Rob Ford’s frenemies on council eager to emphasize the “fre” part
Mayoral front-runner Rob Ford doesn’t have a lot of people he could call friends on council, or so the story goes. Just yesterday we heard Howard Moscoe and Kyle Rae say how little a hypothetical Mayor Ford would be able to accomplish with all his enemies in council. Moscoe’s delightful phrase: “He won’t be able to pass gas.” But that may be changing, if the Toronto Star is right: some of the right-leaning councillors are trying to make nicey-nice with Ford.
One of those councillors seen becoming increasingly cozy with Ford is Mike Del Grande. Del Grande, who is rumoured to have been offered the role of deputy mayor, stopped Ford several times on the chamber floor to share a laugh. Frances Nunziata, another councillor who has supposedly been promised a high-placed position, sat happily chatting with Ford throughout the meeting.
Now, we wouldn’t want to accuse the Ford campaign of measuring drapes for the mayor’s office two months before the election, but it’s clear there’s a Ford party at city hall, and despite the wishes of people like Rae and Moscoe, it will probably be able to fill some of the chairs on the executive committee, at least.
This is going to be especially true after the election, if Ford’s coattails manage to bring in a clutch of new, fresh-faced right-wing councillors. Don’t forget about all those open seats, people. For all the bluster about the left of council being able to keep control despite, or to spite Ford, it looks like he might have just enough supporters to actually run things if it comes to that.
This might be too much: we were just getting used to the idea of Ford winning the election. Now we have to get used to the idea that he might have enough help to run things? What’s next? Learning that Rob Ford has secretly been taking night classes toward a degree in public policy?
Perhaps Rae and Moscoe sense that play time coming to an end? They’ve chided Ford for years, now he’s about to become their new boss. And ‘they’ won’t work with Rob Ford?
No doubt Rob Ford will marginalize these two and their friends, by sending them to the corner while he’s mayor.
Imagine it, Moscoe without a plumb post to give importance to his rants and taunts!
These two and all the other blowhards on city council might as well stay home, because the rules will be a changing at old city hall!
Big Business friends, out.
Developers friends, out.
Special deals for personal friends, out.
Catered meals for ‘hardly’ working counselors, out.
Big expense accounts for ‘hardly’ working counselors, out.
Free taxi rides funded by Toronto taxpayers, out.
Free limo rides funded by Toronto taxpayers, out.
And all the corrupt councilors… out!!
And if Ford was really smart, he’d smack all the ‘pet’ budgets to gain back much needed revenue. He’d also put a hiring freeze in place and start cutting back on the number of city employees.
Starting with the library.
Notice how the Toronto Public Library is giving everything but crack cocaine to us? They are pretty much bribing us all with their ‘free’ services. Really now, free Internet, the latest hot off the presses DVD’s and novels, and soon… free book vending machines at union station, not to mention.. free e-books!
Heck we don’t need BUY ANY copyright material with organizations like them around! And people think downloading is a problem?
The Toronto Public library is delivering a feeding frenzy of copyright material to Toronto library patrons while they expand their numbers, their payroll, and their pension liabilities. Enough!
Rob, think about cutting the Toronto public library back to providing newspapers and public domain books.
Please.
Real or parody? I honestly can’t tell….!
Paula – are you kidding me??!! You clearly know nothing about libraries or the success story that our library has been post amalgamation. Toronto Public Library is the one organization that gets it right in this city. Libraries are the “people’s university”. Every citizen can further knowledge using a public library whether it is educational, functional or cultural and most importantly libraries don’t judge what we do with them – they uphold an essential cornerstone of democracy and that is our right to intellectual freedom. Toronto’s public library is world class, arguably regarded as the best public library system in the world and it is something we should all be very proud of.
If Ford becomes mayor,and has cooperation on council,the city will benefit.Toronto is diverse,and needs new blood to invigorate it again.To accomplish this,a balanced budget is necessary. Ford may not love the arts,or appear to care much for environmental issues,but Toronto’s budget hasn’t allowed for it given Miller’s leftist love in.Those strikes,fair wage policy,internally awarded contracts,etcetera. all cost the city. Can’t afford councillors,or mayoral candidates who are affiliated with Miller,or lost revenue like Ehealth. Economy will improve if council becomes fiscally prudent with Toronto’s money?Wait ’til after labor day,October 25 for the real polls:)
For the record
No I have not been promised anything.
No I have not asked for any position.
No I have never ridiculed Rob Ford at Council
No I do not agree with every one of his platforms
Yes, I shared a laugh with Rob Ford but when was that not allowed?
And yes, if Rob Ford becomes Mayor I will work with him or anyone else that sits in that Chair. I tried with Miller but I would not be a lap dog so I was out.
Nice to see that the Star knows my future and yes, I know where that rumour started.
Oh yes, I also talked to Pantalone in the men’s washroom- I wonder what the story will be about that!