An Open Letter to All Filipino Canadians :

"Let 's Vote and Help us Wake Up the Sleeping Tamaraw"

By Tony San Juan
Ontario-Canada
September 17, 2015



To my dear Kababayans,

The Federal election is just weeks away. Filipinos in Canada and Canadians are going to the polls on October 19, 2015. They will elect their favourite candidates of different political stripes be they of red, orange , blue or orange affiliations. One thing is for sure, and as research reflects , not all eligible Filipinos are interested in voting nor exercising their democratic right of suffrage.

It is from this rationale that I am reaching out to you, fellow Filipinos  who are considered the best and most responsible people to convincingly encourage and reasonably connect , through your respective families, friends and neighbours, to the more than 70,000 Filipinos determined by research, found not participating in past elections for various reasons. We need to "wake them up", the so- called "sleeping giant", i.e. the fierce "tamaraw", to start moving and shaking its energy and enthusiasm for a noble and inherent purpose...to vote.

We know that individuals and groups are into this campaign for Filipinos to "go out and vote". This is not enough. We need you.... as a community-building partner, to take the lead and assume the great expectation of a civic service for our community's success and development..

We know that intelligent voting will mean that as Filipinos we have our obligation to choose our government leaders not to mention to support a candidate that would hopefully meet our needs, concerns and issues impacting us all since the 1970's diaspora. Four fantastic Filipinos like Julius Tiangson, who is running for Conservative MP in Mississauga Centre, Ontario, Francisco " Jojo" Quimpo, Conservative MP Candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway, BC, Levy Abad, Jr. NDP MP Candidate in Winnipeg North, Manitoba and Mario Jacinto Rimbao, NDP MP Candidate in Mount Royal, Quebec are the best kababayan bets  we have. Of course there are many other Member of Parliament candidates outside of our ethnicity who are well-qualified and has the interest of the Filipinos at heart and mind.

We know that politicians, incumbent or not, understand that many Filipinos are not into block voting or into strategic voting. But as an ethnic group of varying political loyalties, in a desirable way, we can be a big swing vote, thus giving notice that we need a voice and one that will represent and champion our unanswered , non-articulated needs and issues, such as enhanced pension, seniors assistance , child  care, family reunification, improved caregiver & temporary foreign worker programs, professional licensing & academic accreditation, jobs with living wages, poverty reduction, affordable housing, education and many more.

We know  that with you rightfully helping into community building and transformation, you will be able to "rally the troops" by requesting Pinoys at Pinays to adequately use the power and merits of the Internet and social media like Facebook, Tweeter, etc. This way, the power of connectivity and cooperation is well placed and working for our "Go- Out- To- Vote" drive. 

This is just the beginning and a great move forward , expectantly leading to meet our collective aspiration of becoming a " potent force" in the Canadian political landscape. Ergo, our actions and participation in the political process will undoubtedly contribute to our achieving the long-cherished dream of political maturity and political influence, now and into the future in our adopted homeland.

Your vote counts ! Your vote matters!

Most sincerely yours,
Tony A. San Juan, OCT
Chairman 
Filipino Canadian Political Action Council - FCPAC
September 17, 2015.