James Topp serves Global News with notice of libel over white supremacy claims
Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veteran James Topp has retained a lawyer and has served Global News as well as its parent company Corus Entertainment Inc. with a notice of libel for falsely painting him as a white supremacist.
Topp made headlines when he marched across Canada to protest Covid-19 mandates earlier this year. He is currently facing a court martial after refusing to comply with the CAF’s mandatory vaccination policy.
The notice filed by lawyer David Elmaleh names journalist Rachel Gilmore and her employers. It references an Aug. 18 article titled ‘Good PR’: Why anti-hate experts are urging politicians to step up vetting practices which covers a meeting between Topp and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
“The defamatory article, inclusive of the URL tag, referred to Mr.
Topp as a white supremacist, among other things,” the notice reads.
Global News has since changed the URL of the article but originally it included the words “james topp white supremacists far right.”
“(Defendants published this) without providing any evidence supporting their statements,” writes Elmaleh.
“(Those named) also included various ‘tags’ on the defamatory article, further implying that Mr. Topp is a white supremacist, extremist and member of the far right.”
An editor’s note on the article currently states that the URL was revised “to omit a reference to ‘white supremacist’ to avoid any misunderstanding that persons named in the URL are associated with that label.”
“Take notice that Mr. Topp intends to plead that the defamatory words were made deliberately, irresponsibly and with malice,” the claim continues.
“The intended defendants knew that the defamatory words, and the innuendo arising from them, were false, yet expressed them in any event in order to generate headlines, expand the reach of the defamatory article and garner interest from as many members of the public as possible.”
Topp is alleging that the false claims “lowered his reputation, and has caused and will continue to cause reputational and financial harm, along with emotional pain and suffering.”
The notice calls on the named parties to immediately publish an apology on all platforms and warns that Topp will seek damages in future proceedings.
https://www.canadamarches.ca/notice-of-libel
LAW FIRM RETIANED
Thanks to your support we were able to retain Mr. David Elmaleh and his law-firm RE|LAW LLP to take forward our legal proceedings in regards to the article written by Global News on the 18th of August. Ms. Gilmore, Global News, and the parent company Corus Entertainment Inc. have been served with a Notice of Libel. We are publicizing this development to mitigate against the reputational harm Mr. Topp has sustained by being called a white supremacist on the internet.
We are very pleased that Mr. Elmaleh will represent us if such matters come up again in the future.
We will try to keep you up to date to the progress.
Email
Thank-you for providing as much information
as possible, including your cell number.
Media & General Inquiries:
Chris George is an Ottawa-based government affairs advisor and wordsmith, president of CG&A COMMUNICATIONS. Contact: ChrisG.George@gmail.com
LINK: https://niagaraindependent.ca/lament-for-our-post-national-state/
Lament for our post-national state
Photo credit: The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick
From his earliest revelations about wanting to transform this country into a post-national state, PM Justin Trudeau and his enablers have been on a mission to hollow out the idea of Canada. There is to be no core identity, no proud history, no mainstream traditions, no sense of belonging. Seven years into his mission, the country marks its 155th birthday with chaotic and politically charged gatherings across the land that, at best, reflect a shaken sense of nationhood; but, perhaps more accurately, they signal Canadians’ social contract has been forsook.
Whether it’s the PM’s response to the truckers or the Liberals embrace of the World Economic Forum’s agenda, Canadian editorialists and political pundits now openly debate the damage being done by the Trudeau Government’s constant undermining of the Canadian Constitution and Charter of Rights, its destabilization of the country’s resource economy, and the rewriting of Canada’s history to shame our cultural and societal legacies.
Andrew Coyne’s commentary this week in the Globe and Mail identifies “the vacuum at the centre of Canadian politics” with politicians degrading and disregarding “obligations to common sense, or the ordinary routines of democratic politics, or the rule of law.” Independent journalist Matt Gurney suggests our lack of political leadership has Canadians settling for mediocrity. Numerous columnists including William Gairdner are documenting how the government has morphed from soft socialism to soft totalitarianism. Some like Rupa Subramanya and Warren Kinsella often write on the perverse nature of Trudeau’s authoritarian kleptocracy.
