Alright everybody, slow down. Let's allow ourselves a moment to really think about the impact Rob Ford being booted from office is really going to have on the city or Toronto, the place it only seems like we remembered we lived in since Ford came along.
Cause it was kind of like waking up, wasn't it? Ever since that first tender cry of Ford, a sound that can only be described as a siren being sped up through a yak bak repeated by a smarmy parrot yelling at you through an intercom -- shrill and persistent and hammering down on your senses -- we were suddenly all awake, galvanized to this frothing renegade on our radar.
Sure we all loved former Mayor Miller and how tall he is, but he ignored the suburbs for a bit too long and they responded in kind by unleashing this red-faced champion on our selvedge-barn wood doorstep. We couldn't help it, we were mesmerized.
Everything he did was newsworthy, on all the national front pages. The whole country was paying attention to Toronto, some saying we finally got what we deserved and vehemently jubilant that our long-toted "arrogance" (or whatever) had finally conjured up its own succubus. We loved it!
Ford was, in his own fumbling toward ecstasy sort of way, successfully rallying the entire country. CNN, BBC, they all started paying attention to Toronto, playing into our forever-the-hated older sibling stereotype and need for attention. Sure, it was embarrassing to have a Mayor who looked nothing like Kurt Russell but wanted to pull some sort of reverse Escape From New York on us, but wasn't it kind of nice to pretend for a minute we had a real live liege lord? And how about having a guy in control that was simply too busy doing his job to look at the road when he was driving, or was finally the one to act out what we were all thinking every time we see any cast member from This Hour Has A Million Too Many Boring Minutes.
And that is -- was? Admittedly it's hard to let go and start talking in past tense here -- the undeniable irony of Ford, that he had us all paying attention.
It is hard to say when there's been such a unanimous, near-voracious interest in a civic politician. Whether or not you were just along for the laughs there was no doubt you were still taking in the politics of the situation as it unfolded. It was impossible to turn a blind eye to a man who refused to get out of the picture, and in doing so rallied an entire city around -- though against -- him.
Even downtown Toronto's favoured fallback argument of blaming the sleepy ol' suburbs, which face it is getting as tacky and predictable as jabs about Ford's weight, fell flat on its face. The 'burbs too began to see the fallibility in the ignorance that was thus far keeping Ford afloat beginning to deflate. Here we all were finally, rallying behind Toronto's new collective city mantra: "What the hell?"
And unfortunately that's where it stopped. No one can be particularly surprised that Ford finally got caught in one of his weird cartoon gaffes, only that this one seems to be on something of the tamer side and that he literally did it to himself. Some might wonder where his staff were but that is easy since they'd most likely bought out all the Motrin in a 100 mile radius and were looking for some at a Rexall in Ajax.
Clayton Ruby is right, Rob Ford did this to Rob Ford, but Rob Ford also did this to us. The turn now is what's going to be interesting. Whether or not we address without predictable finger-pointing the needs of city vs. suburbs, if they can exist separately, if they are able to, if we want them to, basically a whole lot of questions for an ultimately fleeting interim Mayor. And who is Doug Holyday besides a Gollum-esque in-the-meantime?
Are we ready to consider new candidates for Mayor, and if we're looking at a mid-March election does that give anyone enough time to come up with the money to launch a successful campaign against a teen girl dramatic martyred Ford? Who please believe is going to make his comeback campaign look like a Sun News lauded crusade against this new omnipotent "left." These are the open ends left when this type of shit goes down with no option of recall legislation. We're stuck in a leaderless city in a leaderless province singing over and over the requiem of Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again On My Own."
'Cause wouldn't it have been incredible if Ford's last gift and legacy to the city was voting him out on the high-tide of self-hatred he'd stirred up. There is something much more resolute and indisputable in a decision delivered in a thousand swifts kicks instead of one single one by an old white guy. If that had happened we could probably have cast a statue of him and set it outside City Hall with a plaque that just said "HERO."
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| @ TorStarEditor : #robford here is an early look at Wednesday's front page of the Toronto Star. http://t.co/eVToRKDI |
The Toronto Star tweeted a photo fo their front page with an exclusive story on how the Ford brothers could be planning a way to maintain power if Rob were unable to run in a by-election. More details as they come.
