All eyes are on Rob Ford today as the city watches to see whether the mayor responds to allegations he was caught on video smoking something from a glass pipe.
Ford cancelled his radio show on Sunday and was hardly heard from this weekend, but today he's back at work at city hall, taking part in a debate on casinos.
Ford left his home this morning only to be greeted by news cameras.
“Move out of the way guys, I'm backing up,” he said to reporters.
When he arrived at city hall, he was swarmed again by reporters as he attempted to get out of the elevator.
He turned his back on reporters in the elevator as his staff asked journalists to clear a path.
However, instead of exiting the elevator, the doors closed and the mayor went straight up to council chamber where the debate was scheduled to take place.
It has been five days since the Toronto Star alleged that two of its reporters had viewed cellphone video that appeared to show the mayor smoking from a glass pipe.
The Star reported that it had been approached by Somali drug dealers who wanted to sell the video for a six-figure sum. The newspaper declined and the alleged video has not yet surfaced.
Ford said on Friday that the allegations were “ridiculous.” The Toronto Star admitted it could not verify the authenticity of the tape.
Councillors, however, are calling for him to clear the air and fully explain.
“This is the opportunity for him to make an unequivocal statement and address (the allegations) directly,” Coun. James Pasternak told CP24 Tuesday morning. “They are an enormous distraction. The city is providing great services but that messaging is all being lost because of that issue.”
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