The Editor:
“They’ll tell you they work hard for their (our) money and perks. And, some actually do good work. We just don’t hear about them because nobody really cares about what they do. When was the last time you saw a Canadian Senator being interviewed on CBC or CTV about a hot-button piece of legislation?… Somebody once explained the Canadian Senate this way: It’s like an old loaded musket sitting in the attic, mostly useless but one day if needed most it is there. Amen.” – Claude McIntosh, Seaway News
Claude McIntosh’s column in the Seaway News on May 8th about the Senate of Canada is quite the piece, somewhat dripping with disdain. He starts by mentioning the City of Cornwall’s former Mayor, Bernadette Clement, and her appointment to the Senate by the Prime Minister in 2021.
When Bernadette announced she was leaving her role as Mayor, I was torn—thrilled for her new opportunity but heartbroken to lose such an inspiring, locally-engaged leader.
Go anywhere in town with her, and you’ll see what I mean. It’s like a parade of admiration, as you can’t walk 10 steps without someone approaching her with a big smile on their face. She remembers people’s names and their stories. The leadership she demonstrates is awe-inspiring and that’s why she’s so important in our community, especially to young people.
Seeing her appointed to the Senate was a proud moment. Little did I know she was the glue holding this community together. Over the past few years, I have spoken to dozens of people who wish she was still in our municipal government. I can tell you personally that the quality of my interactions with the city have gone significantly down since she left.
Bernadette brings out the best in people without exploiting her power. She makes everyone feel seen and heard, approaches challenges with an open heart and ears, and genuinely works to improve the community.
Here’s a prime example of her character:
Last year, we were planning Ryan Gosling Day and invited her to the film screening and post-screening interview. Naturally, she was all in. Her staff followed up diligently, ensuring everything was on track.
We were given the impression by the City’s Administration that it was moving forward about 3 weeks before the event. At the last possible moment, our proclamation was pulled from consent by Claude McIntosh at the city council meeting, then debated, and voted down. No explanations. It was crickets from the city when I asked how this could have happened.
My friend and I held our chins high and went on CBC Radio to celebrate Ryan. We screened the film and hosted a journalist who wanted to cover the event, who was visiting from Massena, NY (actually from NYC).
And who showed up, fully supportive? Senator Clement, of course. She told us she heard us on the radio and was super proud of how we went high, when we could have gone low in that moment.
When you have someone leading by example like her, you tend to create better leaders. When you have people who walk around with a fragile ego and a chip on their shoulder, people tend to not feel inspired. I guess what I’m saying is, many leaders in the city need to take a page from the book of Senator Clement; go high, lift each other up, instead of tearing each other down.
We should count ourselves lucky for having Senator Clement represent us on the national and international stage, which is far more impressive than the part-time heckling coming from the cheap seats, Statler & Waldorf-style.
Kelly Bergeron,
Cornwall
