ABOVE THE FOLD
The final battle over election advertising in Ontario is underway at the country’s top court.
Yesterday, lawyers representing the Ford government and the union-backed Working Families Coalition faced off at the Supreme Court, where Ontario is appealing a lower court ruling that struck down its hot-potato law that limited third-party ad spending.
Today is intervenors day, which means other folks with skin in the game — including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association — will get their say in court.
The background: The case goes back to 2021, when the PCs invoked the notwithstanding clause for the first time in provincial history to limit third-party election ad spending, and bring in more onerous requirements for registration. The pre-campaign spending period was extended, but not the limit — which means third-party groups had to stretch the same $600,000-limit over 12 months instead of six.
What the government is arguing: Lawyers representing Ontario’s Attorney General …