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 3759 signatories
Page 38 of 251
Dave S. Saskatoon , SK , S7K 3J8
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:43pm
Tim S. Winnipeg, MB , R3V 1E4
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:42pm
Anna G. ALLENFORD, ON , N0H1A0
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:40pm
Sharon & Ron V. , 0 , R0L 1S0
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:38pm
Anonymous Ottawa, ON , K1Y4X4
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:37pm
Calvin M. Limoges, ON , K0A 2M0
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:37pm
The Dark Ages with its BZ BS are here again!
Anonymous Picture Butte, AB , T0K1V0
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:34pm
Crystal E. Calgary, AB , T3G2S2
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:34pm
Anonymous Campbellton , NB , E3N 3P8
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:30pm
Bernadette S. St. Albert, AB , T8N 3B5
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:28pm
William B. Sylvania , SK , S0E1S0
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:26pm
Patricia T. Collingwood, ON , L9Y4E5
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:20pm
Nancy S. Napanee, ON , K7R 3Y4
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:16pm
Please allow free speech in Canada.
Anonymous Burnaby , BC , V3n2s2
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:15pm
Renate R. Windsor, ON , N8S 3Y3
Jun 5, 2025 - 08:15pm
We certainly on treading on communism- shameful to say the least