Enough talk of weakness, of lying, of drug use, alcohol abuse; enough, too, of the allegations of snorting coke, abusing city staff, and partying with alleged prostitutes.

Let’s talk about courage.

It was brave and brightly principled of Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong to stand up to the mayor with a motion encouraging our troubled chief magistrate to step aside and seek help.

It sounds soft but it is not. It is a democratic slap in the mayor’s face, and a principled stand in response to months of the most unprincipled behaviour by any mayor in the history of this city.

Councillor Minnan-Wong did this in the hope that it would set the mayor in motion, impelling him to seek help. Instead, the mayor physically confronted the councillor twice in council chambers.

Denzil stood his ground.

That’s bravery in my book. I wish I’d been in his shoes. I’d have told the mayor to take his best shot. But that’s just me.

I do not mean to deflect attention from the courage of the councillor. He stood up for his convictions. He stood up for this city. He stood up for all of us. He makes us proud.

Bravo, councillor.

But the bravest of our councillors are women, and here I cite Janet Davis and Maria Augimeri.

Why are they the bravest?

Perhaps you did not notice but on Wednesday, when the mayor was trying to play belly-bump with Minnan-Wong — I remind you that this took place under the watchful, if incredulous eye of speaker Frances Nunziata — it was Councillor Janet Davis who stood up and stepped forward and inserted herself between the mayor and his target.

Had things gotten out of hand, she would have been crushed in the fray. But instead of sitting still, or pretending not to notice, she took a risk and put herself in harm’s way to stop what might have gotten bloody.

Brava, Janet Davis.

There is another act, equal in its glory.

Perhaps you did not notice but when Rob Ford, clenched of fist and beady of eye, steamed towards Denzil at his desk, it was Councillor Maria Augimeri who stood up and leaned forward to insert herself between the two.

Had things gotten out of hand she, too, would have been crushed. But she did not flinch, she did not stop to think, she acted. She took a risk. She put herself in harm’s way.

Brava, Maria Augimeri.

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You and Janet are our finest.

Now back to the thought I wanted you to hold. It concerns the ever-growing list of allegations about the mayor: allegations of racism, the use of more drugs than crack, the multi-faceted late-night debauchery, and the use of city staff on liquor runs and other personal errands.

You know what an allegation is?

It is when a guy steps in something and you did not see him do it, but wherever he goes there is the smell of barnyard in the air.

That’s what it is like around here.

It will be Councillor Filion’s turn to try to clear the air today. He will pinch his nostrils and put a motion forward that will limit the power of the mayor.

There is no doubt in my mind it will carry.

Council may also try to impel the mayor to resign. And I am sure that the mayor clearly sees the future slipping from his grasp.

We would all do well to be wary of the thrashing rage of the wounded beast. I urge Councillor Filion to stand his ground. And if he is attacked?

He has Janet, and Maria.

Joe Fiorito appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. jfiorito@thestar.ca

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