Ontario Libertarian Party

The Ontario Libertarian Party (OLP; French: Parti libertarien de l'Ontario) is a libertarian political party in the Canadian province of Ontario. Founded in 1975 by Bruce Evoy, Vince Miller, and others, the party was inspired by the 1972 formation of the Libertarian Party in the United States.[2] The party is guided by a charter of principles, in addition to the philosophical values of the Austrian School of Economics.[3][4] It is influenced by authors and thinkers such as Jan Narveson and Murray Rothbard.

Ontario Libertarian Party

Parti libertarien de l'Ontario
Active provincial party
LeaderKeith Komar
PresidentMatt Dougherty[1]
Founded1975 (1975)
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
IdeologyLibertarianism
ColoursYellow
Website
www.libertarian.on.ca

In the 2018 Ontario general election, the Libertarian Party, under the leadership of Allen Small, was one of only five such organizations running a candidate in a majority of the province's electoral districts. Keith Komar was elected as party leader at the November 2019 convention, replacing interim leader Rob Ferguson.

Election results
Results of the 2014 Ontario general election showing support for Libertarian candidates by riding

In 1995, under the leadership of John Shadbolt, the party's total vote declined to 6,085 votes. Shadbolt resigned one day after the 1995 election, and was replaced by George Dance on an interim basis. Sam Apelbaum was chosen as the party's full-time leader at a convention in October 1996.[5]

Changes to the Ontario Election Act, enabling fixed election dates at four-year intervals, allowed the party to prepare well in advance for the 2007 general election. As a result, the party fielded 25 candidates and obtained a total of 9,249 votes.[6]

In the 2011 General Election, the party ran 51 candidates and won a total of 19,387 votes, 0.45% of the popular vote. This was more than double the number of candidates and votes received in the 2007 general election.[7]

The party's most successful election was in the 2014 general election, with Libertarian candidates receiving 0.81% of the vote.[8]

Election results
Election year No. of
overall votes		 % of
overall total		 No. of
candidates run		 No. of
seats won		 +/− Presence
1975 4,752 17
0 / 125
 New Party Extra-parliamentary
1977 9,961 31
0 / 125
 0 Extra-parliamentary
1981 7,087 12
0 / 125
 0 Extra-parliamentary
1985 12,831 0.4% 17
0 / 125
 0 Extra-parliamentary
1987 13,514 0.36% 25
0 / 130
 0 Extra-parliamentary
1990 24,613 0.61% 45
0 / 130
 0 Extra-parliamentary
1995 6,085 0.15% 7
0 / 130
 0 Extra-parliamentary
1999 2,337 0.05% 7
0 / 103
 0 Extra-parliamentary
2003 1,991 0.04% 5
0 / 103
 0 Extra-parliamentary
2007 9,249 0.21% 25
0 / 107
 0 Extra-parliamentary
2011 19,447 0.45% 51
0 / 107
 0 Extra-parliamentary
2014 37,696 0.81% 74
0 / 107
 0 Extra-parliamentary
2018 42,918 0.75% 117
0 / 124
 0 Extra-parliamentary

Executive committee

Conventions are held every three years to elect the Leader, Deputy Leader, Chairman, Vice Chair, Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and Campaign Director for a three-year term. All of these positions, except Leader and Deputy Leader, may be replaced by election at a General Meeting. Members-at-Large are elected for a one-year term at a Convention or Annual General Meeting.[9]

The party's Executive Committee, elected at its November 2019 Convention in Ajax, includes:

  • Leader – Keith Komar
  • Deputy Leader – Jacques Boudreau
  • Chairman – Matt Dougherty
  • Vice-Chair – Serge Korovitsyn
  • Secretary – Brad Greulich
  • Recording Secretary – Jim McIntosh
  • Treasurer – Andrew Allison
  • Campaign Director – Coreen Corcoran
  • Members at Large – Jeff Everingham, Dan Little [10]

Party leaders
  • Terry Coughlin (elected at founding meeting, July 24, 1975)
  • Paul Mollon (1977 election)
  • Scott Bell (1981 and 1985 elections)
  • Kaye Sargent (1987 election)
  • James Stock (1990 election)
  • John Shadbolt (? – June 9, 1995)
  • George Dance (interim) (June 9, 1995 – October 1996)
  • Sam Apelbaum (October 1996 – November 5, 2011)
  • Allen Small (November 5, 2011 – July 20, 2018)
  • Rob Ferguson (interim) (July 21, 2018 – November 2, 2019)
  • Keith Komar (November 2, 2019 - Present)

See also

References
  1. "Party Officers: Ontario Libertarian Party". Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  2. Miller, Vince. Taking Liberty Global, archived version: Archived 2008-07-02 at the Wayback Machine, August 4, 2005. Retrieved on December 25, 2007.
  3. "Statement of Principles". Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  4. "Think like a libertarian in 30 days or less!". Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  5. Bulletin 18:1 Spring 1997
  6. "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast" (PDF). Elections Canada. October 21, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 1, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  7. McLarty, Jeffrey (2011). "Candidates, Vote Tally Doubled over 2007". libertarian.on.ca. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
  8. "The 1995 Provincial Election". libertarian.on.ca. 1995. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  9. http://www.libertarian.on.ca/content/party-officers
  10. http://www.libertarian.on.ca/content/party-officers
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