoc when we arrive at places, whether it’s mowing down children or traumatizing a cat to the point it avoids using its litterbox for days after we leave. (Oh, and his new love- “kitty-crunchies”, yes, we have actually caught him eating the cat litter!) He does play well with other dogs, often tiring them out long before he himself is tired, which tends to annoy older dogs……

In the past few months, we have lost our almost 2 year old cat, Chi-Chi. He went out and has never come back… He was always independent, sometimes we wouldn’t see him for days. But, this time he never returned. We called him for days, nothing. Our friends were visiting and we spotted a mole in the couch. It was definitely time to get another cat. A few weeks ago we decided to adopt a kitten, who we named Le Mew. She is so adorable. She purrs like a motor boat…and likes to try to put her whole head into my nostril when I sleep, questionable behaviour to say the least, but still cute… It’s evident now that this kitten taunts Drake. Spurring him on to the point where he verbalises his hurt when Le Mew dodges him by running under the couch or jumping up onto the desk. Le Mew can be quite the terrorist, concealed in cute, fluffy fur… And the two of them are like rampant children, adorable and cute, but are totally capable of mass destruction. They have tag-teamed my house plants, amongst many other things, like my phone charger…

It has come to the point where we have decided that this is not the year for us to put up a Christmas tree, it seems we can barely trust the two of them as it is, never mind a twinkling tree with baubles and tinsel hanging from it, beckoning at the two of them to join forces and attack. Every day I come downstairs to some form of “surprise” left by either or both of them, adding a Christmas tree and decorations to the mix would just make mornings that much worse… Oh well, I guess this is life, with pets. I hear it gets better… I’ve been told that when a dog reaches two years old it will practically be a saint. I have also been told that when Drake is neutered (next month!) that he will settle down… However, I have a dear friend with 3 dogs, a six year old German shepherd, a three year old German shepherd and a Jack Russel of unknown age, and she still has to lock them up at night and when they’re not home due to their destructiveness. I guess time will tell what our situation will lead to…

A picture of Le Mew, busted while attempting to tease Drake…

Olivia and Liam are the most popular names for girls and boys born in Ontario for the second year in a row.

Olivia has been the favourite name for girls since 2008, followed by the same second, third and fourth place names from last year — Emma, Sophia and Ava. Emily joins the ranks to round out the top five. For boys, Ethan, Jacob and Lucas once again took spots two through four, with Benjamin coming in at five.

According to the months above it does seem that we in Ontario know what to do on those cold winter  months….

Cornwall Ontario – Santa was sighted on the roof of Bishop McDonell in Cornwall Ontario Thursday!    Crafty CFN viewer Sheri Mcauley caught him on her iPhone and submitted the image for us to run as our CFN Picture of the Day!

To submit your photo or video email us at info@cornwallfreenews.com and you just might win free tickets or gift cards from area merchants!

Santa waved down and luckily did not fall .     Venison stew was not reported to be on the cafeteria menu either.

Merry Christmas to all from CFN – May your Holiday be safe, joyous, and healthy!

Cornwall Ontario – Saturday night promises to be a special evening at the Civic Complex when the River Kings host Riviere-du-Loup in LNAH action.

Sparky will be in attendance, along with members of the Cornwall Professional Fire Fighter’s Association, for the Toy Drive Teddy Bear Toss.

As well, the 325 Cornwall Kiwanis Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron will have their Military Brass and Reed Marching band on hand to perform the National Anthem as well as entertainment during intermissions.

The band is comprised of local youth, ages 12-18, who perform for the community. Recent accolades for the band include top band in Eastern Ontario and second place in Ontario. The band is under the direction of Capt. Sandy McDonald, the squadron’s Commanding Officer and Band Officer. The band is sponsored by the Cornwall Kiwanis Club and Royal Canadian Air Force Association Wing 424.

And of course, fans are asked to bring a new or gently used Teddy Bear to the game. When the River Kings score their first goal of the contest, the bears will be tossed onto the ice. They will then be collected for donation.

Action begins at 7:30 p.m.

(photo: Duckcommander.com )

CFN – Isn’t it odd when those seeking their own rights and voices lash out and throw hissy fits at others that , my gosh, are diverse to their own?    Ten, twenty, thirty years ago it would be arrows and slings at Gay activists over issues like Gay Marriage, Gays in the Military, or simple gay rights.

We’ve come a long way and Gays can now suffer like the rest of the heterosexual world and get divorced and be just another one of the mob in many places.   However some of the powerful and loud Gay political groups are still on the march from trying to stop the Socchi Olympics over Russian Gay politics to now leading the charge to take down a show that very few in the gay community would admit to watching, except maybe for some bears….

Duck Dynasty Patriarch Phil Robertson got into some hot water with the folks at A&E over some statements he made in a magazine article.   So much so that in addition to the condemnation  from Gay organizations like GLAAD; the network suspended him from one of their most successful shows, Duck Dynasty.

The Robertson family just issued an official statement via the duckcommander.com  website.

We want to thank all of you for your prayers and support.  The family has spent much time in prayer since learning of A&E’s decision.  We want you to know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and our belief that the Bible is His word.  While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible. Phil is a Godly man who follows what the Bible says are the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Phil would never incite or encourage hate.We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right.We have had a successful working relationship with A&E but, as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm.  We are in discussions with A&E to see what that means for the future of Duck Dynasty.   Again, thank you for your continued support of our family.

And here is Phil’s quotes from GQ

“It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he says. Then he paraphrases Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

Now Phil isn’t spewing hate.  He’s not saying that Glee should be taken off the air or calling for any actions or sanctions.   He’s airing his opinion in an interview.   And that interview and the fall out has turned this into the hottest story on Social Media and News in general.

Gay people and organizations have to learn that once you have equality you have to take the good and bad.   You can’t be “special” when you’re mainstream.  Equal rights mean you’re as equal as anyone else.     You can’t ask for people to accept your diversity while not giving that same understanding back.

I’m all for Gay marriage and equality; but dropped two gay media facebook friends over their attacks on Toronto Mayor Rob Ford; not over his ridiculous antics, but by their attacks on the Mayor for obesity.  (Right Brad & Matt?)  I could only imagine the explosion if it were a gay politician being abused in the same manner!

Am I defending Phil?  Nope.  Have I ever watched Duck Dynasty?  Nope.  I have watched Glee and do own Village People & Frankie Goes to Hollywood albums though.   Will I watch DD because of this silliness and mayhem?  Nope.   I will admit to watching Honey Boo Boo though while inebriated with a good friend.

We really don’t need to live in a world of mono-culture neo fascist dogmatists telling us mere peons what to think and do.  Do we?

Glaad piece on issue.   LINK

“Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe,” said GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz. “He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans – and Americans – who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Phil’s decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors who now need to reexamine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.”

GLAAD reached out to A&E to speak about if the network stands behind Robertson’s comments.

Frankly I’m more alarmed by GLAAD’s quotes than Mr. Robertson’s.   Glad essentially has admitted to leaning on A&E financially.   Should those not terribly happy with Diversity lean on sponsors back?  Is that really improving things or just having a bigger gun?

The scary issue is certain cultural attacks on the family unit as we have known for millennium are impacting and changing our society.   And family seems to be very important to Phil Robertson.       As for his issues about Anal sex, well Anal sex was around before Jesus and I have a hunch some bearded guy in the desert thought about doing it to his good women before the shepherds under the moon.      Maybe Phil himself, even in a drunken stupor missed his vaginal target and enjoyed an alternate route to Nirvana?     While he should perhaps pray to his god and think about the bigger picture and ponder the realities of the world I don’t think he should lose his show over his statement; unless his ratings drop.

The irony of the drama is that the next season is in the can.  Surely if A&E were really that concerned they’d pull those episodes; but money of course trumps God and Gays, right?

Do you think A&E mussed this one up too?  You can post your comments below.

(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)

BREACH

Cornwall, ON – Angel Dore, 36 of Cornwall was arrested on December 19^th, 2013 and charged with breaching an undertaking for having failed to attend for prints. It is alleged that on December 9^th, 2013 the woman failed to attend police headquarters for prints as required and as a result an investigation ensued. On December 19^th, 2013 police located the woman at her residence and took her into custody. The woman was charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing.

Cornwall, ON – A 49-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on December 20^th, 2013 and charged with breaching his probation order for having associated with a certain woman, being within 100 mtres of her and failing to keep the peace. The man was also charged with breaching his probation order for not notifying a change of address and failing to keep the peace. It is alleged that in the early morning hours of December 20^th, 2013 police were contacted to attend a St-Felix Street address in relation to a disturbance. Once on scene they found the man to be breaching his conditions by living with the woman for which he has conditions not to. He was taken into custody and charged accordingly. His name was not released as it might identify the victim in the matter.

