Fp FREEDOM SEPTEMBER, 2004 - ELECTION 2003 EDITION #2 - Election Results I Candidates - page 2 FLYER Provincial Campaign - page 4 #36 - THE OFFICIAL NEWSLET'TER OF Leadership - page 9 THE FREEDOM PARTY OF ELECTION CALL TIMING FORCED BY FREEDOM PARTY CAMPAIGN!

LONDON - August 3, 2003 - Frustrated by repeated expecta­ tions and delays of an Ontario election call by Progressive "The Right Direction ... " Conservative premier Ernie Eves, Freedom Party executive Fp PLATFORM STRESSES HEALTH CARE, members met on this Sunday morning and unanimously con­ EDUCATION, ELECTRICITY cluded that the time for campaigning could be postponed no longer. OSHA W A - May 16, 2003 - Released on the same day in response to the Progressive Conservative platform, Fp's executive meeting was held during the summer of the Experience for the Road Ahead, Fp's official platform blackout and of SARS, both events used by Eves to continu­ reminded voters that "Experience is no substitute for ally delay an election call. (Even many Progressive Conservative candidates. in the expectation of a spring election. had already purchased The Right Direction. " billboards and rented campaign offices as early as March.) Calling for choice in education, reliable electricity at a As a result, the wheels were set in motion to launch Fp's lower price, and for fast top-quality health care, Free­ election campaign on September 2, 2003 regardless of whether dom Party's platform was remarkably far more main­ or not Eves held off his election call until the spring of 2004. stream than what any of the major parties were talking "By the time you receive this mailing," wrote Fp president about. Robert Metz in his September I covering letter to members "Mr. Eves apparently thinks the road ahead, for Ontario, and supporters, "a copy of the enclosed Election'OJ message should continuously take you where you have already from Freedom Parry will have been distributed Ontario wide been many times before," responded Fp leader Paul through the pages of the National Post. In all probability, McKeever from his law offices in a province­ Ernie Eves will have announced the election, even though he wide media release. Referring to the go-cart track from has until next spring before he must call the election." which Eves released his party's platform, McKeever To find how Freedom Party's brochure triggered the further added: "(Mr. Eves) is going around and around election, turn to page 4 for the story behind the story ... and getting nowhere at al I." , Other highlights from Freedom Party's RighI Directioll DON'T platform included: * Municipal Revenue Reform: rep lacing the property HLOVVIT tax with a consumption tax ; AGAIN * An end to the 4.3 cent per kWh price cap and a facilitation of "net metering" (which allows home own­ ers to offset their own consumption); * An end to provincial capital gains tax; and * The introduction of a voter card that will curb th e current grossiy hi gh potential for voter fraud . Details of these, and other Freedom Party 2003 Election platform issues are available at Freedom Party's website: www.freedomparty.on.ca. lend} Now you see it, now you don't. To see it again, see pages 4-5. 2

TWO DOZEN CANDIDATES PROPEL FREEDOM PARTY TO PROVINCIAL STAGE

ONT ARlO - September 2 - October 2, 2003 - Thanks to the writ, many candidates were already on the election trail the growth in the number of candidates fielded by Freedom (sec last issue, Freedom Flyer). Even with respect to calling the Party in its sixth election, for the first time, the party was election, uncertainty was a trademark of the Eves' able to propel its presence beyond the local riding level into government. the provincial realm. Fp's growth in the number of candi­ Once registered and nominated, Freedom Party candidates dates fielded si nce its registration in 1984 has been steady: were generally free to determine the size of their 1985: 3; 1987: 9; 1990: 10; 1995: 12; 1999: 14; 2003: 24. campaigns, based upon their own budgets, time available, The recruiting efforts of Fp vice-president Bill Frampton, etc. While some Freedom Party candidates distributed combined with several election workshops conducted by tens of thousands of pieces of literature, spent money on campaign director Robert Vaughan, almost doubled the newspaper advertising, election signs, and received good number of Fp candidates fielded in the previous election. media coverage, others ran minimal campaigns and/or ev­ Factors affecting the final number of candidates all re­ erything in between. Regardless of the amount of effort volved around the ultimate timing of the election call, a expended at the riding level, vote results were fairly matter entirely in the hands of Ontario premier Ernie Eves. consistent, demonstrating once again the importance of To complicate matters further, long prior to the dropping of (continued on next page ... )

