Petition

Stop Ottawa Bubble Zone By-law

0
3,000
SIGNATURE GOAL

Ottawa Parliament Hill


TO: Mr. Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor of Ottawa, and all Ottawa City Councillors

Ottawa is the capital city of our nation and, as such, serves as a beacon of our democratic rights and institutions. Your privilege and responsibility, as Ottawa City Councillors, is to guard this heritage. However, with the recent proposal of a new “bubble zone by-law” (the “Vulnerable Social Infrastructure By-law”), that heritage is under threat.

This far-reaching, undemocratic by-law could restrict lawful protests, demonstrations, rallies, and even conversation and prayer in a 100-metre radius around thousands of locations across the city, encompassing entire city blocks in some cases. Citizens will not be free to express themselves in these public spaces. It will be up to the subjective whims of by-law officers whether a person is saying the “wrong” words, holding the “wrong” sign, or praying the “wrong” prayer within these speech-suppression zones, with outrageous fines of up to $100,000 levied.

If the only purpose of this by-law is to stop criminal activity, as some claim, then it is absolutely redundant. Since the Criminal Code of Canada already prohibits harassment, threats, incitement of violence, and hate crimes, police have the power to halt unlawful protests and to arrest dangerous protesters across the entire city of Ottawa – not just in certain “bubble zones”. All residents are equally protected everywhere under the current law. If police enforcement is a problem, that is the issue you must address.

Otherwise, there is no reason for a new by-law, except to restrict the free expression of opinions and viewpoints that some deem “politically incorrect” or “offensive”.

Ottawa City Council does not have the 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.

After all, according to our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, “Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: ... freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression ... freedom of peaceful assembly...”

According to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, it is a “‘fundamental human right’ for people to gather to celebrate or to air grievances, ‘in public and in private spaces, outdoors, indoors and online.’ ... Governments could not prohibit protests by making ‘generalised references to public order or public safety, or an unspecified risk of potential violence.’”

Therefore, I call on you to reject the “bubble zone by-law” (the “Vulnerable Social Infrastructure By-law”) and to affirm your commitment to guard the rights and freedoms of all Canadians all across the entire city of Ottawa. Anything less is an affront to the heritage of our nation’s capital.

Sign This Petition Now!

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Signatures

Thus far 2486 signatories
Page 23 of 166
Edward C. Burnaby, BC , V5H 4T1
Nov 1, 2024 - 12:54am
Anonymous Winnipeg , MB , R2Y 0L5
Nov 1, 2024 - 12:29am
Brett C. Maple Ridge, BC , V2W0A6
Nov 1, 2024 - 12:11am
Jan V. Lacombe , AB , T4L 2N5
Nov 1, 2024 - 12:07am
Live and let Live
Cheryl A. Kelowna , BC , V1V2J7
Nov 1, 2024 - 12:00am
If I wanted to live in a communist country I’d move to China. We must speak up while we still can.
Anonymous Toronto, ON , M1W 1Y2
Oct 31, 2024 - 11:59pm
Anonymous Regina, SK , S4V 0T2
Oct 31, 2024 - 11:53pm
stan b. miss, ON , L5k 2l9
Oct 31, 2024 - 11:41pm
Valerie C. , AB , T0L0M0
Oct 31, 2024 - 11:37pm
Tyrone K. Yorkton, SK , S3N 2P4
Oct 31, 2024 - 11:31pm
Ruth I. Saskatoon, SK , S7L7N5
Oct 31, 2024 - 11:23pm
Lana R. Jarvis, ON , N0A 1J0
Oct 31, 2024 - 10:54pm
David S. Waterdown, ON , L8B1V8
Oct 31, 2024 - 10:54pm
No bubble zones for Pro Abortion Clinics
Janet B. Vancouver, BC , V6M4B5
Oct 31, 2024 - 10:52pm
Gsil M. Ottawa, ON , K2H 7J5
Oct 31, 2024 - 10:51pm