…..every day there’s something else

Courtesy of the Huffington Post

I’m embarrassed to be living in a city that can’t impeach its mayor. I try not to be too political with my blog but the actions and words of Rob Ford are beyond ridiculous. If you’ve been living in a cave for the last six months you may not know what I’m talking about but Toronto has been in the news worldwide ever since The Toronto Star and Gawker released the story that Rob Ford is on a video smoking crack cocaine. Of course the mayor stated that there was no video and that he did not smoke crack cocaine. That was back in May.

In June there was a raid on a housing complex in the west end of Toronto where numerous people were arrested on drug and weapons charges. The raid was called Project Traveller. Two weeks ago the police released some of the findings from the raid and Rob Ford was smack dap in the middle of it. The police chief said the alleged video was found and activities described earlier in the year were on the video.

Last week Rob Ford announced to the world that he had smoked crack cocaine. He apologized profusely but refused to leave the office of the mayor to get help. He said there were no more skeletons in his closet. Almost every day since that announcement new skeletons and more bizarre behaviour with the mayor have been revealed. Late night television hosts, such as Dave Letterman, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno have been having a hay day. The monologues are funny but embarrassing at the same time.

So far this is what he’s been caught doing:

– doing illegal drugs and keeping bad company, i.e., prostitutes at city hall, Oxycontin, cocaine, a joint in his desk and employing a driver with a criminal record

– angry outbursts – using racial and homophobic slurs, abusive language, using the ‘f’ bomb over and over again, and violent confrontations with staffers

– heavy drinking in public – incoherent late-night calls, sending his staff to buy him alcohol, guzzling vodka and then driving, appearing intoxicated at official public events

– erratic work habits – drunk at the office, arriving late and leaving early, missing meetings, coaching football instead of being at work, illicit meetings with known criminals and exchanging mysterious packages (contents unknown)

– making death threats while in a drunken stupor (caught on video)

Today the mayor came out of his office and commented to the media, using the most demeaning and vulgar language, about an allegation that came out in the news yesterday regarding a female staffer. My principal was driving to school when she heard the report live and she almost drove off the road. I don’t like to utter the words in public so I’ve posted the news clip for you. Of course later in the day he apologized again.

In council yesterday, 37 out of 42 councillors voted to ask Rob Ford to take a leave of absence. In our municipal system the mayor cannot be fired or impeached unless he is charged and convicted of a crime. Rob Ford refuses to step down, despite the polls. His support from the public diminishes every day and 75% of Torontonians polled want him out of office. Even the organizers of the this weekends Santa Claus Parade have asked the mayor not to attend and take part in the parade.

I think maybe it is time for the provincial government, along with the municipal government to put in place provisions to have the mayor ousted from power.

Drunk on the Danforth Courtesy of Macleans