View source for John Turmel

{{short description|Perennial candidate for election in Canada}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = John Turmel
| image               = John Turmel at Toronto-Danforth 2012 By-Election Meeting.jpg
| caption             = Turmel in 2012
| office1             = Leader of the [[Pauper Party of Ontario|Pauper Party]]
| president1          = Michael Spottiswood<br />Wayne Robinson
| deputy1             = 
| term_start1         = September 14, 2011
| term_end1           = 
| predecessor1        = ''Position created''
| successor1          = 
| office2             = Leader of the [[Abolitionist Party of Canada|Abolitionist Party]]
| president2          = 
| deputy2             = 
| term_start2         = 1993
| term_end2           = 1996
| predecessor2        = ''Position created''
| successor2          = ''Position abolished''
| office3             = Leader of the Christian Credit Party
| president3          = 
| deputy3             = 
| term_start3         = 1982
| term_end3           = 1983
| predecessor3        = ''Position created''
| successor3          = ''Position abolished''
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1951|02|22|mf=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Rouyn, Quebec]], Canada
| death_date          = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|1951|02|22}} -->
| death_place         = 
| other_names         = 
| party               = [[Independent politician|Independent]] (federal)<br />[[Pauper Party of Ontario|Pauper]] (provincial)
| otherparty          = [[Abolitionist Party of Canada|Abolitionist]] (1993–1996)<br />[[Green Party of Canada|Green]] (1984)<br />Christian Credit (1982–1983)<br />[[Social Credit Party of Canada|Social Credit]] (1980–1982)
| occupation          = Professional gambler
| known_for           = ''Guinness World Records'' holder for most elections contested and most elections lost
| website             = {{URL|http://www.johnturmel.com}}
| termend1            = 2022
}}

'''John C. Turmel''' (born February 22, 1951)<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/riding/116/#JohnCTurmel Birthdate and birthplace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102221144/http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/riding/116/#JohnCTurmel |date=November 2, 2007 }}: [[CBC News]] website.</ref> is a [[perennial candidate]] for election in Canada, and according to the ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' holds the records for the most elections contested and for the most elections lost, having contested 112 elections and lost 111.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/23/no-regrets-worlds-biggest-election-loser-runs-for-96th-time-in-canada |title='No regrets': world's biggest election loser runs for 96th time in Canada |website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=September 23, 2018 |access-date=September 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924121124/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/23/no-regrets-worlds-biggest-election-loser-runs-for-96th-time-in-canada |archive-date=September 24, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The other contest was a [[by-election]] that was pre-empted by a general election call.<ref name="turmel2012" />

==Background==
Turmel, who describes himself as a "[[Libertarianism|Libertarian]] [[Socred]]",<ref name=turmel2012>{{cite news|last=Daubs|first=Katie|title=Danforth byelection: John Turmel has lost 74 elections, and is ready to lose another on Monday|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/article/1147902--danforth-by-election-john-turmel-has-lost-74-elections-and-is-ready-to-lose-another-on-monday|access-date=February 17, 2012|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=February 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320025850/http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1147902--danforth-by-election-john-turmel-has-lost-74-elections-and-is-ready-to-lose-another-on-monday|archive-date=March 20, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> believes in [[Louis Even]]'s Quebec [[social credit]] theory of [[monetary reform]]<ref name="Steve Dumas">{{cite web |author=Steve Dumas |url=http://johnturmel.com/eventxts.htm |title=eventxts |publisher=Johnturmel.com |access-date=December 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403224002/http://johnturmel.com/eventxts.htm |archive-date=April 3, 2012 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and has also campaigned for the legalization of gambling, the adoption of "[[Local Exchange Trading System|Local Employment Trading Systems]]" (LETS) which are interest-free [[barter]] arrangements, and for the legalization of [[Medical marijuana|marijuana]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://johnturmel.com/medpot.htm |title=John C. "Canada's Medpot Engineer" Turmel's "Abolish Laughing Grass Prohibition" page |publisher=Johnturmel.com |access-date=December 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125173341/http://johnturmel.com/medpot.htm |archive-date=January 25, 2012 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> 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."<ref name=turmel2012/>

He has participated in several protests outside of Canada's major banking institutions, saying that bank interest promotes poverty and starvation in the [[third world]].<ref>{{cite web |author=John Turmel |url=http://johnturmel.com/imf82.htm |title=1982 Turmel Arrest at World Bank IMF, Toronto Star |publisher=Johnturmel.com |date=September 9, 1982 |access-date=December 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403224019/http://johnturmel.com/imf82.htm |archive-date=April 3, 2012 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Turmel, an electrical engineering graduate, who lists his occupation as "professional [[gambling|gambler]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://johnturmel.com/gambler.htm |title=Great Canadian Gambler TajProfessor's Project Robin Hood Raid on Casino Turmel "Play Holdem Poker like a Bookie Call Odds System" |publisher=Johnturmel.com |access-date=December 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309125105/http://johnturmel.com/gambler.htm |archive-date=March 9, 2012 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> 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, the [[Abolitionist Party of Canada]] in the 1990s, and the [[Pauper Party of Ontario]] in 2011.
He wears a white construction helmet, when campaigning,<ref name=biggest-loser />
and calls himself "The Engineer".<ref name=biggest-loser>{{cite news |title=The biggest loser: John Turmel is making his 99th try for office this fall |author=Jonathon Gatehouse |date=2019-09-09 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/election-record-biggest-loser-1.5264087| access-date=2020-10-17}}</ref>
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 [[monetarism|monetarist]] faction within the [[Ralliement Créditiste|Quebec social credit movement]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

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.<ref name="Steve Dumas"/> His brother, Raymond Turmel, has also campaigned for public office on several occasions.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

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.<ref name=turmel2012/>

==Political activity==
{{BLP sources section|date=March 2019}}

===Gambling activism===
Turmel received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from [[Carleton University]] in [[Ottawa]] in 1976 with a specialization in the [[Gambling mathematics|mathematics of gambling]]{{Dubious|date=September 2019}}{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} and became Teaching Assistant to Walter Schneider in the course until 1978 when he was fired for running a highly publicized Blackjack "21" game in the Faculty Club.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} The next year he received his first conviction for keeping a common gaming house for running Blackjack games at home.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} In 1981, Turmel was convicted and jailed for 21 days for keeping a gaming house and playing 21, he lost the appeal but had the sentence converted to 100 hours community service playing accordion in old-age homes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} In 1991, Turmel was convicted in Gatineau, Quebec, of running a common gaming house and sentenced to 4 months in jail.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} Before getting out after one month, Turmel ran for [[Regional Chair of Ottawa-Carleton|Chair of Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality]] while in jail, collecting approximately 3,500 votes. In 1993, as a part of Project Robin Hood, [[Ottawa Police Service|Ottawa]] and [[Ontario Provincial Police]] raided the private 28-table Casino Turmel, the largest gaming house raid in Canadian history. Turmel was convicted and sentenced to 200 hours community service playing accordion in retirement homes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

===Entering the electoral fray===
His campaign to legalize gambling and the notoriety he received as a result, combined with his family's background in social credit ideology, led Turmel to seek election at the federal level for the first time at the age of 28, as an independent candidate in Ottawa West in the [[1979 Canadian federal election|May 1979 federal election]] in which he ran as the self-described "champion of hookers, gamblers and dope smokers"<ref name=turmel2012/> in a campaign in which he argued interest on money, usury, was the evil instability in financial affairs and swore to "abolish [[interest rate]]s". He won 193 votes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

===Social Credit===
He ran again as an independent in the [[1980 Canadian federal election|February 1980 federal election]] in [[Ottawa Centre (federal electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]. His application to run as a [[Social Credit Party of Canada]] candidate was rejected by party leader [[Fabien Roy]]. He won 64 votes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} The Social Credit Party lost its remaining seats in the election.

