I am waiting for the next election to see what council does if Rob Ford gets re-elected by the voters. You think that we have seen this sideshow on American talk shows now, just wait until that happens.
Bad Precedent or a Good Thing?
- Thread starter Mister K
- Start date
Imagine after the 2014 election if "Ford Nation" wins the majority of council seats but a "leftie" wins the Mayor's seat and council then proceeds to strip that duly elected Mayor of all powers making him or her Mayor in Name Only. I due believe there will be howls of protest that council doesn't have the power to do such a thing. What's good for the goose certainly won't be good for the gander
That 'will of the people' adds just one vote to Council. Nothing to undo there, nor has anyone done so to Rob, who still has his vote, and his right to make motions and speeches. All that Council did with him was to take back the various jobs and responsibilities, and budget to carry them out that they—Council—had once upon a time decided a Mayor should do for them and written into their bylaws. Of course they're entitled to decide to do the same sort of thing with someone else. How the City is run is their responsibility. What they cannot do is take away the figurehead job which is pretty much all the Municipal Act gives to Mayors that makes them special.
If the new guy is someone the new Council doesn't like, they don't vote with him. Unlike Rob, most folks who get elected Mayor have figured out that democracy means lining up the votes if you want things done your way. Most folks who simply cannot line up those votes—as Rob could not—don't do off on benders and misbehave in public to such a point of embarrassment and distraction that they need to be disciplined by an entire City government. But if it should happen again, let's hope that Council acts a little sooner.
Once the reality sinks in that the City is governed by all the Council, not by one elected dictator called Mayor, the whole FordFantasy of 'democracy overthrown' melts away.
I'm with you on the election idea; just as in Ottawa, the complete loss of confidence in the Mayor should have triggered a new election. Funny thing though, since this crap hit the fan month's ago the guy who demanded a by election when he was removed from office for misconduct by a judge has never once asked to test the will of the people. Now he's threatening Court action to keep the job that everyone but him and his bro' agreed he had dishonoured.
And it's worth some sober reflection on the time-line: Election right after Gawker broke the first story? Or only after so many turds were being sprayed from the fan that not even Rob could pretend everything was OK any longer?
The Deputy Mayor has already made it clear to all concerned that he has no intention of allowing Ford to execute his legislated authority as the "CEO" of the Corporation of the City of Toronto and as the primary representative of that corporation.
This council will create no end of problems, and while the next lefty mayor may exist with a lefty council, the precedent has clearly been set that no Mayor may execute the authority granted by the People ever again in the City of Toronto except with the permission of the majority of councillors not elected to so judge.
This council will create no end of problems, and while the next lefty mayor may exist with a lefty council, the precedent has clearly been set that no Mayor may execute the authority granted by the People ever again in the City of Toronto except with the permission of the majority of councillors not elected to so judge.
