Toronto Mayor could lose his position over conflict of interest

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says he was not in a conflict of interest when he gave a speech and participated in a vote that released him from paying back donations received for his private football charity. 

According to CBC, Ford testifed in a Toronto court Wednesday that he never read a councillor handbook that identifed the rules, and that none of his staff or councillors told him that he would be in conflict during the vote back in February. 

In 2010, Ford received $3,150 for his charity that provides at-risk high school students with football equipment. Toronto's integrity commissioner found Ford violated the code of conduct since he used official stationery in his letters to solicit donations. 

If he is found guilty of violating the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, Ford could lose his position as mayor of Toronto. 

Ford stated that his decision to vote at the hearing did not financially affect the city, which in his opinion shows that it is not a conflict of interest. 

Flickr photo: M Hudson