The Freedom Party of Ontario is a provincial political party in Ontario, Canada. It was founded on January 1, 1984 in London, Ontario by Robert Metz and Marc Emery, as a successor to the Unparty. Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English, French (in some areas) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 106 24 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 4th... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: The Forest City Area: 421. ... Robert Metz is a politician and political activist in Ontario, Canada. ... Marc Emery wearing his 420 jersey. ... The Unparty was a libertarian provincial political party in Ontario, Canada, that was founded in 1980 by members of the Ontario Libertarian Party (notably, Toronto, Ontario anarchist Marilou Gutscher) who had left that party after a disagreement over strategies. ...

Founding

The Unparty was a political party founded and registered (under Ontario's election finances legislation) by Mary Lou Gutscher, who had been previously been associated with the Ontario Libertarian Party. Metz and Emery were active in building the Unparty organization, and the party was handed over to them when Gutscher decided not to pursue the project any further. The Ontario Libertarian Party is a political party in Ontario, Canada that was founded in 1975 as an offshoot of the Libertarian Party in the USA. It is inspired by the philosophical ideas of such authors and thinkers as Jan Narveson, anarcho-capitalist socio-economic ideas of Murray Rothbard. ...

Ideology

The Freedom Party is usually described as a party of the libertarian right, but actually opposes libertarianism's tolerance for anarchism, and instead espouses political "freedom" in the sense that term is used in Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. The party refers to itself not as libertarian, but as capitalist. Instead of embracing the libertarian motto that "the government that governs least governs best", the Freedom Party asserts that "the purpose of government is to protect every individual's fundamental freedoms, not to restrict them." See also Libertarianism and Libertarian Party Libertarian,is a term for person who has made a conscious and principled commitment, evidenced by a statement or Pledge, to forswear violating others rights and usually living in voluntary communities: thus in law no longer subject to government supervision. ... Anarchism originated as a term of abuse first used against the working class sans-culottes during the French Revolution. ... Ayn Rand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Objectivism is the philosophical system developed by Russian-born American philosopher and writer Ayn Rand. ... In economics, a capitalist is someone who owns capital, presumably within the economic system of capitalism. ...

History

The Freedom Party has fielded candidates in every provincial election since 1985, and well as in several by-elections. It has also participated in public policy debates, often on contentious social issues. This article is about the year. ...

1984-2002

The FpO was best known in the 1980s for its campaigns against censorship and provincial laws that restricted Sunday shopping rights. Robert Metz, the party's first president, spoke for the party in 1987 when he argued that the Sunday shopping debate was fundamentally about freedom of choice for the retailer and consumer.^[1] Leading FpO members also opposed legal restrictions on pornography and the private consumption of drugs, arguing that the state did not have the right to legislate in such matters.^[2] The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ... Sunday shopping refers to the ability of retailers to operate stores on Sundays, in countries where Christian tradition typically require a day of rest. Rules governing Sunday shopping vary around the world but most European nations continue to not allow Sunday shopping, although it has been introduced in the Netherlands... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pavonazzeto marble sculpture, see Erotic art in Pompeii Pornography (from Greek πορνογραφία pornographia — literally writing about or drawings of prostitutes) (also informally referred to as porn or porno) is the representation of the human body or human sexual behaviour with the goal of sexual arousal, similar to, but distinct from, erotica...

On economic issues, the FpO supported tax reductions and opposed provincial welfare programs.^[3] It was also critical of the Ontario Human Rights Commission and of affirmative action programs.^[4] Some prominent former members of Voice of Canadians, a now-defunct group that opposed official multiculturalism and official bilingualism, have affiliated with the FpO since the 1990s.^[5] In 2000, FpO executive member Paul Blair distributed party brochures at a "straight pride" parade in Toronto, organized by Raphael Bergmann as a response to the city's gay pride parades.^[6] Welfare has four main meanings. ... The Ontario Human Rights Commission was established in the Canadian province of Ontario in 1961 to administer the Ontario Human Rights Code. ... Affirmative action (U.S. English), or positive discrimination (British English), is a policy or a program promoting the representation in various systems of people of a group who have traditionally been discriminated against, with the aim of creating a more egalitarian society. ... Voice of Canadians was a right-wing political advocacy group that existed in Canada during the 1990s. ... Multiculturalism is the public policy for managing cultural diversity in a multiethnic society, officially stressing mutual respect and tolerance for cultural differences within a countrys borders. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The Freedom Party of Ontario is a small political party in Ontario, Canada. ... Template:Hide = Motto: Template:Unhide = Diversity Our Strength Area: East to West: 43 km North to South: 21 km629. ... Raphael Bergmann is the founder and original leader of the London, Ontario based neo-Nazi Northern Alliance. ... Gay Pride in San Francisco Gay Pride banner, Duke University, NC Gay Pride, Place de la Bastille, Paris The gay pride or simply pride campaign of the gay rights movement has three main premises: that people should be proud of what they are, that sexual diversity is a gift, and...

