In a New Years clip touching base with the founder of Crossroads Christian Communications Inc., 100 Huntley Street host Jim Cantelon interviews David Mainse about the changes taking place at one of Canada’s religious networks.
It’s a rambling interview, and about 10 minutes in Cantelon asks Mainse about what people who support the ministry are asking Mainse as he tours the country meeting with legacy donors.
Mainse starts off about a reporter at The Hamilton Spectator who he doesn’t name. He decides they did their job, and launches into a criticism of social media – specifically blogs.
9:40
JC: Is there a question that occurs more often than any other, kind of a common question?
DM: Yes there is, the people all want to know what’s going on at the ministry. They only hear one side of the story, may I say that the reporter at The Hamilton Spectator who broke this story about this man who did not show up for a court hearing in Toronto by the way and who had taken advantage of uh, of uh Ronald and Reynold, uh, Reynold has not been an employee for some time, and he basically earns his living as a professional photographer, and has for quite some time. But uh, you only get one side of the story. Now the reporter, to his credit, the Hamilton Spectator has given uh, I think very fair coverage.
And David Mainse lets viewers know what he thinks about blogs as he continues to answer the question about the questions he gets on his Thank you Canada fundraiser tour.
10:40 into interview. Transcripting mistakes are mine alone.
However, you get on the blogs and the blogs are always lies. Now, half truths are lies. One of the reasons that gossip, backbiting, is in the same list in the scripture as murder and and adultery of evils that have attached themselves to the human race, because if you don’t have all the facts, this is why you have editorial control. This is why, for Jim, uh, why, you know, our new leadership has asked you to take on executive producers role for all the opinion we do on talk shows here. Let me just say I remember back, maybe about 1990, I said to Jim one time, I remember the spot in the hall at the old 100 Huntley building downtown Toronto, I said, “Jim is there anything at all you haven’t made up your mind about?” Do you remember me saying that? Because, very strong opinions, but, there are checks and balances, that’s what an editorial board is, and a newspaper. Checks and balances, but on the blogs; I treat a blog just like I treat the uh, the rags that are at the check out counter at the grocery store. I don’t read them.I refuse to read them, because they are half-truths, they’ve not been well researched, they are, they have no editorial control, there is no checks or balances on these, and so they are not reliable.
Pardon me for interrupting here. I am not going to treat bloggers and their readers this dismissively, nor am I going to treat 100 Huntley Street, David Mainse and Jim Cantelon this way. I have a beef and it will be addressed online and by email. Okay, back to the transcript.
So I give the other side of the story, and inveriably somebody has heard something that is twisted and wants to know what’s going on, and the fact of the matter is that The Globe and Mail finally in August put out an article that said that there was absolutely no fraud whatsoever on the part of my sons. They were taken advantage of because the man had promised them and did deliver some money for missions basically and they were suckers for supporting missions, and so, I try to give the…
JC: the OSC…
DM:…the other side which they have not heard.
JC: I understand the Ontario Securities Commission have pretty much closed the case as far as Ron and Ren are concerned.
DM: I think so, although there may still be hearings coming.
End transcript
That’s us folks.:^) I’m saying Bene Diction Blogs On because this was one of a couple of blogs which noticed the Axcess Automation/Fund/Crossroads connection. Bloggers really didn’t pay much attention to what has David Mainse ire up. I would think the lack of curiousity by the Canadian public and Canadian Christians in 2009 would be more of a concern. No one is singled out, no one is named – this rant by Mainse skirts slander.
Readers at BDBO contributed to seeking facts, so you are included. Everything that came into the inbox here at BDBO was checked out. Crossroads was queried and invited to submit corrections. Mainse is referring the involvement of his sons, Reynold and Ronald Mainse as finders in the Axcess Automation/Axcess Funds scandal. Even Canada’s religious print media barely touched the story.
That David Mainse seems to remain deeply hurt and angered by the bit of media attention or bit of blogging about the two sons getting yanked off air garnered and their involvement as finders in a ponzi scheme is understood. Back in 2009 when Mainse filled in from time to time as host of the flagship show 100 Huntley Street while investigations were launched, he took time on air to let the local paper (The Hamilton Spectator) know what he felt about coverage of the unfolding story of Axcess Automation/Funds, Gordon Driver, the Mainse sons and Crossroads Christian Communications Inc.
