'Mayoral ineptitude' is probably only one of the many terms that could be used to characterize Toronto's Chief magistrate, Rob Ford. Not only has he regularly demonstrated his unfitness for municipal leadership over his inflexible position on public transit (subways, subways, subways), but he continues to embarrass himself and demean his office through the vehicle of his and brother Doug's weekly radio show.
Apparently happy to burn all bridges with councillors who don't share his monomaniacal enthusiasm for underground transit at any cost, Ford used his show to try to recruit candidates for the next election. Declaring a 'fatwa' against those who have a different perspective, one based on reason and cost analysis, Mayor Rob intoned:
“But you know what? We need to run a slate next time,” Ford said. “We have to get rid of these other 24 councillors.”
He was referring to the 24 councillors who backed light rail over Ford’s proposal to extend the subway system.
Continuing in the demagogic and absolutist vein so loved by the right-wing, he continued:
“You’re on our side or against us. You’re on the taxpayer’s side or against them. There’s no mushy middle. It’s left or right down there.”
Thus the campaign for the next municipal election in 2014 has begun. But what becomes of Toronto in the interim?
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