[jje1000]

Amid election overspending allegations, Rob Ford’s approval rating is climbing
Natalie Alcoba | Feb 25, 2013 12:43 PM ET

As Mayor Rob Ford prepares on Monday to face the compliance audit committee over allegations that his 2010 campaign broke finance rules, a new poll shows his approval rating is climbing.

The survey by Forum Research of 806 Torontonians on Friday found that 48% approve of the job Mr. Ford is doing, up from 45% a month ago and 42% in mid December. More than half, conversely, disapprove of his performance, the poll found.

Mr. Ford is especially popular among people over 65 (56%), households earning less than $20,000 a year (57%) and those living in Etobicoke, York or Scarborough. The interactive voice response telephone survey is considered accurate plus or minus 5%, 19 times out of 20.

The mayor recently won a major legal battle when a court of appeal overturned a decision that he broke the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, thus sparing him his job. He could be in court again after a forensic audit uncovered a long list of apparent contraventions of the Municipal Elections Act, including that his 2010 bid overspent by 3%. The compliance audit committee will decide Monday whether to hire a special prosecutor to determine if charges under the act are warranted.
Related

The poll asked respondents about a number of hypothetical races in the next election, including a rematch with former provincial cabinet minister George Smitherman, although he has said he has no intention of staging a bid in 2014.

Head to head, the poll found the mayor would beat his 2010 rival by a margin of 45% to 40%. A three-way race between Mr. Ford, Mr. Smitherman and Councillor Adam Vaughan, who is said to be mulling a bid, sees the mayor earn 43% of the vote, compared to 29% for Mr. Vaughan and 15% for Mr. Smitherman.

When NDP MP Olivia Chow is thrown in the mix, she emerges victorious, earning 43% to Mr. Ford’s 38% and Mr. Smitherman’s 11%.

“It appears the mayor’s close brush with unemployment has given him a significant bump. At the same time, while he still defeats his old opponent George Smitherman, he can’t stop a Chow candidacy,†Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff said in a press release.

The poll also asked residents to pick Toronto’s best mayor going back to David Crombie. Mr. Ford came came out on top there, with 22% support, compared to David Miller’s 19%, Mel Lastman’s 14% and Mr. Crombie at 13%.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/0...ations-rob-fords-approval-rating-is-climbing/

Some notes from Graphicmatt:

https://twitter.com/GraphicMatt/status/306109630235435008/photo/1

https://twitter.com/GraphicMatt/status/306109630235435008/photo/1

 

[js97]

Are the candidates a reflection of the state of municipal politics in Toronto? A few highschool drop-outs, all scandal plagued, and non with at least a University degree.

It's a sad, sad city!

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

That's exactly what I meant by 'huh'? Thx for the clarity. I'd say, in fact, Ford should be happy to pay his lawyer. That was some lawyerin'! (Not that he shouldn't ask for costs, why not?) I was under the assumption that costs were only awarded when the lawsuit was vexatious -- in this case, it was obviously a close-run thing. Is that not the case? How does a court decide on awarding costs (I assume there are guidelines.)? Could anyone fill me in?

Costs in Canadian litigation (unlike in the US) tend to be awarded against the losing party, but the proportion of those costs (e.g. "partial indemnity", "substantial indemnity" or "solicitor and client") varies depending on a number of factors such as whether one party was inordinately responsible for certain delays and expenses, or acted in an egregiously bad (or bad faith) manner. There is also a general principle that those who initiate "public interest litigation" ought not to be forced to bear the brunt of legal costs, although I'm not sure the extent to which this is followed in practice.

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

Are the candidates a reflection of the state of municipal politics in Toronto? A few highschool drop-outs, all scandal plagued, and non with at least a University degree.

It's a sad, sad city!

Generally speaking, the quality of Canadian politicians' brains (or at least IQs) increases as one goes "up" the political food chain (e.g. municipal are worse than provincial and provincial worse than federal). Not always, but generally.

 

[Peepers]

BREAKING NEWS:

SUN media reporting the motion to prosecute Mayor Ford has failed. Another victory for Mayor Ford!

ALERT via @reporterdonpeat: Motion to prosecute Mayor Rob Ford fails #TOpoli #FordAudit

 

[nfitz]

BREAKING NEWS:

SUN media reporting the motion to prosecute Mayor Ford has failed. Another victory for Mayor Ford!

ALERT via @reporterdonpeat: Motion to prosecute Mayor Rob Ford fails #TOpoli #FordAudit

Not being prosectured for electoral fraud is a victory?

Could we set the bar any lower?

Not seeing the big deal here ... I didn't see much comment anywhere suggesting that the punishment if found guilty was going to be anything more than a slap on the wrist.

I guess if he is really proud of it though, he can add it to his CV between falsified his CV and his criminal record.

 

[nfitz]

Not being prosectured for electoral fraud is a victory?

Could we set the bar any lower?

Not seeing the big deal here ... I didn't see much comment anywhere suggesting that the punishment if found guilty was going to be anything more than a slap on the wrist.

I guess if he is really proud of it though, he can add it to his CV between falsified his CV and his criminal record.

Generally speaking, the quality of Canadian politicians' brains (or at least IQs) increases as one goes "up" the political food chain (e.g. municipal are worse than provincial and provincial worse than federal).

The median IQ may rise, but I'd bet the standard deviation drops! LOL!

 

[TheTigerMaster]

This guy has more lives than a cat.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Now that Rob Fords approval ratings are climbing, and the left (3rd time around) has failed to oust the mayor...
Its time for the NDP supporters, to come together quickly and figure out whats next?
Interesting.....Olivia Chow seems to be the only hope the left-wing has. Hey if you snooze you lose

 

[nfitz]

Now that Rob Fords approval ratings are climbing ...

Not sure what this has to do with left and right.

If it does, then that would mean that Rob Ford is the face of the Tory party in Toronto. And we can expect the gross incompetence, lying, and corruption that he has brought to Toronto to come to the entire province.

I'm not really sure most Tories want this face.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Not sure what this has to do with left and right.

If it does, then that would mean that Rob Ford is the face of the Tory party in Toronto. And we can expect the gross incompetence, lying, and corruption that he has brought to Toronto to come to the entire province.

I'm not really sure most Tories want this face.

"Uhh,..Tory Party, entire province, lol
forget that...we are talking about RF easily wining the next municipal election

 

[adma]

The poll also asked residents to pick Toronto’s best mayor going back to David Crombie. Mr. Ford came came out on top there, with 22% support, compared to David Miller’s 19%, Mel Lastman’s 14% and Mr. Crombie at 13%.

And, of course, that's the part which the Sun put on its front page.

Without consideration of the fact that most of present-day Toronto wasn't even represented by pre-Lastman mayors; or else, due to age or citizenship status, don't have any concrete memory of pre-Lastman figures to judge.

Given all of that, for Crombie to still poll 13% over a third of a century after he left mayoral office is remarkable.

 

[Peepers]

Given all of that, for Crombie to still poll 13% over a third of a century after he left mayoral office is remarkable.

Not really. It just shows that 13% of those polled have bought into the myth that David Crombie was the "tiny perfect mayor".

 

[Electrify]

If Rob Ford ever kills someone, I'm willing to bet that his supporters will just say the person deserved it. It is scary how uncritical they are off their messiah, he can do no wrong.

 

[Automation Gallery]

If Rob Ford ever kills someone, I'm willing to bet that his supporters will just say the person deserved it. It is scary how uncritical they are off their messiah, he can do no wrong.

Lol ...chances are he will be killed first, by his dissatisfied followers that might think he is the second coming of christ