How much abuse should people tolerate because someone has an addiction?

Ford is hardly a "bad guy" in the classic. He's not some monster out to kick puppies and steal babies (or is that the other way around). He's no Genghis Khan or Adolf Hitler (for one thing, they would never have go into a mess like this). However, his lying, his stumbing from crisis to crisis, and his seeming lack of an understanding of what is the actual problem, suggest to me that he should not be holding public office, least of all a powerful, highly visible one like mayor of Canada's largest city.

Mercifully, I don't live in Toronto and don't have to make that call on who to vote for next fall.

OTOH, I do live in London where the mayor is facing criminal charges and no clear challengers have yet emerged.

Mendalla

Ken Munro, I am definitely no fan of Rob Ford. On another thread I am questioning why he was not arrested. However, you are making a leap I am not willing to make. I do not want to label him either mentally ill or as an addict. I have too much experience with both to either hurl them as an insult or to toss them around willy nilly.  Mental illness and addictions are pathological. They are diseases. Having symptoms of a disease does not always mean said disease is actually present. I think we can stigmatize by using pathological terms where they may or may not apply. I am not a doctor and am not prepared to make a diagnosis of a pathological disease. A doctor would say he has symptoms. They woudl make an addiction diagnosis based on his inability to quit. I do not know that his drinking is either uncontrollable or compulsive. I can say that he has not seemed to care to control it. Can he? I do not know the answer to that. I would say he has a problem as it interferes with his health, relationship and socially.  Rob Ford would be pathologically suffering a disease if upon trying to quit he is unable to.

Some people need treatment and 12 step programs and others do not. Our ignorance around things is definitely showing.

Mr. Ford said today that he is seeking medical care - whether that be advice or treatment. He has shown he chooses words in such a way one needs to pay close attention ot the exact word used.

Having the disease of addiction and/or mental health issues are not about labelling.  The evidence provided by police surveillance and his own, well documented behaviour is enough to prove that  Ford needs to be removed, and BTW there are ways that the province can intervene, without difficulty, and without affecting governance to other municipalities.

 Ford needs medical help.  No one wishes another ill health.

He has also proven, through blurring boundaries of professional and personal,  he is not able to execute the duties of mayor of the fourht largest city in North America.

Ford needs lengthy medical care, and he needs to not listen to his family, who care more about politics and the social status and power related to political success, rather than the health and wellness of Ford family members.

yes, Ford is really the bad guy.  thug. bully.  corrupt politician. abusve to others in personal and professional worlds.  How much more evidence is required? (Referneces: the recent Fifth Estate and Cp24 exposes, and the daily news and lampoon coverage of this gravy train wreck)

Court documents are now available to everyone.  I am still guessing, but fairly certain, that charges will be laid against Ford, who now has sunk to a very deep low.

In no way is he moving forward, and his language around integrity and impulsivitiy is crap.  Ford is still being driven by the matriarch and brother Doug, although Doug has been relatively silent.

The things that he was reported to have said (today) are pretty vile- especially for a public figure. He's not even trying to put on a good show anymore. He's falling apart.

For me, this is not about labelling.

It is also, for me, not about a personal opinion, politics or being a citizen of the city of Toronto.

I merely take the position that pathological diagnosis is for people trained to do that. Those who are trained to do that do not do so based on court documents, press releases or police surrveliance.

Certainly, the evidence provided by police surveillance and Ford’s behaviour speak volumes.

Police surveillance however is not proof of addiction or mental health issues. That IMO requires medical proof.

Police simply are not trained to make pathological diagnosis, neither are most members of the media or Joe Public.

People drink and drive who are not alcoholics. People buy and use drugs who are not addicts. People can be arrogant and idiots, racists and jerks, be incompetent, have blurred or no boundaries… and there be nothing pathological about it as it relates to mental health or addiction.  

The thing is, City Council has rallied together- and they've presumably been doing an ok (not sure, don't live there) job without him. This is an unnecessary distraction when there are real tragedies happening. I realize something needs to be done about the Ford fiasco, but it takes our attention from bigger important issues- like a soap opera.

Hi Ken Munro,

I think the real question should be, "Is Rob Ford really as bad as all that . . ."

Unless it is some guy doing a bang up impersonation of Mayor Ford it looks like the Mayor has been places and done things that most of society do not approve of.

Does it matter why?

Only if it is something we want to see stop.

Where do you sit on that Ken?  Want more of the same or have you had enough?

