TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO:
WHEREAS Bill 39 is an affront to democracy, allowing the Premier to bulldoze local decision-making, handpick regional council chairs and increase strong mayor powers even further;
WHEREAS Bill 39 has nothing to do with solving the housing affordability crisis or building homes for real people, and is rather part of an antidemocratic pattern of decisions;
WHEREAS in recent weeks, the Ford government has attacked democratic freedoms by using the notwithstanding clause to override workers’ constitutional right to strike, limiting the usual public consultation at committee hearings and pushing to allow the mayors of Ontario’s largest cities to rule their councils by minority;
WHEREAS people in Ontario care about democracy, accountability and transparency, and deserve a government that does not seek to undermine these long-held values;
WHEREAS this government has instead introduced yet another bill that will bulldoze local decision-making so Doug Ford can wield more power – all the while making it easier for Ford’s developer friends to get rich paving over the Greenbelt.
See my emergency press conference opposing this Bill with former Mayor John Sewell, former Mayor Barbara Hall, Councillor Josh Matlow, Councillor Jamaal Myers, Councillor Paula Fletcher, and former Councillor Michael Layton.