Rob Ford's Toronto

[uptown]

CBC News was covering the meeting in Ottawa today and what a contrast between the attitudes of the mayors. The mayors of Montreal and Quebec City want absolutely nothing to do with Ford and don't want to see him or talk to him. Meanwhile Hazel McCallion tells reporters Ford wasn't a distraction and made a contribution (re: social housing) and the mayor of Calgary said he wasn't a distraction at all. Ford certainly has his enablers in fellow municipal politicians. Most politicians need to grow a spine and do away with this nonchalant Canadian-style niceness when it comes to Ford.

As for his pull with the federal government it's scary to think about but being buddy-buddy with Jim Flaherty gives him a bigger voice in Ottawa than any other mayor or even any Premier.

 

[hper]

Sadly it took about six seconds and 1/100th of my brainpower to approximate Douggie.

The lame talking points have been drilled into every citizen-who-gives-a-shit's head. They're so immediately recognizable they make reasonable people bristle, shake and gouge at their ears.

I heartily recommend read "Upholding the right" in the Walrus.

I'm still very disappointed in Blair, but I do not believe that he was the evil mastermind of the G20 disaster that he is sometimes made out to be.

Of course, I'm making some assumptions here, both about what you wrote and about the truth of what happened at G20, and I apologise if I've misinterpreted your comment.

Great article. And I concur with you about Blair basically being strong-armed by the Feds and, disconcertingly, hapless in the face of such.

Maybe the Star should stop reporting on Mayor Rob Ford and start exclusively reporting "Mayoral Candidate Rob Ford" and just completely omit his City Hall Council and Administrative coverage in its entirety - Doug Fords coverage too while they are at it. Just cover the Brazen 2 stuff on a daily basis... and the drunken stupors...

Bingo. Report on all candidates as 'candidates'. At this point Twin Fordmayor is little more than that.

Finally - and this is going back a ways - those lost DVDs. It's not beyond belief that Doug, when they were handed to him thought something like "Ah, shit, We don't need these things anymore. We're winning hearts and minds daily...nay, HOURLY!...with our sleek Six Sigma inspired skills. DYNASTY TIME!"

Or they could have just been used as coasters for a 'coupla pops'.

Conceivably both.

 

[hper]

I think he would. They were both aware of the surveillance and the police helicopter last summer.

Lisi: So, the cops are watching us.
Ford: Yeah? Let 'em. Blair won't do shit.
Lisi: Oh...?

Or something like that. Remember Lisi was described as his best pal; Rob probably wanted to impress him with how he's "got something" on the chief.

Whether he has something or not is another matter. I don't think you can get to be a police chief (and then stay one) and not have some skeletons/issues (sorry for the cynical "all politicians lie" sort of outlook, but it's probably true). Whether that "something" is substantial or not, I don't know.

Surely, Sandro has it all digitally recorded.

 

[pattycakes]

Even Andy Byford seems to be in on the joke, hope his passport is up to date, I don't think Rob's feeling very friendly today:

Stephanie MacLellan ‏@smaclellan 25m
#TTC chair Andy Byford taking to UofT students about leadership. "You won't see me rolling out of a pub completely hammered." #TOpoli

https://twitter.com/smaclellan

 

[John_Dee]

I suppose it was a tad naïve to expect the other mayors to uniformly treat Ford like something they'd scraped off the bottom of their shoes - as they damn well should have done - but honestly, if they're not going to call a spade a spade at this stage in His Oafship's illustrious career, then what the hell is wrong with them? Ford's antics today were more buffoonish than ever! Why are otherwise intelligent people still willing to cover for him?

 

[euler]

I don't think they want to 'cover for him', it's just a bit gauche to shit-talk your 'coworkers' even if they're terrible. If Nenshi said Ford wasn't a distraction, that means he is saying he wasn't personally distracted by Ford, which true or not is a quality you want to have in a mayor. You could interpret it as him saying that he was focused on his work.

I think it's pretty clear Nenshi holds opposing views to Ford on practically every issue but he still plays nice with the other kids; I like that about him.

Dunno about Hazel she's just weird.

 

[mrtinfoilsocket]

Looks like poor Rob and Doug had their feelings hurt today:

Peter Kim ‏@PeterKimGlobal
UPDATE: Doug Ford tells me he may expand his complaint to the OIPRD against Bill Blair after today's comments #topoli #torontopolice

 

[pattycakes]

Now Doug is thinking of filing another complaint against Blair for today's interviews. They just don't know when to quit, I can't believe they are taking on Blair AGAIN. This isn't going to end well for Rob and Doug.

 

[betty183]

Ha!

@goldsbie 6m
Doug Ford is outraged that Chief Bill Blair does not take kindly to being called a "cocksucker."

 

[euler]

I'm having an argument with a Ford Nationer and naturally the gravy train was brought up. I remember there being a study into Ford's gravy train claim and what was found was miniscule. Can someone please repost the findings? Additionally there was a Toronto Star article from a couple of months ago that broke down Ford's $1 billion of savings rhetoric. A link to this would also be appreciated. Thanks.

P.S. Can someone please post a link to that Rob Ford website that breaks down all his unfulfilled promises and contradictory statements?

KPMG tried to find 'efficiencies in the budget' but the only thing they could really recommend was a bunch of drastic service cuts, ridiculous things like selling the zoo or stopping Blue Night busses

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/0...se-libraries-sell-the-zoo-cut-back-on-police/

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/07/12/james_rob_fords_gravy_train_running_on_fumes.html

Here are some 'promises' he didn't keep

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/0...n-promises-and-statements-at-odds-with-facts/

Pretty much every newspaper and blog has their own version though

 

[junior43]

Now Doug is thinking of filing another complaint against Blair for today's interviews. They just don't know when to quit, I can't believe they are taking on Blair AGAIN. This isn't going to end well for Rob and Doug.

It's all part of hotmail lawyer's and the Ford's plan for their inevitable legal defense. They want to smear Blair's rep, so they can try to say Blair was after them and he's just as unethical as the Fords.

They only need one Ford Nayshun jurist to ruin the crown's case and force a retrial.

It may also help them get back those parts of the Nayshun that left them.

It really is approaching a surreal comedy or mockumentary at this point.

 

[thisbusymonster]

It's all part of hotmail lawyer's and the Ford's plan for their inevitable legal defense. They want to smear Blair's rep, so they can try to say Blair was after them and he's just as unethical as the Fords.

They only need one Ford Nayshun jurist to ruin the crown's case and force a retrial.

It may also help them get back those parts of the Nayshun that left them.

It really is approaching a surreal comedy or mockumentary at this point.

The absurd speculation on this board is certainly surreal.

 

[euler]

It's all part of hotmail lawyer's and the Ford's plan for their inevitable legal defense. They want to smear Blair's rep, so they can try to say Blair was after them and he's just as unethical as the Fords.

Why in the world would they speak to Blair's character in a criminal trial? He didn't personally do the investigation. That's ridiculous.

 

[junior43]

Why in the world would they speak to Blair's character in a criminal trial? He didn't personally do the investigation. That's ridiculous.

You didn't quote my second sentence. They only need one Ford Nayshun person on the jury. Considering 20% of the population somehow still supports Ford ( and they can be easy to pick out from simple questions) they can use any lame brained defense they want.

As a bonus it helps them in the election - Blair and the police are part of the Star's conspiracy.

I never said it made sense, I just stated it's a defense. You get what you pay for with a hotmail lawyer.

 

[905region]

then why did you join