Rob Ford has left Toronto, and Toronto will be just fine without him

As Toronto Mayor Rob Ford stepped away from office on Thursday – jetting from a rural Ontario airport to Chicago, reportedly – his absence was being talked about at city hall.

Talked about, yes, but not memorialized. Minimized is more like it. As both the deputy mayor and city manager said, it is business as usual.

And it is. This isn't hyperbole or spin control. This is the fact. Toronto has been without Rob Ford's presence as mayor for a long time, since at least November, when he had most of his powers stripped away and declared war on city council. It’s been longer than that. And as his re-election campaign heated up in recent weeks, that absence became more permanent; less anecdotal and more obvious.

This is why Toronto won't notice Ford's absence as mayor. It is more likely to notice his absence from the mayoral campaign, though that could be a shorter absence than some might expect.

As Toronto questioned what it would do without its mayor, Norm Kelly – deputy mayor by title, de facto mayor in practice – said the only thing he could. Toronto will survive.

"I have complete confidence that my colleagues will continue doing the good work that they are doing on behalf of all Torontonians," Kelly told an afternoon press conference. "Finally, on behalf of myself, council and Toronto Public Service, I would like to convey our best wishes to the mayor and his family as he gets the help that he is seeking."

This is Norm Kelly. The man who assumed a heap of extra responsibility when everyone but those with the surname Ford realized the mayor needed help.

This is the man who, as Ford headlines ripped at tore at the municipal fabric Wednesday night, remained steadfastly calm, continued watching the Toronto Raptors, and came to work Thursday morning ready to face another Ford-caused catastrophe.

The man who was vilified by the mayor who appointed him as his right-hand man, who has declined calls to seek the mayoralty permanently and who, even today, said he was happy with "deputy" in his title.

"I am the deputy mayor, who has assumed all the powers that the present mayor had," he said. "I am the deputy mayor and I am proud of that title."

What happens for Toronto? Yes, Kelly becomes the acting mayor. He assumes administrative responsibility for Ford's office and his staff. This effectively ends a power struggle between the two offices that was most evident during Toronto's recent ice storm emergency.

But if and when Ford emerges, he will almost certainly be offered his seat back.

According to the City of Toronto, Ford has submitted his notice of absence, giving him leave to remain away from work for an extended period of time. Everything is expected to proceed as usual. Meetings will be held, services will be provided. Calls to the mayor’s office will be returned.

City manager Joe Pennachetti said the mayor can miss three consecutive council meetings – essentially three months of work – before an issue arises. The mayoral seat is technically vacated if Ford misses more than that, but council has the ability to approve further absence.

It is likely that three months will be more than enough, at least in Ford's mind. He has said he's targeting a 30 day turnaround for whatever substance abuse treatment he's seeking. Anything longer than that would likely soil his re-election "redemption" narrative.

So, yes. Ford has hit a new low, maybe even his actual bottom. But everything else remains the status quo. City hall is still working, city services will be unaffected. Doug Kelly is now mayor in everything but name, though he always has been, and Rob Ford is seeking re-election.

Anything else?

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