TURMEL POLITICAL PRESS 1979
790207We
Ottawa Citizen letter, John C. Turmel
Prohibit guns
In his article, A.N tells us that the danger of firearms lies not in
their possession but in their use. Some think the danger of firearms
lies in their existence.
He suggests our legislators concern themselves with controlling the
uses to which guns are put. I think he fails to see that with no guns,
there would no such problem for the legislators to concern themselves
with. True, an interim step should be strict penalties imposed on
those who use guns. Since, as Mr. North claims, private ownership of
guns is a symbol of freedom, some might consider private ownership of
atom bombs such a symbol also. I contend that both are killing
machines and as such, both need to be outlawed.
Fortunately, I think that government incursion into this private
affair of the citizen has its place. It must be done. Killing machines
must be banned. I contend that there'd be a lot less murder and
robbery if the perpetrator had to commit the offences with his bare
hands.
[In the society of the future, there should be no need of guns. To
call gun registration absurd and to call its proponents illiterate and
incapable of independent thought seems to me to be a smoke screen
hiding the fact that his has no legitimate arguments for the retention
of private ownership of killing machines.]
Therefore, I would ask Mr. N why he needs his gun?
790327Tu
Ottawa Citizen
Gambler to test election odds
Prostitutes, marijuana users and gamblers have a champion as the
federal election begins.
John Turmel, the 28-year-old engineer-turned-professional-gambler,
announced today he'll run as an independent candidate in Ottawa West.
"I've been thrown in jail twice now -- the very concept of being
arrested for playing games is odious," he said, promoting his
platform for legalized gambling. "Gamblers aren't hurting anyone."
He's determined not to be merely a one-issue candidate. Not only
gambling, but prostitution and smoking marijuana should be
decriminalized as well, he said.
"I've got to protect the people that don't have any protection -- the
hookers, the dope-smokers and the gamblers," he said.
"I got mugged two months ago -- the guy was out on the street the next
day because the courts were so slow. If they didn't have so many
gamblers, hookers and dopers in the courts, he would have gone to
trial right away.
Campaign fund raising won't be a problem for Turmel. He hopes to raise
money by charging a small admissions fee to the blackjack games he
stages.
Those paying the fee can use it as political contribution to gain an
income tax deduction, he said.
790410Tu
Ottawa Journal
Card ballot -- he's gambling on the gamblers' vote
picture Turmel with his store-bought "gambling devices" today
John Turmel, Ottawa's floating blackjack entrepreneur, had been
ordered to stand trial later this year for his gambling escapades.
Turmel, who is running as an independent in Ottawa West on a legalized
gambling platform, was back at police headquarters this morning after
a brief court appearance, this time to kick off his campaign for
gambling rights. And he brought with him an armful of "gambling
devices" bought at local department stores.
Turmel, who claims he is the only gambler "legally incorporated in
Canada" was arrested in a morality raid. He runs his casino nights on
an invitation-only basis and sets no cover charge or "rake" to play.
Sunday, he planned a campaign casino night at the Nepean Sportsplex
but city officials got wind of it before hand and cancelled his
permit.
Nepean Police Chief Gus Wersch says as long as Turmel's activities are
legal, his force will not be bothering him. Turmel is basing his case
on a Supreme Court ruling last fall that as long as you don't hold a
game in any one spot you can not be charged with keeping a common
gaming house. Ottawa police, however, broke up his game and charged
him with having gambling devices in his possession., a section of the
Code which Turmel claims has only been invoked once before and against
a gambler who was caught with 10 packs of marked cards.
He brought his gambling paraphenalia to the police department today to
show newsmen just how accessible the "devices" are to the general
public.
790501Tu
Ottawa Newswest
Candidate profiles
Turmel is running on a platform of government regulation of gambling,
prostitution and drugs. A graduate engineer from Carleton, Mr. Turmel
believes that Canada's and indeed the world's problems could be solved
if only a logical systems analysis approach were taken to deal with
causes rather than treating the short-term effects, which he feels is
the present method.
"I'm an engineer, one of a new breed. I apply gambling logic and
engineering to all these problems. My policies are therefore
different."
If the government were to regulate gambling, then tax-paying citizens
would be able to compete with criminals, employment would increase as
casino managers, croupiers, and the country would get some of the
chips back as taxes. He sees other savings as well. Money would not
have to be spent prosecuting gamblers.
Government control of both prostitution and the drug trade would mean
that criminals would be driven out of business and the government
would make a profit.
In his platform, he also suggests using new technology and long-term
planning to solve problems like abortion by use of modern birth
control methods and devising a federal system for Canada that would be
a model for ultimately forming a United Nations of Earth.
He advocates preventative medicine by use of good nutrition and the
use of bran.
He'd like to see unemployed nurses, teachers, farmers at work to save
the Third World's dying children. If the government were to spend its
chips in the right areas, then money for this massive job creation
would be available.
Local unemployment could be solved by having unemployed public
servants retrained for work in the service and entertainment
industries. The computer is going to do away with many of the
meaningless clerical jobs anyway.
For five years, Mr. Turmel helped teach a gambling course at Carleton
and at present he is selling bran-rich bread. For several years he has
entertained senior citizens in local nursing homes with his piano
accordion and some of his electoral support will come from the homes,
he says.
790519Fr
Ottawa Citizen, Murdoch Davis
A little relief from the grey
John Turmel is running in the federal election to solve the nation's
problems -- inflation, unemployment, rising health costs, national
unity and hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids?
Well, there it is, right in his 16-page platform just as he read it to
a puzzled audience at an all candidates' meeting at J.H. Putnam
school. "We don't need more doctors. We don't need more hospital beds.
We don't need more medical technology ... We need less sick people."
"Bran is the answer! Roughage is an answer! With an adequate amount of
bran added to our diet, we can avoid such needless ailments as
constipation, hemorrhoids, varicose veins ..."
Well, you get the picture. Turmel went on to tell his audience he
understood why they were giggling, this bodily function stuff being a
rather delicate subject, "but this is serious."
White flour and water form glue so white bread becomes hard "and
difficult to push through your intestinal system." But with bran, the
food "remains soft and smooth flowing. Transit time is cut down to one
day and volume is doubled or even tripled. Obviously, constipation is
eliminated. "No more straining implies no more hemorrhoids too."
A 28-year-old Carleton university engineering graduate who makes his
living peddling his own brand of wheat cakes and gambling, Turmel is
the star among a collection of fringe candidates who range from
Marxist-Leninist who rival Turmel for earnestness, to the wonderfully
wacky Rhinoceros Party nominees.
He insists his entire platform is based on "game theory" that says we
should choose the best strategy to challenge every problem even if it
sounds unorthodox or childishly simple.
He has trouble being considered seriously but has at least brought
some sparkle to a lackluster campaign. Lloyd Francis followed one of
Turmel's better appearances by thanking him for helping everyone get
through the campaign by breaking things up now and again.
By far the best speaker among the four candidates, he has captivated
audiences with his steady patter and frequent one-liners while his
"serious" opponents have lulled them unconscious. He has appeared on
public platforms in flash three-piece suits, and in motorcycle jacket
and cowboy boots with his sparkly blue helmet and leather purse beside
him.
Turmel says he might go into the stand-up comic business after the
campaign based on his popularity at election meetings.
790514Mo
Ottawa Citizen
John Turmel: gambling on the different
Independent candidate John Turmel's platform speaks for itself:
- Legalized gambling, prostitution and drug sales under government
regulation to produce tax revenue rather than waste it in enforcing
laws against victimless crime;
- Increased use of bran in our diets to produce healthier Canadians
and reduce medical costs;
- Increased use of vasectomies so abortions won't be necessary;
- Get around the separation threat by preparing a framework in which
Quebec will be happy and the earth will be ruled by one central
government;
- Eliminate discussion of various mortgage interest deductibility
schemes by eliminating mortgage interest and having the Bank of Canada
lend people money interest-free, as long as they pay it back.
An engineer by trade, Turmel has become infamous of late as a gambler,
offering himself as a consultant to those who want to gamble, and
running rotating games he insists are legal.
