Events in toronto: Morning Brew: Rob Ford faces losing more powers, mayor hits Argos game and U.S. media, GO Quiet Zones to become permanent, and the weirdest Ford parody yet

Monday, November 18, 2013

toronto rob ford Rob Ford is due to face the third in a series of council motions that could remove his last remaining scraps of power today. In a nutshell, any of the remaining responsibilities council is able to take away - "all powers and duties which are not by statute assigned to the Mayor" - would be handed to Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly. If the last few meetings are any guide, this one is a foregone conclusion.

The motion would also slash funding to the mayor's office. Good thing Ford gave his staff a $5,000 taxpayer-funded raise on Friday.

After days of avoiding the (Canadian) media, Ford was back in full swing Sunday, dropping by the Sun News studios to tape the first episode of his new show, "Ford Nation," and taking in part of the Argonauts vs. Tiger-Cats game, which he had been politely asked to skip. Controversy inevitably followed the mayor around: his driver parked illegally for three hours and a crowd of Argos fans mobbed him after the match.

The Argos didn't fare well with Ford in attendance - the team gave up a lead to the Ticats shortly after the mayor took his seat and eventually lost.

Ford spoke exclusively to Fox News over the weekend, too. In that interview he said he was getting help for his alcohol abuse and weight but maintained he isn't a drug addict. Amazingly, Ford said he still plans to run for prime minister "one day." Good luck with that. Anderson Cooper is expected to air a similar sit-down interview tonight.

Barry Neelin was just going about his business in Fonthill, Ont. until Rob Ford came along - now he gets mistaken for Toronto's most famous crack user all the time. The retired factory workers is taking the stares and shouts in good humour. "When I tell them I'm not Ford, they wish I was because they want to ask questions," he told the Sun.

After vanishing from newsstands earlier this year, Corriere Canadese, Toronto's oldest and most read Italian language newspaper, is returning tomorrow with former Liberal MP Joe Volpe as publisher. The paper went on hiatus after 58 years in print in May when the Italian government decided to stop making financial contributions.

Quiet Zones are going to be come a permanent feature of all GO trains. The transit agency says the upper decks of its trains will be noise free during the morning and evening rush hours after more than 80% of riders approved of the pilot scheme. GO says, however, the Quiet Zones are not strictly enforced and passengers shouldn't push the yellow emergency stop strips in the event of a cellphone talker.

And finally, there's this: