Rob Ford sends a polite but angry letter to Dalton McGuinty

The provincial Liberals annoyed Rob Ford earlier this spring by refusing to override council on the LRT-versus-subway question. Now they’ve raised his ire again for getting involved, after stepping in to delay council’s plan to sell 65 single-family homes to raise much-needed cash to repair Toronto Community Housing properties. Ford and Ana Bailão managed to hammer out a compromise this winter, agreeing to start with 56 vacant TCHC homes rather than the hundreds that Ford originally hoped to sell. However, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Kathleen Wynne is refusing to grant the necessary approvals to sell even those 56 until a report on the fate of the other 619 TCHC homes goes to council in October. In response, the mayor fired off a sharp letter to Dalton McGuinty that makes ample use of underlines and ends as follows: “In speaking to other matters in the past, you have stated that you will honour the will of council. I urge you to do so again and respect the will of council on this most pressing matter.” At moments like this, it’s easy to feel for the mayor, who sometimes seems to be thwarted at every turn. Still, in a city that just rushed through an abrupt and vague bag ban, maybe it’s best to consider the reports? [Globe and Mail]

(Images: Dalton McGuinty—Jennifer K. Warren; city hall—Joey DeVilla)