Petition

Stop Ottawa Bubble Zone By-law

0
3,000
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 2521 signatories
Page 5 of 169
Anonymous Lunenburg, ON , K0C 1R0
Nov 19, 2024 - 07:28am
Anonymous Johnstown, ON , K0E 1T1
Nov 18, 2024 - 10:03pm
Anonymous Winnipeg , MB , R2G 2R9
Nov 18, 2024 - 07:21pm
Anonymous Levis, QC , G6W 7V2
Nov 18, 2024 - 03:27pm
God protect our country and bless those who fight for our freedom of speech.
Anonymous Pitt Meadows , BC , V3Y 1R3
Nov 18, 2024 - 04:08am
Anonymous Brandon, MB , R7B 3B4
Nov 18, 2024 - 12:18am
Eugene P. Ottawa, ON , k1k3y3
Nov 17, 2024 - 04:34pm
No free speech in Ottawa. Destruction of Democracy starts i n Ottawa??
Anonymous Cambridge, ON , N3H 5N2
Nov 17, 2024 - 01:59am
Venera F. Dundas, ON , L9H 1L5
Nov 15, 2024 - 02:44pm
Theresa K. Stoney Creek, ON , L8E5W7
Nov 14, 2024 - 11:08pm
Anonymous Hamilton, ON , L0R2B0
Nov 14, 2024 - 12:26pm
Saeng-Gul K. North York, ON , M3B1X2
Nov 13, 2024 - 10:55pm
Anonymous Moose Jaw, SK , S6H 2H1
Nov 13, 2024 - 09:28pm
Anonymous Oakville, ON , L6m 1j8
Nov 13, 2024 - 08:47pm
Carole B. Clarke's Beach, NL , A0A1W0
Nov 13, 2024 - 08:11pm