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Rob Ford At Pride Parade: NOW Magazine Offers To Fly Toronto Mayor From Cottage To Gay Pride Event

Rob Ford

First Posted: 06/30/11 09:52 AM ET Updated: 08/30/11 06:12 AM ET

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CBC — A Toronto weekly news magazine is offering to fly Mayor Rob Ford in from the cottage so he can attend Sunday's Pride Parade.

Last week when asked whether he would attend the parade, Ford declined. Ford said he would instead continue a long-standing family tradition and be at the cottage over the Canada Day long weekend.

NOW, which in April published a digitally altered cover image of the mayor's face grafted onto an almost naked body, is offering to fly Ford in from Huntsville so he can attend the parade.

It's a distance of only 200 kilometres, but heavy traffic on the Canada Day long weekend can often make for long, grueling commutes between the city and cottage country.

"The easiest way for Ford to do his civic duty is to take to the air," said NOW editor and publisher Michael Hollett in a statement issued Wednesday. "It's less than an hour lake to lake, and we've found charters ranging from $2,000 to $4,000 that will pull right up to his cottage."

Ford's decision to skip the parade was seen by many as a snub against the city's gay community. Ford has not ruled out finding time to attend other events over the 10-day long Pride Week that kicked off last Thursday.

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CBC — A Toronto weekly news magazine is offering to fly Mayor Rob Ford in from the cottage so he can attend Sunday's Pride Parade. Last week when asked whether he would attend the parade, Ford de...
CBC — A Toronto weekly news magazine is offering to fly Mayor Rob Ford in from the cottage so he can attend Sunday's Pride Parade. Last week when asked whether he would attend the parade, Ford de...
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Enza Anderson

Enza Anderson: Toronto Pride Week 2011 Should Welcome All, Even Rob Ford

If the gay community gets all righteous over yearning for the approval of this one fellow citizen, then more urgent issues are suffering. We need to get on with the wonderful work of proudly remaining open and inclusive to all.

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IYamWhatIYam
29 Fans
11:32 PM on 06/30/2011
Nice little PR campaign for the folks at NOW, that's about it. If they want to send aircraft to a lake, send a few kids to camp. You remember kids....they`re the little darlings that gay people cannot naturally have
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
SeanMartin
Everything in moderation.
1411 Fans
10:25 AM on 07/01/2011
Oh zing! Snap! Man, I bet you waited for *weeks* to use that line! And here you got your opportunity, right on Canada Day! Congratulations, sir! *Truly*, congratulations!

Finished? Sure? No more zingers like that? Good. Now go away.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
SeanMartin
Everything in moderation.
1411 Fans
11:01 PM on 06/30/2011
Personally, I think this is hysterical. The mayor no one wants to see, being told by one of the city's best weeklies that it'll fly him to an event that he really does NOT want to attend because it's cutting into his quality time with Molson and a flyrod.

This is why I love Canada, folks. We know how to make a controversy enjoyable.
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deliriousgod
22 Fans
10:32 PM on 06/30/2011
he's probably seen pictures

expectations are just too high here people

is still arguing benefits of deep-fryer
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cameron d
Good Guys Win
1039 Fans
 
08:58 PM on 06/30/2011
He was in town all week and he could have just raised the Pride flag at the beginning of the week, but no he snubbed the entire community instead. I can't stand this mayor.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Tyler Austin
Women = people. Corperations ≠ people.
366 Fans
08:38 PM on 06/30/2011
Personally I'd not expect him to attend the pride parade due to the many 'pro-family' stances he's taken in the past if he was just Councillor Ford. As a regular Joe maybe it'd be best if he didn't attend. Regarding it as a freak show as he does and questioning why the dear children should be subject to such depravitry. As the mayor though I'd at least hope he could fake a smile for a day for one of the largest and most needful minorities in the city.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
CommonWealth-SinglePayer
Walk on the Right, VOTE on the LEFT
172 Fans
05:31 PM on 06/30/2011
I am just stunned at the ignorance of people who think Mayor Ford's hiding from the Pride Parade and events is the same as the commentato­rs choice to attend the events or not.
When you are Mayor you do things like this.

And Ford has a sad past of hateful comments to assorted communitie­s and this is just another kick.

