Events of the Family Coalition Party of Ontario

An information and Strategy meeting was held in Ottawa on Monday June 5^th, 2006. Giuseppe Gori and Al Zawadski presented the party and introduced the plan for the near future.

The audience was very interested and several people indicated that they intend to help the party in the Ottawa area.

The 2006 Convention and Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday April 22 in Mississauga.

The meeting was a success! It was attended by over 50 people. More people came to hear our guest speakers, Michael Coren and Dawn Stefanowicz.

A Dinner with Prof. Don De Marco, Ph.D. and Strategy meeting Family Coalition Party meeting for the Region of Hamilton was held on Saturday October 15. The meeting was well attended and eighty people stayed for dinner.

Before dinner people were entertained by Bob Williams and Tony Gosgnac on the keyboard. A silent auction and an art exhibit were also organized.

Similar meetings will be held throughout Ontario to prepare for the 2007 election.

Ontario Conservative Party Leader John Tory at the 25th annual Gay Pride Awards

The 2005 Convention and Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday April 2 in Mississauga. The meeting was attended by about 70 people and most stayed for lunch.

In addition to the administrative part of the meeting, the audience was able to hear from three fantastic speakers:

- William Gairdner, columnist, author of several books, including "The Trouble with Canada" and "The War Against The Family", founding president of CIVITAS and chairman of Enshrine Marriage Canada.

- Don De Marco, Ph.D., professor, columnist and writer, Professor Emeritus at St. Jerome's college, University in Waterloo and Professor at Holy Apostles college in Cromwell, Connecticut, author of over 20 books, including "The Virtue's Alphabet" and "Character in a Time of Crisis", and regular columnist for several magazines.

- Rev. Tristan Emmanuel, Executive Director of the ECP Center writer, speaker and activist, author of "Christophobia - The real reason behind hate crime legislation".

We had a good feedback from our most active members about this meeting. The objectives for the party in the next two years were presented and discussed. The two most important objectives were to organize in every Ontario riding, and to increase our membership.

Parallel brain-storming sessions were held to hear the suggestions and comments from the participants on our strategies.

The meeting was well attended and most people committed themselves to working at least one hour per week towards our goals. These goals become even more important in view of Electoral Reform: Only if we can organize in every region we will be able to gather votes from every part of Ontario. These are the votes that will elect our first representatives. We will carry out the plan, but we need your help.

The Family Coalition Party held its 2004 annual convention and AGM on Saturday March 27th, 2004, at the Holiday Inn Select - 2565 Argentia Road, Mississauga

Over fifty people attended the full-day event. Several important policies were passed and a new Provincial Executive was elected.

Family Coalition Party Candidates, Executives and supporters held a Summit meeting on Nov. 1st, 2003 to evaluate the result of the Provincial Election and to plan for the next four years. The meeting was characterized by Power-point presentations, good attendance (about 50) and a very good lunch.

On March 29, 2003 the Family Coalition Party held a Convention at the Regal Constellation Hotel in Toronto and was very well attended.

As an Ontario Election is expected very soon, there was an AGM in the morning and a Candidate Information Meeting in the afternoon.

Invited speaker Ron Gray, Leader of the federal CHP, spoke in support of morality in politics and highlighter the Family Coalition Party;s "Unique Selling Proposition".

The election of the new Provincial Executive was chaired by Geoff Cauchi, LLB. See the new executive on our "Executives" page.

The afternoon session started at 2:00 p.m., when invited speaker Phil Horgan of the Catholic Civil Rights League, spoke about the assault on the family in Ontario and highlighted some current cases.

After a brief break, a Candidate Information Meeting was held, chaired by Peter Stock, specifically to address concerns and questions from our candidates for this election.

Scarborough Election Readiness Meeting

Ryan Kidd, Regional Director for Toronto East, answers questions from the audience.

A meeting in Scarborough on Saturday February 15 was a success, thanks to the hard work of Regional Director Ryan Kidd.

Giuseppe Gori addressed the crowd at 2:00 p.m., suggesting some of the policies and the reforms that the party would introduce if elected. People also commented on many ways in which the Family Coalition party can be effective in changing Ontario policies even before electing representatives at Queen's Park.

Several candidates were present at the meeting. In addition to Ryan Kidd and Giuseppe Gori, we recognized Dan Largy, Max Murray and Ray Scott. Alex Cassar, Ben Boulger and Bill Bernhardt represented the provincial Executive.

The objective of the meeting was to get ready for the provincial election. If you have any question or want to follow-up with Ryan, please call him at: 416 497 9309 or (cell) 647 292 9199.

