Rival candidates chastise Ford for comments
Admin2 | Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 | 3 Comments »
Rob Ford says he doesn’t want any more immigrants or other newcomers in Toronto – and rivals say it proves he’s unfit to be the city’s mayor.
Candidates lined up in Nathan Phillips Square Wednesday to denounce Ford’s remarks in a television debate the night before.
The Etobicoke councillor was asked how refugees have contributed to Toronto in the past and how they will contribute in the future. He replied the city “can’t even take care of” the 2.5 million people here already, and added, “I think we’ve got to say enough’s enough.”
Ford met reporters with a smile and blamed the furor on “political games” by his opponents. “I’m sticking to my words,” he said.
“My job is to help the 2.5 million people. We don’t have room to bring in another million people,” Ford added in Nathan Phillips Square.
“You try to get home at night, the traffic congestion is getting worse and worse. There’s homeless people sleeping on the streets. We can’t take care of them.”
The candidate admitted he can’t stop people coming to Toronto, since “this is a federal issue,” but added, “we can’t afford it right now.”
Almost half of all Torontonians are foreign-born, and experts say if Toronto weren’t a top destination for immigrants its population would soon decline because of a low birth rate.
But asked if newcomers will mean growth and new taxes for the city, Ford said no. “It means it will cost more to run the city. It’s going to be chaotic.”
Mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi said Ford “does not get” that immigrants are a source of Toronto’s strength.
“Do the math. Without newcomers we will not grow this city,” said Rossi, adding Ford should retract his remarks or withdraw from the race.
Joe Pantalone, another rival, wondered whether Ford’s remarks were “based on a lack of knowledge of what Toronto’s all about” but said the people of Toronto will not forgive Ford until he apologizes.
“This time he’s taking on all Torontonians,” Pantalone said.
George Smitherman, however, said Ford had gone beyond the point where an apology would help. He “should slink away” in shame, Smitherman said.
“This man is a divider. His values are anti-Toronto values,” charged Smitherman, who argued electing a mayor who “sends a message that you’re not welcome” would be a signal the city is on a path to stagnation.
Sarah Thomson said Ford’s comments “show the true Rob Ford” and “tell a lot of Torontonians what to expect if he becomes mayor.”
Later, backed by sign-holding supporters at a rally he shared with Thomson, Rossi said he believes in welcoming immigrants instead of looking “for a smaller, meaner Toronto.”
Thomson said the city’s next mayor must be free of prejudice, something she suggested Ford showed under pressure.
The question that set off the controversy was asked by a Canadian Tamil Congress volunteer, Mathan Thava, and the result was “completely unexpected,” said Manjula Selvarajah, a spokesperson for the Scarborough-based group.
Thava, who is from Woodbridge, said he started his question by noting “a lot of the immigrants and refugees that arrive in Canada actually end up settling” in the Greater Toronto Area.
“How do you think these refugees have contributed to Toronto in the past and how do you think these refugees will contribute to Toronto in the future?” he asked.
Ford’s statements on newcomers to Toronto didn’t make sense and the Congress wants him to explain them, she said. “Is this his feeling about immigrants to this city, because that would be worrying for us,” said Selvarajah.
“With these people coming to Toronto does come future economic activity.”
Ford repeatedly linked the “one million” figure to Toronto’s Official Plan, though the plan projects only 540,000 more people will live in the city by 2031.
~ Mike Adler
The last I heard there is NO Living Human Who is Perfect and without Sin, except of course those hiding behind glass windows and doors who are bent on attempts of character assassination against their fellow humans.
“Unlimited power controls the corruption and minds of those who influence it. “ Peter Clarke 2009.
http://torontopolitics2010.blogspot.com/
Toronto’s integrity commissioner Janet Leiper in my opinion has not done her job but rather is used by the ideologies of the left leaning members of council as their illegal political hatchet weasel.
Instead of these trumped up political non issues why has this over paid integrity commissioner, NOT asked for an all out investigation by outside qualified prosecutors into board members and councillors of Toronto Hydro and council approval of the outright deceptive conduct of voting to deceitfully increase electricity prices so it could hand over fat payments to cash hungry and fiscally inept City of Toronto and Ford’s allegations of corruption and Smitherman’s previous statement that “the process is a sham” to me should carry a lot of weight at least for an a forensic audit and investigation do you not think?
http://torontopolitics2010.blogspot.com/
This head line is a complete joke .This is what gets me about the news media.The left wing politically correct love to twist and distort the truth.They love to make a story instead of just reporting it.Enough of the smear campaign.Rob Ford did not nor ever say that he didn’t want immigrants here.What he did say is “we can’t even look after people here let alone allowing more people to come here and live”.Rob Ford is bang on.There are people in this city who need help, single mothers, the homeless, housing etc.Lets get these people up on their feet first, then we can allow more people to come here.Rob Ford represents change.I’ve had enough of the old time politics.
Let Rob Ford put his money where his mouth is.There is to much waste in this city.Miller did an awful job.I’m tired of politicians always taken my hard earned money.We need to cut the waste.Rob Ford is the only candidate who wants to really do this.Smitherman voted himself a big raise after the e-health scandal in which a billion dollars were wasted.
If Ford doesn’t do what he says, then we vote him out.It’s that simple.