Rob Ford, mayor of Toronto UPDATES

[BubberMiley]

Who questioned their integrity for not buying the video the last time?

Their integrity was questioned for reporting on it without providing the video. They couldn't provide the video unless they bought it.

[Black Dog]

Who questioned their integrity for not buying the video the last time?

I thought a lot of people questioned the Gawker guy doing a Online Fundraiser to try and get the video.

I also the impact of seeing a video of the mayor smoking a crackpipe is much different than a video of the mayor acting drunk, high or whatever the week he's already admitted he has a massive drinking problem and he has used crack.

Point of fact: the mayor has never admitted he has a drinking problem.

[Boges]

Point of fact: the mayor has never admitted he has a drinking problem.

I guess you're right.

It's just assumed by most people if he's been so drunk that he can't actually remember when he smoked crack.

[Black Dog]

I guess you're right.

It's just assumed by most people if he's been so drunk that he can't actually remember when he smoked crack.

Well yeah, but the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Ford and his enablers won't let him take that step.

[Boges]

Well yeah, but the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Ford and his enablers won't let him take that step.

It's kind of weird that one would think having regular "drunken stupors" is behaviour of someone who doesn't have a drinking.

I like having a night of drinking like anyone, but I don't think I've ever had a night where I wake up not remembering what happened the night before.

[bleeding heart]

I think many feel sorry for Ford now, he's obviously got problems. Then you have his mom and sister coming out saying all his problems centre around his weight.

I'd like to think he's hit rock bottom this week. Unless of course some evidence comes out that in the video he was ACTUALLY threatening to kill the guy who was, you know killed, in that video. Which at this point is a gigantic leap in logic.

I more or less take the threats to kill as a man so monumentally angry and drug-fuelled he is, well, venting. Sure I could be wrong, but I have my doubts that the "killing" stuff really meant anything.

[Boges]

Doug was on the radio saying, EVEN HE!, thinks Rob should take a bit of a break.

I don't think a motion next week demanding he take a leave of absence would be good for the "brand". :-/

[Black Dog]

Doug was on the radio saying, EVEN HE!, thinks Rob should take a bit of a break.

Two weeks vacation oughta sort it out (Doug's thoughts, not mine).

Personally, I'm happy letting him trundle along his current path of self destruction. The sooner he cleans up his act the sooner he can try to dupe the 'burbs into voting him in again.

[Black Dog]

Video killed the radio star

You are no longer listening to The City with Mayor Rob Ford and Councillor Doug Ford.

The radio station is cutting ties with the mayor and his brother, ending the weekly radio show as of now. Sunday’s radio show during which the mayor admitted to being “hammered” on the Danforth and apologized for “a lot of stupid things” will be the last edition of The City with the mayor and his brother.

The station announced the cancellation of the show days after the mayor admitted to smoking crack cocaine.

[g_bambino]

As for buying the videos: don't papers often pay for video or audio of news stories?

Not in Canada. Not until recently, anyway.

[g_bambino]

I just think there's a standard of proof one should attian when the story has the potential outcome to ruin someone's career and destroy their personal life...

Well, the standard for a century or more has been "a source at City Hall has said..." or "a source close to the Prime Minister has claimed". The way the video was reported was no different. Until this week, the Star never said "Rob Ford smokes crack", all that was said was that a video had been seen in which it appears that Rob Ford is smoking crack and making politically incorrect statements.

[jacee]

On the lighter side ... not just about rob ford ...

andrew-coyne-i-am-so-sorry-i-am-sorry-in-a-hundred-inadmissible-ways

Ill simply say that if we are going to cast out of public life every expense fiddling, drunk-driving crack house found-in who hangs out with gangsters and occasionally utters death threats, it will be impossible to get good people to go into politics.

[ReeferMadness]

Both before and during the previous election, it was clear that Rob Ford was racist, homophobic, and had problems with substance abuse and honesty. Nevertheless he won the election. We, all of us who care about justice and democracy, need to ask ourselves why this happened.

People already knew what type of guy Rob was.

So, who voted for this guy?

Well, not being very familiar with Toronto politics, I never knew that there was such a huge divide between the suburbs and the inner city. It seems like liberal Toronto has suburbs packed with rednecks that would make Calgarians blush. Who knew? Speaking of Calgary, anyone else think it's a bit odd that their mayor is so progressive, articulate and intelligent compared to Ford?

