Connie Fogal
Encyclopedia
Constance Fogal (born 1940) is the former leader of the Canadian Action Party
. A lawyer and former teacher, Fogal lives in Vancouver
, British Columbia
where her late husband Harry Rankin
was a long time progressive city council
lor. She is an anti-globalization
activist and was an opponent of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment
and the North American Free Trade Agreement
. She has also been active with the "Canadian Liberty Committee".
In the 1996 Vancouver municipal election
she helped form left-right coalition named VOICE and ran as a candidate but the party failed to win a seat on city council.
In the 1997 election
, running in Vancouver Centre
as a CAP candidate, she received 528 votes, coming in seventh behind Liberal
Hedy Fry
. In the 2000 election
, she ran in Vancouver Kingsway
and received 1,200 votes, coming in fifth behind Liberal Sophia Leung
. In the 2004 election
, Fogal was a candidate in Vancouver Quadra
, where she received 165 votes. On May 6, 2008, Fogal announced her intention to resign as party leader but due to the snap call
of the 2008 federal election
she remained leader until November when she was succeeded by Andrew J. Moulden.
. She grew up in Saskatchewan
and was educated at University of Saskatchewan
, University of Toronto
, and University of British Columbia
.
She taught in Saskatchewan, the Toronto public high school system and the University of BC Centre for Continuing Education. She was called to the Bar in British Columbia
in 1980 and practised law as a sole practitioner in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, first in the areas of criminal law and family law, and then primarily in family law.
Fogal is the widow of Harry Rankin
after 27 years together. She played a major behind the scenes supportive role to her husband’s progressive voice as a Vancouver city councillor and champion of the people. Similarly, Rankin was a constant source of revitalization and support to Fogal’s own political and legal efforts.
Fogal has two adult children from a previous marriage and two grandchildren. Fogal’s grandparents were pioneers in Saskatchewan
. Their roots were in Ontario and Quebec. Her maternal grandfather was active in shaping the province of Saskatchewan under Tommy Douglas
.
Except for two years following the death of her husband in February 2002, Fogal devoted all her adult life in political activism learning about and then opposing globalization
. She has consistently called for the abrogation of the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement
and the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), and has opposed Canada’s participation in the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) and other such bilateral agreements to which Canada is already a party. She has criticized the
labour, environmental, and non-governmental movements who supported these agreements.
Fogal promoted public education by bringing to Vancouver notable speakers including: Michel Chossudovsky, Economist, University of Ottawa
, on globalization of poverty, and the impacts of the International Monetary Fund
and the World Bank
; Guy Bertrand, Lawyer; and Max and Monique Nemni, editors of Cité Libre
, on Quebec issues; Dr. Richard Wolfson on genetically modified foods (GMOs); Robert Goodman, Professor, University of Massachusetts
; Dr. Earl Grinols, economist, University of Chicago
on the damage of gambling as a mechanism for running the economy; Paul Hellyer
, Leader of the Canadian Action Party, on globalization’s effects on Canada; Michael Rowbotham, England, professor and researcher on the origins and effect of money and debt.
Fogal has been a critic of Canada’s new laws implemented by our federal government under the guise of antiterrorism legislation since the September 11, 2001 attacks
.
Fogal was a candidate for the Canadian Action Party in the 1997 and 2000 federal elections promoting environmental, monetary, economic sovereignty and human survival by opposing the corporatization, privatization. She called for the abrogation of NAFTA, and the Agreement on International Trade, pulling out of the FTAA, the World Trade Organization
and the General Agreement on Trade in Services
(GATS) expansion, opposition to Canada’s participation in and cooperation with the World Bank
and the International Monetary Fund
. She is also an opponent of the proposed UN Parliamentary Assembly.
Canadian Action Party
The Canadian Action Party is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1997. It promotes Canadian nationalism, monetary and electoral reform, and opposes neoliberal globalization and free trade agreements.- Background :The Canadian Action Party was founded by Paul T...