Fp ELECTION RESULTS AT A GLANCE At Left; Organized alphabetically by riding, the average vote percentages of Brampton Centre Dove, Wally 356 / 0.93% Freedom Party's 24 Election'03 candidates Brampton West-Mississauga Purdy, John 266 / 0.42% were generally the same as that of candi­ Davenport Cauchi, Franz 264 / 1.00% dates in its past five elections. What has increased (with each election) is the number Don Valley East Simmons, Wayne 119 / 0.32% of candidates fielded, the amount of money Durham McKeever, Cathy 707 1 1.40% raised, and the provincial profile of the Elgin-M iddlesex-London Monteith, Ray 671 / 1.54% party. Huron-Bruce Sabharwal, Robert 127 / 0.29% Until Freedom Party reaches 'critical mass, ' (i.e., a full slate of candidates with fully Chatham-Kent Essex Rodman, David 281 1 0.72% active full-time riding associations), votes, Lambton-Kent-Middlesex Forbes, Wayne 780 / 1.90% per se, will remain elusive, no matter how London North Centre Turner, Lisa 242 / 0.5 2% well the party may fare on any other level. It is for this reason that we must begin NOW London-Fanshawe Davidson, Mike 493 / 1.27% to prepare for the next election. If Dalton Frampton, William 160 / 0.93% McGuinty's government keeps its promise Oshawa McKeever, Paul 518 1 1.33% (!?) of holding fixed election dates, we can expect the next Ontario election to be held Ottawa Centre Szymanowicz, Matt 218 / 0.44% on Thursday, October 4, 2007. Oxford Blair, Paul 404 / 0.95% Parkdale-High Park Field, Richard 165 / 0.41% Anyone interested in become a Freedom Perth-Middlesex Smink, Rob 384 / 0.96% Party candidate or riding organizer is en­ Prince Edward-Hastings Tuck, Trueman 229 / 0.57% couraged to contact us at: 1-800-830-3301. The sooner we begin, the greater the oppor­ Sarnia - Lambton Falby, Andrew 316 / 0.83% tunity and the rewards. St. Paul's Leborg, Carol 354 / 0.78% Thornhill King, Lindsay G. 304 / 0.67% HIGHLIGHTS and DETAILS of Centre-Rosedale Ursomarzo, Silvio 218 / 0.48% CANDIDATE CAMPAIGNS will Haliburton-Victoria-Brock Olito, Charles 273 / 0.53% be featured in the next issue of Willowdale Byrnes, Vaughan 227 / 0.49% Freedom Flyer. 3

( .. conl'dfrom prey page) Openers ... establishing a strong party identity as a prerequisite to candidate success. But Opportunity Calling the relationship of candidate to party is Thoughts On the Ontario Liberal Sweep symbiotic: the prerequisite to estab­ lishing a strong party identity is a full slate of dedicated candidates supported - Bill Framptoll by volunteers and organizers. Call it a (Fp Vice-president and candidate f or London West, October 4, 2003) 'Catch-I06', so to speak.

Well folks, the polls were pretty accurate and the Liberal RESULTS Party was swept into office in Ontario winning 72 seats to 24 for the Progressive Conservatives and 7 for the NOP. This represents a great In his 'Freedom Party election opportunity for Freedom Party to build for the future . debriefing' memo to candidates on the First, we have four years to prepare for a campaign that day following the election, Fp leader will consequently be much bigger and better than this one was. We'll be Paul McKeever assured candidates starting on that before long, and I have every confidence that we will have that their efforts represented a valuable 106 committed, dedicated candidates ready to go before the next election is investment in the future of Freedom called. Party: Second, in Paul McKeever we have a leader who is "Thank you, and thank yourself, for second to none and who predicted this very outcome. Paul is a leader with doing this necessary job. It takes guts vision who can implement a strategy for success in the years ahead. Last and determination, and you all showed winter, Paul predicted we would have power blackouts before loing and in both. Congratulations: because of the summer he was proven correct. I was proud to be a member of Paul's your efforts, we (a) raised party rev­ team and would be equally proud to do so again. enues considerably, (b) for the most Third, the PCs will be in disarray having been reduced to part did not get called 'fringe,' and (c) a small remnant of the caucus they had in the legislature before. It remains ran many more candidates than we to be seen if Jim Flaherty or the other former Cabinet ministers will want ever did before. the job of rebuilding the coalition of blue and pink Tories to challenge the "There were other successes too, Liberals who have won such a big victory. Indeed, the finger-P J inting and though many of you may not be aware scapegoat hunting has already begun and promises to divide the Tories of them. We established contacts even more than they already are. Putting 'Humpty' together again will be a with, and respect from , important po­ hard, thankless task and Freedom Party will be ready to offer any litical writers, think-tanks and editors. disaffected PC s --- of which there are bound to be many after the We got TV coverage from sources we hammering they took Thursday --- a home in which they can feel welcome never have before. Most importantly, and a platform they can be comfortable with . we grew - financially, in terms of Fourth, there is no way the Liberals can possibly keep the candidates, in terms of supporters, in promises they have made, meaning that health care, education, electricity terms of credibility, in terms of and auto insurance will continue to be major issues that only Freedom peoples' awareness of us . Party is ready and able to address with common sense, workable solution "Finally, let's be clear: the election based on the principle of doing the right thing because it's the right thing to was lost by the PCs, not won by the do . Liberals. The Tories have been gutted. To sum up, these results mean that opportunity is knock­ Many ministers lost their seats, includ­ ing on Freedom Party's door in a major way. The opportunity is ours to ing red-Tory finance minister Janet seize, and I have no doubt that we will do so. I salute all our candidates Ecker. The red-blue split that oc­ for their efforts in the campaign and I look forward with rei ish to the next curred federally may very well now one! lendl ripple into the provincial sphere. It needs to happen, because oil (socialism) and water (capitalism) do Freedom Party not mix. Just right For Ontario... "The whole situation spells OPPOR- Fp TUNITY for Fp." lendl 4

