Residents carrying signs and megaphones took to Toronto City Hall on Saturday, demanding that Toronto鈥檚 embattled mayor step aside.
The protest came after a dramatic week in Toronto that saw fresh allegations surface against Mayor Rob Ford, including partying with a suspected prostitute and sniffing cocaine. Ford also shocked Toronto residents Thursday when he made a lewd comment about oral sex on live television.
Council overwhelmingly voted to strip him of some his power on Friday, but many people at Saturday鈥檚 small but energized rally said Ford needed to resign immediately.
鈥淚 had a BBC reporter say (to me) 鈥楾ry to explain this to people outside of Toronto.鈥� And there鈥檚 no explaining it. It doesn鈥檛 make sense to people in Toronto,鈥� Ben O鈥橞rian said, who was at city hall on Saturday joining the hundred or so protestors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a person who is in the middle of a catastrophic self-destruction and he still wants to be in power for some reason. It doesn鈥檛 make any sense. He clearly 鈥� completely 鈥� is out of touch with reality.鈥�
The chanting by protestors was direct. One chant simply went: 鈥淩ob Ford resign,鈥� repeated over and over.
One sign held by a protestor said 鈥淲orst Mayor Ever,鈥� while someone wrote on a chalk wall 鈥淲hat do we tell the children?鈥�
Rena Ashton carried a sign featuring a Dr. Seuss-inspired poem she wrote.
鈥淲ill you act foolish on the streets? Or drink in the driver鈥檚 seat? Will you smoke crack in a stupor? Or must we wait for one more blooper?鈥� her sign read.
Earlier in the week Ford admitted to drinking and driving.
Ashton says she thinks Ford has failed Torontonians at the most basic level.
鈥淭he mayor is supposed to show up at events and act professional and eloquent,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 really not that much to ask, right or left wing, that you have a mayor who is a respectable, intelligent person to represent the city, and represent the people, whatever your politics are.鈥�
For some people at the rally, the international attention the Ford scandal has received has become too big an embarrassment to the city. In recent weeks, Ford has become the favorite punchline for America late-night talk show hosts.
鈥淭he jokes on the Daily Show and The Colbert Report are funny and it鈥檚 great to have someone bring up this issue on international TV in a satirical way, but this isn鈥檛 funny anymore,鈥� said Michael Bedford, a Toronto resident. 鈥淭his is a real situation that鈥檚 happening. The people of Toronto deserve better than having a thug, drug-smoking mayor running the city.鈥�
Francois Ledoux, who is visiting Toronto from the Netherlands, said people in his country are well aware the Ford saga. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all over the news in Holland,鈥� he said. 鈥淗onestly, I love Toronto, but if a mayor just stinks like that, it鈥檚 not good.鈥�
Ford鈥檚 power at city hall is steadily waning. Councillors on Friday overwhelmingly voted in favour of stripping the mayor of his ability to appoint and fire committee chairs and the deputy mayor, along with his authority during emergency situations. Ford has vowed to take legal action against the motion.
On Monday, council will seek to transfer the mayor鈥檚 operating budget, among other powers and duties, to the deputy mayor.
Toronto city councillor Janet Davis told 麻豆影视 Channel on Saturday that she feels she and her colleagues at city hall have been called upon by Torontonians to take thisaction.
鈥淚t鈥檚 true, this is unprecedented,鈥� she said. 鈥淗owever, when you have everyone from the Toronto Board of Trade to the Santa Claus Parade organizers saying 鈥榚nough is enough,鈥� 鈥� it鈥檚 time that we try to restore stability and credibility to the government.鈥�
Ford was scheduled to appear in Toronto鈥檚 annual Santa Claus Parade on Sunday but was asked earlier in the week by organizers not to participate in the event.
鈥淲e need to move on; this has to end,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淎nd the way we can do it is for council to speak in one voice and to take on the responsibilities of governing our administration.鈥�
