Ford continues to ignore media

It was business as usual on Monday at City Hall.

On the day after he apologized to the City and promised to be more cooperative with the media, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford continued to ignore questions from City Hall reporters about his alleged crack cocaine use. After entering his office through its front door around 7 a.m., Ford only had contact with media members once more– pushing his way through reporters and shouting to get out of his way– en route back to his office from early afternoon visits to neighbouring offices.

Monday did not bring the levels of chaos from Thursday, the day police chief Bill Blair said the alleged crack video existed, but it still had its moments.

Mayor Ford spent most of the day in his office, which made for a great deal of waiting and observing outside for reporters.

Not long before lunch, a man in a banana suit delivered some fresh fruit to the mayor.

“Get a job, this isn’t a f—–g job!” Said a constituent exiting the mayor’s office, walking through the group of reporters shortly after the fruit delivery. Around the same time, a Ford supporter arrived holding a sign of  encouragement for the mayor, and sang a Toronto-centric version of This Land is Your Land.

At one point, a man stopped by saying he  had “the video” on a white iPhone, however the mayor was not in-frame. “There’s no way you can tell it’s him,” the man with the white iPhone was told, as he left.

Overall, it was a slow day at City Hall. But by the end of the day, two more of the mayor’s closest allies voiced their concerns.

“I’m concerned about the information that came out,” said councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, “and I have a concern about how this is impacting the City and how it’s impacting council.”

Minnan-Wong says he had a “full and frank” conversation with the mayor on Monday, but is still not satisfied with Ford’s Sunday apology on Newstalk 1010.

“The mayor needs to provide a full account with respect to what has transpired over the last number of months,” councillor Michael Thompson said. Thompson also emphasized the need for “clarity” from the mayor, and said Ford needs to “take some time to reflect on the challenged he has indicated he is facing.”

Thompson is also chair of the Economic Development Committee, and noted his concern for the perception future economic partners could have of the City.

Ford left through his back door at City Hall without speaking to reporters.