Rare midnight sitting

Photo: The Canadian Press

Ontario Premier Doug Ford returns to the chamber as the Ontario Legislature hold a midnight session to debate a bill that would cut the size of Toronto city council from 47 representatives to 25, in Toronto on Monday, September 17, 2018.

Protesters lingered overnight outside the Ontario legislature after they were barred from observing a rare midnight sitting meant to speed up the passage of a controversial bill to cut Toronto's city council nearly in half.

Some voiced their opposition to the bill inside Queen's Park as the proceedings got underway, heckling Progressive Conservative legislators with cries of "shame, shame" until the Speaker cleared the public galleries.

People who had lined up to observe the overnight debate expressed their outrage at being shut out of the process, chanting "Let us in!" as police officers stood in front of the doors.

As dawn broke and the meeting wound down, Premier Doug Ford said his government had sent a strong message to Ontarians by working overnight to fast-track the bill, which would reduce council to 25 seats from 47.

"We are the only ones listening to the people — not the disruptors, not the professional activists that we've seen over the last few days. And when you stand up for the people, the people will stand with you," he told the legislature.

"The people are behind us, and I can tell you my friends, we will never, ever back down."

New Democrats, meanwhile, said the tumult outside the legislature shows that many oppose the government's decision.

"How can you be here for the people when the people outside are banging to get into this building and not able to get into the building as a result of your actions?" NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson said.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath briefly left the debate to address the crowd, telling them she was proud to see so many people rally to defend charter rights at such an unusual time.

"Interfering in ongoing elections has...a chilling effect on our democracy," she said later inside the house.

"The reality is this government behaved inappropriately, rammed this change forward without any kind of consultation while the elections were already underway."

The Ontario government cited the need for urgent action in justifying the late-night sitting, saying passing the bill would eliminate any uncertainty surrounding the upcoming municipal vote, set for Oct. 22.

The government finds itself crunched for time at the legislature with the International Plowing Match in Chatham-Kent set for Tuesday. Each year Queen's Park closes for a day so all politicians can attend.

Earlier this week, City of Toronto clerk Ulli Watkiss said that with each passing day it becomes "virtually impossible" to ensure the city provides its residents and candidates with a fair election.