Ford government slammed for ‘end run around democracy’ with enhanced ‘strong mayor’ powers

Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives are being accused of “doing an end run around democracy” by giving Mayor John Tory the power to override a majority on Toronto council.

Thestar.com
Nov. 23, 2022
Robert Benzie

Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives are being accused of “doing an end run around democracy” by giving Mayor John Tory the power to override a majority on Toronto city council.

Under fire over the bolstering of “strong mayor” provisions for Toronto and Ottawa, Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark insisted the additional authority was needed “to get shovels in the ground faster” for more housing.

“I’m proud to support Mayor Tory in ensuring that he has the tools to deal with the housing crisis in Ontario,” Clark told reporters Tuesday at Queen’s Park.

“Everybody voted for us to act accordingly.”

That was apparently a reference to the Tories’ pledge in the June 2 election to build 1.5 million homes in the next decade.

But never once in the spring campaign did the governing party promise to give the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa the power to win votes on “provincial priorities,” such as housing and transit, with just one-third of their councils’ support.

“Majority rule is a core value in council chambers and legislative assemblies, not just across this country (but) around the world,” said NDP MPP Marit Stiles (Davenport).

“Instead of respecting the voice of voters in Ontario, this government is doing an end run around democracy, shifting power away from people and into the hands of wealthy developers,” said Stiles.

In a surprise move last week, the provincial government announced it was boosting the strong mayor powers at the behest of Tory, who had asked for enhanced authority so he could pass a bylaw with just eight of Toronto’s 25 city councillors backing him.

The three-term mayor has said he would not abuse the public trust.

“I think that people do trust me to exercise all the authority that I have, as I’ve done for eight years, in a responsible manner,” Tory said Thursday.

Former Toronto mayors David Crombie, Art Eggleton, Barbara Hall, David Miller and John Sewell penned a joint letter warning him the new powers were “alarming in the extreme.”

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who was at Queen’s Park on Tuesday for a private meeting with Ford and Clark, has vowed to not use the authority being granted to him by the province.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner said it is clear the Tories are “feeling heat for violating basic democratic principles and bringing in minority rule in the nation’s capital and the provincial capital.”

“Can you imagine if (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau tried to do something like this and said, ‘Oh, we only need one-third of Parliament to pass legislation.’ It would be outrageous. People would say it’s unconstitutional,” said Schreiner.

“So why is (Ford) doing it for municipal governments?” he asked, imploring the Toronto mayor to reconsider his stance.

“I mean, I have a lot of respect for John Tory and I absolutely think he should rethink that. He clearly has the support on council to move forward on housing legislation.”