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 3761 signatories
Page 44 of 251
Nori K. Scarborough, ON , M1M 3W4
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:21pm
Kathy C. Okotoks, AB , T1S 5S3
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:21pm
This is communism and it must be stopped.
Marcel G. Ottawa, ON , K0A1B0
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:19pm
Margaret M. North Gower, ON , K0A 2T0
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:17pm
Greg M. , 0 , V2S7Y9
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:17pm
Stacey B. Burlington , ON , L7S 2J2
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:16pm
Carol-Anne C. River Bourgeois , NS , B0E 2X0
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:15pm
Kevin L. Casselman, ON , K0a1m0
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:13pm
Susan S. Jackson's Point, ON , L0E 1L0
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:11pm
Brooklyn K. Sherwood Park, AB , T8H 2C7
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:10pm
Anonymous Sherwood Park, AB, AB , T8H 2C7
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:08pm
Fred H. Steinbach, MB , R5G 1N6
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:08pm
Anonymous Sherwood Park, AB , T8H 2C7
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:07pm
Anonymous Campbellford, ON , K0L1L0
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:06pm
Anonymous Calgary, AB , T2X3N9
Jun 5, 2025 - 06:06pm
We meed to protect free speech!