Mainse goes on in this interview to say in no uncertain terms that blogs (bloggers), the people behind this medium are evil. And he makes it clear he doesn’t read blogs. Then he praises the Globe and Mail Sons of 100 Huntley Street founder caught up in Ponzi scheme and goes on to be vague about what is left for the Ontario Securities Commission to deal with. As of yet, there has been no closure with his son Reynold and his potential settlement with the OSC.
So, how many Canadian blogs actually posted on what occurred at the Burlington bemouth in 2008-2009? How many non-Canadian blogs? I count 4 US blogs, all financial. I count 2 Canadian forums, 1 Netherlands religious news blog and 12 Canadian blogs.
The first Canadian blogger to notice is a former Crossroads employee, and carefully put a disclaimer into his post where names were named. Mr. Mainse, Paul Wilkinson of Thinking Out Loud is a careful and compassionate man – if there are ‘lies’, then have the courtesy to contact him so he can make corrections. His blog search engine is working, any other posts on Crossroads are easily found. Goes for every blogger I link, and those I haven’t in this post. My blog search engine works too, every post on Axcess/Crossroads is categorized. Take advantage.
Gotta love the intertubes. From the period of May 2009 until the present, every post on Crossroads, David Mainse sons, management changes, the Axcess Automation/Funds scandal are accessible. Crossroads has an IT department. The IT staff can pull blog posts up faster than I can. But here, I’ll help. Here is a timeline of events, media coverage and blog coverage.
David Mainse is attacking former employees who blog. He is attacking the CEO of the Canadian Council of Canadian Charities, a man I have a great deal of respect for and who did his job regarding Crossroads and Axcess.
Mainse is attacking a few bloggers who cared enough to try to fill in the vacuum the resounding silence from Crossroads management at the time, including a well known Christian philanthropist.
Ironically the Hamilton Spectator reporter who cared enough to even cover what was going on has been a guest on a CTS show.
As for the anger and hurt David Mainse is expressing, he is undermining the work of the new management he takes time to praise. As broadcasters struggle to draw new viewers through social media and as Crossroads attempts to adapt to changing consumer demands through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, this was foolish to leave these comments unchecked. You either care enough to hear from the public as a broadcaster and charity or you don’t. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. If blogs are mere bully pulpits then how is that different than being on set? That Cantelon, who now has his own show, and who made the dramatic announcement the sons had been yanked off the air, would not even flinch when David Mainse expresses his opinion; leaves me wondering how harmonious changes at Crossroads are.
I could chop up this clip, but that isn’t fair or appropriate. I think what is said speaks for itself. Do I appreciate being called a liar? No. I do not. I certainly do not appreciate other bloggers who worked hard to understand what occurred at Crossroads as carefully as information allowed, being slammed this shamefully. It’s wrong. It’s wrong to assume bloggers didn’t do research, fact check and pay attention to informed readers. You don’t cut off your nose to spite your face, even when criticism stings and facts are trickling out or being with held in a breaking scandal. To call bloggers liars is lazy and ignorant and I have no use for it.
During the Axcess scandal, Crossroads fell silent. The organization chose not to keep the public informed. As an organization, information trickling came at the time of Crossroads choosing and most of what was released was reaction to media. Some of that silence was genuinely because of ongoing legal proceedings, some was not. If you don’t like the message, shooting the messengers isn’t productive. Get your own message out. One example from 2009 is this: Crossroads chose to keep the hiring of the new CEO quiet for a few months and then released a pr with a significant error in it. They got fact checked by one blog, and the information was quietly corrected without informing BDBO it had been done. BDBO was the blog which caught that error. That’s fine, it got corrected. Fact checking is not gossip, lying or back-biting. Any organization choses it’s pr, and the lack of information doesn’t stay in a vaccum. Like it or not, donors were left in the dark. Media and blogs filled that self-imposed gap.
As I post this interview, only 93 viewers have accessed this interview on the YouTube 100 Huntley Street channel. I think about the 100+ Axcess investors, including the ones ‘found’ by the Mainse brothers. The investors have always been the heart and centre of this event, but they are not mentioned in this slam.
Crossroads CEO, Don Simmonds, will be getting an email from me about this interview with David Mainse. If I get a response I will post it. And again, I would like to thank everyone who cared enough to write in, and to comment (open policy here – opinions and all) about posts BDBO did about this network. I know who you are, and you are not liars, back biters or gossipers. Many of you, indeed most of you were concerned Christians, some who are concerned donors, investors and viewers and I am grieved for you and for the bloggers I link to who have been slammed in this 100 Huntley New Year interview. Again I reiterate: Crossroads was invited since May 2009 to contribute to facts on every post on Axcess Automation/Funds, the hiring of a CEO and the CTS Hope for TV, not a charity debacle. The invitation remains open.