Because of the death of the Social Credit candidate in [[Frontenac (Quebec federal electoral district)|Frontenac]] [[Electoral district (Canada)|riding]] in Quebec during the election, a by-election was held in March. When Fabien Roy accepted the nomination without a convention, Turmel ran again as an independent against the Social Credit candidate. He ran as an independent candidate in the April 13 federal by-election in [[London West (federal electoral district)|London West]], claiming to be interim leader of the Ontario Social Credit Party. Turmel won 77 votes as an "independent Social Credit" candidate in a September 8 by-election in [[Hamilton West (federal electoral district)|Hamilton West]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

He also sought the Social Credit Party of Canada’s interim national leadership unsuccessfully at a convention in November in [[Calgary]]. Turmel opposed the appointment of [[Martin Hattersley]] as interim leader of the federal Social Credit party as being undemocratic. The party executive claimed that the party did not have sufficient funds to hold a convention.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

While running in the Hamilton West federal byelection, Turmel registered for [[Mayor of Ottawa]] in November, collecting 1,928 votes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} At the same time, he ran as the Social Credit candidate in a provincial by-election in Carleton riding, coming in last.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} Registered in a hat-trick.

With grandfather Adelard, mother Therese, and brother Ray Turmel in support, Turmel started picketing the [[Bank of Canada]] on every Thursday when the interest rate was set and then picketing Parliament too. This continued for five years until the retirement of Governor [[Gerald Bouey]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In the [[1981 Ontario general election|March 1981 provincial election]], Turmel ran as a Social Credit candidate in [[Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]], while his brother Raymond ran for the party in [[Ottawa South (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa South]] and Serge Girard, Dale Alkerton and Andrew Dynowski ran in neighbouring ridings. It was reported that he became interim leader of the Ontario Social Credit Party in early March, although it is not clear if other members of the party agreed.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In September, Turmel was a candidate in the federal by-election in [[Spadina (electoral district)|Spadina]] riding in Toronto, collecting 98 votes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} The national Social Credit party president Carl O’Malley refused to endorse a candidate on the basis that the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] candidate, [[Jim Coutts]], a former adviser to [[Pierre Trudeau]], was a personal friend. Raymond Turmel ran as an independent against O’Malley in the by-election held in Joliette, Quebec on the same day, claiming to be the "real Social Credit" candidate.

In October, the Ontario Social Credit Party conducted a leadership vote. The eleven delegates, who represented about 100 party members throughout the province, elected former Toronto mayoral candidate Anne McBride as their new interim leader in a vote of 7 to 1 with 3 spoiled ballots. One vote was cast for Bruce Arnold. Turmel, his brother Ray and their mother, Therese, wrote the word "unconstitutional" across the ballots. Turmel argued that the party was violating its constitution by holding a vote without providing four months' notice to its members. McBride was a [[Christian fundamentalism|Christian fundamentalist]] minister who vowed to run the party "on Christian principles".{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In September, Turmel was reported to be fighting his expulsion from the federal Social Credit Party, and seeking its leadership. Further, he was reported to be seeking to replace [[Joe Clark]] as leader of the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada]]. Turmel denied the report, but the journalist stood by her story.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

===Christian Credit Party===
In June 1982, Turmel returned to Hamilton West to run in a provincial by-election as a candidate of the Christian Credit Party that he had recently founded. He won 173 votes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

The Christian Credit Party was formed after the Social Credit Party refused to renew the memberships of Turmel and his brother Raymond. The Turmel brothers said that they left the party because it had compromised its principles on interest rates.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

He also ran for the Christian Credit Party in the September federal by-election in [[Toronto—Danforth (federal electoral district)|Broadview—Greenwood]] (in Toronto), winning an all-time low 16 votes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} Raymond ran for the party in [[Leeds—Grenville]] in eastern Ontario.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In July, Turmel attempted to recruit members for his new party at the Social Credit national convention in Regina. In September, the party claimed to have 75 members.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In November 1982, Turmel ran for alderman in the Ottawa suburb of Gloucester, and appears to have abandoned an attempt to run in a provincial by-election in [[York South|Toronto-York South]] though list #13 shows it was not abandoned. His brother, Raymond, ran for mayor of Gloucester, while their colleague Marc Gauvin ran for mayor of Ottawa.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

By 1983, the Christian Credit Party appears to have died. Turmel said he disbanded his party because he realized voters would not give it a chance. "People won't vote for a new party. They've been voting for one colour all their lives. The only way to do anything is to get into a recognized party."{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel, with Therese and Ray, Marc and Emi Gauvin and Serge Girard picketed the 1983 Bilderberger conference held at Chateau Montebello.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel ran as an independent candidate in the Central Nova ([[Nova Scotia]]) riding by-election in September 1983 against Progressive Conservative leader [[Brian Mulroney]]. He claimed to be a "member of the Abolitionist wing of the PC party".{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel won 97 votes as a candidate in a provincial by-election in [[Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry (federal electoral district)|Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry]], Ontario.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

===Green Party===
In the months before the [[1984 Canadian federal election|1984 federal election]], Turmel attempted to take over the Ottawa branch of the fledgling [[Green Party of Canada]] by signing up new members and seeking the party’s nomination in Ottawa Centre. After the party had appointed a candidate in Ottawa Centre rather than hold nominations, Turmel claimed that it was undemocratic and called a meeting at which all Greens were invited to elect candidates to run in various Ottawa area ridings under the Green Party banner. The party rejected those nominations, and then held its own meeting to nominate new candidates.

In the election, Turmel ran as an independent against Green Party leader [[Trevor Hancock]] in [[Beaches (federal electoral district)|Toronto—Beaches]], Marc Gauvin ran in Ottawa Centre, supporter Serge Girard in [[Ottawa—Vanier (federal electoral district)|Ottawa—Vanier]], and John and Ray’s mother, Therese Turmel ran in Ottawa West, and Ray Turmel ran as an "independent Green" in [[Nepean—Carleton (federal electoral district)|Nepean—Carleton]].

