Sarah Ram

12 Ontario Mayors are formally requesting that @fordnation invoke the notwithstanding clause to suspend encampment residents' Charter-protected rights so that they can be removed from encampments. The letter cites the Grants Pass Supreme Court decision in the U.S., which allows local governments to criminalize unhoused people in lieu of building housing and shelter, or offering services. It's Draconian and represents an abdication of government responsibility for the welfare of homeless people. This letter comes a day after @fordnation told @ONBigCityMayors to "have the backbone" to formally ask him to use the notwithstanding clause. Ford has invoked the clause three times, twice successfully to both force back-to-work legislation and to limit criticism of his government through third-party advertising. With the Mayors of Barrie, Brampton, Brantford, Cambridge, Chatham-Kent, Clarington, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, St. Catherines, Sudbury, and Windsor taking responsibility for the ask, Ford could very well table legislation that invokes the notwithstanding clause to evict encampments, without municipalities needing to offer resources like shelter. Even if you don't care about homeless people, you should be greatly alarmed that entire demographic groups are being targeted to have their Charter rights removed. Who's next?

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