Olivia Chow: ‘Toronto is much more than Rob Ford’

NDP MP Olivia Chow’s statement to reporters after Question Period this afternoon on the matter of Rob Ford.

I also want to comment on the Rob Ford situation. I just came back from China as part of the parliamentary delegation to promote trade in China, and I also had a mission to push to have Toronto designated as a trading hub for yuan, which is the Chinese currency. But everywhere I go, the Chinese are talking about Rob Ford. You see it in the front page of the China Daily News. Even on Saturday, I saw it in the Shanghai Daily News. It’s on CNN. And I’m really frustrated that because of Rob Ford’s scandal, we are embarrassed because of his lies and that a great deal of important work such as dealing with the gridlock, providing affordable housing and child care and creating green jobs, youth employment issues are being sidelined because of Ford’s scandal.

But Toronto is much more than Rob Ford. We deserve a lot better. Toronto has passionate citizens that very inspiring in their cultural and musical or artistic talents. Toronto has beautiful parks and amazing neighbourhoods. It is a financial centre. It is the second largest financial service centre in North America. And we really deserve a lot better. And I’m very glad that Toronto City Council is taking corrective action so that they could soon go back to the issues that matter to ordinary Torontonians and Canadians.

Ms. Chow is considering a run for mayor of Toronto. Asked about the possibility of running, she said October 2014 was “very far away” and that she would make a decision “later on.”