Grace and peace to you.

John

Ken Munro: the issue is about responsibility. According to your logic, someone who's drunk shouldn't be stopped from driving a taxi because s/he's an alcoholic. Would you go ahead and ride in that cab because a refusal would be somehow tantamount to a witch hunt? 

You think a Mayor should be left in power despite hanging out with drug dealers, snorting coke, drunkeness on the job, slagging minorities, an openly aggressive demeanor and vivid symptoms of a personality disorder about which the Mayor will not shift from a position of denial… ??? Really???

If you were/are an employer, would you hire someone who got angry if you intervened or quuestioned his/her on-the job drug abuse and anger issues? 

Rob Ford seems determined to crash and burn as spectacularly as a credulous society will allow.

Loads of luck with your extreme acceptance of self-centred entitlement. Mayor Ford is knowingly mocking tolerance and democratic due process.

Yes.

Don't forget "monumentally stupid."

Ken, would your sense of charity extend to giving him a taxi driver licence? to naming him as pastor of  your church? to making him minister of health? to putting him in charge of a hospital? babysitting your child?

So there's a reason for his behaviour. There is a reason for a mass murderer's behaviour, too - or an armed bank robber, or a rapist.

The reason for his behaviour has nothing to do with why he should be mayor.

He needs help, and to take a long rehab hiatus for sure. I think he's not a nice guy- and he's doing a poor job of representing Toronto.

I just found out what he said today about oral sex comment allegations. O.M.F.G.

Care to save some of us from a search?  What does the G stand for in your comment?  ;)

I spoke to Ken's first "facts" he thought we should face. Continuing to the rest of the post- I have not liked Ford or his politics.  There are any number of politicians I do not like that I have never felt should resign. I can dislike someone and their policies and like democracy even more.

I don't think that because arrogance, stubbornness or bigotry are popular traits that one should say "Yippee". I also do not care if the arrogant bigot is in sports or politics or acting.

Sadly, I think Ford's behaviour is in large part just his personality. Is it ascerbated by consumption? Oh yeah!

I hate raking him over the coals for what for many, if not him, IS a disease. So, I wish Ford would simply resign. I do not support "removing him" or changing laws to deal with him. I hope his powers are limited and yes, I think that his continuing on does harm. People see when Ken calls a "witch hunt" and think this is what the admission of a problem results in. They will think that actions while drunk or high will be mocked and ridiculed and brought out again and again.It will make other people think "this is the face of an adddict" when many are not crude or obnoxious or ranting. There are many productive addicts.

My opinion would not change no matter who the person was or whether I supported them politically or not.

I  see the Premier of Ontario has offered to step in if asked?  Has never happened before.

I live in Toronto, I was born and raised in Etobicoke, which now is proven to be the harbinger of nasty Tory crap.

I am the same age as Rob Ford, and I suspect that I am very less than six degrees of him.

He needs medical help.  Somehow, he must be removed  from office.  And I suspect that he will need a better lawyer once charges are laid against him, and I do think very serious criminal charges will be laid.

Frankly, they city has been operating well regardless of this clusterf*#k of a situation.  At the very least, Ford is a baffoon and a thug. Worst case scenario, he is a criminal.

Toronto is not run or managed by one person.  But the one person who is elected as the oft symbolic official representative that is called mayor does have to conduct his or her self in a distinctively clear, ethical and non-criminal way.  So NOT the case with bobblehead Ford.

chemgal

Here's the video with the sex comment if it shows up.

Citypulse on air videos I think.

My bad....I laughed so hard...

http://www.cp24.com/video

crazyheart, I worry about setting precedents removing freely elected officials. That said, I am not sure there is a way for city council to move forward with day after day of revelations, tirades and such. I believe persuasion is better than legislation regarding the mayor. IMO there need to be friends calling for his resignation. Harper, McKay, Hudak, Flaherty... should be heard if not in public then in private. I would hope they have been. IMO It may be in their best political interest to make that call publicly.

Is Mayor Ford a bad guy? I don't think so. Is Mr. Ford fit to be Mayor? Again, sadly, I think not. While praying for him as a person, my hope is that he'll either resign, or take a leave of absence, to get whatever treatment he requires to be healthy.

it is bizarre that I suggest a totalitarian effort to remove Ford from office.  A self proclaimed leftie like me wants social and criminal proceedings to occur approriatelty and in a timely manner.

