Well put. I am certainly proud of the Torontonians and City Council who saved our city from Ford's small minded vision. A lot of people have stepped up to the plate.
On the other hand, I'm disappointed in several of my friends who fell for Ford's message and a few who continue to believe his lies despite not liking Ford.
Ford works on the 'I'm like you' and the pocketbook/efficiency issues. And people are inherently selfish and jealous (though at varying levels), so they like a mayor who promises them efficiency and money saved, who also resembles a 'Common Joe' like them. The problem is, Ford is nothing like that.
The best tactic against Ford then is to use the pocketbook issue against him- demonstrate the amount of money he has wasted (Transit City, Jarvis, etc.), and redirect praise from contracting out garbage pickup and union issues to Holyday and the people who actually did the work. Show that if he were in charge, both issues would have gone nowhere. Point out his hypocrisy on issues like subways, where he wants transit built, but doesn't want to raise the money to build it.
Prove that Ford is not an average person like you or me- that he has inherited his wealth and lacks honesty and humility on a basic level (all-night deputations, see how he brushes off the girl who cried, how he denies wrongdoing). Point out how he's broken so many of his campaign promises, most importantly that of better service to the taxpayer. Show that he has embraced backroom dealing and skirting the rules (Portlands, early campaigning, conflict-of-interests), contrary to his statements.
Conversely, issues like the environment and social programs mean less to those people than these.
'Course, there's still the problem of that Quebec-based media company which spews half-truths and angry journalism, and prefers to back Ford no matter what.
