Use of notwithstanding clause for forced drug treatment ‘dangerous’ threat to human rights in Ontario, advocates say [Video]

Human rights advocates say there’s nothing “compassionate” about a proposal from Ontario mayors asking to bring involuntary drug treatment to the province, and that the possible use of the notwithstanding clause is “dangerous” to fundamental rights and freedoms.

Ontario’s Big City Mayors will meet on Monday with a resolution on the agenda that could see them ask the province to expand the use of forced treatment to people with mental health or addiction issues.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is in favour of the proposal and has sent a similar request to the province, saying forced treatment could save lives and help cut down on the around 18,000 police-attended overdoses and 328 fatalities between January 2022 and June 2024 in Mississauga and Brampton.

But Canadian human rights advocates say the proposal is a risk to civil liberties as it would “advise the provincial and federal governments to invoke the notwithstanding clause” …