Elect Paul Fromm in Calgary-Southeast - A Candidate's Diary

My Candidacy in Calgary Southeast -- A Modest Success

The votes are all counted, the suspense is over. The election results are in from Calgary Southeast. I had challenged Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and run as a candidate for the Western Block Party. I got 190 votes and Kenney was re-elected.

First, I never expected to win. Calgary Southeast is solidly conservative -- as in Consdervative Party -- and, with the exception a few areas, Albertans votes like lemmings. However, every few decades they change directions and lemming-like back another party, as they did provincially in 1971, abandoning 36 years of Social Credit and slamming in a a new Progressive Conservative whopping majority under Peter Lougheed. There was no sign that federally 2011 was going to be one of those change of direction years.

Secondly, while I ran all-out, I knew I faced a number of disadvantages:

1. The Western Block Party had no local organization or base in Calgary Southeast.

2. The Western Block Party is not yet well known in Alberta.

3. I was not well known in Calgary Southeast.

4. We had really only four weeks to organize. Both Doug Christie and I had thought that the Liberals would not be suicidal enough to force an election when the polls showed them badly behind and their leader very unpopular. However, we underestimated the attraction of suicide to Canada's once "natural governing party." I thought we'd have a year to organize in the riding.

Thirdly, my real goal all along was to raise the immigration issue -- a hard-line, Canada First moratorium on immigration approach -- hopefully, to engage and embarass Jason Kenney and, secondly, to inform a lot of people at the cost of 25 cents on the dollar to our supporters. Due to Canada's election financing laws, donations up to $400 to a federal party or candidate result in a tax credit of 75%; larger donations result in a slightly smaller credit. Thus, someone who can afford a $100 donation can actually give $400.

A key to advertising success is repetition. One message once, no matter how brilliant, is not enough. My donors' generosity allowed me to hit every household in Calgary Southeast with four separate one minute immigration reform messages. As well, many voters got my election literature and some will have seen the modest press coverage.

The campaign was a success. Over 110,000 people were exposed to the immigration reform message. We attracted some new recruits and supporters.

On the negative side, I was unable to attract the hoped-for publicity that would have given the issue greater legs. The anti-democratic policies of Pattison Outdoor Signs prevented me from buying advertising on some Calgary buses and similar policies rejected my paid advertising in a giveaway puiblication called Coffee News.

Despite a number of press releases, the sleepy Calgary mass media showed no interest in what could have been a dramatic story: "Immigration Critic Challenges Immigration Minister." The media decided that they knew the results in advance and didn't even try to present an interesting story of conflict.

Furthermore, there were no all-candidate debates which would have sparked interest and "confrontation" and publicity. Kenney wisely but undemocratically spent much of his time in Brampton, Ontario while ignoring any sort of debate in his own riding.

Some people might wonder why the immigration reform message did not attract more votes. The fact is many voters will agree with us on the issue but have a larger concern. One thing I was told repeatedly was that the biggest danger was a minority government where the Liberals would defeat the Tories and then form some sort of coalition and Canada would, thus, be ruled either by the NDP or the Bloc Quebecois. Others feared "wasting" their votes on a small and not well known party.

I count the past month's investment on time and money an educational success.

Politicians seldom "lead" on issues. They wait until there's a body of opinion and then seek to get in front of that parade. We're just now at the stage of beginning to stimulate that body of opinion. Polls show large numbers of Canadians are upset at both the numbers and makeup of the all-out invasion being orchestrated by our political class.

Columnist Salim Mansur (Toronto Sun, April 23, 2011) wrote an article entitled "Immigration's the elephant in the room." He noted: "The consensus of the elite -- political players, the media, the government bureaucracy federally and provincially, immigration lawyers and other interest groups -- is that immigration is beneficial. ... Anyone questioning this consensus is muzzled by the fear of being publicly labelled a bigot." The hand of establishment muzzling of debate on immigration in Calgary Southeast was clear.

The Tories were successful at targetting their message: a different message for different groups. While Jason Kenney was off shmnoozing Sikhs in Brampton and promising heaven knows what further liberalisation, the folks back home were kept scared of a leftist "coalition."

The Calgary Sun (April 23, 2011) ran an extraordinary expose of one Walford Uriah Steers . He's a 39 year old Jamaican career criminal, with 73 criminal convictions in this country, who'd been ordered deported. He snuck back in and was recently incarcerated (an unusual move in this looney tunes land) pending deportation. The Sun revealed that there are at least 41,000 deperadoes who've been ordered deported and who have just disappearedl; that is, are still here and have gone underground.