Mr. Mainse and Crossroads staff, consider this a check and balance.
Update: I don’t blame this blogger for consulting a lawyer. My email to Crossroads is in the comment section below.
Well done BD. Mr. Mainse – you can’t handle the truth. (Line from the movie “A Few Good Men”) The world is holding you and God’s churches accountable. You cannot hide from truth. Jesus demanded truth.
You don’t read blogs? If bloggers are liars then why are they still online? Remember Judith of Cooks Source? She was an online editor who felt that her truth was the only truth. Social media and the public outcry took her down.
“Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth…” You know the rest.
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Dear Mr. Reed:
I’d like to direct your attention to 100 Huntley Street, January 3, 2011.
http://100huntley.com/video.php?id=A3dadlMQEUU
The concerning and inappropriate comments come about 10 minutes into the interview.
A transcript of Mr. Mainse comments and my opinion about them can be found at Bene Diction Blogs On.
http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2011/01/06/david-mainse-of-crossroads-slams-blogs-the-blogs-are-always-lies/
To call supporters of Crossroads who blog liars is not acceptable.
In a few short minutes Mr. Mainse has done a great deal of damage to the direction Crossroads is attempting to take.
I will not pursue legal action, but I am requesting a response from Mr. Simmonds, which will be publicly posted.
This is not my fire to put out, other bloggers may be inclined to consult a lawyer.
During 2009/2010 every attempt was made to keep Crossroads informed, emails were sent requesting clarification, correction and the invitation was open for response.
It still is, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Regards,
Bene Diction
It is going to be very interesting when the truth comes out.
“you get on the blogs and the blogs are always lies.” – David Mainse
So, papa Mainse, the only news regarding the affairs of your ministry, is “positive” news? The rest is rubbish?
Mr. Mainse. There are many blogs out there that are fully supportive of you and your ministry. Are they all liars too? I am sure that bloggers sympathetic to you papa Mainse, would like to hear that they too are lumped in with those who investigate ministries, divulge findings and offer their opinions based on them.
Bene Diction Blogs on has been and continues to be a reputable and reliable source for many people, Canadians in particular, to stay in touch with what is happening in the Christian scene, whether that be ministries in the media, politics or preachers on a street corner. You might call it “gossip” but that’s just because it hurts your image. If you choose not to speak with those you are calling liars (other Christians whom the bible lays out, then the natural recourse for libel and slander is through the secular court system.
Mr. Mainse, you may be one of the founding fathers of Christian broadcasting in Canada here, but you have to realize that as such, you have also made yourself a public figure, open to public scrutiny. You, a religious icon, are not immune to criticism and certainly not above the law. What you or your ministry does, because it is a ministry that depends on public funds, will be held to the utmost accountability. You should have weighed that cost before you began and the potential for public backlash when activities that surround your ministry seem less than prudent, taking every precaution and measure to prevent bringing both disrepute and dishonour to your organization/family and to your god.
We at the miracle channel review know all too well about the workings of the powerful religious media empire. And when those running the show are caught in a compromising position, the response never changes. Deny the allegation and lash out at those talking about it.
This type of response by Mainse is so typical of ministries that are caught in scandal. Blaming the messengers, discrediting the whistle blowers and lashing out at free speech, is the apparent chosen method of damage control. Humility rarely makes an appearance as the religious men in high places are used to playing the power game over their employees and their sheep who are taught not to question the man of god. And they always come out winners. But the public can’t be so easily manipulated.
Dick Dewert (Deweert), the Mainse family, Peter Youngren, Willard Thiessen… all disreputable Canadian Christian broadcasting moguls. Who does that leave? So far the only “untainted” one left appears to be Leon Fontaine of The Miracle Channel. However, history dictates that it’s only a matter of time….
The truth is
Moses was called by God to lead his people out of Egypt but Joshua was chosen to lead them into the promise land.
Joshua was not Moses son.
Wow, BD…just saw this. Amazing opinions on their part.
You’re doing the right thing.
While I may not have always agreed with other bloggers, I have always respected Bene’s integrity and trusted the articles he posted as credible. To outright slam all bloggers as liars is simply unfair. We each have a right to our opinions because Canada does allow freedom of speech. (And in the USA, Ole Anthony also has a right to his opinions about TV evangelists, I might add.)
