Rob Ford (Toronto's Mayor) smoking crack cocaine

[7thgear]

I voted for his politics. I only wish my foresight was better.

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hal...o_scandal.html

"A cellphone video that appears to show Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine is being shopped around Toronto by a group of Somali men involved in the drug trade."

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

I voted for his politics. I only wish my foresight was better.

LOL - Live and learn.

I live 2 blocks from this guy. He should go join Bernie Ecclestone's entourage over in F1, he'd fit right in.

[DR 86]

As long as his politics benefit the city, he can smoke whatever the damn hell he wants.

[Burrcold]

Go Fordsy!!

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by DR 86

As long as his politics benefit the city, he can smoke whatever the damn hell he wants.

they were supposed to, but little of what he's done has benefited anyone in any meaningful way

basically Toronto and the GTA has had an identity crises for the last few decades. Canadians don't realize how much of a socialist country Canada is. So when Ford starts chopping social programs all of a sudden minority and special interest groups get all upset.

Then the people who aren't affected get upset too, because we're all so nice that citizen solidarity is like, you know, important and shit.

So whatever his mission is, he's failing at it, because as soon as he's out of office the next person will be the one who will promise the most to bring everything back to how it was.... not realizing that we just don't have the money.

ohh well.

[wparsons]

And even if the press can't get the funds, this could happen:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rob-ford-crackstarter

[yannerd]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

they were supposed to, but little of what he's done has benefited anyone in any meaningful way

basically Toronto and the GTA has had an identity crises for the last few decades. Canadians don't realize how much of a socialist country Canada is. So when Ford starts chopping social programs all of a sudden minority and special interest groups get all upset.

Then the people who aren't affected get upset too, because we're all so nice that citizen solidarity is like, you know, important and shit.

So whatever his mission is, he's failing at it, because as soon as he's out of office the next person will be the one who will promise the most to bring everything back to how it was.... not realizing that we just don't have the money.

ohh well.

Having lived in Toronto for 2 years I've seen first hand what you speak of.

I'd say that Toronto is experiencing far more than just an identity crisis. Quite frankly, you've got 44 city council seats and 1 mayor without veto power. These are all non-partisan councillors so you've got 45 people trying to agree on one thing. Ford wanted subways and everyone was onboard until Stintz came out and said that LRT is better. Then the councillors got behind that. The city can't decide what vision it has for the city. Even if someone does have a vision for the city, the council changes in 4 years time and whatever plans they did have for the city gets scrapped (LRT anyone?). Look at Harbourfront, they still can't decide what to do with it.

I'm curious to see the authenticity of this video. I was by no means a Ford nation supporter but right now we're just believing whatever these two reporters are telling us.

[Newguyottawa]

Was in TO last weekend. (It's been ages since I have been in downtown.). It does look like the politicians agree on one thing: filling every piece of useable space with condos. I was amazed by the development. It looked like any large city in china. A crazy level of infill.

In the 80s they had discussed burying the Gardner Expressway underground to allow a great view of the waterfront. Instead they have essentially buried it in condos.

[Sport-Tech]

^ No kidding. The central core is a horribly dehumanizing place to live now, got out of downtown a few years ago and never regretted the move.

[Ontariofrs]

Where's the proof? Shameful what the star will do to de-throne someone.

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by Ontariofrs

Where's the proof? Shameful what the star will do to de-throne someone.

the proof is dead, mang

[daiheadjai]

I would have voted for him last election if I weren't in York region.
Now that I've moved into the GTA, I don't think I would vote him in next election - he's just too brash and politically-dysfunctional to make things work.

Still better than David Miller, but still a bad mayor to have.
No doubt the Star has it in for him though.

[Rossman]

Wild. I find it crazy that anyone would vote for a racist, drunk driving, wife beating, crack smoking mayor. Not to mention his marijuana possession arrest.

Fuckin' goof presents himself as some blue-collar "everyman" when in reality the Fords are so goddamn rich its not even funny...anyone who votes for this guy is an idiot, IMHO. He talks about the getting rid of the gravy train - he didn't get rid of shit, he just redirected the gravy train to his buddies!

There is absolutely no question that this video exists. I personally believe that it's also likely authentic.

There is no reason for two senior reporters at the star and another professional reporter at gawker to have made up this story. If they lied and made it up to be famous, they will never be employed in their chosen fields again. I can't imagine any of them would think that would be a good decision.

And now, lo and behold it looks like Ford knew where the video was the whole time, and someone *might* have already been killed over it.

Great mayor, thanks for voting!

[wparsons]

Originally Posted by Ontariofrs

Where's the proof? Shameful what the star will do to de-throne someone.

Gawker broke the story first, the Star was just the first paper in TO to run anything. Other papers confirmed they were told about the video before the Star ran it too.

Originally Posted by daiheadjai

I would have voted for him last election if I weren't in York region.
Now that I've moved into the GTA, I don't think I would vote him in next election - he's just too brash and politically-dysfunctional to make things work.

I don't see how anyone that looked at his past history could have voted for him. He has a history of idiotic behavior, barely shows up for meetings, etc. He made claims about how to cut costs, then tried to raise taxes this past year because he realized that there just isn't any way to cut what he said he could cut and worse realized he needs MORE money to balance the budget.

Don't get me wrong, he doesn't have an easy job at all, but at least he should've done homework to see what was actually feasible before making stupid claims.