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 John Cameron’s Answers. He is running for Councillor.
1. Who are you? Where are you from? What education do you have? What relevant experience do you have?
My name is John Cameron. I am a lifelong Cornwall resident, where my wife Sue and I raised our five children. I hold a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from St. Francis Xavier University and a Master of Education from the University of Ottawa.
I have dedicated more than 30 years to education, supporting and guiding young people. I began my career as a secondary school teacher. Over the years, I took on increasing leadership responsibilities, serving as Principal of St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School, Superintendent of Education, and ultimately Director of Education for the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO).
I currently serve as the Community Outreach and Mentoring Coordinator with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cornwall and District, continuing my commitment to supporting young people and our community.
Over those years, I gained valuable experience in leadership, budget management and setting priorities. This experience taught me the importance of listening to people, making responsible decisions and working together as a team to get things done.
2. 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?
Affordability has to be one of the City’s highest priorities. The cost of food, housing, utilities, insurance and other everyday expenses continues to rise. The City needs to recognize that taxpayers cannot keep paying higher tax increases year after year.
We need to explore ways to operate more efficiently and help identify opportunities to reduce duplication, improve procurement, make better use of City assets, and regularly review programs and spending.
Maybe we could explore moving Cornwall toward a minimum three-year budget plan, rather than looking at our finances one year at a time. This could help Council identify future pressures earlier, set priorities and better separate our “must-haves” from our “nice-to-haves.”
The goal should be straightforward: protect taxpayers, make every dollar count and plan for the future.
3. 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?
Homelessness is one of the most difficult issues facing communities across Ontario, and there is no single municipal solution. It involves housing, mental health, addictions, healthcare, social services and public safety.
The City needs to continue building on the work already underway, but with greater urgency. This includes maintaining strong partnerships with local agencies, housing providers, Cornwall Community Hospital, police and community organizations, while increasing bridge and supportive housing and expanding affordable rental housing.
We as a City Council, working alongside senior administration, need to build stronger relationships with the provincial and federal governments and their agencies. Effective partnerships will help us access additional funding and support for housing, mental health services, addiction treatment, and other essential services.
We need to continue supporting people who are struggling with compassion and understanding. At the same time, we must ensure that our parks, streets, neighbourhoods, and public spaces remain safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone.
4. Why are you running for Council? What is the most important issue facing the City of Cornwall today?
I am running for Council because Cornwall is my home, and I want to help my community continue to grow and move forward. I believe Cornwall has tremendous strengths, opportunities and potential, and now is the time to turn that potential into action.
Besides taxes and affordability, which I addressed in Question 2, another important issue facing our city is transparency and accountability.
Being open and clear about how taxpayers’ dollars are being used and how important decisions are reached helps build greater trust and confidence between Council and the community.
5. Many constituents have expressed concerns about accountability and controversy surrounding Council. What could you do as a Councillor/Mayor to improve transparency and accountability?
Please see my answer to Question 4.
6. 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?
The contracts have been signed, and both projects are nearing completion. At this point, we need to support them and do everything we can to make them successful.
Once taxpayers’ dollars have been committed, I believe our responsibility is to get the best possible value from that investment and work together to ensure these projects succeed.
As we move forward, we can assess our progress against the goals we set and determine what adjustments, if any, are needed.
7. 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.
Cornwall and Akwesasne are neighbours along the St. Lawrence River, with strong economic ties, family connections, more than 200 years of shared history, and a future we can continue to build together.
With our strong relationship with Akwesasne, the City and Council need to make the development of the Harbour Lands a priority. This presents an excellent opportunity to build on our shared strengths in economic development, tourism, culture, and recreation. We have a strong foundation. Now is the time to build on that relationship and create new opportunities for both communities through our shared waterfront.
8. 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?
As a council member, I believe we need to work together with Senior Administration to ensure Cornwall continues to be a professional and respectful place to work. We need to offer salaries and benefits that are competitive with other cities our size. We also need to support our senior staff and value their expertise. Most importantly, we need to give them the tools and resources they need to do their jobs well.
In terms of succession planning, we shouldn’t wait until someone retires or leaves before thinking about who may be ready to step into a senior role. We should develop people from within whenever possible through professional development and opportunities to work with other municipalities and gain broader experience.
9. 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?
Council must keep supporting Cornwall’s doctor recruitment programs. We need to promote Cornwall as a great place for doctors to live, work and raise a family.
We should also continue offering incentives that have proven successful, including recruitment assistance and scholarship programs that encourage future physicians to establish practices in Cornwall. Working with the provincial government and our local healthcare partners, our goal should be to make sure every Cornwall resident has access to a family doctor.
10. 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?
The Council, alongside the Cornwall Police Services Board, must continue to work together to help address these concerns.
We also need more mental health and addiction workers in our community to support people who are struggling and connect them with the help they need.
Stronger laws and better enforcement tools are also needed to help keep our public spaces safe, welcoming and accessible for everyone.
Council must be a strong voice for Cornwall and continue to work effectively with both the provincial and federal governments to secure the maximum funding and resources available for our community.
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