FREEDOM PARTY ELECTION MESSAGE IGNORED,LOVED,HATED

ONTARIO - September 2, 2003 - However, that election call did not Media s ilence was deafening as DON'T come, and during the summer of 2003, 130,000 copies of Freedom Party's management of the National Post 2003 election message were delivered BLOllVlT changed hands. AGAIN across Ontario in a single day. Dis­ "There are some new people who have tributed as an insert in the pages of the reviewed the headline and apparently National Post during the early hours there are some concerns being regis­ of the morning, panic from the Eves' tered about it," National Post rep Jim camp was clearly evident by late Beattie informed Fp president Robert morn mg. Metz on the morning of August 6, 2003, only hours before Fp's printer was about to ink 200,000 copies of the With an election call not expected for ad. at least another one or two weeks ._--_ .. .. - ,.. --_ .. -...--_ .. _.. _. _"_._.Hk>nlPMf'f . Otu"'~rionlOO~ pdt ._._ .. _.".-." -. _.. _...... -...... _- (according to virtually every media r•• _' ...... __ ...... __ .... ""' .. ___ 0. .. The cover of the originally approved --.... ~ . '!J~C~'.'I0_ .. ,. __ ...... _ source), Eves' sudden Tuesday an­ ad at right was toned down at the last nouncement (first heard on CFRB Ra­ minute to accommodate the sudden dio at I I: lOam, uncharacteristically new sensitivity at the paper. The Above: Th e 'tamed' cover of Fp's phrase 'Just Blow Me' was changed by without any prior media release) that brochure, as it was distributed in Fp executive to 'Don't Blow It Again,' a noon-hour media event would be the Natiollal Post. held at Queens Park was no a compromise that regrettably altered coincidence. spring of 2003, and unedited, as origi­ the intended message and focus of our nally intended. ad.

High noon on September 2 was the precise time and date that Freedom HISTORY In an attempt to prevent our message Party leader Paul McKeever and sev­ from being softened and eral of Freedom Party's candidates misinterpreted, we first approached the would be at the corner of King and Developed over a period of two years, Clobe and Mail to distribute the origi­ Bay Streets to distribute the unedited the brochure, as it appears on the page nal version. opposite, was originally approved in version of the ad to pedestrian traffic Again, as with the National Post, we May 2003 'as is' by officials at the in the area. Freedom Party's planned were first assured that there would be National Post for distribution in the event was announced in an early no problem, but after having the origi­ spring of 2003, which was when On­ morning media release, to coincide nal version of the brochure reviewed tario premier Ernie Eves was widely with di stribution of the brochures in by other G&M executives a'ld lawyers, expected to call an election (See last the National Post. it was deemed unacceptable for issue of Freedom Flyer). Eves' noon-hour election call served its purpose: all the media were at (MESSAGE ... concluded un back cover. .. ) Queens Park, and not at King and Bay. At Right: - from the ~~~~~~----~~~----~--~I It was clear from the outset that no one National Post, Sept 2, Election call in days: Tory source was ready for the early election call, 2003: On the very day next week would nlean.ill slightly has not translated into impro\'~' longu campaign leading to .n menu in his Conse ....·a lh·e 1).11't)~S including Elections Ontario, which O,:L 9 vOle. standing. Thc Tories still trail the of the election call, and TOROSTO ' r.n\l~E\·es,theOI1- -I-b"e we been gi,-en the ofjidal Liberals under Dalton McCuinf)-' had not yet set up its riding offices or uno P'remit'r. is expected to call a word or an official date? The an­ by 13 to 14 points, depending on provincill election within days. ~WCt allhis pomt i~ 110: another thcpol/. in the same issue that settmg the stage for a campaign senior Tory source said )'\!SterdlIY, Just before Ihe 1999 c1l'Ction, the otherwise made its services available th/lt will focus o n taxt's and lead­ Whi~ the Premier oouJd ....-rut un­ Consu'I.'3tives had an eight- to 11- Fp's brochure was ership and culminate in an earh til June, 2()()o1, to go to the polls, point advantage over Ihe I~berals to local area candidates of every party. OC1ober YOU:. • e,'en Tory faithful say that would under Mr. McCuint)', a rookie The call will com~ "in th~ ne:fI test the endurance of a tcam that \('OIdcra t lhelillle. inserted, an unnamed se"cral days, assuming we gel _ was ready 10 go earlier Ihis yc;ar The New Democrats, under few things cleared up: said a sr· and is in high gear once again. leader , arc "senior Tory source " nio r Tory source. With pro\.jnciaJ Mr. ["es recent1y received good trailing .....j th 15% support in the electoral Jaws r~ulrinK a mini· marks from "ou'n for tus handhng 111051 recent sun'ey, but could It would be difficult to predict what mum 28-daycampaign, an elec­ oftheprcn.jnce·selectn citycrisis. play a k ~y roll in any minorit), predicts an election call tion anllouncemcnt tomorrow But., sU I'\'eys t.1kc n during andjust government scenario, something would allow foc- an Oct. 2 \'Ole. after the blackout show the Pre· that has not been ruled out. response may have occurred had Free­ "within days. " A call1atet in th~ week o r u rly mier's good perfonnance rating CUII U 'UI Nt:u.·J Suviu dom Party's brochure run in the This publication can also be found online at: www.freedomparty.on.calelection 2003lblow.pdf Feel free to download it, to e-mail it to others, and to print or copy as many as you like.

