Robert Maurice

Robert Oza Maurice (died March 27, 2004) was a Canadian businessman and political figure. He was a candidate in several municipal elections, and led the unregistered Recreation Party of Canada in 2003. He also used the name Robert Maurice-Mayer.

Business career

Maurice was born in Sudbury, Ontario, and left school after Grade 10. After studying in a seminary, he became a driving school instructor and franchiser of small businesses. He also wrote pamphlets on subjects such as world peace, violence against women, and the power of bureaucracy. [Patricia Orwen, "Con man preys on the destitute: He promises to make you rich, but chances are you get nothing", "Toronto Star", 25 March 1995, A1.]

A 1995 article in the "Toronto Star" newspaper described him as a "confidence man" who had "left in his wake a string of bankruptcies, unpaid debts, court judgments, criminal convictions and bogus humanitarian efforts". Maurice himself did not endorse this description, though he acknowledged that his business history included "difficult times". He described himself as a "planet builder" and "original franchisor of small businesses". [Patricia Orwen, "Con man preys on the destitute: He promises to make you rich, but chances are you get nothing", "Toronto Star", 25 March 1995, A1. See also Patricia Orwen, "How job ads can trick people looking for work", "Toronto Star", 27 November 1994, D1.]

2003 campaign

Maurice became the founder and leader of the unregistered Recreation Party of Canada in 2003. The party supported the legalization of prostitution and marijuana, lower drinking ages, and a shorter work week. As party leader, Maurice ran for Mayor of Greater Sudbury in the 2003 municipal election. [Lara Bradley, "New political party stresses fun", "Sudbury Star", 27 September 2003, A3.] He acknowledged his "shadowy past", and said that he went into business in an effort to help people rather than to take their money. He was quoted as saying, "There are problems when you run businesses, and that's the price you have to pay to be a business operator under today's systems. I've been charged, I've been fined, but I've never been convicted and gone to jail."

He ran on a platform of bringing "modern democracy and fair economics to the world". Among other things, he said that he would take money from government and bankers and give it to mathematicians, who would best be able to distribute it. [Rob O'Flanagan, "Cosmos guides candidate", "Sudbury Star", 22 October 2003, A3.] He received 102 votes (0.19%), placing twelfth out of fourteen candidates.

Death

Maurice died in 2004, at age 58. His obituary in the "Sudbury Star" newspaper indicates that he ran in several mayoral campaigns before 2003. [Bob Vaillancourt, "Robert Maurice ran for mayor's post: Perennial candidate with unusual approach dies at 58", "Sudbury Star", 30 March 2004, A3.]

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