Rob Ford's Toronto

[John_Dee]

He got quite a bit from east as well in Oshawa and pickering which is old stock white people who fled Toronto in the mid 80s and 90s

A few years back, shortly after Now Magazine did their "Emperor Has No Clothes" cover photo spoof featuring a photo-shopped Ford in the nude (but wearing a fig leaf), the editor of Now reported that he'd gotten letters complaining about the cover from some White Power/redneck types, one of whom snarled that Now's latest "attack" on Ford was just the most recent example of the magazine's "anti-white" bias. I don't think it takes much imagination to understand what animates so many of the anti-Toronto crowd, or what they find appealing about Rob Ford. (Hint: It ain't his cosmopolitanism.)

Meanwhile, it occurs to me that Lisi just might be expecting little more than a slap on the wrist if he does indeed fall on his sword for his Lord & Master. And why wouldn't he? Much like Ford himself, he's received little in the way of real consequences for his scumbag behavior over the years. But wouldn't it be delightful if the police and the courts decided to make an example of good ol' 'loyal' Lisi, and ended up throwing the book at the rotten bastard? Besides the entertainment value of witnessing the gob-smacked look on his face when the sentence is read ("But...but...but!"), I have to say it would be nice to see at least one genuine villain get what's coming to him in this extraordinarily nasty situation.

 

[Admiral Beez]

What a depressing day. This whole thing between the TPS and OPP is odd; you'd expect them to have a dual press conference and to have their stories straight. I am betting the OPP is protecting someone or a whole lot of someones.

Or maybe, the OPP has concluded the TPS has nothing on Ford. Now if the TPS had simply intercepted Ford and Lissi immediately upon their convert meetings and package exchanges, maybe then they'd have something. Now they've got nothing.

So many here on UT were sure the mayor was going to be charged, MetroMan nearly guaranteed it. It's a great example of wishful thinking.

 

[Electrify]

Also how do Ford supporters think a compulsive liar that cannot build consensus will help them? After 2010 Ford had a few early "wins", but has done very close to nothing since then. He's also completely failed to address the LTT, <i>and</i> he's responsible for a large part of the recent tax hike...

Specific concerns of communities like Vaughan have about Toronto are often related to issues like potential road tolls, or petrol taxes used to support transit. Loads of people drive into Toronto everyday to earn their living, and retreat to their bedroom communities at night. The funny thing is that opposing transit funding actually makes life worse for these people. There are also (as mentioned earlier) people who just dislike Toronto, and/or dislike people they think are "lefties", and want to watch them squirm. I have an uncle who is voting for Ford simply because it's upsetting to "left wingers".

Agree with a lot of what you said, but I think the reality is that a lof people who live in the 905 belt region also work there as well. The only thing holding these economies back are the exuberant road tolls on the 407...

 

[fordmoreyears]

Or maybe, the OPP has concluded the TPS has nothing on Ford. Now if the TPS had simply intercepted Ford and Lissi immediately upon their convert meetings and package exchanges, maybe then they'd have something. Now they've got nothing.

So many here on UT were sure the mayor was going to be charged, MetroMan nearly guaranteed it. It's a great example of wishful thinking.

I would say that it is a great example of the privilege that comes with wealth, power, connections and race.
And how the mayor leverages that privilege into doing whatever the fuck he wants.

 

[themarc]

I would say that it is a great example of the privilege that comes with wealth, power, connections and race.
And how the mayor leverages that privilege into doing whatever the fuck he wants.

Even Conrad Black's privilege, wealth, power, connections and race didn't keep his family from suffering the wrath of their own actions... and he defined "The Canadian Establishment"....

all Humpty Dumpty's have their Day.

