Freedom Flyer March 1996 Cover

Freedom Flyer 29

the official newsletter of the
Freedom Party of Ontario

March 1996




NATIONAL ATTENTION
FOCUSED ON TAXPAYERS' COALITION COUNTER-PROTEST
TO UNION SHUTDOWN

LONDON (December 11, 1995) - Fp members Jim Montag and Craig Stevens were catapulted into the national media spotlight when they organized a one-day project, designated "Londoners Transporting Citizens," as a "constructive protest designed to show support for the Harris government spending cuts."

"Our LTC project is only secondarily a protest against the illegal strike action instigated by labour leaders," emphasized Montag in repeated interviews and media statements.

Montag and Stevens are the chair and vice-chair of the London-Middlesex Taxpayers' Coalition (LMTC), which officially sponsored the project. (Other executive members of the LMTC include Fp president Robert Metz and Fp secretary Robert Vaughan. Montag was also a Freedom Party candidate in Election'95.)

Because London's public buses (run by the London Transit Commission (LTC)) were shut down due to the illegal walkout, the LMTC rented vans and sought out volunteer drivers and additional vehicles from the community to transport citizens on December 11 at no charge. Two designated "bus routes" were established, along which drivers traversed for the entire day, from approximately 7:15 am to 7:00 pm.

MEDIA OVERWHELMING

From the moment the LMTC publicly released its intentions to stage a counter-protest to the union shutdown, coast-to-coast media attention on the campaign was intense and consistent for the entire week preceding the planned union shutdown.

Virtually all national television and radio networks, as well as most major newspaper dailies, attended the LMTC's media conference held on Thursday, December 7, 1995 (11:00 am) at the London City Press Club. Their cameras and attention focused on the many volunteer drivers who attended to sign up and schedule themselves in for the routes to be covered. Security measures were discussed, and questions fielded by the media generally related to fears of union violence that could disrupt the LMTC's efforts.

Both Montag and Stevens repeatedly reiterated their commitment to avoid confrontations at all costs, and advised volunteer drivers to steer away from any possible situations that might look threatening.

In addition to the general media coverage given the event, Montag reports that he conducted interviews and commentaries with media from coast-to-coast, including: Talk 640 Radio (Toronto), CBC Calgary (Ann Petrie), CBC TV (Toronto), Toronto Star, CITY-TV (Toronto), CITY Pulse (Toronto), CBC French TV All News Network, CBC French coast-to-coast national network, CBC (French, Windsor) Radio, CKCO TV (Kitchener), CKSL Radio (London), CBC Radio Toronto, CKLW Radio (Windsor), and CHOW Radio (Toronto).

While locally, the London Free Press was generous with its space allotted to the announcement of the LMTC's transit service in advance of the event, a December 9, 1995 editorial commentary by Morris Dalla Costa accused groups like the LMTC of "fostering confrontation between workers and government." (!?!) Dalla Costa did not attend the LMTC's media conference, and has in past directed similarly uninformed commentaries against the LMTC and, in particular, against the personal motivations of LMTC chairman Jim Montag.

"They profess to care about the worker," wrote Dalla Costa, in reference to the LMTC, the London Chamber of Commerce, and some members of London council.

"In reality, they don't give a rat's butt about the worker or the fact they may lose a day's pay. All they care about is preventing labor from using this day as a sounding board that would pillar the agenda of their god and saviour, Mike Harris," he concluded.

By December 11, twenty vehicles and thirty drivers were selected and scheduled into their respective "bus routes." There were more volunteer drivers available than necessary, so some had to be turned away. Citizens wishing to get a ride would simply have to wait at a regular bus stop along the route, where they would be picked up by flagging the vans and cars which were identified by an 'LTC' sign. While the national media was devoting its lead stories to the LMTC's counter-protest on December 11, the London Free Press devoted only about two lines to the LMTC's efforts, with the balance of coverage that day given to union protestors and their issues. No further mention of the LMTC's campaign or its impact was made by the paper. However, other media cameras and reporters followed drivers and their vehicles from their starting point at a London mall early in the morning. Over the day, "Londoners Transporting Citizens" managed to give rides to about 1500 people, including a group of protesting strikers who were headed home after their day of protest.

"To the credit of protest organizers," remarked Montag, "there were no problems experienced at all. They did an excellent job of keeping things under control."

In addition to having transported people inconvenienced by the OFL labour shutdown, the LMTC's campaign offered a positive alternative to traditional protests and opened many doors of opportunity for future political influence with the current government. Organizers and volunteers of "Londoners Transporting Citizens" deserve a warm round of applause for both their courage and their efforts.


London firefighter and Fp member Paul Blair reacts to being called a "scab" for his participation in the LMTC counter-protest in this letter from the London Free Press, December 23, 1995.




Contact FP
Freedom Flyer Newsletter

e-mail

Page last updated on April 28, 2002

FP logo (small)