Freedom Flyer, Consent Magazine, and Happened in the Last Three Ontario By-Elections
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FREEDOM JULY, 2006 - ELECTION 2007 EDITION #1 - Who Is Frank? - page 7 FLYER Ontario By-elections - page 10 BILLBOARD Campaign - page 4 #37 - THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE FREEDOM PARTY OF ONTARIO BILLBOARDS ANNOUNCE Fp 2007 ONTARIO ELECTION PLATFORM “The Right Direction 2007...” BOLD VISION, CLEAR POLICIES, FRANK APPROACH DISTINGUISH Fp PLATFORM TORONTO - October 4, 2005 - Exactly two years to the day before the next expected provincial election, Freedom Party’s 2007 election platform was released at a media briefing held at the downtown Strathcona Hotel. The event coincided with Fp’s first-ever launching of a provincial-wide billboard campaign (see pages 4-5) drawing attention to Fp’s key platform issues. Fp PLATFORM TARGETS TAXES, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION Freedom Party’s full-color Right Direction 2007 Election Platform is a unique political document on every front. It begins with an introduction by Fp leader Paul McKeever which establishes that values are what Freedom Party is really all about: “Freedom Party is a uniquely “WHO IS principled organization formed for and by equally principled individuals (who) hold rationality, ethics, justice, democracy and freedom as values upon which (we) will make no FRANK?” compromise.” For the complete text of this introduction, see page 8. SOLD-OUT Fp The rest of the platform consists of detailed descriptions and color illustrations relating to each plank in the platform: (1) Scrap Ontario’s Income Tax, (2) Legalize Faster Better DINNER a BIG Health Care, (3) Improve Education through Choice, (4) Improve the Supply Of Electricity, (5) Restore Fair Auto Insurance, (6) Scrap Property Taxes, and (7) a final section HIT! - see pg 6 on Budgetting Better Health Care And Education. More details, reactions, and insights follow on the inside pages of this newsletter. {end} 2 Openers... SOME FRANK TALK ABOUT FREEDOM PARTY --- AND FREEDOM GREAT EXPECTATIONS vs NO EXPECTATIONS -Robert Metz {Robert Metz is a founding member and president of the Freedom Party of Ontario} From an objective point of view about every other reasonable (and some disobedience, law breaking, revolution, (namely mine), Freedom Party is the unreasonable) name you could think of and even war.) best political party ever invented. for a political party was already taken Sure, I’m one of the founding members or reserved for official registration. But On a television news broadcast of the party, but I didn’t invent or create no one ever started a Freedom Party. aired almost eighteen years ago, we Freedom Party. Freedom Party has let the media know that Freedom evolved into something Party candidates much larger than any only expected to get one of us individually, “We fought tax increases --- and won. We one or two percent thanks to the work, fought government spending on grandiose of the vote, but that support, and wisdom of the important thing people dedicated to the stadium projects and sports events --- and for any new political principle that: won. We fought three entrenched and party to do was to field candidates. I “Every individual, in elected Ontario political parties, each was quoted thusly: the peaceful pursuit of vehemently opposed to Sunday shopping in “There’s the personal fulfillment, element of political has an absolute right Ontario --- and won. credibility. Can you to his or her own life, But when it comes to Ontario elections, we be electable in the liberty, and property.” still haven’t won one yet.” immediate future? Well that’s something I had no idea, in that when we started 1984 when Freedom this party we knew Party was founded, just where that I didn’t expect that. (Today I would be at least a decade or two away. moral proposition would lead us. But know why, but that’s the subject of Credibility in an election is (totally I had expectations. another story.) different from what most expect). It isn’t related to your ideas - directly - Only a few years earlier, and However, there’s one thing I it’s related more to the credibility of the when I was well into my late twenties, did expect from the very beginning, organization behind the ideas, and its I was vaguely aware that something an expectation that might deter most consistency, and its ability to be there was seriously wrong with the way we from getting involved with a new election after election.” (November were being governed. But like so many political party. Then, as today, I fully 3, 1988 - Behind The News - Ch10 others, I was a political illiterate, not understood the enormity of the the London Ontario; you can see the entire knowing the difference between left, task before us --- and its necessity. We video clip available on line) right, center, or which of Ontario’s