Premier meets with Deputy Mayor

Toronto’s Deputy Mayor took over much of Mayor Rob Ford’s powers a couple of weeks ago after city council voted on a motion to do so.

And Tuesday, Premier Wynne and the Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly held their first official meeting. The noon hour meeting was held at Wynne’s office at Queen’s Park, and was a more of a “get to know you” session. Ford wasn’t invited.

Premier Wynne: “I’m meeting with the Deputy Mayor because he is the representative of Toronto City Council and relationship between the province and the city has to be with the city council where the decisions are made. And the ongoing relationship will be with the representative of city council.”

In response to the meeting, Mayor Ford fired off a letter to the Premier. He says he’s the elected Mayor and it would be “most appropriate” for her to meet him. Ford also says he’s tried to meet with Wynne recently but was rebuffed. Wynne has expressed concern about the scandal at Toronto city hall centered around Ford’s admission that he smoked crack cocaine. But she’s refused to intervene.

Meanwhile, the Mayor is responding after a photo he’s in popped up on the Hells Angels website. The picture was taken at the Buffalo Bills game in Toronto over the weekend. It shows the Mayor with three men who are alleged to be members of the Hells Angels. Mayor Ford says he takes pictures with everyone who wants to take a picture with him. He says he doesn’t ask for credentials in advance and he did not know he was taking a picture with the Hells Angels. He also says there’s not much he can do if it ends up on the website.