Turmel ran as an independent candidate in the December 13, 1984, provincial by-election in Ottawa Centre, and Serge Girard ran in [[Ottawa East]]. Turmel also ran for mayor of Ottawa.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In 1985, the Executive of the Ontario Branch of the Green Party expelled Ontario member John Turmel and Quebec member Ray Turmel.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

===Mid to late 1980s===
Also in 1985, Turmel appears to have founded the "Social Credit Party of Ontario", which was not affiliated with other social credit parties. Turmel led a campaign against the practice of cheque cashing agencies that cashed social assistance (SA, or [[Welfare (financial aid)|welfare]]) cheques at a discount to the face value. Turmel issued ID card to SA recipients and recruited local retailers to cash the cheques at no discount. The Social Credit Party of Ontario guaranteed these cheques.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} In November, Turmel supporter Walter McPhee ran for Ottawa mayor and Turmel for Nepean mayor. This proved to be Turmel's best performance by percentage of the vote, as he collected 7.25% of the vote, as he was the only other candidate against mayor [[Ben Franklin (Canadian politician)|Ben Franklin]]. Turmel ran in an April 1986 provincial by-election in Toronto-York East and an August 14 provincial by-election in [[Cochrane (provincial electoral district)|Cochrane]], Ontario, apparently under the "Social Credit Party of Ontario" banner.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In September, he ran as an "independent créditiste" claiming to be the heir of [[Réal Caouette]] in a federal by-election in [[Saint-Maurice (federal electoral district)|St.-Maurice]], Quebec when Liberal MP [[Jean Chrétien]] resigned.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In June 1987, Turmel ran in a federal by-election in [[Hamilton Mountain (federal electoral district)|Hamilton Mountain]]. He was reported to be "attempting to form" an Ontario Social Credit Party.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In the autumn of 1988, Turmel ran for mayor of Ottawa, Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre and [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Member of Provincial Parliament]] for [[Welland—Thorold]] in the Niagara peninsula in a November 3 provincial by-election.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

===Abolitionist Party===
Turmel founded the [[Abolitionist Party of Canada]], which nominated 80 candidates in the [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993 federal election]], one more than the Green Party of Canada.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In 1994, Turmel won over 4,500 votes running for Chair of Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality, the largest number of votes in his career.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

He won 46 votes as the Abolitionist Party candidate in the February 13, 1995, [[Ottawa—Vanier (federal electoral district)|Ottawa—Vanier]] federal by-election.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In June 1996, Turmel ran under the Abolitionist Party banner in a [[Hamilton East (federal electoral district)|Hamilton East]] federal by-election and lost.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel won 4,126 votes (2.5% of the total) running for Chair of Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality in 1997, in which [[Bob Chiarelli]] defeated Peter Clark by 2,798 votes. Turmel won 214 votes as an independent candidate in [[Ottawa West—Nepean]] in the [[1997 Canadian federal election|1997 federal election]]. In September, Turmel won 201 votes as an independent candidate in Ottawa West in a provincial by-election.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel ran for the board of the [[National Capital FreeNet]] after the previous board reduced the number of seats from 7 to 5. He came 6th, and argues he was cheated out of the only election he ever won.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel appeared in the 1997 ''Guinness Book of World Records'' for most elections contested.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bell |first=Pat |date=August 26, 1997 |title=Turmel: The perennial candidate |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen-turmel-the-perennial/136444928/ |work=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |location=Ottawa, Ontario |access-date=December 7, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

He ran as an "independent Abolitionist" in a September 14, 1998, federal by-election in [[Sherbrooke (federal electoral district)|Sherbrooke]], Quebec.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In 1999, he won 106 votes as an Abolitionist Party candidate in a March federal by-election in [[Windsor—St. Clair]], Ontario, which was more than the margin by which [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] candidate [[Rick Limoges]] defeated [[Joe Comartin]] of the [[New Democratic Party of Canada|New Democratic Party]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

===Early 2000s===
In 2000, Turmel ran as an independent candidate in the September [[Kings—Hants]] (Nova Scotia) federal by-election against Progressive Conservative leader [[Joe Clark]]. He won 89 votes as an independent candidate in [[Ottawa West—Nepean]] in the November federal election.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In the same year, he made a presentation to the United Nations on the interest-free UNILETS resulting in Millennium Declaration Resolution C6 to governments to use an alternative time-based currency to restructure the global financial architecture.{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}}<!--Is this statement supportable?-->

In 2002, Turmel attempted to run for the leadership of the Marijuana Party but the leadership election was called off after Turmel showed up to contest the election.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel won 295 votes as an independent candidate in [[Brant (electoral district)|Brant]] riding in the [[2003 Ontario general election|2003 October provincial election]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} His 56th campaign was for Mayor of Ottawa in the [[2003 Ottawa municipal election|November 2003 municipal election]], when he collected 1,166 votes.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

He also tried to resurrect the [[Libertarian Party of Canada]], but was prevented from doing so when former members re-registered the name first.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel ran as an independent candidate and placed fifth with 120 votes in a May 13, 2004, provincial by-election in [[Hamilton East (federal electoral district)|Hamilton East]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} He placed last of eight candidates as an independent candidate in the March 17, 2005, provincial by-election in [[Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (federal electoral district)|Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey]] and placed last in Brant riding with 213 votes in the [[2006 Canadian federal election|2006 federal election]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel was convicted of drug possession in March 2006, resulting from a one-man protest on [[Parliament Hill]] in Ottawa three years earlier. Turmel had taken three kilograms of marijuana to the hill, and openly smoked a joint in front of politicians and security officials. He announced plans to appeal.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 30, 2006 |title=Byelection candidate convicted on drug charge |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/byelection-candidate-convicted-on-drug-charge-1.578645 |work=CBC News}}</ref> The conviction was rendered on the same day as a provincial by-election in [[Nepean—Carleton (federal electoral district)|Nepean—Carleton]], in which Turmel was a candidate.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In 2003, Turmel acted as a party to [[Hitzig v Canada]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2003/2003canlii3451/2003canlii3451.html |title=Hitzig v. Canada, 2003 CanLII 3451 (ON SC)|website=canlii.org|access-date=12 December 2023}}</ref>  a civil suit instrumental in reforming the [[Marihuana Medical Access Regulations]] and the status of medical cannabis in Canada generally.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel ran as an independent candidate in a 2008 by-election in the riding of [[Guelph (federal electoral district)|Guelph]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punditsguide.ca/Pundits |title=Guide |publisher=Punditsguide.ca |date=July 12, 2008 |access-date=December 26, 2011}}</ref>  On Monday, August 25, he disrupted a televised debate involving candidates from the four major political parties to which the other four candidates had not been invited to participate. He yelled out his objections so loudly that the moderator of the debate could not be heard. He was eventually removed from the venue, the River Run Centre, by the Guelph police.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQQtSbowNYk|title=TURMEL: Best of Turmel in Guelph byelection - YouTube|website=[[YouTube]]|date=April 23, 2011|access-date=December 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729191825/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQQtSbowNYk|archive-date=July 29, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The by-election was pre-empted by a [[2008 Canadian federal election|federal election call]] in which Turmel re-filed his candidacy for the same riding – he came in tenth out of eleven candidates receiving 58 votes.

On September 10, 2009, police were called after Turmel lost control and disrupted an all-candidates meeting during the provincial by-election in Ontario's [[St. Paul's (provincial electoral district)|St. Paul's]] riding.<ref>{{cite news|date=September 11, 2009|last=Friesen|first=Joe|title=Police called to candidates' debate|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/police-called-to-candidates-debate/article4285188/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|access-date=February 20, 2024}}</ref> Angry at a moderator's rule which forced residents to direct their questions at four of eight candidates, thus effectively limiting his opportunity to speak, Turmel lashed out and ran around the church hall shouting at debate panelists and audience members that he'd go back onstage when he could answer too. At one point, the debate had to pause as a group of attendees attempted a citizen's arrest. Turmel stated that he would "ruin everyone's night" because "mine was ruined".{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