More bad news for Rob Ford on Tuesday. The Don Bosco Eagles, the high school football team he coaches fell to the Huron Heights Warriors 28-14 at the Metro Bowl.
Rob Ford was consistent in one thing though. The mayor left today's council meeting to attend the football game. The mayor has been criticized in the past for missing key votes to coach his team.
A tired-looking Rob Ford appeared before dozens of reporters at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon. Ford made a brief statement to the media and took no questions. A full text of his statement:
Good afternoon everyone. I was elected two years ago by the people of Toronto to do a job. We have accomplished a lot in the past two years. But, that job isn't finished yet. I respect the Court's decision that was released yesterday. My decision to appeal is not a criticism of the Court. But, I feel it is important to work through the appeal system so I can continue to do the work I was elected to do. This entire matter began because I love to help kids play football. When this came to Council for the vote in question, I felt it was important to answer the accusations that had been made against me. I was focused on raising money to help underprivileged youth. I never believed there was a conflict of interest because I had nothing to gain. And, the City had nothing to lose. But, I respect the court's decision. Looking back, maybe I could have expressed myself in a different way. To everyone who believes I should have done this differently – I sincerely apologize. The people elected me to bring respect for taxpayers back to City Hall, and I will keep working to do exactly that for as long as I can – or, until the people elect someone else to do the job. Thank you. Unfortunately, that is all I can say at this time.
Ford at times appeared close to tears while he was delivering the statement. His voice appeared to break a few times and he was quickly escorted out of the room by his press secretary.
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| @ LindaNguyenTO : Suffice to say, the media interest in @TOMayorFord's news conference at 3:30pm is huge. Here's a pic of cams #TOpoli http://t.co/5e8Yg5jw |
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| @ JProskowGlobal : Mayor Rob Ford will read a prepared statement to the media at 3:30PM |
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| @ SidRyan_OFL : All due respects to Clay Ruby but court case was dumb politics. Ford is many things but hes not a criminal. Now he's a martyr. #TOpoli |
Mayor Ford's lawyers will be filing his appeal on December 5, the Globe and Mail is reporting.
The appeal to the Divisional Court will be the only one he's allowed and will determine whether he'll be able to stay on as Mayor. Earlier today the city solicitor said that Ford will likely receive a stay in his sentence, which means he would be allowed to stay on as mayor until the court rules on his appeal.
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| @ StrashinCBC : City hall security has been aggressive today protecting @TOMayorFord from media throng. Saw a guard physically stop. Star's Dave Rider.#sl |
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| @ kellygrant1 : Councillors are running all over the place. So Nunziata forces them back to their seats with a quorum call. #topoli |
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| @ BenSpurr : Well there we go. Pressed by reporters, Mammoliti says Ford should step down, at least temporarily, pending his appeal #TOpoli |
Toronto's City Council got a bit more clarity on the Ford case during Tuesday's meeting. City solicitor Anna Kinastowski outlined the legal road ahead for Mayor Ford and Council.
Mayor Ford will have to file an appeal to the Divisional Court and Ford's lawyers will likely ask for a suspension of the sentence — meaning Ford should be able to stay on as Mayor while the appeal is being decided.
The appeal to Divisional Court will be the mayor's sole appeal and it is binding. In the event the mayor does not receive a suspension of his sentence during his appeal, a scenario that Kinastowski said would be unusual and unlikely, the mayor's job would be vacant as of December 10th.
If the city were to hold a by-election to replace the mayor, the city solicitor says that her reading of Judge Hackland's ruling is that the mayor won't be able to run in a by-election and would have to wait until 2014 to run again.
The solicitor also clarified that Ford's legal fees are not being paid for by the City. "The City is not involved," Kinastowski said.
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| @ NPHallMonitor : "The mayor is the mayor, it is business as usual," said Anna Kinastowski, city solicitor, noting judge ruling takes effect in 14 days |
With Rob Ford possibly out of a job, speculation swirls around who will replace him. Will it be a city councillor? A former mayoral candidate? What about a warrior-princess?
