Or, the inner city versus suburbia.
Mayor Ford would not have become mayor of Toronto had it not been for the amalgamation of the city with surrounding municipalities in 1998. He campaigned against the urban elite – for which Rosedale, an affluent neighbourhood in the original City of Toronto, is considered a symbol – in order to persuade the inhabitants of the vast and growing suburban areas – Ford Nation – to vote for him.
The interests of suburbia and of the inner city are far from identical, both with respect to tax policies and to transportation issues. It is therefore not surprising that suburbia is more inclined to vote for rednecks than Rosedale.
The present scandal related to Ford’s drinking and drug-consuming behaviour vindicates those who voted against amalgamation in 1998.
