Toronto Councillor Pam McConnell on Monday November 18, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
November 18, 2013 - 4:00 PM
TORONTO - Here's what key players were saying as Toronto city council voted Monday to strip Mayor Rob Ford of more of his powers:
“This... reminds me of when I was watching with my brother when Saddam (Hussein) attacked Kuwait and (U.S.) President Bush said ’I warn you, I warn you, I warn you, do not.’ Well folks, if you think American-style politics is nasty, you guys have just attacked Kuwait.” _ Rob Ford before the vote.
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"The mayor wants to wage war, I want to wage peace." _ Statement from deputy Mayor Norm Kelly.
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“This is a seat of democracy, it is not a football field. I just wasn’t ready.” _ Councillor Pam McConnell after she was knocked down by Rob Ford as he seemed to charge a heckler.
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"Politicians judging politicians is always a bad idea. They are all undermined by personal or partisan conflicts of interest and their decision-making processes are like kangaroo courts." _ Duff Conacher, founding director of Democracy Watch.
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“We need to move forward and let the people of this city go through the democratic process rather than letting councillors that do not have the moral authority or the legal authority to be doing what they’re doing today.” _ Coun. Doug Ford, the mayor's brother, on his call for council to ask the provincial government to call a snap mayoral election.
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"The antics that are occurring in Toronto are distressing and concerning, but the last thing we want is for more disruption. Council has a job to do, let them do it, and we'll wait to see when the next general election occurs in October (2014).” _ Finance Minister Charles Sousa on the calls for a snap election.
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"I'm not going to run around and be phoney and lie. I'm not going to have someone try to blackmail me and say they got videos of this.... I’ve just had enough, I was sick and tired of all these allegations and all the bulls--t, excuse my words, and that’s all it is.” _ Rob Ford, in an interview broadcast on CNN Monday, explains why he admitted to using crack cocaine.
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"Anyone that was at the Argos game, (Rob Ford) was a rock star there. He was more popular than the Argos themselves." _ Coun. Doug Ford.
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“These latest allegations are troubling. Our Government does not condone illegal drug use, especially by elected officials while in office, including Justin Trudeau." _ Jason MacDonald, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in the PMO's first comment on the Ford scandal. (Trudeau admits to having smoked marijuana at least once since becoming an MP and is advocating its legalization.)
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013