This Hour Has 22 Minutes' Marg Delahunty makes her pitch why she should run the City of Toronto.
It's going to be a busy and possibly feisty day at Toronto City Council.
CBC looks at the road ahead for Mayor Ford and city council.
But if yesterday is any indication, that two weeks will be filled with intense legal speculation about whether Ford will seek a stay of the Hackland ruling while an appeal is heard, not to mention political intrigue as Ford opponents and supporters jockey to figure out how to replace him.If he does go, there are currently two options on the table: appoint a caretaker mayor to fill out the remaining two years of the term or call a byelection. And while it is early days yet, some councillors, including some previously loyal Ford supporters, are beginning to make their preferences heard.
As for the mayor, Ford has said he will appeal the decision at a divisional court. But in order to remain as mayor while the appeal is going forward, he would likely also have to apply for a stay of proceedings.
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| @ thechrisws : Via @jpags, the Toronto Star's Ford coverage includes a recipe for humble pie: http://t.co/BUWROeBz |
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| @ KatieSimpson24 : Mayor Ford speaking with his brother in council chambers ahead of today's meeting. #Toronto http://t.co/YrPtuTwb |
The Toronto Star profiles the 27-year-old who may have helped bring down the mayor. From the article:
“History will write him up as a hero,” left-leaning Councillor Joe Mihevc, who has known Chaleff-Freudenthaler since the latter’s childhood, said on Monday.“He’s an obstructionist who’s never been happy with Rob Ford getting elected as mayor,” said right-leaning Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong.
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| @ JProskowGlobal : "You can't put a price on democracy" says Doug ford on cost of by election. "We don't live in Egypt" |
A few things we'll be looking out for today:
1) The Argos Grey Cup parade will wind through the downtown core starting at 11:30. Will Mayor Ford show up?
2) City Council meets today. The city's budget is on the agenda and debate around that can get messy during the best of years. Some councillors have been saying they need a special session to deal with rulings around Rob Ford's court case. We'll see if this happens.
3) The Metro Bowl, the city's championship football game is scheduled for tonight at 8 p.m. Rob Ford's Don Bosco Eagles will be playing for the title. Doug Ford, the mayor's brother, has called for a rally before the game for supporters of the mayor.
Questions are being raised about an all-or-nothing provision in a previously little-known "draconian" law that was thrust into the spotlight Monday after it was used to unseat the mayor of Canada's largest city.
As we have come to expect with all things newsworthy, today's ruling that Rob Ford was to be removed from office was the genesis of a bunch of internet stuff.
At Toronto’s City Hall, surely the most ambiently lunatic building in Canada, a stage was set up to launch the Mayor’s Christmas Toy Drive. Eight small children had been procured to act as “honourary elves,” sitting cross-legged on a carpet at the foot of a Christmas tree, flanked by boxes of mini-trikes and construction cranes. A boxed CFL football sat ominously to one side. The mayor was scheduled to launch the drive at 1 p.m. An enormous crowd of reporters buzzed about. Interest in the mayor’s event had amplified to unusual levels by news that the mayor had just gotten himself fired.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been ordered out of office after being found guilty of breaking conflict of interest rules, but he's not the only Canadian mayor running into trouble:
Think you know Rob Ford? Buzzfeed lists eight of his more memorable moments.
Lawyer Clayton Ruby, a Toronto citizen, Paul Magder and the mayor himself react to today's court ruling.
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| @ TorontoStar : #RobFord timeline: Mayor has had two years of ups and downs http://t.co/Gq23KVYl Story by @paulmoloney4. #TOpoli |
A number of HuffPost Canada bloggers have weighed in the Rob Ford case:
Blogger and comedian Josh Bowman lays out 10 things he learned from Rob Ford. From the blog:
People hate nothing more than hypocrisy in politicians. Corrupt politicians who complain about corruption. Lazy politicians who complain about waste. Lying politicians who complain about a lack of accountability. Nobody is perfect, but if you are going to launch an attack, do your best to live by the principles you espouse.