Metz became the first official leader of the party in 1987, and served until 1994 when he was replaced by Jack Plant. Plant stepped down in 1997, and was replaced by Lloyd Walker. All of the party's leaders between 1987 and 2002 were from London, and the party's activities were organized primarily from that city. The party newsletter, Freedom Flyer, was published on an occasional basis, and back copies are now available online. 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV in Roman) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... Jack Plant is a politician in Ontario, Canada. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lloyd Walker is a politician and political activist in Ontario, Canada. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Free speech issues

The Freedom Party has opposed government restrictions on free speech and freedom of expression throughout its existence, arguing that the state has no right to intervene except in cases of defamation. Marc Emery frequently challenged Canada's censorship laws during his years as an FpO organizer via the private bookstore he operated in London. Emery was convicted of selling obscene material in 1991 after selling controversial recordings by the rap group 2 Live Crew, and was given twelve months' probation.^[7] He also sold the banned pro-cannabis journal High Times, and openly violated provincial restrictions against Sunday shopping.^[8] Marc Emery wearing his 420 jersey. ... 1991 (MCMXCI in Roman) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2 Live Crew is one of the most controversial rap groups ever, largely due to the sexual themes of one album, As Nasty As They Wanna Be (1989). ... Species Cannabis indica Cannabis ruderalis Cannabis sativa This is one of several related articles about cannabis. ...

During its early years, the Freedom Party opposed section 177 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which made it a criminal offence to publish false statements. Although section 177 was rarely used, the government charged Ernst Zündel under that section in the 1980s for publishing false statements about the number of people killed in Germany's holocaust. At trial, Zündel was convicted, but the conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court of Canada: that court held that a law against the publication of false news violates the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Freedom Party shared the Court's view that law against the spreading of false news violates freedom of expression and, for that reason, the conviction appeared in a Freedom Party calendar as a "Dark Day in Individual Freedom" (the calendar is available online here). It should be emphasized that the FpO did not endorse the substance of Zundel's message, but rather his right to propagate it without state interference. Zündel Ernst Christof Friedrich Zündel (sometimes spelled Zundel or Zuendel) (born April 24, 1939 in Bad Wildbad) is a German Holocaust denier and pamphleteer who was jailed several times for publishing hate literature. ...

A similar situation developed in 1999. In that year, Raphael Bergmann and Tyler Chilcott of London, Ontario received a letter from the city's police force alleging that they were members of the Northern Alliance, a group described as propagating "extreme right wing beliefs". The letter "required" that the two men appear at police headquarters to clarify their opinions (the full text of the document may be read online here). The recipients of this letter refused to comply, and instead went to the headquarters of the Freedom Party to speak with Robert Metz. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Northern Alliance is a far-right, white supremacist organization based in London, Ontario, Canada. ...

As the two men were not charged with anything, Lloyd Walker, then leader of the FpO, requested that Solicitor-General David Tsubouchi provide a list of "extreme" political beliefs that could result in such police action. No response was provided by the government, and nothing more came of the matter. The Freedom Party's account of the situation may be viewed online here. It should again be emphasized that the FpO did not endorse the opinions of Bergmann and Chilcott. The office of the Solicitor-General is a former cabinet position in the Canadian province of Ontario. ... David Tsubouchi (坪内) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. ...

Since 2002

The party has been partly restructured since 2002, when Oshawa lawyer Paul McKeever replaced Walker as party leader. McKeever argues that the FpO is now targeted toward building an electoral base and that a new organization, Freedom Party International, has taken on its prior advocacy role. FPI now publishes the former FpO journal, Consent. Oshawa (2004 population 150,000, metropolitan population 296,298) is a city on Lake Ontario located 56 kilometres east of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Paul McKeever (born 1966) leads the Freedom Party of Ontario and the Freedom Party of Canada, two small political parties advocating unfettered capitalism. ... Freedom Party International organizes political parties and publishes papers and periodicals, centered around the concept of individual freedom. ...

McKeever has criticized the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario for its movement toward the political centre since Mike Harris's retirement as party leader in 2002. He argues that the FpO has the ability to win over voters who formerly supported the "Harris Tories" but who have been disappointed by the party's direction under Ernie Eves and John Tory. The FpO promoted an electoral platform entitled "The Right Direction" for the 2003 election, arguing that with the PCs turning away from Harris's Common Sense Revolution, the FpO was the only remaining party with "common sense".^[9] The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party (PC Party of Ontario) is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. ... Michael Deane Harris (born January 23, 1945, in Toronto, Ontario) was the twenty-second Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. ... 2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ernest Eves (born June 17, 1946) was the twenty-third Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003. ... John Tory John Tory, LL.B , BA (born May 28, 1954) is a Canadian businessman and leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. ... Map of Ontarios ridings and their popular vote for their party elected The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the Legislative Assembly (Members of Provincial Parliament, or MPPs) of the Province of Ontario, Canada. ... The phrase Common Sense Revolution was used as a political slogan to describe common sense conservative platforms in New Jersey, Ontario and Australia in the 1990s. ...

