Advocate Jan 2014

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12 VOL. 72 PART 1 JANUARY <strong>2014</strong> THE ADVOCATE • 36–6 to transfer many of Ford’s deputies and budget to the deputy mayor. • 32–10 to decree that Ford could no longer set key matters on the legislative agenda. Ford immediately vowed an all-out “war” against his fellow councillors and promised to launch a legal challenge to council’s actions (yet to materialize at the time of writing). In particular, he invoked militaristic language to complain that the city council was undermining the very core of democracy itself: Folks, this is nothing more, this is nothing more than a coup d’état and if you don’t know what a coup d’état means, it means that you are overruling a government. And some people said: “this is democracy.” What’s happening here today is not a democratic process, this is a dictatorship process … This, folks, reminds me of when I was watching with my brother when Saddam [Hussein] attacked Kuwait and President [George H.W.] Bush said, “I warn you, I warn you, I warn you, do not.” Well folks, if you think American-style politics is nasty you guys have just attacked Kuwait. You will never see something, mark my words friends, this is going to be outright war in the next election and I’m going to do everything in my power to beat you guys. And I have no sympathy. What you’re doing to me is kicking me out of my office and it is the worst thing you can do, I was elected by the people. Am I mad? You’re absolutely right I’m mad because every one of you guys have sinned and it is absolutely the worst thing you can do for democracy in the City of Toronto. What goes around comes around friends, remember what I am saying. So which was it, a coup d’état or an unprovoked invasion of a neighbouring country? Ford’s metaphors were as mixed as his drinks (his apparent cocktail of choice being vodka and Gatorade). Moreover, these two metaphors for Ford’s plight could scarcely be more inappropriate. A coup d’état is literally a blow against the state. It typically involves the use of the military by a minority group within the existing state establishment to depose the government in power. The invasion of Kuwait, on the other hand, was the unprovoked intrusion by one nation state against the sovereignty of the other. So, was Ford saying he was a government overthrown by an unauthorized military or a sovereign entity overthrown by a foreign force? Did he seriously perceive the city councillors as being equivalent to Saddam Hussein or his regime? If he is Kuwait 23 years ago, who is going to play George H.W. Bush in the movie version of Ford’s life? While Ford’s ego may have no apparent borders, Ford is not a sovereign state. He is the mayor of a city, a creature of provincial statute. The City of Toronto Act, 2006, 2 sets out that the “City of Toronto exists for the purpose of
THE ADVOCATE VOL. 72 PART 1 JANUARY <strong>2014</strong> 13 providing good government with respect to matters within its jurisdiction, and the city council is a democratically elected government which is responsible and accountable”. It is a purpose of the Act that the city must be able to ensure that it “is accountable to the public and that the process for making decisions is transparent”. Ford’s allegation of “a dictatorship” ignored not only the accountability of city council, but also the fact that before voting in a public forum (broadcast far beyond the boundaries of the electorate it serves) the motions at issue were up for questioning and debate by all members of council, including Ford. How was that not democracy? The mayor’s role is spelled out in the Act as follows: It is the role of the mayor of the City, as head of council, (a) To act as chief executive officer of the City; (b) To preside over meetings of council so that its business can be carried out efficiently and effectively; (c) To provide leadership to council; (d) To represent the City at official functions; and (e) To carry out the duties of the head of council under this or any other Act. 3 The mayor’s role as chief executive officer is further defined in the Act: As chief executive officer of the City, the mayor shall, (a) Uphold and promote the purposes of the City; (b) Promote public involvement in the City’s activities; (c) Act as the representative of the City both within and outside the City; and promote the City locally, nationally and internationally; and (d) Participate in and foster activities that enhance the economic, social and environmental well-being of the City and its residents. 4 Beyond that, council (not the province) had previously created further responsibilities for the mayor, adopted by the city council in 2006 as changes pursuant to a bylaw. 5 The council gave, and the council hath taken away. The city councillors faced with a mayor behaving criminally, erratically, evasively and in a bullying manner realized that they had no legal authority to remove or impeach him. Therefore they tabled, debated and voted on suspending certain duties and roles contained in the Municipal Code that applied to the mayor. This, only after they first privately, then publicly confronted the mayor to take some time off to deal with his admitted drug use, obvious alcohol abuse and other erratic behavioural issues. The mayor, stubborn to the end, refused to step down and instead threatened litigation (six paragraphs later it still hasn’t happened). He had his lawyer write to council cautioning them from proceeding, in part, on the basis that
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Because not everyone is this lucky.
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Advocate Jan 2014

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