Rob Ford's Toronto

[OSS 117]

The Ford achievement has created this " you're either with us or you're against us " mentality. If you can no longer speak to someone because they show some sympathy for the lout, then he and his ilk have won. Get used to the brave and depraved new world of black and white. There are a lot of people still on the margin, thinking the media should stop hounding the mayor, and this becomes the salient issue. Don't ignore this group just because they don't key on the issues that got Ford to this point in the first place.

At a certain point though, people need to be shamed and shunned, because ultimately it's not Ford that's the problem, but the people who elected him.

 

[SFO]

I see this a bit differently. He's calling for the release of the tape because he wants to look like he's trying to be transparent about it. I'm sure his base will respect him for saying he wants the tape released (and will in turn once again doubt its authenticity) - and will start to question the police who will refuse to release it under legal grounds. Meanwhile, Lissi's lawyer (who you can bet is hired and/or is being paid by the Fords) will do everything he can to block the tape from being released and will probably try to make it inadmissible as evidence. So Ford will look like he's done what he can to TRY to get the tape released but in reality, will be trying to bury it through legal tricks and manoeuvres. There's no other explanation.

I don't disagree. I think there are a bunch of strategies at play. As many people have pointed out, Blair actually isn't in a position to just unilaterally release the video. But calling for it makes Ford look transparent and Blair look like he's playing games. It's a hollow spin tactic. And I also agree that ultimately Ford would rather no one ever see the video, and lawyers for their "side" will do what they can to bury it. My point was just that if, for whatever reason, the video did see the light of day anytime soon, Ford and co. would also benefit from sooner rather than later. I think if it comes out in court, amid everything else going on, it will be that much harder to spin it away with a "who knows what he's smoking" narrative.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

At the risk of stating the obvious, explicitly, it's hard to believe Ford wants the video released now when he previously called his drug dealer to go get it, resulting in him extorting gang members and having the owners of the crack house in which it was filmed beaten. It seems safe to guess at this point that he only had his, "I am not an addict..." press conference after he/Doug had obtained what they naively believed was the only version of the video. The fact that they don't understand the nature of digital files might be troubling if there weren't 1000 other things on the list ahead of it.

Plus, as we all know, there's a second video of some kind.

Really, the idea that he might just turn out to be smoking something else (while hanging out with gang members, making racist and homophobic comments, in a video he claimed didn't exist but actually used nefarious means to try to obtain) is a very odd strategy for him to be hanging his hat on, though I certainly see how it continues to buy him some time as reality incrementally sets in upon him. It's laughable that he has to wait to see it before commenting and can't say something like, "Oooooh, that video! Yeah, that was me hanging with some pals smoking some hash and we broke our hash pipe and used this old crack pipe that was lying around! Gosh, I can't believe I forgot." No, he needs to see it to fully articulate a bullshit excuse that, no matter what it is, will be totally besides the point.

As we've seen with the media dodging and radio shows yesterday, Ford will always try to play the game on his own terms. So it may actually be that the Crown can release the video but they're not going to stoop to play this game with him and, call me naive or hopeless, I still think the game here is to get Lisi to roll on Ford. Being a straight-arrow type, I suspect he'd be only too happy to help law enforcement put away the real criminal here

 

[howl]

If Ford is guilty of a crime, however major or minor, his tactic of apologizing for it and moving on is highly hypocritical. He is a law maker. His job is to write laws that the people of Toronto are expected to obey. If he thinks he is immune to obeying the law, or is only in trouble if he gets caught, then he doesn't have the moral authority to be a law maker. In fact, if he doesn't step down he is saying that the laws that apply to regular people don't apply to him - which is the very definition of an elitist.

 

[GeekGirl]

I am not a supporter of Ford. He hasn't done anything to improve the city. He makes these half assed announcements for transit or development schemes without knowledge, guidance or research. He is a poor representative for this city. He has addiction problems and is not fit to be mayor of this city. Yet, he was democratically elected to office by the citizens of this city. He has never been charged with, drunk driving or any crime while in office. I never doubted the tape was real, not for a moment and none of my posts ever indicated such. Some members of city council have worked against him at every opportunity, not because the issue at hand but because they would rather not support anything he is in favour of.

I selected the Baloch executions because I searched "political prisoners executed" in google news and it was top of the page. I used the provincial Liberal's as an example because I am surprised at the lack of outrage at that scandal. I can't think of anything comparable done by the Federal conservatives that would warrant protests on the street. If you have something they have done worth protesting, go for it. It's likely worse than one man's personal addiction problems.

Protesting at his personal residence should be off limits. You want to hurt his children? don't put the blame on him. Your actions are intended to shame an individual without regard to innocent children. Nice...I don't have a lot of respect for your position.

Really? You are not a supporter of Ford are you? I'm going out on a limb here and I am going to guess you definitely are a supporter. You are worried about his kids are you? I am too, but I am worried about his kids because they have a drug and alcohol abusing father, who uses them as props in his war against the 'elites' which is everyone except, well, you and the rest of Ford Nation. let's forget about the gun runners and crack dealers Ford hangs out with, because this will never cause harm to his kids, right? He also has some funny little domestic abuse issues, but yeah, the problem is not him, it's everyone else. What a crook of low rent BS you have posted, in particular here, where this type of lame non-factual argument will never ever pass.

The fact that you cannot think of anything comparable by Harper is just icing on the ideology cake. You are disingenuous and wilfully ignorant and I am so over trying to be nice to you cretins. The right as victim narrative is dead.

 

[newearthling]

I woke up thinking: this can't all really be true....It feels too surreal. It MUST be a joke/prank/something other than reality.

 

[toto]

At a certain point though, people need to be shamed and shunned, because ultimately it's not Ford that's the problem, but the people who elected him.

If I were a owner of a company looking to relocate in Toronto that's the question I'd be asking. What kind of employment pool does Toronto have that 30 -40% of it support someone like Ford?

 

[waterloowarrior]

Ford is already at city hall this morning. Time to pack it up and move on media, no story here. He was spotted at the LCBO again last night, but I'm sure he'll keep it to the basement.

 

[adma]

Ah yes, you brought up a good point. Where they get their information from has a large impact on how their views turn out to be, and which I forgot to mention in my post. I believe my dad's views may have to do with the fact that he's always in his vehicle listening to news from the radio, or music. Talk radio being Ford friendly... well, draw your conclusions from there. He's into news, but the news sources are either radio or news broadcasts from the Chinese channel. We don't get newspapers apart from the free Saturday Star issues and they don't use computers like I do.

But the funny thing is these days: it isn't just the immigrant class that doesn't get newspapers other than free issues--and even said "free issues" (and the content within) become, in the eyes of those picking them up, trivialized by their being "free".

That's why there's the disconnect btw/the four papers calling for Ford's head and the people supporting him. They're beyond reading, or letting their lives be guided by, newspapers. And they call it "thinking for themselves".

And a generation or two ago, before they discovered they can "think for themselves", they *would* have read newspapers.

Such is the decline of Western democratic society, when the freedom to know curdles into the freedom to *not* know, or to know whatever the heck one wants...

 

[Dubster]

James Pasternak and John Tory...what a bunch of equivocating ball-less ass clowns in the wake of this Ford "apology" disgrace. By not coming down harder on the mayor they're part of the problem, as much as Doug.

 

[next_to_herb]

If I were a owner of a company looking to relocate in Toronto that's the question I'd be asking. What kind of employment pool does Toronto have that 30 -40% of it support someone like Ford?

The sad thing is, some will be licking their chops at that. My previous employer, who saw employees as disposable and desired only cheap labour as opposed to talented labour, very much appreciated a lower caliber workforce since they could be paid less.

In 2010, I was ready for a fiscally conservative mayor and councillor after two terms of David Miller (and I was ready for teo terms of David Miller after two terms of Mel Lastman - I would classify myself as centrist, but believe that you need some time for the right, then time for the left, and so on). I could never support Ford, though, because I could never accept the intellectual insult of subways that cost nothing and that "gravy" would account for any material amount of savings. That leaves aside my distaste for his style and previous known encounters with alcohol and other mind-altering substances.

The Fords RELY on people being uninformed to the extent of believing nonsense like that, and continue to campaign on such things to this day - that the Scarborough LRT construction would affect vehicular traffic, and that there is enough "gravy" in the system to cover reducing the Land Transfer Tax. I find it truly disappointing, and that my naïveté knows no bounds, that the Fords' cynicism is accurate - the Fords are right, and that there are many who truly believe that their taxes are staying flat because of the Fords' efforts.

That number of ill-informed people represents an opportunity for those who don't see expertise as valuable. For the sake of those Ford voters, I only hope that their lack of knowledge extends only to municipal affairs, and not to the jobs they hope to take on.

