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Toronto mayor’s agenda on the day after being removed from office

Football and more football

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford talks to media at city hall on Mon., Nov. 26, 2012. (Nathan Denette/CP)

The clock is ticking for Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who now has just 13 days to step down after Superior Court Justice Charles Hackland ruled Monday that the mayor had violated the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and has two weeks to vacate the mayor’s office.

A defiant Ford, however, told reporters after the ruling that he had no intention of stepping down and that he would appeal, ask the court for a stay and, if needed, run in a byelection to get his job back.

So, it’s business as (un)usual at Toronto City Hall and here’s what the day could look like for Ford:

9:30 a.m – City Council meeting

Items on the agenda at what could be Ford’s last ever council meeting include discussion of the Pan Am Aquatic Centre and Field House, strategies for the city’s homeless population during emergencies and an update on the fate of the Toronto Zoo elephants, among many others. An additional item will likely be added so that councillors can discuss their options after they become mayor-less in 13 days. This is the first day of a two-day meeting.

11:30 a.m. – Grey Cup parade

For a mayor who got himself into trouble over football, the Grey Cup parade is just one of two football-themed events that will likely be on Ford’s agenda Tuesday. The mayor himself has declared Tuesday Toronto Argonauts Day in honour of the Argos win over the Calgary Stampeders on Sunday, and Ford is scheduled to read a proclamation when the parade ends at City Hall.

8 p.m. – Metro Bowl football championship

In football-related appearance No. 2, Ford is scheduled to coach his high school team, the Don Bosco Eagles, in the Metro Bowl — a high school championship for the Greater Toronto Area. The Eagles will take on the Huron Heights Warriors from Newmarket, who might be wondering about all the media attention that is certain to be at the game. Though the kickoff isn’t scheduled until 8 p.m., it is likely that Ford will have to skip out of council early to coach, something that he has repeatedly come under fire for in the past.

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