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Mayor Ford may be forced out if he won’t take leave: councillor

TORONTO – Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong has amended his motion proposing that Mayor Rob Ford take a leave of absence, and if Ford doesn’t, council will ask the province to have him removed from office.

The proposed amendment came as the city’s top civil servant Joe Pennachetti cautioned all staff that the city was not in crisis — and to not let the drama at city hall distract them from their job.

“We have told him that he needs to find the exit. He doesn’t seem to be listening,” Coun. Minnan-Wong said Thursday.

“If he can’t find the exit, I think we have to show him the door.”

Coun. Minnan-Wong said he will be asking his colleagues on council to back his motion. Most councillors have pleaded with Ford to take some time off, including deputy mayor Norm Kelly.

“His closest allies are recommending that he step aside. He’s not doing that. If he’s not prepared to do it, council needs to go to the next step. We have to stop this crisis and we need to move forward,” Coun. Minnan-Wong said.

“A remarkable circumstance in which the city and its reputation is being put at risk. Quite frankly, extraordinary measures are needed in extraordinary times.”

The province would have to change the Municipal Act to allow for the removal of the mayor. Right now, council doesn’t have the legal authority to do so.

The proposal will be considered at next Wednesday’s council meeting.

Coun. Minnan-Wong added he believes that it would be the strongest measure “we could take.” He said he hasn’t spoken to Premier Kathleen Wynne, who earlier Wednesday reiterated that she’s not intervening and letting the municipality, the police and the courts do their work.

Minnan-Wong and his colleague Peter Milczyn drafted the original motion moments after Ford made the crack cocaine admission on Tuesday.

The motion also calls for Ford to apologize to the city for “misleading” residents about the existence of a video, that Ford co-operate with Toronto police in their investigation, apologize for writing a letter of reference for accused drug dealer Alexander Lisi, and that he respond to council directly and not address them through the media.

Hours after his stunning admission, Ford said he had embarrassed the city, was very sorry and had only himself to blame for the mess, but that he was staying in office and was in fact planning to run for re-election next October.

On Thursday, city manager Pennachetti sent a memo to all Toronto managers, saying the city is not in crisis.

“I know you are all aware of the recent media coverage regarding the Mayor. The situation that is unfolding is unfortunate. It has also resulted in some media reports that the City of Toronto is in crisis. This is not the case,” the memo stated.

“I understand that these issues have created some distraction … The best way for the Toronto Public Service to address this situation will be to continue our hard work and to continue to provide high quality customer service to the residents and businesses of the City,” he added.

NovNOM.MinnanWong.Milczyn.2013 by CityNewsToronto

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