Campaign Update

To Campaign Supporters:

Many thanks to all of you who have offered your moral, financial and spiritual support. It is most appreciated. I want to share with you some campaign developments which have transpsired thusfar.

1) Debates: In past campaigns at this point in the campaign period, I would have likely completed 2-3 debates by now. However, for some inexplicable reason in this campaign I have effectively been shut out of all the debates. There was a debate this past Monday at Algonquin College which I was not invited to. And there have been others too. Even Rogers TV did not invite me to the All-Candidate's debate this year, unlike the past campaigns. Instead, I received an offer to present a 2-minute platform statement, which I grudgingly accepted after I found out that I was not permitted to join the debate. Apparently, Rogers made the decision not to invite candidates whose Parties were not present in all of the 107 electoral districts in Ontario. I have discovered that other FCP and other smaller Party candidates are experiencing the same cold-shoulder in All-Candidates' debates across the province. It's very disturbing and it does not bode well for fair-play in the political arena. I do, however, have an invitation to attend a Community Health symposium next week.

The Rogers Debate for Ottawa West Nepean is scheduled to air tomorrow evening (Thurs. Sep. 22 @ 7PM on Channel 22). I won't be in it, of course, but my 2 minute platform presentation will be aired before or after the debate.

 2)  Signs: My campaign has focused on talking about all of the FCP's policies which have as their base, the natural family of father, mother and children. Almost all policies in an election have a "family angle" to them, and if they don't have a direct one, they have an indirect one.  So we're not just talking about abortion anymore, although we still are the only pro-life Party in the province, and, of course, we do raise the issue, but tactfully and within the appropriate context.  In line with this new approach, the campaign signs have a fresh, bright look which makes the other Parties' signs look stale and worn by comparison. I am very happy with how they turned out and the compliments which I have received confirm my own impression:

I have 20 of these 32X48 signs around Ottawa West Nepean along with 50 smaller lawn signs.

I do, however, still have a few of the old signs from the last campaign in strategic voting areas:

Needless to say, both the old and the new signs are still the most vandalized of all the candidates.  The vandals knock them down in broad daylight. We put them back up. And on and on it goes for the whole 30+ days of the campaign. Up. Down. Up. Down. It's quite a drama for the motorists, as they ask, "Are they up this morning or down?"  It's the best kind of advertising...because it's kind of a conversation.

3) Radio Ads: I intend to broadcast 30-second spot ads on CFRA in the coming week. The more money in donations the Campaign is able to secure, the more of the ads you will hear. So keep the money flowing! When the ad is ready to go, I'll be sure to post it here on the Campaign Blog.

Be sure to keep up to date with what's going on in the Campaign and the issues at my blog:

http://www.johnpacheco.ca/
Thank you all once again for your continued support!

John Pacheco
FCP Candidate
Ottawa West Nepean