LETTERS: How a Freedom government will afford eliminations of gas, beer, and health taxes

 All, FPO Open Letters
Sep 202011
 

As set out in Freedom Party of Ontario’s 2011 election platform, a Freedom government will eliminate the beer tax, the wine tax, the gasoline tax, and the health premium. One of Freedom Party’s candidates has been knocking on doors, campaigning, and asked me the following:

Have you ever been asked something to the effect: “Sounds great that FP is going to cut all these taxes, but what services are you correspondingly going to slash? What’s your hidden agenda?”

How would you address that?

Secondly, any general advice (other than stick to the planks) when it comes to doing interviews with media etc? What to avoid, emphasize, etc.?

I’ve had some amazingly positive responses from people re: FP. Even the partisan PC guy cleaning his gun was keen and interested in FP.

I replied as follows: Continue reading »

MEDIA RELEASE – Hudak PCs on Pan Am Games: Negligent, Hypocritical

 All, FPO Media Releases
Sep 182011
 

“Freedom Party leader and No Tax for Pan Am Spokesperson Paul McKeever is condemning PC Leader Tim Hudak for his too-little-too-late open letter of September 18, 2011 to Dalton McGuinty concerning cost over-runs in Toronto’s hosting of the 2015 Pan Am Games. Freedom Party formed a No Tax for Pan Am Games committee on August 24, 2009 to oppose taxpayer funding for Toronto’s bid to host the games, and has continued to oppose and document cost over-runs on its notaxforpanam.com web site. Until today, Hudak and the PCs have been utterly silent, and have offered up no defence of the taxpayer with respect to the 2015 Pan Am Games…” Click here to read the full media release.

MEDIA RELEASE – It’s Official: Freedom Government Possible for Ontario

 All, FPO Media Releases
Sep 152011
 

“Nominations closed at 2 PM today in Ontario’s provincial election and, for the first time, the Freedom Party of Ontario is running candidates in enough ridings to form a majority government. Ontario has 107 ridings. Fifty-four (54) MPPs are required to form a majority government. Freedom Party has nominated candidates in at least 56 ridings. Freedom Party is running candidates in all 24 Toronto ridings, giving it a full slate in the province’s most vote-rich region…”. Click here to read the full media release.

LETTER: Lifting McGuinty’s Ban on Pesticides Approved by Health Canada

 All, FPO Open Letters
Sep 132011
 

Freedom Party received an e-mail from a graduate student, K, who wrote, in part:

As a scientist-in-training, I applaud your party’s commitment to reason and in particular your suggestions to separate religious practice from schooling. However, I take issue with your party’s stance on pesticides.

There are two problems I have with this. The first is that it’s one thing to let people expose themselves to whatever toxic substance they wish, but nobody has a solid wall around their property that blocks windborn movement of pesticides, or insects (whose good health is important to birds, pollination services, and many small mammals). Consider it like having a neighbour blaring loud music at all hours of the day: their right to play loud music doesn’t override your right to be able to enjoy your property (including having a good night’s sleep).

The second I have is an issue of onus. While you argue that it is irrational to ban something that hasn’t been proven to be unsafe, I would argue the opposite: the onus is on government to regulate items that are not necessary (and really, a green lawn is not particularly necessary to one’s survival, ability to hold down a job, or have a family) that cannot be proven to be safe and impact everyone around them. Think of it like recreational drugs: I think it’s any one person’s (of age) choice to take recreational substances, but I don’t think people have the right to smoke indoors at their workplace where other people are forced to also consume that drug.

Toxicology is an immensely complicated science (and I’m appalled at the difficulties researchers in that field have with obtaining funding). And the tricky part about it is that testing on pregnant women or small children is unethical. But I think just because something hasn’t been proven to be safe, doesn’t mean it is. And we need to balance the benefits that item brings us versus the potential costs–I don’t think a green lawn is really more important than our health.

Anyway, I’m happy to hear what you think!

I replied as follows. Continue reading »

Freedom Party of Ontario’s 2011 Election Platform

 2011, All
Sep 072011
 

During the 2011 election, Freedom Party of Ontario released its election platform one plank at a time, beginning October 12, 2010 (Affordable Electricity). The 18th and final plank (Separating Public Schools and Organized Religious Practice) was released on August 2, 2011. Each plank was announced with a media release, and each plank release was accompanied by the release of a pre-election commercial that was viewable only on the web. Each plank release was also accompanied by an audio recording, available only on the web, of Freedom Party leader Paul McKeever reading the plank for the voter’s convenience. Freedom Party maintained a 2011 Election Platform web page. As each plank was released, a link to the plank was added to the Platform page. On September 7, 2011 – the day that the election writ was dropped for the 2011 Ontario provincial election – Freedom Party released its 2011 election platform as the world’s first-ever election platform audiobook.

HTML (web) version: https://freedomparty.on.ca/archive/elections/2011/platform/2011electionplanks.htm
AUDIOBOOK version: https://freedomparty.on.ca/archive/elections/2011/platform/2011-09-07.fpo-2011-platform-audiobook.m4b

SunMedia/Canoe: “Freedom leader slams LCBO”

 All, FPO Updates Blog
Aug 092011
 

updates-blog-entryAugust 9, 2011 – The St. Thomas Times-Journal (SunMedia/Canoe) today ran a big story today about Freedom Party of Ontario’s stand on making wine and beer sales legal in convenience/variety stores and grocery stores. The Liberals, NDP, and PCs are not in favour, but 60% of the Ontario public is. The story also features responses from the LCBO and the Ontario Ministry of Finance. Click here to read the article. Don’t forget to share it with your friends and acquaintances. And be sure to send a brief (3 to 5 sentence) letter to the Editor, expressing your views about the story, and the issue. You can submit your letter to the editor of the St. Thomas Time-Journal here. Continue reading »

 Older Entries  Newer Entries