Now some of the inner city folks are questioning the whole notion of amalgamation foisted on the city by that right wing hero, Mike Harris.

Edited November 10, 2013 by Charles Anthony
This post was a redundant OP and is now merged into this thread.

[ReeferMadness]

I more or less take the threats to kill as a man so monumentally angry and drug-fuelled he is, well, venting. Sure I could be wrong, but I have my doubts that the "killing" stuff really meant anything.

I haven't heard anyone suggest that he was literally intending to kill someone. However, you have to admit the video shows someone with an anger management problem and a self-control problem. Not exactly someone I'd want for mayor.

[ReeferMadness]

The media's focus on the crack-smoking incident is wrong. Although doing hard drugs like crack isn't an attractive quality in a mayor (even if it really was only once, which is doubtful), there are more serious issues. What's much more distressing to me are other incidents: racist and homophobic statements, public intoxication and repeated lying about his behaviour. Why would anyone give him any credit for taking responsibility for his actions when he only admitted them after lying repeatedly and then being caught on video? After all the lies he's been caught telling, why should anyone believe anything the guys says?

Looking at all of his bizarre behaviour, the clear picture is of an immature man with self control issues, addiction issues, a tendency to violence, and a bigot to boot. How can this be anyone's image of a good mayor????

[The_Squid]

The hypocrisy of some MLW members here is astounding. Right wing partisan hacks were in a tizzy with Trudeau smoking a joint... But Ford's crack smoking gets nary a word from them, other than blaming the media...

[The_Squid]

anyone else think it's a bit odd that their mayor is so progressive, articulate and intelligent compared to Ford?

I've met wildebeest that were more articulate and intelligent compared to Ford.

[jacee]

why-we-shud-fergive-mayer-ford-for-misstakes

Evrywun makes misstakes in thier life. Mayer Ford drnk a few two mny mstakes and smked a little mstake, but who doznt. Like the Ford Nahshun webcite says, he makes misstakes, butt who dusnt smok a litle mistke now and than.

This just in !!!

-police-recover-video-of-vancouver-mayor-smoking-what-appears-to-be-...

[bjre]

The more coorprate media attack Ford, the more people need to think why they attack.

Ford aim on reduce gov cost, that save tax for the people, obviously lots of tax suckers hate him.

Ford make new subway plan become possible, that will reduce the traffic problem, that no other did it for decades.

As for the smoke, why, only Ford be blamed if it is a crime?

http://globalnews.ca/news/809363/8-canadian-politicians-whove-admitted-to-smoking-pot/

8 Canadian politicians who’ve admitted to smoking pot
By Staff Global News and The Canadian Press


Watch: A collection of the latest admissions and denials by politicians following Justin Trudeau’s admission

TORONTO – Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter is the latest Canadian politician to make a pot confession.

The revelation comes after Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau admitted last week that he took a pull on a joint at a dinner party three years ago, while he was an MP.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper cheekily said the following after a reporter asked him if he ever was a user of pot.

“Do I seem like I smoke marijuana?”

VIDEO: Do I seem like I smoke marijuana?: Harper

Here’s a look at some Canadian politicians who have previously admitted to smoking marijuana:

Darrell Dexter

On Thursday, Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter said he smoked marijuana in university but too much is being made of the issue since Trudeau called for the legalization of pot.

VIDEO: Nova Scotia Premier admits past pot use

“Like every other person I knew back in the ’70s when I went to university, some of whom are actually in this room, I would have tried it, the same as other people at that time,” he said.

Rob Ford

Asked by reporters whether he’s smoked pot, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said with a laugh that he would not deny he has smoked lots of it.

VIDEO: Ford: ‘I smoked a lot” of pot

Ford has denied allegations of drug use since reports surfaced that he was videotaped smoking crack cocaine.

Kathleen Wynne

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne “came clean” Wednesday and said that she puffed a little pot, but she said it’s been 35 years since the last smoke.

Justin Trudeau

Last week, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said he smoked marijuana “five or six times” in his life—once as a MP three years ago.

VIDEO: Trudeau smoked weed as MP

Tom Mulcair

The Huffington Post said the NDP leader’s office confirmed that Tom Mulcair has smoked pot “but sent strongly worded emails refusing to say when he last used the drug or where he procured it.”

Brad Wall

In 2007, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall told a reporter that he smoked marijuana during his younger years, “infrequently.”

