Libertarians step up to run in Ontario election

Eric Cummings 

Eric Cummings is running for the Libertarian Party | Timmins Today:

May 2, 2022 - "Temiskaming Shores resident Eric Cummings has announced his candidacy for the upcoming provincial election as a candidate for the Ontario Libertarian Party in the Timiskaming-Cochrane riding. Cummings grew up in the Temagami area and has an education background in natural resource management and work experience in both the public and private sectors.

"He ... is an advocate for conservation and has sat on the Fisheries Management Zone 11 Committee and has been a long-time member/supporter of Ducks Unlimited Canada. In a news release he says he 'is adherent to the principles of the Ontario Libertarian Party, individual freedom, personal responsibility, respect, and fairness.'"
Read more: https://www.timminstoday.com/local-news/libertarian-party-candidate-enters-race-in-the-timiskaming-cochrane-riding-5318912

Ontario election officially on | Brantford Expositor - Michelle Ruby:

May 4, 2022 - "It’s election time in Ontario and races in Brantford-Brant and surrounding ridings are underway. In Brantford-Brant, six candidates are registered so far for the June 2 election, attempting to unseat incumbent Progressive Conservative Will Bouma, who is seeking his second term as MPP. They are Liberal Ruby Toor, Harvey Bischof for the NDP, Karleigh Csordas for the Green Party, Tad Brudzinski for the New Blue Party of Ontario and Libertarian Rob Ferguson.... 

"Ferguson served as the interim Libertarian party leader in 2019. He has been a candidate municipally, provincially and federally. In 2019, he withdrew from both the federal election and the leadership race for the Ontario Libertarian Party due to health reasons."
Read more: https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/ontario-election-officially-on

Gventer seeks NDP nomination ahead of provincial election | Owen Sound Sun Times - Postmedia News:

May 3, 2022 - "Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound’s runner-up in 2018 ... Karen Gventer is seeking the local NDP nomination ahead of the 2022 Ontario general election.... If successful in the nomination bid, Gventer will join a field that includes Grey County Warden Selwyn Hicks, who is running for the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Liberals. Rick Byers has been appointed by Ontario Premier Doug Ford as the Progressive Conservative candidate. Grey Highlands Coun. Danielle Valiquette is running for the Green Party, paralegal Suzanne Coles will represent the Ontario Party, while Great Lakes freighter engineer Dan Little runs for the Ontario Libertarian Party and Vince Grimaldi has entered the race for the New Blue Party of Ontario."
Read more: https://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/news/local-news/gventer-seeks-ndp-nomination-ahead-of-provincial-election-3

Provincial election: Who are the candidates? | Sudbury.com

May 5, 2022 - "With the Ontario Legislature dissolving yesterday, it’s official provincial election season in Ontario between now and voters hitting up polling stations on June 2. That is, in addition to the 10 days of advance voting that have been allowed this election season. Although candidates have until 2 p.m. on May 12 to file their nomination paperwork, the following are Greater Sudbury’s candidates as of today.... 

Sudbury.... 
Ontario Libertarian Party – Adrien Berthier....

"The Ontario Libertarian Party follows the libertarian mindset of independence from government and 'challenges the right of government to restrict trade in any way, or to force citizens to support through taxes projects they will not willingly support on the free market,' according to their website."
Read more: https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/provincial-election-who-are-the-candidates-5334765

Ontario Election Roundup: Who will represent ridings across Simcoe Muskoka | CTV News - Kim Phillips:

May 5, 2022 - "Campaigning is underway for the June 2 provincial election, with several familiar faces vying for a seat at Queen's Park....Here's a look at the candidates in Simcoe Muskoka and surrounding areas....

YORK-SIMCOE....
Zachary Tisdale - Libertarian."
Read more: https://barrie.ctvnews.ca/ontario-election-roundup-who-will-represent-ridings-across-simcoe-muskoka-1.5890687

Rob Ferguson withdraws from federal election

Libertarian candidate withdraws from federal election | Brantford Expositor - Vincent Ball:

September 24, 2019 - "Libertarian Rob Ferguson is withdrawing as a candidate in Brantford-Brant for the Oct. 21 federal election. Ferguson, 44, cited health reasons in announcing his withdrawal Tuesday.

