Rob Ford, mayor of Toronto UPDATES

[Black Dog]

To you maybe. It's how he thinks he got elected. It's everyone else who appear as flip-floppers.

To any person paying attention, "we want subways but we refuse to pay for subways" is pure incoherence.

And now that the Feds are agreeing to chip in it's believed that Ford has Scarberia locked up for the next election.

Was he ever in danger of losing it, though? Scarsie was 60%+ Fordo last election.

[jacee]

Regardless paying $75,000 for 30 chairs are a tangible reason why people hate the government. GO TO IKEA YOU MONEY WASTERS!!!!!

See pic of $2500 chair here

Worse yet, if it can get worse, the chairs are to be used in a member's lounge -- a room used by the mayor and councillors to host private meetings, and not exactly accessible to city residents.

Hell, if we're going to buy $75,000 worth of chairs, we should at least be able to sit in them. Don't we get, like, visitation rights or something?

Maybe there should be a rule that politicians only get the kind of furniture that an average wage constituent can afford.

[Black Dog]

See pic of $2500 chair here

Worse yet, if it can get worse, the chairs are to be used in a member's lounge -- a room used by the mayor and councillors to host private meetings, and not exactly accessible to city residents.

Hell, if we're going to buy $75,000 worth of chairs, we should at least be able to sit in them. Don't we get, like, visitation rights or something?

Maybe there should be a rule that politicians only get the kind of furniture that an average wage constituent can afford.

Don't get me wrong: they probably could have found some better alternatives (even if they are pretty cool chairs). My point is, the argle bargle from the mayor over this pittance is rank hypocryisy compared to the sums of money he wastes quite regularly. And morons will lap it up because, as Ford himself pointed out on the radio, the average joe can't really grasp the concept of millions and billions of dollars, but they get things like this.

[GostHacked]

Don't get me wrong: they probably could have found some better alternatives (even if they are pretty cool chairs). My point is, the argle bargle from the mayor over this pittance is rank hypocryisy compared to the sums of money he wastes quite regularly. And morons will lap it up because, as Ford himself pointed out on the radio, the average joe can't really grasp the concept of millions and billions of dollars, but they get things like this.

If I can't afford something but really need it, some other areas of low importance will get sacrificed with less or no funds. How do you expect them to handle 320 million responsibly when they go out and buy 3500 bucks for a chair that rarely get used?

[jacee]

Don't get me wrong: they probably could have found some better alternatives (even if they are pretty cool chairs). My point is, the argle bargle from the mayor over this pittance is rank hypocryisy compared to the sums of money he wastes quite regularly. And morons will lap it up because, as Ford himself pointed out on the radio, the average joe can't really grasp the concept of millions and billions of dollars, but they get things like this.

Oh ya, he's going to play this ...

[Black Dog]

If I can't afford something but really need it, some other areas of low importance will get sacrificed with less or no funds. How do you expect them to handle 320 million responsibly when they go out and buy 3500 bucks for a chair that rarely get used?

I'm not saying it's not an example of (small time) fiscal mismanagement. I would say though that if you are the kind of person to complain about it, your own track record on that score should be watertight.

[Boges]

I'm not saying it's not an example of (small time) fiscal mismanagement. I would say though that if you are the kind of person to complain about it, your own track record on that score should be watertight.

How was Ford supposed to respond the Sun report?

"It's cool, who am I to judge?"

[Black Dog]

How was Ford supposed to respond the Sun report?

"It's cool, who am I to judge?"

I don't expect anything else from Ford. That's his thing, the faux outrage. I just hope the press and his opponents on council make a point of asking why this is is such an egregious offense while spending twice that to employ a guy to answer e-mails, chase crack dealers and destroy GO Transit property isn't worth commenting upon.

[Boges]

I don't expect anything else from Ford. That's his thing, the faux outrage. I just hope the press and his opponents on council make a point of asking why this is is such an egregious offense while spending twice that to employ a guy to answer e-mails, chase crack dealers and destroy GO Transit property isn't worth commenting upon.

I'm sure those were the only things he was paid to do. Perhaps he also got the Mayor coffee. Oh and calling in the radio show too.

Edited September 27, 2013 by Boges

[Black Dog]

I'm sure those were the only things he was paid to do. Perhaps he also got the Mayor coffee. Oh and calling in the radio show too.

Silly me. $130K well spent.

[Black Dog]

Ford associate busted on drug charges

Alexander Lisi, a man who has been described as Mayor Rob Ford’s occasional driver and who has been linked to attempts to retrieve an alleged crack cocaine video, has been arrested and charged with drug offences by the Toronto police.

Lisi, 35, has been charged with; traffic of marijuana, possession of proceeds of crime, possession of marijuana and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Lisi was arrested along with Jamshid Bahrami, 47, the owner of a small dry-cleaning shop after a police executed a search warrant at 250 Wincott Drive. Bahrami faces three charges: Possession of cocaine, three counts of marijuana trafficking and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Weird how the guy has so many dodgy friends.

[Shady]

Ford associate busted on drug charges

Weird how the guy has so many dodgy friends.

An associate and a friend are two very different things.

[jacee]

An associate and a friend are two very different things.

