Court of Appeal vs. public opinion
Re Though Doug Ford has apparently won his legal battle over the size of Toronto council, his judgment and behaviour in this case are still appalling. Having already announced that if the court ruled against him he would simply override it with Bill 31 containing the notwithstanding clause, what Ford said in effect was, “I will respect a court decision only if I like it.” That’s not respect for the rule of law.
Furthermore, Ford’s love “for the people” clearly does not extend to voters in Toronto, since forcing a change to the number of wards and their boundaries in the middle of our election has thrown the democratic process into chaos. Norm Beach, Ford’s claim that there is gridlock and chaos in Toronto city council was given as justification for unilaterally imposing a reduction in the size of council from 47 to 25 members. Most of us in Toronto know that the gridlock and chaos was caused by Rob and Doug Ford and their supporters.
Now that Ford has become premier, he has discovered he can push through his non-progressive agenda over the wishes of council — and, indeed, over the wishes of most Torontonians. In reducing the size of council he can be sure there will be a greater proportion of his supporters at city hall to carry out his wishes..
The best way the citizens of Toronto can fight having Doug Ford running our city is vote in councillors who do not support Ford’s agenda. I hope the Star will print a list of all the councillors running for re-election showing whether they voted to oppose or not to oppose Bill 5. David Playter Lamb, When I first learned years ago as a relatively new immigrant that municipalities, even very large ones like Toronto, are “creatures of the province,” I was surprised but not unduly concerned as I thought that common sense would insist that large cities be taken seriously in their own right. What a wake-up call we have had!
Premier Ford can legally do whatever he likes to disrupt or even take over our city. The Canadian Constitution is badly out of date, reflecting the predominantly rural society of the past. It’s up to us to get the Constitution changed. It will happen eventually. We will demand it. Helen Riley,