The Ford government's speed camera bill was rushed into legislation with public input curtailed.Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press

People who use parking garages may be familiar with those signs that absolve the company of damage to your vehicle – no matter how caused. There’s a similar vibe at Ontario’s legislature.

Since taking office, Premier Doug Ford’s government has habitually added clauses to bills that seek to ward off legal fallout for the effects of the legislation it is passing. In some cases, this protects the government if someone gets hurt. In other cases, it ensures that contracts can be broken without penalty.

It’s not exactly writing yourself a get-out-of-jail-free card, but it’s pretty close. It’s also a strange look for a government that tries to portray itself as pro-business. In fact, this government has erected large “open for business” signs around the province.

Maybe those signs need a bit of fine print: rules and contracts may be changed in the government’s favour.

Self-protective legislative clauses were part of the Greenbelt saga, when Mr. Ford sought to develop part of a protected area near Toronto before backing down in the face of public outrage. At the time, the Tory government used legislation to erase its own legal settlement with a developer, reached only the previous year. It also shielded itself from........

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