Katie Heindl says that we should say 'thank you' to Mayor Ford for actually making us interested in civic politics. From the blog:
Ford was, in his own fumbling toward ecstasy sort of way, successfully rallying the entire country. CNN, BBC, they all started paying attention to Toronto, playing into our forever-the-hated older sibling stereotype and need for attention. Sure, it was embarrassing to have a Mayor who looked nothing like Kurt Russell but wanted to pull some sort of reverse Escape From New York on us, but wasn't it kind of nice to pretend for a minute we had a real live liege lord?
While writer Abubakar Kasim said that the mayor doesn't deserve to get fired. From his blog:
While I respect the court's ruling, I think there were other major breaches that warranted similar severe consequences, such as Ontario's $1-billion eHealth consulting scandal; the cancellation of two gas plants in Mississauga and Oakville at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to taxpayers; the Ontario Lottery and Gaming scandal; the Samsung deal scandal; the Eco Tax scandal and so on.
Niki Thomas echoes a familiar refrain, that Rob Ford had no one to blame but himself. Read her blog:
As an embarrassed former Ford supporter (a confession which I made a few months back) it didn't take me long to realize I had supported the wrong candidate. From the very moment he was inaugurated, by Don Cherry of all people, we knew we were in for a rough ride. Cherry was downright insulting during the ceremony, attacking "pinko commies" for their support of bike lanes, and bragging about the major changes Ford was expected to bring. The vitriol and anger being spouted during the inauguration were just a sign of things to come.
Premier McGuinty, at a press conference on the Windsor-Detroit Bridge, isn't answering questions on the Rob Ford court case. He says the matter is still before the courts.
He leaves it up to the appropriate ministry to look over the provincial laws regulating behaviour of municipal politicians.
Follow Katie Heindl on Twitter: www.twitter.com/wtevs
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natnewswatch
Bobba-Robba #FordRealityTVShowNames
35 minutes ago from web
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natnewswatch
I'm fully expecting GM to latch onto Rob Ford's statement saying 'You cannot buy a Ford'.
42 minutes ago from web
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| WilfDinnick Small dose of humour in this sordid story. MT '@BloomTO: new t-shirts. #TOpoli #RobFord #DougFord http://t.co/Zvdzoph2O5" | ||
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cselley
I think the Globe's front page story today is a significant boost to Rob Ford's reelection prospects.
2 hours ago from HootSuite
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OttawaCitizen
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford brother sold hashish in the 1980s, newspaper alleges. http://t.co/5tvtsklmDU
3 hours ago from HootSuite
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TabathaSouthey
He is the anti-Rob RT @kimberlygale: DougFord is on his way to #CBC for an interview with @AshaTomlinson & @StrashinCBC @CBCToronto
3 hours ago from TweetDeck
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cselley
I guess Doug Ford has a different lawyer than Rob Ford.
3 hours ago from TweetDeck
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shinangovani
I think Julianne Moore should play both Rob AND Doug Ford in the movie. #CP24
4 hours ago from web
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TabathaSouthey
I guess Rob and Doug have different lawyers as Doug Ford's lawyers do not appear to have advised him not to deny everything.
4 hours ago from TweetDeck
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WhoWhatWear
Every girl needs a killer pair of wedges in her wardrobe. Here's our affordable @Topshop pick: http://t.co/Z4k3OdrTqn
4 hours ago from TweetDeck
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TorontoStar
Doug Ford is speaking shortly to the media. Follow LIVE: http://t.co/2ubLad2nMc On mobile? http://t.co/h2G4o25WjP #TOpoli #RobFord #globe
4 hours ago from HootSuite
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jayrosen_nyu
Superb re-cap in Macleans of the utterly bizarre situation the (bizarre) mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, finds himself in http://t.co/z1WsZBSdbM
5 hours ago from bitly
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doctorow
Reminder to those interested in how Web works; now is a great time to watch edits on Rob/Doug Fords' Wikipedia pages http://t.co/OqGs7TW5T8
5 hours ago from web
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redneckmommy
I have read entirely too much about mayor Rob Ford and as much as I love Toronto, for the love of all that is good, please make it STOP.
