IS IT THE END, ROB FORD??
Today's post is devoted to the monumental decision ruled this very morning by Ontario Supreme Court Justice Charles T. Hackland finding Toronto mayor Rob Ford GUILTY of conflict of interest and ordered to vacate his seat on city council within the next 2 weeks.
I heard about this as I was driving home, sweaty but victorious, from my morning spin class. Ironically, our spinning teacher had only just wished us all a good week, and then cheekily added that it could be a very good week (nudge, wink), depending on today's ruling. My response was to quip that nothing was going to happen today, except that Rob Ford would be granted another 2 years to try and blunder more significantly.
Boy, was I wrong.
It isn't often that politics surprises us. Municipal politics, even less so. Sure, there was the euphoria of Obama's win, and there is the fact that Hazel McCallion is still an effective mayor, but for the most part politics is about how the majority rules on a decision. Most of the time, this is not a surprise.
Today, however, Ontario Supreme Court Justice Charles T. Hackland stepped outside of the box. The thing of it is is that mayor Rob Ford hasn't done anything strictly illegal, as far as I understand. He is guilty of misjudgment, ignorance and bad ethics - and I think many would vouchsafe that it is because of these qualities that he should not be mayor. But because his transgressions seem so minor, I didn't think he would get more than a slap on the wrist. It is so impressive that Hackland saw beyond the petty transgressions and saw what Ford really is ... a self-entitled boor who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Doesn't Ford realize that as mayor, he should play a leading role in ensuring integrity in government?
Supreme Court Justice Hackland wrote in his ruling today that, "it is difficult to accept an error in judgment defence based essentially on a stubborn sense of entitlement (concerning his football foundation) and a dismissive and confrontational attitude to the integrity commissioner and the (council) code of conduct."
"In my opinion, the respondent's actions were characterized by ignorance of the law and a lack of diligence in securing professional advice, amounting to willful blindness," Hackland also wrote.
And what is even more interesting is that all of this was born through the actions of concerned citizen, Paul Magder. Congratulations, Paul Magder, on your victory. It was Toronto resident Paul Magder who filed an application accusing Ford of breaking the Municpal Conflict of Interest Act when he spoke and took part in a February vote that absolved him of having to pay back funds that he solicited on behalf of his private football foundation using official city letterhead.
Of course Ford repeatedly refused to repay the $3150 in donations. It was in court that Ford testified in September stating that he had never read the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act which is the act under which he is charged.... astonishing.
"Today's decision shows that when you break the rules, there is a price to pay. It is important for the court to assert that nobody is above the law, Rob Ford included."
I could not have said it better myself.
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