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 3763 signatories
Page 52 of 251
Radmila R. Kitchener, ON , N2E2M8
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:31pm
Anonymous Ottawa, ON , K1V8E9
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:30pm
Anonymous Cardigan, PE , C0A 1G0
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:29pm
Stop the extreme control !!
Mike V. Tiny, ON , L9M 0N5
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:28pm
James B. Toronto, ON , M1L 3B6
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:28pm
Dear City of Ottawa Councillors, Canadians have always been known for their courtesy, gentle mannerisms and concern for others. Prayer has always been considered a good thing and people often ask to be remembered in one's prayers or will tell a friend facing some difficulty that we will pray for them. Ban prayer? Really?
Antoinette B. Rogersville, NB , E4Y1R9
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:27pm
Jessie v. Red Deer County , AB , T0M1R0
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:26pm
Vincent D. Ottawa, ON , K1R7T1
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:26pm
Anonymous Burlington, ON , L7L 3Y2
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:24pm
The Government is supposed to work for Canadians. "Not" strip Canadians of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. The Government is pushing Communism.
John T. Burlington, ON , L7R 4E4
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:23pm
Matthew S. St. Catharines, ON , L2M 5C5
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:22pm
David S. Brechin, ON , L0K1B0
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:22pm
Stop this draconian nonsense in the name of progress. Forcing people to think your way is not progress it’s retarded
Maureen T. Palgrave, ON , L7E 4B2
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:22pm
Michael A. Oshawa, ON , L1H 5H5
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:21pm
Anonymous Markham, ON , L6B 1B6
Jun 5, 2025 - 04:20pm