Thu Jun 7, 2012
Politics

The Rob Ford Agenda: May 28-June 3, 2012

What the mayor’s been up to this week.

Monday, May 28, 4:30 p.m. Newstalk 1010 studios, Yonge and St. Clair.

Speaks with John Tory in studio, to explain that — despite what he had said on the air the previous day — he is not in fact abandoning his Cut the Waist challenge. It also happens to be the birthdays of both Tory and Ford, and they share a cake, on which appears to be written the message “Happy Birthday Mayor Ford & John Tory: Dops of Toronto.” According to the mayor’s press secretary, however, the cake actually says “Tops of Toronto” (even though that “T” looks nothing like the “T” in “Tory”).

Thursday, May 31, 1 p.m. Protocol Lounge, Mayor’s Office.

Poses with grade 10 students from Scarborough’s L’Amoreaux Collegiate Institute. “Met Rob Ford today,” one of them tweets later that night. “White Rick Ross. just less BAWSE.”

Friday, June 1, 12:15 p.m. Sheraton Centre, Queen and York.

Addresses guests at the “Civic Working Together \ Gathering For Giving” luncheon held by the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB). The mayor takes the time to decry “professional activists” but apparently does not include the anti–Land Transfer Tax lobbyists at TREB in his definition.

Friday, June 1, 5:15 p.m. Union Station.

Inspects the flooding at Union Station. In a scrum afterward, a reporter asks, “How does it smell down there, Mr. Mayor?” “I thought it was gonna smell a lot worse,” the mayor replies. “I think this is probably the worst it is. From what I understand, from [TTC CEO Andy] Byford, it was a lot worse.”

Saturday, June 2, all afternoon. Centennial Park Stadium, northwest of Rathburn Road and Renforth Drive.

Coaches the Ontario Minor Football League’s Rexdale Raiders in two back-to-back games: one for the junior varsity (16 and under) division and another for the varsity (19 and under) division. Both teams defeat the Orangeville Outlaws—the juniors by 47-33 and the seniors by 41-6. “Just saw Mayor ‪#robford‬ eating two hotdogs after our football game ‪#droptheweight‬ ‪#lmfao‬” tweets player Taylor Murray, who follows two minutes later with: “Then he bought the whole team hotdogs #robford #niceguy”

Saturday, June 2, 9:30 p.m. Outside the south entrance of the Eaton Centre, near Yonge and Queen.

Expresses his sadness at that evening’s shootings and his support for the police as they search for the suspect. Asked for a reaction to the fact that a 13-year-old was among those seriously injured, he says, “It rips me apart. I was just at a football game this afternoon with 13-, 14-year-old kids. I coach football, I see it first hand. So it really pulls on my heartstrings when you hear something like that. It’s tough, it’s challenging. I just really hope the young man pulls through, and I’ll do everything I can to support him and his family, and all the other shooting victims, too. And the young man that lost his life, it’s a tragedy; it’s absolutely terrible.”

Sunday, June 3, 1 p.m. Newstalk 1010 studios, Yonge and St. Clair.

Leaves his radio show after half an hour in order to be able to speak at a press conference at police headquarters. But first, he delivers a solemn speech regarding the Eaton Centre shooting. “I’m a father, I’m a football coach, and I’m the mayor of this wonderful city,” he says. “I have to admit, it’s very hard for me to accept what happened downtown last night.”

Sunday, June 3, 2:15 p.m. Toronto Police Headquarters, College Street, near Bay.

Answers questions at the conclusion of the Toronto Police’s press conference on the shooting. “I can assure people that this is the safest city in the world,” he says. “And I want people to continue on living their lives like they do every day. Go downtown, enjoy themselves, go out with their family, and continue doing what they do.”