Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Monday, May 28, 2012

Mayor Rob Ford says he does more than his itineraries show

Mayor Rob Ford says his official internal itineraries include only a fraction of his activities.

A Saturday Star article revealed that Ford's itineraries for early 2012 included less than half of the meetings of his itineraries for early 2011. It cited sources, including current and former Ford staffers, who said he often does not leave his home until noon. And it said he routinely doesn’t show up for long-scheduled meetings and events.

Speaking on his Sunday radio show, Ford did not challenge any of the specifics of the article. But, calling Star employees “pathological liars,” he said that he does far more than his itineraries show.

Because Ford does not release a weekly schedule of public activities, as previous mayors did, the Star files freedom of information requests to obtain his internal itineraries.

“When they go for these freedom of information — they might get a tidbit of what's really going on,” Ford said.

As evidence, Ford cited his cherished one-on-one work with constituents — which his itineraries suggest has also dropped off. He said he returns 40 to 50 constituent phone calls per day; on Tuesday, he said, he worked from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to visit 14 or 15 constituents, “knocking on doors” and wearing out staffers in the process.

“So if people want to know what I'm doing,” he said, laughing, “just talk to staff.” He later added: “I'm just doing what people want me to do.”

Ford's brother and radio co-host, Councillor Doug Ford, said the mayor works “non-stop, 18 hours a day.

“For anyone to say that you aren't working around the clock is frustrating,” Doug Ford said.

Rob Ford also said any 2013 residential property tax increase will be “way” under 2 per cent. His 2011 budget froze property tax rates, and his 2012 budget included a 2.5 per cent increase.

Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Daniel Dale

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