The political genius of Rob Ford

By Nicholas Köhler - Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 166 Comments

Photographs by Donald Weber

Originally published on Oct. 12, 2010

Rob Ford leans back in the nook of his Rob-Ford-for-mayor RV and, sphinx-like, fixes his gaze on something at the far end of the universe. He is just back from a fundraiser at the Mandarin buffet, in uptown Toronto, where members of the local Chinese communities feted his coming victory over the forces of “waste” and “socialism” at city hall. (Ford passed on the chicken balls and deep-fried shrimp, dining instead on roast beef and mashed potatoes.) In a couple of hours he will square off against his opponents in a Citytv debate—a perhaps anxious prospect given that Ford, according to polls the front-runner, will be an even larger target than usual. Now, in the dark calm of the RV, he is ruddy-faced, disengaged, not altogether present. Is he gathering himself for the coming TV battle against George Smitherman, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s one-time pit bull and Ford’s closest rival? No, he says in a small voice. “I’m just digesting my food. That’s a lot I ate.”

However improbable it may seem to Toronto’s elites and the reporters who cover local politics, Ford has good reason to expect that Oct. 25 will make him mayor. Polls have him as far as 24 points ahead of Smitherman, whose victory in January seemed a foregone conclusion. (“In the absence of an incumbent, they made me the incumbent,” Smitherman told Maclean’s.) If Ford does win, it will be in spite of a history of almost Borat-sized faux pas and brushes with the law, including a 1999 Florida drunk-driving conviction that first came to light in August. “We all make mistakes,” says Ford, still in the midst of digestion. “It was bad. I was drinking and driving. But a lot of people drink and drive. I got caught.”

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Mitchel Raphael on who said what, who dissed who, the first day back

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 3:00 PM - 0 Comments

Let me in, PM!
After the first question period of the new session of Parliament, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff did a round of TV interviews in the foyer sporting a red-striped tie, no jacket and the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up. “Image consultants,” quipped NDP Leader Jack Layton, who was doing a similar round of TV interviews in a dark suit and purple tie. Government House leader John Baird went over to Iggy in the foyer and congratulated him on choosing David McGuinty as the Liberal House leader. Baird noted that since House leaders are supposed to enforce decorum, and that he and McGuinty were the worst shout-out offenders, heckling in the House should now be down by 50 per cent. Taking over the position of top Tory heckler the first day back was LaVar Payne, the MP for Medicine Hat, who wore a white shirt with an odd thick pink stripe on the collar that continued down the front. There were other interesting fashion choices. Halifax NDP MP Megan Leslie sported a piece of a teacup that had been turned into a necklace. It was made by Halifax artist Amy Belanger. “It’s my tea party movement,” joked Leslie. “It’s a recycling movement. And it’s reversible. Now that’s eco-fashion.” The first day had its kinks as well. Security said several of the Hill staff forgot to get new passes to allow them into the lobbies of the House. Among the more prominent of those without valid passes was the PM’s director of communications, Dimitri Soudas. He filled out a special note card which was given to a page to give to Stephen Harper to get him inside.

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Toronto Gay Pride—politics, drag and dancing

By Mitchel Raphael - Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 11:28 AM - 0 Comments

Politicos and celebrities marched with drag queens in this year’s Pride parade in Toronto. Some were armed with water guns. Below, Rick Mercer and Belinda Stronach.

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Proud Liberals carry the Liberal banner, while Bob Rae carries the Canadian flag.

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MPs attend ACTION party

By Mitchel Raphael - Friday, March 26, 2010 at 10:09 AM - 6 Comments

The politicos came out for the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC) annual ACTION party in Toronto.  (Left to right) Bernie Farber, Nathan Jacobson and Transport Minister John Baird. Behind Farber is Jamie Ellerton, aide to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

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Baird and Toronto mayoral hopeful George Smitherman.

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Political Yearbook

By Jonathon Gatehouse - Monday, December 7, 2009 at 12:22 PM - 6 Comments

The new gay politics

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 12:13 PM - 10 Comments

An interesting tangent near the end of John Lorinc’s piece this week on the current generation of gay politicians.

Still, there are subtle but significant differences between serving as an openly gay MP, MPP or city councillor, and holding a prominent political leadership role. Though most people take them for granted, the habits of high public office are steeped in the symbols of heterosexual marriage. At official functions, the prime minister or premiers are often seen with their spouses (typically wives), and greet visiting leaders with their other halves in tow. “I do think that’s a barrier,” Prof. Rayside says.

