Petition

Stop Ottawa Bubble Zone By-law

0
4,000
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 3735 signatories
Page 1 of 249
Cleon B. Elmira , ON , N3B 1E2
Jun 13, 2025 - 02:41pm
Anna Maria O. Salmon Arm, BC , V1E 0A9
Jun 13, 2025 - 02:26pm
Anonymous Dunville, ON , N1A 2W8
Jun 13, 2025 - 11:46am
Lucia O. Dunnville, ON , N1A 2P2
Jun 13, 2025 - 07:32am
Prayer is the only way to find peace in this world, take that away and you will have a civil war in your own country.
Anonymous Dungannon , ON , N0M 1R0
Jun 13, 2025 - 02:34am
Joel W. Welland, ON , L3c2z2
Jun 12, 2025 - 11:53pm
Daniel L. Whitney, ON , K0J2M0
Jun 12, 2025 - 09:02pm
What is wrong with publicly expressing a different opinion on a matter, that is different than that of some members of Ottawa Council? Especially when done in a peaceful way.
Claire M. Cambridge, ON , N1S 2N4
Jun 12, 2025 - 10:11am
Marion C. Dartmouth , NS , B2V 1J2
Jun 12, 2025 - 09:29am
David T. London, ON , N6C 1R2
Jun 12, 2025 - 09:26am
Karis D. London, ON , N6N 1K3
Jun 12, 2025 - 08:44am
Anonymous Salmon Arm, BC , V1E1M8
Jun 11, 2025 - 08:57pm
Anonymous Winnipeg, MB , R3J 2Y2
Jun 11, 2025 - 05:36pm
Anonymous Winnipeg, MB , R2N1T4
Jun 11, 2025 - 12:27pm
Anonymous Airdrie, AB , T4B 2C6
Jun 11, 2025 - 11:42am