Now I agree that the penalty is harsh and probably unfair, given the severity of the crime. That said, the reason the law is in place is to keep people who wilfully disregard basic ethics out of office. While there’s a certain amount of leeway for green councillors who are unfamiliar with how complex questions of ethics can get, I don’t think it applies. Ford has had many years of experience; he should have known better. The issue was pretty clear: it wasn’t some murky thing that depends on deep understanding of the law, it was voting to not have to pay money.

Mayor Ford has shown over and over that he believes he deserves special treatment, and I’m sick and tired of giving him special treatment. It may be politically costly, but I’d rather have a political opponent in power who knows they can’t get away with corruption, than a political ally who knows they can.