The human reaction is this:  clearly there is evidence that Ford has done very bad things while occupying the office of mayor of Toronto.  Bad conduct and criminal activity.  How our police force finally charges him remains to be seen, but I do believe that he will be charged with many offenses.

There is no defense for Ford, he is now just a passenger on the gravy train wreck (Thanks, again, Chansen, for that reference - it sums up the problems so well).

Still wish I had come up with that one....

I believe all people are good, including Ford, but that through ignorance and other factors , good people do bad things.  Ford needs to be educated to what are the consequences of his actions are  so that he may learn how he affects others and why it is bad to drive drunk or do coke, or hit people, or.. 

The problem is not Rob's Ford's illnesses, (actualy they are more like disabilities that need to be maanged and accomdated)  There is considerable help for what appears to be very common disabilities/illness,to  enable Ford to become a healthy person.

The problem for Ford is that he is wealthy and he is the mayor.

Rob Ford, like many street people and the poor  with complicated illnesses have too many barriers that prevent them from getting treatment, for menatl illness and adiction.  

Unlike the middle class, and like the very poor, Ford has no boss, that can tell him to get treatment or else. Also if his staff tells him to get help, he just fires them, and than threatens to sue anyone else that suggests he has a problem.

 Becasue of Ford's position and wealth (before he was on council) he has likely not had to face the consequences of his action. A millionaire part owner of a family buisness is not going to be fired Unless his family gets together and forces the issue. Howevr for what ever reasons, denial, or lack of empathy for their  son and brother, all  his family says  is that he needs to loose weight.

POlice have likely in the past let him get away with drunk driver becasue of his position or perhapas becasue the Ford family supports alot of charities. or what ever.

The only way addicts and some people with certain mental conditions will get help is if the consequences of not getting help are worse than treatment to them.

I will not list the number of things that Ford has done, but they all point to a life of not having to face the consequences, and a belief that when caught (by Dad, who likely was the only important authority in his life) is to say is a heartfelt apology and a promise nevr to do it again. Without changeing anything that made it happen in the first place.

People enable FOrd to continue with his ignorance and bad behaviour if they protect him from the consequences of his action and how that makes him feel.  ALso  he need to stop being mayor, not just because of politcal problems caused by his actions, , but becaseu he needs to take care of himself, for his family. (even if his mother and siblings are not looking out for his health, he has his kids.  

I fear that  because his family seems incapable of helping and becasue he is mayor , the barriers he faces  to get treatment are to high for him to overcome.  Without treatment, or care, hos illness/disabilty will only get worse.

I laughed too, stardust. I must admit. It was a shocked laugh. That's something I can picture a 20 something drunk college student saying, but not a mayor.

Hi chansen,

My jaw doesn't drop that often.  It did today.  That was  . . . . well, words fail.

What really dropped my jaw was that after making such a crass comment about his wife.  He would have her stand beside him at a press conference.  That she didn't take a skin off of him right there in front of the same crowd he had disrespected her in front of tells me that she is either a remarkable woman of charater or he is just as much a bully in the home as he is at city hall.

When he commented about seeing red whenever anybody questioned his integrity as a father or a husband . . .I had to pick my jaw up just to drop it further.

This mess, which he claims is largely of his own making (try entirely, take responsibility) is what damages his integrity as a father and a husband.  Don't tee off on others for pointing out your failings Mayor Ford.  Do something about them instead.

Can this man go any lower today?

Only a fool would bet against it.

Grace and peace to you.

John

The Sun wants the Ford boys to continue their "show" with them & chatting with Ezra Levant etc. It's going to be called - wait for it - "Ford Nation".
Toronto must de-amalgamate to avoid going right down the toilet.
Renate Ford's life must be a living hell.

I sat beside my wife as she heard his words last night. (FYI my wife can swear!) She watched him and was not shocked he would use "that word". She was not shocked he would choose to use it with a mic in his face. He does not seem to have a filter or a sense of decorum or a sense of what is and what is not appropriate behaviour. She was not really shocked he would do it in defending that he wasn't that kind of guy and while touting his respect for women, marriage and his wife. He is that uh, well... non-thinking. I do not think there is anything he can do that would shock her. She did say this and it made me laugh- "That (so and so) would need to stay mayor now because he would be sleeping in that damn office!"

And responding to the original question, "Is he really the bag guy?"
YES!

I am so stunned by devolving destructive crap that is raining down on Toronto because of Ford.  Even the car company, created by a Nazi loving American inventor is pissed off about the campaigning term used by the Family Ford. 

