Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

[Bruce Monkhouse]

But of course,...........when you visit city hall now there's always a chance of being honoured with The Kilo To The City.

 

[The Bread Guy]

But of course,...........when you visit city hall now there's always a chance of being honoured with The Kilo To The City.

Does one get "piped" in to get said kilo?  >

 

[mariomike]

i heard something weird on the radio today, i had to do a double take, i guess being a crack smoker increased his popularity with voters aged 19-34 from 11% up to 23%

Although I no longer depend on the city for a paycheck, I still pay property tax in Toronto. In spite of everything, he's still popular with some of my neighbours, most of whom are considerably older than 19-34.

Ahhhh..that's why there are blankets on a gurney.... >

Thankfully, I never had to sleep on one. That's what the couches were for! 

 

[Nemo888]

I though this story was dead but now yet another video has popped up.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/11/07/mayor_rob_ford_caught_in_video_rant.html

Most of Rob Ford's support comes from largely poorer and ethnic ridings. That I did not expect, perhaps that explains his bump in the polls. Street cred.

http://www.torontolife.com/informer/columns/2013/07/18/philip-preville-champion-of-the-working-class/

 

[Journeyman]

I though this story was dead but now yet another video has popped up.

Yes, at post #116.....from yesterday afternoon.  :not-again:


The awesome thing about this site is that you can READ too, not just post....    

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Was listening to K-Rock yesterday morning and The Big Kris & Boomer show is trying to promote awareness for prostate cancer.  I guess Big Kris is going to get a prostate exam live on air from the doctor and they were asking callers what could possibly make this a better event.

One caller phoned in and this was their dialogue:

Big Kris: "Hi caller what is your name?"

Caller:  "Hey Chris this is Bill from Kingston"

Big Kris:  "Hey Bill, I am going to be getting a Prostate exam on air to raise awareness for prostate cancer, what would you do to make this event more funny?"

Bill:  "Big Kris, the first thing I would do is call Rob Ford, tell him your having a prostate exam and you want him there!  To sweeten the deal tell him you will give him some crack!"  ;D

 

[pbi]

I have never had any time for this person, (and this may sound odd coming from me..), but I feel like we are now verging on torturing a wounded animal.

I didn't feel good or triumphant watching that latest video, nor watching his fumbling struggle to explain it as being "inebriated". Watching the Minister of Finance almost break into tears talking about the situation just reinforced this uneasy feeling.

This man, despite his denials, clearly has some very serious problems that he has no real idea how to deal with. He is in a swamp way, way over his head. He needs to sort himself out, before something worse happens to him. In my view, the people in his closest inner circle who are egging him on to "stay the course" may be looking after their own interests, but they are not serving Rob Ford, nor the City.

I remain convinced that he is not the man for the job, and that he needs to step down and clean up many , many things about his life, but I can't take pleasure in suffering.

 

[Remius]

If he had just taken a leave of absence and announced he was seeking help, likely he would have gotten kudos for it and in a year who knows, maybe even win the election.  By refusing to step down, and not really take responsibility for his actions (he blames them all on drunken stupors) he's essentially allowing the flood gates to open.  The media certainly won't leave him alone, the council is doing everything now to get rid of him or marginalise him.  I didn't know this but although the council can't remove him per se, they can cut off his office budget and remove him from the executive comitee.  Basically neutering him. 

I suspect that now we'll see more videos and hear about more stories and they are likely going to come from people who are/were close to him.

I don't know how he can subject himself to all of this.

 

[PMedMoe]

I have never had any time for this person, (and this may sound odd coming from me..), but I feel like we are now verging on torturing a wounded animal.

I didn't feel good or triumphant watching that latest video, nor watching his fumbling struggle to explain it as being "inebriated". Watching the Minister of Finance almost break into tears talking about the situation just reinforced this uneasy feeling.

This man, despite his denials, clearly has some very serious problems that he has no real idea how to deal with. He is in a swamp way, way over his head. He needs to sort himself out, before something worse happens to him. In my view, the people in his closest inner circle who are egging him on to "stay the course" may be looking after their own interests, but they are not serving Rob Ford, nor the City.

I remain convinced that he is not the man for the job, and that he needs to step down and clean up many , many things about his life, but I can't take pleasure in suffering.