On March 9, 2002 we gathered for the Annual Party Convention. This year we booked a more prestigious location (The Regal Constellation Hotel) and a more "professional" set-up.

The Annual General Meeting was well attended, especially in the afternoon, when we spoke about Election Readiness.

The Family Dinner with Stockwell Day was a success. Seventy two people attended. Many people sent their regrets, as they were away for the March break.

It is now time to do the work at the local level. If you do not have a local Riding Association, then set one up. You only need two people to officially start one.

Thanks to the many people who helped with presentations: (John Gots, Adrian Ratelle, Alex Cassar, John Clark, Matt Granic), with the organization and minutes: (Mary Del Rosario, Alex Cassar), with security: (Chris Zhang and Nelson Alba). A special thanks to Lou Reitzel for running the Annual General Meeting.

Finally, thank you to the people who accepted the nomination to one of the Executive Positions for one more year.

On November 17th, the Hamilton area riding associations (thanks to Francesca Trifone and Lynne Scime) organized a successful dinner at the Hillcrest restaurant in Hamilton. The invited speaker, Phil Lees, was both informative and entertaining. While speaking about an important and current subject, Christian Education in Public Schools, he pointed out the results obtained in Edmonton and the progress made in Hamilton towards more choice for Christian parents in public schools.

Over fifty people attended the dinner and among them were eleven past candidates of the Family Coalition Party.

After the succulent meal, guest assisted to a professional quality power-point presentation and a video on the ideas proposed by PACE (People for Alternative Christian Education).

Both this presentation and the presentation on Health-care that was held two weeks earlier in Campbellville will be repeated (on request) in other Regions.

The Ontario Coalition Annual Convention was held in Cambridge, on Saturday February 24, 2001. Several motions and new policies were passed, including The Family Coalition Party's "New Look (Click on "Press Releases" in the Home page or under Library).

New policy passed at the meeting will be included in this web site as soon as possible.

The FCP leader, Giuseppe Gori, was interviewed by Michael Coren during the Michael Coren political panel on the Crossroads Television System (CTS) on Wednesday August 9, 2000 at 10:30 p.m. The other guests were Liberal Dominic D'Agostino and Peter Kormos of the NDP.

Hamilton FCP Regional Meeting

The Hamilton FCP Regional meeting has been scheduled for April 18, 2000. Please E-mail us for details.

Further Regional Meetings are being scheduled in the Spring for Ottawa and Toronto.

Crowd attended the FCP 2000 Conference

Saturday February 26th, the attendees of the FCP 2000 Conference and AGM saw the room quickly fill-up. In his speech the FCP leader, Mr. Giuseppe Gori, said that the FCP needs to provide a political home for fragmented Christians and people that share our political opinions. He said that we are in a ‘war of values’: "The tragedy of abortion is the evidence that we are in a war. An invisible war raging in the heavens and on earth. It's a titanic battle of good vs. evil. It is a war not fought along the lines of religion, sex, colour or race, but fought along the lines of:

-Transcendent values that every major religion and civilization holds dear, vs. new age and post-modernism."

After the Administrative part of the meeting, Don Pennell, former FCP leader, moved the crowd with his passionate and sincere speaking style. He called to the FCP members not to forget our legacy. He proceeded reminding the attendees of the history of the FCP.

"It was not that the FCP had a vision of forming the government or assuming power. Rather, the people who founded the FCP had a vision of what Canada and particularly Ontario, was going to look like at the turn of the century. Around the world we could see countries at war and the United Nations beginning to influence sovereign countries with its anti-family policies. In Canada, we saw unresponsive politicians who no longer represented their people, but who had sold their souls to the political party they represented. In Ontario, the then governing Liberal party under David Peterson showed its pro-abortion and anti-family face. Our vision in 1987 was of these things getting worse, not better. We have been proven right on all accounts."

Guest speaker Rory Leishman, a renown journalist with the London Free Press (now freelancing) made an account of Ontario’s healthcare system and proposed solutions that maintain the universality of the current system, but include a more relevant role of private enterprise in healthcare.

A subsequent panel on healthcare, headed by Dr. Shea and Dr. Scime was so full of innovative suggestions and so good that many people asked for the transcripts of the presentations. It also prompted the FCP executive to restart a healthcare policy sub-committee to discuss and evaluate the points presented by the panel.

Entertainment was provided, after lunch, by the Kruisselbrink sisters. The five sisters, ages five to fifteen, moved the crowd with their singing and playing skills, and their playful acting.

