Toronto Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly vows ‘peace’ after taking reins from Rob Ford

An unprecedented Toronto city council session that ended with key responsibilities being stripped from Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has thrust upon a once-unassuming deputy mayor into the public spotlight and established Norm Kelly as perhaps the most powerful politician in Toronto.

City council voted on Monday to remove a handful of powers and authorities from Ford’s office and hand them to Kelly amid an ongoing scandal involving the mayor’s use of crack cocaine, the purchase of illegal drugs, drinking and driving and lying to the public.

The mayor declared war on council, calling the move undemocratic, a coup d’état and, oddly, the work of a dictatorship. But Kelly was intent on setting such foolishness aside entirely. "The mayor apparently wants to wage war. And I would rather wage peace," Kelly said after the council vote.

It is a conciliatory tone from a 72-year-old veteran councillor who, like his former ally Ford, is a fiscal conservative from Toronto’s suburbs. Kelly dismissed the claim that Ford was replaced in a coup. Ford’s hand-picked executive council still stands. And Kelly himself was personally selected by Ford to act as his deputy just months ago.

Team Ford remains in power at city hall. Ford himself as simply been deemed unworthy to carry the mantel.

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In short, Ford remains mayor, but almost in name alone. The responsibilities of running Canada's largest city fall to Kelly, who has shown neither the intention nor inclination to replace Ford in a full-time capacity.

"This is an unprecedented situation. I can assure my fellow councillors and the residents of Toronto that I will fulfil these delegated responsibilities to the very best of my ability,” Kelly said in a statement. “I believe that Council will continue to work collaboratively and effectively to carry out the important business of the City of Toronto.”

Kelly has represented Scarborough municipally since 1994 and before that represented the region as a Liberal MP between 1980 and 1984. He has worked on executive committees for mayors Ford, David Miller and Mel Lastman and, save his skeptical view on climate change, rarely makes headlines or waves.

Kelly was named deputy mayor last summer after his predecessor Doug Holyday won a provincial by-election and moved to Queen’s Park. He has remained relatively low key since then, as scandal after scandal hit in the Mayor’s Office.

When the chief of police announced that investigators had recovered a video of the mayor smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe, Kelly attempted to privately convince the mayor to take a temporary leave of absence and seek treatment. He said Ford refused the advice, leaving Kelly no choice but to support action that left Ford essentially powerless.

According to the City of Toronto, Ford retains his statutory powers under the City of Toronto Act, including a responsibility to provide leadership to council and represent the city across Canada and abroad.

If there's a ribbon to cut, Ford should still be there to cut it. If there is a gala to attend, Ford should still be prepared to attend it. Preferably sober.

Kelly, meantime, has been given half of the mayor’s office budget and his staff has been told they now answer to Kelly. The deputy mayor also now sits as the chair of Ford’s powerful executive committee.

Beyond the X’s and O’s of the motion, Kelly's appointment brings a level of calm to Toronto city council. He is a conservative who supports much of Ford's mandate, specifically subway expansion and fiscal restraint.

According to data compiled by Metro Toronto, Kelly has voted with Mayor Ford 96 per cent of the time, including 26 of 32 votes cast between Jan. 1 and Oct 25 of this year. Three other times this year he was absent from voting.

Yet Kelly's decades of experience is respected among council peers of all stripes. Coun. Shelley Carroll called him “very capable,” Coun. John Filion said Kelly’s appointment as caretaker would allow council to focus on business and Coun. Josh Matlow also said it was a positive shift.

Coun. Adam Vaughan has said Kelly “joins more than he leads.” But under the current climate at city hall, perhaps that is not the worst thing.

"The balance of power always lies in council," Kelly told reporters at city hall. "There will still be a commitment to fiscal conservatism, but it may be expressed in a more cooperative (manner), and more sensitive to the arguments and positions of others."

Sensitivity and cooperation: Two words that have been missing from Toronto City Hall for some time.

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