The Ontario Libertarian Party has finalized details for its 1999 Leadership Convention, to be held this November 6. A location has been booked and a program drawn up, speakers confirmed, costs and prices set, and registration forms sent with the latest issue of Bulletin.

The Convention site is the Triumph Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, 2737 Keele St. in Toronto. The Triumph, at Keele and Hwy. 401, is easily reached by car and bus, being just 15 minutes from downtown and 12 from the airport. It boasts fine dining, exceptional accommodation, and high standards in event planning.

The price has been held low to maximise attendance. The entire Convention package costs just $50 at the door, or just $40 (a 20% discount) if you register in advance. Best of all, the entire package qualifies you for a 1999 tax credit of as much as 75%, lowering the final out-of-pocket cost to as little as $12.50 and $10, respectively.

Advance registrations must be postmarked on or before Nov. 1. If paying by VISA, you can register by phone (416-283-7589), fax (416-281-5739), or e-mail <jim(at)mcintosh.on.ca> as well as by mail.

Jan Narveson notes, "the modern democratic state is the enemy of liberty" and will address the question of the role and prospects of a "political party dedicated to liberty" in challenging such a state.

Glenn Fox's topic is "Four Theories or Property Rights: A Challenge to Classical Liberals". The talks will compare and contrast the classical liberal theory of property rights with three influential competing theories and indicate why libertarians have their work cut out for them in even talking to other Canadians about property rights.

Mr. Chevreau, tax columnist for the National Post, has been a leader in that newspaper's campaign for federal income tax cuts. That campaign has been taken up by corporate leaders, other media, and the opposition parties, to become a national issue, which the Liberals have to deal with in the next Parliament. Mr. Chevreau will give details, and present the case for lower taxes now.

For him, that case rests on philosophical as well as economic grounds. Mr. Chevreau is an avid reader of proto-Libertarian novelist Ayn Rand -- he has just finished rereading her magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged -- so much so that he is subtitling his talk "Ayn Rand Rediscovered."

Mary Lou is a past Chairman of the Ontario LP (1979-80), is a Board member of the International Society for Individual Liberty (ISIL), a global libertarian organization which sponsors annual world conferences. ISIL's 20^th Anniversary Conference will be held in London, Ontario, in July 2000. Ms. Gutscher is the conference co-ordinator; as part of her ongoing effort to recruit volunteers, she will give us a preview of the 2000 conference.

Why attend our 1999 Convention? There is only one reason, the same as that for taking any action: because the expected benefits outweigh the costs.

What are the benefits of attending? First, and foremost, enjoyment. Our Convention organizers, headed up by Nunzio Venuto, have put together an exciting, entertaining day. We can look forward to a great venue, good food, and four excellent speakers.

Our speakers will be not only enjoyable, but also educational. Starting us off is columnist Jonathan Chevreau, a leading player in the country's hottest issue -- the campaign for federal tax cuts. Mr. Chevreau will present a definitive case for these cuts, equally well informed by economics and philosophy. This approach is welcome in itself, and sets the stage perfectly for our next two speakers (who present the philosophical and economic cases for liberty).

Jan Narveson is a world-renowned philosopher, famous for providing a new foundation (contractarian ethics) for libertarian beliefs. He has addressed our party several times in the past, giving us valuable insights into the place of liberty in the democratic state, and the role of the Libertarian Party in the democratic process.

Our next speaker is Prof. Glenn Fox, who has also spoken to us previously. Prof. Fox is an authority on natural resource economics, property rights, and the philosophy of science. Look forward to a well-argued, fact-based case for libertarian economic beliefs.

Rounding off our speakers is Mary Lou Gutscher, organizer of the World Libertarian Conference to be held next year in London, Ontario. Ms. Gutscher will give us all a sneak preview of the conference, and show the value of attending and helping to organize it.

Ms. Gutscher's topic raises a third benefit of attending our Convention. For the main value the world conferences promote, is one our Convention promotes as well.

That is the value of community. Too often libertarians remain isolated, without support for what they wish to undertake, without any validation of their most basic beliefs. In such circumstances, it is easy to lose sight of one's commitment. It is easy to feel powerless and impotent. It is easy to slip into inaction and apathy. But being easy does not make it right.

Attending a Libertarian Convention puts one at least temporarily within a Libertarian community, with all of its benefits. There are the psychic benefits of knowing one is not alone; that one's beliefs are known, respected, and well supported by strong argument. And there are the practical benefits of community: the bonding and networking that can deliver enormous personal, business, and political benefits. It is no accident that those who attend our Conventions tend to be most active the following year; Conventions are enormously empowering experiences.

Against all this, what are the costs? The two that come to mind are time and money. The money investment, though, is minimal: we have held the advance registration to $40, which after the tax credit can make your cost as low as $10 - not even the price of a pizza.

The time investment is, of course, one day: a day that promises to be at once entertaining, educational, and empowering. What better way to invest one's time?

The Party continues to maintain a healthy bank balance, thanks mostly to reduced rent and telephone expenses.

A significant portion of our contributions come at elections and the end of the year. We received over $4,400.00 during this election which more than covered the cost of printing 3,000 election brochures. We look forward to your generous contribution this December.

To support, criticize, or praise this web site contact AMB Inc. If you like what you see in these pages, please get involved, speak up, do something, contact the Ontario Libertarian Party by email , telephone (416) 283-7589 , or post: Suite 202, 4599 Kingston Road, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada M1E 2P3.