I think everybody is quite a bit surprised -- including Ruby. This wasn't a new trial but it was treated as a second chance, another shot for Lenczner pitching his argument to a new set of judges. Ford's lawyer presented no new evidence in the appeal as is the whole point of an appeal.
I believe that the deciding factor here is that no judge wants to over turn democracy and even Hackland attempted to find a way out for Ford who kept denying himself a save at every opportunity. Hackland had no choice but to find him guilty. The Divisional Court panel pulled the string on a technicality and ended once and for all this whole charade in the courts' unprecedented and unwanted role in dismissing an elected Mayor.
One can argue that despite this case being dismissed that Ford lost in the middle of all this.
He was forced to admit that he has no idea what's going on around him at City Hall. His defence relied on his incompetence. The mayor is now naked, exposed to many who voted for him and saw him during this trial as a bumbling lost man unqualified of the office he holds, willfully ignorant and forehead slapping stubborn.
Ford will be put to an election instead of booted from office by a law that while legitimate, is one that many don't understand. Ford's fate will be determined by Torontonians in 2014 as it should be.
In the meantime, the bizzaro world monster has been slayed. I'm no longer afraid of what Ford threatened do to the city because he has proven himself incapable of leading Council -- even towards damage. The most he has mustered are delays. Look who is left standing behind him in this press conference compared to a couple of years ago when Councillors picked sides...
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Mammolitti is already crawling back -- as predicted -- but I can't imagine the sane voices on Council supporting Ford like they did early on in his term.
Two points that were made in the last few pages in this thread that I agree with: A) Ford will continue to hang around the Conservative Party's neck for the next two years likely again affecting the PC's chances at taking Ontario this year and B) we can just ignore him while Council leads the city and Ford continues to make a fool of himself.
By Fall later this year, we're going to start seeing the election campaign assemble -- the same point that was made against a by-election. I'm hoping for and frankly expecting an epic battle, for the best of the progressive side to really
bring it in campaign creativity and policy, for a very entertaining and satisfying case to be made against Rob Ford. We were left waiting for Ford's faults to be pointed out and easy cases to be made against him in the last campaign and frustrated when the candidates couldn't get their shit together. I think we'll have a satisfying redemption this time around.
Can you imagine the incredible posters his "I'm too stupid to be Mayor" quotes from the trial will make in next year's election?