On October 4, 2005, the Freedom Party released its 2007 election platform. It focuses on privatization in health care and education, deregulation of the electricity market, the replacement of property taxes with consumption taxes, and the elimination of the provincial income tax.^[10] The Ontario general election of 2007 is scheduled to be held on October 4, 2007 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. ...

On March 1, 2006, FpO leader Paul McKeever declared his candidacy in the Whitby—Ajax provincial by-election scheduled for March 30.^[11] March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Whitby—Ajax was a former federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons, and located in the province of Ontario. ... A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political office when the incumbent has died or resigned. ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (90th in Leap years). ...

The FpO is affiliated with the Freedom Party of Canada, an unregistered political party which was founded by Paul McKeever and Robert Metz on July 20, 2001. The Freedom Party of Canada (abbreviated to FpC) was founded on July 20, 2001 by Paul McKeever (then a member of the executive of the Freedom Party of Ontario) and Robert Metz (President and co-founder of Freedom Party of Ontario). ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

Election results

• March 31, 1988 provincial by-election - London North, 548 votes (1.7%), fifth of six candidates
• November 3, 1988 provincial by-election - Welland—Thorold, 260 votes (0.9%), fourth of five candidates
• April 1, 1993 provincial by-election - Don Mills, 161 votes (0.9%), seventh of eight candidates
• November 24, 2005 provincial by-election - Scarborough—Rouge River, 59 votes (0.4%), sixth of six candidates.

David Petersons Liberals, with support from Bob Raes New Democrats, form a minority government despite having fewer seats than Frank Millers Progressive Conservatives. ... David Petersons Liberals were returned to power with a large majority. ... As a result of serious scandals, David Petersons Liberal government was defeated by a large protest vote. ... The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada. ... The Ontario general election of 1999 was held in the Canadian province of Ontario in the late spring of 1999. ... Map of Ontarios ridings and their popular vote for their party elected The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the Legislative Assembly (Members of Provincial Parliament, or MPPs) of the Province of Ontario, Canada. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political office when the incumbent has died or resigned. ... London North is a former provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada. ... November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Welland—Thorold is a former provincial electoral division in Ontario, Canada. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Don Mills is a former provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada. ... November 24 is the 328th day (329th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Scarborough—Rouge River in relation to the other Toronto ridings The former borders of Scarborough—Rouge River, in place from 1996 to 2004. ...

Party leaders

1. Robert Metz (1987-1994)
2. Jack Plant (1994-1997)
3. Lloyd Walker (1997-2002)
4. Paul McKeever (2002-)

(Note: The party did not have an official leader from 1984 to 1987. Robert Metz was its president during this period. Lloyd Walker was initially chosen as leader on an interim basis.) Robert Metz is a politician and political activist in Ontario, Canada. ... Jack Plant is a politician in Ontario, Canada. ... Lloyd Walker is a politician and political activist in Ontario, Canada. ... Paul McKeever (born 1966) leads the Freedom Party of Ontario and the Freedom Party of Canada, two small political parties advocating unfettered capitalism. ...

See also

• List of Ontario general elections
• List of Ontario political parties
• Freedom Party candidates, 2003 Ontario provincial election

Beginning with the 2003 election, Ontario elections are held every 4 years in October. ... This article lists political parties in Canada. ... The Freedom Party of Ontario is a small political party in Ontario, Canada. ...

External links

• Freedom Party of Ontario official site
• Freedom Party International
• Freedom Party of Canada
• Freedom Party, USA
• Freedom Flyer
• Consent journal of ideas on individual freedom

Notes

1. ^  William Walker, "'Intolerance' blamed for Sunday law", Toronto Star, 26 February 1987, A4.
2. ^  David Helwig, "Garbage means votes, political party decides", Globe and Mail, 8 May 1987, N13 and Salem Alaton, "Canada Customs officials ship U.S. drug magazine back south", Globe and Mail, 1 November 1988.
3. ^  William Frampton, "GST makes us bigger slaves", Toronto Star, 21 March 1991, E4 and Diane Francis, "Cutting costs with Dutch clocks, sunset clauses", Financial Post, 29 September 1994, p. 15.
4. ^  Timothy Bloedow, "Human rights commission likened to Gestapo", Ottawa Times, December 1995 ([12]) and Burt Dowsett, "Equity policy "racist, sexist," trustee says", London Free Press, 17 May 1995 ([13])
5. ^  One of the VoC members to join the FpO was group chair Dick Field. The FpO endorsed the VoC's "Mark Me Canadian" drive in the 1996 national census. See ""'Mark me Canadian', says Voice of Canadians Committees", Freedom Flyer, March 1996. [14]
6. ^  Paul Gallant, "Just because they're crazy doesn't mean they're powerless", Xtra!, 29 June 2000.
7. ^  Christopher Harris, "2 Live Crew album ruled obscene", Globe and Mail, 17 July 1991, C1.
8. ^  Paula Adamick, "Rebel bookseller defies drug law", Toronto Star, 21 October 1991, A8.
9. ^  The document is available online here.
10. ^  The document is available online here.
11. ^  "Freedom Party Leader Launches Whitby-Ajax by-election Campaign", Freedom Party media release, 1 March 2006. [15]