Tee shirts and other items bearing this cover art can be purchased online. Go to: www.cafeshops.comlfpontario to purchase yours. Authorized by "He considers himself a Mike Harris "[The Progressive Conservatives'] bungling of the April 76, 2003: Eves on a conservative but Ernie Eves spent Hydro privatization file, their delay of promised tax mortgage interest deduction: his first eight months in office repu­ cuts last year, and their disastrous decision to deliver "When I presented the cost to diating the Common Sense Revo­ their latest budget at an auto parts plant rather than [Mike Harris in 1996], he asked me lution of the former premier." in the Legislature, to cite just a few examples, are what drugs I was on. You c an't go - Robert Benzie, there." - Toronto Sun Notional Post Dec.30, 2002. all signs of a government that lacks direction and purpose." May 76, 2003: PC platform "It's disappointing" .Eves seems to - Toronto Sun EditOrial features mortgage interest be saying that everything Harris May 78, 2003. deduction. did was wrong. The 'pink Tories' have taken over the ship." On curriculum in independent - Richard Von Seters, member of Tory ''Blue Committee': schools: "These tax credits should quoted in Report Magazine, be available only to parents Jul. 22, 2002. whose children are in schools that teach the c urriculum set out by Ernie Eves : the Ministry of Education." - Ernie Eves, Globe and Moi, " ... a pale pink imitation of Nov. 76, 2007 Dalton Mc Guinty." "".Ontario Premier Ernie Eves, ''A serial waffler." the latest graduate of the Jean Chretien School of Leadership - Jim Flaherty, MPP, Avoidance ... " Ontario PC Party, - Barry Cooper and David Bercuson, Calgary Herold, Apr. 30, 2003. "Eves' style so far has been to take the line of least resistance, a marked change from his "Every day I grow more and more predecessor. .. " disappointed to be an Ontarian, a - Christina Blizzard, conservative Ontarian." Toronto Sun, Jon. 24, 2003. "I am not right wing ." - Boy Street executive, quoted in Globe and Moil, Jon. 23, 2003. "".for Mr. Eves, a ll that matters is Ernie Eves, PC Leadership race speec h, the next provincial election; long Nov. 74,2007 . "Unfortunately, I didn't know that term pain wi ll be someone else's we have a Premier who is a com ­ problem." plete lunatic"." - from ''Ernie Blows it Again': "Eves has now completed a 540 degree - Rebecca MacDonald, editorial, Notional Post Jon. 25, 2003. turn, In skating terminology, he has done President and CEO, a 11 /2 Axel .. ,Eves has also demonstrated quoted in Financial Post "Mr. Eves - apart from a willing­ Nov. 73, 2002. ness to alienate the party's core an ability to reverse direction on a dime if constituency while leaving the it is politically expedient. In just 1 1 months, "".a government that has shown in the past eight months that it hasn't broad centre distrustful of his Eves has performed U-turns on electricity competence - continues to dis­ met any policy that it didn't want to playa reluctance to make difficult deregulation, the sale of Hydro One, pen­ reconsider if there was any decisions, a certain ineptness in sion surplus regulations, nursing home fee electoral advantage in doing so." choosing staff, and a general lack - Murray Campbell, hikes, and his own severance pay", He can Globe and Moil, Dec. 23, 2002. of engagement with his rather always swallow himself again," important job." The To ries are in total disarray." - John Ibbitson, -Ian Urquhart, - Christina Blizzard, Globe and Moil, Nov. 25, 2002. Toronto Star, Mar. 24, 2003, Toronto Sun, Jon. 75, 2003.