I laugh at the absurdity.  I listen to news and late night talk show commentary all the time.  I knew that what started in May was not going away.  And still I am stunned.

All I can hope for now is that criminal charges, many criminal charges, will be laid against this mysoginistic, racist, elitist, bullying man.  He pretends to be an everyday Joe, working class dude - he is not. 

I always have one overriding concern: he needs serious medical intervention.    I will never sway from that concern.

But he must be removed from office.  I still do not understand why HR at city hall cannot make that happen.  In every institutution I have worked, HR can  make that happen... why not at city hall?  This is such a clusterf#*k .  I am continually stunned and shocked.  And I know the culture of Etobicoke.  And this is extremely, freakishly weird.

And a personal observation:  his wife is rarely, almost never, seen in public, and yet stands by his side after what he said earlier!?!?

Obviously he was trying to use her - to prove that what he said was not categorically just wrong.  I see the puppetry going on, and I feel empathy for her, and intense disappointment, disgruntlement and anger toward Bobblehead.

Is Rob Ford really the bad guy?

I don't even know how to respond to that. Ever since he's been Mayor, I've said (and still say) that I'm a bit embarrassed - only because I was born and bred in Toronto, and I think Toronto can do better than Rob Ford. It's not his policies. Whether I agree with the policies or not, democracy is democracy. He won an election. I can accept that someone whose policies I disagree with can win elections. But, really, in Ontario the powers of a mayor are fairly limited. He has some power to make appointments, but in the end he's one vote on a City Council of almost 50 members. The Mayor's real role is to be the public face of the city. And Ford from the time he took office, to me at least, has acted like a buffoon long before this most recent issue. And because he's the public face of Toronto, for now at least, the fourth largest city in North America is a laughing stock, the stuff of jokes on late night TV. I think he's done damage to Toronto's image that will take a while to repair. But that's not the same as answering the question "is he a bad guy?"

He certainly shows signs of being an addict. He has difficulty telling the truth. He acts like a bully. (His brother may be worse, suggesting that it runs in the family.) He seems to think he's above the rules that everybody else has to play by. From everything I'm hearing, it seems as if he almost lives in a delusional world at times. But does that make him bad?

I think he's a bad mayor. But I'd be hesitant to call anyone a truly "bad" person until we know how he got this way. I'm not big on playing the "victim card." "I am who I am because my parents were ..." or whatever. I know too many people who have come out of very unhealthy backgrounds and have made good in life to buy into that. But I still think there's gotta be something in his life that caused this kind of behaviour and that's causing it to escalate totally out of control.

My overwhelming reaction to the whole Toronto mess is not "Ford's a bad guy." He may be. I don't know him. But even if he is, it's not my first thought about this. My fiorst thought is more a feeling of sorrow. For his family (including a wife and kids) who he's clearly got to be hurting with all of this. For the city he's embarrassing. For the people he seems to be trying to drag down with him. Even for him - because he seems to be on a one way downward spiral and it's hard to see how he's going to get out of it and pull himself together.

In no way, am I condoning Mayor Ford's behaviour. It truly is an embarrassment - for the city, country.  

Should he remain mayor despite his behaviours? I don't know. He definitely needs to take a leave of absence.

Yes. It's about responsibility. Has he abused that responsibility? Should he continue in office despite being irresponsible? Good point.  He needs help. But only he can help himself.

And I would not want someone who admits driving under the influence be allowed to drive. But remember, he was accused of distracted driving. Are  we turning a blind eye to that?

As I glance over your replies, I find it kind of interesting. Here I am writing in a "Christian community". But I never saw any of the values that Jesus spoke about in your letters. Love, forgivenness, redemption. 

We all need to forgive since we all need to be forgiven.

Yes, Rob Ford is an embarrassment. And, yes, maybe he should step down. And yes, he is a danger.

But if we are going to call ourselves a Christian community, shouldn't we practice the values that Christ preached.

If you are not willing to show mercy, why should mercy be shown to you?

I just have one more question? Has your behaviour ever put anyone in danger? Let he without sin, cast the first stone (John 8:7)

What right do we have to call ourselves Christians if we do not practice what Christ demanded. I know agnostics, non believers who have shown more mercy for worse things.

By the way, I am NOT a member of Ford nation, I did NOT vote for Rob Ford for mayor. Nor will I.

snarky alert: yeah, and the really Christian raised Ford brothers, Doug actually, referrred to throwing rocks, in coucil and recorded by reporters... could not even use the casting stones reference correctly. .