===''Dragon's Den''===
On January 13, 2010, Turmel appeared on the CBC television show ''[[Dragons' Den (Canada)|Dragons' Den]]'' pitching his [[Local exchange trading system]] scheme,<ref>{{cite news|title=CBC Dragon's Den pitch by John Turmel|url=http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/pitches/canlets-time-bank|access-date=2 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140613141631/http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/pitches/canlets-time-bank|archive-date=June 13, 2014|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20120720191659/http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2251872 "'The Engineer' takes on Dragons"], ''Brantford Expositor'', January 7, 2010</ref> asking the panel of entrepreneurs to invest $100,000 for a program which would use poker chips from a local casino as currency at local businesses in Brantford, Ontario. The "dragons" said they didn’t understand Turmel's presentation and mocked him. [[Kevin O'Leary (entrepreneur)|Kevin O'Leary]] told Turmel he should "burst into flames" and fellow dragon [[Jim Treliving]] told Turmel he was "blowing air up a dead horse's ass".<ref name=dragonglobe>{{cite news|last=McFarland|first=Janet|title=Top court won't hear Dragons' Den case|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/day-to-day/top-court-wont-hear-dragons-den-case/article2264467/|access-date=February 28, 2012|newspaper=Globe and Mail|date=December 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111032927/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/day-to-day/top-court-wont-hear-dragons-den-case/article2264467/|archive-date=January 11, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>  Turmel initiated a lawsuit against the CBC as a result of the program. His complaint was rejected by the Ontario Court of Appeal in July 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/mocked-dragons-den-contestant-has-no-grounds-to-complain-court-rules/article2097409/ |title=Mocked Dragon's Den contestant has no grounds to complain, court rules – The Globe and Mail |first=janet |last=mcfarland |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Canada |year=2011 |access-date=July 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714210119/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/mocked-dragons-den-contestant-has-no-grounds-to-complain-court-rules/article2097409/ |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> On December 8, 2011, the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] denied Turmel's subsequent request for [[leave to appeal]].<ref name=dragonglobe/> He continues to maintain that the show was a "smear job".<ref name=turmel2012/>

===2011 federal election===
After contesting every Canadian general election from 1979 to 2008, Turmel did not contest the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 federal election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://johnturmel.com/dreamteam.htm |title=John The Engineer's Dream Team of election candidates in Turmel's 2011 Federal General Election Campaign for Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Johnturmel.com |access-date=December 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118102513/http://johnturmel.com/dreamteam.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He indicated, however, that he would be willing to serve as prime minister if offered the role by Canada's elected parliamentarians, as per [[William Aberhart]]'s rise to the premiership of Alberta in 1935 if the Engineer's Dream Team of chosen other party candidates were elected.<ref>[http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/dossiers/elections-federales/201104/23/01-4392922-le-recordman-des-defaites-prend-une-pause.php Ian Bussières, "Le recordman des défaites prend une pause"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429141540/http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/dossiers/elections-federales/201104/23/01-4392922-le-recordman-des-defaites-prend-une-pause.php |date=April 29, 2011 }}, ''Le Soleil'', April 24, 2011, accessed June 24, 2011.</ref>

===Pauper Party===
Turmel contested the [[2011 Ontario general election|2011 Ontario provincial election]] as founder and leader of the newly formed [[Pauper Party of Ontario]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22pauper+party%22&aq=f |title=pauper party |publisher=YouTube |access-date=December 26, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pauperparty.ca |title=Pauper Party of Canada Home Page |publisher=Pauperparty.ca |access-date=December 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425064411/http://pauperparty.ca/ |archive-date=April 25, 2012 |df=mdy }}</ref> stating "we want no cops in gambling, sex or drugs or rock and roll, we want no usury on loans, pay cash or time, no dole." Turmel has subsequently run in Ontario by-elections under the "Pauper" banner.<ref>{{cite news|last=Perkel|first=Colin|title=Fringe parties add spice, smiles to Ontario election despite no hope of sea|url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/fringe-parties-add-spice-smiles-to-ontario-election-despite-no-hope-of-seats-131204054.html|access-date=October 9, 2011|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|date=October 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008182209/http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/fringe-parties-add-spice-smiles-to-ontario-election-despite-no-hope-of-seats-131204054.html|archive-date=October 8, 2011|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

===Recent by-elections===
In 2012, Turmel again ran as an independent, this time in the [[By-elections to the 41st Canadian Parliament|March 19 federal by-election]] in [[Toronto—Danforth (federal electoral district)|Toronto—Danforth]] to choose a successor to [[Jack Layton]]. He ran on a campaign pushing for mass production of [[marijuana]] to fight cancers he says are coming from the "nuclear fallout that hit us from [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster|Fukushima]]".<ref name=turmel2012/>

On the provincial level, Turmel has continued to carry the banner of the Pauper Party of Ontario and ran in the [[Ottawa South (provincial electoral district)#2013 by-election|August 1, 2013]] by-election in Ottawa South to choose the successor to [[Dalton McGuinty]] placing last with 43 votes. He ran again as a Pauper candidate in the February 13, 2014 provincial by-election in [[Thornhill (provincial electoral district)|Thornhill]] placing last with 49 votes. On September 1, 2016, he secured second-to-last place in the [[Scarborough—Rouge River (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough—Rouge River]] provincial by-election by one vote over former [[Trillium Party of Ontario|Trillium Party]] candidate Ania Krosinska.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Turmel placed sixth out of six candidates in the [[2020 York Centre federal by-election]], earning just under 0.6% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.ca/Scripts/vis/PastResults?L=e&ED=35118&EV=99&EV_TYPE=6&PROV=ON&PROVID=35&QID=-1&PAGEID=28 |title=Past results: York Centre (Ontario) |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= |publisher=[[Elections Canada]] |access-date=December 7, 2023 |quote=}}</ref>

In 2023, he was a candidate in the [[2023 Hamilton Centre provincial by-election|Hamilton Centre provincial by-election]],<ref name="Vexatiouslitigant">{{Cite news |last=Peesker |first=Saira |date=May 17, 2023 |title='Vexatious litigant' John 'The Engineer' chugs along after failing to win world record 106 elections |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/john-turmel-1.6845395 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |work=[[CBC News]] |location=Hamilton, Ontario}}</ref> the [[2023 Oxford federal by-election|Oxford federal by-election]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Healey |first=Marshall |date=June 20, 2023 |title=Conservatives hang on to federal Oxford riding with Khanna edging Hilderley |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9779508/conservatives-hang-on-to-federal-oxford-riding-with-khanna-edging-hilderley/ |work=[[Global News]] |location= |access-date=December 7, 2023}}</ref> the [[2023 Scarborough—Guildwood provincial by-election|Scarborough—Guildwood provincial by-election]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Adler |first=Mike |date=July 27, 2023 |title=Scarborough Business Association president Andrea Hazell keeps Scarborough-Guildwood Liberal in provincial byelection |url=https://www.toronto.com/news/provincial-election/scarborough-business-association-president-andrea-hazell-keeps-scarborough-guildwood-liberal-in-provincial-byelection/article_c9009782-d010-5937-9035-2bf9f3983213.html |work=Toronto.com |location= |access-date=December 7, 2023}}</ref> and the [[2023 Kitchener Centre provincial by-election|Kitchener Centre provincial by-election]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Jennifer |date=November 30, 2023 |title=Greens win second seat at Queen's Park in Kitchener Centre byelection |url=https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/greens-kitchener-centre-in-provincial-byelection-1.6666957 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207181918/https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/greens-kitchener-centre-in-provincial-byelection-1.6666957 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 7, 2023 |work=[[CTV News]] |location=Kitchener, Ontario |access-date=December 7, 2023}}</ref>

