TO mayoral candidate Ford: "I support traditional marriage" - Latest News Roundup
Wednesday, August 4, 2010

TO mayoral candidate Ford: "I support traditional marriage"

At a press event outside Toronto City Hall today, mayoral candidate Rob Ford embraced the endorsement of a fundamentalist Christian pastor who says Pride is "immoral" and suggests that the "moral foundation" of society is being dismantled by gay marriage.

Asked by a reporter if he supports gay marriage, Ford said: "No, I support traditional marriage. I always have, but if people want, to each their own. I'm not worried about what people do in their private life. I look out for taxpayers' money, and to each his own when it comes to what happens behind closed doors."

Ford made the comments at a presser where Rev Wendell Brereton announced that he was dropping out of the mayoral race and throwing his support behind Ford. Brereton is now running for council in Ward 6.

Mayoral candidate Rob Ford receives the endorsement of Ward 6 council candidate Wendell Brereton outside city hall on Aug 4. 

Watch a clip of the event below (Ford's comments about gay marriage start at 1:05):   

 
Brereton's mayoral campaign website previously stated, "My kind of Toronto doesn't parade immorality and call it pride." That section has been removed, but the comment can be seen by viewing the Google cache.
 
Brereton's website also took a shot at gay mayoral candidate George Smitherman: "Men who don't truly comprehend the reality of the importance of the God defined family will dismantle the very ethical fibers of what a healthy democratic civilization is." That section of the website has also been removed.


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Comments

Wednesday, August 4, 2010 3:46 PM

That Rob Ford supports traditional marriage is of no great concern to me since he's not in a position to do anything about the issue, one way or the other. What we need to get it is how his underlying views might affect city operations, and there's little evidence that he can separate his own personal views from policy objectives. Many religious people of conscience wrestle with that personal/public question and many even do the 'right' thing, but there's no evidence that Rob Ford even understands there's a history to that tension. What I'd like to know is if his fiscal conservatism is going to be a fig leaf to undermine funding to environmental/AIDS prevention/drug programmes. That he seems to have courted the support of this fundamentalist pastor is of great concern but it also likely means the end of his campaign. I hope this isn't a whiff of some campaign to appeal to the social conservatism of immigrant and cultural communities a la Jason Kenney - that would be divisive and destructive.

There's certainly an appetite for some fiscal control in the wake of e.g. Kyle Rae's Nero moments (parties, travel, expensive office toys he can't figure out how to use, - fiscally tiny but symbolically huge), but there's no significant appetite in this city for fundamentalist religion that intrudes on the state's prerogative to make sound social policies. This train is about to run out of steam.

Alex MacLean ca


Wednesday, August 4, 2010 3:32 PM

Why is the matter of marriage entering the mayor's race?

It has doodly-squat to do with it and is a provincial and federal matter.

Unless, it's a back-door attack against Smitherman--in which case it's vile and undignified.

But that's Ford for you and that's par for his course.
Even John Tory is looking better by comparison and that's not saying much about him or the mayor's race.

The name-calling and sniping and the shameless support of CFRB for Ford and Tory and against Smitherman is below the standards for talk radio. Moreover, the media has bought into the Ford-Smitherman debate on CFRB without realising it's a ploy to get the Astral radio station notoriety. It's called pandering and the people buy it lock, stock and barrel.

Torontonian ca


Wednesday, August 4, 2010 5:51 PM

It doesn't matter that marriage has nothing to do with municipal politics, except that Ford is making it clear which "side" he's on hoping to capitalize on the bigotry of some in our city. Accepting this pastor's endorsement so whole heartedly is also an underhanded way of bringing the issue of sexual orientation into the campaign. Its Ford hoping to capitalize on the bigotry of some in our city and a way to remind people that Smitherman is gay and Ford is not.

I'm not a Smitherman supporter, I plan on voting Pantalone, but if it comes down to Smitherman or Ford I'll definitely be voting Smitherman, Ford would be a disaster for our city. If Tory does enter the race that will be it for Ford, I actually think Tory would win and even though he's right leaning he strikes me as being more pragmatic than anything and he has a lot more class than Ford, which really isn't saying much, so it wouldn't bother me so much if he were mayor even if I would rather see Pantalone win.

Rich ca


Wednesday, August 4, 2010 6:20 PM

there are gay people AGAINST gay marriage just as there are christians FOR gay marriage.


www.google.ca/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.gaychristian.net/justins_view.php

kv ca


Wednesday, August 4, 2010 8:31 PM

"I'm Rob Ford, I don't support marriage equality, and I want to be mayor of Toronto." !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Ryan ca


Thursday, August 5, 2010 12:59 AM

Well, there goes my vote for Ford. It's not that I really care about marriage or if Gay people want to get married, but to say, "no, I support traditional marriage" is a scary thing to hear from someone who wants to run this city. I realize, he has no power to do anything about it, but be sure, that if he did, he would, and that's scary enough.

