Public poll asks Mayor Rob Ford to step down, Toronto council could join the call

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford could be asked by city council today to step down and seek treatment as a motion by former ally Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong seeks to urge the mayor to act in the good of the city.

Wong’s motion calls for the mayor to apologize for lying to the city, co-operate with a police investigation and step out of office temporarily in order to seek treatment for drug abuse.

Council cannot order Ford to leave office, but support for the motion would send a message to the mayor that he needs to properly address his troubles and the ongoing crack scandal at City Hall. There is no indication that Ford is open to advice.

"I was elected to come down here and save taxpayers’ money," Ford told reporters on Tuesday. "I've saved more money than any mayor in Toronto’s history and that’s what I’m going to continue to do tomorrow."

[ Related: Rob Ford ready for battle as council to hear motion demanding he step aside ]

In this case, the rhetoric may be higher than the stakes. Minnan-Wong's motion is a purely symbolic gesture intended on allowing those on council a chance to formally express their concerns without going through back channels or the media.

Yet Ford has taken it as an attack. "Let's get it on," Ford told reporters, later referring to today’s council session as a "rumble in the jungle."

Brother/Coun. Doug Ford is also working to politicize the showdown, accusing Minnan-Wong of using Ford's troubles to his political advantage. Minnan-Wong is viewed as a potential mayoral candidate and as a conservative council veteran who is not prone to "drunken stupors," he could be a threat to take some of Ford's support base.

Minnan-Wong meantime has told the Globe and Mail he is focused on moving the city past the ongoing crisis at City Hall. And according to his motion, that includes urging the mayor to step down and seek help, as well as speak to police in their ongoing drug investigation.

[ More Brew: Mayor Rob Ford’s support base the focus of CNN report ]

And it seems the public agrees. Despite a relatively high level of support in recent polls, there is an even higher number of Torontonians who believe Ford's strategy of soldiering on is not acceptable.

An Ipsos Reid poll found that 76 per cent of respondents opposed Ford's plan to stay in office.

The poll, conducted for CP24, CTV News and Newstalk 1010, finds that 41 per cent of Toronto feels that Ford should resign, while another 35 per cent say the mayor should step down temporarily and seek treatment.

Also notable is that only 35 per cent want the province to intervene, suggesting that while most people want Ford to leave, they would prefer it to be his decision.

That is what the majority of city councillors want as well. Ford is in need of help, and the city is in need of a productive leader. And today, council will consider urging Ford to let both of those things happen. It will be up to him to listen, although it appears he has already made up his mind.

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