WHEREAS Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the rights of individuals to freely associate with one another in organizations and guarantees the fundamental right of political speech;
AND WHEREAS political parties are formally recognized in Ontario and in Canada by statute;
AND WHEREAS Ontario's Municipal Elections Act does not formally recognize civic or municipal parties even for the purpose of permitting their name to appear on a ballot;
AND WHEREAS civic or municipal political parties or electoral organizations have formal recognition in the Provinces of Quebec and British Columbia;
AND WHEREAS social studies demonstrate that strong municipal electoral organizations increase engagement of the population in municipal issues and foster economic growth of cities.
WE THE UNDERSIGNED petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:
To amend the Municipal Elections Act to include formal recognition of civic political parties or electoral organizations in a way which permits a candidate seeking election to municipal public office to have the name of the civic political party or electoral organization of which the candidate is a member appear beside his or her name on the municipal election ballot.
WHEREAS Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the rights of individuals to freely associate with one another in organizations and guarantees the fundamental right of political speech;
AND WHEREAS political parties are formally recognized in Ontario and in Canada by statute;
AND WHEREAS Ontario's
Municipal Elections Act does not formally recognize civic or municipal parties even for the purpose of permitting their name to appear on a ballot;
AND WHEREAS civic or municipal political parties or electoral organizations have formal recognition in the Provinces of Quebec and British Columbia;
AND WHEREAS social studies demonstrate that strong municipal electoral organizations increase engagement of the population in municipal issues and foster economic growth of cities.
WE THE UNDERSIGNTED petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:
To amend the Municipal Elections Act to include formal recognition of civic political parties or electoral organizations in a way which permits a candidate seeking election to municipal public office to have the name of the civic political party or electoral organization of which the candidate is a member appear beside his or her name on the municipal election ballot. 