So, this day’s scenes of unrest in the Nation’s Capital and its various cross-country protests against the celebration of “Canada” speak directly to the crisis of our nationhood’s legitimacy, a crisis that is continuously being stoked by the Trudeau Government. Trudeau’s ceaseless use of wedge politics has effectively eroded Canadians’ trust and faith in one another. The PM and his operatives do not let a single opportunity pass by without virtue signaling a division between Canadians. Case in point is most recently when Trudeau and his senior ministers infused the U.S. political maelstrom on abortion into Canada’s public debate, purposefully to 1) embolden his progressive base, and 2) highlight the moral and political divides on this contentious issue.
In the Financial Post, Joe Oliver offers his Lament for a misgoverned nation: “As they prepare to celebrate their country’s 155th birthday, Canadians are suffering at the hands of a divisive, incompetent government that has undermined prosperity, freedom, parliamentary responsibility, the independence of institutions, national unity and our country’s global standing.”
From the deluge of hapless news coming out of Ottawa these days, it seems that the very fabric of our nation is threadbare. Consider how these situations will end.
Canadians are being told there has been no impropriety or “undue influence” exercised with the latest scandalous news that RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki “made a promise” to Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and the Prime Minister’s Office to use the mass murders in Nova Scotia to help pass the Liberals gun control law. Senior Mounties have exposed the political power play. Yet, the same people who caused the obstruction of justice scandals involving Jody-Wilson-Raybould and SNC Lavalin, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, and the WE Charity payouts, claim the senior Mounties are fabricating their story.
Canadians are now camping out for days in front of federal government offices with hopes that they might get their passports in time for their summer and fall vacations. To address the snake-like lineups moving at glacier speed, PM Trudeau announced a 13-member ministerial taskforce committee that (in his words) “will help guide the work of the government to better meet the changing needs of Canadians and continue to provide them with the high-quality services they need and deserve.” The committee will begin meeting in early July.
Inflation last month hit almost 7.7 per cent, the highest it has been in 40 years when the current PM’s father was PM. Unfortunately, the Trudeau Liberals now know nothing more of how to handle runaway inflation as the Trudeau Liberals did then. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s latest budget included more fiscal stimulus, more debt, more regulation and more taxes. Recall, she appeared beside the Bank of Canada governor to pronounce inflation was “transitory.” Recently, when asked about government actions to tamper inflationary pressures, she claimed the government has “done enough already.” In another interview when asked about the frustrations Canadians are experiencing with rising prices, Freeland offered “it is okay to be mad.”
Gas pump prices in Canada continue to climb causing increasing strain for daily commuters, suburban families, and commercial drivers. Though Canadians are being told this is a global pressure in part caused by Russia, the fact is our country has the highest and highest-rising prices of any oil-developing nation. In comparing pump prices in Niagara Falls, Ontario to Niagara Falls, New York the gap has widened to more than 33 per cent more per litre. (News Thursday from an internal Department of Environment report tells us that new regulatory taxes on gas to be imposed July 1, 2023 will have a direct impact on prices by as much as 36 cents per litre.) The Americans are considering tax relief for motorists; any type of gas tax relief is something the Trudeau government has repeatedly rejected.
More horrors were reported from Ukraine this week when missiles hit residential buildings in Kiev and one missile struck a shopping centre, killing 16 and injuring over 40. While this news shook the world, PM Trudeau was hamming it up at the G7 meetings in Germany, mocking Vladimir Putin and photos of him bare-chested horseback riding. The Canadian PM had nothing more to offer his colleagues at the NATO summit. In the past couple of years, it is evident Canada has been marginalized in international affairs – left out of AUKUS, no mention with the QUAD Alliance, and our diplomats are MIA in any discussions of defending Ukraine. Still our Trudeau Government boasts its hashtag diplomacy: #IStandWithUkraine.
Finally, consider the news that Canada Day in Winnipeg has been replaced with “New Day” celebrations, a solemn statement to support Indigenous rights and to stand with those who hold grievances against Canada as a nation. Queen’s University professor Bruce Pardy makes this observation in an Epoch Times article, “The cancellation and renaming of Canada Day… reflects a kind of cultural self-hate that has gripped the body politic in Canada.”
Professor Pardy homes in on the sobering significance, “Our institutions have embraced the premises of critical theory, an anti-Western ideology that insists that Canada and other Western nations are fundamentally unjust, systemically racist, oppressive, and destructive… the most serious threat to Canada may be its conditioned disgust with its own history and traditions.”
So, returning to Joe Oliver’s column and his use of the adjective “misgoverned”. Oliver assumes the Trudeau Government is rudderless and unfocused when, in fact, there is plenty of evidence what is at play here is more than incompetence. On this Canada Day, Parliament Hill is off-limits. The PM is insulting “those people” again, purposefully dividing and erasing the idea that we should celebrate our country.
