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    Canada Politics

    Toronto mayor compares city councillors to brutal dictator

    Toronto Mayor Rob FordOnce again, Toronto mayor Rob Ford has caused a stir over his words.

    According to a story in the Toronto Star, Ford was on AM640's John Oakley Show, Tuesday, when he compared several city councillors to ruthless Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

    Oakley was questioning Ford about a group of centrist Toronto city councillors who had "gone rogue."

    "I consider (Josh Matlow) a left-wing NDPer," he said.

    "These people are all two steps left of Joe Stalin. So I'm not discouraged by that and I don't expect it. They don't care about the taxpayers. But I know one person who does and that's me."

    When asked his thoughts on being compared to a man who killed twice as many people as Adolf Hitler, Matlow shook his head and told the Star: "Nah. I'll leave it."

    This isn't the first time,  Ford has made controversial comments.

    Here are some older 'Ford-isms' that, in the past, put the Toronto mayor in hot water:

    June 14, 2005 - During a council debate over the utility of grant programs for transgendered and transsexual people during a council debate:

    "I don't understand. No. 1, I don't understand a transgender, I don't understand, is it a guy dressed up like a girl or a girl dressed up like a guy? And we're funding this for, I don't know, what does it say here? We're giving them $3,210?"

    June 2006 - During a council debate on public-health grants for community-based AIDS-prevention programs:

    "If you're not doing needles, and you are not gay, you wouldn't get AIDS probably, that's the bottom line. These are the facts."

    March 5, 2008 - During a council debate over holiday shopping:

    "Those Oriental people work like dogs. … They're slowly taking over."

    August 2010 - During a televised debate speaking about immigration:

    "Right now we can't even deal with the 2.5 million people in this city...I think it is more important to take care of people now before we start bringing in more people."



    (CP Photo)

    What do you feel about this article?

     
    • J  •  2 months ago
      The good thing about Rob Ford and his brother Doug is that you don't have to say or do anything. Just watch, listen, cringe and hope that this to shall pass.
    • Dave  •  2 months ago
      Name calling has to stop. It is sad that these are the people we elect to represent us and to act on our behalf. It seems that you have no real answers to things when you have to resort to name calling. It seems Toronto City Council is filled with children. No wonder people on the far side of any debate think they can get away with their hatred Oh by the way if people actually cared for people in Toronto they would not be going wild on projects that cost billions but give little in return. Value for money not pet projects you can put your name on..
    • kegler  •  Hamilton, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      meanwhile, city councillors compared rob ford to chris farley.
      • Malcolm 3 months ago
        that's an insult to Farley
      • Delphic Greek 3 months ago
        Ford lives in a Van, down by the river.
      • Lifer 3 months ago
        How intelligent. Wow, a fat joke. Someone get this guy a brick wall.
    • 1984  •  3 months ago
      If we are really interested in stopping Bullying in our culture we need to start at the source, the adults are the models for our children, the adults are the source of the bullying.
      • Michael 3 months ago
        and how is it related to this topic?
      • 1984 3 months ago
        Fords' comments about an elected member of city council is bullying.
      • greglipz 3 months ago
        so.. you leftwing clowns bully him everytime he has a different opinion...whats the difference
    • Mrjro2  •  Thunder Bay, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      This guy is an absolute tool. It's funny when an article actually quotes this man and it gets pinned as leftist journalism. They quoted the tool. I find it so sad that we live among others so afraid of the truth, they'd rather live in the dark, judge others and call people names. I'm glad I'm centrist/left.
      • Ex serving 3 months ago
        He is more like nuclear waste, useless , harmful and only good for destroying things
      • greglipz 3 months ago
        is he...or is he just fixing the problems that were handed to him from over a decade of liberal B.S....
      • greglipz 3 months ago
        morons elect liberals/ndp...then pay for pure stupidity
    • anonymous  •  3 months ago
      Congratulations Toronto; looks like the garbage stays in the city after all. haha
      • Damon 3 months ago
        And it weighs 330-lbs
      • greglipz 3 months ago
        or we can pay them(city workers) crazy amounts of money and tax you idiots to pay for it...or lay down and give in to the unions like miller time....glad you jerks lost and will again
      • hughtrafalgar 3 months ago
        @Greg - Stopped your lip action long enough print your tripe?
        Go back to what you do best. Bissell has nothing to fear from you.
    • A Yahoo User  •  3 months ago
      Joseph Stalin outlawed Abortion, outlawed homosexuality, killed one eighth of his population BEFORE the war, purged minorities for being anti-Russian (including the Jews), purged his army of officers and generals and nearly lost to the Nazis as a result, allowed his son to rot in a concentration camp and denied he was his son, sent his daughter's fiance to the Gulags, forced his wife to kill herself, Joseph Stalin was also a murderer and a bank robber BEFORE he was famous.

