Wednesday 25 August 2010

Rob Ford would be a disaster as Toronto mayor

Rob Ford would be a disaster as Toronto mayor - thestar.com
Here is an opinion piece from April 2010 that lists some of Ford's escapades/public comments.

Excerpts:
He is a solitary voice on council, with a history of screaming tirades.
He's bombastic. He's often a buffoon. That style may work for a city
councillor seeking cheap headlines, but it would be fatal for a mayor,
who must be a consensus builder as well as a forceful leader.
...

To assess how Ford would be as mayor, it's important to look back at his history.

In 2002, Ford called fellow Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, who is
also running for mayor, "a scammer" and "Gino-boy" in reference to his
Italian heritage.


In 2003, he wanted Toronto declared a "refugee-free zone" and
called council's decision to ban the use of pesticides a sign of
"dictatorship." The following year he said the city's bylaw to protect
trees "is communism, if you ask me."


In 2005, he called Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby a "waste of
skin." He once suggested that "it's their own fault" if cyclists are
killed in traffic accidents.


In 2006, he was ejected from the Air Canada Centre for being drunk
and verbally abusing fans at a Maple Leafs game, calling them "communist
bastards." Later, Ford denied he was even at the game, but subsequently
admitted he lied, saying "I'm going through a few personal problems."


Also in 2006, he fought against a $1.5 million AIDs prevention
program, claiming he didn't understand why more women were becoming AIDS
patients, adding "Maybe they're sleeping with bisexual men."


In 2008, he claimed "Oriental people work like dogs... They're
slowly taking over." He later said he meant it as a compliment, but
apologized anyway. Also that year, he was arrested and charged with
assault and threatening death, but the charges were later dropped.


For his part, Ford said last week on John Oakley's radio show when
he announced his candidacy that he realizes he's "not in opposition
anymore. I have to be a leader."


Given his record, this is not the "leader" that Toronto needs.



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