6 hours ago from TweetDeck
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RadioCanadaInfo
Rob Ford : la controverse se poursuit http://t.co/IH4zSkKlLI
6 hours ago from dlvr.it
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| bruce_arthur My pal @hockeyesque pieces together things Rob Ford has said, and it forms a glittering mural of the man: http://t.co/b92nihRCQ5 | ||
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InklessPW
If one never voted for Rob or Doug Ford, I'm not sure why one needs a 400th reason not to. And I haven't known them to be "tough on crime"
8 hours ago from TweetDeck
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InklessPW
4. Oh oh there is a 4. I think it's possible for story to be legitimate AND for it to have little to do with how we perceive Rob Ford today.
8 hours ago from TweetDeck
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spectator
He might not have taken crack, but Toronto's mayor Rob Ford has done more than enough to irritate @leahmclaren http://t.co/i26QV9gz4o
9 hours ago from HootSuite
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CanoeNouvelles
Nouveau scandale à #Toronto: le frère de Rob Ford, Doug, un revendeur de drogue? http://t.co/GZ9WGRPhd0
9 hours ago from web
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CBCNews
If alleged Rob Ford video surfaces: Q&A with Dave McKay, @BlackstoneCSI on how to do video forensics http://t.co/TJOoMJxJf4 Publ. Tues.
10 hours ago from web
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nationalpost
From @nparts: Dave Bidini: Rob Ford explains himself in his own words in this roundup of zingers http://t.co/fZ6xGE074j
10 hours ago from dlvr.it
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CBCNews
Will Rob Ford's supporters leave Ford Nation? http://t.co/PVrp8SvILn
12 hours ago from twitterfeed
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charliedemers
Let's all take a second to remember how much Don Cherry loved Rob Ford.
15 hours ago from web
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laurenonizzle
RT @tcote: Soylent green is Rob Ford. #GlobeBombshell #topoli
16 hours ago from TweetDeck
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| blakehounshell *Rob Ford, not Tom Ford. | ||
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CBCNews
Rob Ford video questions linger after denial http://t.co/H7Sxl8lxR2
20 hours ago from twitterfeed
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InklessPW
Our Nicholas Köhler takes the long view on Rob Ford's life and career. http://t.co/E4YtdxUM8V
21 hours ago from TweetDeck
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TabathaSouthey
Mr @ivortossell's great piece on Rob Ford is, alone, responsible for one-quarter of the traffic at macleans.ca today. http://t.co/0IfwGRvqoC
22 hours ago from TweetDeck
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InklessPW
This post by @ivortossell on Rob Ford is, alone, responsible for one-quarter of the traffic at macleans.ca today. http://t.co/pH8HFDXagy
22 hours ago from TweetDeck
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| Megan Has Buddy Cianci said anything about Rob Ford? | ||
| joshgreenman Join the club. RT @jbarro: So basically Rob Ford announced that he is not, at this second, smoking crack? | ||
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RadioCanadaInfo
[VIDÉO] "Je ne consomme pas de crack", dit le maire de Toronto, Rob Ford: http://t.co/xHab5KJWzB
23 hours ago from TweetDeck
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| IbecameMyDad Don't worry Mr.Towhey. "Got fired by Rob Ford" is probably a total resume booster. | ||
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jbendery
".... because why not, Rob Ford, YOLO...." -- @dceiver on @HuffPostLive right now, talking and laughing about something.
1 day ago from web
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| bruce_arthur Featuring yet another Rob Ford photo. RT @cselley: My thoughts on today's, uh, developments at City Hall http://t.co/85CzhTbRrj | ||
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MacleansMag
What to make of what Rob Ford said http://t.co/iaJaDGcR22 #TOpoli #cdnpoli #macleans
1 day ago from web
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| RadioCanadaInfo Voici ce qui retient l'attention en fin de journée, en 5 titres: http://t.co/GRAH66aKA3 #RobFord #Washington #OACI #NPD #Polcan | ||
| lisang Commenters in response to the Gawker post on #RobFord seem pretty convinced that the mayor bought the video. http://t.co/Q1pmk0OJfW | ||
| globeandmail From @GlobeArts: Q&A: What The Daily Show's Samantha Bee really thinks of Rob Ford http://t.co/j7yOuQKlet #TVtonight | ||