ASSAULT, ASSAULT WITH A WEAPON, OVERCOME RESISTANCE BY ATTEMPTING TO CHOKE

Cornwall, ON – A 38-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on December 19^th, 2013 and charged with the following:

• Assault
• Assault with a weapon
• Overcome resistance by attempting to choke
• Breach of probation for failing to keep the peace

It is alleged that on December 18^th, 2013 the man stuck a needle in his 33-year-old girlfriend’s forearm on two occasions without her permission. Then on December 19^th, 2013 during an argument the man punched his girlfriend in the head and threw her down then proceeded to choke her. Police were contacted and an investigation ensued. On December 19^th, 2013 the man who had left prior to police arrival attended police headquarters to deal with the matter. He was taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. His name was not released as it might identify the victim in the matter.

BREACH   Cornwall, ON – Brigitte Gareau, age 23, of Cornwall, was arrested on December 17, 2013.  She is bound by a Recognizance Order with the relevant conditions to reside at a specific address and to not be away from that residence without her surety.  It is alleged that on November 2013, police became aware that she was not abiding by the aforementioned conditions.  She was charged with 2 counts of Breach of Recognizance.  She was held for a Bail Hearing on December 17, 2013.

IMPAIRED   Cornwall, ON – Elaine MacKinnon, age 63, of Cornwall, was arrested on December 18, 2013.  It is alleged that she was observed on Second Street operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.  Police were contacted and an investigation followed.  She was charged with Impaired Driving and Refuse to Provide Sample.  She was released to appear in court on December 31, 2013.

COUNTERFEIT               Cornwall, ON – Brandon Tessier, age 27, of Cornwall was arrested on December 17, 2013.  It is alleged that on December 16, 2013, he attended a Marlborough Street convenience store and made a purchase with a couterfeit American bill.  Police were contacted and an investigation followed.  He was charged with Possession of Couterfeit Money.  He was released to appear in court on February 6, 2014.

THEFT UNDER

            Cornwall, ON – Cameron Brassard, 51 of Cornwall was arrested on December 18^th, 2013 and charged with theft under $5000. It is alleged that on December 18^th, 2013 the man attended a Ninth Street store and removed 2 bottles of vitamins without making any efforts to pay for the items. The man was stopped by the loss prevention officer and police were contacted. The man was then taken into custody, charged accordingly and later released with a court date of January 23^rd, 2014.

Cornwall, ON – Jeffrey Leblanc, 23 of Cornwall was arrested on December 18^th, 2013 and charged with theft under $5000 and breach of probation for failing to keep the peace. It is alleged that on October 18^th, 2013 the man attended a construction site on McConnell Avenue and removed copper piping. Police were contacted and an investigation ensued. On December 18^th, 2013 police attended the Provincial Courthouse as the man was there on an unrelated matter. The man was charged accordingly and returned to court staff in order to answer to the charges.

OPP

DOMESTIC INCIDENT

(South Glengarry) -  On 18Dec13, at approximately 8:05am, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry  Ontario Provincial Police (SD&G OPP) officers responded to a report of a domestic incident on 2nd Line Road, South Glengarry Township.

The investigation revealed that a female and her 46yr old boyfriend were involved in a verbal altercation that resulted in the male damaging property in the residence.

He was arrested and faces charges of:

- Domestic Mischief
- Fail to comply with conditions of an undertaking

He was held in custody pending an appearance in Cornwall Court 19Dec13.
 DOMESTIC INCIDENT/BREACHED CONDITIONS
(North Dundas) -  On 18Dec13, at approximately 10:15pm, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry  Ontario Provincial Police (SD&G OPP) officers responded to a report of a domestic incident on Alexander Street, Winchester in North Dundas Township.

The investigation revealed that a 47yr old male from Winchester, Ontario was contravening his earlier release conditions. The male was near a property that he was not to attend.

He was arrested and faces charges of:

- Fail to comply with Recognizance x 2
- Criminal Harassment
- Trespass at Night
- Cause Disturbance
- Possession of Schedule II Substance – Cannabis Marihuana – under 30 grams

He was held in custody pending an appearance in Cornwall Court 19Dec13.

                                               DOMESTIC INCIDENT

(South Stormont) -  On 20Dec13, at approximately 12:35am, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry  Ontario Provincial Police (SD&G OPP) officers responded to a report of a domestic incident on Highway 138, South Stormont Township.

The investigation revealed that a female and her 43yr old boyfriend were involved in a verbal altercation that resulted in the male damaging property in the residence.

He was arrested and faces charges of:

- Domestic Mischief
- Utter threats to cause death or bodily harm

He is scheduled to appear in Cornwall Court 21Jan14.

Ottawa Police Service

Ottawa Police offers reward for information on the homicide of Amy Paul

19/12/2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, December 19, 2013 10:07 am

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person(s) responsible for the murder of Amy Paul.

On September 17, 2013 the body of 27 year old Amy Paul was discovered in a farm field in south Ottawa, Ontario. She had been missing since the first week of September 2013.

“The Ottawa Police Service is looking for information that can assist investigators in the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrator(s) of this senseless and horrific crime,” noted Inspector John Maxwell, head of Major Case Investigations.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Ottawa Police Service Major Crime Section at 613-236-1222 ext. 5493 or Crime Stoppers 613-233-8477 or toll free 1-800-8477.

Ottawa Police investigate a sexual assault in an East end park

19/12/2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, December 19, 2013      4:30pm

(Ottawa)—The Ottawa Police Service Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section is investigating a complaint of a sexual assault that occurred in the Father Richard Ward Park in Ottawa on December 18, 2013 at approximately 11:15pm.

That evening, a girl in her early twenties was walking through the park at Bordeau Grove and Vineyard Drive when she was grabbed from behind and pushed to the ground. The male sexually assaulted the victim and then fled the area.

The male suspect is described as thin build, 5’9-5’10” (175-177cm), wearing a black ski mask, black hood, black parka type jacket, black boots and dark gloves. His face was covered and as such there is no race information available.

“Ottawa Police believes that no person deserves to be harassed, stalked or assaulted sexually,” noted Staff Sergeant Angela McDade, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section. “We consider that these criminal incidents are very serious and we investigate them fully.”

The Ottawa Police Service reminds members of the community that ottawapolice.ca offers public safety and prevention tips, as well as a Crime Mapping Tool that provide residents with recent information about crimes that happened in their own neighbourhoods.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section at 613-236-1222 ext. 5944 or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS) or toll free at 1-800-222-8477.

Ottawa Police investigate a sexual assault on Broadway Avenue

19/12/2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 10:00pm

(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section is investigating a complaint of an assault which was sexual in nature that occurred in the area of Broadway Avenue and Craig Street in Ottawa on December 17 2013, at approximately 11:15pm.

That evening, a girl in her late teens, was at the door of a residence when she heard someone running up behind her. The male said nothing and grabbed her. A struggle ensued and the pair fell to the bottom of the stairs, at which time the victim was inappropriately touched.

The male suspect is described as medium build, in his late teens, wearing black “Timberland” type winter boots with a beige sole and a black puffy winter jacket with a hood. The suspect’s face was covered with a dark neck warmer or similar garment and as such there is no race information available.

“Ottawa Police believes that no person deserves to be harassed, stalked or assaulted sexually,” noted Staff Sergeant Angela McDade, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section. “We consider that these criminal incidents are very serious and we investigate them fully.”

The Ottawa Police Service would like to remind members of the community that ottawapolice.ca offers public safety and prevention tips<http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/CrimePrevention/SafetyAndPreventionTips/index.aspx>, as well as a Crime Mapping Tool<http://www.ottawapolice.ca/en/CrimeFiles/CrimeMaps_Reports/index.aspx> that provide residents with recent information about crimes that happened in their own neighbourhoods.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section at 613-236-1222 ext. 5944 or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS) or toll free at 1-800-222-8477.

Toronto Police Service

oronto Police Service News Release

Police request assistance with stabbing investigation, John Tabor Trail

Friday, December 20, 2013 – 11:33 AM
42 Division
416-808-4200

On Thursday, December 20, 2013, at 1:34 p.m., police responded to a stabbing call on Warwick Castle Court.

Police located an 18-year-old man suffering from obvious injuries.

The man was taken to hospital, via emergency run, with life-threatening injuries.

Further investigation has determined that the stabbing took place on a pathway outside St. Columba Catholic School on the north side of John Tabor Trail.

The only suspect description available at this time is a black male wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-4200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), orLeave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.

Police request assistance with investigation into personal injury collision, Dundas Street West at Dovercourt Road

Thursday, December 19, 2013 – 3:32 PM
14 Division
416-808-1900

On Thursday, October 31, 2013, at 7:43 a.m., police responded to a personal injury collision at Dundas Street West and Dovercourt Road.

It was reported that:

- a 22-year-old man was attempting to cross Dundas Street West, from the south side to the north side, on the west side of Dovercourt Road

- the man was struck by what was described as a small, red, compact vehicle which, initially, remained at the collision scene but left the area before police arrived

The man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1900, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), orLeave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.

