unimaginative2
Senior Member
Councillors feud over roadworks
VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR
Councillor Rob Ford shrugs as he is surrounded by shouting protesters yesterday at Weston Rd. and Sheppard Ave. in a bizarre exchange of insults and accusations. Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti said Ford shouldn’t meddle in his ward’s affairs. Ford accused Mammoliti of organizing the protest.
Denials and accusations as feuding councillors Mammoliti and Ford argue over road works
Aug 08, 2007 04:30 AM
Daniel Dale
STAFF REPORTER
In a bizarre 45 minutes of political farce yesterday, long-feuding city councillors Rob Ford and Giorgio Mammoliti managed to find a way to trade insults at the site of a road construction project they both support.
In summary: Ford (Ward 2, Etobicoke North) accused Mammoliti (Ward 7, York West) of being an unresponsive councillor, Mammoliti accused Ford of being a serial meddler in other councillors' affairs, Ford accused Mammoliti of organizing an anti-Ford protest, and Mammoliti accused Ford of organizing opposition to a Mammoliti-backed road resurfacing Ford says he actually likes.
This, all, while Ford stood, laughing and shrugging, at the closed-for-construction intersection in Mammoliti's ward – during a 50-person "Stay In Your Ward, Rob Ford" demonstration.
The pair never actually came in direct contact during the protest but exchanged barbs as they spoke to reporters separately.
The strange drama – which played out before a half-dozen bemused road workers – began around 11 a.m., when Ford arrived at Weston Rd. and Sheppard Ave. He was greeted by chanting, sign-carrying protesters.
"We didn't elect you," some yelled. "Go home, Rob Ford!"
"He came from another ward to interfere with our project here," said Mammoliti constituent Lou Santonato, who said he was the protest's organizer.
"I understood that, through his office, a news release was sent out that there was going to be a protest against the project going on here, and the rest of us heard about it. I organized the gathering here to express our views."
Ford, surrounded by booing protesters on the Weston Rd. sidewalk, said he has never opposed the project, never attempted to organize a meeting for its opponents.
He said he sent out neither a news release nor the flyers some protesters said they have received at their homes.
Ford said he thinks the project is "great."
He came to the closed intersection, he said, merely to "see what the situation is" at the request of three dissatisfied Mammoliti constituents who contacted him.
"Three people called me last week, they said meet me out here. So I'm meeting them out here! I didn't do anything wrong. I'll go to Scarborough, I'll go to downtown. I'll talk to any taxpayer. I'll go anywhere at any time."
Ford said Mammoliti, whose ward is adjacent to his, was the real protest organizer.
"No, the man from the moon did it. Of course he did it! C'mon," Ford said.
Hogwash, Mammoliti said after Ford drove away.
"How could that have happened? I just found out about it this morning. I was on vacation last week."
Mammoliti said Ford is a chronic ward-meddler who should stick to his own turf.
"It's not like this is the first time he's done it," he said.
"Talk to any councillor. They'll tell you. Talk to Howard Moscoe. Talk to Frances Nunziata. Talk to any of the local councillors (in whose wards) he has tried to intervene."
Ford and Mammoliti have battled for years. In 2002, Mammoliti, who is of Italian heritage, accused Ford of calling him a "Gino boy" during a council debate.
Last year, Mammoliti complained at council that Ford was using office space in an Etobicoke municipal building without paying for it.
And earlier this year, Mammoliti asked the city's integrity commissioner to examine whether Ford, who habitually reports using fewer than $10 of his $53,000 annual expenses budget, has breached city rules by buying supplies and throwing parties for constituents on his own dime.
VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR
Councillor Rob Ford shrugs as he is surrounded by shouting protesters yesterday at Weston Rd. and Sheppard Ave. in a bizarre exchange of insults and accusations. Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti said Ford shouldn’t meddle in his ward’s affairs. Ford accused Mammoliti of organizing the protest.
Denials and accusations as feuding councillors Mammoliti and Ford argue over road works
Aug 08, 2007 04:30 AM
Daniel Dale
STAFF REPORTER
In a bizarre 45 minutes of political farce yesterday, long-feuding city councillors Rob Ford and Giorgio Mammoliti managed to find a way to trade insults at the site of a road construction project they both support.
In summary: Ford (Ward 2, Etobicoke North) accused Mammoliti (Ward 7, York West) of being an unresponsive councillor, Mammoliti accused Ford of being a serial meddler in other councillors' affairs, Ford accused Mammoliti of organizing an anti-Ford protest, and Mammoliti accused Ford of organizing opposition to a Mammoliti-backed road resurfacing Ford says he actually likes.
This, all, while Ford stood, laughing and shrugging, at the closed-for-construction intersection in Mammoliti's ward – during a 50-person "Stay In Your Ward, Rob Ford" demonstration.
The pair never actually came in direct contact during the protest but exchanged barbs as they spoke to reporters separately.
The strange drama – which played out before a half-dozen bemused road workers – began around 11 a.m., when Ford arrived at Weston Rd. and Sheppard Ave. He was greeted by chanting, sign-carrying protesters.
"We didn't elect you," some yelled. "Go home, Rob Ford!"
"He came from another ward to interfere with our project here," said Mammoliti constituent Lou Santonato, who said he was the protest's organizer.
"I understood that, through his office, a news release was sent out that there was going to be a protest against the project going on here, and the rest of us heard about it. I organized the gathering here to express our views."
Ford, surrounded by booing protesters on the Weston Rd. sidewalk, said he has never opposed the project, never attempted to organize a meeting for its opponents.
He said he sent out neither a news release nor the flyers some protesters said they have received at their homes.
Ford said he thinks the project is "great."
He came to the closed intersection, he said, merely to "see what the situation is" at the request of three dissatisfied Mammoliti constituents who contacted him.
"Three people called me last week, they said meet me out here. So I'm meeting them out here! I didn't do anything wrong. I'll go to Scarborough, I'll go to downtown. I'll talk to any taxpayer. I'll go anywhere at any time."
Ford said Mammoliti, whose ward is adjacent to his, was the real protest organizer.
"No, the man from the moon did it. Of course he did it! C'mon," Ford said.
Hogwash, Mammoliti said after Ford drove away.
"How could that have happened? I just found out about it this morning. I was on vacation last week."
Mammoliti said Ford is a chronic ward-meddler who should stick to his own turf.
"It's not like this is the first time he's done it," he said.
"Talk to any councillor. They'll tell you. Talk to Howard Moscoe. Talk to Frances Nunziata. Talk to any of the local councillors (in whose wards) he has tried to intervene."
Ford and Mammoliti have battled for years. In 2002, Mammoliti, who is of Italian heritage, accused Ford of calling him a "Gino boy" during a council debate.
Last year, Mammoliti complained at council that Ford was using office space in an Etobicoke municipal building without paying for it.
And earlier this year, Mammoliti asked the city's integrity commissioner to examine whether Ford, who habitually reports using fewer than $10 of his $53,000 annual expenses budget, has breached city rules by buying supplies and throwing parties for constituents on his own dime.