\\Ontario l in particularl has been directionless since the pathologically centrist Ernie Eves took over as Premier last April,lI - Notional Post editorial, Jon. 16, 2003 Freedom Party

Leading in the Right Direction

Choice in Education Parental choice, including curriculum, teaching methods, and learning environment. Pay only for the school to which you choose to send your child. Reliable Electricity, Lower Price More companies cleanly generating more electricity. No borrowing, no rationing, no rolling black-outs, no brown-outs. Fast, Nearby, Top-Quality Health Care The freedom to access the health care you need, when you want it, where you want it, and from whom you want it. No rationing, no "queue". Freedom Party Just Right for Ontario

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Leading in the right direction ... Perfect fit McKEEVER TARGETS Can union man Sid Ryan EVES'SOCIALISM return Oshawa to the NDP fold? id Ryan seems to have fi­ "That's nice, bUt it's not going ONTARIO - September 21, 2002 - October 2, 2003 - In his first nally found the perfect fit. to help my daughter," West re­ election as Freedom Party's leader, Paul McKeever set his sights on the S He is, after all, a gritty plies. union guy. And Oshawa is a Curiously, Tory incumbent first obstacle to Freedom Party's electoral advancement: the perception hardscrabble union city, the kind J erry Ouellette isn't running that Ontario's Progressive Conservative Party (PC) was still a common of riding that once regularly re­ under the classic Tory blue tw"ned New Democrats to signs. Freedom Party candidate sense political party standing in opposition to government monopolies Queen's Park. Since 1995, Paul McKeever has hijacked the though, Oshawa has been a Tory colour. and market controls. Citing the election of Ernie Eves as leader of the bastion, although Ryan, the head Ouellette admits he's in a tight PC party, McKeever, at Freedom Party's official election kick-off of CUPE Ontario, wants to re­ battle with Ryan. Part of the prob­ turn the city, home of the mas­ lem, he says, is tllat his duties as event in Belleville on September 21 , 2002, called for a "re-assembly" sive General Motors plant, to minister of natural resources of those who still supported a common sense approach to government. the NDP fold. kept him out of the liding. Ryan points to downtown "The difficulty is, when I Oshawa and tells you it's was at Queen's Park and dying. dealing with forest fires You hear it from resi­ and softwood lumber, "Mr. Eves abandoned his party's former course," stressed McKeever. dents, as well. They Sid was out campaign­ "By amending it, he violated the spirit of the very Taxpayer Protection point to their downtown ing," Ouellette says. and wonder why it isn't "He's been door­ legislation that his own party made law. He did so so as to break with thriving like Milton's or knocking full time and Burlington's. phone-banking full the commitments of the Harris government. He did so to court the left, And in neighbouring time while I've been and , in doing so, opened very wide a door for a political party with a communities like Christina busy as an MPP." All Whitby and Bowman­ the same, ti)e NDP's track record of defending and supporting individual choice and personal ville the waterfronts Blizzard strong showing is responsibility." (See last issue of Freedom Flyer for a transcripl of McKeever's are attractively devel­ strengthening the oped Oshawa's is de­ Queen's Park resolve of the Tories address and for media reaction.) caying and the mari- and more volunteers na was threatened with closure. are showing up, Ouellette says. There's even a fight to keep the Liberal Chris Topple admits hockey team, the Generals of the this just isn't a riding where the It was this message, accompanied by vivid examples illustrating his OHL, in town. Grits have done well in living "Notbing attracts people into memory. In fact, they haven't point, that McKeever took to the media right across Ontario. A shrewd downtown Oshawa," says Ryan. won here in more than 50 years. observer of the political scene, many of McKeever's political Last election, he ran a poor third But he has hopes. in Scarborough Centre. This "I believe it's a horse race," predictions proved to be prophetic, even some that seemed quite hard to time, he's well organized and Topple says, adding that Ryan is has inherited some of Ed Broad­ "very condescending" at de­ believe at the time. Like his 2002 prediction that, as a consequence of bent's powerful election machin­ bates. A lifelong resident of the Eves' 4.3 cent per kWh price cap on electricity, Ontario would ery. city, Topple ran second to Ouel­ "Why should a community like lette in the 1999 vote. experience a power black out and rolling brown-outs as soon as Oshawa lose its marina when " 0 shawa is no longer an temperatures peaked in the summer of 2003. they are putting millions into NDP town. It's lost Whitby and Bowmanville?" he that CAW sponsor­ asks." Ryan points out that with ;;hip." Topple says things are "No borrowing, no rationing, no rolling black-outs, no brown-outs," its strong tax base from the GM "volatile," and can go any way. reads Fp's election brochure, written and submitted to the National Post plant, the city should be booming. Meanwhile, while Ouellette is He hears the same things as getting hammered on the left many months before Ontario experienced the black-out and a week of he goes door to door. Brenda from Ryan, he's being torpe­ Marley and Ian and Anne Mac­ doed on the right by McKeever, brown-outs in the summer of 2003. Leod are having a morning cup who not only swiped the Tory of coffee in a lakefront backyard. colours, he has taken over the They're upset at vandalism and entire right wing of the political pollution at a local pond. Anne spectrum, and sounds an awful GENERATING INTEREST IN ELECTRICITY complains about the doctor lot like a Mike Harris revolu­ shortage. She became ill with ti onary. His views are strikingly pneumonia last winter and sinlilar to those of Tory Jim Fla­ couldn't get care locally. Ryan herty, who represents the "The only way (they're) going to be able to save (their) skin, (whether rattles off the NDP mantra on neighbouring riding of Whitby­ health care. Ajax. we're talking Eves or McGuinty, because they're on the exact same When Ian raises the tax break "Eves is a red Tory in a blue page on this)," explained McKeever to interviewer Jim C hapman in the Tories will give to seniors, ribbon," says McKeever. Ryan steers them over to the "When we have a PC party led London (Jim Chapman Live, Rogers TV, November 27, 2002), "is if NDP plan for public auto insu­ by Ernie Eves, we really have rance, and says they'll save two Liberal parties and nothing they bring these nuclear reactors on line. more money on that than on a on the right. tax break. "That concerns me greatly. (McKEEVER . . conllnued onnex{ page) Brenda and Anne MacLeod Five years is a long tinle to be seem impressed. Ian doesn't ap­ governed by a Liberal, especially pear swayed, but he's at least po­ when you have a Liberal govern­ At Right: - from the Toronto Sun, September 19, 2003: Queens lite. ment federally." You hear similar concerns up Sure, the Freedom Party is Park Columnist Christina Blizzard notes that Fp leader Paul McKeever and down the street. April West considered a fiinge, but with "not only swiped the Tory colours, he has taken over the entire right is a health care worker, but she's Ryan taking votes from the left primarily concerned about and McKeever pulling away wing of the political spectrum, and sounds an awful lot like a Mik e sch091s· She's upset at the way votes on the right, Ouellette's in the Tories cut Grade 13. a fight for his political life. Harris revolutionary." "We're talking about putting Blizzard appears Wednesdays, Fridays $2 billion back in the school sys­ and Sundays tem," Ryan tells her. E-mail: [email protected] 10