The police and courts have disagreed with him on that, and Turmel is
appealing a conviction on charges of operating a common gaming house.
He has also been fired from a Carleton University teaching job for
running a game in the faculty lounge.
Turmel says he is running because he wants people to see that just
because things sound simple "doesn't mean they won't work." He wants
people to be exposed to some "different alternatives."
790521Mo
Ottawa Citizen, John Valorzi
Does John Turmel care? You bet!
John Turmel intends to win even if he loses. The self-professed
mathematician, systems engineer and professional gambler, is running
as an independent and though no one takes him seriously he's confident
he'll get more support than expected.
Turmel spoke with some bitterness about how he's been treated by the
media. "They all concentrate on my liberal ideas about abortion,
prostitution and dope smoking but they're not even important in my
platform." The carrot he dangles before the electorate is a plan to
end unemployment by lending every jobless person a tool interest-free.
Let a man keep all that he earns and soon he'll carry his share of the
tax load."
791229Sa
Ottawa Journal, Bob Reade
Ottawa Centre candidate bets he has the answers
Picture of me at a Blackjack table: Ottawa Centre candidate and
professional gambler John Turmel offers instant solution.
The latest candidate in Ottawa Centre sounds like a sure thing -- but
don't bet on it.
He's 28, a university graduate in engineering, clean-cut good looking,
articulate, friendly and convinced he has an instant solution to
Canada's economic problems.
DIFFERENT ODDS
Incumbent Liberal John Evans and Tory candidate Jean Pigott's new
competitor is John Turmel, a "money systems engineer' (professional
gambler).
Turmel won only 193 votes in his first venture into federal politics.
But he insists the odds have changed since he ran in the May 22
election in Ottawa West. "I needed a perfect foil, and this time I
have one by running against Evans because he's an economist. I'm going
to prove that economists have the whole world ass-back."
Turmel exuded self-confidence as he told reporters yesterday that "now
it's obvious that nobody has the solution to our economic problems
except me."
Pressed on this opinion, he conceded that perhaps the Social Credit
Party has the solution too, if only they would follow their original
theories.
Seated at a table covered with green baize and armed with an array of
chips, cards, dice and a flip chart, Turmel expounded on his 10 page
theory for economic salvation.
He contends that if we substitute the interest device used by bankers
with the energy measurement used by engineers, we would end both
inflation and unemployment.
"Computer barter of credit will solve all our economic problems. The
computer will keep track of who scored how much energy (all real
wealth is real energy), and store this information in a central bank."
MAY SCARE SOME
Turmel readily admits the theory is complicated -- so was John Maynard
Keynes's -- and that it may scare some people.
But not even Keynes had an economic theory that would eliminate armed
robberies. "Everyone will have their own credit cards where their
credit is registered. Imagine a bank robber pointing a gun at a teller
and demanding "credit my account."
TURMEL POLITICAL PRESS 1980
800125Fr
CentreTown News , Vince Wright
Turmel: no interest rates
A banking system with no interest rates may seem utopian to some, but
to John Turmel it is the only way to solve unemployment and inflation.
Turmel has decided to present his banking system to voters in Ottawa
Centre in an effort to wrest the seat from Liberal incumbent John
Evans.
Turmel said his new system is similar to casino banking.
"Any casino banker knows the fundamental rule of no inflation. You
issue money as you bring in wealth. That way all dollars are backed up
by wealth. It is physically impossible to have inflation because the
chips have the same value when you cash them in" he said.
He added loans will not be accompanied by interest charges and
productivity will increase because people will borrow and invest more
money.
Turmel claims that economists are "not fighting inflation, they are
dancing to it." He said engineers, like himself, know how to "maximize
production" while economists only try to maximize profit" and in so
doing, they fuel inflation.
It was the Scottish engineer and founder of the Social Credit party,
Major Clifford Douglas, who inspired Turmel to formulate his banking
system.
Although he is currently registered as an independent, Turmel said he
has sent a letter to the Social Credit party asking if he can carry
their banner in the upcoming election race.
If he gets a negative response, he said he may consider running as a
candidate for the Engineering party, a name he thought up.
800201Fr
Centretown News, Vince Wright
The Watchitsuh Hussle
"The Wachitsuh Hussle" may sound like a new dance craze but it is
actually the title of John Turmel's latest policy paper. It is
designed to win Ottawa Centre voters with its promise of eliminating
inflation and unemployment by introducing an interest-free monetary
system.
The paper is the product of six months of intensive research including
personal observations of House of Commons Finance committee meetings,
said Turmel, who is running as an independent candidate.
Although his ideas are somewhat similar to those of the Social Credit
Party, his application to carry their banner in the upcoming Federal
election was rejected.
"They turned me down because they know I'm in favor of legalizing
gambling, prostitution and dope," said Turmel, who openly confesses he
earns his living by operating illegal gambling operations.
Turmel admits that the paper is aimed at younger voters who are more
receptive because they are feeling the greatest pressure from
unemployment and inflation. Yet he feels the interest rate is the
major issue among his constituents in his riding.
800205Tu
Ottawa Journal, Dave Evans
Minor parties steal Ottawa Centre show
It was the minor parties' candidates and independents that stole most
of the show at the Ottawa South Community Association meeting last
night ... and John Turmel's damning of bank interest rates stirred the
largest reactions in the church hall packed with more than 450 people.
800207Th
Ottawa Citizen, Michael Prentice
Record 10 candidates face students in Carleton bearpit
Democracy is alive and well -- and rowdy, funny, serious and eccentric
-- in Ottawa Centre where a record 10 candidates went at it in a
bearpit surrounded by 500 cheering and jeering students at Carleton
University.
At one stage, two Carleton University professors -- Robin Matthews of
the National Party and Marvin Glass of the Communist Party -- joined
in an alliance to force a change in the debating rules. They claimed
it was undemocratic and contrary to the ground rules when they were
denied the right to comment on questions not directed to them. The
audience roared its support, and from then on, all the candidates were
allowed to respond to any question.
Rhino David Langille and professional gambler John Turmel, who is
running as an independent, supported legalization of marijuana. The
candidates of the three major parties agreed simple possession should
not be a crime.
Turmel, who urges abolishing interest on loans, said we could learn
from ants how to manage our economy better. "Have you ever seen
unemployed ants?" he asked.
800209Sa
Ottawa Journal, David Evans
Big Three trade salvos at Ottawa Centre skirmish
Ottawa Centre's 10-candidate campaign recorded its first skirmish with
the thorny issue of equal time yesterday at a spirited main-party
debate at Lisgar Collegiate.
The huge field could make upcoming all-candidates meetings a "circus"
and reduce their information value, John Evans said after the lunch
time sessions which included an appearance by Marxist-Leninist Robin
Collins.
Tory Jean Pigott and NDP John Smart argued, however, that all
candidates should be given the same opportunities despite the
resulting problems.
When Collins asked to be allowed to speak, student organizers
explained the 40 minute lunch break had made it impossible to
accommodate all candidates. He held the floor for a few minutes but
finally gave in to the moderator's objections.
After the debate, Evans told reporters that future all-candidates'
debates might not be too informative if the multitude of candidates
diverts attention from the three main contenders. The debates could
become too long and boring or turn off potential audiences. He said he
has insisted that the upcoming CJOH television debate be broken up
into separate sessions, with the Liberal, NDP and PC candidates
appearing together.
EVANS WANTS PARTIES SPLIT APART
Smart and Pigott do not object to a split of the CJOH program. Pigott
said: "I'll debate them in another forum," and Smart said the equal-
time consideration was being met.
A spokesman for the television station said its stage has room for
five people. As a result, the five candidates whose parties drew the
most votes in Ottawa Centre in May will appear together in a 15 minute
spot followed with a similar time for the five left over.
800211Mo
Ottawa Citizen
John Turmel profile
Of all the candidates, John Turmel seems to have the most trouble
getting the voters to take him seriously. When he outlined his
platform at a women's-interest group all-candidates meeting this
month, he was laughed at.
