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Rob Ford’s billion dollar lie

#BillionDollarLie
#BillionDollarLie

Budget numbers:

City of Toronto budget summary 2009.

City of Toronto budget summary 2010.

City of Toronto budget summary 2011.

City of Toronto budget summary 2012.

City of Toronto budget summary 2013.

 

The #BillionDollarLie

At this point we all know that Rob Ford lied about smoking crack, but what about the bigger lie that he has been perpetuating for the better part of the summer?

The facts are in plain numbers within the City of Toronto’s budget summaries – not only did Rob Ford have a 1.548 billion dollar spending increase since he became mayor, the city budget ballooned 1.458 billion dollars this year alone. How did Ford manage to save a billion while spending went up a billion and a half?

Rob Ford was elected on his mandate of saving taxpayers money. We can see that his personal life has greatly overtaken his work at City Hall, and his lying doesn’t seem to be stuck to his personal life. Steadfast Ford supporters be warned: the one thing you thought you could count on him to do, he can’t.

Check out the numbers from the City’s budget summaries above and share out the #BillionDollarLie infographic.

 

 

 

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Madame Ford blinded by empty ambition

Rob Ford’s mother came out yesterday on CP24 to deny. Deny her son is an addict, deny he has any bigger problem than a weight issue. She is the mother of enabling. She seems to believe the left wing politicians are behind a conspiracy to get her son out of city hall and while this may be partially true, she refuses to see that there is a bigger issue at stake — her son’s life.

She seems a woman blinded by primal desire to win at all costs, blinded to the signs that all point to addiction.

Her world is one that puts political life above everything else, so much so that I wonder if there is resentment or bitterness that their suburban wealth, and propulsion to the forefront of civic life didn’t earn them a position within the establishment? Is she a Ford wanting to be a Lexus? Does she think she has a second chance through her son – no matter what the cost on him?

She seems to be putting her son’s role as mayor before her son as a human being. While many have wondered why a rich kid from the suburbs would want to escape into a crack-induced haze, Rob Ford may be surrounded by a family who see politics as a life long endeavor, a family focused completely on how others see them. It’s no wonder he seeks to escape – how empty is a world where status is the highest endeavour?

The Ford Sunday radio show is one of their strategic achievements. I can picture mother Ford listening by the radio hanging on to their every word.  The sons list their achievements, sliding over the true work others did –  like Councillor Ana Bailao who single-handedly refinanced TCHC loans –  claiming the achievement as their own. They often list their charitable contributions, clawing for a position within an establishment that finds them vulgar and lacking.

None of the Ford’s seem to realize how empty the desire to be accepted is  — except perhaps Rob Ford.  And that’s the rub. While people have always pegged Rob as the dumber younger brother, he may actually be the smartest in his family. A man who might have become an artist, an actor, a thinker  — surrounded by a family whose biggest desire is to be accepted by the “Joneses.” A family so skewed by the need for political success they have lost touch with the human desire to grow and learn. Imagine being a child growing up in a family like this.

While many will think I hate Rob – I don’t. He has a heart and when straight he’s actually a nice guy. Problem is he’s acting a role that his mother wants him to play and it’s killing him. This past week people have said that I must feel vindicated, but that is an empty feeling given the critical level of the situation. I feel more a sadness. Sad for Rob, sad that his family is so politically motivated they have chosen to ignore his cry for help. Rob is a victim of circumstance caught in the small world of low level political opportunity. If I was caught in a family like that I wonder if I too would try to escape it through drugs and alcohol? He once told me that he loved the theatre and during high school he had been in a play that was one of his best memories – that is the first and only time I saw the real Rob Ford and unfortunately I think that man is now lost to a world of alcohol and drugs. The spirit inside him is trapped with nowhere to go but down.

The future for Rob Ford doesn’t look promising. The more his family prop him up the farther he has to fall. He has a choice only he can make. Does he break away from a family who want him to be someone he isn’t, who demand he forever focus on politics, and instead discover a vast world where he can learn and grow? Or does he drug himself daily to get through the emptiness of a life that is completely focused on small time local politics? Could Rob Ford be a big frog trapped and forced to swim in a small scummy pond? 

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The Toronto Star obtains video of distraught Ford uttering death threats

On Thursday the Toronto Star obtained footage of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford in a seriously agitated state threatening to kill an unknown person. The mayor later gave statement to reporters that he was inebriated in the video, but went no further than that. It is unknown if he means he was drinking or under the influence of drugs when this recording was taken.

This comes only days after Ford’s own admission that he had smoked crack cocaine while the controversy and charges surrounding his criminal associate Sandro Lisi rage on.

Check out the Toronto Star’s video above and let us know what you think is going on in this most recent tape.

 

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The arrogance of Rob Ford

I’ve rebelled against Mr. Ford since the 2010 election campaign. The campaign for mayor lasted nearly 10 months for me. I was one of the top 5 candidates, and in the top 3 at one point in the race. The days were long, usually starting at 7am and running until midnight. From events, to rallies, debates and social functions the top 5 candidates saw one another almost every day and often more than once in a day.

Over time a sense of respect develops amongst the candidates. Respect for each other, for the strengths you see in another, for the way most of them answered questions honestly.

Unfortunately that respect never developed between Rob Ford and myself. He would never look me in the eye and his handshake was limp, often soggy. I couldn’t believe the way he twisted the truth during the campaign. Suggesting he could pay for subways with government efficiencies (ignoring the huge debt we must pay down). Or suggesting he would get rid of the land transfer tax, and lower taxes. He made more fake promises than I could count, and the public seemed to lap it up.

It takes ignorance and a lack of self-respect to peddle such absolute bullshit, and Mr. Ford possesses both. But it takes true arrogance to continue to peddle the bullshit for 3 years following the campaign without delivering on your promises. And it is this arrogance that lost my respect for him from those early days of the 2010 campaign.

I am not sure if he thinks people are stupid enough to believe that he saved Toronto $1Billion; or if he simply knows that repetition builds belief and facts take longer to come out? But there are still people in Toronto who believe that Rob Ford has not raised taxes (they have increased by 4.5% since 2010). There are people who aren’t aware that the city operating budget has also grown by $200million since 2010 and who don’t question where the Billion in savings has gone. People still believe that Mr. Ford will get rid of the land transfer tax, despite the fact that he has raised their taxes by 4.5% over the past 2 years.
And the biggest lie – that he will build subways with funds created through efficiencies, when he has admitted that he didn’t find enough to pay for subways and will have to increase property taxes to pay for the Scarborough subway line next year.

Mr. Ford hasn’t just lied about his private life he has lied about what he has accomplished, he has taken credit for the work of former Councillor Doug Holiday (union agreements), Councillor Ana Baeleo (Refinancing of TCHC loans) and others. He has stretched the truth to such a degree that I don’t think he himself knows what it is anymore.

It takes true arrogance, a sense of entitlement, and a lack of self-respect to lie to the public to the degree that Rob Ford has, but the scheme has taken it’s toll on him. How much more bullshit can one man spin out before they themselves disappear in the charade?

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Gay Post

FASHION: Style experts review Ford’s crack announcement outfit

“If I looked as good as him I wouldn’t step down either.”

With the news of Rob Ford’s crack use reverberating around City Hall this week in Toronto only one question remains that even the Toronto Police and the journalistic teams of the city’s best papers haven’t been asking: was Rob Ford wearing the right outfit to announce he has used crack? We consulted with the style experts to find out!

Mayor Ford kept things simple in a black suit when he met reporters for both his proclamation and subsequent press conference. Remember that when the weather begins to get colder more muted tones are always a great way to get your message across. Black and white help RoFo give off an impression of both professionalism and style while apologizing to the people of Toronto for his crack cocaine use.

Rob Ford, a portrait of fashion in Canada. Photo by Canadian Press.

“Don’t be surprised if you see a lot of the girls on Church street wearing XXXL suit jackets with poppies this season,” says Toronto drag queen and tireless fashionista Barbie Jo Bontemps. “Style always seems to trickle down from fashion icons like Ford to the drag queens and then hit the runway in Paris.”

Always remember that for a larger man, black is your best friend. No one was thinking about Ford’s ongoing weight struggle when he wore this number at the crack press conference yesterday!

RoFo also seems to have done away with dress shirts that are his proper neck size and is starting a new trend of leaving the top button undone and covering it with his tie. Keep an eye on this — we may see much of the same at next year’s Fasion Week.

Ford’s simple black suit looks like a rack number from Brooks Brothers or Moore’s, a smart move that gives him all the style without the designer price tag, leaving him with a bit more pocket money to spend freely — and still look good doing it!

One important fashion accessory in the fall is a poppy pin in support of the Royal Canadian Legion. Ford contrasts his black suit jacket well with the red pin. To get the RoFo look and show you care about veterans, freedom, and style at your next big drug related press conference pick up your own pin at many subway stations, shopping centre entrances, and Legion halls near you for as little as a dollar! For an extra bit of flair try to get your hands on the slightly more rare felt covered poppy.

Ford also rocks a City of Toronto pin. While you may have never been mayor or the fourth largest city in North America you can still complete the look. Check out similar broaches on Etsy for around five bucks.

Don’t forget the flare! there is no need to be a bore when holding a press conference about the string of deceit and lies that he fed to voters in the aftermath of his crack tape becoming public knowledge, so Ford spiced up his outfit with an NFL team tie. Multi-coloured ties work great to breakup solid coloured suits on men!

“Vintage NFL ties are in this season.”

“Vintage NFL ties are in this season,” says Toronto based artist and style icon Andrea Pelletier, while wearing her Dallas Texans scarf. Queen West fashionistas have already been seen sporting other Father’s Day gifts as haute fashion lately including re-darned socks and coffee mugs.

The tie gives Ford a chance to have a little fun with the outfit while showing off a bit of his personality. Did you know RoFo coached a highschool football team for a number of years? You do now! By showing off his love of football on his tie Rob is letting us know he’s just a normal guy who loves football and was eventually asked to remove himself from the team he coached due to months of bad press. Try to include a little bit of your own self into the story your clothes tell.

Don’t let your fun tie get out of control! Ford’s multi-coloured neckpiece  straddles the limit, but he made sure not to let the patterns get any busier — his look lets him have a little fun but still be taken seriously as he tells Torontians he has smoked crack and lied about it for half a year.

With his brother Doug flanking him wearing a similar outfit we can’t help but wonder who wore it better, and the tie instantly pushes it in RoFo’s favour. Not since Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have we seen such a stylish set of siblings with their own take on what makes them look good.

“”His graceful elegance and fashion forward thinking were the real takeaway from this press conference,” says Bontemps. “When it comes to fashion, it’s clear that yesterday was a pure victory for Mayor Ford. The public won’t soon forget his debonair portrayal of this season’s latest vestments.”

“If I looked as good as him,” says Bontemps, “I wouldn’t step down either.”

 

Our verdict on RoFo’s outfit:

5/5 review stars

 

 

Follow Travis on Twitter at @TravMyers.

Follow Women’s Post on Twitter at @WomensPost.

 

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WATCH: Ford’s crack admission makes it to Colbert and Jon Stewart

While we’ve been preoccupied with stuff like, oh, the real ramifications of our crack smoking mayor’s admissions and press conferences, it should come as no surprise that the American newsmedia has picked up on our juicy scandal as fodder for the late night  comedy shows.

Rob Ford made the rounds on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Nov. 4 and again last night and was also the subject of a segment on the Colbert Report last night.

Watch the embedded Colbert clip above and the new Jon Stewart clip below and let us know, is this hilarious or deeply embarrassing?

 

 

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Check out:

Rob Ford jokes make it all the way to the Daily Show

 

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Toronto

EDITORIAL: Ford’s antics are hurting the city and he must step down

Like many I spent the better part of my Sunday afternoon listening to Rob Ford, the Mayor of North America’s fourth largest city, on various radio stations, deliver a ‘sort-of-kind-of- maybe-but-not-quite-non-apology’ of an apology.

Mayor Ford took to the airwaves Sunday to say that he is sorry for “mistakes” made and called on Bill Blair, Toronto’s Chief of Police, to release the now infamous ‘Rob Ford crack video’. The Mayor chose to not elaborate on what he deemed set mistakes. As such, he guarantees the scandal surrounding him continues to grow. However, the Mayor did note that he takes full responsibility for his misdeeds; which would be new, to say the least. After a long history of lying to the City of Toronto, the Mayor has chosen to take an incredibly vague degree of responsibility for his actions and his associations.

Despite this, the Mayor was willing to admit that the ongoing scandal has been an embarrassment to the city. This is a shocking revelation from a man that all too often attempts to pass the proverbial buck. It is a relevant point that the Mayor understands this; assuming he is not lying to Torontonians again. Hopefully he realizes that this is the crux of the issue. Rob Ford is embarrassing the City of Toronto. His presence as Toronto’s Chief Executive Officer threatens investment both on a foreign and domestic level. It distracts members of Council from greater issues that are important to the various communities that make up the City.

In the last week alone Councillors could have addressed the stabbing of sixteen year old boy in the Ford’s own Rexdale community or the shooting of a man during a street level robbery in the Victoria Park Avenue and Eglinton Avenue area or the fact that known drug dealers and gang members appear to be spending time on Toronto District School Board property with high ranking government officials. But they did not. They were too preoccupied by the Mayor’s actions. They were holding meetings and interventions and deciding what their next political move should be.

As we now know, the Mayor has admitted to smoking crack cocaine. In the Mayor’s own words; “Maybe a year ago … during one of my drunken stupors.”

It is time for the Mayor to step aside for the good of the City. Deputy Mayor Kelley is more than capable of taking over in the mean time. Until that happens, Torontonians live in a city paralyzed by a Mayor who cannot see past his own ambition. Torontonians live in a city paralyzed by a Mayor that would be characterized as a “slimy politician” to use Councillor Doug Ford’s words. But perhaps more damningly, Torontonians live in a city paralyzed by a Mayor who just stopped caring about being Mayor far too long ago.

 

Follow Women’s Post on Twitter at @WomensPost.

Follow Jordan on Twitter at @JordanAGlass.

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Cracking the Hard Truths for Toronto

Cracking Hard Truths for Toronto

Hard Truth # 1 Rob Ford has admitted he has smoked crack

Hard Truth # 2 Rob Ford has not saved Toronto 1 Billion dollars

Hard Truth # 3 Rob Ford has increased property taxes by 4.5% (2012 = 2.5% + 2013 = 2%)

Hard Truth # 4 Rob Ford has increased the city operating budget by $200 million since 2010.

Hard Truth # 5 Rob Ford considers drug addicts and gang members his friends

Hard Truth # 6. Rob Ford lied about finding enough savings at city hall to fund subways

Hard Truth #7 All levels of government are in debt and we must implement a transit toll or tax if we want to expand our subway/transit system.

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Toronto

What David Price’s GO station blow-up says about the integrity of the Mayor’s office

If not this, then what?

In the wake of a temper tantrum at a GO Transit station by David Price, Mayor Rob Ford’s director of logistics and operations, the Mayor has done everything in his power to pretend such issues are not occurring on his watch.  However, he may have slipped up when responding to an inquiry from a publication with which he rarely finds himself at odds. I speak; of course, of the Toronto Sun. Veteran Sun City Hall beat journalist Don Peat questioned the Mayor regarding the internal investigation by GO Transit and Metrolinx into Price’s actions. That prompted something of a peculiar response. The Mayor stated, “It’s actually no one’s business what happens in my office. I take care of the people that work for me and they do a great job, as you see.”

That hardly sounds like the candidate I recall demanding “respect for taxpayers” a mere three years ago.

Amid rising property taxes and an ever expanding budget, the Mayor signed David Price, his former high school football coach to handle much of his political outreach to the tune of approximately $125,000 per year at the taxpayers’ expense. As a matter of comparison Norm Kelly, Deputy Mayor of Toronto and elected Councillor from Ward 40, will be paid approximately $102,000 for his service to the City. If this is not the business of Torontonians – those who pay Mayor Ford’s and Mr. Price’s salaries – than I am not sure what else could. To suggest otherwise would be; dare I say, a demonstration of disrespect for the taxpayer.

More to the point; it is comments such as these from the Mayor that harkens back to the scandal-plagued days of the previous federal Liberal government. Mayor Ford and his staff have clearly developed an overwhelming sense of entitlement. It appears as though they truly believe that the rules do not apply to them. It appears as though they have forgotten that they work for the citizens of Toronto and not the other way around.

What will this mean come October 2014?

While I still believe that the Mayor would beat a polarizing candidate on the left in a one-on-one race, it is this sense of entitlement that could challenge the Mayor on the right and encourage conservative councillors such as Karen Stintz and Denzil Minnan Wong to challenge the Mayor. Given the Mayor’s propensity to spending money the City no longer has, perhaps it is challenges such as these he should be worrying most about.

 

Follow Jordan on Twitter at @JordanAGlass.

Follow Women’s Post on Twitter at @WomensPost.

 

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