VIDEO – DESCRIPTION:
In 1984 and 1985, Freedom Party of Ontario’s Action Director, Marc Emery, and Freedom Party’s president, Robert Metz (who also was chairing the No Tax for Pan Am Games Committee), campaigned against a bid by London business persons to have taxpayers foot the bill to have London, Ontario host the 1991 Pan Am Games sporting event. On London cable television, host Stan Hall interviewed Emery and Metz about their efforts. Continue reading »
VIDEO – DESCRIPTION:
In this cablecast and newscast from December 3, 1984, Freedom Party supporters, organized as the No Tax for Pan Am Games Committee, are seen holding up signs (at London City Hall, during a council meeting) in opposition to London using tax revenues to pay for the hosting of the 1991 Pan Am Games. This recording ends with snippet from a separate newscast that was recorded on the same video tape. Continue reading »
Contents:
Big Pan-Am vote coming up Monday, December 3 at City Hall be there; Over 500 responses received by Nov. 22; Horton Street cost jumps by $1 million; St. Thomas Olympic size pool goes unused & unpaid for; St. Thomas to use grant as study plan for closed ‘Y’; New Orleans Expo ’84 goes bankrupt nothing left after $400 million sunk into project; B.C. Expo ’86 costs rise from $150 million in 1980 to $800 million today; World’s fair files for bankruptcy; Equador backs out of 1987 Pan-Am Games, can’t afford it; Winnipeg 1967 Pan-Am games ran $6 million in the red ($20 million in 1984 money); Montreal Olympic debt now exceeds $1 billion; We get some yes to games responses too; London Magazine features Gord Hume & Pan-Am Games bid; Some interesting letters and comments from our supporters; Is London ‘desperate’ for a ‘shot in the arm’?; We need your help; The future of our campaign. Continue reading »
VIDEO – DESCRIPTION:
In late fall of 1984, during Freedom Party of Ontario’s “No Tax for Pan Am Games” campaign – opposing taxpayer funding of a London, Ontario bid to host the 1991 Pan Am Games – CBC’s Monitor program did a profile of those in favour of the bid, and those opposed to funding for the bid. Freedom Party’s campaign was initiated by Freedom Party Action Director Marc Emery, who is interviewed. Also interviewed is Gord Hume, then chair of the Pan Am bid committee. Continue reading »
AUDIO – DESCRIPTION:
This news report on 6X radio in London canvassed the positions of various stakeholders favouring or opposing London’s Pan Am Bid Committee’s bid for London to host the 1991 Pan Am Games at taxpayer expense. Freedom Party Action Director Marc Emery was one of the four individuals interviewed and was, of course, opposed to taxpayer funding for the games.
NOTE: In the report, Emery makes several references to “our group”. The group to which he is referring is Freedom Party and its No Tax for Pan Am Games Committee, which had its own newsletter.
Contents:
Openers: Democracy, Resignations & Appointments; “There’ll be no democracy for Freedoms” (newspaper coverage); “If you didn’t win one of these, you’re lucky” (newspaper coverage); Freedom (Party) on the Job Wins First Round at Eaton’s; Letters to the Editor re: Eaton’s; “Eaton’s workers reject union” (newspaper article); Freedom Party’s Opposition to Tax-financed Hosting of 1991 Games Produces Overwhelming Support; INSERT: “The London Citizens’ Guide to The Tax-Paid 1991 Pan-Am Games Bid”; “Pamphlet challenges Pan-Am Games bid” (newspaper coverage); Letter to the Editor (Robert Metz); “Aldermen concede city split on issue of Pan-Am Games” (newspaper article); “Speak up, supporters” (newspaper coverage); What is the Government Doing to Your Neighbourhood?; Get Involved (this means you!); University of Western Ontario Homecoming Party Not Held at Own ‘Home’; “Why London should review grant to UWO” (letter to editor – Marc Emery); Cartoon (Marc Emery and the Gatewood riots issue); Building Our Reputation: Community Involvement and Its Rewards; Prosperity as the Road to Freedom; Campaigning for Success (not for votes); A Sample Interview with FP Action Director; Wanted!; Our Record for 1984. Continue reading »
AUDIO – DESCRIPTION:
On November 29, 1984, Sportscall’s host, Gary Alan Price, invited two of London’s 1991 Pan Am Games Bid Committee members – Dr. Bert Taylor and Jim Hardy – to be his guests. The show fielded calls from listeners, including Freedom Party Action Director Marc Emery. Emery called in to ask why the bid committee couldn’t finance the games with privately-contributed money, instead of with taxes. He condemns the Bid Committee’s activities and philosophy as immoral.
Contents:
No-Tax Pan-Am booklet goes into second printing; New domed stadium for Calgary goes 1 million over budget; This is your newsletter; Like 1984 Olympics, Pope’s visit fails to generate tourist bonanza; London Free Press refuses to print our side of the story; We need your help. Continue reading »
AUDIO – DESCRIPTION:
On October 19, 1984, in London, Ontario, revellers in the Gatewood Crescent area (most thought to be students of the University of Western Ontario) smashed beer bottles on the street and driveways, and urinated on lawns, gardens, and automobiles. Local residents found themselves virtually helpless against the collective onslaught of over 1000 party-goers. Despite police attempts to disburse the crowd by using tear-gas, verbal and physical onslaughts against residents continued into the hours of dawn. On a Wednesday (it’s not clear which Wednesday) in November of 1984, the radio station at the University of Western Ontario broadcasted a one-hour discussion about the Gatewood riot. Panelists included Freedom Party of Ontario’s Action Director, Marc Emery. Emery found himself having to pronounce explicit moral judgement against those who did not seem to have any regard for, or understanding of, the property rights of others.
NOTE: This recording was featured at pages 11 to 12 of Issue 4 of “Freedom Flyer”, the September to December 1984 issue of Freedom Party of Ontario’s official newsletter.
Description:
After Freedom Party distributed – to 20,000 Londoners – a letter from Marc Emery opposing taxpayer funding for London City council’s bid to host the 1991 Pan Am Games, Emery prepared a second document, which he titled “The London Citizens’ Guide to the Tax-Paid 1991 Pan-Am Games Bid”. Like the letter that preceded it, the second publication again was distributed by Freedom Party beginning on October 9, 1984 and this – the second version – was distributed beginning on October 17, 1984. In the guide, Emery described v. 2 of the guide as follows:
This is the second (and now, newly revised and updated) 1991 Pan-Am bid information package that I’ve prepared for my neighbours in London. Its purpose? To illustrate and voice my strong disagreement with the principle of tax dollars being used to host the event in London. To this end, I’ve examined city hall’s record of intervention in the realm of business, art, and culture, while always bearing in mind the many other projects city council is considering — or has already committed itself to.
NOTE: Another version of the “The London Citizens’ Guide to the Tax-Paid 1991 Pan-Am Games Bid” booklet was printed a little over one week earlier and distribution of that version started on October 9, 1984. Notably, the earlier version had been a City Lights bookstore public service (City Lights was Emery’s bookstore), whereas this second version was billed a public service of both the bookstore and the newly created (by Freedom Party) No-Tax for Pan-Am Committee, chaired by Freedom Party president Robert Metz. Both versions are available in this archive. Continue reading »