Oh Canada, this is lamentable.
About Chris George
Public Affairs Advisor, Issue Manager, and Writer
Chris George offers discreet counsel, attentive issue management, and reliable communications support services. For more than 25 years, Chris has provided his advocacy expertise to organizations, interest groups and businesses. He has served as lead public affairs advisor to CEOs/Presidents, Boards of Directors and senior executive teams, as well as professionals looking to raise their profile and manage their reputation.
Learn more about CG&A Communications by visiting the website @ www.cgacommunications.com and reading the posts in the CG&A COMM Reflections.
Contact: 613-983-0801 or e-mail cgacomm@gmail.com.
From: Premier of Ontario | Premier ministre de l’Ontario <Premier@ontario.ca>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2022 18:29:37 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: I bet after the Wannabe Mayor Mark Sutcliffe
reviews a couple of clips fom his own show he will remember me EH Rob
Moore and Mr Jones???
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for your email. Your thoughts, comments and input are greatly valued.
You can be assured that all emails and letters are carefully read,
reviewed and taken into consideration.
There may be occasions when, given the issues you have raised and the
need to address them effectively, we will forward a copy of your
correspondence to the appropriate government official. Accordingly, a
response may take several business days.
Thanks again for your email.
______
Merci pour votre courriel. Nous vous sommes très reconnaissants de
nous avoir fait part de vos idées, commentaires et observations.
Nous tenons à vous assurer que nous lisons attentivement et prenons en
considération tous les courriels et lettres que nous recevons.
Dans certains cas, nous transmettrons votre message au ministère
responsable afin que les questions soulevées puissent être traitées de
la manière la plus efficace possible. En conséquence, plusieurs jours
ouvrables pourraient s’écouler avant que nous puissions vous répondre.
Merci encore pour votre courriel.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2022 15:29:33 -0300
Subject: Fwd: I bet after the Wannabe Mayor Mark Sutcliffe reviews a
couple of clips fom his own show he will remember me EH Rob Moore and
Mr Jones???
To: mark.day@rci.rogers.com, tips@ottawa.citynews.ca,
david.smith4@rci.rogers.com, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, "Katie.Telford"
<Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca>, "pierre.poilievre"
<pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, premier <premier@ontario.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
https://ottawa.citynews.ca/
Contact Us
If you're unsure of who to contact, use the "main contacts" listed
below and we'll see that your email/call gets to the right person.
Main Contacts
News Desk: 613-736-2020
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The Rob Snow Show: Talk Back line: 613-750-1310
The Sam Laprade Show: Email: dearsam@ottawa.citynews.ca
Talk Show Producer: David Smith
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 19:18:24 -0300
Subject: I bet after the Wannabe Mayor Mark Sutcliffe reviews a couple
of clips fom his own show he will remember me EH Rob Moore and Mr
Jones???
To: mark@marksutcliffe.ca, Jim.Watson@ottawa.ca,
endottawaelectiongambling@
info@bobchiarelli.ca, mayor@brandonbay.ca, catherine@mckenney2022.ca,
celinedebassige@yahoo.ca, contact@macdonald4mayor.com,
jreg4mayor@gmail.com, jacobsolomonmayor@gmail.com,
info@mikeforottawa.ca, kadri4mayor@kadri.ca, voteparam@gmail.com,
denise.batters@sen.parl.gc.ca, "kevin.waugh" <kevin.waugh@parl.gc.ca>,
"andrew.scheer" <andrew.scheer@parl.gc.ca>, "Warren.Steinley"
<Warren.Steinley@parl.gc.ca>, "fraser.tolmie"
<fraser.tolmie@parl.gc.ca>, "Rosemarie.Falk"
<Rosemarie.Falk@parl.gc.ca>, info@tessafranklin.com,
lstinson@bell.net, lainejohnson4college@gmail.com, info@seandevine.ca,
laura@laurashantz.ca, info@arieltroster.com, info@jeffleiper.ca,
info@menard2022.ca, electyvette@yvetteashiri.ca,
info@horizonottawa.ca, communitysolidarity.ottawa@
<oldmaison@yahoo.com>, andre <andre@jafaust.com>, andrew
<andrew@frankmagazine.ca>, Newsroom <Newsroom@globeandmail.com>, pm
<pm@pm.gc.ca>, paulpalango <paulpalango@protonmail.com>, premier
<premier@ontario.ca>, cathyforkanata@gmail.com,
christine.moulaison.kn@gmail.
