A Sad Day for Toronto

"The problem with political jokes is they get elected." ~Henry Cate, VII

Since six minutes after eight o'clock I've been trying not to toss my dinner. That was the moment CTV declared Rob Ford the winner in the Toronto mayoral election. I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach.

What does it say about a city of three million people that would choose a red-necked buffoon as it's mayor? This man, who is now our mayor stood up in front of our city of immigrants, the most multi-cultural city in the world, and stated that he wanted to bar immigrants from moving into the city. This man denied he had been arrested for driving under the influence and possession of marijuana until the Toronto Star showed the proof. Then he claimed he had simply forgotten about the problem. Scary. This man presented a financial plan that every analyst said was extremely flawed and implausible. And yet, tonight he became our mayor.

George Smitherman's fate was sealed yesterday when unknown persons funded an ad campaign on a Tamil radio program suggesting that Tamils should not vote for him because he is gay. At the same time, posters were being put up in Islamic areas suggesting that Muslims should not vote for him either as homosexuality is an affront to Allah. The radio station pulled the ads and the posters were taken down. But every news report last night featured the smear as the lead story. Mission accomplished. Every homophobic bigot who didn't know George Smitherman is a gay man, now knew. And that was the end of George.

Rob Ford will make Mel Lastman look like a gentle diplomat. The rest of the country won't laugh at us because we called in the army to clear the snow. They will laugh at us because a red-necked clown will be at the helm of the largest city in the country. God help us.