Rob Ford may be living in a delusional reality, attempting to carry on as nominal, not real, mayor.
But there are other forms of distortion – those generated by Toronto’s widening income gap – that are influencing our political culture: crumbling infrastructure, absent or shrinking social programs, the crisis in public transit, economic and racial inequality. These are urgent issues for communities that feel they aren’t being heard downtown.
Residents hear announcements about change or important reforms, but seldom do any of these trickle to the farthest reaches of the burbs. It’s no coincidence that Ford gets his greatest support in the north of the city he has capitalized on alienation and nihilism.
In light of the current scandal, we should remember this. We can be armchair critics of the Fordist influence at City Hall or we can get to the tough and thankless work of organizing cross-racial and -neighbourhood alliances to transform our city.
A recent report by Access Alliance, Working Rough, Living Poor, highlights the employment and income insecurities experienced by racialized neighbourhoods in the Black Creek area (an apparent Ford Nation stronghold).
It found that locals lack adequate resources and programming and experience place-based racism. There are no resources available to counter their lived experience of discrimination, and participants expressed frustration at the lack of accreditation hindering their access to dignified work. The report notes that poverty and precariousness have adverse impacts on health.
It’s easy to see the people of the suburbs thinking that if social programs aren’t supporting their neighbourhoods, why should they be paying into them? If transit isn’t accessible, why invest in something they will never be able to use? Ford has tapped into this alienation in phenomenal and concerning ways that we need to understand.
He is able to entice people to identify with him. He gets things done for those who have felt ignored in the past he returns their calls he speaks to them in a way they comprehend.
He fights for the voiceless masses – not to build their collective strength, but to manage their discontent. He supports tenants in community housing – not to encourage expansion of affordable rental units, but for their privatization. Ford is responding to deep-seated resentment and frustration that have resulted from decades of underfunding by all levels of government.
Rather than demonize the suburbs (they are already criminalized because of over-policing), it’s important to have a rethink. Poverty and racism are extremely complicated and affect people in numerous ways. The folks who show up at a Ford BBQ or rally are some of the same people denied adequate services, decent housing and good jobs.
If we’re to succeed in bringing about change, we need to end our preoccupation with Ford, build strength within impoverished communities and forge multiracial understandings. Downtowners need to stop denigrating the suburbs and show up at community meetings there. And they need to apply an equity lens to all their grassroots campaigns.
This is not about winning an election or throwing the Fords out of office. Most people don’t vote. It’s not that they don’t care about improving their well-being. They want to see concrete next steps. How can progressives deliver the goods rather than talk the talk?
news@nowtoronto.com
Chris Ramsaroop is organizer with Justicia for Migrant workers
