When Things Get Tough – Cobourg Mayor Offers No Comment

Pete Fisher
4 years ago
• Categories: Editorial

Editorial – It was intended to be a business that would employ hundreds of people.

Fv Pharma will be liquidating their assets in Cobourg it was announced on Thursday,July 30, 2020.

A release stated the company is headed in a new direction. And that direction doesn’t include Cobourg.

There were high hopes for the facility that used to house Kraft for many years.

When pot became legal, investors jumped on board in hopes of filling their pockets with money.

But try as they might it just never came to fruition.

The news on Thursday likely wasn’t earth shattering to anyone.

Local people had hopes, but over the course of time it seemed the writing was on the wall for the facility.

When Fv Pharma first opened it was a time of celebration. Dignitaries were on hand from all levels of government.

But the announcement on Thursday came and went without a puff of smoke from leaders in the community.

Specifically Cobourg Mayor John Henderson who seemed to be AWOL.

Henderson has toured the facility with media before with dignitaries along with former mayor Gil Brocanier.

It’s good for mayors to be there for ribbon cuttings and things that promote the community.

But they also have to be leaders when news like FV Pharma leaving Cobourg and spellings it’s assets hits the news.

Henderson was no where to be found on Thursday and trying to reach him through other channels only brought forth a comment that he is not going to comment.

That simply isn’t good enough for a mayor of approximately 20,000 people.

People need to know he will fight for our community in good times and bad.

Did the news of the closure catch Henderson off guard?

Was he shocked when he heard it?

What does he hope for the property?

Would the town consider purchasing the property?

What happens to the Certo building and it’s restoration?

These are all questions that Henderson should be able to comment on.

In the past Henderson has also ducked hard questions concerning topics that may be uncomfortable.

It’s about time that some relayed to the mayor the phrase “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

Because a true leader needs to be there for the people in good times and bad.