I completely agree.  I have to wonder how much The Star paid for that video.  Ford should sue them and the person who gave the video to them (probably the person who taped it).  And before anyone chimes in with "Well, he's a public figure", etc, etc, think of this:  You're bathing your infant/toddler (in what is presumed to be a private setting) and someone secretly films it and puts it on the internet.  Grounds to sue?  You bet.


I think Ford should have done what Crantor said.  Hand over the reins to the Deputy Mayor and put himself in rehab.  Who knows?  He could have come back stronger with as much, if not more, support.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

You know what they say, it is better to have been known, for better or for worse  ;D

I predict a tourism spike for Toronto.  If the city has such colorful politicians people are going to want to come see what else the city has on offer.  :nod:

 

[the 48th regulator]

That last video was lame.

I have gone off on a rant against GO!!! back in the day, a hell of a lot worse than that!!

I agree, take time off, clean up slim down and come back a Lion!

I must admit, I have drank from the Purple Kool aid cup, and I love the guy!

dileas

tess

 

[Remius]

I heard on the news that it was something like 5,000$ for the video.

Not sure if video taping someone is illegal as it would seem, despite him being drunk, he might have known he was being taped. 

I'm also not sure if video taping someone without them knowing is actually a crime either.  Anyone?

 

[Journeyman]

I must admit, I have drank from the Purple Kool aid cup, and I love the guy!

Thanks for affirming my thoughts Tess    ;D

Having been posted to Toronto for three years, he seems appropriate

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

That last video was lame.

I have gone off on a rant against GO!!! back in the day, a hell of a lot worse than that!!

I agree, take time off, clean up slim down and come back a Lion!

I must admit, I have drank from the Purple Kool aid cup, and I love the guy!

dileas

tess

Agreed, guy has some personal problems that he needs to face down but I think this is why he is maintaining his popularity because normal people are able to actually connect and relate to him.  I would like to see him take a leave of absence, get himself cleaned up, take a little break from the bottle and come back a lion.

Too many politicians these days put on a facade of perfection but are a bunch of real charlatans once you peel away the layers.  The guy has some time to clean himself up and he can recover from this, he just needs to stick it to the media and tell them to stuff it!

 

[PMedMoe]

I heard on the news that it was something like 5,000$ for the video.

Not sure if video taping someone is illegal as it would seem, despite him being drunk, he might have known he was being taped. 

I'm also not sure if video taping someone without them knowing is actually a crime either.  Anyone?

It's in reference to the public release that may be the crime.

http://wiki.lawdepot.com/wiki/Model_and_Entertainment_Release_FAQ_-_Canada#Photograph_Rights

Mind you, I guess the video could be considered "newsworthy"....    :

Here's a comment from an article on Yahoo.  I can't vouch for the veracity:

Yep he's a drunk who smoked crack and still found time to do this:

1. Toronto is on track to spend less money this year than it did a year ago, the first time that's happened since the megacity was formed in 1998. While it's only $50 million less on a $9.4 billion operating budget, it's a remarkable achievement.

2. The city successfully negotiated four-year contracts with its unionized workers that will save taxpayers over $150 million, including curtailing "jobs for life". Ford delivered, without a garbage strike, what David Miller and Mel Lastman couldn't, with a garbage strike.

3. Garbage collection west of Yonge has been privatized, saving $80 million over seven years. This is especially impressive given the ongoing reluctance of spendthrift councillors to operate City Hall as a service provider for taxpayers, rather than an employment agency for workers.

4. Ford delivered a 0% property tax increase for 2011 and a 2.5% increase for 2012, for an average hike of 1.25% annually over two years, just over half Toronto's annual inflation rate.

5. Ford recently announced a $292 million surplus for 2011 which he's prudently spending on paying for streetcars the Miller administration bought on credit and replenishing reserves.

6. Ford successfully had the TTC declared essential, significantly reducing the risk of work stoppages.

7. Ford, as promised, eliminated Miller's $60 vehicle registration fee, returning $64 million annually to drivers.

8. Ford cut councillors' office budgets by $900,000 and his own by $700,000, as well as getting councillors to forgo a pay raise last year. These measures were crucial as they gave city negotiators the moral authority to demand concessions from the unions.

 

[pbi]

Agreed, guy has some personal problems that he needs to face down but I think this is why he is maintaining his popularity because normal people are able to actually connect and relate to him.  I would like to see him take a leave of absence, get himself cleaned up, take a little break from the bottle and come back a lion.