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

I don't disagree. I think there are a bunch of strategies at play. As many people have pointed out, Blair actually isn't in a position to just unilaterally release the video. But calling for it makes Ford look transparent and Blair look like he's playing games. It's a hollow spin tactic. And I also agree that ultimately Ford would rather no one ever see the video, and lawyers for their "side" will do what they can to bury it. My point was just that if, for whatever reason, the video did see the light of day anytime soon, Ford and co. would also benefit from sooner rather than later. I think if it comes out in court, amid everything else going on, it will be that much harder to spin it away with a "who knows what he's smoking" narrative.

Also, Ford arguing for the video's release undermines the case against him for conspiracy to extort. "But your honour, it makes no sense that my client would conspire to have people beaten and/or killed to retrieve the video. Why, just yesterday he was on the radio seeking to make the video public."

 

[kevinsp8]

Let the members of the Executive Committee know you will hold them accountable for allowing someone in Rob's position to continue to lead. Send an email to the following addresses (you can copy and paste everything into the to: field)
And copy/paste the email list to any friends who might wish to express themselves to the Committee as well.
Trust me, most politicians' days begin with their flunkies telling them what the media says and how many emails/letters/phone calls on each topic have come in.
They know for every person who writes, there are a hundred more who feel the same but are too lazy to write. So your opinion is magnified far beyond what it would be at the ballot box.
There's a reason sophisticated lobby groups in the US prioritize calling and writing representatives.

City of Toronto Executive Committee

councillor_crawford@toronto.ca, councillor_crisanti@toronto.ca, councillor_digiorgio@toronto.ca, councillor_kelly@toronto.ca, mcrover2@toronto.ca, councillor_mammoliti@toronto.ca, councillor_milczyn@toronto.ca, councillor_minnan-wong@toronto.ca, councillor_palacio@toronto.ca, councillor_perruzza@toronto.ca, councillor_shiner@toronto.ca, councillor_thompson@toronto.ca
exc@toronto.ca

Source: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/decisionBodyProfile.do?function=doPrepare&decisionBodyId=262

Gary Crawford councillor_crawford@toronto.ca
Vincent Crisanti councillor_crisanti@toronto.ca
Frank Di Giorgio councillor_digiorgio@toronto.ca
Rob Ford (Chair) have to use a stupid web form http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=615332d0b6d1e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
Norman Kelly councillor_kelly@toronto.ca
Peter Leon mcrover2@toronto.ca (his admin assistant)
Giorgio Mammoliti councillor_mammoliti@toronto.ca
Peter Milczyn councillor_milczyn@toronto.ca
Denzil Minnan-Wong councillor_minnan-wong@toronto.ca
Cesar Palacio councillor_palacio@toronto.ca
Anthony Perruzza councillor_perruzza@toronto.ca
David Shiner councillor_shiner@toronto.ca
Michael Thompson councillor_thompson@toronto.ca
Committee Secretariat Kelly McCarthy exc@toronto.ca


Find your City Council member: http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp

 

[blahblahblah]

Nobody here is suggesting protest at his house.

I am not a supporter of Ford. He hasn't done anything to improve the city. He makes these half assed announcements for transit or development schemes without knowledge, guidance or research. He is a poor representative for this city. He has addiction problems and is not fit to be mayor of this city. Yet, he was democratically elected to office by the citizens of this city. He has never been charged with, drunk driving or any crime while in office. I never doubted the tape was real, not for a moment and none of my posts ever indicated such. Some members of city council have worked against him at every opportunity, not because the issue at hand but because they would rather not support anything he is in favour of.

I selected the Baloch executions because I searched "political prisoners executed" in google news and it was top of the page. I used the provincial Liberal's as an example because I am surprised at the lack of outrage at that scandal. I can't think of anything comparable done by the Federal conservatives that would warrant protests on the street. If you have something they have done worth protesting, go for it. It's likely worse than one man's personal addiction problems.

Protesting at his personal residence should be off limits. You want to hurt his children? don't put the blame on him. Your actions are intended to shame an individual without regard to innocent children. Nice...I don't have a lot of respect for your position.

 

[SFO]

Also, Ford arguing for the video's release undermines the case against him for conspiracy to extort. "But your honour, it makes no sense that my client would conspire to have people beaten and/or killed to retrieve the video. Why, just yesterday he was on the radio seeking to make the video public."

Very good point, I hadn't considered that. But I'm sure both Ford's lawyer and TPS have. Which makes it doubly absurd that he's calling for the video to be released. It's evidence, plain and simple. His hypocrisy is unbelievable: sure, he "can't comment on a matter before the courts," but let's just air some evidence from that pending court case.