福特支持陣營與多倫多

Credit: cbc.ca

福特支持阵营与多伦多

多伦多市长福特(Rob Ford)於10月31日再次成为世界各地的头条新闻。在短短24小时内所有多伦多报章异口同声要求他辞职，甚至在社论中鼎力支持他的多伦多太阳报(TorontoSun)也齐声呼应。不过，无论他马上离去还是继续恋栈，他已对多伦多的声誉造成颇长时间的伤害。

福特不是首名需处理个人问题的公职人物，相信他也不是面临类似问题的最後一人。工会经常协助需应付滥用药物问题的会员时，首先做的事是帮助他(她)克服倚赖的问题。处於这种境况的人展示出欺诈与拒绝承认模式是常见现象。不过，在否认这种行为时，福特和他的兄长却穷追猛打记者的专业精神和尝试找寻真相的警务人员，继续把本身塑造成为受害人。

更令人困扰的问题似乎是福特可屡次逃避违规的惩罚。任何其他人被警方多次发现於不同地方在汽车内接收「小包裹」都会面临刑事起诉。最讽刺的是：虽然保守派强调要肃清帮派与毒品，但这位市长却与介入那些活动的人交往。其中一人後来遭谋杀说明了这种伤害市内贫困社群的次文化特质。

相信在踏入下次市选之前的12个月内将出现更多戏剧化事件。劳工运动将继续为追求一个服务所有劳动家庭的城市而努力。争取一个人人都能分享繁荣与尊严的健康城市任重道远，希望在现时的动荡不安政治环境中，公众不会看不见这种值得我们争取的目标。

多倫多市長福特(Rob Ford)於10月31日再次成為世界各地的頭條新聞。在短短24小時內所有多倫多報章異口同聲要求他辭職，甚至在社論中鼎力支持他的多倫多太陽報(TorontoSun)也齊聲呼應。不過，無論他馬上離去還是繼續戀棧，他已對多倫多的聲譽造成頗長時間的傷害。

福特不是首名需處理個人問題的公職人物，相信他也不是面臨類似問題的最後一人。工會經常協助需應付濫用藥物問題的會員時，首先做的事是幫助他(她)克服倚賴的問題。處於這種境況的人展示出欺詐與拒絕承認模式是常見現象。不過，在否認這種行為時，福特和他的兄長卻窮追猛打記者的專業精神和嘗試找尋真相的警務人員，繼續把本身塑造成為受害人。

更令人困擾的問題似乎是福特可屢次逃避違規的懲罰。任何其他人被警方多次發現於不同地方在汽車內接收「小包裹」都會面臨刑事起訴。最諷刺的是：雖然保守派強調要肅清幫派與毒品，但這位市長卻與介入那些活動的人交往。其中一人後來遭謀殺說明了這種傷害市內貧困社群的次文化特質。

相信在踏入下次市選之前的12個月內將出現更多戲劇化事件。勞工運動將繼續為追求一個服務所有勞動家庭的城市而努力。爭取一個人人都能分享繁榮與尊嚴的健康城市任重道遠，希望在現時的動盪不安政治環境中，公眾不會看不見這種值得我們争取的目標。

FORD NATION + TORONTO

The headlines about Mayor Rob Ford rebounded across the entire world on October 31st . Within 24 hours all daily Toronto newspapers called on him to resign. Even the Toronto Sun, his biggest booster and editorial apologist, joined the chorus. Whether he goes sooner or later, the damage to this city’s reputation will last for a long time to come.

Ford is not the first person in public office to deal with personal problems, and he will not be the last. Unions often assist members who are dealing with substance abuse, and the first priority is to get that person help in overcoming their dependence. It is not unusual for someone in that situation to exhibit a pattern of deceit and denial. But in denying the behaviour, Ford and his brother went after the professionalism of the journalists and police who were trying to discover the truth, all the while continuing to play the victim card.

The more disturbing issue seems to be that time and again Ford gets away with breaking the rules. Any other person seen dozens of times by police receiving “packages” in their car in random locations would long ago be facing criminal charges. It is ironic that the despite the conservative creed that deplores gangs and drugs, this mayor has a long history of consorting with individuals heavily involved in those activities. The fact that one was later murdered speaks to the nature of that sub-culture that does so much harm to many poor communities in the city.

There will be much more drama in the twelve months leading to the next Municipal election. The labour movement will continue to work hard for the kind of city that serves working families in every neighbourhood. There is a lot at stake in the ongoing fight for a healthy city where prosperity and respect are shared by all. Let’s hope the public does not lose sight of that real prize in this turbulent political time.