Canadian Politics Today

So I see conservatives square that circle by simply denying that it ever happened!   

Ford is concerned about courts overruling elected governments....   Ford using courts to try and overrule elected federal government.

The courts have a legitimate place in refereeing between the powers allotted to the different levels of government. And a legitimate place in identifying legislation which is unconstitutional. I don't believe anyone has ever denied either of those things.

The problem with the court in this particular case was its ruling didn't stick to constitutional norms - ie, the province has a perfect right to do whatever the hell it wants with the municipalities, but instead invented the idea that somehow or other people's rights to free expression were being denied in doing so near an election. It was a preposterous ruling that had no constitutional basis other than "cuz I say so". I'd have no problem with government of any shade overruling that. The notwithstanding clause was made for rulings like that.