Countless people blog their opinions about politicians and celebrities all the time so why should religious media be exempt when the others are fair game? Should we make it illegal to blog from now on?
One cannot help but hold members of the Christian media to a stronger scrutiny than the secular public because they are presenting themselves to be the standard for holiness so if/when they commit hideous moral failures (such as adultery, homosexuality, financial greed…..etc), it cannot help but stir up anger at the hypocrisy of saying one thing while doing quite another behind closed doors.
What about the websites reporting fact based information about famous tv evangelists lavish lifestyles….their mansions, luxury cars, private planes, cosmetic surgeries? Is it a sin to report the truth, especially when backed up with pictures of their multi-million dollar mansions, Gulf Steam jets and luxury cars? Is it a further sin to comment on these reported facts as members of the general public via blogs?
Marina, as much as I may disagree with you at times (perhaps all the time), you brought up an excellent point. There are people who have said NICE things about Crossroads on Bene’s blogs. Are they liars too? After all, they are also bloggers. We simply cannot make a blanket statement like that without qualification.
For someone who doesn’t read blogs, he sure seems to know a lot about them. For some of us, blogging is a cheap form of psychotherapy (LOL). For others, a way to connect with likeminded souls, especially those with no home church. In other words…..blogging (like tv, the internet and for that matter, your oven) are useful tools when used correctly.
I like to read Bene’s blogs (however much I may disagree with some posters) because he often reports on things in Christian media that I sometimes miss in the general news and I like to keep abreast of what’s going on, as opposed to having my head buried in the sand saying ”I’ve made up my mind. Don’t confuse me with the facts.”
Indict the blameless
Transparent designs
Pathetic and shameless
Crucified
A legend in his own mind, enthroned by lies
A cheap Machiavelli plots his demise
Ps: JackieV – For once you makes sense and I wholeheartedly agree with you.
Who says that Mainse can’t do something right? I’d say he’s done a fine job of bringing unity here… It appears we are all finally in agreement about something!
Good on ya Bene for following this through… I fully appreciate your frustrations, disappointments and challenges and the fruit of your labor.
Any bets they don’t answer your inquiry to yours or your readers’ satisfaction? I trust their answer, if provided will only bring about more questions. It’s par for the course.
The head of editorial control at Crossroads sat about three feet away and doesn’t utter a word.
“our new leadership has asked you to take on executive producers role for all the opinion we do on talk shows here”
According to Mainse, the following Crossroads employees are evil; they are liars, gossips and back-biters who tell half truths and don’t have all the facts.
Michael Coren: http://blogs.canoe.ca/corenscomment/
Lorna Dueck: http://www.listenuptv.com/listenup/bloglorna
What other Crossroads employees can go on that list?
If Coren and Dueck are evil, then why do they
remain on the air? Is there a financial consideration
in this–i.e. put up and shut up and count the
money from the advertising? Is that also why
Charles McVety is allowe air-time on CTS?
If Dueck and Coren are evil, why haven’t their
programs been purged from the schedule?
—–
David Mainse is a lost person. He criticises the
very media he uses for his own messages and
complains about lack of editorial control.
Yet he and CTS and Crossroads put out a
throuoghly vetted message that allows only
their point of view. Very contradictory, that.
Maybe I should never visit CTS TV ever!
After all, some of my views are antithetical
to theirs and I should feel quite unwelcome
in such a controlling and oppressive environment.
I truly feel sorry for David Mainse, he is truly
losing his bearings. At least, we don’t have to
listen to his Pinocchio nose-stretchers about
same sex marriage and other matters anymore.
I rather think that’s why he “retired”. He was
pushed out because he was slowly derailing.
Now we’re seeing the following signs of the
trainwreck of his handiwork. All the while,
the station is going down and the Huntley
Street program is getting more and more desperate.
It’s almost like the Franco or Chernenko death-watch
all over again.
Seems like Mr Mainse is a bit of a plonker. There’s an old saying: put your brain into gear before opening your mouth; looks like he forgot it. Happens all the while here in the UK…
Torontonian:
I’m not being fair to Lorna Dueck or Michael Coren, I don’t think either one of them can be classified as Crossroads employees, they merely run their shows on CTS. Still, they have been labelled evil and liars, and they have access to David Mainse if they want to discuss what he said.