Turmel would eliminate the payment of interest for borrowing money. He
says that would kill inflation dead and bring full employment at once.
Turmel, an independent, is a 29-year-old engineer who is fascinated
with gambling and games of chance. He was fired from a Carleton
University teaching job for running a game in the faculty lounge, and
has tangled with police for organizing gambling parties, which he
insists are legal.
The self-confessed professional gambler says he is putting his money
on the Conservatives.
800214Th
Ottawa Citizen, Michael Prentice
Close fights in key Ottawa ridings
At the St. John's Church meeting, professional gambler John Turmel and
Rhino David Langille provided comic relief.
800219Tu
Ottawa Citizen, Michael Prentice
Liberal pounds Pigott back into private life
Liberal John Evans 21,732; PC Jean Pigott 14,249; NDP John Smart
7,566; Rhino David Langille 358; National Party Robin Mathews 171;
Communist Marvin Glass 117; Ind. John Turmel 64; Marxist-Leninist
Robin Collins 44; Ind. Iqbal Ban-Tahir 36, Ind. Ernie Bouchard 33.
800220We
Ottawa Citizen, CP
Socreds may not field Frontenac candidate
ST. GEORGES-DE-BEAUCE, Que. -- Social Credit leader Fabien Roy, still
reeling from the crushing defeat of his party in Monday's federal
election, has announced he won't run in Frontenac riding on March 24.
Roy told a news conference Tuesday it's even uncertain whether his
party will field a candidate in the election, made necessary by the
sudden death of Socred candidate Nelson Lessard. The death forced a
postponement of balloting in Frontenac to March.
Roy, who lost his seat in Beauce riding by about 3,000 votes declined
to answer any questions concerning his political future or that of his
party.
He said the party's national executive is scheduled to meet on March 9
to discuss its future and Roy indicated he will announce his plans
then. But he would not say whether he intends to call a leadership
convention.
800304Tu
Sherbrooke Tribune
Possible creditiste candidate in Frontenac: John Turmel wants a new
world
"I promised my grandfather who has just turned 82 that he'll see the
birth of a new world in which the chartered banks will be replaced by
computers and where, in daily transactions, bank notes and coins will
be replaced by chips where the number will grow as the wealth of the
nation grows," said John Turmel yesterday, an engineer who lives in
Ottawa and who will under the creditiste colours in the Frontenac by-
election unless forced to concede the victory to Fabien Roy at a
meeting during which the party militants will be called to elect their
standard bearer.
Mr. Turmel who, because of his Ontario origins, expresses himself
laboriously in French, has something against certain creditiste
militants in the county who hope Mr. Roy receives the mandate to
defend the party cause without having to undergo the trial of a
nomination vote. "Certain influential party members want at all costs
to give the nomination to Fabien Roy. I claim that the rules of
democracy should be respected. If Mr. Roy receives the mission of
carrying the party standard at a meeting where they could freely vote
for their choice, he would support him but, if democracy is thwarted,
I'll run as an independent creditiste candidate.
If he's chosen to represent the party and if he should win over the
Liberal Leopold Corriveau, Mr. Turmel will make the county a
laboratory in which will be tried thee replacement of traditional
money by chips representing the wealth of the county and allowing the
acquisition of part of the wealth.
800305We
Sherbrooke Tribune
No chance Turmel will be Frontenac candidate. Petition for the return
of Roy in Frontenac
THETFORD MINES (PS) -- "There is absolutely no chance that Mr. John
Turmel will present himself as the candidate under the Social Credit
banner, even if Fabien Roy refuses to present himself.
That is what was categorically asserted by the new president of the
county Creditiste Association. Mr. Jean-Louis Poulin, in a comment to
yesterday's news that Mr. Turmel is pushing for a nominating
convention.
The region's creditiste committee met with Mr. Turmel yesterday and
advised him that a convention could not be held because there was
insufficient time. As well, affirmed Mr. Poulin, no one in the party
know this Mr. Turmel. "No matter, we have no intention of supporting
him."
Also, the creditiste executive of the county will meet with Mr. Fabien
Roy next Sunday at Quebec to give him a petition with 3,500 signatures
demanding and urging his candidacy in Frontenac. Mr. Poulin hopes Mr.
Roy will give a positive answer.
800307Fr
Quebec Le Soleil, Leonce Gaudreault
Frontenac: Fabien's decision on weekend
When Fabien Roy returns to Quebec today from his vacation in warmer
climes, he'll find the territory already active with election
organizers from all political horizons with an electrical engineer who
believes he has the key to the plumbing of the theory of Major
Douglas.
It's on the weekend that the defeated leader of the Social Credit will
decide if he will accept or refuse the creditiste candidacy in the
riding.
Armed with a petition of 3,000 signatures and convinced of being able
to elect him,l some local organizers will meed Mr. Fabien Roy on the
weekend at Quebec, at a national reunion, to solicit his candidacy.
Mr. Fabien Roy must, however, take account of new factors for an
against this remarkable chance to get elected, only five weeks after
his defeat in the Beauce.
Mr. Roy should also take account of the presence of another candidate,
who says he's infinitely more creditiste than Mr. Roy himself. It's
Mr. John Turmel of Ottawa, an electrical engineer and proprietor of
the first private gaming house in Canada (says Mr. Turmel).
He risks mixing up the card a little even if, at his last two
elections, he only received 64 votes in Ottawa Centre in 1980 and 193
votes inn Ottawa West in 1979, each time as an independent.
Fabien Roy had in fact refused to endorse his candidacy. The
Creditistes don't want to hear about him neither. Mr. Turmel will have
to settle for being an independent Socred. "It'll be Roy ... the
banker against Turmel ... the engineer," said this man who believes he
has understood, by his experience with gaming houses, how to apply the
theory creditiste. Around the gaming tables, there are only chips, not
money. Therefore, inflation cannot exist. It's like this that the
social credit theory functions, affirms enthusiastically the candidate
Turmel convinced of having discovered the secret of the application of
the theory of Major Douglas.
800308Sa
Quebec Le Soleil, Paul-Henri Drouin
Fabien will be a candidate
Joined by telephone at his residence after his return from Jamaica,
Mr. Fabien Roy, without wanting to confirm that he'll accept the
candidacy, clearly let it be understood that he must "take account of
several factors as leader of the party and that a boat captain does
not let his vessel go down."
Taking advantage of a national reunion at the Motel Universelle, fifty
or so local organizers and the Frontenac executive will solicit the
Roy's candidacy. Armed with a 3,000 name petition and convinced of
being able to elect him, the president of the executive, Mr. Jean-
Louis Poulin, asserted that he is convinced that Fabien will not be
able to refuse the request of the voters of Frontenac, that of being
the Social Credit candidate. According to Mr. Poulin, there is a well
structured organization ready and financing will be the problem.
Quebec Le Soleil, Florent Plante
The Creditistes prepare their return to Ottawa
To settle the question of finance, delegates to the national meeting
at the Motel Universelle will study a plan to create a life insurance
plan. With yearly premiums of $25 to $30, each participant will
receive a $10,000 policy.
There is also the idea of starting in each riding a "$100 Club" and a
"$500 Club" for more fortunate members. Finally, there will be the
"$1,000 Club" of which Mr. Roy will give his personal attention.
The party still owes several thousand dollars to Mr. Lorne Reznowsky,
who was leader of the party for several months after the death of
Andre Fortin.
800311Tu
Sherbrooke Tribune
Colorful nomination day
THETFORD MINES -- The Frontenac nomination day ceremony was
particularly colourful yesterday as five of the eight candidates
present were invited to speak to the journalists and supporters.
It's certainly the speech of the independent candidate John Turmel
which held the most attention as he, blackboard in hand, he tried to
prove that the present banking system was the cause of all the
problems. Insisting he was must more creditiste than Mr. Fabien Roy,
this Ottawa engineer demands a technical inquiry on the banking
system.
Mr. Turmel reproached the riding executive for not having held a
nominating convention which constituted a grave breach of democracy.
