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Next Mayor of Toronto?

Ford forgot marijuana charge, remembers breath-test guilty plea

Toronto mayoral frontrunner explains 1999 traffic stop in Florida that netted him community service a fine

Kelly Grant
Globe and Mail Update
Published on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2010 9:33AM EDT
Mayoral frontrunner Rob Ford told reporters Thursday, about a guilty plea for failing to provide a breath sample in Florida 11 years ago.

The Etobicoke councillor said he did 50 hours of community service and paid a fine.

Mr. Ford revealed the Valentine's Day, 1999, incident at a news conference after a local newspaper reported that he had been caught with a marijuana joint in his back pocket the same night.

That charge was later dropped.

Mr. Ford initially told the newspaper he'd forgotten about the marijuana incident.

“The reason I forgot about the marijuana charge and the reason I'm talking to you this morning is because that same evening I was charged with failing to give a breath sample,” he said.

“I'm upfront as much as I can ... There was more to it than just the one marijuana charge.”

Mr. Ford also admitted he was charged after a hockey fight as an 18-year-old. He said he has no criminal record.
 
Was RF not making an observation that "orientals" were taking over (read very successful) because of their work habits? Sounds to me like he is extolling the virtue and reward of hard work as displayed by a visible minority. If I were a member of the visible minority quoted I would be pleased by the attention not offended.

I guess you haven't noticed but various ethnic minorities have indeed "taken over" in areas of town in which they are not the minority but the majority. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
 
spider:

Look up "Yellow Peril" and what it meant, historically and you can see why it isn't a comment (vis-a-vis "taking over") that should be appreciated.

AoD
 
^I think you read too much into things. RF isn't an intellectual, and I doubt he's even heard of that concept. He was merely stating a fact, a fact you can see everywhere in Toronto--various minorities are "taking over" parts of the city. Look at the University of Waterloo for example--twenty years ago vs today.

To be totally fair, what would happen if China became a magnet for immigrants? (1% of the population to become white, 1% to become black, etc. Then these minorities start "taking over" industry. What would happen?) Look how the Japanese treat the foreigners...not exactly a picnic is it?

Tkip: What planet are you living on? I suspect a detached home in the 'burbs or the east side of Toronto. You are clueless: The increase in Toronto's population (from immigrants, condo kids, whatever) has been good for the city, with so many new cafes, bars, galleries and other fantastic venues opening up around town over the past decade!

Toronto needs another 10 million people. I would in fact say the gov't should force immigrants to settle within the 416 boundaries. LAW.
 
urbandreamer:

He might not be an intellectual but he isn't that clueless is he? What the "gut feeling" is ultimately called is irrelevant - it is where it points to that matters. Besides, no one is proposing that we recreate "Chinese rule" or "Japanese rule" here - quite frankly, the innate xenophobia in those societies is just as unpalatable to those of us who grew up here in Toronto but have a VisMin background.

AoD
 
ud:

Not really - VisMin is used colloquially in government circles - in this case, I am just too lazy to type it all out.

Did you know as a TTC user and a white guy
Click to expand...

That will depend on the time you travel, where you're going, etc - at least you weren't that 1% in some otherwise absolutely homogeneous pop (like in Tokyo). Underlined guy for emphasis - given the differential in male:female transit users.

AoD
 
Can i just say that I realise there is obviously a track record of self-destruction, not the most civilized dude..

BUT is the star stretching when they are bringing back hockey fights when the guy was 18?

like c'mon?!

At least it shows the guy actually had a LIFE!

I'm sure MANY kids can relate to a joint and driving when they are not supposed to.

just take a look at the 60k individuals that go clubbing every weekend. I always wondered how many DUI charges would surface if they just stopped every car coming out of those areas.

Not defending him, but just pointing out the reality.
 
tkip said:
I tend to believe that he had forgotten about that charge from his past. I forget things all the time until someone reminds me. Especially about incidents from the past regarding events and moments where I plain just forget.
Click to expand...

You believe he doesn't remember getting handcuffed and fingerprinted? Really? Seems you'd believe this guy if he told you he has a cottage on the moon.

Also, he was reminded when he was initially asked about it. "Were you ever arrested in Florida for pot possession?" This would act as reminder if you had been arrested in Florida. Suddenly he remembers when confronted with irrefutable evidence.
He straight up lied about it, like he lied about being a drunken oaf at the Leafs game. Initially, he said he wasn't even at the game. He probably forgot, though.

