Province-Wide Protests Be-Dammed. Ford Government  Rams Thru Its Controversial Bill 5

A Brief News Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper, followed by a news release from Ontario’s Official Opposition NDP

Posted June 4^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is back and after his third consecutive majority government win, probably feeling more emboldened than ever to plough ahead at whatever cost to the environment.

By Doug Draper – A little more than three months after the Fort government in Ontario won a third-consecutive majority, you had to see it coming.

All of the worst plans and pieces of legislation that Ford ever tabled to pave over more of what’s left of our food lands and other green spaces, would be back again in whatever shape or form. And this time, even after all the shellacking he and his Conservatives took  (including the launch of an ongoing RCMP investigation) over taking out lands in the Greenbelt for more roads and highways and urban sprawl, this latest election win could only make them feel more embolden than ever to rev of the bulldozers and chainsaws and plough right through.

Niagara citizens protest Bill 5 and a just as menacing Bill 17 this June 3rd in front of the constituency office of Ford Conservative MPP for the Niagara West Riding, Sam Oosterhoff

So it is with Ford’s controversial Bill 5 which environmental groups, Indigenous people and a host of others have spent the better part of the past three months begging the Premier and his ever-so-loyal party members to withdraw for the sake of protecting and preserving Ontario’s natural heritage for present and future generations.

But there was  never any real  hint that Ford was going to do much in the way of listening to other concerned parties, partisan or non-partisan, as he pressed ahead, this time including the  Trump tariff war in his arsenal of excuses for doing so. 

This June 4^th, Ford and company gave something equivalent to the finger to countless numbers of Ontario citizens concerned about this bill by just ramming  it through.

This is why so many wise people have tried to warn us that elections matter, folks.

Welcome to the next three years and eight or nine months of the Ford government in Ontario.

Stay tuned for more on the passage of Bill 5 on Niagara At Large later. Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

Now here is a news release from Ontario’s Official Opposition NDP –

NDP: Shameful day for the province, Doug Ford needs to reverse course on Bill 5

QUEEN’S PARK – Marit Stiles, Leader of the Official Opposition NDP is calling on the Premier to repeal Bill 5 after the government rammed through the legislation without consent, consultation, or debate:

Ontario NDP Official Opposition Leader Marit Stiles

“This is a shameful day for our province,” said Marit Stiles. “Doug Ford and his government have silenced communities, shut down debate, and pulled out all the stops to force through legislation that is nothing but a thinly veiled power grab.

“Today, the government gave themselves unprecedented power, to create no-law zones anywhere they want, to do whatever they want. Premier Ford is using Donald Trump’s tariff threats to give himself the power to do away with laws with the stroke of a pen. They are ignoring their treaty obligations. But the fight against Bill 5 is far from over.

“We know what happened when the government forced through the Notwithstanding clause, when they attacked the rights of workers, when they carved up the Greenbelt for their insiders – the people of Ontario fought back.

“Premier Ford needs to reverse course before it’s too late. Repeal Bill 5.”

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