Let’s do more than complain, let’s take Ford to court over Greenbelt scandal: Letters
The statue representing justice looks out from the Supreme Court of Canada over the Parliamentary precinct in Ottawa. |
From the Toronto Star, August 18, 2023
When talking doesn’t work, go to court
Anyone infuriated with Premier Doug Ford and his government’s actions on the Greenbelt may remember he also opted not to pursue a $1 billion COVID penalty from the owners of Highway 407. Linda Silver Dranoff’s column shows us we can do more than complain. We can use the precedent established by the Supreme Court in more than a thousand similar cases. My only questions are how do we get started, and do we need a GoFundMe page to pay for it?
Karen Gordon, Toronto
Sometimes a picture really does say a thousand words
I appreciated the Aug. 14 Editorial Page cartoon by Michael de Adder because it clearly illustrates the priorities and values held by Premier Doug Ford and his staff of cabinet ministers and MPPs.
Shortly after being elected Ford cancelled Ontario’s initiative to plant additional trees, which could help us all by mitigating some of the negative aspects of the climate crisis. Then, millions of our taxpayer dollars were wasted on tearing down some wind turbines, lawyers fees, and ripping up nearly 750 green energy proposals. Speaking of ripping, EV charging stations at GO Transit lots were also ripped out of existence.
Ford’s apathy on the importance of environmental issues, or maybe even his antipathy against our common environment, is presently being shown in his desire to assist a few friends in paving the Greenbelt.
All of this, and more, is captured by de Adder in a simple drawing of Doug Ford and a steamroller. Well done.
Allan Baker, Scarborough
Think of the original Greenbelt landowners
The original owners of the Greenbelt land purchased by developers, having received a relative pittance for the land now valued at $8 billion, can only be grumbling over their lack of political connections.
Edward A. Collis, Burlington
Doug Ford should resign
Premier Doug Ford has shown himself to be incompetent and lacking in morals.
He cannot be trusted.
We want Ontario Place to be parkland not a spa, the Ontario Science Center to remain where it is, much more funding for education and health care including tremendous raises for our nurses.
I don’t see how he has the nerve to show his face in public. Do the right thing Mr. Ford resign!
Ann Amos, Kingston
Don’t let Greenbelt scandal fade away
We citizens of Ontario must not let the Greenbelt corrupt initiative fade away. This would be a clear indication to devious developers and their sycophant MPP’s that all they need to do is lay low for a week then resume their shady business practices.
We must keep this issue front and centre until a judicial review is called or criminal charges laid or we get the government we deserve.
David Apramian, North Bay
We need an electorate system where parties actually work together to help all the people
I agree with letter writers Boyd McAdam and Gordon Simpson whole heartily!
They both mentioned how our leaders, both federal and provincial have let us down. One mentioned the word elitist in regards to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Most if not all of our Conservative and Liberal leaders, in the last 10 years have been elitist. They mainly serve Canadians who are wealthy.
If you vote for Conservatives or Liberals either federally or provincially you are getting the status quo. If you decide not to vote you are helping the status quo parties get re-elected.
Clearly this is not getting us anywhere and not how politics should work.
We need real change, which means one of two things.
Changing our election system from the archaic first past the post system and adopting some form of proportional representation. This is where parties actually work together to help ALL of the people and every vote actually means something.
And failing the aboveconsider not voting for the status quo parties for a change. There are other parties out there.
When the next election comes along, remember the status quo parties mainly benefit the wealthy elites and corporations. They do not benefit the majority of the people in our country.
Jan Larsen, Bracebridge
Our inability to undo errors of political leaders is a systemic problem
Your editorial is spot on. But identifying Premier Doug Ford’s civic unaccountability problem isn’t enough. Solving it is a must for our democracy to function properly.
Clearly, our inability to undo errors is a systemic problem in our democracy that is never addressed. Actually, it’s much more important than electoral reform because even if proportional representation is established, but conventional thinking permits that bad political decisions can’t be reversed, then we will continue to be tyrannized by the errors of those intransigent like Ford.
It’s time the bad faith actors like Ford are confronted by the reality that democracy means government of the people, for the people. That’s a civic lesson our elected leaders must be taught.
Consequently, when one elected leader does something — like selling off the Greenbelt — that goes against the interests of the public, then the subsequent leader empowered by the will of the electorate should be able to undo the harm.
The electors should expect that each government elected has a mandate to do its version of governance. Thus, the Greenbelt sell-off should be undone by the legislative process of the next government elected to do so. That’s the way democracy is meant to work.
Unless we, the people, reform our democracy to error-correct bad choices by bad governments that are deemed irreversible, we will continue to suffer the indignity and never-ending pain of misrule by self-serving tyrants.
Tony D’Andrea, Toronto
Can we take him to court? Where can we learn more, please and many thanks!