FORCES CANADA: FOUR MONTHS OF SMASHING ACTIVITY -- NOW, OFF FOR THIS YEAR.
An end of the year message from Gian Turci, President.
Dear Readers:
FORCES Canada started its activity in August, 1996. In just five months, the progress of our
organization has been astounding.
Together with FORCES USA, we have created the largest sites on the smoker's rights issue on
the Internet. Our site is now visited over 450 times a day in average
We have provided our readership with fine reading material, ranging from statistical and
scientific evidence, to intellectual work, and political pressure letters. We are planning to increase
the volume and the quality of our materials in 1997. We will not let our readers down!
Our International Travel Advisory -- warning foreign tourists not to visit this smoker-unfriendly
country -- has been translated into many languages, and more translations are in progress. The
Advisory is currently distributed in many countries (with the help of sympathetic organizations) to
travel agencies, political organizations, etc.
Our public challenges to antismoking individuals and organizations -- including the government
-- have already demonstrated the hollowness of the antismoking arguments. Nobody seems to
have the guts to face us, our arguments, and our evidence.
We have developed a very extensive reference data base, with much more to come.
We have developed contacts with other pro-choice organizations in North America and around
the world.
We are developing political contacts at federal, provincial, and municipal level. These contacts
will allow us to disseminate the truth at various levels of government.
We would like to take the opportunity to thank FORCES U.S.A. and Mr. Raymond Sasso, president, as well as all our friends, allies, sympathizers, and readers. In the short time since FORCES Canada began its activity, they all have contributed so much in this uneven fight against the assault on our liberties.
A particular thanks to Wanda Hamilton and Dennis Quinn of the Smokers United Network; Jackie Miller of the Florida Smokers' Rights Association, Inc.; Otto J. Mueksch, president of the California Smokers' Rights; Giuliano Bianucci, president of Europe's Smokepeace -- and of The Italian Smokers Association; Marjorie Nicholson, director FOREST, the smokers' rights group in England; Martha Perske, Sally Hull, Sara Mahler, Pat Hagen, Joel Beatty, Ed Ray, Andy Ludlow, Anne MacDiarmid, John and Doris Carter -- for their patience and support, Diane Davies, and Mike Banks.
Also, a sincere thanks to all our sponsors.
As much as the Internet is important for massive international exposure, we realize that most
people do not have computer knowledge, or access to computers. It is important therefore to
reach people with other means. As the persecutorial campaign against smokers is stepped up,
FORCES will be there to fight against the enemies of choice.
We have printed our first brochure, which is being distributed in restaurants, pubs, and other
public places in the Vancouver area as we speak.
The media blackout on the issues concerning dissent on the smoking issue does not deter us.
We have designed and assembled a powerful, "intelligent", high-speed fax machine (fax server)
from recycled computer parts. This machine will be able to efficiently fax the FORCES message
on the truth about tobacco. Through sponsorship, we have acquired a database containing over
16,000 fax numbers in the Vancouver's Lower Mainland alone.
The machine will be operational this week.
CAN YOU HELP?
We are pleasantly surprised at the reaction of the public to the FORCES' initiative. The state
propaganda has been so effective in making pro-choice individuals feel guilty and isolated,
nobody knew that there were so many others individuals disgusted with this wave of lies and
persecution. FORCES is becoming the catalyst for these people to come together. Smokers,
nonsmokers, laymen and scientists, writers and politicians, men and women of all ages are slowly
-- sometimes timidly -- coming out of their "shell" and realize that they have nothing to be
ashamed of, and it is time to fight for our liberties -- not just the liberty to smoke, but the liberty
from government interference, patronization and regulation of all aspects of our life.
It's important to put the pressure on now. As municipal smoking bans come into effect and as the
federal government faces increasing criticism over a tobacco control bill that poses risks to our
freedoms, the issues are coming into the public eye as never before.
You can help too. Here is how:
If you are interested in building or obtaining a fax machine similar to ours in order to divulge our
message in your non-long distance telephone area, we can provide you with the technical
specifications, or even build one for you. We will even try to obtain a fax database for your area!
We will charge only for our expenses.
If you are interested in distributing our brochure, click here to see the front, and here to see the
inside. We have scanned a picture of both sides of the brochure for you. Also, we can send you
a sample in the mail. If you are interested in a more massive distribution, we can even customize
the brochure for you! For mass printing, we will charge a minimal fee equivalent to our
expenditure.
If you want to forward letters to MPs or other members of government, we can help you with
sample letters, support materials, and addresses.
You can send us your membership ($30.00 Canadian). Given the choice between money and
actual help, however, we prefer the latter.
You may even suggest your own way to help. FORCES Canada believes in plurality of ideas,
and accommodation for all.
We hope and foresee that 1997 will be a blossoming year for the FORCES organization, both in
Canada and U.S.A.
We have the indomitable belief that no matter how hard politicians and government try to mislead
us, no matter with what means and budget, in the end they will be powerless against the ultimate
weapon of all times: the truth, and the determination of people not to relinquish hard-won rights.
In the face of the sceptics, we relentlessly believe in the love of people for honesty, reality, and
personal freedom. No matter under what cloak -- ideology, security, or health -- negative and
repressive regimes have always self-destruct in the end. All we have to do is come close
together, fight back, and force the enemies of liberty to reveal themselves for what they are.
This is our message to all for the coming year. FORCES Canada will not publish again until
January 4th, 1997. We will use this time to produce more information for you, and to rest a little.
We wish you the best of Christmas, and a very happy New Year.