Too many politicians these days put on a facade of perfection but are a bunch of real charlatans once you peel away the layers.  The guy has some time to clean himself up and he can recover from this, he just needs to stick it to the media and tell them to stuff it!

I see the substance abuse as only one part of the problem, although it has been made into the centre piece of everything, and probably poses the greatest immediate threat to his health (besides his weight: these are not a good combination when you mix in stress). It certainly seems to me to have been the source of concerns by councillors, officials and even his personal staff over the last year, if not longer.

For me, almost since the beginning, there have been a whole range of things, smaller or bigger, some better substantiated than others, that when taken together suggest to me that he has, at least, a judgement problem. I'm not going to trot them all out here all over again, mainly because my aim isn't really to stoke that fire again, but also because it would require a fair bit of research work to present convincingly.

Perhaps I'm too old fashioned in my view of things, but I just can't accept his record of behaviours and associations. I'm also reasonably certain that he would not accept them in others, as witnessed by an offhand comment he made a couple of weeks ago to the effect that "...I knows lots of stuff about other people. too." by which I took him to mean councillors, etc.

I've read that as much of 40% of Toronto's electorate "identifies with him".  I wonder how many of those who claim to support him would: a) tolerate such behaviours for a nanosecond if he was a more Centre or Left politician; or b) would ignore this range of behaviours in a teacher, doctor, police official or someone who worked for them.

As I've said before, saying "he did it too/they all do it too" is in my view absolutely the weakest form of moral and ethical defence I can think of. Ford's defenders don't help themselves if they trot that out.

That said, I believe that a person can salvage themselves if they really want to, and if they can get free of circles of bad influence that drag them down by telling them that stupid or destructive behaviour is really good behaviour.

As far as the media goes, I disagree with telling them to "stuff it". He had the strong support of the National Post and the Sun, and he blew that. As part of his rehab/rethink, he needs to understand the power of the media (in all it forms, not just his radio talk show). To me a free media that is able to grill, drill and embarass people in power is not really an enemy or a threat: it is one of the very few protections citizens have against abuses of power by governments.

IMHO he needs to get smart and try to bring all media (and by extension, more Torontonians: the other 60 %) into his tent (to the exent that is actually possible). Dividing the city by demonizing people because they live south of the 401 and east of the Humber, or they like to ride bicycles, or to run on public throroughfares in charity runs, or whatever, is not productive in the long run.

Being a "Mayor of All The People" is a huge challenge, but IMHO that's what he needs to be if he is to be a truly great mayor fr what is, after all, still a pretty good city.

 

[jollyjacktar]

DJ Steve Porter - Rob Ford Crack Remix

;D

 

[dimsum]

I really need to get updated with the Rob Ford situation; it's news/comedy here in Australia since they've finally found a politician as ridiculous as some of their own.

 

[Nemo888]

I am beginning to love Rob Ford.

I hated him since he attempted to rezone land beside his house and sell it to himself at a fraction of market value. Most politicians have a network where favours like this are done constantly. ie You get my cousin a job in the land permit office. I vote for a rezoning project in your district that one of your major contributors wants but the majority of your constituents dislike. I then trade some sketchy permits getting passed for my brother in law becoming a parole officer, etc, etc, I love Ford because he is so staggeringly tactless he picks up the phone and tries to do these things himself and inevitably gets caught red handed. He does not even have the sense to get a staffer or family member to call for plausible deniability. He raises awareness about municipal corruption and is unsuccessful at gaining the fruits of his corruption. Ironically from this metric he is an excellent public servant. Perhaps voting for him is not so dumb after all.

There is probably another video coming soon, I won't scar you with the details.

 

[pbi]

This has always been a big part of my impression of him: that he is almost completely unaware of himself; of the position he holds (except as a source of power) or of the most basic tenets of ethical leadership. Coming from a very wealthy family, he seems to me to project a sense of entitlement that leads to ugly situations such as bullying the 911operators and shrieking for the head of a lowly city employee caught sleeping on the job. Many of his other actions suggest a belief that "the rules don't apply to me".
But I agree that he is almost a training aid for studying municipal corruption and misbebaviour. It's like something out of  Mississipi in the 1920's:

"Me 'n my brother Doug run this hyah town, y' heah me, an' we doan need no po-lees chief gettin in the way!"
All the slagging aside, I still see him as a person who desperately needs help.