Toronto mayor Rob Ford's questionable Pride and prejudice

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      While everyone's been caught up in Rob Ford's crack, here are the Toronto mayor's other cracks when it comes to queer things.

      Like the previous years since being elected mayor of Toronto in 2011, Ford won't be feeling any Pride this year.

      Unlike the three previous mayors who marched in the parade, he has avoided the parade to spend time at his family's cottage in Muskoka on Canada Day weekend when the parade is held. He said on June 1 on a radio show that he'd do the same again this year.

      Unexpectedly and unannounced, Ford did attend the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia flag-raising ceremony at Toronto City Hall on May 17, as he did the previous year. How queer.

      Although Toronto city council members voted overwhelmingly on June 13 to give city grants (totalling around $7 million) to Pride, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and other major cultural organizations, Ford walked out during the vote for Pride funding, according to Xtra. Convenient timing.

      And according to the Toronto Star, in the alleged crack video, he reportedly appears to call Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau a "fag".

      Well, you know what they say about homophobes… 

      Comments

      4 Comments

      Greg Hannah

      Jun 14, 2013 at 6:31pm

      No, "Mayor" Ford did NOT walk out, he voted "no" to the funding along with his Councillor brother Doug, and a third Councillor walked off the floor. The balance of the Council members voted "yes" to fund the cultural organizations, including Pride. Pride week in Toronto (the second largest Pride celebration in North America) brings in between $80-$100 million dollars each year to the local economy, all funding for cultural projects pump in an estimated 1.25 billion dollars into the city from May to September.

      Martin Dunphy

      Jun 14, 2013 at 9:09pm

      Greg:

      Thanks for the info. The article was worded in that manner because of contradictory news reports out of Toronto that had differing vote counts and one that did not make it clear whether Rob Ford had actually voted or abstained.
      Another stated that his brother Doug voted "yes", not "no".

      Dane

      Jun 15, 2013 at 12:01am

      Why is he always so 'pink' ?