Stop abusing your office
A persistent boast of the Ford brothers is that they changed Toronto City Hall by pulling politicians’ hands from the public “cookie jar.” As with most of their claims it’s not true, of course. And now there’s evidence that their own business dealings have put Mayor Rob Ford and his brother Doug wrist-deep in Oreos — seeking potential personal gain from public office.
Mark it down as more Ford hypocrisy. Like when the mayor proposed banishing gangsters from Toronto and then proceeded to pal around and do drugs with them. At least the latest allegation of unethical conduct doesn’t rise to the level of a criminal act. But it provides further evidence that neither Rob Ford nor his re-election campaign manager, Councillor Doug Ford, deserve the public’s trust.
Internal emails and the city’s lobbyist registry reveal that the Fords, a few months after being elected, pushed city bureaucrats to meet with officials from an international printing industry giant interested in doing city work. At about the same time their family firm was striving to land a lucrative business arrangement with the same huge company.
That hardly seems in line with the city’s code of conduct for public officials, which explicitly forbids use of municipal office to improperly influence others for personal gain.
This latest scandal was revealed by the Globe and Mail, which found that officials from the multinational firm R.R. Donnelley met repeatedly with the Fords and with city bureaucrats in connection with outsourcing internal city hall printing.
Donnelley officials were pressing to assume this work and, as one city manager wrote in an email, “Councillor Ford seemed to agree.” Meanwhile, Deco Labels and Tags, the Ford family firm, was endeavouring to receive business referrals from Donnelley — a potentially lucrative connection. This activity was not disclosed to municipal bureaucrats.
No deal was reached on contracting out after city hall staff pointed out there was an official procedure in place to handle unsolicited business offers, such as this, and R.R. Donnelley chose not to follow up. But these high-level meetings still reveal a questionable mingling of Ford family interests and city business.
Rob Ford’s election rivals had good reason to respond by criticizing him for such lobbying. It’s unacceptable, inappropriate and unethical, said Olivia Chow. John Tory described the mayor’s conduct as further evidence he should resign. They’re both right.
This isn’t an isolated misstep. The Fords have a history of failing to separate personal interests from public duties. In 2012, the mayor summoned senior city bureaucrats to urge that road work be done outside the Ford family business in time for a 50th anniversary celebration. City officials complied and redeployed public resources.
The Fords had Toronto’s top municipal executives meet with a local shampoo manufacturer after bylaw inspectors visited the firm about a minor sewage leak. The company, Apollo Health and Beauty Care, did business with Deco. And, of course, there was the mayor’s use of office staff and tax-payer-funded equipment, such cellphones, to help the high school football team he coached. Ford was later fired as coach of the Don Bosco Eagles and he’s now in rehab for his problems with drugs and alcohol.
It’s a pity there’s no rehab to treat abuse of elected office for personal purposes. Ford could use a stint there, too. What Toronto doesn’t need is more of Ford’s unethical dealings at city hall. Since he won’t depart on his own, it’s up to voters to ensure that this mayor has snatched his last cookie from the public’s treat jar.
Latest revelations are another reminder the Ford brothers are undeserving of the public’s trust