info@clarkekelly.ca, gregforottawa@gmail.com, info@nagmanisharma.ca,
info@nickdrain.ca, sasha@sashaduguay.ca, stephanie.maghnam@gmail.com,
info@voteglen.ca, mathewduchesne@gmail.com, tanya@votetanya.ca,
vote.othmanalhusain@gmail.com, voteroberthill@gmail.com,
theresakavanagh@rogers.com, info@delvasontarioparty.ca,
info@patmcgarry.ca, wendy@wendydavidson.ca, vote@jamesdean.ca,
info@josephbenami.ca, michaelwoodottawa@gmail.com,
goingthextramyles@gmail.com, "rob.moore" <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>,
"Robert. Jones" <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "Candice.Bergen"
<Candice.Bergen@parl.gc.ca>, "pierre.poilievre"
<pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, "jake.stewart"
<jake.stewart@parl.gc.ca>
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/
Meet the candidates for mayor and councillor in the city of Ottawa election
Mark Sutcliffe is a broadcaster and entrepreneur. He co-founded the
Ottawa Business Journal and worked on Newstalk 580 CFRA and CityNews.
For more information, visit marksutcliffe.ca.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
22 views
28 subscribers
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
> Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2021 14:48:36 -0300
> Subject: Fwd: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie
> Cooper made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas
> Howie Anglin?
> To: nia_ig.fct@navy.mil, washington field
> <washington.field@ic.fbi.gov>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, "Ian.Shugart"
> <Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca>
> Cc: "Brenda.Lucki" <Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "Jonathan.Vance"
> <Jonathan.Vance@forces.gc.ca>, "Greta.Bossenmaier"
> <Greta.Bossenmaier@hq.nato.int>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: NIA_IG <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>
> Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2021 11:03:08 +0000
> Subject: RE: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie
> Cooper made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas
> Howie Anglin?
> To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
>
> Dear David Amos,
> The Naval Intelligence Activity (NIA) Office of the Inspector General
> (IG) reviewed your email and attached .WAV file provided to the NIA
> Hotline on 2 April 2021. I found no connection to the United States
> Navy or United States Naval Intelligence.
>
> Naval Inspectors General exist to improve the efficiency and
> effectiveness of US Navy Programs, and strive to eliminate and prevent
> waste, fraud, and abuse with their respective departments. Naval IGs
> are restricted to assessing matters falling within the purview of
> their respective commanders.
>
> Citing the lack of an apparent connection to the US Navy or Naval
> Intelligence, I am unable to provide further assistance, or provide
> direct referral to any other agency or activity.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Mark Koneda
> Investigator
> Naval Intelligence Activity
> Office of the Inspector General
> NIA_IG@navy.mil
> (301)669-3030 (unclass)
> TSVOIP 560-3030
>
> INSPECTOR GENERAL SENSITIVE INFORMATION - FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY The
> information contained in this email and any accompanying attachments
> may contain Inspector General sensitive or pre-decisional information,
> which is protected from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of
> Information Act (FOIA, 5 USC Section 552). It should not be released
> to unauthorized persons. If you are not the intended recipient of this
> information, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of
> any action in reliance on this information is prohibited. If you
> received this email in error, please notify this office by email or by
> calling (301) 669-3030.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
> Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 12:50 PM
> To: NIA_IG <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>
> Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
> Subject: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie Cooper
> made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas Howie
> Anglin?
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Art.McDonald@forces.gc.ca
> Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:49:10 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie Cooper made a
> deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas Howie Anglin?
> To: motomaniac333@gmail.com
>
> The Acting Chief of the Defence Staff is LGen Wayne Eyre, he may be
> reached at wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca.
>
> Le Chef d'état-major de la Défense par intérim est le LGen Wayne Eyre.
> Il peut être rejoint au wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca.
>
> Art McD
> He/Him // Il/Lui
> Admiral/amiral Art McDonald
>
> Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS)
> Canadian Armed Forces
> art.mcdonald@forces.gc.ca<mailto:art.mcdonald@forces.gc.
> 613-992-5054
>
> Chef d’état-major de la Defense (CÉMD)
> Forces armées canadiennes
> art.mcdonald@forces.gc.ca<mailto:art.mcdonald@forces.gc.