If there are Crossroads employees who blog, I hope they will speak up.
And one more thing, Mr. Mainse.
This is not 14th century Europe. You cannot burn us at the stake for speaking against the religious institutions of the day, although no doubt you’d like to. You cannot torture or imprison us for speaking truth, whatever version of truth that means for each of us, no matter how much you hate it. Western society has outgrown your terrible twos religious mentality. You are not the 21st Century Grand Inquisitor commissioned by the church/state, no matter how much it appears you would like to be. Besides, statistics show that Canadians are becoming more and more secular. http://tinyurl.com/3yf6aea
Mr. Mainse, your antics are definitely not helping the case for religion.
Nor is this present day Iran or Iraq. We in this theocracy-free country, no thanks to you, and are not bound by fear of loss of life or limb by powerful religious leaders who would kill us in a heartbeat for speaking against “god’s anointed”. You cannot silence the voices that speak truth as much as you’d like to. If you had it your way, we would all be robots, involuntarily nodding our heads in agreement like good little church going bobble-heads. We live in Canada, where us little nobodies are FREE to both report the truth and speak our minds without reprisal, as you somebodies. And that Sir, means YOU have that same right and freedom. Hold on to it dearly.
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I find it amazing that a man of Mainse’s experience in broadcasting couldn’t put together a few minutes of coherent thoughts. His ramblings are so vague that it was a bit uncomfortable to sort through.
In the end, it seems that he and many others forget who is the head of the Church and what our role as members of the body are. The word of God is profitable for correction, rebuke reproof…..and it makes no difference from what believer it comes from. Does it? No. I submit it does not.
Enjoying the read. Thanks.
Bob
Mr Mainse doesn’t like to see a lot of things.
Just look at how he didn’t notice things about Faytene Kryskow when she was on his show.
He missed things that were going on in his television show until it was too late.
Sin is when we -miss the mark- and we’ve all done that.
It is important to -keep our ear to the ground- in life’s daily dealings
If Coren and Dueck are evil, then why do they remain on the air? Is there a financial consideration in this–i.e. put up and shut up and count the money from the advertising? Is that also why Charles McVety is allowe air-time on CTS? If Dueck and Coren are evil, why haven’t their programs been purged from the schedule? —– David Mainse is a lost person. He criticises the very media he uses for his own messages and complains about lack of editorial control. Yet he and CTS and Crossroads put out a throuoghly vetted message that allows only their point of view. Very contradictory, that. Maybe I should never visit CTS TV ever! After all, some of my views are antithetical to theirs and I should feel quite unwelcome in such a controlling and oppressive environment. I truly feel sorry for David Mainse, he is truly losing his bearings. At least, we don’t have to listen to his Pinocchio nose-stretchers about same sex marriage and other matters anymore. I rather think that’s why he “retired”. He was pushed out because he was slowly derailing. Now we’re seeing the following signs of the trainwreck of his handiwork. All the while, the station is going down and the Huntley Street program is getting more and more desperate. It’s almost like the Franco or Chernenko death-watch all over again.
David Mainse had heart problems (bypass surgery) and I wonder if age related health problems are catching up to him.
There is new management at Crossroads and they have decisions to make. David Mainse seems to be tasked with keeping legacy donors on board while a new donor base is being reached out to. If management wants to turn the old ship around, they are going to have to pay attention to their online presence while they work on program development. Canadian apathy isn’t something which can be construed as a green light. New programs are not going to be supported (even if they are well distributed) if viewers are demonized, ignored and everyone pretends this on-air behavior is just a bad day and acceptable.
Over many years, when it comes to his family, Mainse has taken the position “what the eye doesn’t see, the ear doesn’t hear etc…” preferring to characterize some very genuine concerns as “gossip and back-biting” and therefore not listening. The very accountability and standard that he holds everyone else to does not always apply to his own family. His rant about all blogs being “lies” is somewhat breathtaking and very revealing. The anger and sense of outrage that he is expressing is ultimately of his own making. You reap what you sow.
Rev. Mainse you make claim that the Blogs are all lies. Have you not considered how much some of your past and current senior management of Crossroads have been the real and true liars to Crossroads employees. Some of your management team cannot even adhere to Crossroad’s own internal protocol of policies, rules and regulations and Canadian labour law standards. Hypocrisy and cover up is prevalent at Crossroads. David Mainse you and Crossroads must be challenged and full disclosure must be done starting with a time line dating back to the 1980′s.
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