Freedom Flyer September 1986 Cover

Freedom Flyer 8

the official newsletter of the
Freedom Party of Ontario

September 1986




LARGEST PETITION IN LONDON'S HISTORY PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL!

Fp Action Director Marc Emery (at left) encourages one of his customers to sign petition at his City Lights Bookshop.
Fp Action Director Marc Emery

Fresh from a fall municipal election just three months earlier, London aldermen voted themselves a 32.6% increase in pay. Two weeks later, P.U.C. (Public Utility Commission) Commissioners obtained a 43% increase in pay. (Normally, annual pay increases to elected municipal officials would range between 5 and 8 per cent.) To make matters even worse, a year earlier, London school board trustees voted themselves a 36% increase in pay.

Enough was enough! Public reaction was immediate and negative.

Why was the issue of pay increases never raised during the municipal election? If the pay or conditions of being an alderman were unacceptable to those who won council seats, why did they bother to run in the first place? --- especially when there were other candidates more than willing to accept those conditions! What about the "integrity" and "fiscal responsibility" they promised in return for being elected?

Although these questions were in the minds of the London electorate, City Council made every effort to evade them. By the timing of their action, it was clear they were counting on the well documented belief that voter memories are very short. With three years until the next municipal election, the voters will surely have forgotten all about it.

But not if Freedom Party Action Director Marc Emery could help it! Having barely recovered from his own municipal election defeat, Emery seized upon the opportunity to prove that everything he had been saying about the realities of municipal politics was now being demonstrated by those who denied his claims.

Within the month following the self-awarded pay increases, Emery, in conjunction with the support of Freedom Party, began a city-wide petition drive to protest City Council's action. Ads encouraging public participation were placed in the London Free Press and the London Pennysaver (a weekly shopper), and the response was overwhelming.

Within five weeks, an army of volunteers managed to collect, verify, document (by name, address, and ward number), and present to London City Council over 5,000 signatures protesting the increases.

From the start of the campaign, media coverage was prominent; By the time April 30 rolled around (the day the petition was presented to City Council), coverage was given in the London Free Press, all the local radio stations, Kitchener television, and in the Ontario pages of the Toronto Star.

Despite the fact that the petition contained, in at least one case, over 1,000 signatures from a single ward, the petition was completely ignored by Council, thus making its refusal to even acknowledge it a new subject of media attention.

Council was so contemptuous of the petition that alderman Bob Beccarea, during an interview on CJBK Radio (London), proclaimed that he "could easily gather 5,000 petitions to support our raise. Besides, has Marc Emery ever been in favour of anything?"

Although, as expected, none of the aldermen rolled back their pay increases, much was achieved. Over 200 Londoners called Freedom Party offices to help out, and hundreds more responded by mail, offering to recruit signaturers. Dozens asked for information about the party behind the petition, while the 5,000-plus people who signed up are now on file for future contact should similar issues a rise.

Significantly, Emery & Freedom Party were seen by the public as a means through which to channel constructive protest. Ironically, many voters who voted against Emery during the previous municipal election expressed their deep regret at having done so. Needless to add, they will definitely be reminded of Council's action prior to the next municipal election, and of Freedom Party's support in having helped them express their feelings on the matter.

Special congratulations and thanks must be extended to Steven Sharpe, Lloyd Walker, Harry Dean and Peggy Cross, whose efforts in collecting signatures extended well beyond the call of duty.

In any event, our message was heard loud and clear --- and will be heard again when the opportunity is ripe.




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