These assertions did not fail to elicit some comments from Mr. Roy who
stated he did nothing but respond positively to a request of the
executive who were responsible for the choice of candidate in the
county. All the while admitting that Mr. Turmel was correct in his
assertions with respect to the banking system, he held that his party
had always advocated the tenets of Major Douglas and he had no
intention of modifying this line of thought.
Mrs. Metivier clearly showed her bias toward Mr. Turmel when he
attacked Mr. Roy for his lack of democracy in the choice of creditiste
candidate in Frontenac.
Frontenac Carousel, M. H.
Frontenac: 8 candidates running
Then came John Turmel, candidate defeated in Ottawa Centre in the
February election. Strong in themes, John Turmel, blackboard of
systems under his arm, literally captivated the audience. To his
assertions, Fabien Roy smiled at several instances. But it was but a
time out Mr. Roy did not, without a doubt, "take up" the creditiste
cat fight that followed.
The theme of John Turmel's election campaign: the transformation of
the Canadian banking system. Nothing less. According to him, it would
be possible to abolish interest rates and make the country's finances
sensible.
He believes in his project strongly and seems to have fractured the
creditiste organization. "They put me out twice," he said.
Nevertheless, John Turmel took several of Fabien Roy's supporters with
him.
And it was after his speech that the leader of the Social Credit
party, in answer to the repeated attacks of Turmel and his supporters,
answered that there had not been a convention (which Turmel was
condemning the creditiste organization for) only because the executive
had given him unconditional support. "It was not me who decided not to
hold a convention." said Fabien Roy, "it was the riding organizers."
He however added that it took time to organize a convention, hinting
that the party had been rushed by the call, March 10.
Frontenac Carousel,
The Social Credit organization was fractured with John Turmel taking
some of Fabien Roy's supporters away. After Mr. Turmel's charges,
Fabien Roy answered why there was no convention which Mr. Turmel was
complaining about. It's only because the executive had given him
unconditional support. "It wasn't up to me to decide not to hold a
convention" said Fabien Roy. "It was up to the organizers of the
county." He nevertheless added that "It took time to organize a
convention" making it sound like there wasn't enough time."
After all, he had taken off for three weeks. No wonder there wasn't
enough time.
Le Progres
Fabien is running
As for John Turmel, independent candidate but stating that he is
carrying the Social Credit message insisted on the necessity of a
technical inquiry on the banking system. Advocating the creditiste
economic doctrine as explained by the founder of the party, Mr. Turmel
also declared he was indignant that there had not been a convention.
Also, it is evident there now exists two creditiste clans in the
region.
800318Tu
Sherbrooke Tribune
Sobriety
Mr. Roy had to conduct a sober campaign, starting with a modest
campaign office away from the main street of Thetford Mines and almost
in the shadow of an office, much larger and more visible of another
candidate, John Turmel, who has presented himself as the real heir of
Major Douglas, the engineer of Social Credit. He has heckled Mr. Roy
and his presence has permitted the opposition to tarnish the image of
the party's unity.
800319We
Thetford Le Progres Letter, John Turmel In a very hypocritical fashion
Dear Sir:
I must protest the lack of nominating convention in the Frontenac
riding to pick a candidate for the Social Credit party.
At a meeting of the riding supporters after the general election,
Fabien Roy told his audience to search for candidates and hold a
convention. He then left on holiday.
I alerted Mr. Roy by letters dated Feb. 22 and Feb 29 and March 5 that
I wished to contest the nomination. My family have roots in the riding
and has been creditiste for 45 years. I sent Mr. Roy a detailed
correspondence because I had tried to to communicate with him by
telephone a few days after the general election but, on hearing my
voice, he hung up. I suppose he didn't want to hear what I had to say.
On Feb. 24, I took part in a meeting of the Frontenac executive. the
same men who had attended the meeting just a few days before did not
want to even consider a nomination convention. It would be their boy,
Roy, or no one. They had already been circulating a petition that Mr.
Roy be the candidate. If they really got 3,000 signatures, it means
that Mr. Roy will get at least 3,000 votes on polling day. In the
meantime, Mr. Roy was tanning himself while the ship was sinking and
was not available to resolve the conflict.
Time ran out. There was no convention. Mr. Roy accepted their petition
knowing full well that there was another openly declared candidate on
the hustings.
I must conclude that Fabien and the riding executive planned and
executed the appropriation of the nomination without a convention in a
very hypocritical fashion. A man who proposes one thing and counts on
doing the opposite suffers from a very bad habit.
I am of the opinion that several norms of ethical behavior have been
breached and I would ask you to transmit this information to the
government agency that you judge best equipped to handle this
complaint.
800320Th
Montreal Gazette
Crucial fight for Socreds today
Roy's slim chances of unseating Liberal incumbent Leopold Corriveau
who took the seat by a margin of 5,442 votes in May were compounded by
the candidacy of fellow Socred John Turmel.
Turmel, a professional gambler and an earnest disciple of Major C.H.
Douglas who engineered the Social Credit economic policies 50 years
ago, ran unsuccessfully as an independent in Ottawa Centre Feb. 18 and
recently embarrassed Roy by calling for a party leadership convention.
Turmel is not credited with much support and the convention request
was refused.
800809Sa
Hamilton Spectator, Matt Maychak
Gambler may put dice in Hamilton West race
Ottawa's John Turmel just might gamble on Hamilton West. An engineer
and self-proclaimed gambler, Mr. Turmel ran a losing campaign in
Ottawa ridings in this year's tow federal general elections. He
recently lost again in a a by-election in Frontenac Quebec. Now he's
thinking about entering next month's federal by-election in Hamilton-
West.
"I ran in Frontenac and nothing was happening," he said. "All those
guys wanted to do was sit around and buy radio ad time. There were no
all-candidates' meetings.
NOVEL
"If there's some action in Hamilton, I still might decide to run."
The 29 year-old Carleton University engineering graduate says he lived
in Hamilton for 12 years. To say he has a novel approach is to put it
mildly. Calling himself "Canada's only banking systems engineer," Mr.
Turmel wants to tear down our present interest-based banking system.
Instead, he would have the Bank of Canada loan money interest-free --
as long as it's paid back -- like gambling chips.
Mr. Turmel, who is appealing to the Supreme Court of Canada over a
conviction for running a common gaming house, advocates legalized and
government regulated gambling and prostitution.
"But what I really want is to fix that money system," he said in a
telephone interview. "That's my goal in life. I figure the guy who
does it will get the planet named after him. So I'm giving it a shot."
He's so committed to his cuase that he laid charges of keeping a
common gaming house yesterday against Gerald Bouey, governor of the
Bank of Canada. "Running a common gaming house is defined as charging
a fee for the use of gambling chips," explained Mr. Turmel, adding
that banks charge interest for the use of their money.
Mr. Turmel hopes to run simultaneously in upcoming provincial election
in Ontario and a civic election in Ottawa.
A stand-out in a capital full of off-beat political types, he usually
uses a roulette wheel and a blackboard covered with mathematical
equations to explain to voters how his new economic order would work.
BEAUTY
"If I find out there's going to be three of four or five all-
candidates' meetings in Hamilton, I'll run. I can set up my whole
campaign on a moment's notice and I'm willing to drive down there a
couples of times a week."
At present, there's only one such meeting scheduled for Aug. 20.
"The beauty of it is I can change the system overnight," said Mr.
Turmel. "I want one hour with Pierre Trudeau and my blackboard and I
could clear up the whole thing. Then I could get on to solving the
problems of acid rain and nuclear pollution. After all, I am the
engineer."
800812Tu
Atlantean Era
Letter to the Editor: Speak out
Mr. Kurt Waldheim, Secretary General of the United Nations, New York,
N.Y.
Dear Sir:
The international banking system as we know it is in the state of
imminent collapse. The exponential system now in use will be replaced
as soon as governments realize that its function can be performed by a
small computer at a fraction of the borrowing costs.
Since all industrial systems are seeking to maximize their industrial
action, when they succeed, they will necessarily be using a linear
banking system. Both Capitalism and Communism are headed in the same
direction.