(McKEEVER ... cont'd from previous page) doing is fooling people. Put a 4.3 cent Ontario generated more favorable cap on the bill, but the government public response to Fp's message than "Another huge mistake," explains keeps paying whatever the generator any other single identifiable media McKeever. "If you look at the history charges. So it's really a bit of a shell source. Host Steve Pakin's tight, infor­ of electricity and how we got into this game." mative and challenging interview cov­ mess in the first place, we were spend­ Describing how the price cap was ef­ ered all the basics: health care, ing billions upon billions to run these fectively a way in which to force education, electricity, property tax, price inefficient, cost inefficient people who conserve electricity into auto insurance reform (eliminating no nuclear stations when in reality what subsidizing the electric consumption of fault), and background information we needed to be focussing on was others, McKeever offered the follow­ about Fp leader Paul McKeever. more cleaner sources, renewable ing facts and explanation: sources of energy. "Residential consumption in Ontario is ONTARIO·S FUTURE ... 27%. The rest is conunercial and We shouldn't have been sinking $2 industrial. When a good portion of it billion of taxpayer money into putting is paid through the tax system, guess In a CTV Television news feature on Pickering A up --- years late, way over what? The guy's who's doing his part Freedom Party aired in Toronto Sep­ budget --- when in fact, even when we trying to keep the lights low and just tember 20, 2003, Fp leader Paul McK­ get it up and running, it's going to be use a li ttle bit of electricity pays a eever summed up Ontario's prospects very expensive to generate the small bill but is paying for a lot of for any meaningful change: electricity. Whereas if you had instead electricity that OTHER people use natural gas, water powered, air through the tax system. Who's hurt "We're going to be looking at 'Dalton powered, solar powered alternatives to most? The poor! Ironically they're Eves' or 'Ernie McGuinty' --- they re­ these things. What we're having right now going to be paying more for their ally are the same fellow when it comes now is policy made up on the fly electricity with the price caps, than to policy. The differences are minus­ without any reference to the to the they would have been paying without cule compared to what Freedom Party people who understand the system." them. (November 27. 2002 - Jim Chap­ is offering the public. We really are man Live, London) offering them the only program that THE PRICE CAP SHELL will make Ontario a better place." GAME McKEEVER on TAX REFORM Like the TV Ontario interview, CTV's "Eves is trying to distance himself "No more property tax? You would news item covered all the essential from his own party's decision to open say to people they don't have to pay policy issues, and in addition included up the price of electricity to any more property tax!?" reacted a footage of McKeever on the campaign competition," said McKeever. "Which somewhat disbelieving Steve Pakin to trail in downtown Toronto plus an in­ was wrong, not because there wasn't McKeever's proposal. "What would terview conducted in McKeever's own something to be done, but because he you replace it with?" law offices. did the wrong thing.

