Independent candidates, 2004 Canadian federal election
Encyclopedia
Several independent candidates campaigned as candidates in the 2004 federal election
, representing a variety of political viewpoints and ambitions. One independent candidate, Chuck Cadman
, was elected. Information about another candidates may be found on this page.
Rosie the Clown Elston (Kingston and the Islands
Rosie the Clown is the stage name of Laura Elston. She was 46 years old at the time of the election, and had been performing as Rosie in Ottawa and Kingston
for fifteen years. She campaigned in a red wig, jumpsuit and face paint, in a novelty candidacy influenced by groups like the defunct Rhinoceros Party of Canada. She announced her candidacy by saying, "I've just been thinking wouldn't it be nice to lighten up just a little bit. The issues are serious, and it's a very momentous time and a difficult time for the world, but I find that when we get too totally stressed out and we take ourselves too seriously, we don't decide well about the serious issues." (Kingston Whig-Standard, 7 June 2004)
Elston was an aide to local Progressive Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) Flora MacDonald for two years in the 1980s (KWS, 23 June 2004). She received 237 votes (0.44%), finishing sixth against Liberal
incumbent Peter Milliken
.
Elston should not be confused with Vicki Gabereau
, who campaigned for Mayor of Toronto under the pseudonym of clown "Rosie Sunrise" in 1974 (Toronto Star, 23 January 2003).
Karl Eric Walker (Kingston and the Islands
Walker received 100 votes (0.18%), finishing eighth against Liberal
incumbent Peter Milliken
.
Edward John Slota (Beaches—East York
Slota (born September 28, 1947, died March 14, 2005) was Slota was born in Belgium
to Polish parents. He worked in land development, construction, rental property management, securities, and machinery and robotics design and manufacturing. He died unexpectedly of a stroke on March 14, 2005, after a dinner being held to discuss his 2006 campaign. He won 85 votes, 0.2% of the total vote in the riding.
Slota ran as the leader and only candidate of the Global Party of Canada . It advocated wealth redistribution through monetary reform, and aimed to change the Canadian economic system and to lead worldwide change through the associated "Global Party of the World". The party was not registered with Elections Canada
. The Global Party attempted to ally itself with the Green Party of Canada
by encouraging voters to support Green candidates in other ridings.
The Global Party believed that a massive creation of new money by the Bank of Canada
would free enterprise, create jobs and wealth, and prevent communism
and dictatorship. The creation of new money would enable a Global Party government to pay every man, woman and child $1,500 to $3,000 per month for life, eliminate the need for taxes, and provide sufficient capital to increase spending for "common good" projects, such as schools, health and welfare, etc., by fifty percent. In addition to unleashing tremendous economic forces, this would eliminate the "hierarchy of money" and permit the "self-actualization" of all people.
The party's monetary reform proposals were similar to those of the theory of social credit
expounded by previous Canadian political parties, including the Social Credit Party of Canada
. The party appears to have ceased functioning after his death.
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...
, representing a variety of political viewpoints and ambitions. One independent candidate, Chuck Cadman
Chuck Cadman
Charles "Chuck" Cadman was a Canadian politician and Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2005, representing the riding of Surrey North in Surrey, British Columbia.- Early life :...
, was elected. Information about another candidates may be found on this page.
Rosie the Clown Elston (Kingston and the IslandsKingston and the IslandsKingston and the Islands is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....
)
Rosie the Clown is the stage name of Laura Elston. She was 46 years old at the time of the election, and had been performing as Rosie in Ottawa and KingstonKingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
for fifteen years. She campaigned in a red wig, jumpsuit and face paint, in a novelty candidacy influenced by groups like the defunct Rhinoceros Party of Canada. She announced her candidacy by saying, "I've just been thinking wouldn't it be nice to lighten up just a little bit. The issues are serious, and it's a very momentous time and a difficult time for the world, but I find that when we get too totally stressed out and we take ourselves too seriously, we don't decide well about the serious issues." (Kingston Whig-Standard, 7 June 2004)
Elston was an aide to local Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) Flora MacDonald for two years in the 1980s (KWS, 23 June 2004). She received 237 votes (0.44%), finishing sixth against 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...
incumbent Peter Milliken
Peter Milliken
Peter Andrew Stewart Milliken, UE is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until his retirement in 2011 and served as Speaker of the House for 10 years beginning in 2001. Milliken represented the Ontario riding of Kingston and the Islands as a...
.
Elston should not be confused with Vicki Gabereau
Vicki Gabereau
Vicki Frances Gabereau is a Canadian radio and television personality. Most recently she hosted an eponymously titled afternoon talk show on CTV Television Network, which wrapped up production on April 8, 2005 after 8 seasons...
, who campaigned for Mayor of Toronto under the pseudonym of clown "Rosie Sunrise" in 1974 (Toronto Star, 23 January 2003).
Karl Eric Walker (Kingston and the IslandsKingston and the IslandsKingston and the Islands is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....
)
Walker received 100 votes (0.18%), finishing eighth against LiberalLiberal 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...
incumbent Peter Milliken
Peter Milliken
Peter Andrew Stewart Milliken, UE is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until his retirement in 2011 and served as Speaker of the House for 10 years beginning in 2001. Milliken represented the Ontario riding of Kingston and the Islands as a...
.
Edward John Slota (Beaches—East YorkBeaches—East YorkBeaches—East York is a federal electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988....
)
Slota (born September 28, 1947, died March 14, 2005) was Slota was born in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
to Polish parents. He worked in land development, construction, rental property management, securities, and machinery and robotics design and manufacturing. He died unexpectedly of a stroke on March 14, 2005, after a dinner being held to discuss his 2006 campaign. He won 85 votes, 0.2% of the total vote in the riding.
Slota ran as the leader and only candidate of the Global Party of Canada . It advocated wealth redistribution through monetary reform, and aimed to change the Canadian economic system and to lead worldwide change through the associated "Global Party of the World". The party was not registered with Elections Canada
Elections Canada
Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. Its ongoing responsibility is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their choices in federal elections and referenda through an open and impartial process...
. The Global Party attempted to ally itself with the Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...
by encouraging voters to support Green candidates in other ridings.
The Global Party believed that a massive creation of new money by the Bank of Canada
Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada is Canada's central bank and "lender of last resort". The Bank was created by an Act of Parliament on July 3, 1934 as a privately owned corporation. In 1938, the Bank became a Crown corporation belonging to the Government of Canada...
would free enterprise, create jobs and wealth, and prevent communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and dictatorship. The creation of new money would enable a Global Party government to pay every man, woman and child $1,500 to $3,000 per month for life, eliminate the need for taxes, and provide sufficient capital to increase spending for "common good" projects, such as schools, health and welfare, etc., by fifty percent. In addition to unleashing tremendous economic forces, this would eliminate the "hierarchy of money" and permit the "self-actualization" of all people.
The party's monetary reform proposals were similar to those of the theory of social credit
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
expounded by previous Canadian political parties, including the Social Credit Party of Canada
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
. The party appears to have ceased functioning after his death.