Puh-leeze

"I did NOT vote for _____, but...."

Sorry - sounds trollish to me. I encounter these statements on other forums routinely.

Re: Christian behaviour - probably true. It is also true that argument is a red herring.

Hi Ken Munro,

Agreed.  Do we exercise cheap grace if we offer forgiveness to apologia rather than repentence?  And if we cheapen grace to the point where none need tak any responsibility for what they have done in the past can we ever expecct things to change in the future.

When Jesus speaks to the woman caught in adultery and says, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." do you think that is a constant loop that if the same woman is brought before him a second, third, fourth or fifth time he is going to repeat over and over and over and over again without ever seeking to address the actual problem?

The man claims he has no addictions.

The man then claims he is recieving help from health professionals.

Do we presume that everything he tells us is truth?  Would it be loving or gracious to do so?

Indeed.  What values was Christ showing when he called folk, "a brood of vipers" or "white-washed tombs" or his right hand man "Satan?"

Fair question.  Have I demonstrated an inability to show mercy or have I demonstrated that I am not convinced that repentence has happened?  You might buy the crocodile tears and the never ending press conference apologyloozas.  I've spent enough time with addicts to know that being snowed by displays of remorse is in no way loving to the one doing the snowing.

I do not smoke crack cocaine nor an I addicted to crack cocaine.

I smoked crack but I was in a drunken stupor and forgot about it.

I never did lines at the Bier Market

And on and on and on and on.

Lie after lied after lie after lie.

A zero tolerance policy towards drugs.

Purchasing drugs and believing that he is exempt from his own zero tolerance policy.

Could the man profit from some mercy?  I doubt it.

Apart from mercy is a love of justice.

The two cannot be divorced and result in either meaning anything.

Never that I have been aware of.  The police officer thought otherwise and I was fined.  I paid the fine and accepted that I had put others at risk.  Will it happen again.  Most likely.

How am I different?  I'm not saying I should be treated differently.  I'm not saying that I didn't speed.  I'm not denying that I was in the wrong.  I broke the law.  I was caught.  I paid the penalty.

I'm no less a sinner than is Rob Ford or you are yourself.  I am taking responsibility for my stuff.

The notion that John 8:  7 is Jesus saying turn a blind eye to sin, ignore it, it means nothing is truly reprehensible.  And while you want to rub our faces in it you should note that taking us to task for our flaws is you doing exactly the same thing you are critical of us for doing.

Christ taught us that our yes should be yes and our no should be no.  That we should speak truthfully at all times.  That we should be merciful yes but not to the exclusion of justice.  Those who mislead the little ones what mercy does Christ offer them when he suggests it would be best if they tied a millstone around their neck and throw themselves into the sea.

Christ had endless patience for those making an effort.  He admires the publican because he admits that he needs mercy for his many sins and despises the pharisee who thanks God that he does not have the humility of the publican.

I have no doubt that if Mayor Ford stood before Jesus and stated that he needed help Jesus would reach out to him.  I also have no doubt that if Mayor Ford stood before any of his detractors and critics saying the same thing that few if any would not try to get him help.

When Rob Ford stands before the the public and proclaims that he doesn't need help that he has no addictions I'm reasonably certain that Jesus would look him straigth in the eye and say, "You aren't fooling anyone."

The public is saying that out-loud and Mayor Ford is refusing to listen.  In true addict fashion he will say anything to get us to leave him alone.  Just last week he wasn't an addict now he claims to be getting help from health professionals.  What kind of help from what kind of professionals?  He doesn't say and he won't until he is backed into a corner.

Should we all just let him go about his business as he sees fit?

Isn't that what got us to today?

So yeah, he should get mercy, but not until it will do him any good and as long as he is in denial mercy enables.

Grace and peace to you.

John

You mention four qualities, Ken Munro: love, forgiveness, redemption and mercy. Redemption is not something I can offer. God in Christ offers that.

As to the other three, I'd be curious to know what love, forgiveness and mercy would look like to you in relation to these events. 