"'I have to put my health first,' he said. 'I had a massive heart attack after the last federal election (in 2015) and recently I was starting to feel fatigued and seeing some of the signs of ill health. I spoke with my family and my physician and we all agreed that it’s probably best that we sit this one out.'

"He said running for office is stressful because candidates must knock on a lot of doors, attend all-candidates meetings and be prepared for questions from voters.

"'I’m thankful for the support I have had over the years from the public groups and the inclusion of Libertarians here in Brant surpasses any riding across the county,' ... Ferguson said. 'Once my health is better I plan to return to fight for the cause.

“'The riding of Brantford-Brant has been good to me as a candidate.'

"The Brantford resident received 515 votes in the 2015 federal election. He has also run municipally and provincially and has served as interim leader and deputy leader for the Ontario Libertarian Party."

Read more: https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/libertarian-candidate-withdraws-from-federal-election
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Ferguson running for LP of Canada in Brantford

Candidates off and running! | Brantford Expositor - Vincent Ball:

September 11, 2019 - "Voters in Brantford-Brant will have plenty of choice when they cast their ballots on Oct. 21. With the official start of the federal election campaign on Wednesday, there are five candidates so far challenging incumbent Conservative Phil McColeman.... Sabrina Sawyer, of the New Democrats, Danielle Takacs, of the Liberal Party, Bob Jonkman, of the Green Party, Dave Wrobel of the People’s Party of Canada and Rob Ferguson, of the Libertarian Party....

"Ferguson has run unsuccessfully at the municipal level, as well as provincially and federally. He said he intends to talk a lot about leadership during the campaign.

“'When I look at the leaders of all the other parties, I see a sad state of affairs,' said Ferguson, who is the Ontario Libertarian Party leader. 'I don’t think any of them have earned the trust of Canadians. We’re offering Canadians something different, a different platform and clearly Tim Moen, our leader, is the only one to lead our country.'

"Nationally, the Libertarian Party has been hurt by the emergence of the People’s Party of Canada, Ferguson said. But he noted that the Libertarian Party has been around for a long time and is not a populist movement."

Read more:  https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/candidates-off-and-running
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Gene Balfour declares for Ontario LP leadership

Leadership
by Gene Balfour

'Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results' is the definition of insanity - Albert Einstein 

I have been a libertarian candidate in six elections (2 by-elections) and have never attained more than 1.36% of the popular vote. Until December of last year, I planned to run my seventh for the Libertarian Party of Canada.

Today, I am one of 312 candidates for the People’s Party of Canada in the federal election. I have also registered for the November 2nd election for Leader of the Ontario Libertarian Party. I have been enormously inspired by the accomplishments of Maxime Bernier and the book Right Here, Right Now by Stephen Harper.

Max is a “minarchist” (Less Government) Libertarian like me. I am aligned with his policies and can confidently speak to the public about them. I see no conflict in being a Libertarian and running for the PPC.

Last month, I attended the first People’s Party of Canada Convention which hosted nearly 500 candidates and their riding association executives from across Canada. This event was superbly organized! The election training and workshops were excellent. The speakers were fabulous. Max’s closing speech was historic! He delivered it with such skill and passion that I got goosebumps. Every person I met  at the Convention was positive and energized to succeed. Max has convinced me that he is the best choice for Prime Minister of Canada by far.

So, why am I writing about my personal experience with the PPC and Max?

Speaking as an OLP member since 2007, I know clearly now what kind of leader I wish to follow going into the next provincial election. My wish list is a tall one, but I like the advice of Norman Vincent Peale: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”

I want the next OLP Leader to inspire me to reach beyond my own limits in an effort to bring Libertarian principles and values to the residents of Ontario.

This Leader must:

• Lead by example - to demonstrate consistently that he or she has thoroughly  embraced our Libertarian Constitution and ByLaws,  and is committed to interact with every one of our OPM Members and the public in accordance with them. 
• Unite  all OLP members under a political platform of ideas that will inspire a commitment to Party goals. It is urgent that we put aside our differences and approach the next election in solidarity as ‘one voice’. 
• Inspire others to join the OLP Executive and Ethics Committees. Vitally important is the need for the Leader and Executive Committee Chairman to work closely and effectively in order to achieve consistent and steady progress towards preparing the OLP for its best ever showing in 2022.
• Build a large and engaged Membership community. To this end, the OLP Leader must become a recognized public figure. This means being publicly visible, attracting media attention, Internet followers and crowds of people at regular public events. 
• Become an expert fundraiser and magnet for volunteers. Every election campaign is constrained by funding and help. We can change this.