… With same-sex marriage now commonplace, some gay politicians – such as Mr. Brison, who has run and lost in two national leadership contests – have allowed their marriage ceremonies to become quasi-public events, thus giving voters a glimpse of customs that turn out to be familiar to most. Yet, in so doing, they may also face even greater expectations to maintain long-term monogamous relationships than do their straight colleagues.

'Politics is fun'

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 4:22 PM - 10 Comments

In the process of assessing George Smitherman, Jim Coyle considers the nature of politics.

It is a forum in which the artful insult of foes is esteemed, an arena in which even – sometimes especially – misfits and nerds can thrive. For those not gifted athletically, it’s the next best way to experience the intense camaraderie of a team, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, the Rudy-like triumph against long odds, the Paul Martin-like frittering away of championships that should have been.

At times, political life can be positively Shakespearean in the playing out of human goodness and foible – the intrigues, treacheries, plots and schemes, the falling on swords for the greater good. Beyond question, the attendant media spotlight – the notepads and cameras constantly seeking opinion – is ego-boosting. In most cases, propinquity to power and the powerful is seductive. Reaching the exalted rank at which one gets to wield power is more than a little gratifying and, as Smitherman has been wont to say, cool.

As William Davis once famously observed, his dullest day as premier was more exciting than his best day doing anything else.

The Commons: 'Tell the truth!'

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 6:55 PM - 45 Comments

The Scene. Ralph Goodale stood, broad and booming, with a particularly provocative turn of phrase.

“The Conservatives,” he said, “are engaged in an orgy of partisan abuse.”

And you needn’t apparently take Mr. Goodale’s word for it.

“Three independent investigations confirm the research of the member for Parkdale-High Park,” he continued. “A shocking part of the stimulus plan is earmarked for partisan Conservative purposes. Will the Conservatives admit this is a threat for those who didn’t vote for them?”

The Prime Minister stood, apparently quite confused by the Liberal house leader’s tone.

“Mr. Speaker, the program for the reconstruction of leisure facilities is a very important measure for the Canadian economy and for communities. I do not understand at all why the Liberal Party of Canada opposes such projects and, even in their own counties. The allegations of the honourable member are quite untrue and, indeed, the Liberal deputy premier of Ontario said so.”

So there. Continue…

Ontario's big windy gamble

By Jonathon Gatehouse - Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 3:20 PM - 57 Comments

You are forgiven if you somehow missed the celebrations, but in late June, George Smitherman, Ontario’s minister of energy and infrastructure, was named the 2009 winner of the World Wind Energy Award. The handsome plaque, handed out at the eighth World Wind Energy conference on Jeju Island in South Korea, hasn’t yet been installed on his office wall, but the 45-year-old is busy making a bid to extend his reign as “Mr. Wind” (as he calls it) into 2010. Or perhaps, given the scale of pending government announcements, lock up the title for the rest of the century.

Ontario is already North America’s friendliest jurisdiction for wind and other renewable energy projects, thanks to its recently proclaimed Green Energy Act, meant to speed along approval, and the establishment of European-style 20-year fixed-price energy contracts. (Power companies are now required to integrate all new green energy projects into their grids and pay producers 13.5 cents per kilowatt hour for onshore wind farms, 19 cents/kWh for offshore wind, and up to 80.2 cents/kWh for solar power, versus about six cents/kWh for both hydro and nuclear energy.) The province, which is committed to shutting down its coal-fired plants by 2014, will have 1,200 megawatts of wind power in operation by the end of this year, and there are 103 more “shovel ready” wind developments, totalling 3,263 MW, in the pipeline. The proliferation of giant turbines—80-m-tall towers with 40- to 45-m blades—is already nearing the 5,000 MW supply ceiling the Ontario Power Authority has said it can easily integrate into its aging grid. But soon, there will be no more limits. Smitherman is promising a series of major power infrastructure announcements in coming weeks that will not only make wind a much bigger part of Ontario’s energy mix, but open up vast new areas of the province to commercial wind development. Continue…

MPs, gay rights and underwear models

By Mitchel Raphael - Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 11:51 AM - 0 Comments

The gay advocacy group Egale held its first-ever large-scale gala in Toronto’s Le Meridien King Edward Hotel to mark the 40th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada. Conservative strategist Jaime Watt, who is chairman of the Navigator communications firm, was presented with the group’s inaugural Leadership Award for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) human rights. Justin Trudeau was the keynote speaker. Designer John Walke served up a fashion show with his Superstein label.