Ontario passes law boosting 'strong mayor' powers in Toronto, Ottawa
Author of the article:Antonella Artuso
Antonella Artuso
Publishing date
ec 08, 2022 • 22 hours ago • 2 minute read
Ontario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell spoke about the need to protect and nurture democracy as the Doug Ford government passed legislation enshrining a form of minority rule at Toronto and Ottawa councils.
Dowdeswell, in the legislature Thursday to give royal assent to bills, said everyone has a role to play in democracy — the media, judiciary, civil society and government.
“We see a fragility in democracies around the world and Canada is no different,” Dowdeswell said. “And yet we are looked to around the world for the strength of our democracy.”
One of the bills given royal assent was the Ford government’s Bill 39, the Better Municipal Governance Act, which empowers Toronto and Ottawa mayors to pass bylaws with the support of one-third of council, instead of a traditional majority vote.
Government House Leader Paul Calandra said the Lieutenant Governor’s comments were well received as they always are.
“We’ve seen whether it’s municipally, provincially and in the last federal election challenges with respect to voter turnout so it’s work that we all have to do,” Calandra said, adding the government has worked hard to democratize the provincial level of government.
NDP Interim Leader Peter Tabuns described Dowdeswell’s words as “pretty timely commentary” on what is going on in the province.
“All over the world democracy is threatened,” Tabuns said. “Having the Lieutenant Governor remind us all that it needs to be protected, that it’s precious, I think was a very important statement for her to make … I think the specific message to this government is when you mess with democracy, you cause a great deal of anger and you set things up for disruption down the road.”
The Ford government said the ‘proactive veto’ will allow the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa to implement provincial priorities including transit and housing.
The government also repealed the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Act which removed a parcel of Pickering lands from the Greenbelt.
Liberal MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon asked the PC government why it would lift protections from the agricultural preserve if it valued farmers and eating.
“Will you be able to sleep at night knowing that you bulldozed over our last agriculture preserve?” McMahon said.
Ford told the legislature Thursday that while changes are necessary to ensure more homes are built, the Greenbelt will be larger in the end.
The City of Pickering has identified the lands as suitable for commercial and residential development because they abut an urban boundary with easy access to infrastructure such as roads and sewers.
Pickering formally asked the Ontario government in 2016 and 2019 to remove what it calls “Cherrywood” from the Greenbelt.
aartuso@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Antonella Artuso
Antonella Artuso
Publishing date
ec 08, 2022 • 22 hours ago • 2 minute readOntario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell spoke about the need to protect and nurture democracy as the Doug Ford government passed legislation enshrining a form of minority rule at Toronto and Ottawa councils.
Dowdeswell, in the legislature Thursday to give royal assent to bills, said everyone has a role to play in democracy — the media, judiciary, civil society and government.
“We see a fragility in democracies around the world and Canada is no different,” Dowdeswell said. “And yet we are looked to around the world for the strength of our democracy.”
One of the bills given royal assent was the Ford government’s Bill 39, the Better Municipal Governance Act, which empowers Toronto and Ottawa mayors to pass bylaws with the support of one-third of council, instead of a traditional majority vote.
Government House Leader Paul Calandra said the Lieutenant Governor’s comments were well received as they always are.
“We’ve seen whether it’s municipally, provincially and in the last federal election challenges with respect to voter turnout so it’s work that we all have to do,” Calandra said, adding the government has worked hard to democratize the provincial level of government.
NDP Interim Leader Peter Tabuns described Dowdeswell’s words as “pretty timely commentary” on what is going on in the province.
“All over the world democracy is threatened,” Tabuns said. “Having the Lieutenant Governor remind us all that it needs to be protected, that it’s precious, I think was a very important statement for her to make … I think the specific message to this government is when you mess with democracy, you cause a great deal of anger and you set things up for disruption down the road.”
The Ford government said the ‘proactive veto’ will allow the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa to implement provincial priorities including transit and housing.
The government also repealed the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Act which removed a parcel of Pickering lands from the Greenbelt.
Liberal MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon asked the PC government why it would lift protections from the agricultural preserve if it valued farmers and eating.
“Will you be able to sleep at night knowing that you bulldozed over our last agriculture preserve?” McMahon said.
Ford told the legislature Thursday that while changes are necessary to ensure more homes are built, the Greenbelt will be larger in the end.
The City of Pickering has identified the lands as suitable for commercial and residential development because they abut an urban boundary with easy access to infrastructure such as roads and sewers.
Pickering formally asked the Ontario government in 2016 and 2019 to remove what it calls “Cherrywood” from the Greenbelt.
aartuso@postmedia.com
Ontario passes law boosting 'strong mayor' powers in Toronto, Ottawa
Elizabeth Dowdeswell, in the legislature Thursday to give royal assent to bills, said everyone has a role to play in democracy