Rob Ford's Toronto

[k10ery]

Granted, this is from NOW, but it still provides some insight into Ford's workings. The part that describes how Ford connects with his constituents is worth remembering, as it is the core of Rob Ford's modus operandi. Wasteful public workers wasting tax dollars, bikers stealing lanes from drivers, downtowners impeding suburbanite's subway extensions. "I will fix everything and you and me together will have power."

Carroll was pretty insightful when she said “He says he goes to peoples houses to have a conversation in which he first makes them feel that they are powerless. Makes them angry and then says, ‘I will fix everything and you and me together will have power.’ That’s his whole thing.â€

Basically, Ford's style is classic right-wing demagoguery, what Richard Hofstadter called "the Paranoid Style in American Politics". It's all about ingroup vs. outgroup ("They want Scarborough to be second-class"), manicheanism ("people don't want streetcars, they want subways"), and a loose affiliation with the truth.

Basically, he's Joe McCarthy, but about way way less important stuff.

 

[freshcutgrass]

There could be nothing more tasteless than a Toronto politician joking about killing a bike courier on the street. This retard has sunk to a new low in my opinion.

But our Mayor is already on record in the Council Chamber as stating that when cyclists get killed, it's their own fault. They are expendable...like gays. There's no new low...he hit that quite a while ago...and he's remained there the whole time.

 

[CanadianNational]

“I told him if I wasn’t an elected official I’d kick his ass in about 10 seconds,†Doug Ford said.

Mayor Rob Ford interjected: “There’d be one less courier because, trust me, Doug has been a kick boxer 10 years . . . I guarantee you that guy would have been history in about two seconds.â€

This is really ugly and horrible stuff coming from publicly elected officials. It is a sensitive issue to the city after the recent cycling death of Jenna Morrison, as well as the well-publicized death of Darcy Allan Sheppard. The grandstanding is revolting - essentially advocating violence, and if there's any truth to it, threatening it. They should apologize, at the very least.

 

[freshcutgrass]

Not that it's important, but lots of people take martial arts classes..doesn't mean they can kick anybody's ass. Beyond being the kind of dialogue public officials should not be having on the air, it's probably just false bravado.

The reality is that Doug Ford is a 48 year-old lard-ass in a bad-fitting suit. Your average bike courier is a lot younger, fitter, aggressive and fearless. If there's going to be a cage match, I know where my money is going.

 

[DSC]

This in online Star. What does it all mean??

Etobicoke councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby is launching court proceedings to have Mayor Rob Ford removed from office.

The Ward 4 councillor is initiating the legal application on behalf of her constituent Paul Magder.

Details of the move will be announced Monday at 11 a.m. news conference at City Hall. Constitutional lawyer Clayton Ruby is handling the case.

The Star has now published a correction: "An earlier version that stated Etobicoke councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby was also involved were in accurate." and the story now (10am, reads:

Constitutional lawyer Clayton Ruby is launching court proceedings to have Mayor Rob Ford removed from office.

Ruby is initiating the legal application on behalf of Toronto homeowner Paul Magder. Details of the move will be announced Monday at 11 a.m. press conference at City Hall.

 

[TonyV]

This in online Star. What does it all mean??

Etobicoke councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby is launching court proceedings to have Mayor Rob Ford removed from office.

The Ward 4 councillor is initiating the legal application on behalf of her constituent Paul Magder.

Details of the move will be announced Monday at 11 a.m. news conference at City Hall. Constitutional lawyer Clayton Ruby is handling the case.

I've been anticipating something like this. Here's the Star link:

http://www.thestar.com/news/cityhal...to-get-mayor-rob-ford-ousted-from-office?bn=1

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

It could be something big or it could be something that goes absolutely nowhere. We shall see @ 11AM

 

[Jonny5]

More here from CityTV

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Well, it would appear the scale did disappear - at least for now.

AoD

 

[Ice_Burn]

As late as yesterday on his terrible radio show he was talking about running some laps in preparation of the weigh-in today. Then again, Ford says a lot of things.

 

[canmark]

Torontoist has some details: Clayton Ruby Seeking Rob Ford's Removal from Office

Prominent Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby has filed an application with the Ontario Superior Court on behalf of Toronto resident Paul Magder, alleging that Rob Ford has violated the Province of Ontario’s Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

That act sets out rules that govern how municipal politicians must conduct themselves while in office; one of those rules is that members of a council cannot take part in a debate if it involves their own private financial concerns. Ruby alleges that Ford did this last month, when the mayor gave a speech and cast a vote during a debate on whether he should have to repay certain donors to the Rob Ford Football Foundation. When he did so, according to Ruby, he breached the rules that are supposed to keep municipal government free from personal interests.

The penalty set out in the Conflict of Interest Act for violations of this kind: removal from office.

 

[Tulse]

Rob Ford may be forced out of office due to a conflict of interest violation.

I'd much prefer to see him defeated politically, but this case looks pretty serious, and pretty clear.

[edit: I see canmark beat me to it.]

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Lawsuit for that is a bit excessive - though I wish a heavier stick can be wield for his repeated violation of rules of all kinds.

AoD

 

[Tulse]

Lawsuit for that is a bit excessive

This isn't a civil suit in the standard sense, at least as I understand it -- the accusation is that Ford broke an Ontario law.

 

[Ice_Burn]

It could actually be more serious...Doesn't sound like much room for interpretation that he'll have to leave the position if he's found guilty (and he's admitted to this). However, not being able to run for 7 years is only a 'may', not a 'shall' and he'll probably be in the midst of his reelection campaign when the hammer drops.

How serious is this?

The letter of the law is bad news for Ford. If he's found guilty of having breached the MCIA, the penalties are pretty dire:

10. (1) Subject to subsection (2), where the judge determines that a member or a former member while he or she was a member has contravened subsection 5 (1), (2) or (3), the judge,

(a) shall, in the case of a member, declare the seat of the member vacant; and

(b) may disqualify the member or former member from being a member during a period thereafter of not more than seven years; and

(c) may, where the contravention has resulted in personal financial gain, require the member or former member to make restitution to the party suffering the loss, or, where such party is not readily ascertainable, to the municipality or local board of which he or she is a member or former member. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50, s. 10 (1).

In case you don't read legalese, (a) says Rob Ford "shall", not may, be removed from office if he's found guilty of this, and (b) says he can be disqualified from running for office for up to seven years. ("Member" in this case refers to a member of a municipal council in Ontario.) So the potential penalties are very serious, indeed.

Ford has some potential defences, but his own speech on the floor of council, and his history of previously recusing himself when he knew he needed to, could make those defences very tricky. For example, the law says the judge could rule that Ford's vote was inadvertent, but the speech preceding it makes that unlikely.

And even if he eventually wins a court battle, it's going to take some time—meaning he'll probably be running for re-election while he's fighting a second court case about his political ethics.