> 613-992-5054
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>> > > > From: "McKnight, Gisele" McKnight.Gisele@kingscorecord.
>> > > > To: lcampenella@ledger.com
>> > > > Cc:motomaniac_02186@hotmail.
>> > > Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 2:53 PM
>> > > > Subject: David Amos
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > > Hello Lisa,
>> > > > > David Amos asked me to contact you. I met him last June after he
>> > became
>> > > an
>> > > > > independent (not representing any political party) candidate in
>> > > > > our
>> > > > federal
>> > > > > election that was held June 28.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > He was a candidate in our constituency of Fundy (now called
>> > > Fundy-Royal).
>> > > > I
>> > > > > wrote a profile story about him, as I did all other candidates.
>> > > > > That
>> > > story
>> > > > > appeared in the Kings County Record June 22. A second story,
>> > > > > written
>> > by
>> > > > one
>> > > > > of my reporters, appeared on the same date, which was a report on
>> the
>> > > > > candidates' debate held June 18.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > As I recall David Amos came last of four candidates in the
>> > > > > election.
>> > The
>> > > > > winner got 14,997 votes, while Amos got 358.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > I have attached the two stories that appeared, as well as a photo
>> > taken
>> > > by
>> > > > > reporter Erin Hatfield during the debate. I couldn't find the
>> > > > > photo
>> > that
>> > > > > ran, but this one is very similar.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Gisele McKnight
>> > > > > editor A1-debate A1-amos,David for MP 24.doc debate
> 2.JPG
>> > > > > Kings County Record
>> > > > > Sussex, New Brunswick
>> > > > > Canada
>> > > > > 506-433-1070
>> > > > >
>> > > >
>> > >
> Raising a Little Hell- Lively Debate Provokes Crowd
>
> By Erin Hatfield
>
> "If you don't like what you got, why don't you change it? If your
> world is all screwed up, rearrange it."
>
> The 1979 Trooper song Raise a Little Hell blared on the speakers at
> the 8th Hussars Sports Center Friday evening as people filed in to
> watch the Fundy candidates debate the issues. It was an accurate, if
> unofficial, theme song for the debate.
>
> The crowd of over 200 spectators was dwarfed by the huge arena, but as
> they chose their seats, it was clear the battle lines were drawn.
> Supporters of Conservative candidate Rob Moore naturally took the blue
> chairs on the right of the rink floor while John Herron's Liberalswent
> left. There were splashes of orange, supporters of NDP Pat Hanratty,
> mixed throughout. Perhaps the loudest applause came from a row towards
> the back, where supporters of independent candidate David Amos sat.
>
> The debate was moderated by Leo Melanson of CJCW Radio and was
> organized by the Sussex Valley Jaycees. Candidates wereasked a barrage
> of questions bypanelists Gisele McKnight of the Kings County Record
> and Lisa Spencer of CJCW.
>
> Staying true to party platforms for the most part, candidates
> responded to questions about the gun registry, same sex marriage, the
> exodus of young people from the Maritimes and regulated gas prices.
> Herron and Moore were clear competitors,constantly challenging each
> other on their answers and criticizing eachothers’ party leaders.
> Hanratty flew under the radar, giving short, concise responses to the
> questions while Amos provided some food for thought and a bit of comic
> relief with quirky answers. "I was raised with a gun," Amos said in
> response to the question of thenational gun registry. "Nobody's
> getting mine and I'm not paying 10 cents for it."
>
> Herron, a Progressive Conservative MP turned Liberal, veered from his
> party'splatform with regard to gun control. "It was ill advised but
> well intentioned," Herron said. "No matter what side of the house I am
> on, I'm voting against it." Pat Hanratty agreed there were better
> places for the gun registry dollars to be spent.Recreational hunters
> shouldn't have been penalized by this gun registry," he said.
>
> The gun registry issues provoked the tempers of Herron and Moore. At
> one point Herron got out of his seat and threw a piece of paper in
> front of Moore. "Read that," Herron said to Moore, referring to the
> voting record of Conservative Party leader Steven Harper. According to
> Herron, Harper voted in favour of the registry on the first and second
> readings of the bill in 1995. "He voted against it when it counted, at
> final count," Moore said. "We needa government with courage to
> register sex offenders rather than register the property of law
> abiding citizens."
>
> The crowd was vocal throughout the evening, with white haired men and
> women heckling from the Conservative side. "Shut up John," one woman
> yelled. "How can you talk about selling out?" a man yelled whenHerron
> spoke about his fear that the Conservatives are selling farmers out.
