Municipal elections are October 26 in Ontario. To help voters make an informed decision here in Cornwall, the editorial board of The Seeker has put together 10 questions for candidates seeking a seat at the municipal council table, whether as Councillor or as Mayor. To ensure fairness, the same questions were sent to every candidate. We sent a total of 10 and they had the option to answer all of them, or pick a minimum of 5. Their answers will be published in their entirety, in the order they are received. We will not edit, correct or modify any responses.
These are Carol Boileau’s Answers. She is running for councillor.
Who are you? Where are you from? What education do you have? What relevant experience do you have?
I am Carol Boileau, born and raised in Cornwall. I am a graduate of École secondaire catholique La Citadelle and then graduated from Queen’s University, B.A./B.Ed., majoring in Math and French Second Language. I was a secondary Math and FSL teacher, an instructor for adult literacy, and tutored for over 35 years in many subjects. In the last 14 years, I have been volunteering on Boards of directors and on committees. For the city, I have been on the Library board, Heritage, Accessibility, Senior friendly, and Transit committees. I also am (or have been) on multiple committees within the city (Radio GO FM 92.1, SDC, Hospital’s accessibility committee, Centre Charles-Émile Claude’s board of directors, Culture Fest, Transition Cornwall Plus Food Group, Arts Collective, and a few others). Finally, I am one of the leaders and founders of the Tenant Association of Cornwall and Area (TACA) since its initiation more than 3 years ago.
In The Seeker’s poll asking constituents about the most important issue facing them, a large majority of respondents answered “taxes/affordability”. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to make Cornwall more affordable, and what city services or spending, if any, would you be willing to reduce, change or eliminate to keep tax increases under control?
I would like to decrease the amount of project research before anything is accomplished. These cost so much money and have been repeated when the projects are not done within a certain time limit. Concerning taxes, I would like a freeze on them but I would like the citizens of Cornwall to be more informed on what their taxes pay for.
Over the past few years, many constituents have expressed concern that the city’s homelessness situation has significantly worsened. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to address this issue?
I have seen many solutions online and would like to introduce a few of them to the council, including a mini homes area. I also would like to give them a more private area with amenities to gather, better than where the public does not see them as much.
Why are you running for Council? What is the most important issue facing the City of Cornwall today?
I had not succeeded in the past but am running again since I believe to be a good fit for a good change on council. Many councillors today are making regulations for things they know nothing about (ex: Transit – they all have their own car). Few know about the French community and about our multicultural community. I have been getting involved in many aspects of our society today and am a fluent Francophone.
To me, one of the most important issues in the City is its safety and attractiveness to tourists and its citizens. As a person in a wheelchair, I know about the possible tripping hazards on sidewalks, very bumpy roads, possible dangerous crosswalks, etc. We may need to discuss a move for the place where buses get together for transfers since sidewalks and crossing Second Street may not be the safest at this time.
Many constituents have expressed concerns about accountability and controversy surrounding Council. What could you do as a Councillor/Mayor to improve transparency and accountability?
I would like to start a livestream in order for citizens to be able to ask the hard questions, or obtain information about the City, on a monthly basis or so. Citizens need to get involved in discussions more than they are at present. We serve them; not the other way around. I, myself, have wondered about the council’s actions at times. Being in the galery hasn’t helped since you cannot speak during a council meeting. I would also like to have more town halls for open discussions with the people of Cornwall.
We constantly hear about the Art Centre and the water meters. Many residents have expressed the view that these were bad decisions on Council’s part. Both projects are being implemented, but they remain a sore spot for some voters. Would you consider revisiting or changing decisions made on those projects?
Not all citizens are sports fans. I am a big hockey fan, following the Cornwall Royals for 25 years; but I approve of the Arts and Culture Centre since it would give the small area bands a place to perform, theatre to be presented, extra hall for events, and so much more. It is not just an Arts gallery with paintings on the walls. If you knew how much was spent on the Benson Centre per year just for the upkeep, you may not complain about a building about one quarter the size of it with less upkeep and less employees.
I would like to revisit the water meters issue. That will affect everyone, even renters (the rent itself).
What would you do to improve our relationship with Akwesasne? What does Truth and Reconciliation look like to you? Explain how Cornwall can take steps toward it.
I have found out in my teens that my great-grand-mother was from St. Régis. As an adult, I always wanted to know more about the culture. For the past 5 years or more, I have attended Powwows, the Orange Shirt Day, and other Akwesasne events in the city and on the Island when transportation is offered. I feel attached to the culture more than ever. I also have family members that are indigenous too.
Cornwall’s municipal government relies on experienced and qualified staff to deliver services to residents. What would you do as a Councillor/Mayor to ensure the city can attract, retain and support the best possible people in senior positions?
I know the city has lost many good, qualified employees in the last few years. It’s one reason I really want to be more involved with the City. We need to take better care of our employees, encourage them, support them, and make them feel good about the work they do. The City needs to be better involved in taking care of our professionals and be better prepared to attract the best of the best.
Healthcare is primarily a provincial responsibility, but access to healthcare is a major concern for Cornwall residents. What can the City of Cornwall realistically do to help improve healthcare access, and would you make it a priority as a Councillor/Mayor?
I presently am on a Healthcare Human Resources committee that tries to attract healthcare workers to the area (doctors, nurses, and every other type of healthcare professionals). I would like to continue helping that initiative and being on council would give me that chance to have a better say in the push to attract healthcare professionals to the area. Making the City a more attractive and safer place to live would be a good start.
Many residents are concerned about crime, vandalism, drug use and a general decline in their sense of safety. What can the city realistically do to address these concerns, and where should municipal responsibility end and provincial or federal responsibility begin?
To be honest, I would have to find out more about the different duties between the Cornwall Police, the OPP, and the RCMP. I have seen the Cornwall Police around quite a bit and know that they are actually very busy. I will have to get informed and make a decision/opinion afterwards.
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