I'm not gay, and I'm certainly not Christian, and not I'm not voting for Ford.

Regan4000 ca


Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:17 AM

What a prick! It's clear Ford is just trying to make Smitherman's homosexuality, an issue. I guess he thinks the homophobic segment in Toronto, makes up the majority. I think he will be proven wrong. (hopefully) If Ford becomes mayor of Toronto, what a damper that will put on World Pride 2014, in Toronto. He obviously wouldn't show up for it and it won't reflect well on this city.
I can't believe all the anti-gay comments on The Toronto Sun website from Ford's supporters. Why is The Sun printing comments calling gay people "faggots"? Is that acceptable to the publishers of that paper? Would they print letters from racists, using the "N" word? I think not. So why is it OK for Ford's rabid homophobes to leave hateful comments about gays? This burns me up! I just hope the gay community starts to fight back against Ford and for god's sake, PLEASE don't forget to VOTE!!!!! Make sure your friends and family vote too. Rob Ford as mayor, would be a disaster for the community and this city.

Gary ca


Thursday, August 5, 2010 8:20 AM

Gary, The Toronto Sun is a soaking homophobic dish rag. They always allow hateful comments on their forum, and have for decades printed hateful editorials in their paper. Canada is still full of anti-gay fundamentalists, be they religious or just pinheads. Toronto is no exception especially with nearly half of our population being from parts of the world where gender and sexuality is more strictly defined. This Reverend Brereton fellow is really spooky, his church unites Christians in Regent Park together against queers rather than to address the real evil in that community (violence, poverty, violence, hopelessness, etc.). If Rob Ford is elected by the majority, I may have to leave town. DRAFT JOHN TORY!! A Tory is better than a Neocon.

Ryan ca


Thursday, August 5, 2010 8:42 AM

For people (especially LGBT and allies) wondering what Ford's position on gay marriage has to do with anything, consider this: Ford supports "traditional marriage," meaning he regards gay marriage as a lesser institution. That he regards gay marriage as a lesser institution means he doesn't believe the LGBT citizens are equal to the hetero majority.

These prejudices he holds would certainly bias his decisions regarding anything pertinent to the LGBT community, regardless of what "fiscal conservatism" he professes. As an example, consider Pride. For a true fiscal conservative, funding Pride is a no brainer: for very little investment by the city, Pride generates millions in revenues for the city's businesses, and promotes further tourism dollars. Funding Pride makes good fiscal conservative sense.

I don't see Rob Ford sharing this view, as he clearly has demonstrated animus towards the LGBT community (both today and in the past). He professes fiscal conservatism, but tries to hide his social conservatism streak.. which makes him unworthy to be mayor of one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Dan ca


Thursday, August 5, 2010 12:53 PM

In Parkdale , we have a plethora of these so-called churches (fundamentalist Christian). They line up along Queen Street and drag in the lunatics and people from foreign countries who really just can't stand gays. This is who Rob ford is gunning votes for. I'm sorry to put it that way - but Bob knows what he's doing. Mr Fod thinks there is a phantom vote out there just waiting for the chains to be removed. In fact it is just likely his own riding. I don't want to be smug - but the Gay Wave will prevail and Smitherman is the next Mayor. The Gays have the numbers.

Bryan Charlebois ca


Thursday, August 5, 2010 1:55 PM

Well, Rob Ford being for Het Marriage doesn't surprise. As for the "pastor", Boy needs to remember his history and stop being so uppity....yeah, I went there and don't care. Polite only works on those who know what polite is. In all seriousness though, two things: 1) If Rob Ford wants to be Mayor of Toronto, he has to be the Mayor for all Torontonians. If he can bury his personal views then fine, if not.... 2) You would think a black man would know better but then again, and I realize I'm about to step in it but, most blacks are incredibly bigoted and homophobic. Especially troubling given their history of being persecuted. Finally, to the "pastor", Mr. Ford and anyone else out there who thinks gays are simply going to lie down and take it (bad pun)....think again. You ignore us and attack us at your own peril. NO MORE MR. NICE GAY

Jon in Canada ca


Thursday, August 5, 2010 7:05 PM

@Jon. as a proud black gay man, what am I to make of your incredibly hurtful comments? Why are you directing your anger at an entire race? You must know that blacks are not the cause of your oppression.
Is a brain washed black religious zealot worse than a white one? To quote you, shouldn't a gay man know better? This confirms in my mind that if you are black and gay you have absolutely nowhere to turn. How discouraging.

JG ca


Thursday, August 5, 2010 7:05 PM

This should be submitted to America's Funniest Videos..his expressions as this dude bladders on WAY past the point of no return is hilarious...Thanks for posting it, it changed my day.RFLOL

DH ca



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