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 56 of 251
Steve B. Lindell Beach, BC , V2R 0Z4
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:51pm
An W. Calgary, AB , T2w3l9
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:51pm
Ottawa is the Federal Capital of our nation… It comes with the territory and the Canadian Charter of Rights…
Anonymous Mississauga, ON , L4W4J4
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:50pm
Karen B. Lanark, ON , K0G 1K0
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:49pm
Giovanna S. Maple, Ontario, ON , L6A 2H3
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:48pm
Freedom of Speech is a human right
Sybilann D. Mississauga, ON , L4Z 2S8
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:47pm
Brad S. WINNIPEG, MB , R3X 0L4
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:45pm
Anonymous Montreal , QC , H8n3b6
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:44pm
Anonymous Middle Sackville, NS , B4E 3B8
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:44pm
Linda H. Nepean , ON , K2h8t7
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:44pm
Janice N. LANGLEY, BC , V2Y0C9
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:43pm
Amy R. Calgary , AB , T2H 1H4
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:43pm
Claudelle K. Calgary, AB , T3c 0x8
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:40pm
Kit Ming K. Scarborough, ON , M1W 3C4
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:38pm
Anonymous Mississauga, ON , L5N 2Y6
Jun 5, 2025 - 03:38pm