Special Investigations Unit

SIU Comments on the Supreme Court of Canada’s Decision in Wood v. Schaeffer

Case Number: Decision

Mississauga (19 December, 2013) — Today, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that police officers involved in SIU investigations are prohibited from consulting with lawyers prior to the preparation of their notes.

The case was launched in the wake of two fatal shootings in 2009 by OPP officers in separate incidents which were investigated by the SIU.  The families in those cases went to court seeking a declaration that police officers involved in SIU incidents were not entitled to obtain legal assistance in the preparation of their notes.  The SIU was a party to that litigation and supported the position that the legislative scheme did not permit officers to consult with lawyers prior to preparing their notes of an incident under investigation.  In a majority decision issued this morning, the Supreme Court of Canada has affirmed that position.

Writing for the majority, Justice Moldaver observed, “Permitting consultation with counsel before notes are prepared runs the risk that the focus of the notes will shift away from the officer’s public duty toward his or her private interest in justifying what has taken place.  This shift would not be in accordance with the officer’s duty.” (para. 8)

SIU Director Tony Loparco commented, “The SIU respects and welcomes the decision by the Supreme Court of Canada.  I am confident that the clarity the Court has brought to this contentious issue will be of benefit to all parties involved in SIU investigations.  It will without question contribute, as the Court suggests, ‘to maintaining public confidence in the police and the justice system as a whole.’ The decision will better assist the SIU in conducting investigations in an independent and transparent fashion.”

The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must

• consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence  in connection with the incident under investigation
• depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
• report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.

Wealth Index #1:  

Conservative Minister of Industry, Hon. James Moore (December 13, Radio Station 1130 News, British Columbia): “We’ve never been wealthier as a country than we are right now. Never been wealthier.”

Campaign 2000 (www.campaign2000.ca) 2013 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada: “Canada’s Real Economic Action Plan Begins with Poverty Eradication.” One in seven children in Canada still live in poverty—967,000 hungry children.

James Moore on being asked about the government’s responsibility to help: “Certainly we want to make sure that kids go to school full bellied (sic), but is that always the government’s job to be there to serve people their breakfast?”. . . “The government says it’s my job to feed my neighbour’s child? I don’t think so.”

(James Moore makes $160,000 as an MP, plus $76,700 as a cabinet member. That makes a total of $236,900 a year. Plus he will get a gold-plated pension when he retires.)

Wealth Index #2:  

The Canadian Press, December 17, 2013: Conservative Federal Finance Minister Hon. Jim Flaherty blocks CPP improvement plans. Proposed by provincial finance ministers, the plans are designed to ensure CPP payouts will be there for working men and women currently in their 30s and 40s, when they retire.

Flaherty’s response: increasing employer/employee contributions would amount to a payroll tax at a time when the economy is still fragile. “We might have been able to do something, but one of the things I don’t believe in is governments making commitments far down the road. …We might not even be the government [in two, three, five, six years from now].” (James Moore: “We’ve never been wealthier as a country than we are right now.”)

(As an MP and cabinet minister, Jim Flaherty makes $236,900 a year. Plus he is assured of a gold-plated pension when he retires.)

……………………………………………

What do you say, Ebenezer?

PJ Robertson Morrisburg Ontario (with credits to CBC Radio One News and Jian Gomeshi, Macleans, and Bill Tieleman writing for The Tyee December 17, 2013, www.thetyee.ca)

(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)

Cornwall Ontario – River Kings fans were in a giving mood on Saturday night at the Civic Complex. But the visiting Rivière-du-Loup 3L were not, sticking it to Cornwall with a 7-3 victory.

The loss snapped Cornwall’s four-game winning streak on home ice, as the River Kings fell to 8-9-3 on the season. Despite the freezing rain, 981 fans were in attendance.

Ryan Jardine scored the Sparky’s Toy Drive Teddy Bear toss goal, as fans flooded the ice with stuffed animals at 8:19 of the first period. River Kings players, Sparky, and members of the Professional Fire Fighter’s Association collected 233 teddy bears. Jardine’s gorgeous deke to his forehand was a shorthanded effort.

The 3L scored two power play goals 31 seconds apart to start the second period with Cornwall attempting to kill off a five-minute major to Francis Lessard. Simon Demers’ wrist-shot from the point squeezed past Paul Bourbeau Jr., who was making his first start at the Ed Lumley Arena. Moments later, Marc-André Tourigny tapped in a cross-crease pass to give Rivière-du-Loup the lead. They never looked back.

Chad Denny scored twice on nice setups by Tourigny at 4:08 and 9:35 of the second. Tommy Castonguay’s goal with 6:08 to play in the second period chased Bourbeau.

Anthony Mezzagno picked the top corner on Lacasse with three seconds to play in a forgettable second period for the River Kings.

Patrick Mbaraga was left all alone in the slot and made it 7-1 for the visitors at 4:11 of the third.

Cornwall’s Pierre-Luc Faubert banged in a power play marker at 6:36 of the final frame. Then, Jardine went upstairs on Louis Menard at 10:09 for his second of the contest.

Lacasse stopped Marc Olivier D’Amour on penalty shot with 9:01 to play. Cornwall outshot Rivière-du-Loup 43-31. The announced stars were Tourigny (first), Denny (second) and Jardine (third).

FRIDAY NIGHT LOSS: On Friday night in Jonquiere, the Marquis skated to a 5-1 victory over the River Kings. Dominic Léveillé had a hat-trick and Marco Charpentier added a pair for Jonquière. Dominic Chiasson had the lone Cornwall marker. Lacasse made 38 saves and was tagged with the loss. The Because of poor driving conditions, the River Kings didn’t arrive home until 8 a.m. Saturday morning.

(Photo:Facebook)

CFN – As we close in on 2014, we head into a municipal election year.   For towns and cities across Ontario, there’s a lot at stake.   For taxpayers, it’s the frustration of seeing tax increases year after year imposed by seemingly unaccountable politicians.

For politicians, it’s the classic battle between the tax-and-spend left and the fiscally conservative right, that often devolves into lunacy played out with kindergarten-like decorum in council chambers.

In a profession where our job is to create legislation to improve our communities, politics sometimes brings out the worst in our personalities in a most spectacularly public fashion.

Some of the tactics used to clamp down opposition and scrutiny should raise a red flag for all of us.  I’ve learned this early in my career as a rookie Newmarket councillor.

After three years of challenging records and asking questions, the toxic atmosphere in council finally erupted with an unprecedented decision that has sparked outrage among many in our community.  It began after I verbally apologized for calling the mayor a name in a council meeting last September during a heated argument. But council felt my apology wasn’t sincere enough. They wanted it in writing.

I refused because there is no stipulation in our code of conduct nor in parliamentary tradition that requires apologies be made in writing. I wasn’t going to abide by an ad hoc set of rules.

Council then decided to hire an integrity commissioner to investigate the issue.  Council told taxpayers not to worry about the cost of the investigation. In fact, they requested I pay for it.

I was conflicted about writing a written apology because I was embarrassed by how silly things were becoming at council. Regardless, I e-mailed the mayor and the integrity commissioner, asking them to be available on the deadline date which council established for me to deliver a written apology. Neither responded.

(The integrity commissioner says she contacted Di Muccio about the council complaint, but never received a response.)    Eventually council voted to suspend my pay for 30 days.

They made this decision just before Christmas, in one of the most bizarre council meetings I’ve ever attended, complete with what I felt to be coercion and bullying, and without allowing me the opportunity to speak with my lawyer.

Instead of basing their decision on whether I apologized, several members of council spoke about their disdain for social and traditional media being used as a tool for challenging their records.

A couple of them read out and complained about my tweets, apparently as justification for their decision to suspend my pay.  I felt like I was sitting in a banana republic.  Was it humiliating for me to witness? Yes. Is it an abuse of authority? I believe so.  But am I running for the hills and never looking back? No. That’s the price one pays for challenging the status quo.

What happened to me is part of a deeper and alarming issue that’s happening in municipalities across Ontario to politicians who challenge the status quo.  It’s a warning sign not to rock the boat.

Will Queen’s Park step in and right the ship?  Not with the government of Premier Kathleen Wynne at the helm, not that they’re good role models for municipal politicians in any event.

The Ontario Liberals have had their heads in the sand on the sorry state of democracy at the municipal level for years.  The sad result of people seeing their elected representatives bullied and marginalized is a general loss of faith in local government.  So gear up for a year of battling it out.

Election time is coming in October, and we need to restore some faith back into the system — starting with accountability.

(photo courtesy of Sook Yin Lee Facebook)

CFN –  With over 250,000 Torontonians still without power in what’s been the biggest storm of the Century in Ontario, and conditions not seen since the huge Ice Storm of 1998 is Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne playing party politics?