>
> Although the Liberal side was less vocal, Kings East MLA Leroy
> Armstrong weighed in at one point. "You’re out of touch," Armstrong
> yelled to Moore from the crowd when the debate turned to the cost of
> post-secondary education. Later in the evening Amos challenged
> Armstrong to a public debate of their own. "Talk is cheap. Any time,
> anyplace," Armstrong responded.
>
> As the crowd made its way out of the building following the debate,
> candidates worked the room. They shook hands with well-wishers and
> fielded questions from spectators-all part of the decision-making
> process for the June 28 vote.
>
> Cutline – David Amos, independent candidate in Fundy, with some of his
> favourite possessions—motorcycles.
>
> McKnight/KCR
>
> The Unconventional Candidate
>
> David Amos Isn’t Campaigning For Your Vote, But….
>
> By Gisele McKnight
>
> FUNDY—He has a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket, a chain on his
> wallet, a beard at least a foot long, 60 motorcycles and a cell phone
> that rings to the tune of "Yankee Doodle."
>
> Meet the latest addition to the Fundy ballot—David Amos.
>
> The independent candidate lives in Milton, Massachusetts with his wife
> and two children, but his place of residence does not stop him from
> running for office in Canada.
>
> One has only to be at least 18, a Canadian citizen and not be in jail
> to meet Elections Canada requirements.
>
> When it came time to launch his political crusade, Amos chose his
> favourite place to do so—Fundy.
>
> Amos, 52, is running for political office because of his
> dissatisfaction with politicians.
>
> "I’ve become aware of much corruption involving our two countries," he
> said. "The only way to fix corruption is in the political forum."
>
> The journey that eventually led Amos to politics began in Sussex in
> 1987. He woke up one morning disillusioned with life and decided he
> needed to change his life.
>
> "I lost my faith in mankind," he said. "People go through that
> sometimes in midlife."
>
> So Amos, who’d lived in Sussex since 1973, closed his Four Corners
> motorcycle shop, paid his bills and hit the road with Annie, his 1952
> Panhead motorcycle.
>
> "Annie and I rode around for awhile (three years, to be exact)
> experiencing the milk of human kindness," he said. "This is how you
> renew your faith in mankind – you help anyone you can, you never ask
> for anything, but you take what they offer."
>
> For those three years, they offered food, a place to sleep, odd jobs
> and conversation all over North America.
>
> Since he and Annie stopped wandering, he has married, fathered a son
> and a daughter and become a house-husband – Mr. Mom, as he calls
> himself.
>
> He also describes himself in far more colourful terms—a motorcyclist
> rather than a biker, a "fun-loving, free-thinking, pig-headed
> individual," a "pissed-off Maritimer" rather than an activist, a proud
> Canadian and a "wild colonial boy."
>
> Ironically, the man who is running for office has never voted in his life.
>
> "But I have no right to criticize unless I offer my name," he said.
> "It’s alright to bitch in the kitchen, but can you walk the walk?"
>
> Amos has no intention of actively campaigning.
>
> "I didn’t appreciate it when they (politicians) pounded on my door
> interrupting my dinner," he said. "If people are interested, they can
> call me. I’m not going to drive my opinions down their throats."
>
> And he has no campaign budget, nor does he want one.
>
> "I won’t take any donations," he said. "Just try to give me some. It’s
> not about money. It goes against what I’m fighting about."
>
> What he’s fighting for is the discussion of issues – tainted blood,
> the exploitation of the Maritimes’ gas and oil reserves and NAFTA, to
> name a few.
>
> "The political issues in the Maritimes involve the three Fs – fishing,
> farming and forestry, but they forget foreign issues," he said. "I’m
> death on NAFTA, the back room deals and free trade. I say chuck it
> (NAFTA) out the window.
>
> NAFTA is the North American Free Trade Agreement which allows an
> easier flow of goods between Canada, the United States and Mexico.
>
> Amos disagrees with the idea that a vote for him is a wasted vote.
>
> "There are no wasted votes," he said. "I want people like me,
> especially young people, to pay attention and exercise their right.
> Don’t necessarily vote for me, but vote."
>
> Although…if you’re going to vote anyway, Amos would be happy to have
> your X by his name.
>
> "I want people to go into that voting booth, see my name, laugh and
> say, ‘what the hell.’"
>
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