Video above: Rob Ford’s closing remarks at city council Monday
TORONTO – City councillors followed Friday’s limitations on Rob Ford’s authority as mayor of Toronto by neutering his powers even further Monday afternoon.
Ford has called the motions against him a “coup d’etat” and challenged his fellow councillors to hold a snap election to let the public decide if he should remain in office.
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Here are the powers Ford lost Monday:
• Office budget (reduced for remainder of 2013 and balance transferred to deputy mayor starting Jan. 1, 2014)
• His own staff (transferred elsewhere, though clerk said employment lawyer needs to determine if staff would choose whether they get transferred or not)
• Power to designate or set times for key matters and to speak first or last on agenda items
• Position as chair of executive committee
• Right to be a member of all council committees
Here are the powers Ford lost Friday:
• Ability to appoint and remove heads of committees
• Ability to designate or fire deputy mayor
• Emergency management duties (Ford keeps the power to declare an emergency and declare the emergency over, but cannot act unilaterally in an emergency situation without council approval)
• Ability to appoint accountability officers (integrity commissioner, ombudsman, auditor general and lobbyist registrar)
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So what can he still do? The “statutory” duties granted by the City of Toronto Act:
• Act as the city’s representative in Toronto, outside the city and at official functions
• Preside over council meetings and provide “leadership” to council
Video: Ford’s lawyer George Rust D’Eye says mayor may take council’s decision to court
Ford’s brother, Coun. Doug Ford, has said he doesn’t believe these motions are legal, and the mayor previously threatened legal action following the vote on Friday.
In his closing remarks in Monday’s council meeting, Ford said democracy would be hurt “in the city forever.”
“This folks, reminds me of…when Saddam attacked Kuwait. And President Bush said, ‘I warn you…do not,” said Ford. “Well folks, if you think American-style politics is nasty, you guys have just attacked Kuwait…This is going to be outright war in the next election.”
City staff said they believed the motions would withstand scrutiny in court.
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