With some of the highest Hydro rates on the planet the bigger question is how the Province could be so beaten by the storm?  Surely there was plenty of time for preparations and staff being put on alert?  Word is that some residents of Toronto will not be seeing their power back before Christmas (Wednesday)

With word that power may not be on for those in Toronto for as long as 72 hours people are scratching their heads wondering how this could happen to this degree?

So why does it seem that the Premier of Ontario is refusing to work with the largest city in her province’s Mayor?   LINK   Communities across Ontario are struggling with the aftermath of the storm, but Toronto has been hit the hardest.

In a statement released late Sunday, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne reported reaching out to mayors of affected cities across the province, from Kitchener to Kingston, Ont., where residents were photographed skating down residential streets. But the premier did not report speaking with Mayor Rob Ford in Toronto — one of the hardest hit areas where felled trees and ice had stymied much of the city’s transit system and caused mass blackouts that were expected to last as long as 72 hours.

Check out her body language and referring to the Deputy Mayor of Toronto by his last name.   LINK

Some Tweets:

“@TorontoStar: Toronto Hydro now says some in #Toronto could be without power past Christmas. #darkTO #icestorm2013” PAST XMAS R U JOKING?!

— Annie (@annaouss) December 23, 2013

Ontario here’s a look at some #IceStorm2013 totals. Pink numbers are ice accretion. Take it easy! pic.twitter.com/bO2Ik7Ulnt

— Colette Kennedy (@colettetown) December 23, 2013

Damage from #icestorm2013 still continues. Ice on trees is causing limbs to break, bringing down power lines. http://t.co/qfKeE6bw2K

— Hydro One (@HydroOne) December 23, 2013

Always find a positive RT “@AndreaLoken: Skating down the streets in Kingston! #icestorm#icestorm2013pic.twitter.com/4XvHJGCSyX”

— Colleen Cote (@CTAPinSK) December 22, 2013

Here in the Cornwall Ontario region Cogeco Cable Phone service was down; but the severity of the storm was nowhere as bad as it was further to the West.   Quebec in fact saw only about 20% of amount of homes without Hydro than Ontario; partly due to lessons learned in the 1998 Ice Storm.   Cornwall receives its power from Quebec which could be why the lights stayed on during the storm?

How did you fare during this storm and are you coping without power if you’re one of those still in the dark?  You can post your comments below and please check on any neighbors that might be at risk.

ASSAULT, ASSAULT WITH A WEAPON, THREATS

            Cornwall, ON – Christian Blais, 20 of Cornwall was arrested on December 20^th, 2013 and charged with threats, assault and assault with a weapon. It is alleged that on December 20^th, 2013 the man attended a Prince Arthur Street address and while holding a knife threatened to stab an 18-year-old man over a debt. Police were contacted and an investigation ensued. During their investigation the man was located by police, taken into custody and charged accordingly. He was transported to police headquarters and held for a bail hearing.

BREACH

Cornwall, ON – Ann Andrews, 36 of Cornwall was arrested on December 22^nd, 2013 and charged with breaching her recognizance for having consumed alcohol. It is alleged that on December 22^nd, 2013 police were called to attend an Adolphus Street residence in relation to a disturbance. Once at the residence the woman was found to be under the influence of alcohol despite being on conditions not to consume alcohol. She was taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing.

Ontario Provincial Police News Portal [STORMONT DUNDAS and GLENGARRY] Impaired Driver / Domestic Incident 2013-12-23

NORTH DUNDAS THEFTS SOLVED/BOY REUNITED WITH STOLEN BIKE

(North Dundas) -  On 11Dec13, at approximately 3:50pm, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Ontario Provincial Police (SD&G OPP) Street Crimes officers responded to a report of a stolen bicycle from a residence on Church Street, Winchester, North Dundas Township. The bicycle had been stolen from outside of the residence weeks prior to it being located by police.

The investigation revealed that a 20yr old male from Morewood, North Dundas Township, Ontario (Jessie QUESNEL), had stolen the bicycle and broken it down into various bits and pieces. Further to the investigation, officers learned that the male was also responsible for previous thefts in Winchester – a theft from a laundrymat on 05Oct13 and a theft from another laundrymat on 20Oct13.

The male was arrested and faces charges of:

- Theft under $5000 x 3
- Mischief under $5000 x 3

He is scheduled to appear in Morrisburg Criminal Court 4Feb14.

The bicycle was broken down into so many pieces it was beyond repair. The Morrisburg Canadian Tire graciously donated a brand new bicycle to the 11yr old boy 23Dec13 (See attached photos).

Photo 1: At the Canadian Tire Store in Morrisburg, Cody Broadfoot in the middle with new bicycle and from left to right Cst. Theresa Lauzon, Adam Casselman (store supervisor) and Brian Shaver (store manager)

Photo 2: Cody Broadfoot with his new bicycle

Ontario Provincial Police News Portal [STORMONT DUNDAS and GLENGARRY] Storm Results 2013-12-23

CFN – Every year, much like schools of fish, schools of students apply for colleges and universities around Ontario, hoping to get into their first choices. While many teenagers are let down, others make their first step into adult hood. Taking the first step doesn’t always mean you are a shoo in for that dream job, allowing you to live in a fancy home with everything you could ever ask for. Often, it’s a stepping stone for let-down hopes, and the realization you may have signed up for the wrong program, and more often than not, it lands you with a whole lot of student debt that seems as though it could last forever.

I went to school with the hopes to expand my career in writing, and although I am slowly accomplishing this goal, I have seriously begun to rethink my future. I still want to write, but do I really want to become one of the last graduates from my program, when I don’t feel I am getting what I paid for? I decided to search around to see if I was the only one with these feelings or if there were others like me. As it turns out, I was not alone in this boat. I got in contact with a number of different students in a variety of programs throughout Ontario to see what their thoughts were. One student, Nikola Grguric’ who is a third year at the University of Toronto for Architecture informed me,

“I am not happy with the constant technical glitches on our portal website, where a lot of necessary information is stored. Also, I’m not too happy with the extremely slow marking by most professors. In some cases, students will not get their final mark until AFTER they’ve already chosen courses for next year. This is bad because it doesn’t allow students the information necessary to adequately plan their courses the following semester.”

However this being said, for many professors as well as just teachers in general, they have so many other students and courses that they collect and mark work for. It is not always easy to give back marked homework or projects to students the week after they have all been submitted. Many professors mark all their work individually and on their own agendas. Professors are also paid a certain salary to teach and inform their students. Often a professor will do just that. Most of the professors I’ve ever had to the privilege to be taught by in my lifetime have all been very agreeable and helpful. Unfortunately not everyone is as lucky as I. There are often professors whom unbeknownst to their students in the beginning of the year are found less than helpful and can be very criticizing of little unimportant things. It has been noted also that a student’s question or comments can go unheard to the professor which can often lead to a misunderstanding between both the professor and student. One student blatantly and profoundly, came out to tell me he found his professors to be less then knowledgeable when teaching their instructed courses.

Another student attending the St Lawrence College here in Cornwall, Christopher Hannah a second year environmental technician stated,

“I definitely feel that the teacher’s should stay updated on teaching techniques, as well as recent updates in the field of their study. If teachers want to have a greater chance of reaching and educating their students they should offer teaching workshops to help their teachers develop their teaching skills. Teachers could also benefit from keeping up to date simply on the curriculum standard requirements.”

Later on Nikola also told us, that in one of his classes this past semester, he had one professor who commuted from New York City (USA) to Toronto Ontario for his job. While it is understandable to not immediately connect with a new class especially in a new area, it is completely uncalled for as well as being slightly outrageous for his professor to have made three individual lists with students names printed out and places in their appropriate categories. The first being “good,” the second “getting there,” and finally the third, “lost causes.” Not only by Nikola, but his entire class for the most part, found this very insulting.

“I felt insulted looking at it. It wasn’t appropriate, it was uncalled for, and it didn’t help anything.” He explained.

Is it right for someone to feel that taking action means it’s okay to disregard the feelings of others? Especially when you as a professor feel that this was the only way to make your point across. Surely there has to be another solution, maybe a less hurtful, liable one?

Teachers and professors aside though, Nikola also brought up a good point on regards to the money situation when it comes to post-secondary education. Did you know? According to statistics Canada the average rate for intuition across Canada as of 2012-2013 is $6,975 but moving forward for to 2013 – 2014 the rate is going up to $7,259. That’s a ridiculous amount of money to be spending on an education especially when in some cases you don’t go on to putting your degree to use during the future.

“Ontario has the highest average tuition rates of all the provinces in Canada. Québec, for example, charges an average of $2,500 per year, which is much more manageable than the over $7000 that I pay. Especially considering that most European countries provide students with free post-secondary education, I absolutely do feel like I’m being ripped off every year.” Nikola stated.