In 2024, he contested the [[2024 Milton provincial by-election|Milton provincial by-election]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-22 |title=Man with Guinness record for 'most elections contested' seeks office in Milton |url=https://www.haltonhillstoday.ca/local-news/man-with-guinness-record-for-most-elections-contested-seeks-office-in-milton-8637386 |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=HaltonHillsToday.ca |language=en}}</ref> the [[2024 LaSalle—Émard—Verdun federal by-election|LaSalle—Émard—Verdun federal by-election]], and the [[2024 Bay of Quinte provincial by-election|Bay of Quinte provincial by-election]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=staff |first=Oldies 100 9 News |title=Meet Independent Bay of Quinte candidate John Turmel |url=https://www.brightontoday.ca/2024/09/16/meet-independent-bay-of-quinte-candidate-john-turmel/ |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=Brighton Today.ca |language=en}}</ref>

==Vexatious litigation==
According to the [[Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada|Attorney General of Canada]], Turmel is a "perennial litigant" and has filed at least 67 court proceedings since 1980.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mandel |first=Michele |date=November 17, 2022 |title=MANDEL: Canada's biggest loser loses again, declared 'vexatious litigant' |url=https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/mandel-canadas-biggest-loser-loses-again-declared-vexatious-litigant |newspaper=[[Toronto Sun]] |location= |access-date=December 7, 2023}}</ref> In 2022, Canada's [[Federal Court (Canada)|Federal Court]] labelled Turmel a "vexatious litigant", which prevents him from introducing a new application to the Court unless he had a court order to allow it.<ref name="Vexatiouslitigant"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/fc-cf/decisions/en/item/522418/index.do?q=vexatious |title=Federal Court Decisions: Canada (Attorney General) v. Turmel |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=November 9, 2022 |website= |publisher=[[Federal Court (Canada)|Federal Court of Canada]] |access-date=December 7, 2023 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Jonnette Watson |title= Vexatious Litigants: An Interpretation of Section 40 of the Federal Courts Act |access-date=May 11, 2022 |date=May 2, 2017 |url=https://ablawg.ca/2017/05/02/vexatious-litigants-an-interpretation-of-section-40-of-the-federal-courts-act/ |quote="Section 40 reflects the fact that the Federal Courts are community property...not a private resource...[As such]...courts allow unrestricted access by default...[b]ut those who misuse unrestricted access...must be restrained..The Federal Courts have finite resources...Every moment devoted to a vexatious litigant is a moment unavailable to a deserving litigant".}}</ref>

==Appearance before Parliament==

On June 6, 2018, Turmel appeared as a witness before the [[Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs]] regarding the [[29th Canadian Ministry|Trudeau Government]]'s proposed changes to the [[Canada Elections Act]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/PROC/meeting-112/minutes |title=Minutes - PROC (42-1) - No. 112 |publisher=House of Commons of Canada |access-date=2018-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821071216/http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/PROC/meeting-112/minutes |archive-date=August 21, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
During his appearance Turmel argued for free and equal broadcasting time for all candidates and fair auditing rules for candidates with only minor campaign expenses.<ref name="ourcommons1">{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/PROC/meeting-112/evidence |title=Evidence – PROC (42-1) – No. 112 |publisher=House of Commons of Canada |access-date=2018-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820200052/http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/PROC/meeting-112/evidence |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
He also discussed the [[time banking]] software "LETS", being arrested, and being invited to give speeches at the [[United Nations]].<ref name="ourcommons1"/>

