John Pacheco
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John Pacheco (born 1969) is a social conservative political activist in Canada who ran as an Independent in the 2006 federal election in Ottawa West—Nepean.
A financial analyst by training, he graduated from Queen's University at Kingston, earning a Bachelors of Commerce (Honours) Degree in 1992. He moved to Ottawa, Ontario in 1996. He was the director of The Catholic Legate, a Catholic Apologetics and Evangelization website dedicated to defending the truths of the Catholic faith. He was also director of The Rosarium of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an apostolate whose objective is to oppose contraception and to retract The Winnipeg Statement.
Pacheco first ran for the Family Coalition Party (FCP) in the 1995 provincial election, receiving 858 votes in Kingston and the Islands for a fourth-place finish. The winner was Liberal John Gerretsen.
He campaigned against Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty as an FCP candidate in Ottawa South in the 2003 election, for the specific purpose of confronting him on his support for same-sex marriage. At campaign launch, he announced his intention to run print and radio advertisements on the issue, but never did. During the all-candidate's debate, he accused McGuinty of being a "Kennedy Catholic" and a hypocrite on social issues. McGuinty responded by accusing the FCP of intolerance, saying "For the Family Coalition party to say it stands for inclusiveness is like Colonel Sanders saying he's going to look after the chickens." Pacheco received 562 votes, finishing last in a field of five candidates. McGuinty was re-elected with 24,647 votes.
Pacheco sought the Conservative Party of Canada's nomination for the 2006 federal election in Ottawa West—Nepean but was disqualified as a candidate in April 2005 because of claims he had made on the alleged health consequences of homosexual practices. Pacheco has also described homosexuality as a "social disorder" likening it to alcoholism. The nomination was won by John Baird, a former provincial cabinet minister under Mike Harris. Baird supports same-sex marriage.
Pacheco announced in December 2005 that he would run against Baird in Ottawa West—Nepean as an "independent conservative" on social conservative issues, primarily opposition to same-sex marriage. His stated intention was to act as a spoiler in the race. Pacheco's campaign spent $16,672, and received 905 votes or 1.52% of the total vote in the riding. Baird was elected with 25,607 votes (43.13% of the total), over 5,000 more votes than his Liberal Party opponent.
Pacheco went on to found a group called Social Conservatives United. He is married to a woman and has four daughters.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "Social conservative runs as independent; hopes to spoil Baird's bid" by Juliet O'Neil, Ottawa Citizen, December 30, 2005.
- ^ John Ivison, National Post, Sept 26, 2003.