"We're saying that you've paid for that UNCERTAINTY ON THE "The right thing would have been to house with after-tax dollars," confi­ ROAD AHEAD explain to the public how they can cap dently responded McKeever. "It's your their own fees by entering into con­ house. You're 70 years old. Why McKeever's Election'03 message con­ tracts with retailers, and to explain to should you have to continue paying a tinually emphasized the fact that both them that this is a short term bumpy rent to keep it? Instead, what should Eves and McGuinty could not be ride that is the result not of free market happen is that if you're consuming trusted, no matter what promises they change, but (of) a pattern of twenty or services, you should pay for your might make to the public. thirty years of govenunent controlled, consumption. In conjunction with price-capped, overly-taxed electricity municipalities we would develop a suddenly coming on to your bill. The consumption oriented tax from which "If (Ontarians) cast their vote for the whole thing is shown; it's transparent. they could then derive the revenues Liberals and the Conservatives again, You can see it now. This is what needed to replace the property tax." they're going to get exactly what you've really been paying for electric­ Aired on September I I, 2003, they've gotten," predicted McKeever. ity all along. And now all he's really McKeever's Studio 2 interview on TV (McKEEVER .. . continued on next page) 11

At Left, Below: - from the front page Tories roasted at debate of Oshawa This Week, September 19, Education policies Unable to attend an Oshawa can­ for Oshawa for eight years." didates' forum hosted by local "I hate to ta lk about the incum­ 2003: Anti- Tory come under fire teacher un ions Wednesday night , bent when he's not here, but it's his sentiment was front the MPP and hi s Tory government choice," added Paul McKeever. BY LESLEY BOVIE were the evening's easy targets. leader of the Freedom Pany. "Let's and center in media SwjJWriter "An MPP is supposed to lobby face it, Jeny has a ministry that coverage of Fp leader OSHAWA - Somewhere across govemment on your behal f," said stocks fish ponds. 1 th ink there is a town, 's ears must Liberal Party candidate Chris Top­ Paul McKeever's have been ringing. ple. "But nothing's been happening See NO I' page 5 home riding of Oshawa. NDP would leave class models to bargaining

Ontario NO? from pag~ / the (NDP). had "(Fonner Education Minister) John to leave one hour into the debate 10 at­ Snobelen said he was going to create a s~~lf- life for politicians and Jerry's past tend another forum. while the Green crisis in educmion and that's the 'most iI. Pany"s Karen Tweedle left at the close successful program he's ever put in Election Organizers of the forum said the of the mt::dia panel's query. also for a pl

Below: - from the Toronto SUIl, September 30, 2003: Fp leader Paul McKeever's Official Platform message appeared as the paper's "Leller of the Day" two days before Ontarians cast their votes. Given the brief commentary made by Sun editors at the end of McKeever's message, it was clearly no secret which party would be winning the election.

LETTER OF THE DAY . -' -- - . . .

FELLOW ONTARIANS, you have the cowardly arrogance that schools your children do not at­ the opportunity to elect your mem­ schemes and flip-flops to avoid the tend. All are committed to rationed ber oLthe Ontario Legislature as loss of power and prestige. A pre­ health care. All are in favour of ec­ little as once every four or five mier who will work to facilitate On­ onomically naive, dangerous and years. That is a long time between tario's success, not someone who irresponsible price controls for elections. Consider how much has seeks only the easiest route to electricity. changed in your life since 1999, or avoid failure. The Freedom Party of Ontario 1995. From electricity to choice in believes the greatness of a society In T.hursday's provincial elec­ schools, the very things that is determined not by its govern­ tion, you will, in effect, be choos­ brought the Tories to power - a ment's tendency to divide a single ing your representative in a crew commitment to breaking up gov­ loaf of bread evenly, but by the ef­ that will guide Ontario over some­ ernment monopolies, to more forts of its members to produce times stormy seas. But your vote competition, and to more .choice enough loaves for everyone. Indi­ will also play a much more impor­ and personal responsibility - have vidual choice, personal responsi­ tant role: It will determine whether now been ejected by the new red bility, dignity, prosperity and jus­ Ontario will merely follow the Tory management of the Ontario tice: That is Freedom Party's vi­ wind, or travel purposefully in a PC party. sion for Ontario over the next four clearly mapped direction to a bet­ . In its place is a scatter-brained, or five years. You can find out terfuture. make-it-up-as-you-go, grease­ more about our platform at This is no time to sell your vote every-squeaky-wheel style of gov­ www.freedomparty.on.ca and we for a few cheap "wedge-issue" ernance. have 24 candidates running across promises, In exchange for your On the issues that will still mat­ the province. It all starts with your vote, you deserve a clear vision for ter five years from now - educa­ vote on Oct. 2. improvement and prosperity, not tion, health, electricity - you will Paul McKeever "experienced management" of the in fact see no real difference be­ Leader little you aJre.ady have. A govern­ tween the PCs, Liberals and NDP. Freedom Party of Ontario .ment \Vith_the courage to do what All of those parties are finnly com­ (Good luck. It appears all right is right. 'coosistenUy,..rather than • mitted to forcing you to p<\y for wing parties are going to need it) 12

