The provincial government will not try to remove embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford because of the dangerous “precedent” it would set, says Finance Minister Charles Sousa.

“We do have a democratic system — an individual elected by the people of the city,” Sousa told the Star’s editorial board on Tuesday.

“And the precedent that this would create in other parts of Ontario, in other municipalities — whose decision is it? Has anyone been charged? There’s a rule of law here. Who else would we want out?” he said, warning of a slippery slope for the province.

“So I’m not going to . . . speculate. There’s been other instances with other councillors and other mayors in other parts of the province that have had difficulties.”

That was an apparent reference to London Mayor Joe Fontana, who faces charges after allegedly using taxpayer money to help pay for his son’s wedding reception in June 2005.

Fontana, who has remained on the job, will soon go on trial for charges of fraud under $5,000, uttering a forged document and breach of trust by a public official. In contrast, Ford has not been charged with any offence.

But since Ford — who has been under police investigation for his links to an alleged drug dealer — admitted to smoking crack cocaine, there have been calls at city council for Queen’s Park to unseat him.

That would require either an amendment to the City of Toronto Act or special legislation.

Business at the provincial capital has all but ground to a halt in the wake of police Chief Bill Blair confirming a video of the mayor smoking crack, which was first reported by the Star and the U.S. website Gawker in May.

But Sousa, MPP for Mississauga South, stressed that Queen’s Park is “sensitive” to the fact the Liberal government has given city of Toronto council greater authority over its own affairs than any other municipality.

“In regards to leadership, council — I’m hoping that they’ll get things in order,” the minister said.

“We all share concerns about doing what’s in the best interest of the city and of Ontario,” he said. “What I want is to promote Ontario, promote Toronto, and we’ll do that regardless of the antics that will occur at city hall.”

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