May 312018
 

radioAUDIO – DESCRIPTION:

On May 31, 2018, Tom McConnell (radio 610 CKTB AM / 1290 CJBK AM ) interviewed Freedom Party leader Paul McKeever in the run-up to Ontario’s June 7, 2018 provincial election. Among the questions McKeever was asked (and answered) were: Does FP have a costed platform?; What would you do about electricity in this province?; What about energy conservation programs?; Would you give a discount now and make consumers pay more later?; End the ban on incandescent lightbulbs?; What would your plans be for health care?; Is there anything in your platform re: mental health and addiction?; What would you do about the Beer Store, LCBO, and the proposed Ontario government pot-dealing monopoly?; Is there any agency, board, or commission that you would get rid of?; How many candidates are you running in this election?; Why aren’t you Freedom Party people under the PC banner, trying to effect change from within that party?; Would you re-write the Green Energy Act so that Ontario doesn’t pay more for electricity that Ontario sells it for?; Is the difference between the Freedom Party and the Libertarian party?; What are some of the other things in Freedom Party’s platform that you’d like people to be aware of (McKeever touches on issues such instruction in schools; policing and public safety at university speaking events; due process vs. workplace investigations)?; What is your party’s realistic goal in this election?; Would you be in favour of proportional representation?

NOTE: During the interview, McKeever quotes Ontario Libertarian Party leader Allen Small. Those quotations, together with a link to the source text, is provided here: Continue reading »

May 312018
 

radioAUDIO – DESCRIPTION:

On the May 31, 2018 episode of Just Right, Freedom Party leader Paul McKeever and Just Right host (and Freedom Party of Ontario president/CFO) Robert Metz discussed the coming, June 7, 2018 Ontario provincial election, and how the Ontario PC Party has essentially consisted of echoing Liberal spending promises, refusing to balance the budget, and refusing to address serious social issues. In other words: they are alienating both fiscal conservatives and social conservatives, hoping that people will vote not for ideas, but for a party with a name that just happens to have the word “conservative” in it.

Regular listeners to Just Right will recognize the voice of Andrew Lawton (in one of the audio clips used in the episode) speaking at a Freedom Party of Ontario dinner in 2013 about his journey from associating with a party devoid of pro-freedom ideas (the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario) to a party that has and promotes the right ideas and policies. Lawton praises the courage of those who run for Freedom Party because it takes more courage to do that than to run with a bigger party devoid of pro-freedom ideas. Five years later, Lawton agreed – for the 2018 provincial election – to be the Progressive Conservative Party candidate for the riding of London West. McKeever and Metz discuss integrity.

Whole Episode:
Continue reading »

Mar 022018
 

radioAUDIO – DESCRIPTION:

On March 1, 2018, the Andrew Lawton Show (AM980, London, Ontario) hosted a debate involving three of the four candidates for the leadership of the Ontario PC Party: Tanya Granic-Allen, Doug Ford, and Christine Elliott (Caroline Mulroney declined her invitation). On March 2, 2018, Lawton had representatives from two other political parties on his show to discuss the issue of how the three candidates had performed on the debate: the Ontario Liberal Party’s Deb Matthews (MPP for the riding of London North Centre and former Deputy Premier of Ontario) followed by Freedom Party leader Paul McKeever.

In his interview with McKeever, Lawton canvassed a number of issues. Former PC leader Patrick Brown (who resigned when accused by anonymous women of sexual “misconduct”) had already introduced the PC’s 2018 Election Platform, which offered a number of new spending items (including tax credits for the purchase of snow tires, dentistry subsidies etc.), all funded by a federal carbon levy. However, all of the candidates to replace Brown oppose the levy, which was widely recognized to raise the question of how the PCs would pay for the billions of dollars in new spending set out in their 2018 election platform (a point echoed by Matthews during her interview with Lawton). Accordingly, after discussing the (in)competency of the PC leadership candidates, Lawton focused primarily upon the issues of resolving the problem with the PC platform, and of balancing the the Ontario budget. McKeever gave an example – drawn from Freedom Party’s numerous Opposition Budgets – of how the budget could be balanced while improving access to healthcare in the province.