were, and still are, pioneers on a road political parties fit into which color never travelled --- one away from more Since the very beginning, of the political spectrum. (They’re government control, higher taxes, ever- Freedom Party has consistently all ‘red’.) I do recall, however, my increasing government spending, and increased its number of candidates absolute astonishment, in a country less of everything else. in each successive election, starting that supposedly holds freedom as with three in 1985 and reaching two its highest ideal and which has sent (Most are tragically unaware that freedom dozen in the last Ontario election. But its soldiers to die “for freedom”, to has never been won within a majority rule even fielding a full slate of candidates, process, which always moves away from though discover that no political party or group freedom towards tyranny. Historically, (cont’d on next page...) wanted the name Freedom Party. Just freedom was always won by civil 3 (...cont’d from prev page) They’ve all got it wrong. Whether true or not, and most are not, none of necessary, is not enough to reach these things are relevant to the goal of critical mass, the tipping point, the getting elected. time at which Freedom Party will be perceived as an ‘overnight success’ and The early vote totals of any new elect its first member to the legislature. political party will tell you nothing about that party other than the fact that Today, we have the best platform a candidate was fielded in the riding. ever offered by a political party, an informed, educated and articulate party leader, Paul McKeever, who can out- SOME FRANK TALK ABOUT Freedom Party President debate any of the other party leaders on GETTING ELECTED: Robert Metz any of the major issues. of philosophy, policy, or direction. Moreover, we have a track record The inertia of incumbency and voter Almost nothing. Philosophy and policy of effective education and lobby efforts loyalty is difficult for most to appreciate are important for other reasons, but not which are documented for all to see and requires a clear context and directly for getting elected. in our past newsletters and on line: perspective. Given my corporate and We fought tax increases --- and won. business background and experience, If I just wanted to ‘get elected,’ I We fought government spending on I already knew, some eighteen years probably could have done so already grandiose stadium projects and sports ago that it would be at least twenty (and so could most of you who are events --- and won. We fought three years before most Ontarians could even reading this), by running for one of the entrenched and elected Ontario political say they’ve heard of Freedom Party, two most ‘electable’ parties. But my parties, each vehemently opposed to let alone feel confident in voting for getting elected with one of the major S u n d a y the party. parties would not only have destroyed shopping in “Getting elected has little to do Let’s face any ability on my part to work for Ontario --- with what a candidate or party it, in any freedom, but would have forced me to and won. g i v e n actually work against freedom. represents in terms of 20 year B u t philosophy, policy, or direction” p e r i o d , I recall, after my very first election when it p o l i t i c a l speech as a Freedom Party candidate in comes to Ontario elections, we still parties only get four to five meaningful London South (1985), incumbent and haven’t won one yet. ‘kicks at the can’, that is, opportunities Conservative candidate Gordon Walker, to field candidates. This alone should noticing how warmly the audience With electoral returns barely speak to the reality of the time reacted to my message, invited me to reaching 1% for Freedom Party constraints involved in having so few consider becoming a Conservative --- candidates in the recent Ontario by- pathetically short election periods in so right there at the all candidates’ debates elections, it’s easy to believe that long a period of time. in plain sight for everyone to see and Freedom Party is not making any hear. If Walker really liked what I was progress towards its goal of becoming Now here’s something even more saying, he should have been a Freedom an electable party in Ontario. daunting, and probably something you Party candidate, not a conservative. don’t even want to know, but which Everyone has a theory: “You’re is nevertheless an inescapable fact: (OPENERS...cont’d on page 14...) ‘splitting the right’; you don’t field Getting elected has little to do with what enough candidates to form a majority; a candidate or party represents in terms I haven’t seen you in the papers; your candidates aren’t high profile enough; your party’s name is wrong; no one’s ever heard of you; you can’t win; your Freedom Party policies are too extreme; you’re being ‘too frank’ with the public; why bother? Life, Liberty, Property.