I have never had so much complaining and attempts of being persuaded not to vote for someone as I have for supporting Ford. I am not very political. The only time I ever protested was in high school when they threatened to extend school for another two weeks. Two more weeks of school would interfere with holidays and so many of us marched down to Queens Park expecting that objective to be terminated. My history teacher threatened to give us a zero if we walked out. Feeling cocky with my 90 % in history, I told her what I thought. I hope I am no longer that cocky. I hope I have outgrown my teens. Our school year was extended and until last Monday when I was trying to find my way into the exhibition, I found myself an unwilling party in a protest. I had taken the bus after not taking it for ages, and could not get into the grounds because of what the TTC called a parade. We were dropped off on a side street and I crisscrossed via the side streets until I found myself with a group of union people who all seemed to have bands to get into the CNE for free, or at least that was what I was told. Trying to get out of that parade and into the grounds where I was late meeting up with a friend was impossible due to the gates on one side which I did not want to climb over, in my flip flops. My mood improved throughout the day because of the fun I had. I will in future drive my car to the CNE. I will never again go on the last day. So that has been my experience with protests and politics.
Back to Rob Ford - I find that people I know who did vote for Ford and are in some position of respectability do not want others to know that they have voted for him. I have a strong belief in democracy and have no hesitation to indicate who I vote for. This is what makes Canada great. We should always be free to say who we want to vote for or support without any backlash normally found in non-democratic countries. I also have had people who obviously never picked up a newspaper bash Ford mercilessly without having the right information. As an example, one woman said that she didn’t like Ford because he expected the people to pay for extending his property. I tried to explain that the property he wanted to buy with his own money was vacant city land. She looked confused and then I got a bashing from another woman who had probably given her that information. I am always amazed. However, I myself rarely take an interest in politics even though I do always vote, mostly by trying a process of elimination of who is the politician who will in my opinion cause the least damage. This time, with Ford, I actually voted him not through this process of elimination but by actually choosing him. I saw him only once at the Mandarin just before he won. He walked right past me looking straight ahead. It must be horrible to always be in the public eye. One is not allowed to do anything without it possibly being front page news. Who among us is so perfect that we need not worry about what we say and do? I voted for Ford for one simple reason - money is being spent needlessly as if there is no consequence. I still remember watching the news when Ford stopped funding the parties and then coffee for their city gatherings. One counsellor dramatically got some gofer to go get her coffee. I think she was performing for the camera thinking this was favorable.
I find Ford refreshing. He is always getting into trouble for one thing or another but I like the way he speaks his mind. Do I think he should stop talking on his cell phone and texting etc…while driving? Absolutely! He does deserve a driver if he is working to catch up. However, I will still vote for him. I see how he is stirring the pot. Our city politicians are there or should be there for what is best for our city and not themselves. The poor are getting poorer and the rich, richer while the middle class is struggling to maintain their status as never before. Something needs to be done to stop what is not working. Lucrative pension plans for little time in office needs to be stopped. Self increases in payments and benefits needs to be stopped. Our little city which is growing needs to mature and find solutions to get back on track as well as our province. Counsellors need to work with the Mayor and not against him to find solutions to make our city better and greater. I hope this last fiasco that is threatening the Mayor’s job will not turf him out of office. We need someone to stir the pot. We need someone to step on toes so we can see beyond the finesse and sophistication of those who waste our hard earned dollars. We need someone to expose what is not fair and to stop wasteful spending. I think what we need right now is Ford and his refreshing no nonsense – stop the gravy train. Let’s remember and be thankful that we are a democratic society. Let us keep it that way or return to it if we have strayed.
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