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Don't Take Away Freedom of Expression and Peaceful Assembly

Background on the Issue
On May 29, 2017, MPP Yasir Naqvi, the previous Attorney General of Ontario, announced that he would table a bill in the fall to transform public sidewalks into “No Free Speech Zones” outside every abortion facility in the province. The bill was passed in October later that year, and has been put into force since February 1, 2018.

These bubble zones within which pro-life speech and expression are banned, prevent pro-lifers from demonstrating or counselling within a certain radius of an abortion facility where children are killed by abortion. That includes hospitals and clinics where abortions are committed, and pharmacies are now able to apply as well. These bubble zones are expected to resemble British Columbia's and Newfoundland and Labrador’s, which have bubble zone laws “not exceeding 50 metres” around abortion facilities.

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Step 1: Compose your message
Local MPP
Keep Ontario Free of Buffer Zones
Hello MPP [Recipient's name will be automatically inserted],

You may be aware of the law that forms ‘buffer zones’ around abortion facilities, in order to prohibit pro-life expression.

Advocates of this law pointed to the fact that British Columbia and Newfoundland already have one. But I say to you, those laws are not to be admired! On the books, their buffer zones stretch 50 metres—the length of an Olympic-size swimming pool or around half the length of a soccer pitch, including public spaces that ought to be accessible to every taxpayer.

The intention is to destroy the freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly of pro-life Ontarians. The obvious problem with such a law is that it’s wildly unconstitutional, since those fundamental freedoms are enshrined in the Section 2 of the Charter of Rights & Freedoms.

The Liberal government has argued that it’s a “reasonable limit” on free speech that still permits some expression. However, from 50 metres away, pro-lifers cannot adequately convey their message and parted from the relevant location and intended recipient, the message loses part of its meaning.

“Freedom of expression” is hollowed out—demonstrators can’t express their opinion where they want or to whom they want to express it. This law is not simply diminishing our fundamental civil rights, it is annihilating them.

No abortion facility employee (or customer) is compelled to listen to the opinion. They can keep walking. They can choose not to take literature. But what they cannot do, is prevent others from being able to peacefully express their views. That’s far too great an overreach into someone else’s rights.

MPP [Recipient's surname will be automatically inserted], I consider freedom of expression extremely important and I want Ontario to be free of buffer zones. As my elected representative for the riding of [Recipient's riding name will be automatically inserted], I ask you to revoke this law which has resulted in Ontario joining the same league as British Columbia and Newfoundland in censoring speech.
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