John Gots headed a panel on the FCP Organization. He will be responsible to instruct and guide the 11 new Regional Directors to form local FCP organizations across Ontario, in preparation for the next election.

The elections of the new FCP Executive closed the day. Confirmed in their positions, as nominated, are: President: Lou Reitzel, Executive VP: Pat Redmond, VPs: John Gots, Lynne Scime and John Clark, Youth VP: Matt Granic, Secretary: Shirley Pennell. Jerry Young remains as Past President.

FCP SUMMIT Meeting

A Summit meeting was held on September 18, 1999 at the Four Points Hotel on Dixie Road, just south of the 401. The meeting started at 9:30 a.m. and continued until 4:00 p.m. The candidates who were present were recognized and given a certificate. New information on the Economy/Taxation and Health care was distributed and discussed.

July 1st Ottawa meetings

On Canada day the FCP leader traveled to Ottawa to participate to a party at Stornoway, the house of the Official Opposition Leader, Preston Manning. The Reform party Leader organized a multicultural party to honour all the immigrants who came to Canada. He and his wife Sandra presented awards to those immigrants who distinguisced themselves in business and in social involvment. Mr. Gori and Mr. Jim Conrad represented the FCP at the event. The immigration opposition critic, MP Leon Benoit, was also present.

Later in the afternoon Mr. Gori participated at an FCP meeting in Kanata, where he met with the president several supporters of the Lanark-Carleton Riding Association. This is the riding where Janne Campbell ran for the last election and several people put an excellent effort into the campaign. Thanks to Gerry Lepage for organizing the meeting.

About 20 between FCP candidates and CFO's attended the FCP Candidate Information Meeting held in Toronto on Saturday April 24, 1999. The agenda included policy review, candidate questions, commonly asked questions, etc. Policy background material and a candidate binder was distributed. The meeting started at 9:00 a.m. and continued until 4:30 p.m. As a result of the meeting, the first 14 candidates for the FCP were announced on Monday April 26th.

The FCP Annual General Meeting was held in Toronto on February 27, 2000. The morning session included the administrative part of the meeting, after which the FCP leader, Giuseppe Gori addressed the audience. This was followed by a policy workshop in which members were asked to identify the most important issues for the next election. Several suggestions were made and a very valuable discussion followed. Two officials of Elections Ontario were invited to explain the most significant changes to the Ontario Election Act. You may not know that the deduction for political contributions, at income tax time, is now refundable: people will get money back (according to the revised schedule) even if they have no taxable income! This should help especially our senior members with low income. The afternoon session was dedicated to the organization of ridings and to the identification of candidates. The FCP already has thirteen candidates ready to run. During the month of March we will identify as many as possible, to then hold nomination meetings at the beginning of April. A Candidate Information Meeting has been scheduled for April 24. John Gots was asked to head the "Election Readiness committee". John has been working very hard to prepare for the April meeting, where candidates and riding executives will be instructed on how to organize and run the next election.
A New FCP executive was elected: Lou Reitzel (president), Henry Cloudt (CFO), Shirley Pennell (secretary), Dr. Pat Redmond (executive VP), Lynne Scime, Matt Granic and Linda Freiburger (vice presidents) and Jerry Young (past president).

Mr. Paul Lauzon, Ottawa area director organized a meeting in Ottawa on February 18th. The FCP leader, Giuseppe Gori explained the strategy and objectives of the party for the next provincial election and the importance of establishing constituency associations as soon as possible.

Ron Gray, leader of the Christian Heritage Party, and Peter Stock, National director of the Canadian Family Action Coalition were in attendance. The FCP will have at least two candidates in the Ottawa region for the next election: Janne Campbell in Lanark-Carleton and Paul Lauzon in Ottawa-Vanier. More candidates will be sought during the month of March.

The Roast for Don Pennell was held Friday June 19, 1998 in Walkerton. Don has been the leader of the party for 10 years, since the Party's inception! Thank you Don and Shirley. The Roast was a success, thanks to the organizers, especially Lynne and Linda. We all enjoied the food and the West Indian live band. The roasters were great. Our thanks go especially to Margaret, Frank and Jim. Don responded in tune, with his great sense of humor. Thanks also to the people and businesses that donated items for the silent auction. Finally thanks to the people who worked at the door, especially Marie.

Hamilton FCP Regional Meeting

Crowd attended the FCP 2000 Conference

FCP SUMMIT Meeting

July 1st Ottawa meetings

FCP Candidate Information Meeting

FCP Annual General Meeting

Ottawa Area Meeting

Roast for Don Pennell