Ford’s Bill 9: A Threat to Free Speech & Local Democracy
Last week, the Ford PCs passed Bill 9, the so-called "Municipal Accountability Act," on Second Reading. It is now at Standing Committee.
This legislation mirrors a Liberal bill from 2021 and poses a significant threat to local democracy and free speech.
Here is a rundown of Bill 9:
1. Centralized Control Over Local Councils
Bill 9 takes away municipalities' ability to set their own codes of conduct, handing that power to the provincial government. Instead of locally elected councils deciding on the rules, Queen’s Park would dictate them, undermining local decision-making and shifting control to bureaucrats in Toronto.
2. Expanded Powers for the Provincial Integrity Commissioner
This bill grants the provincial Integrity Commissioner — an unelected official — sweeping powers to investigate and punish local councillors based on vague “breaches” of conduct. They could even recommend the removal of councillors for “severe misconduct,” opening the door to partisan abuse and political censorship.
3. A Dangerous New Mechanism for Removing Elected Officials
The bill allows municipal integrity commissioners to recommend removing elected officials based on undefined claims of “serious violations” or behaviour that “causes harm to someone’s well-being.” This vagueness sets a dangerous precedent that could overrule the will of voters and give unelected government officials more power than the elected.
Bill 9 is nothing short of an attack on local democracy.
There’s no reason to believe the PCs' new "code of conduct" will target left-wing councillors.
After all, the Ontario PC government has ruled like the Liberals for years, imposing the longest lockdowns in North America and embracing policies like Critical Race Theory and Wynne’s radical sex education curriculum.
It is likely instead that Bill 9 will be used to punish conservative councillors who challenge the progressive agenda, like opposing the flying of the pride flag on municipal properties.
So why aren’t Derek Sloan and PAFE fighting back against this bill? One of Sloan’s 2022 candidates, a city councillor, could certainly use the support.
Sloan and PAFE remain silent because they are covert PC Party operatives.
The sole aim of Sloan’s party is to obstruct the New Blue from forming one strong, unified, blue opposition to the Doug Ford PCs.
That is why they go silent between elections, do not hold policy conventions or any other form of party building, and only spring up immediately before a vote to hurt us.
But we will keep moving forward, just as we always have.
Over the next four years, we will continue to build the New Blue from the ground up — knocking on doors, training volunteers and candidates, and shaping policy with grassroots input.
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Thank you for your support.
And remember, the best is yet to come!
Jim Karahalios
New Blue Party of Ontario
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