Jim Brownell

Liberal MPP

 MPP Jim Brownell Told to Stay Out of It (Red Flag Committee flier) 

Media 

06 October 2007:  Jimbo's job guarantee worthless

05 October 2007: Candidate Q&A  

Jim Brownell 2003 campaign finances 

 Brownell 2003 campaign finances II 

Jim Brownell bio as posted on MGuinty team website March 2006 

Brownell confirms support of Glaude appointment and "broad"mandate on last page of his 2005 "householder" (a politicians's mailout to all constituents - this mailout transpired after Mr. Brownell met with the Red Flag Committee). Mr. Brownell also provides temporary email addresses to contact the commission. 

Red Flag Committee Meets with a Volatile Jim Brownell MPP

The Red Flag Committee met with local Liberal MPP Jim Brownell, 8 July 2005.  The purpose of the meeting was twofold:  

(1) to try to get answers regarding the inquiry, specifically who drafted the mandate, what criteria were used to select a judge, how were judges with connections to Cornwall screened out, what individual or group was tasked with selecting the judge, and who chose Justice Glaude, and

(2) to show Mr. Brownell that the mandate is flawed and that there are a multitude of real and perceived conflicts surrounding the appointment of Justice Normand Glaude. 

 It was, I would say, a different sort of meeting. 

For reasons known only to himself Mr. Brownell was ten feet off the ground before the meeting started.  True he was livid that  a non-resident of Cornwall was part of the group, and he certainly managed to convey the impression that only locals are entitled to voice concerns about the inquiry, the mandate, the judge, the safety of Cornwall’s children, the role of “the Church,” or the allegations of a paedophile ring and a cover-up.  But Brownell’s rage and subsequent frequent illogical outbursts went well beyond the presence of 'outsiders.'  He was just fit to be tied - period.  

Consequently – and unfortunately – the meeting basically boiled down to Mr. Brownell flying from rage to rage, pounding the table with his clenched fist and responding to question after question by yelling  “The inquiry is on!” or “I told you, the inquiry is on!”  

So, in the end, here is what was gleaned: 

(1)  Attorney General Bryant contacted Mr. Brownell the day the Red Flag Committee was formed and told him “The inquiry is on.”  

(2)  Mr. Brownell seemed totally committed to Justice Normand Glaude, he would not contemplate an inquiry without Justice Glaude at the helm, and in fact refused time and again to respond to legitimate concerns regarding the Glaude appointment, repeatedly and often angrily insisting, as previously noted, by yelling:  “The inquiry is on.” 

(3)  Mr. Brownell initially insisted there is no way that a judge can be removed once he has been appointed.  However, he did eventually acknowledge that there are instances in which a judge could, would and should be removed.  

(3)  Mr. Brownell, was ordered by the powers that be in Queen’s Park to direct people with concerns about the judge or the mandate to Justice Glaude’s office and/or his website.   

To understand just how ridiculous this directive was you must understand that at this time and for some time thereafter Justice Glaude's office was hundred of miles away in Sudbury, Ontario and there was not hide nor hair of a web site to be seen.  

(5)  In one of his outbursts Mr. Brownell yelled out:  “I have been told the inquiry is on.  And I’m to stay out of it.”   

Asked who gave him that instruction, a moment of silence, then a flustered, stammering and unconvincing explanation that, well, his staff told him he should stay out of it.   

(6)  Brownell told us there was a judge chosen before Glaude who had connections to Project Truth.  According to Brownell that appointment was "canned" because he, Brownell, refused to accept an inquiry judge who had ties to Project Truth. 

Mr. Brownell was at a loss to explain how a judge with connections to Project Truth made it through the screening process at all, and how anyone could have found such a judge acceptable!   

(7)  Brownell said the Standing Committee on Justice was not involved in the selection process.

(8)  Mr. Brownell could not identify who assisted Mr. Bryant in selecting the judge and drafting the mandate but thought it was staff in the AGs office.  

(9)  Mr. Brownell was adamant that the mandate makes reference to “sexual abuse,” or at least uses the word “sex.”  It does not, as Mr. Brownell eventually discovered.

(10) Mr. Brownell was absolutely furious when it was suggested that the inquiry should be headed by an out-of-province judge.  (“We will have an Ontario judge!  We are NOT going out of Ontario!!”) 

(11) Brownell said that he has had a number of people come into his office to tell him personally that they want a bilingual judge, and that he conveyed those sentiments to the Attorney General.  (Mr. Brownell made this comment after he was asked why Mr. Bryant insists on saying that the victims want a bilingual judge when in fact not one victim known to the Red Flag Committee asked for a bilingual judge, and in fact the only known voice requesting a bilingual judge came from former Liberal MP Bob Killger who happened to be at the listening session.) 

(12) Mr. Brownell insited he has the utmost faith in Justice Glaude and that Glaude is the right man for the job, BUT, when asked to explain what qualities make Glaude the right man for the job could come up with nothing more than the fact that Glaude was appointed to the superior court of justice in 1990 and is therefore a man of integrity.

(13) Despite the fact that many of the "alleged" molesters of Cornwall have ties to the Knigts of Colmbus Mr. Brownell believes Justice Glaude has every right not to disclose whether or not he is or ever was a member of the Knights of Columbus. 

Mr. Brownell added that he would personally have no problem disclosing the fact that he himself has been a proud member of the Knights for a number of years.

(14) On one hand Brownell said he had no input, but on the other he was anxious that it be known that theAttorney General contacted him down in Florida re one potential appointment (the one which he "canned" ).