You can listen to the March 1 debate, to Lawton’s interview with Matthews, and to Lawton’s interview with McKeever, below.

March 2nd McKeever Interview:

March 2nd Matthews Interview (including introduction to the program):

March 1st PC leadership debate:

Continue reading »

Feb 132018
 

In anticipation of the June 7, 2018 Ontario provincial election, Freedom Party of Ontario released its 2018 Election platform in the early morning of February 13, 2018. In 2011, Freedom Party had released the world’s first-ever election platform audiobook and, for 2018, it again produced an audiobook version of the its platform (released at the same time). In the run-up to the election, the plaform also could be viewed in html format. Continue reading »

Jan 272017
 

radioAUDIO – DESCRIPTION:

On January 27, 2017, on The Andrew Lawton Show (CFPL AM 980, London, Ontario), Robert Metz, president and CFO of Freedom Party of Ontario, was interviewed by host Andrew Lawton about changes to the way political parties are financed in Ontario, and about proposals to replace Ontario’s first past the post electoral system with a system of proportional representation.

Lawton and Metz first discussed Ontario provincial Bill 2 (the Election Finances Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016), which simultaneously gives the Liberal, Progressive Conservative, NDP, and Green Parties millions of taxpayer dollars, annually, while imposing a barrier to the private funding of political parties (specifically, lowering the maximum contribution to $1,200 per annum, down from over $9,000.00 per annum). Metz explained that the bill takes away the public’s power over political parties because the government pays the bigger four parties out of tax revenue, regardless of whether those parties are representing the views of the public. The bill handicaps independent candidates too. The bill isn’t about funding elections: it’s about funding the biggest political parties year after year so that they can keep a lock on power, and prevent any emerging parties from competing with them. The law also violates freedom of association: it prohibits a party leader from attending his or her own fundraising events. Metz explained that one of the other purposes of the legislation is to allow political parties to spy on one another, and their contributors. Overall, said Metz, the new law “closes the door to the democratic process.”

After discussing the financing of political parties, Lawton and Metz turned to the issue of electoral reform. Metz explained that although Freedom Party might benefit a bit from a switch from our current “first past the post” system to a system of proportional representation, Freedom Party is against a switch to proportional representation. The Westminster model should be considered “sacred” said Metz. Freedom Party is in favour of principled governance, which is undermined by the minority government that results from proportional representation.

Listen to the interview:

Continue reading »

Jan 182017
 

radioAUDIO – DESCRIPTION:

On January 18, 2017, Freedom Party leader Paul McKeever was a guest of The Tom McConnell Show (1290 AM CJBK, London, Ontario, and and CKTB-AM 610 St. Catharines, Ontario) and was interviewed about the passage of the new Ontario provincial Bill 2 (the Election Finances Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016). McKeever explained that all present MPPs from all three parties in the Ontario provincial Legislature – including Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown and NDP leader Andrea Horwath – voted unanimously in favour of giving their parties a taxpayer funded allowance that, over the next four years, will pay the Liberals, PCs, and NDP the lion’s share of over $47M.

McKeever explained that one false pretext for the allowance was that the elimination of corporate and union contributions, and the lowering of the individual contribution limit to $1,200.00, will result in a reduction in funding to the parties, and that the allowance is to make up for the short fall. That pretext is false, because – for the Liberals, PCs, and NDP – the amount of the allowance is far greater than the amounts they were able to earn from total voluntary contributions.

McKeever explained that another false pretext for the allowance is that the parties need enough money to pay for the election in a way that will make democracy sufficiently vibrant. That pretext is false, explained McKeever, because the limit on election spending is 80 cents per elector, but the amount of the allowance being paid the Liberals, PCs and NDP is several times the 80 cent limit: they are paying themselves far more than they would need to finance their entire election campaigns on taxpayer funds.

McKeever explained that the new legislation essentially puts a $10 price tag on each ballot. McKeever argued that Canadian soldiers have fought and died to maintain democracy in Canada, which includes not having to pay to vote. We’ve already paid for the ballots with the blood of Canadian soldiers and that of Canada’s allies.

