Rob Ford demands city hall’s Pride flag be removed, then discovers he doesn’t have the authority to remove it
Things were quiet on the Rob Ford front for a little while after his crack confession, but now it seems as though the mayor is back in his scandal-a-day groove. Today’s outrage: gay issues.
Hot on the heels of declaring that he would never attend Pride, mayor Ford asked today for a rainbow flag to be taken down. The flag had been raised outside city hall in solidarity with gay Russians, whose unfair treatment by the Russian government has gained prominence because of the Sochi Winter Games. “This is the Olympics,” the mayor told reporters. “This is about being patriotic to your country. This is not about your sexual preference.”
Ford eventually said that he could support flying the rainbow flag as long as a Canadian flag was flown as well—except a Canadian flag already flies on a separate flagpole in Nathan Phillips Square, so it remains unclear what he meant by that. Denzil Minnan-Wong backed up the mayor, saying a Canadian flag or Olympic flag would be more appropriate.
A few city councillors have placed rainbow images in their office windows to show support for LBGT struggles in Russia, while deputy mayor Norm Kelly stated that he preferred that the Pride flag remain in place. “There’s no antagonism between the two flags,” he said. “[It] is also a statement that we’re not afraid to stand up for the rights and privileges that are being abused in other parts of the world. So there’s nothing un-Canadian about that. In fact that’s a very Canadian thing to do, to be concerned and care about others.”
Things took a strange turn later in the afternoon when, as reporters waited outside the mayor’s office, two uniformed police officers showed up and met with Ford. For a moment, it seemed possible that the mayor would be charged with a crime—he’s been under police investigation for months, after all—but the Post reports that the officers were there to investigate a threat. It’s unknown whether that threat was related to the flag controversy.
Then, as if to cap off the afternoon, the city manager released a memo confirming that the mayor actually has no say in whether or not the city flies the flag.
Another politician might be worried about the squandered goodwill among gay voters and their friends, but Ford is lucky: he had so little to begin with.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/rob-ford-calls-city-halls-rainbow-flag-removed-discovers-doesnt-authority-remove/&title=Rob Ford demands city hall’s Pride flag be removed, then discovers he doesn’t have the authority to remove it&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/rob-ford-versus-pride-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_258458" align="alignnone" width="656"] (Image: Ford: Christopher Drost; Flag: Les Chatfield)[/caption]
Things were quiet on the Rob Ford front for a little while after his crack confession, but now it seems as though the mayor is back in his scandal-a-day groove. Today's outrage: gay issues.
Hot on the heels of declaring that he would never attend Pride, mayor Ford asked today for a rainbow flag to be taken down. The flag had been raised outside city hall in solidarity with gay Russians, whose unfair treatment by the Russian government has gained prominence because of the Sochi Winter Games. "This is the Olympics," the mayor told reporters. "This is about being patriotic to your country. This is not about your sexual preference."
Ford eventually said that he could support flying the rainbow flag as long as a Canadian flag was flown as well—except a Canadian flag already flies on a separate flagpole in Nathan Phillips Square, so it remains unclear what he meant by that. Denzil Minnan-Wong backed up the mayor, saying a Canadian flag or Olympic flag would be more appropriate.
A few city councillors have placed rainbow images in their office windows to show support for LBGT struggles in Russia, while deputy mayor Norm Kelly stated that he preferred that the Pride flag remain in place. “There’s no antagonism between the two flags,” he said. “[It] is also a statement that we’re not afraid to stand up for the rights and privileges that are being abused in other parts of the world. So there’s nothing un-Canadian about that. In fact that’s a very Canadian thing to do, to be concerned and care about others.”
Things took a strange turn later in the afternoon when, as reporters waited outside the mayor's office, two uniformed police officers showed up and met with Ford. For a moment, it seemed possible that the mayor would be charged with a crime—he's been under police investigation for months, after all—but the Post reports that the officers were there to investigate a threat. It's unknown whether that threat was related to the flag controversy.
Then, as if to cap off the afternoon, the city manager released a memo confirming that the mayor actually has no say in whether or not the city flies the flag.
Another politician might be worried about the squandered goodwill among gay voters and their friends, but Ford is lucky: he had so little to begin with.){kind=link}
Lock the sicko up. Please.
How about Ford’s drunken threats caught on video?? Double standard?
Rob Ford should move to Russia and become a mayor there.
Someone should explain to His Worship that calling the police and claiming he’s “been threatened” every time he doesn’t get his way on something is sort of past its shelf date as a tactic, especially after all the crack lies, the public drunkenness, and all the rest of the embarrassment he’s brought to our city on the international stage.
I am sure Gays would love to own the world, fact is Gays are 2% of the population with a propaganda machine that would rival Hitler, I worked in the clubs back in the 70’s and fact is if you don’t sleep with Gays they don’t want you round, and so the naive get sucked right into their plan, be Gay all you want just leave me out of it, and Sochi has Gay night clubs too so the protests are way out of line, just because they want to have a parade in Russia and the majority of the people do not, but the Gays 2% of the population will use their propaganda machine and scream and cry till they get their way and forGays it is working just like Hitler did for a time, be free to do as you choose just leave me out of you sex life and I promise not to brag about how much I dig on women and all the love I like to enjoy with women, far as men I don’t care for them see it cuts in on me enjoying a good womans loins and oh I do do do do, so get yourself a whistle and blow!
he who cries loudest can deepthroat the most inches. after that rant im guessing you go balls deep
Hitler you say? You are a very sick man. You need help.
I m from Quebec , M.Ford….I supported you for a while…….but tonight……I must say: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS….and support a major part of electors……
I don t want neither see you in a parade with….as you say……hairy belly, flat buttocks
as yours……….YOU RE NOT IN A POSITION TO JUDGE ANYBODY……YOU BIG JUNKIE ASSHOLE.
Can you make it …nice and easy?????
Too long message…….Make it short!
I always tought….and I m right….it s 10%……AT LEAST….my false.straight
I am so sick of hearing about this piece of white trash! How much longer do we have to put up with him?
Why do you have to make this about race and use that slur?
He’s a nutcase but i agree. The olympics isn’t an arena for a political agenda…and the pride flag represents a minority in canada… and why would individuals who are gay want to be singled out? raising the canadian flag for ALL canadian athletes would be more fulfilling…
So glad you’re not being sucked in by his lies. Please don’t forget to vote come fall.
There are plenty of Canadian flags at City Hall. The pole in question is for topics and special interest groups. It flies flags of countries, charities,etc. and is a perfectly appropriate venue for a Pride Flag. RoFo knows this. He’s making a fuss about nothing to seek the anti-LGBT vote and it’s working.
I respect Rob Ford for speaking his mind while everyone else is trying to be “politically correct” and stumbling into sheep talk. I also agree with him on this. It is one thing to be understanding and non-judgmental about those born with physical issues, quite another to patronize perverts!
Comparing the LGBT community – whom are fighting for rights you take for granted every waking moment of your life – to Hitler and Nazism – Bravo my good sir. Bravo indeed.