Candidates and Campaigns...

Fp WELL REPRESENTED IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO

With Freedom Party headquartered in London, it should come as no surprise that the London area was the best represented in terms of fielded candidates during Election'95. Eight geographically connected ridings radiating out from the London area were all represented by an Fp candidate, creating an awareness of Fp in the area that as yet does not exist in other areas of the province. Our eight London-area candidates appear below.

• Lloyd Walker - London Centre
• Rob Smink - Perth
• Maureen Battaglia - London South
• Jack Plant - London North
• Barry Malcolm - Middlesex
• Wayne Forbes - Lambton
• Ray Monteith - Elgin
• Jim Montag - Oxford

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Lloyd Walker

Age:

41

Occupation:

Technical support analyst at Kellogg's.

Community work:

Middlesex-London Optimists, member/past director; Neighborhood Watch, captain; Freedom party vice-president since 1986; Canadian Society for Production and Inventory Control, executive member of the London Chapter.

Personal achievement:

Working with and watching Freedom party grow over the past 10 years; being a part of nearly every party activity during that period.

Greatest personal strength:

Standing up for what I believe in and working hard to achieve it.

Why voters should elect me:

In a word: consistency. Over the past 10 years I have been working with Freedom party promoting less government and more individual freedom and responsibility. That message hasn't changed. The voters know what I stand for. Even Joan Smith (then solicitor general) said: "If people elect a lot of people from Freedom party they'll get less regulation." That thought was true in 1984, when the Freedom party was founded, and it's still true today. Many of our platforms - fiscal responsibility on the part of the government, the need to remove regulations that are damaging the economy of Ontario, and the desire of people to make more of their own choices - have all come to the forefront. It's time to make a change for the future.

Rob Smink

Age:

44

Occupation:

Self-employed businessperson in recycling and entertainment.

Community work:

London Chamber of Commerce, member; active in pet therapy for seniors; founding member of Freedom party (1984).

Personal achievement:

Honors BA in philosophy and history (University of Waterloo). I have started four successful businesses from scratch, including a viable wood recycling business.

Why voters shouldelect me:

Government isn't part of the solution any more, it's part of the problem. It's now to the point where taxpayers need protection from socialist politicians who think government has all the answers if we only let them spend more of our money. Since all issues eventually become money matters, Freedom party would protect us with a Taxpayer Protection Act that incorporates maximum tax limits, a flat-rate tax system, binding referendum on any future tax increases and balanced budget legislation. Freedom party also supports a voucher system for education. Money is always the most important issue in any election, however it might be disguised. We would like to see more of it spent by those who earn it, not by governments that only confiscate it.

Maureen Battaglia

Age:

40

Occupation:

Sales representative for a Canadian wine company.

Community work:

Past daycamp leader at a community centre; HALT and London Middlesex Taxpayers' Coalition supporter; founding member of Freedom party.

Personal achievement:

Extended and improved the quality of life for my mother by being personally involved in her palliative home care.

Why voters should elect me:

People are demanding a positive alternative to the three main-line parties this election. Taxpayers have been left a $100-billion debt that we'll have to live with for decades! As your candidate, I represent ordinary working people who are angry about what's happened in Ontario. I want to start unraveling the mess politicians have made of government. My top 10 reasons to vote Freedom party include: effective law enforcement standards and objective courts, reduction of bureaucratic red tape to business - meaning fewer restrictions and costs; a taxpayer protection act, choice in where your education dollars are directed - public or private - elimination of MPP super pensions and more. In my opinion, ordinary people striving to improve the government is the future for Ontario.

Jack Plant

Age:

43

Occupation:

Firefighter.

Community work:

I have worked very hard for seven years within the Freedom party for the rights of the smallest minority in society - the individual; opposing the intrusion of special interest groups and government into their lives.

Personal achievement:

Becoming the leader of the Freedom party and helping it become a credible political alternative.

Why voters should elect me:

I am vehemently opposed to the overwhelming intrusion of government into our lives. The advocates of such intrusion can no longer claim humanitarian motives now that we have seen the results it has produced. Multiculturalism, official bilingualism and employment equity are but three of the most noxious government policies. Innocent, law-abiding people are being ever more consistently persecuted by unjust and restrictive legislation and regulation, while criminals are literally getting away with murder. I encourage everyone who is fed up with politics as usual and voting for 'the lesser of three evils' to support Freedom party, a principled political party. We believe the purpose of government is to protect the individual's freedom of choice, not to restrict it.

Barry Malcolm

Age:

40

Occupation:

Supervisor in pollution control operations.

Community work:

Supporter of the Strathroy Minor Soccer League; ad hoc volunteer.

Personal achievement:

Still striving to become the best father and person I can be.

Why voters should elect me:

Middlesex voters need an effective, principled politician to restore policies that promote prosperity and freedom with personal responsibility. To buy votes for themselves, the big three parties have practised backroom politics in regards to which region, group, or special interest will get taxpayers' money. The big three use universality to bribe taxpayers into believing that the government is providing a net benefit. Taxpayers must be allowed to retain as much of their incomes as possible to provide for their families, their communities and their choices, not to provide for a political strategy implemented to win the next election. I will continue to work for Middlesex voters' right to choose for themselves during, and after, this election.

Wayne Forbes

Age:

54

Occupation:

Businessperson.

Community work:

Founding member of Grand Bend Taxpayers Coalition; past member of chamber of commerce; past candidate for Grand Bend village council.

Personal achievement:

I have been successful at any endeavor I have been involved in.

Why voters should elect me:

I am a practical, commonsense person. I talk with people all the time about our problems and find that 98 per cent of them are saying what I believe. I don't listen to special interest groups, but I listen to the common people. Like them, I am disgusted by the abuses of our welfare system and groups that take advantage of the generosity of Ontarians. The major parties have had their chance to run our province and have essentially run it into the ground. It's time for a change. Freedom party and I believe the individual deserves an opportunity to fight back against the excesses of big government and we intend to offer them that chance.

Ray Monteith

Age:

74

Occupation:

Retired Conrail conductor.

Community work:

Local tax fighter and activist; charitable welfare work in community.

Personal achievement:

With wife Doris, who passed on in 1988, I was a foster parent to 175 children over a period of 20 years.

Why voters should elect me:

Voters who are sick and tired of the established political parties should know that the Freedom party is an intelligent alternative. The waste of taxpayer dollars is staggering, and politicians should be held accountable for making laws that are so unnecessary in today's society. The more laws we have, the closer we get to becoming a police state. Let's all stand together and oppose these infringements on our fundamental freedoms or we may end up all falling together with a lot of unjust laws unacceptable to all of us.

Jim Montag

Age:

65

Occupation:

Retired telecommunications technician.

Community work:

Founder and chairperson of London Middlesex Taxpayers Coalition.

Personal achievement:

Thirty-nine years of uninterrupted work in the same occupation.

Why voters should elect me:

I would make every effort to eliminate the waste of taxpayers' dollars. I have signed the taxpayers' protection pledge. I believe any tax increase should be subjected to a binding referendum. I believe in freedom of choice with responsibility. The biggest problem in Ontario is the debt of $100 billion and I would undertake any effort that could reduce and eliminate this debt. I believe in equality for everyone and special status for no one.

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Page last updated on April 30, 2002