CLC Blog

The City of Ottawa – our nation’s capital and the acclaimed guardian of our democratic rights and institutions – is set to become the new epicentre of suppressed speech in Canada, if Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and other Ottawa elites get their way.

Above: Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe

Last week, Mr. Sutcliffe proposed a “Vulnerable Social Infrastructure By-law”, which is a fancy way to say “Bubble Zone By-law”. This wide-reaching proposal goes much further than the current abortion access zone law, which muzzles speech for 50 metres around every abortion killing centre. This new rule could restrict ALL types of protests, demonstrations, rallies, and even prayer vigils in a 100-metre (300-foot) radius around thousands of “protected buildings” across the city – around every school, hospital, place of worship, child care centre, care home, and more.

The public sidewalks, parks, roads, and other spaces all around these buildings will no longer be open to the public. They will be “off-limits” if you run afoul of the woke government narrative. For example, if you want to call out the LGBT agenda in our schools or the practice of euthanasia and abortion in our hospitals, you could be treated like a criminal if you step foot on the wrong patch of public sidewalk.

And with so many “protected buildings” packed close together within the downtown core of Ottawa, entire city blocks will be captured within the new bubble zones. In fact, it might be hard to know when you happen to be passing through a bubble zone. Nevertheless, if you are caught saying the “wrong” words, holding the “wrong” signs, or praying the “wrong” prayers within any speech-muzzling zone, you could face a fine of up to $100,000!

It might be impossible to hold any demonstration of any kind in Ottawa under this by-law, including our annual March for Life!

The mayor’s proposal even suggests that every “community centre or any other community gathering space” could qualify for a “bubble zone”. This might include libraries, recreation centres, parks, and maybe even bars and restaurants – the definition is so vague! Does Mayor Sutcliffe intend to cast a massive censorship net across the entire city?

Ostensibly, the mayor claims these censorship zones are necessary for “protecting residents” from intimidation, harassment, and expressions of hatred, which sounds well-meaning on the surface. However, there are already laws in the Criminal Code of Canada that prohibit these acts, which the police are more than capable of enforcing. So, clearly, Mr. Sutcliffe has another agenda.

It is obvious that “bubble zone laws”, such as Mr. Sutcliffe is proposing, do not exist to protect people from any real injury or harm, since we already have laws that do that. Rather, they are like “Trojan horses”, using trickery to quash the viewpoints, opinions, and concerns of political opponents. In particular, pro-life, pro-family, and pro-faith advocates like you and me are in the crosshairs of these laws. As a form of 1984-style suppression, these laws strip us of our God-given rights and turn meddling bureaucrats into “Big Brother” figures.

A recent op-ed in the Ottawa Citizen stated: “What we need is aggressive enforcement of the law, not politicians sitting around the table mulling how to take away our rights – because that’s exactly what Sutcliffe is proposing. However you cut it, he wants to restrict people’s right to free expression, association and assembly, which is fundamental to who we are as Canadians.”

A lawyer with the left-wing Canadian Civil Liberties Association also noted: “If you have a protester engaging in criminal conduct endangering human safety, well law enforcement can and should intervene and the police do not need a new by-law to do that. There are already offences available through the Criminal Code, for instance criminal harassment, threats, incitement of violence.”

If the mayor and city council of Ottawa wish to call on Ottawa police to enforce the existing laws of Canada more strictly, they can do that. But they have no right to take away our rights in public spaces! Our tax dollars pay for those spaces – they belong to every Canadian, and we should be free to peaceably share our opinions and concerns in those spaces – whether it is in front of a school, a hospital, an abortion mill, or anywhere.

Afterall, according to our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law… Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: ... freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression ... freedom of peaceful assembly...”

Let’s call on Mayor Sutcliffe and the entire Ottawa City Council to put the brakes on this speech-suppressing by-law proposal. Join me in signing our new petition demanding the mayor and council reject any and all bubble zone laws. Instead, we will urge them to stand up for the rights of all Canadians and preserve the heritage of our national capital as the guardian of our democratic rights and institutions.

Even if you don’t live in Ottawa, or in Ontario, this by-law can affect you if it’s allowed to pass. Why? Because other municipalities across Canada, seeing the City of Ottawa get away with censorship, will be emboldened to do likewise where you live. So please sign, even if you don’t live in the Ottawa area!

Sign the Petition: https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/petition/id/91