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 3757 signatories
Page 30 of 251
Chris B. Ottawa , ON , K2S1J4
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:30am
Stop being so woke and trying to change our society!
Jean-Nil C. Barry's Bay, ON , K0J 1B0
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:18am
Anonymous Dartmouth, NS , B2W 3B8
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:16am
Rose Marie R. Windsor , ON , N9B 2Y1
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:15am
Robert G. Gatineau, QC , J9j3c4
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:15am
Peter W. Carleton Place, ON , K7C 0X4
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:14am
Anonymous Wawa, ON , P0S1K0
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:07am
Ryszard N. Etobicoke, ON , M9C 1C5
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:05am
Anonymous Woodbridge, ON , L4H 1K9
Jun 6, 2025 - 06:03am
John L. Petrolia , ON , N0n1r0
Jun 6, 2025 - 05:28am
Terence G. , ON , M5G1H9
Jun 6, 2025 - 05:25am
Janet M. Clementsport, NS , B0S 1E0
Jun 6, 2025 - 05:17am
This is really losing our rights. Where is the Chaeter of rights?
Heath S. WESTERHAM, 0 , TN163AN
Jun 6, 2025 - 05:16am
From England: we've died in our millions to preserve what you want to deny.
Anonymous Brantford, ON , N3T 6A3
Jun 6, 2025 - 05:04am
Brian R. Tottenham, ON , L0G 1W0
Jun 6, 2025 - 05:01am