Big news!
Early this morning, a public letter was released by a coalition of 41 municipal and regional Councillors, Deputy Mayors, and Mayors from across Ontario. Their open letter asks for the Mayors requesting the use of the notwithstanding clause to clear encampments to rescind their letter, and for the Charter to be respected. Since this morning, nine more Councillors have signed on, making the number of Councillors in opposition 50 in total.
... and, of course, we expect more to sign on! 50 is a lot more than just 15 individual mayors.
The letter's signees come from 26 communities — Arran-Elderslie, Aylmer, Burlington, Cambridge, Central Elgin, Chatham-Kent, County of Brant, Dryden, Goderich, Grey Highlands, Guelph, Hamilton, Ingersoll, Kenora, Kingston, London, Niagara Falls, Niagara Region, Orillia, Ottawa, Peterborough, Sioux Lookout, St. Catharines, St. Thomas, the Region of Waterloo, and Toronto.
The mayors of six of these municipalities — Cambridge, Chatham-Kent, Guelph, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, and St. Thomas — have requested the use of the notwithstanding clause.
We are building pressure against the Mayors who don't value human rights, and against Ford!
Read some of the media from today:
- 'Cambridge politicians among dozens asking mayors to rescind notwithstanding clause request' (Cambridge Today)
- ''It's overkill': Dozens of councillors speak up against use of notwithstanding clause to deal with encampments' (CTV Kitchener-Waterloo)
- 'Rescind notwithstanding clause push for encampments, says group involving Waterloo Region councillors' (Waterloo Region Record)
- 'Regional councillors among dozens opposed to use of notwithstanding clause to clear encampments' (CityNews Kitchener)
- 'Local councillors sign letter asking Premier Ford to ignore calls to use notwithstanding clause' (CBC Kitchener-Waterloo)
- 'Ontario councillors speak out against request to use notwithstanding clause to clear encampments' (CBC Toronto)
- 'Councillors Urge a More Humanitarian Approach to Encampments' (CKXS FM)
- 'No to notwithstanding clause, says small group of Ontario councillors' (Guelph Today)
- 'London councillor joins call against request to use notwithstanding clause to clear encampments' (CBC Afternoon Drive)
- 'Kingston councillor joins call against tougher stance on encampments' (The Kingston Whig Standard)
- 'Regional councillor to table motion opposing use of notwithstanding clause to clear encampments' (CityNews The Mike Farwell Show)
- 'London councillors join call against using notwithstanding clause to evict homeless camps' (CBC London)
- 'Four London councillors join coalition against using notwithstanding clause to clear encampments' (CTV London)
- 'Coalition of Ontario councillors sign letter against use of notwithstanding clause to deal with encampments' (CKLW AM800)
- 'Municipal councillors call on Mayors to rescind letter begging Ford for help with homelessness encampments' (Sarnia News Today)
And take a look the full list of signees (so far!):
- Alex Bierk, Councillor and Co-Chair of Housing and Homelessness, City of Peterborough
- Alex Wilson, Councillor, Hamilton, Ward 13 — Dundas and Flamborough
- Alysson Storey, Councillor, Chatham-Kent, Ward 6
- Ariel Troster, Councillor, Ottawa, Ward 14 — Somerset
- Caleb Ratzlaff, Councillor, St. Catharines, Ward 4 — St. Patrick’s
- Cameron Kroetsch, Councillor, Hamilton, Ward 2
- Catherine Kiewning, Councillor, Dryden
- Conny Glenn, Councillor, City of Kingston, Sydenham District
- David Baughman, Councillor, Central Elgin, Ward 5
- David J. Ferreira, Councillor, London, Ward 13
- Erin Caton, Councillor, Guelph, Ward 1
- Glen Gower, Councillor, Ottawa, Ward 6 — Stittsville
- Greg Miller, Councillor, St. Catharines, Merritton
- Hadleigh McAlister, Councillor, London, Ward 1
- Haley Bateman, Councillor, Niagara Region, St. Catharines
- Janet-Lynne Durnford, Councillor, Orillia, Ward 4
- Jay Fallis, Councillor, Orillia, Ward 3
- Jeff Leiper, Councillor, Ottawa, Ward 15 — Kitchissippi
- Jennifer Shaw, Deputy Mayor, Arran-Elderslie
- Joel Loughead, Councillor, Grey Highlands
- John Thompson, Councillor, Town of Goderich
- Kari Williams, Councillor, Region of Waterloo, Kitchener
- Kathryn Desrosiers, Councillor, Aylmer
- Kelsie Van Belleghem, Councillor, Kenora
- Laine Johnson, Councillor, Ottawa, Ward 8 — College
- Leah Noel, Deputy Mayor, Town of Goderich
- Leanne Caron, Councillor, Guelph, Ward 5
- Lindsay Koch, Councillor, Kenora
- Lindsay Wilson, Deputy Mayor, Ingersoll
- Liz Petrie, Councillor, Town of Goderich
- Lori Lococo, City Councillor, Niagara Falls
- Lukas Oakley, Councillor, County of Brant, Ward 2
- Marty Carr, Councillor, Ottawa, Ward 18 — Alta Vista
- Morgaine Griffin, Councillor, Central Elgin, Ward 2
- Nadia Dubyk, Councillor, Grey Highlands
- Nrinder Nann, Councillor, Hamilton, Ward 3
- Pam Wolf, Councillor, Region of Waterloo, Cambridge
- Paul Ainslie, Councillor, Toronto, Ward 24 — Scarborough-Guildwood
- Phil Allt, Councillor, Guelph, Ward 3
- Randy Carroll, Councillor, Town of Goderich
- Reece Van Breda, Councillor, Sioux Lookout
- Robert Deutschmann, Councillor, Regional Municipality of Waterloo
- Rory Nisan, Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor, Region of Halton, City of Burlington
- Ross Earnshaw, Councillor, City of Cambridge, Ward 4
- Sam Trosow, Councillor, London, Ward 6
- Scott Hamilton, Councillor, Cambridge, Ward 7
- Skylar Franke, Councillor, London, Ward 11
- Tammy Hwang, Councillor, Hamilton, Ward 4
- Tara McCaulley, Councillor, St. Thomas
- Trevor Bazinet, Mayor, Town of Goderich
Stay tuned — we'll be continuing the fight! But we couldn't do it without your support — continue to share this petition, share the media links above, and pressure your mayors and councillors to sign the letter!
Warmly,
Diana