Ottawa Board: Trade Event and Court Judge

ottawa board: Bill 5, the legislation that cut the number of Toronto wards from 47 to 25, was struck down Monday by an Ontario Superior Court judge on the basis that it violated freedom of expression, according to National Observer. In response, Ford said he would implement the changes anyway, in essence ignoring the courts, because he was elected on a mandate to reduce the size of government. Lisa Mac Leod was speaking at an Ottawa Board of Trade event on Sept. 11, the morning after Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he'd invoke the constitution's notwithstanding clause, something never before done in the province, in order to override a court ruling. ; The Canadian constitution's very clear, section 92, that municipalities are creatures of the province, said Mac Leod after her speech, in response to National Observer questions about the Ford government's threat to suspend rights. Former Ontario premier Bob Rae has compared that to living in an elected dictatorship. That's why I opposed it then, and that's why I oppose it today, said Mulroney about the clause. And speaking at a separate event in Ottawa, former prime minister Brian Mulroney said he would have difficulty with anybody invoking a provision that would override the Supreme Court of Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.