When the banking system is linearized and interest is not used in
economic computations, the poor will become a market for all that is
physically possible. Unrestrained by that financial fetter, the
engineers of first Canada, then the United States and the Soviet
Union, will compete with each other in the game of industrial
production at the expense of less and less human labour. In this
economic game, we'll even learn to respect one another's abilities.
The end to the economic war means the end to real war. When men are
fed, clothed and sheltered, there will be little incentive to fight.
We are at a turning point in history, the dawn of the era where money
will be servant and not master.
Men of science and reason are gaining control of the world's political
systems and hopefully, given that the two most powerful industrial
nations in the world today are headed by engineers, there is a reason
to believe that the solution will soon be implemented.
All either has to do is commission a technical inquiry into the
workings of the banking system and the question will be answered.
It is now up to the leaders to say "go" and we'll be off on an
industrial boom of GLOBAL proportions. It's coming soon.
The Engineer.
800825Mo
Hamilton Spectator,
Gambler puts his dice in race
Barring last minute entries, there will be four candidates in the
federal by-election race in Hamilton West.
John Turmel, a 29 year old self-proclaimed professional gambler from
Ottawa, has filed nomination papers as an independent candidate in the
Sept. 8 by-election.
Returning officer Joe Petruccelli said the deadline for nomination was
2 p.m. today.
The by-election is required because of the resignation of former MP
Lincoln Alexander who has become head of the Workmen's Compensation
Board of Ontario.
Mr. Turmel was not available for comment today because he was
demonstrating outside the Bank of Canada, according to his mother in
Ottawa.
But the graduate engineer from Carleton University told The Spectator
earlier that he is "Canada's only banking systems engineer" and
advocates an interest free banking system.
He added that he believes in legalized and government-regulated
gambling and prostitution.
Mr. Turmel who uses a roulette wheel and blackboard to demonstrate his
reforms for Canada's money system, said earlier his candidacy would
depend on the number of all candidates meetings being held in the by-
election.
Mr. Turmel has said he is appealing a conviction for running a common
gaming house against Gerald Bouey, governor of the Bank of Canada.
800826Tu
Ottawa Citizen, Tim Harper
Another candidate for mayor
Perpetual candidate and city gambler John Turmel has decided he's been
putting his eggs in one basket too often. So he's spreading his
elections hopes around.
The man who should know the odds, has joined Marion Dewar and Pat
Nicol in the longest of long-shots for this year's mayoralty race.
But first, Turmel has to worry about his election bid in a federal by-
election Sept. 8 in Hamilton West riding.
And before that, Turmel has to worry about his latest encounter with
police, this time a Monday raid by Quebec Provincial Police on his
Ottawa River floating crap game on the Ville de Vanier.
The city's self-proclaimed professional gambler said Monday he is
running for mayor, and will continue running for any opening, so he
can establish his interest-free Bank of Turmel to replace the Bank of
Canada.
And he is running as an Independent Social Credit candidate in
Hamilton West and will be there campaigning today.
All his election bid will cost him is his registration fee of $200 and
his gas money between Ottawa and Hamilton. He stays with friends in
Hamilton and has campaign literature remaining from his last
unsuccessful election bid, in Frontenac riding March 24.
800827We
Hamilton Spectator
Candidate would end our monetary system
Gambler, engineer and political hopeful John Turmel would like you to
throw away your money. Mr. Turmel said at last night's meeting held at
James St. Baptist Church that Canada's biggest problem is inflation.
"All you have to do is get rid of interest and you will get rid of
inflation and you can do that by getting rid of money." His solution
is to have large industries, like Stelco and Dofasco issue their own
form of money "chips." The value of these chips would be in direct
proportion to the value of goods produced by an industry. Workers
would be paid in the chips issued by their employers and then spend
them in the market. "It is a practical engineering solution to the
whole thing."
He emphasized that engineers deal in what can be done while economists
deal in what can't be done.
Since these chips are not real money, he said, bankers can't charge
interest on them. "Once the money system is converted to chips, the
cause of inflation will have been eliminated."
BUY DIRECTLY
That way steelworkers could buy cars direct from car makers because
car manufacturers need steel and this form of money would get it for
them. "It would be just like a big poker game. You don't pay any
interest for having your chips."
He said Stelco and Dofasco could start this revolutionary new system
if they wanted because "they have the economic clout to be able to
force it."
In his gambling career, Mr. Turmel has endured at least five police
raids and six trials and has been convicted of running a common gaming
house. Monday night, a boat he has on the Ottawa River was raided by
Quebec police and gambling equipment was confiscated. No charges have
been laid.
Mr. Turmel admits his revolutionary solution to Canada's economic woes
probably won't win him many votes. "I really don't think I have any
chance of winning this election."
800828Th
Hamilton Spectator
Church meeting sparks uproar
Election candidates are in an uproar over a candidate's meeting to
which only three of the six contenders are invited.
St. Marks' Anglican Church is holding a meeting Sept. 3 but is belling
it as a "principal candidate's meeting." Only the Liberal, PC, and NDP
candidates have been invited while candidates for the Libertarians and
Marxist-Leninists and an independent are excluded.
"We don't have to invite anyone we don't want to," said Rev. Duncan
MacLean of the church.
Independent candidate John Turmel who describes himself as a
professional gambler and unauthorized Social Credit candidate said the
number of planned all-candidate's meetings was a factor in his
candidacy. "It seems unfair and unchristian of him," he said referring
to Rev. MacLean. He said he would not crash the planned meeting
"because that's not my style."
Mr. Turmel said he is still upset over being denied an opportunity to
speak last week at a private candidate's meeting at McMaster sponsored
by a homosexual group.
800829
Hamilton Spectator Letter, Rev. Duncan MacLean
All candidates meeting at St. Mark's Church
Re: `Church meeting sparks uproar' (Aug. 28)
This meeting was arranged in consultation with the campaign managers
of the three largest political parties as an opportunity for the many
senior citizens and other voters in our neighborhood to hear and
question candidates of these three parties, whose philosophies are
well known.
The declared purpose of the meeting was direct and within our
democratic system where people and even churches, have the freedom and
opportunity to encourage citizens to make responsible, informed
choices in a free election.
Nowhere in our democratic process do I see an obligation for anybody
to provide, free of charge, a forum for all candidates to present
their parties' philosophies. Surely, to be obliged to do so would be a
denial of democratic freedom.
I wish to make quite clear that the meeting was arranged to enable
those who wished to hear the candidates of our three largest political
parties within a limited time. It is hard to conceive how this could
be construed as excluding anybody from presenting their views and
limiting the opportunity of citizens to hear them. Anybody can arrange
a meeting for any candidate or candidates if they wish and will take
the trouble. There is no right to a free ride.
Since the meeting has been publicized, I have been contacted by the
other candidates. I told them what I have outlined above.
I saw no valid democratic reason why the arrangements for the meeting
should be changed. But, if it was the commonly agreed desire of the
three invited candidates that it become an all-candidates' meeting, I
would accede to their wishes.
I asked John Turmel if he would be good enough to put the opinions he
expressed over the phone regarding my attitude and Christian failings
in a signed statement and I would happily post it on my church
bulletin board and send a copy of the Spectator if he wished. Somehow,
none of this appears in this article.
Now, because it has become the agreed wish of the three candidates
originally invited, St. Mark's is changing it to an all candidates
meeting on Sept. 3.
This letter is an invitation to participate in this meeting to all
other properly registered candidates and assurance that they will
receive a friendly welcome and a fair hearing.
Each candidate, with the order chosen by lot, will be allowed up to 7
minutes to present what he considers important issues and allowed 2
minutes to comment on issues raised by other candidates.
Duncan MacLean
800830
Hamilton Spectator
Church meeting open after all
It's going to be an all-candidates affair at St. Mark's Anglican
Church after all. Rev. Duncan MacLean said yesterday that all six
candidates in Hamilton West by-election will be invited to a
candidates' meeting Wednesday afternoon.
Hamilton Spectator
Candidates argue over arms issue
"In the style that has come to mark him as the by-election's most
flamboyant candidate, Mr. Turmel at one point stood up and in one of
his raised hands held a Bible and in the other held an advanced
engineering mathematics textbook."