McKeever explained that, by giving the Liberals, PCs, NDP and Greens an allowance (the Liberals, PCs, and NDP have excluded all other parties – the Greens excepted – from getting an allowance, yet all parties are having their contribution limits lowered anyway…which amounts to a 25% reduction in private, voluntary funding to Freedom Party, based upon 2014 figures), MPPs will have less need to be accountable to the general public. With the government paying them the money they need, MPPs can ignore the demands of their parties’ voluntary contributors.

McKeever condemned the allowance as anti-freedom, anti-democratic, and an attempt by the Liberals, PCs, and NDP to ally with one another to prevent competition from other, emerging political parties. He said that Freedom Party is opposed to funding political parties with taxpayer dollars and would work to end the taxpayer funding of all political parties.

Listen to the interview:

Continue reading »

Jan 132017
 

radioAUDIO – DESCRIPTION:

On January 13, 2017, on The Tom McConnell Show’s ‘Vox Pop’ segment (1290 AM CJBK, London, Ontario, and and CKTB-AM 610 St. Catharines, Ontario), Freedom Party of Ontario supporter Scott Williams-Oakes (a.k.a. “The Brick Wall”) advised McConnell’s listeners about the per-vote subsidy that taxpayers must pay to the Liberal, Progressive Conservative, NDP, and Green Parties (all other political parties receive no subsidy and have had their private contribution limits slashed). The subsidy, and the limits on contributions to smaller parties, are the result of the passage of Ontario provincial Bill 2 (the Election Finances Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016).

Listen to the interview:

Continue reading »

Jan 122017
 

radioAUDIO – DESCRIPTION:

On January 12, 2017, on London At Large (1290 AM CJBK, London, Ontario), Robert Metz, president and CFO of Freedom Party of Ontario, was interviewed by host Al Coombs about Ontario provincial Bill 2 (the Election Finances Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016), which simultaneously gives the Liberal, Progressive Conservative, NDP, and Green Parties millions of taxpayer dollars, annually, while imposing a barrier to the private funding of political parties (specifically, lowering the maximum contribution to $1,200 per annum, down from over $9,000.00 per annum).

Listen to the interview:

Continue reading »

Nov 222016
 

2016-11-22-essexVIDEO – DESCRIPTION:

On October 29, 2016, Freedom Party held a dinner in London, Ontario at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn. The theme of the dinner: Embracing Climate Change. The dinner’s MC, Robert Vaughan, recognized certain honoured guests (including former party leader Lloyd Walker, and authors Dave Plum and Scott Williams-Oakes), and recognized the recent passings of Ray Monteith (FPO candidate and supporter), Wayne Forbes (FPO candidate and supporter), and Jack Plant (former party leader). FPO party leader Paul McKeever then presented Dr. Christopher Essex (the Guest Speaker of the dinner) with a Freedom 200 pins for his contribution to the party. Vaughan then gave the party’s traditional Toast to Freedom. Following the meal, McKeever gave a short speech about government’s role in defending every individual’s freedom to pursue his own happiness, and about Freedom Party’s application of that principle to the issue of climate change: a Freedom government will stop all governmental efforts to fight the climate, and will instead adapt to the effects of climate change, as needed and appropriate. Thereafter, Professor Essex gave a compelling speech explaining the importance of not allowing ethics and politics to influence the interpretation or collection of the hard data of natural science. Robert Vaughan then gave a humourous closing comment before attendees mingled.

Continue reading »

Sep 302016
 

2016-10-29.embracing-climate-thumbDESCRIPTION:
Two-page hardcopy letter from Robert Metz to members and supporters of Freedom Party of Ontario, inviting them to Freedom Party’s October 29, 2016 “Embracing Climate Change” Dinner at the Best Western Lamplighter Hotel in London, Ontario. Mailed to members and supporters via Canada Post. Enclosures include: promotional poster (8.5″x11″), a response form, and a self-addressed return envelope. Continue reading »