Toronto city council has voted to pursue legal action to stop the implementation of the Ford government’s Bill C-5, which slashes the size of council.
Yes, it’s true that all cities in Ontario exist at the behest of the provincial government; it was the City of Toronto Act that created the most recent incarnation of Toronto back when the city was amalgamated.
So, the sticking point is not what Ford did, but how he did it and why.
Changes to governance structures are supposed to be done after extensive public consultation and evaluation of alternatives.
Ford didn’t do that.
His justification for his arbitrary move was that he thought Toronto council was dysfunctional.
WATCH: Toronto city council debates filing legal challenge to Better Local Government Act
That’s an interesting comment from a guy who only served one term on council and had one of the worst attendance records of any councillor.
Critics argue that any dysfunctionality of Toronto council was due, in large part to the antics of Ford and his eccentric brother, former mayor Rob Ford.
That’s raised speculation that Ford’s move to slash council size had less to do with efficiency, and more to do with exacting revenge on his political enemies on council.
It’s an interesting theory that could have serious ramifications, and it looks like Ford and his adversaries will be heading to court to determine who holds the moral high ground.
Bill Kelly is the host of the Bill Kelly Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.
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