AUDIO – DESCRIPTION:
On January 23, 1985, CHRW 94.7 FM’s “Forum” program interviewed Freedom Party Action Director Marc Emery about the London bid committee’s bid for London to host the 1991 Pan Am Games at taxpayer expense. Emery and Freedom Party’s No Tax for Pan Am Games Committee opposed the bid on the ground that it would leave taxpayers footing the bill to host the games, and to pay for the white elephants left behind.
Also interviewed was bid booster Gord Hume.
Contents:
No-tax for Pan-Am supporters pack City Hall!; Special thanks; What are we trying to accomplish; Big money in product endorsements by Canadian Olympic medallists; More Olympic pools swimming in debt; Our mistake; Pan-Am Games could be held in London-southwestern Ontario without building expensive white elephants; Promises promises; Expo ’86 – another fine mess they’ve gotten us into; Letter to the editor. Continue reading »
VIDEO – DESCRIPTION:
In this TV London News newscast from late 1984 or early 1985, it is reported that London, Ontario’s Pan Am Games bid committee – committee of London businessmen and others who are trying to get the city to pay (with tax revenues) for a 1991 hosting by London of the Pan Am Games – is reducing the size of its bid. The report speculates that a reduction of the amount sought by the committee may be in response to the expansion of the No Tax for Pan Am Games Committee’s efforts to inform Londoners about the costs and the over-stated benefits of making taxpayers foot the bill. The No Tax for Pan Am Games Committee was led by Freedom Party of Ontario president Robert Metz, and worked in conjunction with the efforts of Marc Emery, who spearheaded the opposition effort. Emery, at the time, was a co-founder of Freedom Party, and was its Action Director. Continue reading »
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.