As of this writing, our Convention delegates will have 4 choices for Party Leadership as presented by Rob Ferguson, Keith Komar, me and NOTA (‘none-of-the-above’ has always been a valid option for electing OLP Party Officers).

May the words of Norman Vincent Peale guide your choice. 

Ferguson seeks new term as Ontario LP leader

August 26, 2019 - Rob Ferguson, leader of the Ontario Libertarian Party, announced on Facebook on August 11 that he will be seeking another term as leader, with the goal of leading the party in the 2022 provincial general election.

Ferguson, a 10-year party veteran, was elected deputy leader at the 2017 Ontario LP convention, and became leader following the 2018 election after the resignation of Allan Small. The following is Ferguson's Facebook announcement in full:

"I have been in the trenches with our candidates and members for 10 years promoting liberty. I have spent the last year rebuilding the party now it is time to move forward. We have a stronger foundation to build on. If elected party leader will start on the road to 2022 which includes platform development, candidate recruitment & promotion of the Ontario Libertarian Party. The biggest part of being leader is respect, I respect our members. I ask for your support, vote but most importantly your trust. Vote Rob Ferguson Ontario Libertarian Party Leader. To join the party of choice visit us https://libertarian.on.ca Feel free to email me at leader@libertarian.on.ca"

https://www.facebook.com/ferguson4liberty/photos/a.10150243549931523/10156902039716523/?
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Ontario LP leader Rob Ferguson interviewed

Interview with the Leader of the Libertarian Party of Ontario · 71 Republic - Brennan Dube:

November 11, 2018 - "The Libertarian Party of Ontario has seen impressive growth over the past several years.... The party only fielded 5 libertarians in the 2003 election..... In the 2011 race, the libertarians fielded 51 candidates out of a possible 107 and garnered 0.45% of the popular vote.... 2014, ... the libertarians ran 74 out of a possible 107 and scored 0.81% of the vote. [This year the] Ontario libertarians were able to field 117 candidates (94.3%).... Even though the party only got 0.75% of the popular vote, they nonetheless picked up a record high of 42,918 voters....

"I had the privilege of interviewing former deputy leader and now current leader of the Ontario Libertarian Party, Rob Ferguson....

"Ferguson: 'I grew up in a Conservative family and ... I can even remember our families home was turned into a campaign HQ on some occasions. As I grew up I decided to become a member of the New Democratic Party.... My stint with the party lasted less than a year.... I found myself then exploring the Family Coalition Party.... During the time leading up to the provincial election in 2011, ... I left the party and just hours later found myself in contact with some executive members of the Ontario Libertarian Party. I ended up coordinating and training 12 candidates in the 2011 provincial race, and I ran myself as well. I have always been about family values and the party’s positions on individual liberties, property rights and personal responsibility fit me perfectly....

"'From a philosophical standpoint, libertarianism is so unique and when you start to apply the basic principles of libertarianism to issues we see brought up every election you see that yes, this makes sense. The notion of personal responsibility and property rights are key points within the libertarian ideology. One of my biggest influences is former Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier. He is a prime exemplar of classical liberalism in Canadian politics. I also find myself often quoting Margaret Thatcher. One quote of hers I often find myself repeating is, "The problem with socialism is that eventually, you run out of other people’s money."

"'Allen Small did a ton for this party as its leader, and he has left us in a very good place going forward ... he was always on top of things and he put a ton into his job. Now that I have taken the mantle from him I think that the number one priority should be to amend our party’s constitution and make it more coherent with the digital age....

"'[I]t’s refreshing to see more and more liberty minded people putting their names out there.... However, I am skeptical of the [People's Party], what I say is simple, you can either join a new party that may or may not last or you can stick with a movement that’s been growing for 40 years and is seeing its absolute best growth now. I welcome Bernier and his new party to the table but ... as for me, I’m sticking with the Libertarian Party.

"'We’ve seen incredible growth; over the last few elections we’ve seen votes go up, membership go up and candidates go up. To maintain our growth, we need to continue to aim towards running full slates. By updating our party constitution and by-laws and fixing internal policy we can ... modernize the party. A few of the ridings that we weren’t able to fill candidates in were up in Northern Ontario and by targeting those areas in 2022 and continuing to run full slates we can continue to see solid growth and work towards winning seats in the next few election cycles....

