Ford allies say opponents won't quit coming after mayor

A successful appeal has allowed Toronto Mayor Rob Ford to keep his job at City Hall, but some of his closest allies say that those who oppose his conservative agenda will continue to antagonize him throughout his remaining term.

Ford learned Friday morning that he had won an appeal in Divisional Court,which reversed a removal order that threatened to take away his seat on city council.

With his victory in court, Ford keeps his job and any councillors with mayoral ambitions will have to wait until the next municipal election to seek the top job on city council.

The mayor gave every indication Friday that he will move ahead with his agenda, as he was elected to do.

"The job is not finished yet and I plan to spend the next six years on getting the job done," the mayor told reporters on Friday morning, alluding to an apparent intention to run for a second term.

Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday said that the conflict case involving the mayor should be a wakeup call to Ford that his opponents are looking for opportunities to come after him.

"This matter should never have come this far, but there are antagonists and there are people that don't like the Ford agenda and don't like Rob Ford period, and don't want him to be the mayor of Toronto," Holyday told CBC News Network on Friday afternoon.

"And they are not happy with the result of the election and as such, they've taken to using the courtsand they've done it several times nowto try to get Rob removed."

The mayor's brother, Coun. Doug Ford, raised similar concerns Friday, suggesting that these opponents are driven by a dislike of the current agenda at City Hall.

"Some of these folks, they won't stop. They can't accept the part of democracy that the people elected a mayor," Ford said in a separate interview on CBC News Network.

Councillors react

Other members of city council say that Ford should seize the opportunity before him toput hisagenda back on track and bringcouncil together.

Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong said the conflict issue involving the mayor was a distraction for the city and harmful to Ford's agenda.

"I think there is a level of relief that this is all over," he said when speaking with reporters on Friday.

"The people that have been, I think, hurt the most are the people of the City of Toronto that we were put in this situation, that we've been talking more about the mayor's legal problems than about issues that confront the city."

Coun. Josh Colle hoped that the current moment could be an opportunity for council to focus on pressing issues rather than "some of the silliness and pettiness that has distracted us for so long."

The next council meeting is scheduled for Feb. 20.