I know all politicians lie, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't call them to task for doing it.
 
urbandreamer said:
Did you know as a TTC user and a white guy, I often feel like I'm a VisMin? lol.
Click to expand...

I don't know why some white folks like to make a big deal about this?

I am not black (and not white either) but if I get onto a Jane street bus south of the 401... I'll feel like a "VisMin".

I used to live in a posh part of Waterloo for school, a bit distant from the campus. I felt like a "VisMin" since I wasn't white. But I didn't care... why would I?

It's almost like you guys have this entitlement that you should never have to feel like a VisMin in Canada, and now that you do... THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG! lol.
 
Rob Ford's popularity is about to soar. His " man of the people - shoot from the hip " approach is working gangbusters. I was looking at the letter's to the editor in the Toronto Star regarding soon to be Mayor Ford's " racist " comments. And clearly the vast majority agree with Ford. His admission to getting busted for weed only builds empathy. The fact that he forgot getting busted even strengthens his case, as it adds authenticity to the story.

As we all know, Smitherman had a " substance " abuse problem. It's the " substance " that would be worrisome in his case. Which substance?

Most Torontonians over the age of 12 have tried pot. It's not that uncommon. But most Torontonians over the age of 12, have not tried a " substance. "

In the end, I imagine the majority will vote for a pot head rather than someone who plays around with " substances, " and never actually says anything concrete.

If anyone should step out of the race at this point, it should be Smitherman and Rossi.

Sarah Thompson is the only legit alternative to Rob Ford.

In fact she will make a great deputy Mayor.
 
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The most Ford can be faulted for is how he words things sometimes. So do a host of other people in our population. And on this forum. And most of my co-workers from various backgrounds at work including minorities and gays.

He's not a raging bigot, homophobic or anti-imigrant or anything else people want him to be guilty of because he makes a few flippant remarks. Ford made a very good point about Toronto handling immigrants or refugees or when he expressd his belief in traditional marriage but also said that what people do in their own privates lives was their own business. He's not the most PC person out there and that doesn't bother me in the least.

The point is that some people are looking to crucify this guy with anything he has to say. And posts stating that he's a evil person and would be at home with white supremacists are just over the top. They go too far.

But his not immediately coming forward and being honest with about those charges from years past aren't doing him any favrous though I suspect that a good deal of people in polictics and business and throughout soceity have their share of secrets and less than stellar moments, embarassing laspes of judgement and hope they remain secrets.

How many councillors have had similar moments such as Ford but no one is digging the dirt on them?
 
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See the point isn't RF using marijuana - who cares? it is the "H" word that's the problem - arguing that we should be tough on crime, etc...and yet getting off easy time and again despite his own behaviours.

AoD
 
Coltaine79 said:
I don't know why some white folks like to make a big deal about this?

I am not black (and not white either) but if I get onto a Jane street bus south of the 401... I'll feel like a "VisMin".

I used to live in a posh part of Waterloo for school, a bit distant from the campus. I felt like a "VisMin" since I wasn't white. But I didn't care... why would I?

It's almost like you guys have this entitlement that you should never have to feel like a VisMin in Canada, and now that you do... THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG! lol.
Click to expand...

Read the whole thread. it was Alvino Dispar that pointed out something about VisMIN... Urban dreamer was just making a point that VisMIN doesn't have to imply non-white.
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
See the point isn't RF using marijuana - who cares? it is the "H" word that's the problem - arguing that we should be tough on crime, etc...and yet getting off easy time and again despite his own behaviours.

AoD
Click to expand...


it's a bit contradictory, isn't it.

tkip said:
...Ford made a very good point about Toronto handling immigrants or refugees or when he expressd his belief in traditional marriage but also said that what people do in their own privates lives was their own business. He's not the most PC person out there and that doesn't bother me in the least.
Click to expand...

one of the qualities i don't like about ford is that he is pandering to the crowd. he's appealing to emotion by talking about issues that are irrelevant to the duties of mayor, controversial issues that divide people rather than bring them together. he's trying to score points with a socially conservative base.

personally, i think ford has a good chance of becoming mayor. the average voter isn't gonna notice his contradictions and the average voter doesn't know about some of the comments he has made. come election time, most will forget his faults because i don't honestly think the media can keep mentioning the same things over and over again, unless he provides new material to write about. also, he's your average guy with average intelligence. there's alot of people who can relate to ford and they only have one prominent candidate to vote for that falls within that spectrum. also, i don't know if intellectual is in style for this election. alot of people in the suburbs are pissed at miller for garbage fees, etc. and will associate intellectualism with those sorts of things.
 
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