 

[ParkdalePetunia]

So after a long hard day of thinking about this, what have we really lost? There was already a decent amount of scepticism that Ford was actually going to be arrested. This didn't change the evidence, or the case that's being brought against Lisi. The investigation is still ongoing and the OPP haven't formally withdrawn according to Sgt. Giroux. So what's actually been lost? I fail to see how any of this is worse off today than it was yesterday, or three months earlier. We've always been frustrated with the timeline of the investigation and the various "leaks" from police that bolster Ford's bravado. Today is no different. Chin up my friends, tomorrow's a new day.

 

[Electrify]

Perhaps the police should do what they normally do to someone they don't like nut has done nothing wrong: Beat him up and charge that he assaulted an officer, then when the court date happens the Crown simply "drops" the charges.

Normally I don't support such tactics, but it may teach him a valuable lesson...

 

[Bennett000]

Agree with a lot of what you said, but I think the reality is that a lof people who live in the 905 belt region also work there as well. The only thing holding these economies back are the exuberant road tolls on the 407...

Most definitely. Most of the 905ers I know work in the 905, and I even know a 416er who commutes to the 905.

I grew up in the 905 (it was still 416 for part of that time!), and Toronto's influence is massive. I certainly know more 905ers that claim to be from Toronto when they travel outside of the GTA, than vice-versa. Culture, sports, and night life that isn't in a strip mall tend to require travelling to Toronto, or if you're frugal, Hamilton.

 

[jml]

The new ITO documents are at the bottom of this CBC link if anybody wants to read them:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...threats-revealed-in-police-wiretaps-1.2597046

If TPS can't link Ford to this using all that data on Lisi's phone, plus his SMS messages, they aren't fit to police a children's soccer game.

 

[tiffer24]

Someone is getting a little cocky tonight at council... not sure what set this off. Child support is exactly like smoking crack.

reporterdonpeat 9:03pm via Twitter for BlackBerry®
"I take care of my kids not like some people" Mayor Rob Ford snaps at Cllr Adam Vaughan

ddale8 9:04pm via Web
Rob Ford to Adam Vaughan: "Make sure you make your monthly payments." Was he talking about Vaughan's eldest child?

 

[Sweet Mister]

Wow, what a c*nt. <-- British, forgive me

My takeaway from all this is that TPS have been publicly humiliated today. They now have an extraordinary amount to prove. Blair in particular has been made to look like a complete ass.

Two possibilities

1. They give up and move on
2. They target RoFo with renewed vigour

What are your thoughts?

 

[jml]

Any thoughts on what this redaction might be?

 

[themarc]

Wow, what a c*nt. <-- British, forgive me

My takeaway from all this is that TPS have been publicly humiliated today. They now have an extraordinary amount to prove. Blair in particular has been made to look like a complete ass.

Two possibilities

1. They give up and move on
2. They target RoFo with renewed vigour

What are your thoughts?

TPS lays every charge they can drum up and wear out RoFo's legal $$ allowance (this could drag on for a few years and kill the family's public facade)?

 

[Admiral Beez]

I would say that it is a great example of the privilege that comes with wealth, power, connections and race.
And how the mayor leverages that privilege into doing whatever the fuck he wants.

Jeez. Or, maybe TPS has got nothing?

Ford has no power, no connections, and what about race? He's a part owner of a label company - sure that's good money, but he's not wealthy. Frank Stronach is wealthy, Ford's income is about the same as most upper middle class (doctors, lawyers, and yes, successful company co-owners).

TPS let Ford walk not because of connection, wealth, power or race, but because they screwed up.

 

[Adaax]

I find it interesting that these events are barely registering with the public or with the MSM. Even on the Sun (website) front page the only Ford link is to the "dirty cops" reference. The Leafs vs. Bruins game is what everyone is talking about, not Ford.

What this tells me is that even if Ford were arrested and charged, few would care. Nothing he does is news anymore, since everyone is decided on him one way or another. People have tuned out, and probably will until closer to election day.

Ford is partially right when he says his skeleton closet is bare. Probably it's not, but enough has spilled out that people have made their judgments and moved on.