Dear Editor:
Recently the Renfrew Landowners Association president Donna Burns sent a letter to the Barry’s Bay Landowners group containing innuendos, rhetorical questions and* �Â� inferences concerning Michael Coates who is running for the Conservative nomination. But, why was it sent to the Barry’s Bay Landowners instead of the County newspapers where the entire electorate could read it? Did she feel Barry’s Bay residents are more easily influenced ?
Whatever the case, Ms. Burns’ letter reflected the typical inferential style employed by biased writers, and while entitled to her opinion, in the view of many her comments as to the possible ulterior motives of Michael Coates in running for office, came across as a partisan attempt to diminish his credibility.
As the Renfrew Landowners president, one would think Ms. Burns would not have called* �Â� into question, by inference and innuendo, the exemplary career and motives of a man she had never met, and most especially so after inviting him to meet with her and the board of directors. It was after issuing the invite Ms. Burns then sent her letter to the Barry’s Bay Landowners – which was several days before meeting him — instead of according him the courtesy of waiting to ask about his background and motive’s personally, as any fair minded person would do.
But, to* �Â� imply the Conservative and Liberal parties might be confederate in a plot to get rid of the current MP, Cheryl Gallant as an impediment to what might be an “agenda or* �Â� “obstacle” that could ” interfere” with another plan, is simply conspiracy theory conjecture.
Is this what the Renfrew Landowners are about? I don’t believe it is, and as for Ms. Burns you can decide yourself whether or not she has tarnished the reputation of her landowners executive by affiliation as she is the president thereof. However, her comments as published by the Barry’s Bay Landowners, are hers alone and do not reflect the views of her executive because I asked several of them myself.
In fact, I met with Mr. Coates at length recently and found him to be a man of integrity with an outstanding record of academic credentials and achievements. Thus, to question his motives in running for office before meeting him was disappointing as I thought she was above such tactics.
Again, the question is why did Ms. Burns send her letter to the Barry’s Bay* �Â� Landowners instead of the county newspapers, because Barry’s Bay residents are just as capable of rendering a decision as people in other areas without the need for any inferential questions and innuendo’s concerning Mr. Coates.
Indeed, the people I spoke to were not swayed in the slightest, as her opinions carry no more weight in Madawaska Valley than other townships. Instead, they were widely seen as an attempt to subvert Mr. Coates’ campaign, which to his credit, despite having read her letter beforehand, did meet with her executive, answered their questions directly, and never mentioned the letter. Lesser men would most likely have declined to meet with her at all.
Nevertheless, Ms. Burns is a very dedicated individual who has endured much to expose “Agenda 21” whose intent is to end the property rights of all private landowner’s, and for this she is to be commended.
However, I cannot remain silent while innuendos are being used to question whether Mr. Coates’ motivation in running for office may be part of a Conservative / Liberal conspiracy to get rid of MP Gallant. I challenge anyone to bring proof of such inference into the light of public scrutiny — because if former Prime Minister Stephen Harper trusted Mr. Coates enough to assist his election campaign, Renfrew County can trust him.
Donald E. Broome
Cobden