You should google first:

Rob Fords friend and occasional driver, Alexander Lisi, charged with drug trafficking

In an August interview with the Toronto Sun, Ford denied reports that Lisi had acted his driver or security guard.

At the time, Ford shot down reports that Lisi had encounters with the law and that he had been searching for the alleged crack video.

He claimed the reports were nonsense and that Lisi was straight as an arrow.

Ford went on to say Lisi was a friend and not in his employ as a driver.

Edited October 2, 2013 by jacee

[Black Dog]

You should google first:

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/02/driver-for-toronto-mayor-rob-ford-arrested

In an August interview with the Toronto Sun, Ford denied reports that Lisi had acted his driver or security guard.

At the time, Ford shot down reports that Lisi had encounters with the law and that he had been searching for the alleged crack video.

He claimed the reports were nonsense and that Lisi was straight as an arrow.

Ford went on to say Lisi was a friend and not in his employ as a driver.

LOL was just about to post that.

I chose "associate" because if I had said "friend" I knew Shady would be in here like a dirty shirt saying "how do you know they are friends?"

[jacee]

LOL was just about to post that.

I chose "associate" because if I had said "friend" I knew Shady would be in here like a dirty shirt saying "how do you know they are friends?"

Unh ... ya ... cos Ford said so!

But there's friends, and then there's ... 'friends' ... Maybe his dealer is only his 'friend' until he gets busted!

Let's see how quickly Ford distances himself from his "straight-as-an-arrow" "friend".

Edited October 2, 2013 by jacee

[Boges]

I'm not arguing with any of this. Itlooks bad on the mayor.

But I'm curious, will any of the opponents of Ford use his alleged drug use or the company keeps as fuel against him in the coming election. I doubt they will.

It's starting to appear as Ford will be re-elected.

Edited October 2, 2013 by Boges

[cybercoma]

An associate and a friend are two very different things.

You're right. And in this case Ford said the guy is his friend.

[guyser]

But I'm curious, will any of the opponents of Ford use his alleged drug use or the company keeps as fuel against him in the coming election. I doubt they will.

It's starting to appear as Ford will be re-elected.

Any opponent would be stupid not to use it. But I suspect they dont have to.There is so much to slam him over.

Pretty confident that Ford will go down because of his friends and his own stupidity.

[Boges]

Any opponent would be stupid not to use it. But I suspect they dont have to.There is so much to slam him over.Pretty confident that Ford will go down because of his friends and his own stupidity.

His approval ratings are still high.

[Black Dog]

I'm not arguing with any of this. Itlooks bad on the mayor.

But I'm curious, will any of the opponents of Ford use his alleged drug use or the company keeps as fuel against him in the coming election. I doubt they will.

It's starting to appear as Ford will be re-elected.

Well sure: he's currently running unopposed.

[guyser]

His approval ratings are still high.

Yes they are, but as things start moving along in the Justice dept and the police release info they have......any person who still supports him (apart from his Mother and druggie sis) are only interested in poking the electorate.

[Boges]

Yes they are, but as things start moving along in the Justice dept and the police release info they have......any person who still supports him (apart from his Mother and druggie sis) are only interested in poking the electorate.

I think people have made up their mind about the crack video, I think people just don't care at this point.

From what I've heard the info about the alleged crack video will be sealed until the trials of the people charged is over.

Remember during the election campaign it came out that Ford got a DUI and was charged for simple possession of weed. Still won by a landslide.

[jacee]

His approval ratings are still high.

Not sure where you're getting your data but ...

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/08/31/toronto_mayoral_poll_chow_tory_stintz_beat_ford_headtohead.html?app=noRedirect

Olivia Chow maintained her lead over Mayor Rob Ford and other possible rivals in the latest preliminary poll on the 2014 mayors race.Chow, the NDP MP who is quietly preparing for a run, beat Ford 57 per cent to 33 per cent in a survey of 848 people conducted by Forum Research on Thursday evening.

John Tory, the radio host, CivicAction chair and former Progressive Conservative leader, also beat Ford handily head-to-head, 50 per cent to 33 per cent.

And Councillor Karen Stintz, the right-leaning TTC chair who has joined Chow in organizing behind the scenes, beat Ford 44 per cent to 40 per cent.

Pretty much looks like anyone can beat him!

[Boges]

That story is over a month old.

This one is from last week.

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/09/25/mayor_rob_fords_popularity_climbs_to_nearly_half_in_latest_poll.html

Forty-nine percent of the 1,082 Toronto residents over 18 surveyed on Sept. 21 and 22 indicated they supported Ford, an increase from 44 per cent at the end of August.

“It’s been speculated that the explanation is that his performance isn’t being upstaged by personal incidents, and if that’s the case then I guess he’s letting his record, or his thoughts, stand on its own,” Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly said Wednesday.

[Black Dog]

I think people have made up their mind about the crack video, I think people just don't care at this point.

From what I've heard the info about the alleged crack video will be sealed until the trials of the people charged is over.

Remember during the election campaign it came out that Ford got a DUI and was charged for simple possession of weed. Still won by a landslide.

-the DUI was soemthing like 20 years before. Not quite the same as smoking crack while in office.

-47% of the vote is a landslide now?