800903We
Hamilton West Journal
Candidates meet face to face
Because of interest rates, Mr. Turmel said "Economists are the only
bunch of engineers who count crooked. All other sciences count
straight, but economists count with interest, making them count
exponentially.
The key to the engineer's strategy for the nuclear arms race is to
stop paying the men currently working on our extinction and diverting
those resources to production. North-South report says that if only
could feed the whole world.
Economics is the science of sin and only by reverting to an interest-
free society can we solve our problems of war, inflation and
unemployment.
800904Th
Hamilton Spectator Letter, Allan M. Bazinet
John Turmel may still be upset, but it is not true he was denied an
opportunity to speak at the Aug. 20 candidates' meeting sponsored by
Hamilton United Gay Societies(HUGS).
Up to the afternoon of Aug. 20, the Liberal, PC, NDP, were the only
candidates who had filed nomination papers. All three had been invited
to attend and a format was agreed upon with their representatives.
Mrs. Isbester chose not to attend.
When Mr. Turmel showed up at the meeting, uninvited, our members voted
to let him speak after we had run through the format agreed on with
the other two candidates. Mr. Turmel left the meeting shortly after
this decision was communicated to him.
Allan M. Bazinet, President
Editor, Hamilton Spectator
In Mr. Allan M. Bazinet's letter to the editor of Sept. 4, he states
that I was not denied the chance to speak at the Hamilton United Gay
Societies candidates meeting on Aug. 20. He says that he had checked
early that afternoon to see if there had been any other candidates
registered. I would have been registered the day before had it not
been for Mr. David Jones, of Deloitte, Haskins & Sells accounting
office, who after having twice agreed to handle my candidates'
financial return for only the $250 paid by the Government, reneged on
the deal at the last moment and tried to get more money out of me,
probably thinking that he had me on the hook and that I would agree to
pay just to get registered within the space of one day. It was for
this reason that it took two days and not one for me to get
registered, and I might add, with only 10 minutes to spare in order to
make their meeting. I couldn't tell Mr. Bazinet that I was an official
candidate until I was officially registered.
Since he had originally planned for there to be three candidates, I
wonder why he couldn't have used the original format and include me
when one of the other three candidates didn't show up. The format
chosen gave the other candidates 15 minutes to each present their
views. Then they would take part in a question and answer session.
After it was all over, I would have been given my chance to speak.
As I told him, it didn't seem fair, and if I couldn't be treated
equally, then I wouldn't stay. So, he's right when he says that I was
not denied the chance to speak. My complaint was that I was denied the
FAIR chance to speak. It must have taken complex deliberations to come
up with such a complex time sharing formula when all he'd have had to
ask the group was whether I could take the place of the candidate that
didn't show and stay with the same format.
Again today, at the Hamilton Collegiate Institute, the minor
candidates were not invited to participate in the meeting. When we
protested, Mr. Russell, the principal said that we had been invited
for a session tomorrow. I have not yet received an invitation to
tomorrow's meeting and I'd bet that I don't because I believe that the
meeting was planned on the spur of the moment in order to diffuse the
issue today. I will go tomorrow and apologize if I do receive the
invitation.
He also tried to imply that I had not been registered in time to be
invited. I pointed out that I had registered with 5 days to spare and
shouldn't be held responsible for his not having checked after that
date.
Here again was another chance for the major candidates to present a
united candidates front. Had they backed us up in our demand for fair
treatment, I'm sure that we would have had our say. Again, they showed
no leadership, that quality in an individual who sees the opportunity
to take the initiation and get something constructive done. Their
excuse that it was out of their control implies only that they do not
know how to take control and shouldn't be trying to get the leader
jobs in the first place. Had I been an invited speaker, I would have
pressured for fair and equal treatment of all. Are the voters looking
to send a back-bencher or a leader to Ottawa.
800905Fr
Hamilton Spectator
Meeting ends in an uproar
Both Mr. McLean and John Turmel had shown up for the meeting and got
involved in a heated argument with school officials when told they
could not speak. They would be given time to speak today. "Only you
and the homosexuals have not allowed me to speak," Turmel shouted at
school principal Jim Russell.
Mr. Turmel left but Mr. McLean stayed and made increasingly disruptive
attempts to speak. In addition to being hooted down by students, he
was told several times "to shut up and sit down" by history teacher
Mr. Evans who, after the meeting, said the two fringe candidates were
excluded because there was not enough time available to hear all
candidates. "You can't jam that many into an hour," he said.
800906Sa
Hamilton Spectator
Turmel gets his say
Hamilton Collegiate Institute gave Turmel a chance to speak to
students as promised.
800909Tu
Hamilton Spectator
John keeps trying to win converts
John Turmel kept campaigning even after the polls closed. He kept
trying to win converts to the interest-free banking system. He got 77
votes. Don McLean received 99 and Libertarian Chris Sorensen 110.
800918
Ottawa Citizen, Tim Harper
Bank of Canada a gaming house? Stop interest lawsuit
Gerald Bouey's caper may be over. John Turmel, the Ottawa man who
spends his time gambling, running for election and planning to rid the
country of inflation and unemployment, is asking the Supreme Court of
Ontario to order that the governor of the Bank of Canada stop charging
interest.
Turmel, claims in an affidavit that Bouey is keeping a common gaming
house, illegal under the Criminal Code. He likens interest to a fee
for the use of chips (money) in a game (industrial activity). His bid
for a restraining order will be heard by a Supreme Court judge in
Ottawa Sept. 29. Bouey's office said today the notice of motion has
been received.
If the prospect of a set-to before the Supreme Court excites no one
else, it at least excites Turmel. "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, this is
going to be the move of my career," he said Wednesday. "That 1 1/2
hours is going to be the best performance of my life."
A Supreme Court official in Toronto said anyone can get a hearing for
more or less any cause for just $15 to cover the cost of paperwork.
Giving ordinary citizens a way of bypassing officialdom is another way
of saying justice is accessible to everyone, he said. But few
"eccentric" requests are granted. And there are financial risks: The
court may make an applicant pay his adversary's legal costs and the
adversary may be able to sue for libel or slander.
Turmel said he should have gone the legal route rather than the
political route a long time ago. In his last foray into politics, he
polled 87 votes in a by-election earlier this month in Hamilton West.
He said his system, in which only existing money can be paid as a fee,
should earn him a Nobel Economics prize. But he's not sure he would
accept unless the prize was retired making him the final recipient.
800930
Ottawa Citizen, Lewis Seale
Gambler asks court to ban loan interest
John Turmel had his day in court Monday and came equipped with a
blackboard, a felt covered table with sunken chamber for poker chips,
a plastic ship and a tomato. Turmel was there to ask for a restraining
order forbidding the BoC to charge interest on loans. Justice T.P.
Callon listened quietly to Turmel's 50 minute presentation on how to
end unemployment and inflation by banning interest and then reserved
judgment.
Turmel used to tomato to illustrate production and the blackboard for
the charts and formulas to show how he believes interest makes the
rich become richer and the poor become poorer. The chips were to
dramatize his point that anything can be used as a medium of exchange
but they were also a reminder of his claim that bank Governor Gerald
Bouey is keeping a common gaming house.
His arguments followed Social Credit lines and he said later he would
seek that party's leadership at its November convention in Calgary. He
also plans to run for mayor of Ottawa.
801002
Ottawa Citizen
Gambler loses bid to outlaw interest
John Turmel said Thursday the SCO has turned down his bid for an order
forbidding the Bank of Canada to charge interest. Citing the gambling
provisions in the Criminal Code, Turmel likens interest to a fee
charged for the use of chips (money) in a game (industrial activity)
and charges that it leads to "genocidal inflation and unemployment.
Mr. Justice T.P. Callon ruled he did not have jurisdiction in the
case, Mr. Turmel reported.
Turmel describes himself as a professional gambler but he is also a
perennial candidate for political office as he preaches his Social
Credit views on money. He said Thursday that he has not given up on
the courts and would consult a lawyer about further moves he could
make.