==Election results==
{{BLP sources section|date=March 2019}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 |-
 ! # 
! class="unsortable"|Date
 ! Level
 ! Location
 ! Party
 ! Votes
 ! %
!Ref.
|-
 !1 
|[[1979 Canadian federal election|May 22, 1979]]
 |Federal
 |[[Ottawa West]]
 |Independent
 |193
 | 0.35
|<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2016-09-26 |title=History of the Federal Electoral Ridings, 1867-2010 |url=https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/ea8f2c37-90b6-4fee-857e-984d3060184e |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=open.canada.ca |publisher=[[Library of Parliament]]}}</ref>
|-
 !2 
|[[1980 Canadian federal election|February 18, 1980]]
 |Federal
 |[[Ottawa Centre (federal electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
 |Independent
 |62
 |0.13
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !3 
|[[By-elections to the 32nd Canadian Parliament|March 24, 1980]]
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Frontenac (Quebec federal electoral district)|Frontenac]]
 |Independent
 |101<ref>Among the candidates for that election was [[perennial candidate]] Patricia Métivier. Turmel finished a distant 6th, just ahead of Métivier who finished 7th.</ref>
 |0.31
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !4 
|September 8, 1980
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Hamilton West (federal electoral district)|Hamilton West]]
 |Independent
 |88
 |0.28
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !5 
|[[1980 Ottawa municipal election|November 10, 1980]]
 |Municipal/Mayor
 |[[Ottawa]]
 |N/A
 |1,928
 |2.21
|
|-
 !6 
|November 20, 1980
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Carleton (Ontario provincial electoral district)|Carleton]]
 |Social Credit
 |95
 |0.39
|
|-
 !7 
|[[1981 Ontario general election|March 19, 1981]]
 |Provincial
 |[[Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
 |Social Credit
 |376
 |1.48
|
|-
 !8 
|April 12, 1981
 |Federal by-election
 |[[London West (federal electoral district)|London West]]
 |Independent
 |37
 |0.08
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !9 
|May 4, 1981
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Lévis]]
 |Independent
 |172
 |0.51
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !10 
|August 17, 1981
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Spadina (electoral district)|Spadina]]
 |Independent
 |69
 |0.31
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !11 
|June 17, 1982
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Hamilton West (federal electoral district)|Hamilton West]]
 |Christian Credit Party
 |173
 |0.75
|
|-
 !12 
|October 12, 1982
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Toronto—Danforth (federal electoral district)|Broadview—Greenwood]]
 |Christian Credit Party
 |19
 |0.07
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !13 
|November 4, 1982
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[York South]]
 |Independent
 |66
 |0.27
|
|-
 !14 
|[[1982 Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality elections|November 8, 1982]]
 |Municipal/Alderman
 |[[Gloucester, Ontario|Gloucester]]
 |N/A
 |1,193
 |1.27
|
|-
 !15 
|August 29, 1983
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Central Nova]]
 |Independent
 |46
 |0.15
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !16 
|December 15, 1983
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry (federal electoral district)|Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry]]
 |Independent
 |97
 |0.46
|
|-
 !17 
|[[1984 Canadian federal election|September 4, 1984]]
 |Federal
 |[[Beaches (federal electoral district)|Beaches]]
 |Independent
 |112
 |0.31
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !18 
|December 13, 1984
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
 |Independent
 |90
 |0.46
|
|-
 !19 
|[[1985 Ontario general election|May 2, 1985]]
 |Provincial
 |[[Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
 |Independent
 |364
 |1.33
|
|-
 !20 
|[[1985 Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality elections|November 12, 1985]]
 |Municipal/Mayor
 |[[Nepean, Ontario|Nepean]]
 |N/A
 |1,405
 |7.25
|
|-
 !21 
|April 17, 1986
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[York East (federal electoral district)|York East]]
 |Social Credit Party of Ontario
 |44
 |0.17
|
|-
 !22 
|August 14, 1986
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Cochrane North]]
 |Social Credit Party of Ontario
 |75
 |0.74
|
|-
 !23 
|[[By-elections to the 33rd Canadian Parliament|September 29, 1986]]
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Saint-Maurice (federal electoral district)|Saint-Maurice]]
 |Independent creditiste
 |104
 |0.31
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !24 
|July 20, 1987
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Hamilton Mountain (federal electoral district)|Hamilton Mountain]]
 |Independent
 |166
 |0.50
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !25 
|[[1987 Ontario general election|September 10, 1987]]
 |Provincial
 |[[Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
 |Independent
 |598
 |2.03
|
|-
 !26 
|March 31, 1988
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[London North]]
 |Independent
 |115
 |0.35
|
|-
 !27 
|November 3, 1988
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Welland—Thorold]]
 |Independent
 |187
 |0.65
|
|-
 !28 
|[[1988 Ottawa municipal election|November 14, 1988]]
 |Municipal/Mayor
 |[[Ottawa]]
 |N/A
 |3,123
 |3.88
|
|-
 !29 
|[[1988 Canadian federal election|November 21, 1988]]
 |Federal
 |[[Ottawa Centre (federal electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
 |Independent
 |152
 |0.31
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !30 
|[[1990 Oshawa federal by-election|August 13, 1990]]
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Oshawa (federal electoral district)|Oshawa]]
 |Independent
 |50
 |0.20
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !31 
|[[1990 Ontario general election|September 6, 1990]]
 |Provincial
 |[[Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
 |Independent
 |160
 |0.53
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate: 1990 General Election |url=https://results.elections.on.ca/api/report-groups/8/report-outputs/921/pdf/en |access-date=September 8, 2024 |website=[[Elections Ontario]] |page=6}}</ref>
|-
 !32 
|[[1990 York North federal by-election|December 10, 1990]]
 |Federal by-election
 |[[York North]]
 |Independent
 |97
 |0.23
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !33 
|[[1991 Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality elections|November 12, 1991]]
 |Municipal/Regional Chair
 |[[Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton]]
 |N/A
 |3,570
 |1.81
|
|-
 !34 
|[[1993 Canadian federal election|October 23, 1993]]
 |Federal
 |[[Frontenac (Quebec federal electoral district)|Frontenac]]
 |Abolitionist
 |210
 |0.63
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !35 
|December 2, 1993
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Essex South (provincial electoral district)|Essex South]]
 |Independent
 |84
 |0.46
|<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate: 1992 - 1994 By Elections |url=https://results.elections.on.ca/api/report-groups/7/report-outputs/876/pdf/en<!--Note: this URL downloads a zip file with two documents. The results for this by-election are within the file named "Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate - 1992 - 1994 By Elections.pdf"--> |access-date=September 8, 2024 |website=[[Elections Ontario]] |page=1}}</ref>
|-
 !36 
|March 17, 1994
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock (provincial electoral district)|Victoria—Haliburton]]
 |Independent
 |123
 |0.52
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
 !37 
|[[1994 Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality elections|November 14, 1994]]
 |Municipal/Regional Chair
 |[[Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton]]
 |N/A
 |4,563
 |2.35
|
|-
 !38 
|[[By-elections to the 35th Canadian Parliament|February 13, 1995]]
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Ottawa—Vanier (federal electoral district)|Ottawa—Vanier]]
 |Abolitionist Party
 |46
 |0.23
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !39 
|[[1995 Ontario general election|June 8, 1995]]
 |Provincial
 |[[Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
 |Independent
 |173
 |0.61
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate: 1995 General Election |url=https://results.elections.on.ca/api/report-groups/7/report-outputs/876/pdf/en<!--Note: this URL downloads a zip file with two documents. The results for this by-election are within the file named "Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate - 1995 General Election.pdf"--> |access-date=September 8, 2024 |website=[[Elections Ontario]] |page=6}}</ref>
|-
 !40 
|March 25, 1996
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Etobicoke North (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke North]]
 |Abolitionist Party
 |75
 |0.28
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !41 
|June 17, 1996
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Hamilton East (federal electoral district)|Hamilton East]]
 |Abolitionist Party
 |21
 |0.08
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=By-Elections 1996 – Official Voting Results and Candidates' Contributions and Expenses |url=https://elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/off/dec1396&document=synopsis2&lang=e |access-date=September 8, 2024 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
 !42 
|[[1997 Canadian federal election|June 2, 1997]]
 |Federal
 |[[Ottawa West—Nepean]]
 |Independent
 |211
 |0.39
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
