The Ontario legislature is in session this beautiful weekend. Doug Ford and his conservative henchmen are attacking our right to free speech. They want to use the ‘Notwithstanding Clause’ of our constitutional rights and freedoms to silence third-party advertising close to elections. They do not like to be made to look foolish.
But they look even more foolish today. The man who likes to think of himself as a populist premier does not like the truth flung at him through the media. It matters little to him that he can spend other people’s money to tell his version of the truth, he wants to deny others the right to respond—at least during the election campaign or too close to it.
The Tories can hardly attack the right of their opponent parties to argue with them during an election campaign. That right is protected in a democracy.
But not always. When teachers’ unions band together to make their case, they should not be allowed to say they are an anonymous gathering of ‘Working Families.’ If you have something to say to me buster, use your own name!
When a rich conservative defends the injustices of Doug Ford, he or she should sign his or her name to it. Let us know who you are and let us judge.
Elections are a time for truths. They are a time to review and grade the actions and aspirations of our politicians. They are a time for the voters to be honest with themselves. It is not a time to be selfish. It is a time to look ahead. We give politicians an enormous amount of power over us. We expect them to serve our common interests. The inconvenience of democracy is that it is not just your path that needs to be followed. It is the needs of all.
What is being debated this weekend at Queen’s Park is not the needs or wants of Ontario citizens. It is the needs and wants of the conservative party and its undemocratic leader. He and his party should be ashamed.
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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry
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