TORONTO – Tempers flared at city hall Thursday as Mayor Rob Ford verbally battled with Coun. Adam Vaughan over a proposed development on Queen Street.
The tension erupted over a motion to approve extra density for a new building at 219 Queen Street West in exchange for $1 million in Section 37 benefits. The building is in Vaughan’s ward.
City staff recommended council reject the motion, however conceded that the developer could receive approval from the Ontario Municipal Board – which would not require the Section 37 benefits.
Section 37 benefits seek to procure money to benefit the surrounding community during a building development.
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Ford, opposing the motion, accused Vaughan of a “shakedown” for negotiating the million-dollar Section 37 benefit.
“There shouldn’t be people going around and asking developers for a million dollars,” Ford said. “All I’m saying is that it looks like a shakedown.”
Ford quickly apologized for his remarks.
“If I offended the local councillor saying it was shakedown, I withdraw that,” Ford said.
Despite the apology, the general demeanor of city council continued to deteriorate with shouting matches repeatedly popping up throughout the council meeting.
At one point Rob Ford yelled across the floor, “You didn’t even speak to me, that’s an outright lie.”
His brother, Doug Ford, also shouted at Councillor John Parker, “why don’t you shut up and sit down?”
CBC News cameras also briefly caught Ford yelling “I’ll whip both your asses” during a heated debate.
If the mayor loses the appeal of Justice Charles Hackland’s conflict of interest decision, Thursday’s council meeting could be the last for Ford before a byelection.
At the time of publication, neither Coun. Doug Ford nor Mayor Rob Ford had returned requests for an interview.
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