Like moths drawn to an open flame, it seems impossible for us not to stare, gape-mouthed, at the disaster that is the United States — notably, in the person of its president and his various minions – and the catastrophes being forced onto many parts of the world as a result.
There is a danger in paying this much attention to another country, though: it’s easy to miss the many bad deeds of politicians in this country.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has recently treated Ontarians to a burst of disturbing policy announcements: ending provincial funding for supervised drug consumption sites that will force most of them to close; exploring the idea of livestreaming bail hearings; legalizing pepper spray; taking over Billy Bishop airport to allow jet traffic; advocating to open HOV lanes to cars carrying only the driver, and more.
Perhaps now that he is a year into his third-term, he figures he can do and say whatever he wants. How else to explain his proposed changes to Ontario’s transparency laws that would exempt him and his cronies from freedom of information requests? And what about his many at-best inappropriate comments on a variety of criminal law matters?
Eviscerating accountability
The changes to Ontario’s freedom of information legislation being proposed by Ford’s government, despite assurances to the contrary, will significantly curtail public access to information about the government’s internal dealings. Everything about this new law is worrisome, not least of which is that, if it passes – and it will, because Ford has a majority – it will be retroactive. This means, among other things, that the premier’s phone records, including those from the past, would be kept confidential. It’s not just the premier whose information would be kept private: the proposed legislation also covers cabinet ministers, elected officials and political staff.
As the province’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, Patricia Kosseim, said:
“This amendment is about hiding government-related business to evade public accountability.”
Kosseim also commented:
“Freedom of information laws exist to provide Ontarians with vital information about how government decisions are made, on what basis, who influenced them, and whether the public interest is being served. . . . If records about government business can be shielded from scrutiny simply because they sit in a minister’s office, on a staffer’s device or within a political account, public accountability is eviscerated.”
Elizabeth Renzetti, writing in The Star, reminds us of what Ford may be trying to keep secret:
“Remember the process to redevelop prime public parkland, the West Island at Ontario Place? Or the Greenbelt scandal? Or the various delays to the Eglinton LRT? Or the many obfuscations around the Skills Development Fund?”
As we watch democracy in Ontario disappear, let’s not forget that Ford’s government is one that almost never sits. MPPs return to the legislature on Monday March 23 after a 102-day winter break and will sit for just 32 days before breaking for the summer recess. These short sittings mean debate is limited or non-existent and, with a majority government, legislation can be passed in the blink of an eye.
Blurring the lines
Ford’s also been busy commenting on one criminal law matter after another, doing so in a way that makes it hard to remember that there is supposed to be a hard line between government and the justice system.
He called for Justice Anne Molloy, who oversaw the jury trial in which Umar Zameer was acquitted of any wrongdoing in the death of a Toronto police officer and noted that, based on the evidence, she believed the police officer witnesses had lied and colluded in their testimony, to “apologize for accusing [the officers] of everything under the sun.”
More than one legal expert has described these remarks as being close to contempt of court. Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice Geoffrey Morowitz called Ford’s remarks “unethical” and “inappropriate.” Zameer’s lawyer, Nader Hasen, said Ford’s comments were “absolutely Trumpian.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you shot the guy. Teaches the rest of these robbers.. . . I encourage everyone out there that’s a legal gun owner, someone’s going to come in and try to kill you and your family . . . . Well, you know, these guys, they need to be shot. Congratulations for shooting this guy. Should have shot him a couple more times, as far as I am concerned.”
Maybe Doug Ford figures he can get away with doing and saying whatever he wants because those who might take exception are so focused on the politics south of the border that we aren’t noticing what he’s saying. We need to send him a clear message that we are paying attention and we are going to hold him to account. How we do that is a topic for another day.