 !43 
|September 4, 1997
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Ottawa West]]
 |Independent
 |201
 |0.93
|
|-
 !44 
|[[1997 Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality elections|November 10, 1997]]
 |Municipal/Regional Chair
 |[[Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton]]
 |N/A
 |4,129
 |2.49
|
|-
 !45 
|[[By-elections to the 36th Canadian Parliament|September 14, 1998]]
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Sherbrooke (federal electoral district)|Sherbrooke]]
 |Independent Abolitionist
 |97
 |0.27
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kingsley |first=Jean-Pierre |author-link=Jean-Pierre Kingsley |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/98ov_results/98ov_results.pdf |title=By-elections 1998: official voting results |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=1998 |isbn=0-662-64011-X |page=4}}</ref>
|-
 !46 
|April 12, 1999
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Windsor—St. Clair]]
 |Abolitionist Party
 |106
 |0.33
|<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Kingsley |first=Jean-Pierre |author-link=Jean-Pierre Kingsley |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovresults99/ovresults99_e.pdf |title=By-elections 1999: official voting results |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=1999 |isbn=0-662-64588-X |page=14}}</ref>
|-
 !47 
|[[1999 Ontario general election|June 3, 1999]]
 |Provincial
 |[[Ottawa West—Nepean (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa West—Nepean]]
 |Independent
 |94
 |0.20
|
|-
 !48 
|November 15, 1999
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Hull—Aylmer]]
 |Independent
 |51
 |0.29
|<ref name=":1" />
|-
 !49 
|September 7, 2000
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot]]
 |Independent
 |80
 |0.24
|
|-
 !50 
|September 11, 2000
 |Federal by-election
 |[[Kings—Hants]]
 |Independent
 |221
 |0.81
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kingsley |first=Jean-Pierre |author-link=Jean-Pierre Kingsley |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/byelect2000_e.pdf |title=By-elections 2000: official voting results |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=2000 |isbn=0-662-65309-2 |page=14}}</ref>
|-
 !51 
|[[2000 Ottawa municipal election|November 13, 2000]]
 |Municipal/Mayor
 |[[Ottawa]]
 |N/A
 |677
 |0.27
|
|-
 !52 
|[[2000 Canadian federal election|November 27, 2000]]
 |Federal
 |[[Ottawa West—Nepean]]
 |Independent
 |89
 |0.17
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kingsley |first=Jean-Pierre |author-link=Jean-Pierre Kingsley |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/SynopsisPart4_e.pdf |title=Thirty-seventh general election 2000: official voting results: synopsis |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=2001 |isbn=0-662-65518-4 |series= |page=61}}</ref>
|-
 !53 
|March 22, 2001
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Parry Sound—Muskoka (provincial electoral district)|Parry Sound—Muskoka]]
 |Independent
 |61
 |0.23
|
|-
 !54 
|May 2, 2002
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (federal electoral district)|Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey]]
 |Independent
 |120
 |0.37
|
|-
 !55 
|[[2003 Ontario general election|October 2, 2003]]
 |Provincial
 |[[Brant (electoral district)|Brant]]
 |Independent
 |295
 |0.66
|
|-
 !56 
|[[2003 Ottawa municipal election|November 10, 2003]]
 |Municipal/Mayor
 |[[Ottawa]]
 |N/A
 |1,166
 |0.63
|
|-
 !57 
|May 13, 2004
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Hamilton East (provincial electoral district)|Hamilton East]]
 |Independent Abolitionist
 |120
 |0.50
|
|-
 !58 
|[[2004 Canadian federal election|June 28, 2004]]
 |Federal
 |[[Brant (electoral district)|Brant]]
 |Independent
 |373
 |0.70
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=Thirty-eighth General Election 2004: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/scripts/OVR2004/default.html |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=[[Elections Canada]] |at=Table 12}}</ref>
|-
 !59 
|March 17, 2005
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (federal electoral district)|Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey]]
 |Independent Abolitionist
 |85
 |0.31
|
|-
 !60 
|[[2006 Canadian federal election|January 23, 2006]]
 |Federal
 |[[Brant (electoral district)|Brant]]
 |Independent
 |213
 |0.40
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thirty-ninth General Election 2006: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/scripts/OVR2006/default.html |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
 !61 
|March 30, 2006
 |Provincial by-election
 |[[Nepean—Carleton (provincial electoral district)|Nepean—Carleton]]
 |Independent
 |112
 |0.37
|
|-
!62
|September 14, 2006
|Provincial by-election
|[[Parkdale—High Park (provincial electoral district)|Parkdale—High Park]]
|Independent
|77
|0.27
|
|-
!63
|[[2006 Ontario municipal elections|November 13, 2006]]
|Municipal/Mayor
|[[Brantford]]
|N/A
|226
|0.84
|
|-
!64
|[[2007 Ontario provincial by-elections|February 8, 2007]]
|Provincial by-election
|[[Burlington (federal electoral district)|Burlington]]
|Independent
|90
|0.40
|
|-
!65
|[[By-elections to the 39th Canadian Parliament|September 17, 2007]]
|Federal by-election
|[[Outremont (electoral district)|Outremont]]
|Independent
|30<ref>Turmel received 30 votes (0.13%) and finished 12th out of 12 candidates.</ref>
|0.13
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mayrand |first=Marc |author-link=Marc Mayrand |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2007/ovr_2007.pdf |title=By-elections September 17, 2007: official voting results: Outremont, Roberval–Lac-Saint-Jean and Saint-Hyacinthe–Bagot |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-662-05189-3 |page=12}}</ref>
|-
!66
|[[2007 Ontario general election|October 10, 2007]]
|Provincial
|[[Brantford—Brant (provincial electoral district)|Brant]]
|Independent
|272<ref>With results from 291 precincts out of 291, Turmel received 272 votes (0.57%) and finished 6th out of 6 candidates.</ref>
|0.57
|
|-
!67*
|''September 8, 2008''
|''Federal by-election''
|''[[Guelph (federal electoral district)|Guelph]]''
|''Independent''
|''N/A''<ref>The scheduled by-election for Guelph was cancelled due to the [[Dissolution of Parliament|dissolution]] of the [[39th Canadian parliament]] and the issuing of writs for the [[40th Canadian federal election]].</ref>
|''N/A''
|
|-
!68
|[[2008 Canadian federal election|October 14, 2008]]
|Federal
|[[Guelph (federal electoral district)|Guelph]]
|Independent
|58
|0.10
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fortieth General Election 2008: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/scripts/OVR2008/default.html |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=[[Elections Canada]] |at=Table 12}}</ref>
|-
!69
|March 5, 2009
|Provincial by-election
|[[Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock (provincial electoral district)|Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock]]
|Independent
|92
|0.26
|
|-
!70
|September 17, 2009
|Provincial by-election
|[[St. Paul's (provincial electoral district)|St. Paul's]]
|Independent
|51
|0.19
|
|-
!71
|[[By-elections to the 40th Canadian Parliament|November 9, 2009]]
|Federal by-election
|[[Hochelaga (electoral district)|Hochelaga]]
|Independent
|69
|0.40
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mayrand |first=Marc |author-link=Marc Mayrand |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2009/ovr2009.pdf |title=By-elections November 9, 2009: official voting results: Cumberland–Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley, Hochelaga, Montmagny–L'Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du-Loup and New Westminster–Coquitlam |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-100-50757-6 |page=23}}</ref>
|-
!72
|February 4, 2010
|Provincial by-election
|[[Toronto Centre (provincial electoral district)|Toronto Centre]]
|Independent
|67
|0.25
|
|-
!73
|March 4, 2010
|Provincial by-election
|[[Ottawa West—Nepean (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa West—Nepean]]
|Independent
|230
|0.81
|
|-
!74
|[[2010 Ontario municipal elections|October 25, 2010]]
|Municipal/Mayor
|Brantford
|N/A
|61
|0.22
|
|-
!75
|[[2011 Ontario general election|October 6, 2011]]
|Provincial
|[[Brant (provincial electoral district)|Brant]]
|Pauper Party
|87
|0.20
|
|-
!76
|[[By-elections to the 41st Canadian Parliament|March 19, 2012]]
|Federal by-election
|[[Toronto—Danforth (federal electoral district)|Toronto—Danforth]]
|Independent
|57
|0.20
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mayrand |first=Marc |author-link=Marc Mayrand |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2012/Toronto-Danforth_OVR.pdf |title=By-election March 19, 2012: official voting results: Toronto-Danforth |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-100-54349-9 |page=16}}</ref>
|-
!77
|September 6, 2012
|Provincial by-election
|[[Kitchener—Waterloo (provincial electoral district)|Kitchener—Waterloo]]
|Independent
|23
|0.05
|
|-
!78
|August 1, 2013
|Provincial by-election
|[[Ottawa South (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa South]]
|Pauper Party
|64
|0.20
|
|-
!79
|November 25, 2013
|Federal by-election
|[[Toronto Centre (federal electoral district)|Toronto Centre]]
|Independent
|56
|0.22
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mayrand |first=Marc |author-link=Marc Mayrand |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2013b2/pdf/ovr2013b2.pdf |title=By-elections November 25, 2013: official voting results: Bourassa, Brandon–Souris, Provencher, Toronto Centre |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-100-54686-5 |page=22}}</ref>
|-
!80