Their amazing conclusion: "What Steer represents is just the latest dash of reality in a recipe for disaster that has been pressure-cooking since the Liberals under Jean Chretien steered clear of stirring this ugly pot. We're hopeful Steer's case will now blow off the lid, and spew all the ingredients that went into this mess so they can be examined by those with stronger political will. Like the Conservatives, for example, who vow if re-elected with a majority to stop the abuses of our immigration system. The Liberals and the NDP, meanwhile, think they can rehabilitate scorpions, and turn seasoned criminals into social workers."

Conclusion: If you're worried about the immigration mess like Mr. Fromm, vote Tory,. When they get their majority, they'll clean things up.

That very much remains to be seen. They had a chance with the Tamil Tiger smuggling operations last year and the year before. The Tories stamped their feet, growled and looked tough, but still let the whole lot in.

While I'd like to believe a Harper majority might do great things, I doubt it. Are they willing to anger their new-found Third World friends with any form of real reform? But it's not just the abuses, it's the whole replacement scheme all three federal parties seem wedded to. Is there any hint that the Conservatives would massively reduce immigration at a time of high unemployment. If there is, I haven't seen it.

Preparing the Campaign

A year ago, I promised Western Block Leader Douglas H,. Christie that I would run for his Western Block in the next federal election. In August of 2010, we had a candidates’ meeting in Chilliwack, B.C. In November, we had a further meeting of Alberta would-be candidates in Edmonton.

I didn’t think the NDP and Liberals, lagging badly in the polls, would provoke an election, but they did. Party leader Doug Christie was in Ontario, March 30, and addressed the Canadian Association for Free Expression. I had originally intended to run in British Columbia. However, he and I agreed that Immigration Minister Jason Kenney would make a far better target in Calgary Southeast. The campaign would let me highlight Canada’s failed immigration policy. With high unemployment – officially 7.7 percent – immigration keeps wages low, keep Canadians unemployed and burdens our tax system. He gave me his endorsement and we discussed strategy.

April 5, having returned from a talk to the Council of Conservative Citizens in St. Louis, Missouri, I headed to British Columbia to contact some key supporters. While in British Columbia, I worked on lining up advertizing and writing my election leaflet and other material.

April 7, it was on to Calgary. I managed to fall out of a plane. Yes, on landing, the tiny Air Canada propeller plane was greeted with an aluminum set of stairs down which passengers could deplane. Heading down the steps, with a briefcase in one hand and my laptop in the other, my boast heel caught in on one of the steps. I pitched forward, dropped my laptop and briefcase and grabbed the railing. The ladder contraption pitched forward. I landed on the asphalt tarmac with the aluminum contraption on top of me. Several Air Canada personnel and passengers came to my assistance, pulled the aluminum stairs off me, helped me to my feet and handed my back my belongings. They even offered me a wheelchair, which I refused. I was a bit shaken.

I checked into a hotel and then headed out to gather signatures. My falling out of an airplane story was a great hit. The bartender was repeating it to awed drinker even the next day. One lady who signed my nomination papers asked me jokingly: “You’re not crazy, are you?”

“I don’t think so,” I replied, “but I did fall out of an airplane today.” She was so intrigued by the story that she called over her girlfriend and both signed my nomination papers.

On Thursday and Friday, I gathered the necessary 100 signatures from voters in Calgary Southeast for my nomination. Actually, I got 134 signatures, as the odd person might not actually live in the riding or for some other reason be eligible. To sign. Caution was in order. It’s a tough job approaching total strangers for their signatures.

I’d already done reams of paperwork. I’d secured an auditor and official agent, obtained letters from them accepting their positions, and, of course, the letter of endorsement from Party leader Doug Christie.

Friday afternoon, with my $1,000 election deposit cheque in my folder, I headed over the offices of Elections Canada Retuning Officer, Cheryl Shuett. With me was my witness and long-time supporter Calgary businessman George Kreutzer. He actually had to submit my nomination papers. My paperwork was checked and, at 4:45, Friday, April 8, my nomination papers were officially filed.

Saturday, April 9, at 11:30 a.m., I received a call from Mrs Shuett confirming that my signators had been checked and approved. I was now officially the Western Block candidate for Calgary Southeast. – Paul Fromm

Canadians wishing to contribute to my campaign to “make Immigration an Election Issue” should send their cheques payable to “Wolfgang Mueller, Official Agent”, c/o Paul Fromm, P.O. Box 332, Rexdale, ON., M9W 5L3, CANADA. [You get a tax credit of 75% for your donation!]