Latest news says Rob will be around for Canada Day Celebratio­ns, and... wait for the chorus of flag waving comments: of course the Mayor should attend Canada Day blah blah blah...
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Presto2112
26 Fans
 
02:16 PM on 06/30/2011
And I thought the homosexual community always pleaded for tolerance and acceptance. This is a demand for promotion and exploitation.
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donttwit
45 Fans
03:35 PM on 06/30/2011
Nooo, this is a request for tolerance and acceptance of the homosexual community......BY THE MAYOR. If anything, it's Ford's unprofessional conduct that has increased awareness of Pride Week.....and his unprofessional behaviour.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
PoliticalJunkie65
"Buzzinga!"
187 Fans
05:27 PM on 06/30/2011
I smell homophobia and it smells rank.
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J T B
24 Fans
02:01 PM on 06/30/2011
Oh for heaven's sake. I'm getting sick and tired of the intimidating tactics of the homosexual community. Grow up already! Let the man have his holiday. Don't YOU be so spoiled and selfish. Have some respect for other people. You are a group, you're having a parade - so have fun! Don't whine or act like spoiled brats just because somebody wants to do something else. It's a free country - don't you remember?
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
alsm9
Bombshell
466 Fans
02:45 PM on 06/30/2011
Who are you talking to????????????????? NOW Magazine isn't run by the gay community. He's the mayor of Toronto and his salary is paid for by the tax payers, ALL tax payers. It's his job to show up to these events.
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J T B
24 Fans
07:36 PM on 06/30/2011
I don't agree. I think if he wants to take a holiday weekend off to be with his family, he has every right to do so. In fact, I think it speaks well of him that he would choose a family activity over a political one. BTW - I don't know the man and have no opinions about him. I just think that public servants have a right to and in fact, should maintain the integrity of their own family lives despite intimidating political pressures.
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nightfly4257
83 Fans
 
01:01 PM on 06/30/2011
Better solution, since the Conservative spend a fortune and a half illegally on Huntsville for the G8, move the parade to Huntsville. If he won't come you, move to him. Better yet why not Rob Ford resign, move to his cottage in Huntsville and run for mayor there.
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Presto2112
26 Fans
 
02:14 PM on 06/30/2011
While I'm no fan of Toronto's current mayor, calling for his resignation for not walking being in a parade is ludicrous.
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JulienB
3 Fans
12:57 PM on 06/30/2011
Re-reading the comments everyone needs a history lesson on Pride Parades

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_parade

play close attention to the section on Canada and Toronto in particular, the host of World Pride in 2014.
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MWD335
39 Fans
01:27 PM on 06/30/2011
JulienB, in all fairness to you, what it started out as and the core of what it represents even today, most people would agree with. It has accomplished much to make people more aware. I think the main issue is how extreme some of the displays have become, especially in the public view, and the fact in some instances how it is forced on the public. People are for the most part resistive to extreme tactics. High jacking things is an example of this. Gay was a word that means lighthearted and carefree, only. A rainbow is a rainbow, an item that is loved by children. Surely they could have come up with something more original. We all need to back up a bit, slow down and refine our tactics to make our point, for whatever reason or cause.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jrfunkenstein
'It's a sad and beautiful world'
674 Fans
01:44 PM on 06/30/2011
So rainbows are only for children and words should not have multiple meanings?
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BlackRabbit
174 Fans
12:42 PM on 06/30/2011
Apparently the gay community figures the way to gain acceptance is to humiliate anyone who doesn't wholeheartedly endorse them.

In truth they are just creating political enemies.
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MWD335
39 Fans
01:07 PM on 06/30/2011
This also applies to communism, dictatorships authoritarianism, McDonalds, Wal Mart etc LOL

It's a pity really, I'm sure that there are many gay people who agree with you.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jrfunkenstein
'It's a sad and beautiful world'
674 Fans
01:45 PM on 06/30/2011
How is Ford facing repercussions from his self absorbed decision somehow the result of the gay community 'humiliating' him?
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MWD335
39 Fans
02:32 PM on 06/30/2011
It's all over the news, thats why.
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BlackRabbit
174 Fans
01:56 PM on 07/01/2011
Whether Ford is actually humiliated only he can say. But the attempt is undeniably there.
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dboire
4 Fans
11:59 AM on 06/30/2011
Ford has made his decision and people need to move on. If they don't like what he is doing as mayor, vote accordingly. db
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Surely57
25 Fans
11:52 AM on 06/30/2011
Come on, Rob, you're a politician now and that means sometimes ya gotta do what you don't wanna do.
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turkeylurky
Just keepin it real........
140 Fans
12:28 PM on 06/30/2011
That's certainly true of most politicians.
But Rob isn't that kind of ploitician and that why people voted for him and that's why people like him.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jrfunkenstein
'It's a sad and beautiful world'
674 Fans
01:47 PM on 06/30/2011
It's also why people hate him; a bully and bigot makes a poor leader for one of the most progressive and diverse cities on Earth.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
ljkcan
I don't let geographical borders limit my thinking
1638 Fans
11:51 AM on 06/30/2011
I think he should go just because he is Mayor of all of Toronto he cannot pick and choose who he wants to play mayor to and to thank people for visiting the city and giving it revenue. Then the other side of the coin is do people really want a party pooper there.

Save your money NOW he is not worth the flight.
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