Often with the amount of money students have to dish out in order to afford going to the school of their choice. Students find themselves having to apply for student loans from the Ontario Government. Students apply through the Ontario students assistance program (OSAP), for these loans. After graduation, students then find themselves locked in a long-term agreement with the Ontario Government to pay back all they owe before a certain set date. If the money doesn’t get paid within that time frame a small some of interest is added on top until that debt is paid off. Of course you probably don’t know this unless you read through the terms and conditions of the Master Student Financial Agreement for Canada and Ontario. Nikola explains that,

“Tuition can only be lowered with higher government funding, so that’s not up to my school itself to decide. But ideally that’s what I’d like to see happen, because so many people who graduate and can’t find jobs after are in a difficult situation where they cannot pay off their student loans. With regards to the university itself, I would just say that administration should be more aware of the needs of students, rather than seeing them as just an “income unit”

Many students don’t ever look over the terms and conditions because let’s be honest, there is always so much extra information that we ourselves tend to see as useless. As well as when actually looking over or skimming through the terms and conditions, the small font can often start to feel over whelming.

Stephanie Machado is a second year student at Humber College (for the Lake Shore campus) for the Hospitality and Tourism Management program. Her course is approximately four years and she so far finds it hard to really decide if she enjoys her program or not as she has not yet picked her major. Stephanie comments that,

“I was initially in the Accounting program until I realized I did not enjoy it as much as I thought. After working in the Hospitality business for over two years, I realized that was something that appealed to me and that I could see myself doing in the future.”

While applying for college Stephanie took all precautions and chose a school she feels is right for her.

“My school offers many aids for students that need them and when I was looking for a school I made sure that Humber would accommodate everything I needed.”

However, when discussing the means of OSAP Stephanie was no all too happy she did not feel that her needs had been successfully met. Stephanie is one of many students who failed to read through the terms and conditions. She stated that,

“I feel that OSAPs reliability was not on par. My OSAP money came in late and I had trouble paying for what I needed.”

Stephanie along with the other students, all realize that it’s not the school’s fault if an individual’s loan fails to be registered in time; but they also felt that their schools should at least be a tad more understanding considering the outrageous price being paid flat out per year. It’s clear for students when seeking help to a problem due to something with their education, to go to the school for help and advice. Like Humber College, colleges and universities should and will, always offer this but at the end of the day it is still up to the student to fix and figure out their own problems. Often helps when the school puts in effort to help add as a bumper on occasion. Stephanie only had one real objection towards her school,

“For social reasons I think that Humber Lakeshore should get a campus bar. North had one and I feel that Lakeshore should have one too to give students a chance to unwind.”

This is a fair statement; especially considering post-secondary institutions receives thousands of dollars from their student each year. Christopher also said during his interview,

“I wish my school could offer transport to students who are unable to attend their classes due to unreliable rides… and pizza”

Admittedly, it is understandable why the SLC wouldn’t give out free pizza. They do on a regular basis sell it in the cafeteria for a reasonable price however, as well as having their own bar located in the Shark Tank in Aultsville. The transportation that is offered is a public bus service that stops just in front of the Moulinette building. For someone like Chris, as well as many others living just outside of Cornwall, like in Morrisburg or Lunenburg for instance, there is no public bus service that reaches as far as those parts. For many students with little money the one cab service that goes out to that far isn’t a very good option and sometimes isn’t even added as a plan B.

When it comes to education, I expect my school to be there to help me with my educational needs just as so many other students before and after me. This includes financial needs, personal needs within the classroom, and social needs within the classroom. Journalism has become a main way to get a point across and discussed these days. But a point is a point, is a point… I can put a point across as I see fit and have it published, but I cannot always find the answers I seek on my own.

If we are consistently complaining to others about problems that don’t get solved and why our needs aren’t getting met, are we really accomplishing anything? Nothing will ever get done in this case. Has anyone every actually done anything to change a circumstance that they weren’t happy with? It’s clear to say, nothing will ever get done to solve the issue, if no one gets up and does anything about it in the first place.

E.V. Hutcheon is a 2nd year St. Lawrence College Journalism Student.  She has professionally edited a Polish history book and is hoping to see her dream and passion of writing into a career. Previously living Toronto, E.V. is now a proud Cornwall citizen. On her off time you can usually find her at home writing her latest book, or walking along the St Lawrence River. 

CFN – Christmas came early for Ottawa Senators fans as the home squad delighted those in attendance (and watching on TV) by shutting out the mighty, but injured Pittsburgh Penguins 5-0 in time for the holiday break.

The Pens had star Sydney Crosby slowed down after a clean check by a rejuvenated Marc Methot sent him flying as he was zeroing in on goalie Craig Anderson early in the first.    Anderson would record his first shut out in a long time, and second for the season.

Zack Smith, Bobby Ryan, Erik Karlsson, Kyle Turris, Cory Conacher all scored for Ottawa who out shot Pittsburgh 29-27  including 15-9 in the third period.

Ottawa has been inconsistent of late; beating good teams like the Penguins and the blues and falling back against weaker teams.      The big buzz is that they are about to land Rangers D man Mike Del Zotto.   At 23 and with some offensive upside it might just be what the doctor ordered depending on the price.  Del Zotto was an RFA that wasn’t in a rush to sign last time around before signing a 2 year bridge contract which is up at the end of this season when he’s RFA again.

The Sens are now 15-17-7 at the break with 111 goals for vs 126 against after 39 games.    They sit in 11th place in the conference, but only one point out of 8th.     Truly a bubble team.   The good news is that the team has played below their ability and if they can get it up for the next quarter of the season there’s no reason why this squad can’t make the play offs, especially if Craig Anderson gets it back together.

Cody Ceci, playing with Chris Phillips and getting a bit of PP time now has 1 g & 1 a   after 7 games.  He’s zero on the plus minus and has 11 shots and 8 hits.    Not too shabby all considered.    If Ottawa does pull the trigger on Del Zotto the question becomes will Cody stick in Ottawa or head back down to the Bing?

What do you think Sens fans?  You can post your comments below.

You can reach me on twitter @cwfreenews

Cornwall Ontario – A two car collision occurred this morning at the busy 9th and Pitt intersection.   A car driven by a pregnant woman hit an oncoming police cruiser, lights on, that was enroute to a call.

No injuries were reported by Cornwall Police Services!

If you see news happen email your photo or video to info@cornwallfreenews.com  - you just might win event tickets, or gift cards for area businesses!

TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH STORMONT

Contact Information

Town Hall

Telephone: 613-534-8889 or 1-800-265-3915

Fax: 613-534-2280

Address: 2 Mille Roches Road, PO Box 84, Long Sault, ON K0C 1P0

Email Address: info@southstormont.ca

Council

Mayor Bryan McGillis 613-937-3116 bmcgillis@southstormont.ca

Deputy Mayor Tammy Hart 613-984-2543       tammy.farms@xplornet.com

Councillor Cindy Woods 613-537-2977 cindy_woods@xplornet.com

Councillor Barry Brownlee 613-537-9753

Councillor Richard Waldroff 613-537-8226        rwaldroff@bell.net

Regular business hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Latest news and information:   visit www.southstormont.ca.

Council Meetings

Special Council meeting – January 6 at 4:30 PM

Regular meetings commence at 7:00 PM, unless otherwise scheduled

Wednesday, January 8 and 22, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Wednesday, March 12 and 26, 2014
Wednesday, April 9 and 23, 2014
Wednesday, May 14 and 28, 2014
Wednesday, June 11 and 25, 2014
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Tuesday, September 9 and Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Wednesday, October 8 and 22, 2014
Wednesday, November 12 and 26, 2014

Wednesday, December 3rd & 17th 2014

Further, that special meetings including budget, specific matters and closed sessions as required, are generally scheduled on the first Monday of the month. Agendas for special meetings will be posted, with proper notification, as they are arranged. 

The public is welcome to attend.

2014 Budget Dates

2014 Budget preparations are underway; meeting dates are scheduled for January 21 and March 5 at 9:00 AM. The public is welcome to attend.

Click to visit the South Stormont Facebook page!

Merry Christmas from Council and Staff of the

Township of South Stormont

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” (Charles Dickens)

May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter and may your New Year be healthy, safe, prosperous and peaceful!

NOTICES /HOLIDAY NOTICES

Holiday Emergencies

For Township related EMERGENCIES ONLY please contact the emergency after-hours number at 613-930-3286.

For all other emergencies, please dial 911.

Town Hall Closure

The Town Hall will be closed from December 24 at 12:00 noon and will re-open January 2, 2014 at 8:30 AM.

Landfill Site

There will be no change to the landfill site hours of Friday and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM during the Christmas and New Year holiday.

Recycling and Garbage Pick Up

Due to the holiday season, both the GARBAGE AND RECYCLING collection WILL take place ONE DAY LATER as follows:

Christmas Tree Collection

Christmas trees will be collected the weeks of January 6-10 and January 13-17, 2014. (Trees may not necessarily be collected on your regular collection day).

