On Saturday, October 28, a group of 100 delegates assembled in Peterborough, Ontario, for the second annual meeting of the Family Coalition Party (FCP) of Ontario.
Delegates came from all corners of the provinces to evaluate the Party’s progress, to set new goals, to discuss and ratify new policy and to elect the Provincial Executive for the coming year.
Enthusiasm and a firm commitment to pro-family values were obvious as the delegates discussed and voted upon Party policy on Saturday morning.
Party leader Don Pennell encouraged them to take on leadership roles within their own communities, and to work with renewed dedication towards the day when the FCP will elect its first members to the Ontario Legislature.
Panzica
Norman Panzica, of the Ontario Council on Drug Abuse, and author of a recently-published book entitled “Drug Abuse and Your Family,” was the after-lunch guest speaker.
In his informative and entertaining presentation Mr. Panzica demolished many of the popularly-held myths about so-called “soft” drugs. He traced the striking increase in the incidence of drug abuse during the past three decades to anti-family attitudes which have taken root in our society.
They developed out of the permissive psychology of the post-war fifties, which stressed the pre-eminence of the individual. These anti-family attitudes were legitimized and institutionalized by governments. They enacted laws which emphasized the rights of adolescents without any reference to their responsibilities, thereby undercutting the authority of parents and demolishing family solidarity, he said.
Workshops
Part of the afternoon was devoted to workshops on aspects of constituency activities such as fundraising, membership drives, media relations and organization of regional meetings. Workshop leaders were Diane Roblin Lee of Victoria-Haliburton, Dr. John Gay of Ottawa, Peter Westfall of Lambton and Party Leader Don Pennell.
Earlier in the day Party President, Louis Di Rocco outlined why he thought the FCP will be successful. The Party is based on a solid foundation of the recognition of the supremacy of God and on the strong principles which the old parties have lost, he stated.
Di Rocco said the people of Ontario were tried of scandals, government overspending and over-taxation. The FCP can do something positive by reestablishing responsible efficient government, built on a sane foundation. The biggest challenge of the FCP. He said, is to convince the people of Ontario that it’s time to stop voting for the lesser of two evils and switch their loyalties to the party of the future, the FCP.