Dealing with an addict in my family, we had to unlearn some very unhealthy "Christian". behaviour. Loving someone towards health and loving them towards overdose can look quite different. You can love them with giving them means, location, ability... to kill themselves. That is not really loving. Loving sometimes requires saying "this is dangerous, I cannot support this, you have to stop..." We would not heap sugar in a diabetics mouth and call it loving. Neither is the person preparing the sugary dessert or buying it. Deciding to forgive lies and the theft of money and all that may come with addiction is a great thing to strive for. Understanding the illness at the root makes it easy to forgive. What one cannot and should not do is forgive in any way that seems to allow it to continue. I can forgive a child for spitting and still believe it is wrong to spit. Mercy goes hand in hand with forgiveness. It is compassion. It is not leniency. Compassion is easy when you understand the disease. One can be compassionate without being tolerant. As far as redemption, in a theological way that is up to God. In a non-theological day, Rob Ford's redemption is not even truly resting on those close to him, but lies with Rob Ford himself.

What if Rob was one of us?

Just a slob like one of us?

As the mayor of Canada's largest city, he has to do better than that!

LOL @ Arminius...!!! 

If he will smarten up and get his act together ..better late than never....I'll forgive and forget. After all I've met "lots of Fords" during my long lived life. Don't quote me but one of the councillors was concerned about her 14 year old daughter hearing his bad language. I'd sure like to know what high school she goes to?

Re his wife appearing with him that's "the same as the States"..lol..(an old saying from the 40's perhaps?) The wives stand by their scandalized U.S.  Congress men?

Oh well...to put the icing on the cake .... as Ninja said ....HLN CNN  has been talking about Ford getting his own TV show. I had to google. Sure enough.....if nobody puts him away before then (pun) he will be on Sun Media with his brother next Monday.

P.S. I think it was very ignorant, rude, and low class the way City TV reporters chased Ford's wife through the inside  parking lot. They need to go home and look in the mirror at themselves and their actions.

This is getting a lot of coverage in Australia......

I know little of the man's politics - but they why would I? This man is being used by the media as a cheap source of amusement. Put simply, the more outrageous the behaviour and comments -the more coverage.

It may well be saying something about a man who is out of control and in public office, but it says a helluva lot more about the media and it's shrewd exploitation of human fraility.

And I don't just mean  Rob Ford here........

PilgrimsProgress, my wife and I have been having many discussions about Enquirer like tabloid articles becoming front page "news". The media can be seen as exploitive, but it is media and it is business. They are in the business of selling papers and getting viewers. People tell them what they want based on consumption and purchases. I think that people "get off" watching folks with lives more messed up than theirs.

I think Rob Ford isn't a "bad person", just in waay over his head and most likely picked the wrong vocation.

Ken, would you like to balance the conversation and list some admirable things that Rob has accomplished before "his fall from grace"?

Immaculate Conception.

I'm afraid I'm finding Toronto's Mayor increasingly rotten at the core. He's the wrong person in the wrong place at any time…

…and Sun Media's disgusting, cynical, greedy, exploitative oportunism nauseates me. Reality? Only in Sun Media's depraved world view. They are wringing the last capital from a buffoon whose one asset is offensive, delusional self entitlement. It's like bear baiting… only sicker.

He should resign or take a leave of absense? He should get help?

If he were a street person (preferably black) he would have been convicted and jailed long ago. How come Ford gets the option of just saying he's sorry?

Where is "get tough on crime" Harper? This man has committed serous crimes that other people go to jail for.

The fact that Ford got elected by the people - and that many of them stilll support him - has nothing to do with anything. He committed a crime. Mayors are not exempt from the law.

If you want to see treatment for Ford, fine. So let's work on changing the law so that everybody gets treatment. Under the law, there should be no special deals for mayors - or even prime ministers.       let's not waste all our sympathies on one crude and drunken lout.  

By the way, he and Harper are old buddies. For real. Ford is the only mayor to have spent at least a weekend with Harper at the official cottage.

I just suggest that legal authorities take over, lay charges and get on with it.

Ford Nation has become for me, Bored Nation.

Hoping his 15 minutes is over. Maybe Toronto city council could repurpose those pol9ce barracades from the G20 as a means of keeping him out of city hall.

I wonder if he's enjoying the comedy show attention south of the border? He's giving the late night comedians an easy couple of weeks. Do I think he's a bad guy? I think he's really badly behaved and I don't know him other than what we're seeing. He's someone who needs help with the addictions driving his bad judgment. Then talk to him. The addictions makes "good guy bad guy" irrelevant at this point. He needs to step down and get proper help with substance abuse/ addiction. That's obvious to all but him right now, it seems like. I wonder if his kids think he's a bad guy and, if they find something good about him, what this is doing to them- if they looked up to him they might be crushed- all the more reason he should step down and get help.