801003
Ottawa Citizen
Now it's a charge of murder
The Ontario Supreme Court has turned down John Turmel's bid for an
order forbidding the Bank of Canada to charge interest so Turmel has
decided to charge the bank with murder. He said today he would be
filing with the court clerk today a request for a writ of mandamus to
force the Crown attorney to proceed with two charges against the Bank
of Canada, genocide and keeping a common gaming house.
Citing the gambling provisions of the Criminal Code, Turmel likens
interest to a fee charged for the use of chips (money) in a game
(industrial activity). Turmel asked the SCO last Monday to "cease and
desist the genocidal banking practice of interest and switch to a pure
service charge."
801007Tu
Ottawa Citizen
Turmel puts his point across
picture
Candidate for mayor, John Turmel, wearing a hard hat and armed with a
placard, outlined part of his platform Monday to a group of Nigerians
standing on the steps of the Peace Tower.
The sign said "Why didn't Pierre, Joe and Ed support Turmel's Supreme
Court motion for no-interest housing? Can 700,000 homeowners be
wrong?"
800320
Montreal Gazette, David Evans
Rivals for mayor's job in Ottawa drop rhetoric for serious issues
Big picture of us captioned "John Turmel, Marion Dewar and Pat Nicol
share a joke at an all-candidate meeting in Ottawa."
Often, the spotlight at the sparsely attended meeting sponsored by the
Women's Interest Group of Ottawa was stolen from both women by
ubiquitous political candidate and professional gambler John Turmel
who is running for mayor to give the voters a chance to "approve
interest-free mortgages" and a new economic system. Turmel, who has an
all-purpose sign urging electors to vote for him for "M.P., M.P.P., or
mayor: is running a concurrent independent campaign in the current by-
election for the provincial riding of Carleton.
801015We
Ottawa Citizen, Dennis Foley
Judge's advice: go home
Picture of me from when I had been attacked by Ray Tapp.
John Turmel was ingloriously shot down in Ontario Supreme Court as he
attempted to push his fight against the Bank of Canada through the
courts. Turmel was asking the court to force the Crown attorney to
charge the federal bank with advocating genocide and keeping a common
gaming house. He contends that the bank's interest rates are
strangling people. An earlier motion was dismissed without reasons
after a judge patiently listened to Turmel's theories for 50 minutes.
As the second hearing opened, Richard Mosley, who had the task of
opposing the motion, asked that it be postponed. Mr. Justice Mayer
Lerner ignored the request saying the matter wouldn't take long and
then asked Turmel if he was a lawyer. When Turmel said he was not, the
judge said "Oh, just a concerned citizen."
Lerner the repeatedly asked if Turmel had any basis in law for making
the motion, interrupting every time Turmel tried to digress into his
theories. "I've read your papers and there's no merit in them. Motion
denied." the judge said bluntly. (No jurisdiction) Turmel then asked
the judge where he could go next implying a continuation of his legal
battle. "Home" the judge succinctly replied.
801023Th
Le Droit
Le Droit mentioned that I was the target of raves and criticisms. One
complimented me for being the life of the meeting and the other
accused me of ridiculing our institutions. "Turmel criticized the
press for not having sufficiently covering his interest-free mortgage
idea."
Ottawa Citizen
And with a little ring-side comic relief from professional gambler
John and perennial candidate John Turmel. In response to a question
about community health clinics, Turmel said the need for medical
facilities could be substantially reduced if people ate more roughage
and less white bread. ( before Lakeside Gardens?) John Turmel said the
city should introduce a money-less economy and open its own bank that
would provide interest-free banking by computer. One woman said Turmel
made no sense to her and he was making a mockery of the political
system at a time when it should be taken in deadly earnest.
801023Th
Ottawa Citizen
Mayoral debate on TV
It probably wouldn't beat a Ronald Reagan-Jimmy Carter debate in the
ratings department, but Ottawa's two front-runners for mayor will be
squaring off before the television lights on Nov. 3.
The 20 minute debate between Marion Dewar and former Controller Pat
Nicol will be broadcast live by CJOH television as part of its regular
6 p.m. newscast. Although the other mayoral candidates, John Turmel
and Alphonse Lapointe, were not invited to participate in the debate,
filmed profiles of them will be run on the same program following the
main event.
"If it's anything like the previous ones, we'll allow an opening
statement of about a minute and then we'll get into questions," CJOH
managing editor Al Mackay said Friday, adding that anchorman Max
Keeping will serve as moderator.
"We hope to get the two candidates debating among themselves with a
minimum of intervention." Mackay said "The name of the game here is to
let the voters see the candidates, not let the voters see the
moderator."
When asked why Turmel and Lapointe were not invited to participate,
Mackay said only that Dewar and Nicol are the "main candidates."
801027Mo
Le Droit, Germain Dion
Some spice in the race: John Turmel candidate for mayor
John Turmel is the first whimsical candidate for mayor. In his public
appearances, he repeats left and right that he has the trick to assure
interest free housing loans. He speaks of computers like others talk
of their last car.
His arrival on the municipal scene hasn't, however, come up roses. One
lady publicly accused him of "ridiculing our institutions." Another,
with a less aggressive tone, reproached him for lightly making a
travesty of the thoughts of "the fire of the great Real Caouette,"
because Mr. Turmel, from a creditiste family from Rouyn, admits having
been recently influenced by social credit theory.
"People who accuse me of not being serious do not want to understand
that the whole economic system is flawed," he answers.
Up to now, Mr. Turmel has run in the 1979 federal election in Ottawa
West, in the 1980 federal election in Ottawa Centre, "where John Evans
won," against Fabien Roy in Frontenac, and now he's running for mayor
of Ottawa. He is also going to run in the upcoming Carleton Ontario
by-election.
A REGRET
"I have only one regret: not being able to run municipally,
provincially and federally at the same time," he confided while
excusing his slightly-hesitant French "because my parents moved to
Hamilton when I was four months old."
He says he has a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (computers) from
Carleton University.
801030Th
Ottawa Citizen
John Turmel has decided to add an even more controversial plank to his
platform: polygamy. Turmel wants laws changed to allow a man and a
woman to have more than one spouse as a means of protecting children
from the strain of marriage break-up. Although Turmel recognized the
government has jurisdiction over laws regarding polygamy, he said it
is still a legitimate part of his campaign. "If I'm mayor, I can
change what the municipality has jurisdiction over," he said.
Ottawa Citizen, Lewis Seale
Meeting sheds little new light on civic issues
John Turmel's plans for social credit style financing if he is elected
mayor produced the only fireworks. After some laughter, Turmel lashed
back "Most of you people got out of high school and stopped thinking
right there," he said.
Carleton U. Charlatan, Jacquie Miller
Turmel gambling on Social Credit
Amen with the Engineer
We simply turn the interest rate to zero and switch to a pure service
charge... it's like a casino bank. Every chip issued has a basis.
People in Uganda are starving while the food in our fields is rotting.
Money limitations are mental limitations.
Ludicrous sight of carpenters sitting in front of their trees with
their hammers and chain saws because the banker says there is no
money. Ants run their economy better than we do because they don't
have any bankers saying it's impossible to get things done.
Caricature of me with a die on my head.
801103Mo
Ottawa Citizen
Turmel: a gamble on polygamy
picture caption "Turmel: he's serious"
Professional gambler John Turmel knows he won't be elected mayor when
Ottawans go to the polls but wants
Dewar and Nicol discuss issues in weekend Citizen
What do Pat Nicol and Mayor Marion Dewar think about the main issues
in the municipal election campaign? To find out, pick up a copy of the
Citizen this weekend. You'll find two full pages of coverage of
special press conferences we held with the two main contenders. In
lively sessions, they faced questions from a panel of Citizen
editorial employees and spoke frankly of their views.
801108Sa
Montreal Gazette, David Evans
Perennial candidate banks on cash scheme: `Engineer' has it figured,
Ottawa's John Turmel is gambling for votes - any votes
OTTAWA -- Long shots don't discourage John Turmel.
