PRESS ON ABOLITIONIST PARTY OF CANADA Ottawa Sun, Sept. 29, 1993 ABOLITIONISTS HAVE ZERO INTEREST by Heather Bird The newly-formed Abolitionist Party of Canada will preach its "zero interest" policy through eight candidates in the Ottawa area. The party, which will field 80 candidates nationally believes in eliminating all interest in the economy and turning the Bank of Canada's computer into a billboard for a gigantic barter system. The party is one of several lesser-known parties that made their presence felt. The system would allow plumbers to post notice of their services in exchange for electrical work on their house. The party believes it could run an interest-free currency economy where interest previously earned will be refunded to voters in the form of dividends payable by the Bank of Canada." ---- Ottawa Citizen, Oct. 7, 1993 ABOLITIONISTS VIEW BARTER AS ECONOMIC SALVATION by Francine Dube "Abolitionists are easy to spot. They're the candidates who wave computer disks in the air when they try to make their point. Their point is: Return to a barter economy and Canada's economic woes will be solved. "I'm sure you can't think of a problem that isn't caused by a lack of money," says party leader John Turmel when asked if there's anything else on the platform. Turmel and the 79 other candidates running in Ontario and Quebec are logging onto a computer program called Local Employment Trading System. LETS is similar to an electronic bulletin board. Users swap goods and services with others in the community. Eventually, Abolitionists hope the system will operate nation-wide. Here's how it works. Through LETS, an Ottawa plumber learns that a teacher needs her sink fixed. She tutors the plumber's son for a math test. In exchange, the plumber fixes her sink. Or, the teacher can pay him in LETS dollars, which he can spend elsewhere. The system is legal -- participants pay tax. Abolitionists say the system will create employment, and because no interest is charged or paid on LETS dollars, it will eliminate interest rates that eat up money better spent on other things." ---- Granby Voice of the East, October 15, 1993 ABOLITIONISTS LAUNCH THEIR FULL EMPLOYMENT SOFTWARE TONIGHT Karim Benessaieh As of 19:05 tonight, the Canadian population will be able to down-load the Full Employment software put out by John Turmel, the colorful leader of the Abolitionist Party. In one week-end, says Turmel, we'll be able to create a national network which could take us out of the "hell of the 20th century into the heaven of the 21st century." Nothing less. The principle of the program is simple enough: it's a communications computer software which permits users to recreate commercial laws. When we want to buy some bread, we put a credit into the baker's account; when we want a case of beer, we send so many credits to the store. A few more complicated operations permit the trade of employment. Money becomes an abstract unit and we avoid the intermediary of the bankers, the anti-Christs of the Abolitionists. "the day where all of Canada is connected, we'll be able to send the final bill to the Bank of Canada," predicts Mr. Turmel with delight. SOFTWARE ON THE ATTACK The invasion of the electronic bulletin boards (BBS) present no technical problems. Informations networks like FIDONET and ROSENET already permit their users to transfer software. It's as simple as joining a network and down-loading the program. This is how John Turmel predicts the software will enter 100,000 Canadian homes. "I'll announce it on MuchMusic tonight and I'm sure the world will jump on the software. "It's too bad French Canadians won't get to hear about it." When several thousand young computer hackers have the software, what will happen? If you believe the leader of the party, it will be the beginning of the realization of the abolitionist program and the debut of its greatest benefit, the abolition of interest rates. "In the final analysis, even Jesus Christ was an abolitionist, audaciously affirms Mr. Turmel. He was the first to say usury was a sin, an abomination, and that's exactly what we're saying. Only when it is abolished will be no longer be slaves to the financial system." --- Scarborough Mirror Election Notebook Vote Oct 22 1993: "ABOLITIONISTS FAVOR MONETARY POLICE SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE," SAYS RELEASE On Oct. 19, the following media release was issued by the Abolitionist Party of Canada: "Abolitionist Party leader John Turmel announced today that if elected, he would install a linear monetary system like that used aboard the starship U.S.S. Enterprise. "Spock would be proud of this optimal approach to monetary reform. In engineering terms, 1/s (One over s) is the only way to go. It's the only equation for monetary balance and stability," said Mr. Turmel, wearing his iron ring and white engineer's hat. "Remember what Einstein said, "politics is for the present, equation is for eternity." Is it just posible that the Abolitionists watch too much television? ----