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Q: Deputy Mayor, you implored the mayor to take a leave of absence, and initially expressed reservation about some of the motions coming forward to curtail the mayor’s power. Why did you decide to support them?

Kelly: It was just the accumulation of stuff, and his remark [the off-the-cuff vulgar sexual comment that was broadcast live on television]. I was over at the side, and I heard the kerfuffle, and I thought, something has been said. And someone asked me to comment on it and I said what did he say? And they told me. Oh, Jesus.

Q: What was going through your mind when you saw the mayor approaching the audience in the council chambers on Monday, taunting them?

Kelly: I had never seen anything like that before. At first I didn’t know what to make of it and when it became apparent, I was appalled. It was such an affront to the dignity of council, and an affront to the dignity of the people of Toronto [that he would be] engaging in … I’m reaching for words, I don’t know. I’m sitting there thinking, what the hell is going through your head that you feel compelled to do this? Someone was on the floor, speaking. He certainly hasn’t read Robert’s Rules of Order. [He laughs.] In a democratic forum you can have anger in your rhetoric, you can be explosive in your declamations but always there is a respect for the institution whose grounds you stand on and there was none visible at that time.