|February 13, 2014
|Provincial by-election
|[[Thornhill (provincial electoral district)|Thornhill]]
|Pauper Party
|49
|0.18
|
|-
!81
|[[2014 Ontario general election|June 12, 2014]]
|Provincial
|[[Brant (electoral district)|Brant]]
|Pauper Party
|61
|0.12
|
|-
!82
|June 30, 2014
|Federal by-election
|[[Trinity—Spadina (federal electoral district)|Trinity—Spadina]]
|Independent
|141
|0.41
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mayrand |first=Marc |author-link=Marc Mayrand |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2014/ovr_June30_2014.pdf |title=By-elections June 30, 2014: official voting results: Fort McMurray–Athabasca, Macleod, Scarborough–Agincourt, Trinity–Spadina |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-100-54836-4 |page=24}}</ref>
|-
!83
|[[2014 Ontario municipal elections|October 27, 2014]]
|Municipal/Mayor
|Brantford
|N/A
|133
|0.55
|
|-
!84
|November 17, 2014
|Federal by-election
|[[Whitby—Oshawa]]
|Independent
|101
|0.30
|<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mayrand |first=Marc |author-link=Marc Mayrand |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2014b/ovr_Nov17_2014.pdf |title=By-elections November 17, 2014: official voting results: Whitby–Oshawa, Yellowhead |publisher=[[Chief Electoral Officer of Canada]] |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-100-54900-2 |page=21}}</ref>
|-
!85
|February 5, 2015
|Provincial by-election
|[[Sudbury (provincial electoral district)|Sudbury]]
|Pauper Party
|118
|0.46
|
|-
!86
|September 3, 2015
|Provincial by-election
|[[Simcoe North (provincial electoral district)|Simcoe North]]
|Pauper Party
|46
|0.12
|
|-
!87
|[[2015 Canadian federal election|October 19, 2015]]
|Federal
|[[Brantford—Brant (federal electoral district)|Brantford—Brant]]
|Independent
|164
|0.26
|
|-
!88
|February 11, 2016
|Provincial by-election
|[[Whitby—Oshawa (provincial electoral district)|Whitby—Oshawa]]
|Pauper Party
|11
|0.03
|
|-
!89
|September 1, 2016
|Provincial by-election
|[[Scarborough—Rouge River (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough—Rouge River]]
|Pauper Party
|37
|0.15
|
|-
!90
|November 17, 2016
|Provincial by-election
|[[Ottawa—Vanier (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa—Vanier]]
|Pauper Party
|51
|0.17
|
|-
!91
|April 3, 2017
|Federal by-election
|[[Ottawa—Vanier (federal electoral district)|Ottawa—Vanier]]
|Independent
|147
|0.50
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=April 3, 2017, By-Election: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2017b/44/table12E.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!92
|June 1, 2017
|Provincial by-election
|[[Sault Ste. Marie (provincial electoral district)|Sault Ste. Marie]]
|Pauper Party
|47
|0.18
|
|-
!93
|[[By-elections to the 42nd Canadian Parliament|December 11, 2017]]
|Federal by-election
|[[Scarborough—Agincourt (federal electoral district)|Scarborough—Agincourt]]
|Independent
|145
|0.80
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=December 11, 2017, By-Elections: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2017d/46/table12E.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!94
|[[2018 Ontario general election|June 7, 2018]]
|Provincial 
|[[Brantford—Brant (provincial electoral district)|Brantford—Brant]]
|Pauper Party
|59
|0.10
|
|-
!95
|June 18, 2018
|Federal by-election
|[[Chicoutimi—Le Fjord]]
|Independent
|98
|0.41
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=June 18, 2018, By-Election: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2018/47/table12E.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!96
|[[2018 Brantford municipal election|October 22, 2018]]
|Municipal/Mayor
|Brantford
|N/A
|128
|0.53
|
|-
!97
|[[2018 Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes federal by-election|December 3, 2018]]
|Federal by-election
|[[Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes (federal electoral district)|Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes]]
|Independent
|111
|0.38
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=December 3, 2018, By-Election: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2018b/48/table12E.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!98
|[[2019 York—Simcoe federal by-election|February 25, 2019]]
|Federal by-election
|[[York—Simcoe (federal electoral district)|York—Simcoe]]
|Independent
|64
|0.40
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=February 25, 2019, By-Elections: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2019/49/table12E.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!99
|[[2019 Canadian federal election|October 21, 2019]]
|Federal 
|[[Brantford—Brant (federal electoral district)|Brantford—Brant]]
|Independent
|146
|0.22
|
|-
!100
|February 27, 2020
|Provincial by-election
|[[Orléans (provincial electoral district)|Orléans]]
|Pauper Party
|32
|0.12
|
|-
!101
|[[2020 York Centre federal by-election|October 26, 2020]]
|Federal by-election
|[[York Centre (federal electoral district)|York Centre]]
|Independent
|104
|0.58
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=October 26, 2020, By-Elections: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2020/52/table12E.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!102
|[[2021 Canadian federal election|September 20, 2021]]
|Federal 
|[[Brantford—Brant (federal electoral district)|Brantford—Brant]]
|Independent
|138
|0.21
|<ref>{{cite web |title=List of confirmed candidates – September 20, 2021 Federal Election |url=https://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand/lst&document=index&lang=e |access-date=2 September 2021 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!103
|[[2022 Ontario general election|June 2, 2022]]
|Provincial 
|[[Brantford—Brant (provincial electoral district)|Brantford—Brant]]
|Independent 
| 157
|0.33
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Votes Totals From Official Tabulation 2022 Provincial General Election |url=https://www.elections.on.ca/content/dam/NGW/sitecontent/2022/results/Vote%20Totals%20From%20Official%20Tabulation%20-%20Brantford%E2%80%94Brant%20013.pdf |access-date=24 September 2022 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!104
|[[2022 Ontario municipal elections#Brantford|October 24, 2022]]
|Municipal/Mayor
|[[Brantford]]
|N/A
|343
|1.71
|
|-
!105
|[[2022 Mississauga—Lakeshore federal by-election|December 12, 2022]]
|Federal by-election
|[[Mississauga—Lakeshore (federal electoral district)|Mississauga—Lakeshore]]
|Independent
|14
|0.06
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=December 12, 2022, By-Election: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2022/54/table12E.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!106
|[[2023 Hamilton Centre provincial by-election|March 16, 2023]]
|Provincial by-election
|[[Hamilton Centre (federal electoral district)|Hamilton Centre]]
|Independent
|37
|0.21
|
|-
!107
|[[2023 Oxford federal by-election|June 19, 2023]]
|Federal by-election
|[[Oxford (federal electoral district)|Oxford]]
|Independent
|171
|0.44
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=June 19, 2023, By-Elections: Official Voting Results |url=https://elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr_2023/55/table12E.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=[[Elections Canada]]}}</ref>
|-
!108
|[[2023 Scarborough—Guildwood provincial by-election|July 27, 2023]]
|Provincial by-election
|[[Scarborough—Guildwood (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough—Guildwood]]
|Independent
|20
|0.13
|
|-
!109
|[[2023 Kitchener Centre provincial by-election|November 30, 2023]]
|Provincial by-election
|[[Kitchener Centre (provincial electoral district)|Kitchener Centre]]
|Independent
|13
|0.06
|
|-
!110
|[[2024 Milton provincial by-election|May 2, 2024]]
|Provincial by-election
|[[Milton (provincial electoral district)|Milton]]
|Independent
|64
|0.23
|
|-
!111
|[[2024 LaSalle—Émard—Verdun federal by-election|September 16, 2024]]
|Federal by-election
|[[LaSalle—Émard—Verdun]]
|Independent
|16
|0.05
|
|-
!112
|[[2024 Bay of Quinte provincial by-election|September 19, 2024]]
|Provincial by-election 
|[[Bay of Quinte (provincial electoral district)|Bay of Quinte]]
|Independent 
|149
|0.4
|}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{official website|http://johnturmel.com/}}
*[https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/election-record-biggest-loser-1.5264087 "Record-setting political also-ran John Turmel takes his 99th crack at elected office] CBC News Profile

{{Social Credit}}
{{Canadian federal election, 1993A}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Turmel, John C.}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 1979 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 1980 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 1984 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 1988 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Abolitionist Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 1993 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 1997 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 2000 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 2004 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 2006 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 2008 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 2015 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in the 2019 Canadian federal election]]
[[Category:Leaders of political parties in Canada]]
[[Category:Carleton University alumni]]
[[Category:Canadian social crediters]]
[[Category:People from Rouyn-Noranda]]
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Independent candidates in Ontario provincial elections]]
[[Category:Canadian cannabis activists]]
[[Category:Canadian gamblers]]