Please remember to remove all tinsel, decorations and PLASTIC BAGS prior to collection and ensure your tree does not become stuck or frozen in snow banks.

Did you know? For every real Christmas tree harvested, 2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place.

Household Hazardous Waste

The Hazardous Waste Site is now closed for the year and will re-open for disposal in 2014; dates will be forthcoming.

FINANCE

Utility Billing (water/sewer for the period July to December, 2013

Water meters are currently being read. Invoices are anticipated to be mailed in January, 2014.  Property owners will have at least thirty days to pay.

Pre-Authorized Payment Plans

The Township offers pre-authorized payment plans for property taxes and municipal water/sewer. Should you wish to receive more information, please contact the Finance Department.

FIRE DEPARTMENT

Deck the Halls with Tips of Safety

Extra combustibles such as a Christmas tree, ornaments, decorations, wrapping paper, plus additional heat sources like lights, extension cords, candles and extra visitors going in and out of your home calls for more safety precautions. 

• Check real trees for dryness daily.  Place trees a safe distance away from stoves, radiators, heating vents, fireplaces and any other heat source that might dry the tree.
• Plan an escape route.
• Be mindful of open flames and make fire safety a priority in the kitchen.
• Check lighting, smoke alarms and do not overload electrical circuits or extension cords.
• Be extra cautious with candles.

PUBLIC WORKS

Parking Requirements

Snow is on its way… please park your vehicle in your driveway, well off the road, until street and sidewalk cleaning operations are complete.  This allows our crews to do their job and make the streets and sidewalks safe for everyone. (Vehicles interfering with snow removal or blocking sidewalks may be ticketed at a cost of $40.00)

WINTER MAINTENANCE INFORMATION

Winter weather is coming! Your assistance during the winter season will help the Township of South Stormont Public Works Department provide efficient and effective winter maintenance. Your cooperation with snow removal is very much appreciated.

• Trucks with flashing blue lights are performing winter maintenance. Please give them room to work and pass with caution as visibility may be compromised with blowing snow.

• Park your vehicle in your driveway, well off the road, until street and sidewalk cleaning operations are complete.  This allows our crews to do their job and make the streets and sidewalks safe for everyone.

• Residents may find it less frustrating to wait until the plow trucks have completed their street before cleaning the end of their driveway. Plow units are designed to discharge snow to the side of the road and are not capable of skipping driveway areas.

• Snow from the end of the driveway should be shoveled to the right, facing the street. This will reduce the amount of snow being placed into the driveway during the next plowing.

• Residents hiring contractors to plow their driveways should remind the contractor that the Highway Traffic Act prohibits pushing or placing snow back into or across the street. Doing so not only creates hazards for drivers, but also makes it difficult to keep the streets clean.

• Current policy states that the Public Works Department will only replace a mailbox if the post, or box has a direct hit from the Township’s snowplow. Avoid installing mailboxes where they can be damaged by plowing operations.  Canada Post can provide guidelines concerning the proper distances from road surfaces.

• Residents should clear snow from the mailbox area after each plowing. Snow that remains in front of mailboxes will get compacted by post office vehicles and make subsequent plowing less effective.

• If garbage and / or recycling pickup day coincide with plowing activities, make sure your trash can and recycling bins are behind the curb or in the driveway so the plow will not hit them.

• Don’t allow children to build snow forts and tunnels in the snow banks adjacent to the curb, or to play near the curbs.

Please be aware that there are many factors affecting the timeline for winter maintenance service; these include:

• snowfall accumulation,

• type of precipitation (i.e. freezing rain, wet snow or “just plain” snow), and/or

• the time of day the precipitation occurs.

The average completion time for each plow route is six (6) hours. Cleanup times will vary depending upon the above noted factors.

All concerns or requests relative to snow removal should be directed to the Town Hall at 613-534-8889, not individual vehicle or equipment operators.

RECREATION BILLBOARD

Parks and Recreation Department (Long Sault Arena)

Telephone: 613-534-2419

Address: 60 Mille Roches Road, Long Sault, ON K0C 1P0

Email: kevin@southstormont.ca

Long Sault Arena – “FREE” Holiday Public Skating

Tim Horton’s and the Township of South Stormont are proud to offer the following holiday public skating times:

• December 22 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.

• December 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

• December 27 from 1:00 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.

• December 29 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.

• December 31 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

• January 2 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30p.m.

Regular public skating hours will resume on January 5

2013 Volunteer of the Year Nominations

Nominations for the 2013 Fran Laflamme Volunteer of the Year Award are now being accepted.  Forms are available at the Long Sault Arena, Town Hall and can also be downloaded at www.southstormont.ca.  For more information on submitting a nomination, please contact Kevin at 613-534-2419, deadline for submissions is February 1, 2014.

AROUND TOWN

Christmas… a Time of Generosity, Kindness and Reflection

A heartfelt “thank you”  for all the thoughtful gestures of good will is extended to all those individuals whether it be organizing or contributing their time, generosity and donations towards the Food and Toy Drives in

South Stormont Township. 

Cornwall Ontario – As promised it’s time for my Naughty & Nice list for Cornwall and the area for 2013!

We’re going to start out with the nice list.   These folks get oranges, chocolate, and candy in their stockings this year!

No lumps or coal or cat poo!

The hundreds, if not thousands of volunteers at different organizations across the area.    People really give in this community.   While some groups sadly take advantage of the generosity of  those volunteers, the act of giving should never be taken for granted by anyone.    Cornwall and the area truly give as seen as recently as the Dean Laponsee fundraiser!

Reg Coffey of Coffey’s Coffee.   I’m a bit biased as Reg is the only other shareholder of this newspaper, but he’s also a friend and has endured nearly five years and five percent of the abuse our humble little newspaper has endured including the boycott and beating by Mayor Kilger and his cronies.      Many another soul would have walked, but Reg has not only stood strong; but stayed at the wheel helping as much as he can, as has his good wife Kathy!   Reg also has been a key to the success of the Long Sault Farmer’s Market and is a director of the South Stormont Chamber of Commerce which has started an incredible membership drive!

Rob & Ana of Riley’s Bakery!   (even if Ana facebook likes that other non newspaper and doesn’t have CFN liked  ) Riley’s is home for most of Cornwall.  Mention Cornwall to those who have moved away and one of the first things they mention is coming home to have a Riley’s sandwich.    As a matter of fact I’m munching on one of their Rum balls as I write this piece!   What’s really special about Riley’s is that their door truly is open to all and you never know who you’re chatting with in line.   It’s one of the most interesting spots in our city around lunch time with all the good goss dished!

Jeff Brunet of Alkaline Entertainment & Nancy & Larry Sylvain who are trying to do the near impossible and save the Port Theatre.   After years of decline the roof isn’t leaking anymore.  The place smells way better; has heat, and more importantly action.    2013 saw the first full house at The Port  in decades!   Live Music may just be the saviour of the 70 year old theatre; especially until they can raise the needed monies to go digital.  Now if the city works with them with the project they’re working on now they just might be able to do it…    It’s utter insanity to give Aultsville Theatre nearly $100K per year and nothing to the Port which is probably the best venue in Cornwall and the best value.   Good work guys and keep up the work!    And yes, they still have the best popcorn in Cornwall!

Public Works in Cornwall, and most of our City staff who endure a lot of abuse at times for the wrongs of elected officials and senior management.     In particular Deputy Clerk Manon Poirier who is one of the most consummate professionals at City Hall in spite of how she was treated by Mayor Kilger & Council.

South Stormont Council and Management who stayed on the high road and didn’t get into a slagging match when their Deputy Mayor (see naughty list) lashed out like a school girl who didn’t get her way.    The group have led to strong growth in their community while keeping taxes as low as possible; a rarity nowadays in Ontario!

New small businesses like Tampico’s Mexican restaurant & King Street Percussion.    Funny Man Mark Vincent fits in here too as he tries to bring in some mirthful culture and build up a comedy scene here in our fair city!   In spite of some of the difficulties from City Hall new businesses keep opening here in Cornwall.  While some make fusses about places like Smart Centres (Wal-Mart) coming to our fair city (with $3.5M in corporate welfare) it’s small business that’s the life and blood of any strong community.   Cornwall has seen several small businesses open this year and hopefully some will survive!

Dan Allaire – the talented long time radio vet tries to rise above the clique drama and mooch space on CFN for some of his causes and clients.  While he won’t reciprocate I have a hunch he would if he was allowed.

The Cornwall Police Department –  While not perfect kudos to our force for at least trying; and sometimes even making it easier for me to do my job for our community.    This scribbler prefers working with them to the OPP at this point and while there’s a metric ton of room for improvement the boys and girls in blue in Cornwall deserve Kudo’s for communication including our Chief of Police, Dan Parkinson.

My very special main graphic artist who has to stay in secret for fear of losing their day gig and clients.

