Calgary’s mayor is attacking Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s plan to cut the number of Toronto city councillors and cancel votes for other municipal elections.
Naheed Nenshi said Ford made no mention of his intentions during Ontario’s recent election campaign and calls the premier’s move “tinpot dictator stuff.”
He said it’s not fair to change the rules in the middle of the game.
“On the day the nominations close for what appeared to be political reasons, without any consultation, without any discussion with citizens whether this makes sense for you, to say to those folks who put their lives on hold only because they want to do public service, ‘By the way, the job you’re running for doesn’t exist anymore,'” Nenshi said at a Friday news conference.
“That is unconscionable.”
Nenshi said Ford’s planned legislation could affect all mayors, and he is urging Toronto Mayor John Tory to fight it.
“I stand with Mayor Tory On this saying that is a direct affront on democracy,” he added. “That is tinpot dictator stuff.”
Ford announced Friday morning that he will introduce legislation to cut the number of Toronto city councillors to 27 from 45.
He said he will also cancel elections for regional chairs in at least two major municipal areas, Peel and York.
— With files from The Canadian Press, Global News