Premier Kathleen Wynne spoke with reporters Thursdays to address calls for her government to intervene in Toronto as Mayor Rob Ford’s personal problems continue to overshadow city hall.
"Events continue to move quickly and things we are seeing and hearing about Mayor Ford are truly disturbing," Wynne said in a brief statement to the media.
However she stopped short of promising any kind of intervention.
“It’s up to the municipal level of government to address the problems that they face,” Wynne said. “It is not the provincial government’s role nor its intention to impose its preferences on that level of government.”
Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong had included a call for the province to remove the mayor in a motion tabled before council Wednesday. However he removed the portion asking for the province to step in because he said it appeared Queen’s Park would not be willing to take the measure.
Under the law, council does not have the power to remove one of its members. While the province holds ultimate power over municipalities, Wynne has expressed hesitation about taking any action to remove Ford, who was elected with a large margin of victory in 2010.
Still, Wynne laid out a scenario in which her government would step in.
“If council were to clearly indicate that they lack the ability to function as a result of this matter, the province would respond to a request from council to be provided new tools depending on what that request might be,” Wynne said.
Calling any possible intervention by the province “extraordinary and unique” Wynne said she would seek to act with unanimous consent from the legislature if the province were to act at all.
“The last thing this terrible situation needs is an overlay of partisan politics,” she said.
Addressing the people of Toronto, Wynne reassured citizens that business is going on in both the city and the province, despite the ongoing turmoil surrounding the mayor.
“Toronto is more than one politician, it’s more than one government,” Wynne said. “I understand that people are affected by what’s happening at this moment, but I want the people to know that we will not be defined by this.”
Wynne took no questions after her statement, saying only that her comments would be posted.
Wynne’s address to the media came just hours after Ford apologized for making vulgar sexual comments while talking to reporters Thursday morning. Flanked by his wife, he apologized for the comments at a hastily organized news conference over the noon hour.
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