Ridicule for Tories’ midnight madness
Re Tories’ Toronto council bill clears hurdle after lively all-night debate, Sept. 17
What dire emergency could force a government to meet from midnight to 7 a.m. Monday morning? Insurrection? A natural disaster affecting much of the province? The crash of the Ontario economy? The misinterpretation by our premier of the International Plowing Match as an attack on his riding, Etobicoke North?
Nope. The sun is out — no buildings have fallen over. People across the province are going to work and school as usual. There is nothing to fear from the ploughing match except for politicians who don’t attend it, apparently.
No, the object of Monday’s farce of government was to make sure that a bill taking away basic rights is passed as quickly as possible so that other basic rights can be set aside. The real issue is: “Don’t say ‘no’ to Ford, or else” — not even if you’re a Superior Court justice.
Beyond how irrational and troubling it is to use the notwithstanding clause to ram through Bill 31, calling a midnight session is something else. Is the premier not able to see past his overwhelming desire to cut Toronto city council? Has he lost his grip? Dudley Paul, Toronto
I propose that Sept. 17 be known in Ontario as the “night of the charter massacre” and every MPP voting for this petty, personal, vindictive law be known as a defiler of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Tony Morra, Mississauga
The legislature is recalled for a midnight sitting to deal with a “major crisis.” The size of Toronto council is a major crisis? Members are flown in from all over the province to deal at midnight with this major crisis?
The only crisis is that our power-mad premier did not get his way. What a terrible situation for Toronto and Ontario. We are headed for disaster. Carolyn Fredenburg, Toronto
To intentionally hold a session of the Ontario legislature at a time when members of the public are unlikely to attend appears to be against all common sense, regardless of constitutional correctness.
Any legislation passed in such a “star chamber” environment must be vigorously challenged. George Dunbar, Toronto