Premier Kathleen Wynne has had enough of Rob Ford’s “truly disturbing” behaviour and is prepared to give Toronto city councillors “new tools” to deal with the defiant mayor.

Fed up with Ford, an admitted crack cocaine user who is under police investigation for his links to an accused drug dealer, Wynne took the extraordinary step Thursday of threatening to intervene.

The premier said she was willing to empower city council to sideline the mayor, with two key conditions.

Councillors, who meet Friday to discuss Ford’s fate, would have to formally request such action — and Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath would have to endorse any legislative changes.

“The things we are seeing and hearing about Mayor Rob Ford are truly disturbing,” the grim-faced premier said in a statement to reporters at a hastily called news conference.

“The City of Toronto has a mayor and council that were elected by the residents of Toronto and must be accountable to them. It is up to the municipal level of government to address the issues they face,” she said, refusing to take media questions.

“It is not the provincial government’s role, nor its intention, to impose its preferences upon that government. Toronto City Council has to be able to function.”

Yet Wynne still flung open the door to the province playing the heavy.

“If council were to clearly indicate that they lack the ability to function as a result of this matter, the province would respond to a request from council to be provided new tools, depending on what that request might be,” the premier said.

“Because of the extraordinary and unique nature of this type of intervention, I would consult with the other party leaders to see if our legislature could move unanimously if required.”

Sources close to the premier said that if city councillors made such a request Friday — and passed it with a “super-majority” of at least 30 of the 45-member council — then emergency legislative amendments could be introduced as early as next week.

Wynne, selected by Liberal delegates last January and yet to face the electorate, leads a minority government.

That’s why she wants Hudak and Horwath to agree to such grave actions.

“The last thing this terrible situation needs is a layer of partisan politics. Within Ontario’s legislature and across this city, we all have to stand together to represent the best interests of the people,” she said.

The premier emphasized that the provincial capital would weather the Ford scandal, which has attracted international media attention.

“Toronto is greater than one politician or one government. Ontario is greater than one politician or one government. I understand that people are affected by what is happening at this moment,” said Wynne.

“But I want the people of Toronto to know that we will not be defined by this. And we will all work together to ensure the people’s interests are served.”

Horwath issued a statement that gave little indication of which way she would go.

“Like many people I’ve been watching the problems at Toronto City Hall with concern,” the statement said. “That said, I have faith in the people of Toronto and their elected City Council to deal with the challenges they’re facing. I was a City Councillor in Hamilton for seven years. I know that the municipal level of government must be treated with respect. That’s the democratic way to do things.”

Hudak was not available to comment on the premier’s statement, and his office declined to say whether he would endorse such actions.

Three meetings of council will be held Friday and Monday to politically emasculate Ford.

One is to vote on a proposal to deny him the power to unilaterally run the city without council’s approval during an emergency, such as a flood or storm; another is on a plan to deny him the power to decide which councillors will serve as deputy mayor or committee heads. Monday’s meeting will discuss reducing funding to the mayor’s office.

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On Wednesday, the mayor lost other, more symbolic votes that urged him to apologize for “misleading” the city about the existence of the so-called crack video, co-operate with police, and say sorry for writing a reference letter on city stationery for his pal, Alexander “Sandro” Lisi.

Lisi has been has been charged with dealing narcotics and extortion in the course of alleged attempts to locate the video that appears to show Ford smoking crack.

With files From Daniel Dale and Robyn Doolittle

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