The 29 year-old "professional gambler" is fast-talking his way through
his fifth and sixth elections this month, undeterred by four defeats
in federal contests in the last 18 months.
Most people probably would decide to look for a new pastime, but
Turmel just switches to different levels of government - and doubles
the action.
He's campaigning simultaneously to become Ottawa's mayor and to win a
provincial legislature seat in the Carleton riding by-election.
Turmel is not your average candidate.
While mayoralty candidate Pat Nicol, Alphonse Lapointe and incumbent
Marion Dewar talk about the need for economic diversification. Turmel
offers his supporters interest-free loans from a new "Bank of Ottawa".
Clad in a white hard-hat he calls himself "The Engineer" and dazzles
voters with a pastiche of Social Credit arguments and bizarre
mathematical formulas delivered at a speed which would make many a
midway huckster green with envy.
Even between elections his crusades drab headlines in Ottawa.
Recently he had tried to persuade the Supreme Court of Canada to
convict the Bank of Canada for running a common gaming house because
it charges interest on loans.
Gaming house laws are a subject close to his heart: He has been
convicted twice for violating them by operating a casino and has long
argued that they should be repealed.
Turmel has enlivened the thus far lackluster campaign in which only
Dewar and Nicol are given a chance of winning.
A candidate who wants to give children their own interest-free credit
cards on demand and plans to have the entire world switched to
service-charge bank loans in five months is hard to ignore.
And even harder to vote for on election day.
In an effort to reduce his campaign expenses he uses a sign urging
voters to "Elect John Turmel for MP, MPP and mayor."
He said yesterday that even if his mayoral campaign ends in victory
Monday, he will carry through in his battle in the provincial by-
election in suburban Carleton.
The seat was left vacant when former consumer and commercial relations
minister Sidney Handleman retired.
Turmel said he will only need the 10 days between and two contests to
set up the Bank of Ottawa and then move on to the provincial scene.
In Carleton, he is challenging Liberal Al Loney, Conservative Bob
Mitchell and New Democrat Judy Wasylycia-Leis.
Asked whether his crusade to abolish interest is a hoax or whether he
is just crazy, Turmel insists that he is deadly serious.
He urges confused listeners to ask their eight-year old child to
explain the simple mathematics.
Even by Turmel's standards, the Ottawa mayoralty campaign has been
unconventional.
He is blaming an impostor for informing the media that he supports
polygamy and that he has accepted defeat five days before the vote.
Ottawa voters will choose their mayor and 15 alderman Monday.
The serious campaign has been dominated by the economic issue, with
incumbent Dewar insisting she has made many decisions that will boost
economic activity.
Challenger Nicol has insisted that council under Dewar's leadership
has put too much emphasis on social programs at the expense of the
economic activity which pays for them.
801111Tu
Ottawa Citizen, Ken McQueen & Dave Rogers
Heavy defeat for Lapointe and Turmel
Losing is not unlike beating your head against the wall -- if you do
it often enough, it stops hurting. Perhaps that's why perpetual
candidates John Turmel and Lapointe hardly seem shattered by their
sound trouncing in the Ottawa mayoralty race. (after being excluded by
most coverage and not including in the debates) Turmel a professional
gambler said he knew after 30 polls that he was no threat to Marion
Dewar who won with 49,724 votes. Deftly hurtling his 1927 vote finish
to the background, he has already set his sights on the Nov. 20
provincial by-election where he is a Social Credit candidate. Two
weeks ago he failed to become interim leader of the Social Credit
Party. Turmel said he could of won $20,000 in bets had he topped the
polls at odd of 100 and 400 to 1. His defeat cost him $165. Turmel
said Dewar liked his idea of free bus service and suggested the mayor
hire him as the city engin
Dewar and Nicol discuss issues in weekend Citizen
What do Pat Nicol and Mayor Marion Dewar think about the main issues
in the municipal election campaign? To find out, pick up a copy of the
Citizen this weekend. You'll find two full pages of coverage of
special press conferences we held with the two main contenders. In
lively sessions, they faced questions from a panel of Citizen
editorial employees and spoke frankly of their views.
801108Sa
Montreal Gazette, David Evans
Perennial candidate banks on cash scheme: `Engineer' has it figured,
Ottawa's John Turmel is gambling for votes - any votes
OTTAWA -- Long shots don't discourage John Turmel.
The 29 year-old "professional gambler" is fast-talking his way through
his fifth and sixth elections this month, undeterred by four defeats
in federal contests in the last 18 months.
Most people probably would decide to look for a new pastime, but
Turmel just switches to different levels of government - and doubles
the action.
He's campaigning simultaneously to become Ottawa's mayor and to win a
provincial legislature seat in the Carleton riding by-election.
Turmel is not your average candidate.
While mayoralty candidate Pat Nicol, Alphonse Lapointe and incumbent
Marion Dewar talk about the need for economic diversification. Turmel
offers his supporters interest-free loans from a new "Bank of Ottawa".
Clad in a white hard-hat he calls himself "The Engineer" and dazzles
voters with a pastiche of Social Credit arguments and bizarre
mathematical formulas delivered at a speed which would make many a
midway huckster green with envy.
Even between elections his crusades drab headlines in Ottawa.
Recently he had tried to persuade the Supreme Court of Canada to
convict the Bank of Canada for running a common gaming house because
it charges interest on loans.
Gaming house laws are a subject close to his heart: He has been
convicted twice for violating them by operating a casino and has long
argued that they should be repealed.
Turmel has enlivened the thus far lackluster campaign in which only
Dewar and Nicol are given a chance of winning.
A candidate who wants to give children their own interest-free credit
cards on demand and plans to have the entire world switched to
service-charge bank loans in five months is hard to ignore.
And even harder to vote for on election day.
In an effort to reduce his campaign expenses he uses a sign urging
voters to "Elect John Turmel for MP, MPP and mayor."
He said yesterday that even if his mayoral campaign ends in victory
Monday, he will carry through in his battle in the provincial by-
election in suburban Carleton.
The seat was left vacant when former consumer and commercial relations
minister Sidney Handleman retired.
Turmel said he will only need the 10 days between and two contests to
set up the Bank of Ottawa and then move on to the provincial scene.
In Carleton, he is challenging Liberal Al Loney, Conservative Bob
Mitchell and New Democrat Judy Wasylycia-Leis.
Asked whether his crusade to abolish interest is a hoax or whether he
is just crazy, Turmel insists that he is deadly serious.
He urges confused listeners to ask their eight-year old child to
explain the simple mathematics.
Even by Turmel's standards, the Ottawa mayoralty campaign has been
unconventional.
He is blaming an impostor for informing the media that he supports
polygamy and that he has accepted defeat five days before the vote.
Ottawa voters will choose their mayor and 15 alderman Monday.
The serious campaign has been dominated by the economic issue, with
incumbent Dewar insisting she has made many decisions that will boost
economic activity.
Challenger Nicol has insisted that council under Dewar's leadership
has put too much emphasis on social programs at the expense of the
economic activity which pays for them.
801111Tu
Ottawa Citizen, Ken McQueen & Dave Rogers
Heavy defeat for Lapointe and Turmel
Losing is not unlike beating your head against the wall -- if you do
it often enough, it stops hurting. Perhaps that's why perpetual
candidates John Turmel and Lapointe hardly seem shattered by their
sound trouncing in the Ottawa mayoralty race. (after being excluded by
most coverage and not including in the debates) Turmel a professional
gambler said he knew after 30 polls that he was no threat to Marion
Dewar who won with 49,724 votes. Deftly hurtling his 1927 vote finish
to the background, he has already set his sights on the Nov. 20
provincial by-election where he is a Social Credit candidate. Two
weeks ago he failed to become interim leader of the Social Credit
Party. Turmel said he could of won $20,000 in bets had he topped the
polls at odd of 100 and 400 to 1. His defeat cost him $165. Turmel
said Dewar liked his idea of free bus service and suggested the mayor
hire him as the city engineer. "Money is a tool and I just want to fix
it as a engineer" he said. Pat Nicol got 33,181. Al Lapointe got
2,358.
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