Like other recent pieces of provincial legislation, Bill 39 has a title deceptively at odds with its actual purpose.
英文词组：
at odds with…: 与…相悖
The Better Municipal Governance Act does not propose better municipal governance. Rather, it threatens to erode it, all in the name of building more housing.
英文词组：
Rather: 相反/on the other hand
in the name of…：以…的名义
Rightly criticized and condemned, it would grossly distort the strong powers given to the mayors of Ottawa and Toronto. Under this bill, they would have the ability to push through bylaws related to provincial priorities withjust one-third support of their councils.
英文表达：
Under：根据… (可替换大家熟悉的according to & base on)
With: 注意原句中的with后接情况，而不是平时我们熟悉的工具
Concerns have been voiced loud and clear in recent days as the legislation is reviewed by a standing committee at Queen’s Park.
英文词组：
Voice concern: 表达担忧
As: 在这里替换when （也可以替换because）
Former Toronto Mayor David Miller called it “disastrous” and said it should be scrapped.
高级英文单词：
Scrap: abolish
“Majority rule is a fundamental principle of our governments in Canada … It is the bedrock of our democracy. This proposal for minority rule completely undermines this fundamental principle. It is profoundly undemocratic and unnecessary,” Miller told the committee.
英文表达：
the bedrock of…: …的基石
undermines： broke，destroy (但是原文这个单词有从根本上破坏的意思。更厉害，有木有？！)
The risks of this diminished authority, he warned, range from less engaged residents, increased influence of lobbyists, bad decisions, even corruption.
英文表达：
range from： 包括（与我们常见的include， involve的区别是这个强调范围）
even：甚至。通过阅读原句我们不难发现原句中的even可被and替换，但是and表并列，even 表递进，有暗示情况越来越严重的意思
The very councillors who would see their authority — and that of their constituents — diminished by such mayoralty strong-arming are also speaking out.
英文词组：
speak out：发声
Ward 23 Councillor (Scarborough North) Jamaal Myers said he supports the goal of building more housing but said Bill 39 “proposes to achieve this in a fundamentally undemocratic manner.
英文单词：
Manner: 除了method, strategy, way, solution又多了个表达方法，方式的单词
“Bill 39 undercuts the core democratic principle of majority rule,” he said in a written submission to the committee.
Councillor Ausma Malik, newly elected in Ward 10 (Spadina-Fort York), called the legislation a “clear attack on local democracy.”
Concerning and puzzling was that Toronto Mayor John Tory asked the province for these powers in the first place.
英文句式：
Concerning and puzzling was that…: 令人担忧和困惑的是… (该句形容词开头，再接be that，后接完整句式)
Speaking at the first meeting of this term of council last month, Tory tried to assuage concerns, vowing that he would always try to get consensus and that any proposed use of this power would be first discussed in a staff report. But he also made clear that he views the election result as a clear mandate to get more housing and transit built.
英文词组：
View… as…: 把…视作…
Yes, action on those issues is, of course, desirable. But we think residents would be equally concerned about the manner in which those decisions are made if they are jammed through with less than majority support. Tory’s caveats and assurances do nothing to take away from the reality that this proposed legislation is fundamentally in opposition to the principles of democratic rule and sound governance.
英文词组：
be jammed through with(被动语态)… support：未能得到…的支持
do nothing to…：对…毫无帮助
take away from…：脱离/改变…（某种困境）
It’s too much to expect that the province will respond to the legitimate concerns and reverse course.
英文句式：
It’s too much to expect that….: 期望…实在是太过分了
It’s too much that…: …实在是太过分了
It’s therefore up to Tory to repudiate these powers and pledge never to use them. That’s because to employ them would serve to legitimatize them and suggest that we are facing a crisis that justifies the serious step of undermining democratic norms.
英文词组：
It’s therefore up to…：因此… (相比之下because 真的弱爆了)
It’s therefore up to sb to…: 因此某人有责任…（做某事）
We are not. This is not wartime. The housing shortage does not come close to warranting such a move.
英文词组：
housing shortage：住房短缺
Tory made a mistake in requesting this unprecedented power. But he has a window to set it right. He should follow the lead of Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe who has declared he will not used the strong mayor powers, including the expanded provision.
英文单词：
Window：一丝机会 （不是窗口的意思，惊不惊喜，意不意外？） = fat chance
As Malik made clear in her statement, the new council is prepared to “work quickly and collaboratively.
英文单词：
As: 正如 （这是本文提到的as的第三个用法）
“The mayor can work with us. He can protect our local democracy, build more housing, and strengthen our community voices,” she said.
Progress can be made on these important issues, without sacrificing local democracy.
英文词组：
Make progress: 取得进步
From: Toronto Star