. A lawyer and former teacher, Fogal lives in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
where her late husband Harry Rankin
Harry Rankin
Harry Rankin was a Vancouver lawyer and socialist alderman on city council.- Early Years:Rankin was born Harry Riffkin in Vancouver to a secular Jewish family which had immigrated from the Ukraine...
was a long time progressive city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
lor. She is an anti-globalization
Anti-globalization
Criticism of globalization is skepticism of the claimed benefits of the globalization of capitalism. Many of these views are held by the anti-globalization movement however other groups also are critical of the policies of globalization....
activist and was an opponent of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment
Multilateral Agreement on Investment
The Multilateral Agreement on Investment was a draft agreement negotiated between members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 1995–1998. Its ostensible purpose was to develop multilateral rules that would ensure international investment was governed in a more...
and the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
. She has also been active with the "Canadian Liberty Committee".
In the 1996 Vancouver municipal election
Vancouver municipal election, 1996
The City of Vancouver, Canada, held municipal elections on November 16, 1996. Canadian citizens who were over 18 years of age at the time of the vote, and had been a resident of Vancouver for the previous 30 days and a resident of B.C. for the previous six months, were able to vote for candidates...
she helped form left-right coalition named VOICE and ran as a candidate but the party failed to win a seat on city council.
In the 1997 election
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
, running in Vancouver Centre
Vancouver Centre
Vancouver Centre is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1917.-Geography:...
as a CAP candidate, she received 528 votes, coming in seventh behind Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Hedy Fry
Hedy Fry
Hedy Fry, PC, MP is a Canadian politician and physician. She is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.-Early life:Fry was born into poverty in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago...
. In the 2000 election
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
, she ran in Vancouver Kingsway
Vancouver Kingsway
Vancouver Kingsway is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1988 and since 1997. It is located in Vancouver.-Demographics:...
and received 1,200 votes, coming in fifth behind Liberal Sophia Leung
Sophia Leung
Sophia Ming Ren Leung, CM is a Canadian politician.Born in Wuxi, China, she was a social worker before being elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1997 for the riding of Vancouver-Kingsway in British Columbia. A Liberal, she was re-elected in 2000. From 2000 to 2003, she was Parliamentary...
. In the 2004 election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
, Fogal was a candidate in Vancouver Quadra
Vancouver Quadra
Vancouver Quadra is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1949....
, where she received 165 votes. On May 6, 2008, Fogal announced her intention to resign as party leader but due to the snap call
Snap election
A snap election is an election called earlier than expected. Generally it refers to an election in a parliamentary system called when not required , usually to capitalize on a unique electoral opportunity or to decide a pressing issue...
of the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
she remained leader until November when she was succeeded by Andrew J. Moulden.
History
Constance (Connie) Fogal, was born on August 7, 1940 in Lafleche, SaskatchewanLafleche, Saskatchewan
Lafleche is a small community in southwest Saskatchewan, Canada. As of 2006, the population of Lafleche is 370.-Community profile:In 1913 the Canadian Pacific Railway came to Lafleche. In 1937 after eight consecutive crop failures, the once prosperous Lafleche district was near rock bottom...
. She grew up in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and was educated at University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
, University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, and University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
.
She taught in Saskatchewan, the Toronto public high school system and the University of BC Centre for Continuing Education. She was called to the Bar in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in 1980 and practised law as a sole practitioner in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, first in the areas of criminal law and family law, and then primarily in family law.
Fogal is the widow of Harry Rankin
Harry Rankin
Harry Rankin was a Vancouver lawyer and socialist alderman on city council.- Early Years:Rankin was born Harry Riffkin in Vancouver to a secular Jewish family which had immigrated from the Ukraine...
after 27 years together. She played a major behind the scenes supportive role to her husband’s progressive voice as a Vancouver city councillor and champion of the people. Similarly, Rankin was a constant source of revitalization and support to Fogal’s own political and legal efforts.
Fogal has two adult children from a previous marriage and two grandchildren. Fogal’s grandparents were pioneers in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. Their roots were in Ontario and Quebec. Her maternal grandfather was active in shaping the province of Saskatchewan under Tommy Douglas
Tommy Douglas
Thomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician...
.
