John C. Turmel - Background

Background

Turmel, who describes himself as a "Libertarian Socred", believes in Louis Even's Quebec social credit theory of monetary reform and has also campaigned for the legalization of gambling, the adoption of "Local Employment Trading Systems" (LETS) which are interest-free barter arrangements, and for the legalization of marijuana. He describes his platform as "I want no cops in gambling, sex or drugs or rock and roll, I want no usury on loans, pay cash or time, no dole.”

He has participated in several protests outside of Canada's major banking institutions, saying that bank interest promote poverty and starvation in the third world.

Turmel, who lists his occupation as "professional gambler" known as TajProfessor or Great Canadian Gambler, was active in the Social Credit Party of Canada and the Social Credit Party of Ontario in the 1980s, and founded the Christian Credit Party in the 1980s, and the Abolitionist Party of Canada in the 1990s and the Pauper Party of Ontario in 2011. He wears a trade-mark white construction helmet when campaigning, and calls himself "the Engineer". The colour of his helmet is said to not only refer to the white construction helmets worn by engineers and architects on construction sites, but also to the berets blanc (white berets), the nickname of the Pilgrims of Saint Michael, a radical monetarist faction within the Quebec social credit movement.

Turmel's grandfather, Adelard Turmel, supported the Social Credit Party of Canada from its inception in 1935, and he passed on a belief in social credit monetary theories to his descendants. His brother, Raymond Turmel, has also campaigned for public office on several occasions.

Turmel describes himself as a follower of Jesus "the Nazoraean", though his beliefs are distinct from mainstream Christianity. He frequently refers to Jesus as a radical debt reformer, and often quotes the line, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors", from the Lord's Prayer (This line is usually translated as "Forgive us our trespasses" or "Forgive us our sins", which Turmel regards as a distortion of its proper meaning because Thomas 95 says: Jesus said: "If you have money, do not lend it out at interest." He has argued that Jesus died to bring salvation for mankind in this world, rather than in an afterlife.)

He has composed several poems outlining his beliefs, all of which are written in doggerel verse. The following example is typical:

Debt Cancellation, "Tobin tax," they're splashing in the pool,
The problem's in the money pumphouse. "Interest" the tool.
The vast solution takes all errant money-pumps in hand,
It's not a half-vast splashing in the money pool that's planned.
Relief could reach the whole wide world to ancient strife placate.
Imagine Earth as Eden with no feedback causing hate.
The Christians and the Muslims and the Nazis and the Jews,
Are in agreement L.E.T.S. conforms to everybody's views.

Turmel spent most of his life in Ottawa but has made Brantford, Ontario his home since 2003 after running in a by-election there and finding he liked the area where he could play high-stakes Holdem Poker professionally at the Brantford Charity Casino.