Self Prescribed Canadian Kennedys
More on the Fords – The Self Prescribed “Canadian Kennedys”
How did Doug Ford and his brother cover budget gaps at city hall?
In 2013 council voted to extend the Bloor-Danforth subway further into Scarborough. The city’s share of the cost of doing so would need to be covered by a loan over 30 years. Even after raising development charges to cover part of it, Toronto was left with a budget gap of $38 million per year to service the loan. A 1.6% dedicated property tax levy was imposed to pay for it. The Star: How Did Ford & His Brother Cover Budget Gaps.
Rob Ford & TTC
The Sheppard East LRT was originally intended to be in service by 2014, before Ford scrapped Transit City on his first day of office and kicked off an 18-month battle at City Hall. That fight finally ended in 2012 with two council votes to revive the light rail network. In 2018, the anticipated potential opening of the line had shifted to sometime between 2028 and 2032. $100 million gone.
Then councillor Doug Ford told city council that “this is going to be a complete – mark my words, complete – disaster” that will run over budget, kill business and cause traffic congestion “out the gazoo.” He even called it part of the “war on the car.”
The line would have been up and running by now, serving tens of thousands of residents of Scarborough daily. Toronto Storeys: Toronto Transit Travesty, Now Toronto: Rob Ford’s Four Year Folly and Globe & Mail: Ford Bros Baffle With Their Logic
“Rob Ford’s plan to bury the 19KM Eglinton Crosstown LRT from end to end should be remembered as the single most expensive infrastructure mistake in Toronto history. In fact, this optimistically-priced $8.2 billion scheme (which is $3.6 billion more than the original amount budgeted for the Crosstown, and includes $1.4 billion to replace the Scarborough RT) will make us harken back nostalgically to an innocent era of smaller flubs, like the Ontario government’s original Scarborough RT or even Mike Harris’ decision to cancel the Eglinton West subway after the province and Metro spent $100 million digging a tunnel stub that was subsequently filled in.” – John Lorinc LORINC: Ford’s Mistake of Historic Proportions
The Scarborough subway extension dates back to the dark days of the late Rob Ford, whose transit policy was a mix of road rage and an unquestioned belief that streets belong to cars, trucks and maybe buses. Streetcars and LRTs, which got in the way and slowed traffic, weren’t welcome – Toronto’s Transit Travesty
Christopher Hume
Toronto City Council voted in favour of reducing Rob Ford’s power as Mayor in 2013.
What ensues is utter chaos…
An unprecedented council meeting descended temporarily into chaos on Monday, when Rob Ford and Councillor Doug Ford got into a screaming match with spectators. Toronto City Council debated on and voted in favour of reducing Rob Ford’s power as Mayor.
The dispute was ignited about two hours into the meeting, when Ford rose from his seat and walked toward the back of chambers with a member of his staff, who appeared to be filming members of the public seated there.
Mayor Rob Ford walked through the city council gallery with his driver taking video of onlookers, in the middle of a council meeting. The disruption, turned into mayhem.
While some spectators expressed their support, others chanted: “Shame! Shame! Shame!”
Doug Ford got into a stand off with one man, calling him a “punk.” The councillor, who earlier accused the members of the public gathered for the meeting of being union supporters, told the crowd, “Why don’t we get the real people of Toronto here?”
Councillor Pam McConnell, who is barely five-feet tall, was knocked from her feet as Rob Ford charged through council chambers.
Councillor Paula Fletcher made the rounds of the public after things settled down, telling everyone to remain calm. “In my opinion, the whole thing was orchestrated,” she said.
According to Toronto police city hall security issued a call for help. At least three cars were notified to respond.
Allegations in the statement of claim have not been proven in court and Ford strongly denies them.
Rob Ford said the court battles he has fought in the past have already cost him close to $500,000 and he’s warning it’s going to cost taxpayers “a fortune” to defend council’s actions. He claimed councillors are motivated to act because he has cut their ability to spend money and take trips.
Councillor Doug Ford also questioned councillors’ motivations and urge Torontonians to “rise up.”
Folks, I ask the city of Toronto to rise up and fight against these folks trying to pull off a modern day coup d’état.
Then Councillor Doug Ford
This is unbelievable this is happening in our country. We live in a democratic society. When you have the right to vote, your vote should count. They can’t go out and wipe out 383,000 people who voted for the mayor. But this isn’t just about the mayor.
What’s happening today is the overthrow of a democratically elected mayor, illegally. This is what you see in Third World nations. You don’t see this in Canada.
Crazy Town: The Rob Ford Story – Robyn Doolittle
“The book is filled with absorbing details about Doolittle’s reporting and the mayor’s heavily publicized drug issues, but some of the most interesting revelations involve the family. “He is who he is because of them,” she writes in the first chapter. “His political philosophy, his strategy in crisis, his feelings about money, his compulsion to keep dirty laundry hidden — all can be explored through the lens of a fascinating family dynamic.” The Star has combed through the book to present five of these insights.
Ownership of Deco Labels & Renata Ford’s Lawsuit
Renata Ford’s lawsuit alleges Ford improperly sold off Rob Ford’s shares in the family company and reorganized Deco Labels and Tags. According to Renata, Doug Ford suggested that she sell him Rob Ford’s 200 common shares of Deco Toronto. Doug Ford advised Renata that owning the shares would be stressful for her. Renata Ford declined that proposal.
The statement of claim goes on to say Ford “entered into and completed an agreement with Randy Ford to sell 200 common shares of Deco Toronto, which had been owned by Rob Ford prior to his death and thereafter became a part of his Secondary Estate, to Randy Ford for a nominal purchase price of $1. The Deco Companies were reorganized into a new structure by which Randy Ford became the 100% owner of Deco Toronto, Doug Ford became the 100% owner of Deco Chicago.
According to the suit Deco lost $5.5 million in the six years before 2018, from a total value of $10 million in 2006, due in part to various acquisitions. In order to shore up the company’s finances, the lawsuit alleges that the Ford brothers sold other investments owned by Doug Sr’s estate. As a result of these activities, the estate declined considerably in value.
Allegations in the statement of claim have not been proven in court and Ford strongly denies them.
After winning the leadership, Doug Ford promised to put his family’s label making business into a trust. The PC party won’t say whether he has done that and the Ontario’s integrity act doesn’t require him to do so unless he is a member of cabinet.
After winning the leadership, Doug Ford promised to put his family’s label making business into a trust. The PC party won’t say whether he has done that and the Ontario’s integrity act doesn’t require him to do so unless he is a member of cabinet.