Rob Ford Transgressions Thread

[MrMastodonFarm]

I remember when a member of this forum "wished" our mayoral race 2 years ago was as interesting as the Toronto race. This was in the early stages when Rob Ford was having some hilarious trouble (forget exactly what). Meanwhile Nenshi was just emergering in Calgary as a very big dark horse.

Calgary ended up with a fun interesting race and a great Mayor that is respect. Toronto ended up with a bumbling buffoon. For some reason that comment has always stuck with me, similar to Cowperson's December 2001 decree that Bin Laden "is dead, dead dead dead"

[mykalberta]

For anyone who lives there, of the official actions he has taken as mayor in council, what exactly do Torontonians not like?

Or do they simply not like that he isnt a liberal vegan bicyclist?

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Slava

Right, and I get that: he should've paid back the $3,000. The part that worries me is the potential precedent though. Admittedly, I don't know if there is one here, or how this impacts things going forward, but that's my concern. I mean, if you can get a mayor booted for a mere $3,000 (which doesn't sound like it went directly into his pocket either as it went to his football charity), how else could people with an axe to grind railroad a public servant?

Do I like Rob Ford and his politics? Not particularly. Would I vote for him? Almost certainly not. But that shouldn't mean that he should be stripped of his public office for this; its a piddly amount that was directed to a charity he runs. If he took the $3,000 and spent it on a keg party or whatever, ya fair enough. I just think that the context matters somewhat here, as well as the fact that its a harsh penalty to pay in the first place.

I don't care what its for.

Misappropriation of public funds, facilities or infrastructure for any private interest should never be tolerated.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I don't care what its for.

Misappropriation of public funds, facilities or infrastructure for any private interest should never be tolerated.

Sure, and I'm pretty naive on TO politics. Didn't he just use city letterhead to raise the funds? That's not really pubic money if that's the case?

[Cheese]

Flow Chart of Possible outcomes

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I don't care what its for.

Misappropriation of public funds, facilities or infrastructure for any private interest should never be tolerated.

Including down to the level of misappropriating the public's stationary supplies?

[Northendzone]

according to the Town of Toronto Charter, Ford is entitled to 5 pigs and two comely lasses of virtue true......hopefully he can get the broads.

Who would ahve thunk that soliciting for funds could go so wrong?

[Cheese]

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says he will appeal a court decision that found he broke conflict of interest rules and ordered him out of office.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Including down to the level of misappropriating the public's stationary supplies?

That could be considered infrastructure. Misrepresentation is still misappropriation.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Slava

Well I'm not a Rob Ford fan (although I watched his video of his QB play last week many times!), but this doesn't seem right at all. Seems like some people weren't happy about the outcome of the election still and basically found a nitpicky little way to get him out.

As someone who is very familiar with the Alberta Municipal Government Act (not Ontario's, but the principal is the same), I don't agree. He willingly acted inappropriately and refused to admit that is was improper. The rules are simple. He should have abstained from discussion and voting (etc.) and this would never have happened. Let him run again and we'll see if the voters want him back.

[Puppet Guy]

With his girth will they remove him with a crane, or a forklift?

[Finny61]

Terrible mayor but was real funny on the tv show According to Jim.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

As someone who is very familiar with the Alberta Municipal Government Act (not Ontario's, but the principal is the same), I don't agree. He willingly acted inappropriately and refused to admit that is was improper. The rules are simple. He should have abstained from discussion and voting (etc.) and this would never have happened. Let him run again and we'll see if the voters want him back.

Ya, and you clearly have more experience here than I do. Maybe I just see the $3k figure and think, "how bad can it be?"

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Slava

Ya, and you clearly have more experience here than I do. Maybe I just see the $3k figure and think, "how bad can it be?"

There is a principal here. $3K or $300K, it's still wrong.

It's still theft if someone shop lifts a $1 candy bar, as it is if you steal a car. Yes, I'm aware the punishment is less under $5,000, but it's still theft. Our politicians have to be held to a high standard and need to adhere to the rules or accept the consequences. Many do not, and it taints everyone.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

There is a principal here. $3K or $300K, it's still wrong.

It's still theft if someone shop lifts a $1 candy bar, as it is if you steal a car. Yes, I'm aware the punishment is less under $5,000, but it's still theft. Our politicians have to be held to a high standard and need to adhere to the rules or accept the consequences. Many do not, and it taints everyone.

I guess the other factor is that the mistake/theft appears to be of letterhead? In other words, he didn't line his own pockets here, right? He used city letterhead otherwise there was really nothing wrong with this. So he did some fundraising for charity with city letterhead.

I agree with you in principle though. I hate when people say "I barely took any, so whats the big deal?" Why not just take as much you like then and call yourself a thief?

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by Slava

I guess the other factor is that the mistake/theft appears to be of letterhead? In other words, he didn't line his own pockets here, right? He used city letterhead otherwise there was really nothing wrong with this. So he did some fundraising for charity with city letterhead.

I agree with you in principle though. I hate when people say "I barely took any, so whats the big deal?" Why not just take as much you like then and call yourself a thief?

I think that the bigger issue clearly is that he was using (intentionally or not) the political clout of the mayor's office to advance his own (or his charity's) interests. That is totally inappropriate.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Slava

I guess the other factor is that the mistake/theft appears to be of letterhead? In other words, he didn't line his own pockets here, right? He used city letterhead otherwise there was really nothing wrong with this. So he did some fundraising for charity with city letterhead.

I agree with you in principle though. I hate when people say "I barely took any, so whats the big deal?" Why not just take as much you like then and call yourself a thief?

I think this was his biggest transgression:

Ford had been accused of violating council’s conflict guidelines after he spoke to and voted on whether to accept an integrity commissioner’s report critical of how he raised funds for his football charity last February.

[OffsideSpecialist]

Apparently it's a left wing conspiracy.

[smoothpops]

does anyone know if ford's vote was the difference maker in allowing him to keep those funds? i agree with the verdict either way, i'm just curious.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by smoothpops

does anyone know if ford's vote was the difference maker in allowing him to keep those funds? i agree with the verdict either way, i'm just curious.

I thought he lost the vote and was told to repay. He just chose not to.