“I’m going to have to now phone my mom and make sure I tell her how I had answered that question before you go to air,” he allegedly joked.

Jim Flaherty

While vying for Ontario PC Party leadership in 2002, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said he used pot in his teenage years but that he “didn’t like it.”

Jack Layton

In 2004, the late NDP leader Jack Layton said the following on whether or not he smoked pot.

“Yes, and some might say I never exhaled.”

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Microgalleries/2013/08/28/21081911.html#10

8 / 10

U.S. President Barack Obama
Before he was president, Obama said in an interview that he smoked pot as a teenager, and unlike Clinton, he said "I inhaled ... that was the point." (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)

7 / 10

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Clinton famously said in a 1992 interview that he "experimented" with marijuana, but "didn't inhale and never tired it again." (Rob Rich/WENN.com)


6 / 10

Former U.S. President George W. Bush
In a taped conversation with family friend, Doug Wead, Bush said he wouldn't answer questions about marijuana use because he didn't want kids to do what "I tried." (REUTERS/Mike Stone/Files)

[eyeball]

All simply say that if we are going to cast out of public life every expense fiddling, drunk-driving crack house found-in who hangs out with gangsters and occasionally utters death threats, it will be impossible to get good people to go into politics.

No it won't. We just have to give up the habit of investing our power in individuals.

Representing, governing and leading ourselves with citizen's assemblies drafted from the general public instead would let most of the human peccadilloes that might otherwise bring down a government and in the process waste so much public time energy and money, come out in the wash.

As for the really egregious abuse of power that our leaders occasionally engage in I think almost all of it would be nipped in the bud due to he fact that bribing citizen's assemblies would be damn near impossible.

[cybercoma]

The hypocrisy of some MLW members here is astounding. Right wing partisan hacks were in a tizzy with Trudeau smoking a joint... But Ford's crack smoking gets nary a word from them, other than blaming the media...

This is what happens when partisan hacks try to make believe their own realities.

[jacee]

The more coorprate media attack Ford, the more people need to think why they attack.

Ford aim on reduce gov cost, that save tax for the people, obviously lots of tax suckers hate him.

Ford make new subway plan become possible, that will reduce the traffic problem, that no other did it for decades.

As for the smoke, why, only Ford be blamed if it is a crime?

Do you understand the difference between smoking marijuana and smoking crack cocaine?

.

[Argus]

Personally, I'm happy letting him trundle along his current path of self destruction. The sooner he cleans up his act the sooner he can try to dupe the 'burbs into voting him in again.

I think you still fail to understand why 'the burbs' voted for him, and why they may well vote for him again once he 'cleans up his act'.

For all his (many) failings, Rob Ford comes across as a real person, one who has the same concerns as everyday people. Sure he's a blowhard, and not my type of guy, but I think an awful lot of people are weary of the bland, buttondown politicians who never say what they mean and never mean what they say.

Let's compare, say, the mayor of Ottawa, who is something of an archetype. Jim Watson is as dull and boring a man as you'll find on the political scene anywhere in this country. You won't find him getting drunk, raising his voice, showing emotion (presuming he actually has emotions) or doing anything which might offend ANYONE. You won't ever know what, if anything, he stands for, because he won't say anything that isn't run past the pollsters and spin doctors first. As for what's going on in the city, you can certainly find out -- after the fact, after the decisions have already been made in the back rooms. Don't worry, he'll listen attentively to your concerns, and smile appreciatively, and thank you for your input. But don't expect it to affect anything.

[Topaz]

I think the province is going to have to do some amends or bring in new laws for municipalities who need to get rid of mayors or Councillors. While on this subject maybe the feds should also bring laws to impeach PMs but i don't think the Tories would be the one to do it.

[jacee]

I think you still fail to understand why 'the burbs' voted for him, and why they may well vote for him again once he 'cleans up his act'.

What leads you to bellieve he will?

For all his (many) failings, Rob Ford comes across as a real person, one who has the same concerns as everyday people.

Rob Ford is a coddled rich kid with a sense of entitlement bigger than his stomach, and family who enable his addictions to keep power in 'the family'.

He hangs out with drug dealers and criminals.

He's not an 'everyday' person in any sense of the word.

Sure he's a blowhard, and not my type of guy, but I think an awful lot of people are weary of the bland, buttondown politicians who never say what they mean and never mean what they say.

As opposed to Ford who just lies blatantly. mhm