Toronto city staff will be at Ford Fest ready to stop Rob FordMayor Rob Ford, Councillor Doug Ford and anybody on their re-election team from campaigning in a city park.

Inundated with public complaints over the issuance of a permit for the annual barbecue despite a ban on politicking in city-owned spaces, city manager Joe Pennachetti is sending parks staff and bylaw enforcement officers to monitor Thomson Memorial Park in Scarborough on Friday.

“What they try to do is make sure campaigning isn't happen — if there are campaign signs or literature, remove them,” and prevent other breaches of the city’s policy on use of public resources during an election campaign, said city spokeswoman Jackie DeSouza.

Staff has not been dispatched for other such events, she added. The ban defines campaigning as “any activity . . . meant to elicit support during the election period,” while campaign materials include “literature, banners, posters, pictures, buttons, clothing, or other paraphernalia

However, with a permit for the non-political “special event” issued, the monitors will have no power to prevent Ford Fest guests from overtly campaigning for “Ford More Years” at the heavily promoted barbecue.

More than 100 Torontonians have complained to city ombudsman Fiona Crean and at least another 100 directly to city hall since the uproar began and the city issued the permit Tuesday.

Representatives for the Fords promised senior city staff the politicians and their team would follow the rules, DeSouza added.

Hours after the permit was issued, a Mayor Ford robocall publicizing Ford Fest asked recipients if they support him, and connected those who do to his campaign office. Also, a large Ford Fest ad had appeared on Ford’s campaign website, but disappeared Wednesday amid criticism on social media.

Critics also noted that Ford has claimed past Ford Fests as campaign expenses, rather than office expenses for non-political events.

“It’s not a campaign event,” Ford told reporters Wednesday. “We’ve been doing this for 19 years . . . And we have robocalled before and we will robocall next year — that’s how you invite people. You cannot, it’s virtually impossible to get to everyone’s door with an invitation.”

Hogwash, replied Councillor Josh Matlow, adding any reasonable person would consider Ford Fest a political event and, once again, the mayor has shown where council needs to toughen council conduct rules.

“To have a big event where your name is on it, during a campaign period defies the spirit of the election rules,” said Matlow, running for re-election in Ward 22 St. Paul’s.

“If city staff are saying nothing in the permit is contrary to the rules, it rings an alarm bell that the rules about integrity at city hall need to be reviewed and strengthened and the penalties need more teeth.”

In a letter to Ford and city councillors on Wednesday, the city manager staunchly defended the decision to issue the permit despite public and mayoral rival criticism that the Fords were bending or breaking the rules.

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“City staff make decisions based on what is provided on the permit application, not on speculation about what might happen at the event,” Pennachetti wrote. “The description of the event is similar to the other 130+ community events that have already been held this year by other councillors in City facilities or parks.”

He says anybody concerned about a breach of the council code of conduct should contact Toronto’s integrity commissioner, who oversees council members’ conduct and could issue a report after the Oct. 27 election.

With files from Betsy Powell

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