      Stalin also helped Hitler invade Poland.

      The NDP aren't even Socialist. They are Social Democrats that have abandoned their plans to nationalize banks.
      • gandalf 3 months ago
        i'm glad someone finally set the record straight about social democrates not being socialists.there is a big difference.The media (controlled by the intl. bankers)will keep spewing the same B.S. to spread fear that we will all be communists or socialists if we elect someone who will stand up for the population over corporations!
      • Damon 3 months ago
        And the Americans along with the CIA were helping, and funding Hitler, and his Nazi Military Junta!
      • Alain 3 months ago
        You were once in office here in Ontario, Gandalf, you commie, and had your chance. The NDP were famous for raising taxes every year. They even built a high-rise low income housing unit right across from Woodbine race track. How's that for genius ideas?

        I think their plan was to place everyone on welfare and tax the crap out of all businesses. What they didn't figure was that you actually need people to work so the business can earn that tax money the NDP'ers wanted. Fact is, if an NDP'er started a bsiness, they would run it into the ground before they even made a dime.

        I realize I'm being extreme, but they will only return to power here in Ontario when the generation of idiots who voted them into power dies off.
    • Hunter  •  3 months ago
      Empty Trucks, Make the Most Noise!
    • Delphic Greek  •  3 months ago
      The unidentified noise in Windsor is Ford spewing BS. :D
    • Ricky  •  Toronto, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      "Right now we can't even deal with the 2.5 million people in this city...I think it is more important to take care of people now before we start bringing in more people." I have 2 kids and I can't take care them well so what's the reason to get more kids? Give 2 kids to welfare and get more?
    • Tyler Austin  •  Midland, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      That is actually very insulting to the people who lived and died under the Stalinist totalitarian regime. Before you make a joke please go read about it.
      Ford comparing the left wing councillors to Soviet Russia is the kind of childish crap I expect on online messegeboards like this.

      The only thing that will make this right is a firm but fair mockery by Jon Stewert on the Daily Show.
    • Cal Amari  •  Ottawa, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      Truth:

      "Right now we can't even deal with the 2.5 million people in this city...I think it is more important to take care of people now before we start bringing in more people."

      You wouldn't have more kids if you couldn't care for the ones you already have. Makes perfect sense to me.
    • Hartcard  •  3 months ago
      DerickYou just closed this blog to debate. No one wants to debate a hypocritical #$%$s who hates another because he not in line with your thinking. Yes I understand completely what I wrote and all of it is as true as you being an ignorant Brit who should concentrate on your own leaders. .What hurts more than a false claim that one is an demeaning #$%$s. TRUTH!
    • Hunter  •  3 months ago
      What City Councillors Fail to Understand is that Their National Political Party is not paying their salaries, the People of the City of Toronto are, and their votes should not be influenced by their Political Party Mandates, but by What is in the best interests of the City of Toronto Taxpayers
    • heffernan_ca  •  3 months ago
      "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son" - Dean Vernon Wormer.
    • brandonl  •  Orangeville, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      stalin killed alot more then twice as many as hitler.
    • ChaplainM  •  Toronto, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      It is amazing how reality hurts
    • penguin  •  3 months ago
      Another field day for literal-minded people who don't get, or take really seriously, figurative speech. Please look up the word hyperbole, and have a nice day.
    • BLAXEL  •  3 months ago
      If anyone on Yahoo lives in fantasy, books, movies and espionage thrillers it's Bad kharma. Get real in the year 2012.
    • Dale  •  Chatham-Kent, Ontario  •  3 months ago
      Not the best article, but the quotes are at least real. Our Mr. Ford represents a more global problem though: Why are concepts like truth, fairness, equality, compassion and basic human rights considered to be "leftist"?

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