Except for two years following the death of her husband in February 2002, Fogal devoted all her adult life in political activism learning about and then opposing globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
. She has consistently called for the abrogation of the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement
Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement
The Free Trade Agreement was a trade agreement signed by Canada and the United States on October 4, 1988. The agreement, finalized by October 1987, removed several trade restrictions in stages over a ten year period, and resulted in a great increase in cross-border trade...
and the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA), and has opposed Canada’s participation in the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) and other such bilateral agreements to which Canada is already a party. She has criticized the
labour, environmental, and non-governmental movements who supported these agreements.
Community positions
- Director Vancouver Library Board 1983 to 1985;
- Director of Pearson Hospital and G.F.Strong Hospital 1988;
- Chairperson of St.Paul’s Healthy Hospital Project, 1991.
Elected positions
- Vancouver Parks Board Commissioner from 1984 to 1986;
- Director, Kitsilano and Vancouver Community Resource boards from 1975 to 1979.
- President of the Canadian Action PartyCanadian Action PartyThe Canadian Action Party is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1997. It promotes Canadian nationalism, monetary and electoral reform, and opposes neoliberal globalization and free trade agreements.- Background :The Canadian Action Party was founded by Paul T...
/parti-action Canadienne, a federal electoral party, 1998 to 2004; - Leader of the Canadian Action Party/parti action Canadienne, March 2004 to 2008.
Professional activity
She has practised law in Vancouver BC since 1980. She was a stay-at-home mother from 1971 to 1977. She has also been a teacher.Political advocacy work
Fogal has fought against gambling expansion since 1994. Since 1998, Fogal-Rankin has spearheaded three lawsuits on behalf of Canadian citizens through the Defence of Canadian Liberty Committee to oppose what she sees as threats to Canadian constitutional sovereignty. The Nanoose Bay lawsuit attacked the expropriation of an environmentally sensitive waterway by the federal government to permit the U.S. to test their weapons. That lawsuit was stayed pending the pursuit by the province of their lawsuit on the issue. The third challenged what Fogal argued was the federal government’s destruction of civil liberties and rights to free speech and lawful assembly by the erection of a fence in Quebec City to keep protesters away from the Summit of the Americas. The Supreme Court of Canada refused to deal with issues raised in the MAI and Quebec lawsuits.Fogal promoted public education by bringing to Vancouver notable speakers including: Michel Chossudovsky, Economist, University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, on globalization of poverty, and the impacts of the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
; Guy Bertrand, Lawyer; and Max and Monique Nemni, editors of Cité Libre
Cité Libre
Cité Libre was an influential political journal published in Quebec, Canada, through the 1950s and 1960s. Co-founded in 1950 by editor and future Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, the publication served as an organ of opposition to the conservative and authoritarian government of Maurice...
, on Quebec issues; Dr. Richard Wolfson on genetically modified foods (GMOs); Robert Goodman, Professor, University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
; Dr. Earl Grinols, economist, University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
on the damage of gambling as a mechanism for running the economy; Paul Hellyer
Paul Hellyer
Paul Theodore Hellyer, PC is a Canadian engineer, politician, writer and commentator who has had a long and varied career. He is the longest serving current member of the Privy Council, just ahead of Prince Philip.-Early life:...
, Leader of the Canadian Action Party, on globalization’s effects on Canada; Michael Rowbotham, England, professor and researcher on the origins and effect of money and debt.
Fogal has been a critic of Canada’s new laws implemented by our federal government under the guise of antiterrorism legislation since the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
Fogal was a candidate for the Canadian Action Party in the 1997 and 2000 federal elections promoting environmental, monetary, economic sovereignty and human survival by opposing the corporatization, privatization. She called for the abrogation of NAFTA, and the Agreement on International Trade, pulling out of the FTAA, the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
and the General Agreement on Trade in Services
General Agreement on Trade in Services
The General Agreement on Trade in Services is a treaty of the World Trade Organization that entered into force in January 1995 as a result of the Uruguay Round negotiations...
(GATS) expansion, opposition to Canada’s participation in and cooperation with the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
. She is also an opponent of the proposed UN Parliamentary Assembly.