"'In the age now of social media when you spread the message to a few it can reach many so just getting out and speaking to as many people as possible is truly the way to best engage voters. Here in Brantford I think I have succeeded in that, just recently I was out at a store and an individual turned to me and said, "hey, aren’t you Rob Ferguson?" and I laugh because my wife says it seems like we can’t go out anymore without people coming up to me or recognizing me.'"

Read more: https://71republic.com/2018/11/11/interview-libertarian-party-ontario-rob-ferguson/
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Ontario LP activist Ferguson's first federal run

Libertarian candidate enjoying first run at federal seat - Mike Peeling, Brant News:

August 19, 2015 - "Beyond being the Libertarian Party of Canada candidate running for the riding of Brant, Rob Ferguson could soon be the focus of a nationwide campaign pushing for new national leadership.

"Ferguson, who has been legally blind since birth, said Monday in an interview his face could show up in an anti-Stepher Harper meme highlighting his blindness.

"'It will say something like, "I may be blind, but it's not hard to see Canada needs better vision and leadership",' Ferguson said....

"This will be Ferguson's first run at a federal seat after three unsuccessful runs at Brant's seat in provincial parliament and two for a seat on Brantford's city council....

"Ferguson has also taken on the role of CEO for Brant's Liberty Association, the newly established riding association. His wife, Kalena, is the association's secretary and Ferguson's campaign manager.

"The association is starting small with only 20 members.

"'I feel confident our membership will grow,' he said, noting the party needs to create a stronger support system. "We're going to start attending parades and community events'....

"Ferguson proudly pointed out he has been voted best political candidate in the Brant News Readers Choice awards.

"'I think it's my dedication to the community,' he said 'I've alway lived and worked here, and I want to make a difference regardless of whether I'm in office or not.'

"Ferguson says he will always take the time to help anyone who calls him with a problem, pointing to his successful efforts to get warning signs installed in a neighbourhood where a deaf child lives, and to get the city to trim trees that posed a risk to residents."

Read more: http://www.brantnews.com/news-story/5804500-libertarian-candidate-enjoying-first-run-at-federal-seat/

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Ferguson gets LP of Canada nod for Brantford

Ferguson making first federal foray - Sean Allen, Brant News:

January 6, 2015 - "At least one additional candidate will be throwing his hat into the ring for the 2015 federal election in Brantford-Brant.

"In addition to candidates from the Conservative, Liberal, NDP and Green political parties, Brantford’s Rob Ferguson will stand on the ballot as the local candidate for the Libertarian Party of Canada.

"Ferguson and the Libertarian party are becoming synonymous in Brant, with Ferguson standing as the provincial candidate during the past two campaigns.

"He said the federal party executive was happy to name him the candidate when he put his name forward.

"'I’m excited for my first federal election,' Ferguson said.

"He has run in the municipal election twice and as a provincial candidate three times – once for the Family Coalition party.

"'It’s getting to the point where I have some name recognition and people will occasionally stop me because they know who I am and want to talk politics,' Ferguson said.

"As a staunch advocate for the Libertarian platform and regional co-ordinator for the provincial party, Ferguson said a lot more people like the ideals of the party than those who mark his name on the ballot at election time.

"'People are supportive,' he said. 'Everyone can get behind the bottom line mantra we have of "do no harm".’

"Although he collected fewer than one per cent of the vote during his past two provincial campaigns, Ferguson is pleased with the outcome of his efforts.

"'It’s not always about winning,' he said. 'It’s about making sure the alternative viewpoint is out there for people to consider.'"

Read more: http://www.brantnews.com/news-story/5244251-ferguson-making-first-federal-foray/
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Ferguson thanks supporters - Brantford Expositor

Ferguson thanks supporters - Brantford Expositor - Ontario - Rob Ferguson, Letters to the Editor:

"I would like to say what an honour it was to be the Libertarian candidate for the office of Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Brant.

"I would like to thank all those who supported me through this campaign; I was proud to serve as a candidate. I would like to thank my wife and family for their support, without which I would have never filed for the position.

"I would like to also thank the Ontario Libertarian Party for all of their support during the campaign."

Read more: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3329970

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