My core group of people here in Cornwall who sadly I can’t name again for fear of retaliation to their jobs or situations; but without whose amazing friendship and utter support CFN and myself would have been run out of our fair city years ago.  Thank you my friends.   You rock!

Jim Moak – Not just another pretty Newington face      Mr. Moak is now 4-0 in cases I’ve had to fight in court (with two big ones pending).  Cornwall’s preeminent Para-legal is also someone I consider a friend and mentor, whose kind and sagely advice has kept me out of trouble at times.    He’s also introduced me to the joys of breakfast at Spinners!

Mary Anne Pankhurst who is the curator of our new The Art of Everything Program which is trying to lift the Artistic bar of the Cornwall area in spite of some area artists and our ridiculous art gallery.

Mike from Autotec (off of Vincent Massey) who not only keeps my winter beater running, but has sold me an amazing car or two.     I have never seen a mechanic diagnose a mechanical issue like Mike.  He truly is a maestro when it comes to cars.   Thank you my friend!     The only down side is that he’s introduced me to some amazing imported cars which can be addictive.    It was really odd the other day seeing the very rare Lexus he sold me in his book of 501 Cars You Must Drive!

Mike from Snogo.ca   – Yes, Snogo are clients, but Mike has gone above and beyond with his service so far this year.   It’s amazing watching all that piled up ice from the plows so effortlessly disappear!

All of our amazing sponsors on CFN.    They deserve an award not only for making the decision to advertise with the largest and most read newspaper in the Cornwall area, but to also endure the occasional slings and arrows that the bad guys use to intimidate some of our past and former sponsors.

Marcel Bourgon from the Groomery.    Marcel in between playful insults has been inspirational at times.  Cornwall’s finest Dog Groomer also is never short to share his opinion and advice when I bring Fitzy in for one of his visits.

Former Deputy Fire Chief Rob Hickley who challenged the Mayor with Conflict of Interest charges over the hiring of the Mayor’s son to the fire department.   Mr. Hickley has been said by some to have “settled” with the city by taking an early retirement but the city not asking for legal costs in the proceedings after the judge ruled against Mr. Hickley’s legal costs being covered by the city.

The Waterfront Boys:    The Bills & Gerry have been committed and dedicated to saving our Waterfront in Cornwall.    They have been amazing to work with and hopefully together with the rest of the community we can get these darned Chemical tanks out!

Former Councilor Leslie O’Shaugnessy for simply telling at least some of the truth and outing Mayor Kilger for not telling the truth to himself and council.

Marc Mainville – Another example of how great people are in the trades here in Cornwall.  Marc works for Shaw Direct and not only installed my dish, but has been amazing fixing it after a storm.   Kudos to Marc & Shaw!

Milena Cardinal and the Cardinal Law team!    Milena should be on a billboard showing how people can be attracted to our community and come to contribute and build their lives and businesses.  Not only has Ms Cardinal created one of the hottest boutique law firms in Cornwall specializing in Real Estate and Criminal law, but she’s moved her family into our area including her brother Theirry who is now working alongside of her providing accounting and estate services.

Mark A MacDonald and the Air Force Wing for allowing us to hold our first Town Hall meeting there this year which was an amazing success in spite of a low crowd turnout.  We had one of Canada’s most famous comics, Mike MacDonald talk about life after his Liver Transplant although he ended up providing some very funny comic material!

Dr. Lorne Scharf, Chief of Staff at CCH.    Dr. Scharf, who I’ve interviewed a few times is one of the bright lights for me personally at CCH.    It’s amazing that he’s even at our hospital considering his credentials and the manner in which our Hospital Board has conducted itself towards CFN which it boycotts. (see naughty list as well)

I’m sure there are some I’ve missed.  Some I’ve had to leave out for fear of retaliation sadly; some threatened me with violence if I named them

And now the Naughty List

It’s odd how some people can be on both, but I am only putting them on one or the other.

Guy Lauzon for being one of the most unproductive and unprofessional politicians I’ve ever encountered.  Leaving out “old history” our MP has shirked his responsibilities refusing to allow CFN access to Federal service via his office as well as to answer any question from even our interns!    He  has actually told a loyal Conservative that worked with us that he would not grant them an interview as long as they worked for CFN.

His answer and handling of the Chemical tanks on the waterfront shows how urgent Conservative MP Michael Chong’s Reform Act is needed.   Never have I seen an elected official clearly show  a loyalty to his party leader and party over the voters that put him in place.

I don’t know simply doesn’t cut it as an answer when it comes to something as large as the sabotage of the waterfront future of the largest city in someone’s riding.    His failure to gain results after his voters clearly shared with him that they don’t want the tanks clearly show his inability to get the job done.   Even local Conservatives have shared that they are glad that he’s retiring after this term.

David Murphy, our rookie Councilor at City Hall is on the list for simply not having a voice of his own.    His zest for higher office is clear and present, but purely at the behest of others.    Essentially a very scary mouthpiece with a few skeletons hiding in his closet.

Elaine MacDonald – Ms MacDonald gets the biggest lump of cat poo that can be found.   The biggest hypocrite in politics in the area.   It’s surprising that her own party, the NDP haven’t dumped the former teacher yet.   Her strategy is to infiltrate organizations dependent on City Hall dollars like the Agape Centre and Art Gallery where she then installs her party faithful or flunkie wannabees like Alyssa Blais.  Spiteful, petty, willingly ignorant; these are her best qualities with things going downhill from there.  Still hoping to keep elected into political office.

Alyssa Blais; has had a website for her upcoming run for office for ages now.   Another David Murphy type (it’s amazing how many monkeys this city turns out for politics).   The former Business Non Development office leader who actually had to give EC DEV Bob Peter’s wife Tracy a job was promoted to running the Agape Centre, an area food bank.     Her leadership has led to nepotism and cronyism as well as law suits from disgruntled former employees.     After paying for a weekend seminar for staff with Jim & Better Healey put Mr. Healey in place as the chair of her board of directors.   Cut the Snow suit fund while spending more on staff which allegedly includes a Trillium grant going to her hubby and his buddy.    Wherever Elaine MacDonald is politically Ms Blais and hubby are in attendance.     How could anyone whose entire livelihood is dependent on hog troughs lead or participate in a city council?

Under Alyssa’s management Agape has frustrated so many that there is now a meeting being held after the holidays to create a new food bank that actually will focus on feeding those that need it as opposed to running a junk shop that competes with the city’s struggling junk shops.

 Jason Setnyk; another Elaine MacDonald disciple accept for a brief period where he jumped ship and joined myself while I was the Federal Green Party.  Mr. Setnyk’s goal is to be elected to anything.    Apparently bullied while in school he was said to  become a school teacher to gain control over kids, but his complaint of Ms MacDonald not helping him get a gig with our school board ( he teaches at the Hockey School for far less wages) and Ms MacDonald not endorsing him to run either Federally or Provincially.     While I was away from one of our Green meetings Mr. Setnyk tried to commandeer the meeting and focus on his own run provincially.  Upon learning about this I put a motion on the floor at the next meeting that our group would focus just on the Federal list for the next 9 months which would take us 1 month past the next Provincial elections which led to Mr. Setnyk’s snively return to the Orange.    Mr. Setnyk gives Ms MacDonald a run when it comes to pettiness.

Mayor Bob Kilger; the last politician on this list.   Our Wacky mayor kicked off February by having moi removed from Council because he didn’t like my t shirt.   Not happy simply phoning the police he hit the actual panic button which saw seven officers enter council in 46 seconds putting myself and members of the public in danger.

He also led the gang bang private session of council against Councilor Rivette which he and the city were sanctioned for by Stephen Fournier.    With holding mail from council; lying to council, in particular simply by with holding facts like the Chemical tanks on the waterfront; suggesting that the city having a link on their facebook page to our 100 Letter campaign about how great Cornwall is was somehow a security threat and of course allegations that one of our clients was told that if they didn’t drop their ad with CFN that they would not get their patio permit are just some of his highlights for 2013!

Mayor Kilger still has not publicly condemned the Chemical tanks on the waterfront.   He has allegedly spend over $3M in city monies covering up his “Good Friend” disgraced former CAO Paul Fitzpatrick’s(Who he through under the bus in the Hickley case)  affair with another city manager while destroying the careers of as many as five long serving city workers.

Mayor Kilger  also said he knew nothing about the Chemical tanks when the story broke in December even though he discussed them at a Nov 21 meeting of the Waterfront Committee and the city has been confirmed to know about the tanks as far back as February 2013 and June 2013.

And finally for spending more time outside of Cornwall than inside.   And I won’t go into the rumblings about the secret family hush hush stuff with he and Courtney May and their alleged love child.

Councilor Denis Thibault should and was going to be on this list, but we were so entertained about his antics at the Waterfront rally where he crossed a street to enter a conversation I was having with Bill Parisien and Thom Racine just so he can be on camera without breaking his “no talk to Jamie” rule.

