Doug Ford and Jaye Robinson in spat over false accusation
Councillor Doug Ford sees no reason to apologize for wrongly saying Councillor Jaye Robinson’s absence due to illness caused a committee to cancel its meeting.
The June 5 civic appointments meeting wasn’t cancelled, noted Robinson, who sought an apology from Ford when the committee met again Friday.
“I have no reason to (apologize),” Ford, the mayor’s brother, told reporters. “I never said anything wrong.”
Robinson turned up the heat Friday in questioning Councillor Ford’s prominent role at city hall.
“Doug Ford is not the mayor, he is not the deputy mayor. He doesn’t sit on executive and he continues to be the spokesperson fro the mayor. And that’s something I hear about on a continual basis, that people like to hear from the mayor, not Doug Ford.”
Just days after Councillor Ford’s attack on Robinson, Mayor Rob Ford dumped her from his hand-picked executive committee.
The North Toronto councillor had criticized the mayor’s handling of the crack cocaine scandal and suggested he take a leave of absence.
Councillor Ford noted those remarks in telling a television interviewer that Robinson was absent from the civic appointments committee and “we had to cancel the whole meeting.”
In fact, the meeting was held and completed without Robinson, who had a respiratory illness. Doug Ford, also a member of civic appointments, was at the meeting himself.
Friday, Councillor Ford said Robinson should apologize “for all of her nasty comments.” When asked by reporters to specify which comments he was referring to, he turned and walked away.
Robinson said she doesn’t know what Ford meant.
“I’m completely unaware of any nasty comments that I’ve ever made.”
Attempts to bully her will not work, she added.
“They’re unfortunate but they’re not going to stop me from what I’m continuing to do and that is represent my ward.”