(McKEEVER ... conl'd from previous page) Chapman Live interviews aired in our socia li sm, not because of it," con­ London on Rogers Television. cludes McKeever. "More rules? If you "A host of uncertainty. We've go ne look in the Liberal handbook, you'll from crisis to crisis to crisis with thi s "People like to believe the Tories are find the word BAN or REGULATE government. I can't see it being any proposin g capitalism, but the fact of more than you'll see anything along different with Dalton McGuinty, who the matter is that if you look at the the lines of 'allow' or 'permit.' over the last week has changed about NOP, the Liberals and the Tories, their half of hi s policies 180 degrees from onl y so lution is more public ownership where he was two weeks ago. (Nov/02) of health care, more public ownership "There are two ways in which to make of sc hool s, 'public-ownership-public­ people do something. You can either ownership-public-ownership', which give them sugar, or you can give them CAPITALISM vs SOCIALISM can only mean 'tax-tax-tax' to fund a crack across the head with a whip. th em. That's not capitalism. That's Freedom Party essentially says: 'Let soc ialism as much as they want to "We are the only party proposing capi­ people make a profit. Give them a wrap it up in a capitalist robe. talism as a solution," McKeever clari­ reason to do something productive for fied in two separate pre-election Jim "We are successful in Ontario despite society, and they'll do it.'" (end}

( ... MESSAGE, conl'd from pg 4) Over 10,000 Fp Election'03 brochures were hand-delivered door-to-door by volunteers in the London-area riding5, distribution. Concerns expressed by the Globe and Mail thanks to the incredible efforts of volunteers Dave Durnin revolved not only around the double-entendre of the (who was our # I door-to-door distributor in Election'03), headline, but about the accuracy of the quotes on the Terry Clemens, and Dan Lenart. While the vast majority second page of the brochure. of people clearly reacted favorably to Fp's brochure, a Perhaps the most frustrating part of the experience was small but vocal minority predictably reacted with open knowing that virtually everyone at both papers who got to hostility to having received a brochure with the words "Just see the original brochure found it to be extremely Blow Me" in their mailboxes, and made sure to let us know. humorous, some even suggesting that it was the "biggest But the remarkable thing was this: without exception, when laugh they've had in months." Most notabl y, it was clear it was suggested by Fp president Robert Metz that they that neither the Globe and Mail or the National Post made simp ly discard or throw the brochure away if th::y found it its decision on any majority rule process, since in both the to be offensive, the typical response was: "No way. I'm cases, we were informed that it was only one executive or going to show it to my friends ... " person in authority who vetoed th e origin al version of the Mission accomplished. lend} ad. Representatives at the Globe and Mail did not appear interested in distributing our version with the revised headline, and thus the decision to go with the National Post Freedom Party was made. While some small papers and di stributors had no issues with distributing the original version of Fp's brochure (i.e., the St Marys Independent, Fanshawe College's Interrobang), other papers such as the Sarnia Observer Fp refused to accept Fp's advertising dollar with either version of the ad on the explicit grounds th at they supported another political party. Other di stributors, particularly in the Toronto area, refused to distribute Fp's brochure, incor­ Just right for Ontario! rec tl y arguing that they were prohibited by government­ imposed election black-out rules. Attempts to convince FREEDOM FLYER them that those rules do not apply to brochures (which is # 36 (September 2004) is published by the Freedom I'arty of Ontario. the fact), fell on deaf ears. Editor: Robert Metz. FREEDOM PARTY OF ONTARIO Freedom Party of Ontario is a fully-registered Ontario political party. Contributions are tax-creditable for Ontario resi dcnts. Statement of Principle: Freedom Party is founded on the principle that: "Evcry individual, in the peaceful pursuit of personal fulfillment, has an absolute right to hi s or her own life, liberty. and property. Membership: Basic: $10 per year; Provincial Executive: President: Robert Metz; Vice-president: William Frampton; Chief Financial Officer: Paul Blair; Executive Officers: Paul McKeever, Gordon Mood, Carol Vandenberg; Parry Leader: Paul McKeever. Freedom Party of Ontario, 240 Commissioners Road West, London ON, N6A 4E3; Phone: 1-800-830-330 I; FAX: 5 19-68 1-2857; Web Site: www.freedomparty.on.ca; E-mail: rcedback@ lreedomparty.org