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Randall Denley: Ontario's weakening of local powers assumes the province always knows best. It doesn't

Ontario is unique in Canada for having strong mayor powers, although many large American cities do

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford has altered the scope and nature of local democracy in the province in what amounts to a major change in the traditional relationship between the provincial government and its cities and school boards.

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While the provincial government has always been ultimately responsible for school boards and municipalities, Ontario has long operated on the principle that people would have a meaningful measure of control over what was happening in their own communities.

Randall Denley: Ontario's weakening of local powers assumes the province always knows best. It doesn't Back to video

Under Ford, that local control has lessened, and in some cases disappeared altogether. The changes have been incremental and spread over time, but the cumulative effect is notable.

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