TORONTO: Toronto’s crack-smoking mayor, Rob Ford, faced a new political challenge yesterday from city councillors seeking to limit his powers after his latest obscene outburst.
Ford, under fire after admitting to having once used crack and allegedly abusing a prescription drug and other misconduct, drew gasps, giggles and at least one exclamation of oh, my God from reporters with remarks on Thursday outside his office.
He later apologised, but it did little to stem the swelling outrage.
At a city council meeting, many councillors turned their backs on Ford when he stood to speak.
One chided him for his disgraceful language while a former ally said flatly: Apology not accepted.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, meanwhile, signalled for the first time her willingness to step in with legislation to possibly oust the mayor, if requested by the municipality.
Toronto’s city council instead unveiled a motion yesterday morning to limit the mayor’s executive powers, effectively leaving him as the city’s chief magistrate in name only.
Councillor John Fillion said the aim was to try to contain the mayor so that he doesn’t bring down the reputation of council or of the city.
We can’t control his behaviour, but certainly we can ensure that city business carries on as usual, perhaps even better, he said.
The motion, said to be supported by a slim majority of councillors (28 out of 44), would reduce the mayor’s budget and staff, and strip him of the powers to appoint committee chairs and hire or fire department heads.
One councillor described the move as an attempt to build a fire wall around the disgraced mayor.
During a morning debate the mayor who has been alternately defiant and apologetic about his behaviour sat mostly quiet.
He asked a few questions, including about how to manage the transition of powers and raising for the first time the possibility of his resigning.
At the same time, though, he vowed to challenge any bid to oust him or limit his mayoral powers, saying he has retained a lawyer and was ready for a legal battle that could last until the next election in October 2014.
I have no other options but to challenge this in court, he said.
Ford pointed out also that he could have removed committee chairs who challenged him to resign, but did not.
This (motion) will be precedent-setting and if we move ahead with this, then obviously if someone else steps out of line like I have, it is going to affect councillors and the mayor I think for years to come, he concluded.
AFP
