Lawyers raise ‘grave concern’ over Premier Ford’s Kitchener encampment comments

Plenty of attention continues to be centred on the Victoria Street encampment in Kitchener, but while many are focusing on the recent decision from the Ontario Superior Court, eyes have begun shifting instead to recent comments made by Premier Doug Ford.

A group of lawyers have sent in a request to the Attorney General of Ontario, pushing that Premier Ford apologize and issue a public statement regarding his recent comments.

“We write in our personal capacities as members of the Ontario bar and officers of the court, to express our grave concern regarding statements attributed to Premier Ford,” read the letter from the group to the Attorney General.

It comes after Ontario Superior Court Justice Michael Gibson ruled that the Region of Waterloo’s bylaw, which would clear the site at 100 Victoria St. of the residents living in the local encampment, was unconstitutional.

In response to the action during a series of unrelated press conferences, Premier Ford made his opinion known on the matter with a series of comments both about the encampment itself and the court’s decision.

“I wish I could get that guy’s (the judge’s) address. I’ll send 15 encampments in his backyard and see how he likes it,” Premier Ford stated during a press conference outside the new site of the Ontario Science Centre.

“The craziest decision I’ve ever heard. But there are a lot of crazy decisions coming from our courts lately.”

Soon after, during another unrelated press conference in Sault St. Marie, Premier Ford was pressed to speak further on the matter, where he referred to the judge’s “cockamamie” decision.

“I have a great deal of respect for our judges (in the) Supreme Court, but he comes out with this cockamamie idea that they’re going to hold up transit, so what, for 30 people they’re going to hold up millions and millions of riders, communities and everything, saying you can’t go in there, you can’t touch them?” asked Ford.

“So, guess what, folks; anyone can show up in your backyard. I wish they’d show up in the Judge’s backyard and set up camp.”

That series of statements has now led a group of lawyers, helmed by a group at the University of Ottawa, including legal scholar Martha Jackman, to send a letter to the office of the Attorney General of Ontario, Doug Downey.

“If accurately reported, these comments represent a serious attack on the constitutional principle of judicial independence and raise profound concerns regarding judicial security and the administration of justice in Ontario,” read the letter to the Attorney General.

“In a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law, judges must be free to decide cases without fear of intimidation, retaliation, or personal targeting by members of the executive branch.”

The letter said that, while elected officials are entitled to criticize judicial decisions, ” threats or suggestions involving disclosure or use of a judge’s personal residential information cross an important constitutional boundary.”

It said that comments in that manner undermine public confidence in the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, going so far as to say it could place the judge and their family at risk.

The group is requesting that the Attorney General get involved in the matter, pushing that Ford apologize for the comments he’s made and issue a public statement.