Mayor Ford’s approval rating remains above 40 per cent: poll

TORONTO – Mayor Rob Ford’s approval rating is relatively unchanged despite the ongoing controversy surrounding him, according to a new poll.

The Forum Research poll conducted for QMI Agency found 42 per cent of Toronto residents approve of the job he is doing, while 58 disapprove.

A poll conducted on Nov. 6 found Ford’s approval rating was at 44 per cent.

The latest poll, which was conducted Wednesday, surveyed 1,049 Torontonians.

In this poll, 33 per cent of respondents said they will vote for Ford in the 2014 election, while 35 per cent think he is “good for Toronto.”

City hall councillors are reacting.

Coun. John Parker uses his infamous sarcarsm for his take on the mayor’s rising approval rating.

“Although under the right circumstances, I expect you will find 42 per cent positive response to the proposition that Elvis is alive and that JFK is alive and well and living in Argentina living with Maria Callas,” Parker said.

Coun. Gary Crawford, a one time ford ally and member of his inner circle says this changes nothing.

“We all have to continue to do business that we’re here to do and that is the budget,” Crawford said. “I mean polls are polls and a controversy is a controversy but we have to put it aside to make sure that this budget gets done.”

Sixty per cent of those polled want Ford to resign — including 28 per cent of Ford supporters who voted for him in the 2010 mayoral election.

Coun. Ana Bailao said the more telling number from this poll is the 60 per cent who still think he should resign.

Coun. Bailao adds that Torontonians will see their politicians’ true colours during the upcoming budget process.

“There are the ones that claim they can do the undoable and that’s just not going to work,” Bailao said.

While the mayor has said he is not an addict or an alcoholic, 69 per cent of those polls believe he has a substance abuse problem and 64 per cent think he should take time off to deal with it.

Earlier this week, city council voted to strip the mayor of most of his executive powers. The poll found that 60 per cent of Toronto residents agree with council’s decision, while 34 per cent disapprove of it.

In an interview with Fox News’ John Roberts this week, Ford said he wants to run for prime minister. According to the poll, 19 per cent of respondents said they would support him.

Over the past few weeks, Ford admitted he has smoked crack cocaine during one of his “drunken stupors” and purchased illegal drugs while being mayor. He also said “in the past I have drank alcohol in excess” and told reporters in a brief scrum “he might have driven drunk” in the past.

Last week, Ford apologized for his graphic language earlier in the day when denying allegations by ex-staffers disclosed in a police document that he associated with suspected prostitutes.

Would you support the mayor in next year’s election? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today