Cornwall Waterfront Committee – Yup, the whole group gets on the list from their crabby chair Lee Cassidy to mopes like Keitha Fisher who are simply their to vote as told.   There are at least four members tied to being property developers on this committee.  Can you imagine which direction this group would want anything to move towards?   I mean any group with Roy Perkins being a player in is scary enough.   To talk to Roy is to get a feel for what’s really wrong with Cornwall and holding it back compared to Brockville and Kingston.   I mean we’re talking about a man who led a foundation that’s response to getting free beer for 450 people was to ban the person that made the connection.

Cornwall Ontario Council as a whole:    This year saw the closing of our train terminal having live staff present.  It saw the city give up taking over the Tourism building which would make an awesome Inter City Bus Depot. Instead it will be left for Smart Centre to buy.    The city gave Smart Centre $3.5M in corporate welfare.    They even justified it in that they would get more taxation from the land which is utter pooh pooh in that much of the land will be used for parking.   While yes, it will generate more taxes than if it sat empty the prime piece of land if used for multi purpose development would generate far more dollars.   Council this year seemed far more intent on killing animals that moving our city forward.    Councilor Samson wanted to gas pigeons and council still has a hate on for Geese!

Alison Hudson, Tony Lackroix, Kevin Lajoie, John Earle, Graham Greer, to varying degrees the “Brown Nose” group have succeeded.  Some like Lajoie have a plum city job for the moment; others like Ms Hudson desperately crave one.    All are Stepford Children that in most societies would be caste to where people that overbearingly suck and blow end up.   In Cornwall….well you’d be surprised where some of these Jr. Monkey’s end up.

Rick Shaver, his pet Monkey Todd, and Claude McIntosh:    After Claude pulled a porky one too many times and ended up getting the poor Standard Freeholder sued, again,  (his last column for the Freeholder was when he printed that I had said that Councilor Thibault was fired from the EOTB when I in fact had not) and Claude never wrote another word for them.

He’s on a tighter chain at the Trans Continental owned Seaway News.     Trans Con is a smart company.    Prior to the mono browed  Mr. Lihou  being hired as Editor Mr. Shaver had taken moi out for lunch asking if I’d sell CFN to TC and be their editor.   I’m not sure if Mr. Shaver ever truthfully relayed what was said at this lunch to his employers (Mr. Shaver sold his shares to the company and even lost his title as publisher) but it’s always nice to feel loved and one day I’m sure there will be an offer I say yes to; especially if it’s from a higher up from a company like TC.

Rick this year, after a few pops at the Lift Off VIP tent was railing against the “deadbeats” that sit outside of Lift Off  ”mooching”.    So much for community cheer and support.   Mr. Lihou himself was caught not once, but twice regurgitating poop citing the US customs folks as being the cause for the Lift Off Balloons moving to Avonmore.   A few phone calls and emails like I did would have turned up the truth; but Mr. Lihou is far too busy criticizing my “professionalism” to worry about his own journalistic integrity I guess (including his f bombing performance prior council last February) ?

Mr. Shaver and his monkey are at least working hard to compete with CFN.  I guess his thinking was that it was easier to beat us than buy us.   He should read up on the Ebay Paypal thing to see how that usually works out

City Managers Norm Levac,  Maureen Adams, and clerk Helen Finn.   People are still wondering which reaches of Quebec Liberal land Mayor Kilger found Ms Finn.   Many are also wondering what the heck language she’s speaking when she reads aloud during council meetings.    Ms Finn makes many yearn for the days of the stylish and charming (yet integrity challenged)  Denise Labelle Gelinas.    While many including myself had hopes for “Norm” he quickly showed that he had sold out and allowed the Kilger crew to use up the integrity and good will he’d built up over the years.    Many will be surprised to see Ms Adams name on this list.  Frankly I was very saddened when she refused to answer some basic questions on the City’s ad budget that we will be filing FOI’s over after the holidays.

What these three seem to forget is that unlike their elected council friends they earn Sunshine list dollars to provide service to the Corporation of the City of Cornwall of which we residents are the de facto owners.       And polite requests for simple information should be promptly and professionally answered; especially to the media who are supposed to hold all accountable for the public.   But then I never took any journalism classes at St. Lawrence College, so what do I know?

St. Lawrence College:  Sad.  So much potential; but for the school to play City Hall politics is frankly embarrassing.  Don Fairweather should know better.  And frankly the school should know better.

The Benson University Group:    Imagine a list of some of the wealthiest people in Cornwall coming to City Hall asking for $60K to fund a feasibility study for a University in Cornwall?   Imagine some of them being on a group asking City Hall to cut taxes at the same time?   Insanity!   Imagine a mayor and Councilor not recusing themselves from the council meeting asking for the money and even voting on the issue while being members of the team?   That’s Cornwall.   And get this; months later no report has been provided!    The city even tried to say that they’d take dollars from the EC DV pocket as though all City Department pockets didn’t come from our own at the end of the day!     Two lumps of coal for each of the 30 committee members who among them clearly could afford the $60K ($2K each) .

Mike Bedard:   Mike has gone from promising future leader and business owner to hiding in the shadows from creditors and having no political future.  It’s sad to see someone plunge so quickly.

South Stormont Deputy Mayor Tammy Hart:  The fiery Deputy Mayor has never seen a hissy fit she isn’t willing to throw.   She frustrated her team at South Stormont to the point where they called in Integrity Commissioner Robert Swayze.   Her response to being guilty as charged was to go on a media rampage.    While South Stormont has stayed on the high road some feel that they can’t trust the Deputy Mayor any longer.   After she threw the costs of Mr. Swayze into the air she became eerily silent when it was suggested that because his verdict indicted her that she pay for his fees.

CCVS Principle Patricia Brown & UCDSB David K Brown.    After not removing Swastikas from school washrooms after repeated requests from a Holocaust victim family member we wrote a story about the incident which resulted in Mr. Brown threatening me and questioning my integrity and “agenda”.    The school’s response was to call in a speaker to talk to the class instead of simply calling Principle Brown onto the carpet for her clear lack of good judgment.   Something that suggests what other issues could her judgement be impacting?

Chris Munro of Life’s Little Pleasures:   Ms Munro runs a lovely little shop on Pitt Street in Cornwall Ontario.   She also moves and shakes to try and rah rah the clique at City Hall.    The thing is that you really can’t selectively do that without looking like a total cliquester sell out.   If you want to promote downtown Cornwall, and lord knows it needs it, you need to embrace one and all; not just your friends.   Again, one of reasons our economy is one quarter the size of nearby Brockville’s when we have double the population.

Bob Peters & Mark Boileau, Economic Development:  Rumor is that Mr. Peters is about to get thrown under the bus over the Chemical tank issue as Transport Canada has clearly stated that the City of Cornwall was contacted in February 2013 with details by June.   The City has stated that communication came through Economic Development.   What we will be attempting to confirm beyond doubt this year is who spoke to whom and why Council was not officially notified.     If it’s the Bob, Norm, and Bob game with Denis & Glen advising then Council and the Public need to take action.

If  Chuck Charlebois and the residents of Cornwall would have known in June 2013 does anyone think construction would have started in December?  Methinks not!

Lezlie Strasser & the Cornwall & Area Chamber of Commerce Board.  Never has a group had so much and done so little.   Going hat in hand begging the city to cut the already low rates of the Civic Complex so they can badly run another trade show was utterly embarrassing.   Instead of raising revenue they asked tax payers to subsidize their event.   Some people just don’t get it.   And when they jumped on board to fight the Chemical tanks they did not send the largest newspaper in the city a press release.  Pettiness over Principles.   Again this is not how to run an organization Lezlie.

And finally for now Corey Roach and the moderators of the Unofficial  Cornwall Ontario Facebook page which was created chiefly after the City’s page played monkey games with CFN and others.    The spirit in which it was founded has sadly eroded to the point where Mr. Roaches’s bizarre behavior has essentially seen it mimic the city.    Moderators Rebecca Sorrell, Clifford Stork, Stan Stork, & Ian Wilson, many of whom should know better have gone along with the decision of Mr. Roach which is again another albeit minor, dark stain of why Cornwall is Cornwall.   Sometimes in life we simply have to get that Free Speech is not only allowed for people we agree with and that if we impeach our integrity we have none.   That group also has forgotten how and who helped build it.

Of course this is Christmas

It’s a time for cherishing those we love and sometimes forgiving those that may deserve our forgiveness.     It’s about looking forward while learning from the past.    The glass is always half full and not half empty.

I’m sure there are many names on either list that should be there.  Feel free to post your own choices and why below.

But mostly thanks to all for an interesting and occasionally Merry 2013!    May you, your families and loved ones be safe and sounds; healthy, joyous and smiling this Christmas season.

Or as they say occasionally on Montreal Road  Ho Ho Ho!