When one looks at what happens to allegedly crooked politicians in Quebec, it makes the judge’s order that Toronto Mayor Rob Ford be removed from office even more bizarre.
As reported by the Sun, three Quebec politicians are under fire: Richard Marcotte resigned as mayor of the town of Mascouche on charges of fraud and corruption; Gilles Vaillancourt, former mayor of Laval, faces corruption charges; Frank Zampino, president of Montreal’s executive committee, was arrested last spring on a bunch of fraud and corruption charges.
These cases are far more serious than the “conflict-of-interest” findings against Ford for using council letterhead to solicit funds for his charity football team — and then voting on the issue instead of recusing himself. (The motion was approved 22-12.)
Yeah, the mayor was wrong. But he’s not a crook. He didn’t profit. His priorities may have been scrambled, but there’s nothing venal or slippery about him.
