Sutcliffe Was Wrong To Support Blais’ Abuse Bill

Published 05/28/2023 · Updated 05/27/2023

We elect some terribly nasty people to Ottawa City Council.

So political feuds at Ottawa City Hall can reach ridiculously mean levels.

And that’s why Mayor Mark Sutcliffe was wrong to send a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford in support of the Stopping Harassment and Abuse by Local Leaders Act as did his predecessor Jim Watson in support of the measure. The bill was put forward by Orléans Liberal MPP Stephen Blais, one of Watson’s biggest supporters when he was on council.

Abuse is disgusting and must be stamped out wherever possible. But politics is the stuff of city councillors but caging together 25 people over four years can produce some amazing hatreds.

Watson’s Dysfunctional Civic Legacy: BENN

So the penalty for abuse should not be administered by councillors. Such cases should be referred to some form of judicial review where political biases, hopefully, are not a factor in discipline.

God help a politician whose fate would be decided by last term’s vicious city council. The accused councillor deserves to be treated fairly by people much less biased than some of the baying hounds around the rim at city hall. And those people are judges who understand the nuances of the law.

Leave such decisions to the judiciary where everybody can get a fair shake.

Ken Gray

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Miranda Gray says:
05/28/2023 at 12:47 AM
The problem is sexual harassment does not get escalated to criminal courts.
Ken Gray says:
05/28/2023 at 1:42 AM
Miranda:
Criminal courts are a whole different thing.
This is about removing a councillor from office. Nothing more, nothing less.
cheers
kgray