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 3767 signatories
Page 73 of 252
Benjamin O. Barry's Bay, ON , K0J 1B0
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:07pm
Steve B. Kingsville, ON , N9Y4A5
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:07pm
Jean M. Gatineau, QC , J9H 2P8
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:07pm
Jacques c. Petawawa, ON , K8h2s2
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:06pm
Please stop this madness, we are not in China or Russia
Jonathan K. Sarnia, ON , N7S1Z1
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:06pm
Free Speech is quickly becoming a pipe dream, not a right in this country. This needs to stop.
Nick S. , 0 , S7H4R5
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:06pm
Anonymous Etobicoke, ON , M9W 3Z6
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:06pm
Anonymous Ridgeway, ON , L0S1N0
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:06pm
Anonymous Ottawa, ON , K2M 2Z5
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:06pm
Madeleine d. St. Albert, AB , T8N 6H6
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:05pm
Laura S. London , ON , N6J 3C3
Jun 5, 2025 - 02:04pm
Patrick M. OTTAWA, ON , K1S
May 30, 2025 - 09:29pm
Anonymous Ottawa, ON , K2H5M6
May 23, 2025 - 07:20pm
We need to hold Liberals accountable
Melissa M. Ottawa, ON , K0A 1B0
May 23, 2025 - 02:10pm
Jason M. Ottawa, ON , K0A1B0
May 23, 2025 - 01:35pm
Bubble Zones are a bad idea.