Asked by Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong whether he had purchased
illegal drugs, Mr Ford said: "Yes, I have"
In a vote of 41-2, the council in Canada's largest city requested he take leave. Mr Ford has vowed to stay. The request was symbolic, as the council has no authority to remove him. On Wednesday, Mr Ford was aggressively questioned by city councillors who are furious at his reported conduct and who say he has embarrassed the city.
During the questioning, spectators repeatedly cheered, applauded and laughed, and were admonished to remain quiet by the council's speaker. Asked by a councillor whether he had purchased illegal drugs in the last two years, Mr Ford paused a moment, then said: "Yes I have." He apologized and said he was ashamed of his behaviour.
Hundreds of protesters gathered around Toronto City
Hall to call for Mr Ford to step down
"I understand the embarrassment that I have caused this city," he said. "I cannot change the past. All I can do is move on."
But he said: "I'm most definitely keeping this job... I am not leaving here." He has pledged to run for re-election in October 2014.
He pointed to what he described as his exemplary record of attendance at council meetings - and at his record in cutting the city's budget. But the councillors who opposed him said Mr Ford continued to harm Toronto.
"People who live in this city will be paying for the damage caused by terrible judgment, serial deception and rampant ego for a long while to come," Denzil Minnian-Wong said.
"I'm so tired of waking up in the morning and wondering: 'What will it be today?'"
And Jaye Robinson said Mr Ford should heed the request of almost every city councillor. Only Mr Ford and one other voted against the letter asking him to step aside.
"Together we stand to ask you to step aside and take a leave of absence," she said. "Let's get on with city business."
During the debate, hundreds of protesters chanted "resign" outside city hall.
In recent weeks, Mr Ford has admitting smoking crack cocaine while in office and has acknowledged he was trying to cut back on his drinking. Mr Ford has become increasingly isolated since the spring, when the Toronto Star and US gossip website Gawker reported that their journalists had viewed a video in which a highly intoxicated Mr Ford appeared to smoke from a crack pipe.
After Toronto police said they had obtained a copy of a video matching that description last week, Mr Ford admitted he had smoked crack cocaine - while in "one of my drunken stupors". Subsequently, another video surfaced publicly in which an apparently intoxicated Mr Ford ranted and threatened to kill an unnamed person.
It appears that Torontonians will have to drag Mr. Ford from City Hall, kicking and screaming. He is not about to leave and it will take almost a year to vote him out of office. I think he is hoping this whole thing will blow over by then and he will be re-elected. Well, stranger things have happened, I suppose, but voters, usually, don't soon forget being humiliated, ridiculed and being the cynosure of the eyes of the world. Mr. Ford..Resign.
I heard about the Rob Ford rumors about alcohol abuse , drug abuse , violence , domestic issues and worst at least 2 years ago before any of this hit the press . I don't love in Toronto , but I did hear it from someone that does .
ReplyDeleteNow if I heard them correct , it's really hard for me to believe that his conservative politicals buddies (Steven Harper , Jim Flaherty , Tim Hudak etc) would not have heard also .
Kind of make you wonder why they would not have checked him out ? Kind of makes you wonder why they would cosy up to him ? Kind of make you wonder if they thought that this wouldn't come out ?
Criminally charge him or vote him out in the next election . This has become a media circus now I think with Rob Ford being the clown or should I say the fat 'ELEPHANT' (smiling ).
Now they have new allegations against Rob Ford ,besides alcohol abuse and drugs . Now there is an allegation of a potential sex worker partying in his City Hall office .
Damn , we call those prostitutes here in the U.S.
Just my humble opinion
It kind of makes me wonder if it's all a Conservative conspiracy. The Torontonians voted for him but the Conservative party put him out there. Mr Harper would benefit from having the Toronto mayor in his pocket.
ReplyDeleteThey are stuck with him until next October and then I hope they do the smart thing.
You are correct, several staffers saw Ford staggering drunk and consorting with a lady of dubious reputation in his office at City Hall. He made his intention known to all that he was going to do some drugs with her and whatever else occurred to him.
I guess the old elephant snorted a little powder up his trunk. I doubt he could do anything else. He hasn't been able to see his junk or his feet for years.