ŏđŏ
editionap.ca
One person can really make a difference FRANCIS RACINE francis.racine@eap.on.ca
in-crowd as I stood for what I thought was the right way to go and did not bow to the lobbying from the mayor or the in-group of councillors. I did not care about that. I can sleep at night knowing that I was true to me and the people.” Hug settled in Cornwall after working in Toron-
tion Research organization in Toronto. By her own account, she worked with some very interesting individuals. “When I was working in a female reformatory, I was told that I had to take a quick self defense course,” she explains. ”One of the security guards gave me that quick course, and I was then forever on my guard. It was scary for me back then.” When asked what the most memorable event she ever experienced while working for the Ministry, Hug responds that “(some of the people) were scary because they were so wasted on LSD and other things,” she explains. “This was back in the 60’s and the Toronto scene was not good. I even had a politician in the addiction hospital where I worked as one of my patients. I was in con- trol of the psychological tests that the pa- tients got and had to write up the results. There is a paper out there somewhere in a Psyche Journal with my name on it.” Hug is also quite the theater and literature lover. “I did murder mystery fundraising and private parties for over 14 years,”she admits. “I wrote the plays and acted inmost of them
as well as produced them here in Cornwall and the surrounding area. I am a writer. I still have ideas for at least two more murder mystery plays in my head and want to write a novel.” The dedicated Cornwallian would love to see Cornwall for an art center to be built in the city. “An Arts Center will grow Cornwall,” says Hug, who is also a member of the Heri- tage committee and Vice President of the Historical Society and the Museum Board. “If you build it, they will come. We have va- cant buildings now, the old Star Tek build- ing, the oldWalmart store for example. They are big. They have lots of parking. We need to get our arts groups together and see what everyone needs and get a showcase for them. I would love to do a play in an arts center for Cornwall. Arts enrich everyone’s lives, any age group.” When asked what truly she’s really pas- sionate about, Hug quickly replies history. Asked why, she simply answers, “I love his- tory because it teaches you where you’ve been and helps you understand where you are going.”
“ One person can really make a difference ” is a saying Mary Ann Hug keeps close to her heart and that she truly believes in. While attending the University of Wisconsin, the now Cornwall resident admits to having undertaken some un- daunted things. “In University, I lobbied until I finally was ac- cepted in a law class that was supposedly reserved only for fu- ture ‘male’ lawyers,” she explains. “I became the first female in that class, much to the professor’s dislike. That’s probably where I found out that a
to for several years. “After getting laid off several times, I decided to go in another route, so I went back to school here at St. Lawrence College and became a Per-
person, one per- son, can really make a differ- ence.” It therefore
came as no surprise that the woman decided to throw her name in the bal- lot for a spot on Cornwall’s municipal c o u n c i l , in 2006. A l t h o u g h she
wasn’t elected, coming in 11 th place, the unfortunate passing of one city councillor allowed her to join the po- litical table. And while she wasn’t re-elected in the last municipal elections, she
Submitted photo
Mary Ann Hug
sonal Support Worker,” she says. “I was the oldest one in my class in 2004.” Ever since then, Hug has been helping her fellow hu- man being. The Cornwall citizen has quite an array of experience, having previously worked with the Ministry of Corrections and the Addic-
is happy with the experience. “My time on council was very good,” says Hug, who ran in the last municipal elections but was un- successful in being elected. “I had a lot of support, as a new member coming in mid- term, from Mark MacDonald. He was very helpful. I was not liked too much by the
TAG wants more transparency
The board of directors of The Art Gallery (TAG) in Cornwall has decided to change its meeting format in order to allow members to participate and voice their concerns. In making the announcement on February 5, board Chair Roland Besner said he hoped it would provide more accountability and transparency to TAG operations and encourage Cornwall and area artists who are members to participate in decision-making. “We feel there are a lot of issues and concerns out there that have to be addressed by the board but we have to learn what those issues are before we can do something about them,”he said. TAG will be one of the first organizations to provide members the opportunity to ask questions and get information through a portion of the meeting set aside for that purpose. That part of the meeting will always be at the start of the convocation.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker