TORONTO – Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford will face challenges to his job at special council meetings today and Monday.
A motion to be brought before city council today would strip the mayor of his emergency powers, while the one on Monday would relieve Ford of his duties as mayor.
Coun. Adam Vaughan says he’d like to see Ford remain entitled to vote and function as a councillor, but shift his staff to the deputy mayor and Toronto’s budget chief.
Ford’s gaffes continued Thursday, as he spouted an obscenity on live TV, refused to apologize then did apologize, and was scolded by the Toronto Argonauts football team for wearing its jersey while making the remarks.
Ford’s locker room vulgarity also drew wide condemnation from fellow councillors, who literally turned their backs when he spoke during the day’s various debates.
And Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said she would consult opposition parties before deciding whether to intervene — if council made it clear it could not function as a result of the Ford scandal.
Coun. Mary-Margaret McMahon called Ford’s outburst on TV “deplorable, disgusting, appalling, unacceptable, offensive, atrocious to our city, to women, to everyone.”
“He needs to duct-tape himself,” McMahon added.
Ford begged the media to give his family privacy — with his seldom-seen-in-public wife by his side.
But he stubbornly refused to take a leave or resign but did say he was receiving support from a team of health-care professionals — and refused to elaborate.
As media trailed her into the city hall basement, Renata Ford came to his defence, saying he did not need to step down, because “that’s why we have elections.”
And the crush of media clamouring for news of Ford prompted city staff to declare city hall unsafe for children on Thursday.
School tours next Monday and Tuesday will be going to the Toronto Archives instead due to safety concerns, a spokeswoman said.
