MATT CHILLIAK

After nine strong years, the time has finally come for Don Atchison to relinquish his title as “Canada’s Craziest Mayor.”

Back in 2004, Atchison was crowned the craziest mayor in Canada through a contest put on by the CBC’s Rick Mercer’s Report.

Although it was only Atchison’s first year in office, his credentials for this prestigious title were quite impressive. His complete disregard for any notion of common sense and lack of concern for conflicts of interest helped to earn him the title.

First Atchison made a suggestion that Saskatoon build a gigantic dome over downtown and then attempted a mandatory collared-shirt dress-code policy for anyone entering his office.It is interesting to note that his business happens to also be men’s formal wear.

Perhaps the most interesting decision of all was Atchison’s agreement to spend over $400,000 on decorative lights for the neglected and now defunct Victoria Street Traffic Bridge.

All of these examples are pretty ridiculous but they pale in comparison to the incoming challenger, mayor of Toronto Rob Ford, whose own antics are in the spotlight now more than ever.

Like Atchison, Ford’s campaign for the craziest mayor in Canada began back during his years as a city councillor.

While arguing against a $1.5 million donation towards AIDS prevention in 2006, Ford suggested only intravenous drug users and gay men need worry about contracting the deadly disease.

Moving into 2007, he blamed bicyclists who were killed or injured in traffic accidents for their own demises and injuries, believing roads weren’t built for cyclists and that they should stay off them.

Ford’s craziness continued in 2008, when he stated that “oriental people work like dogs” and that they were “slowly taking over,” in respect to the presence of Asian immigrants in Toronto’s  workforce.

Once Ford assumed mayoral office, he continued his relentless pursuit to be crowned “Canada’s Craziest Mayor.”

Being the prudent fiscal conservative he is, Ford turned down the perk of receiving a personal driver — insisting he was saving the city some cold hard cash. However, this required Ford to read papers and make important calls while driving, exhibiting his ability to multitask and his indifference for the safety of himself or other drivers on the road.

More recently, Ford has been accused of struggling with his level of intoxication in public.

Ford is no stranger to substance abuse. He received pot possession charges and a DUI in 1999 in Florida and was asked to leave a Maple Leafs game in 2006 after drunkenly harassing the couple in front of him.

In March of 2013, Ford was accused of inappropriately touching Sarah Thompson, an ex-mayoral candidate, at a political function while visibly intoxicated on drugs or alcohol.

And, of course, there’s the recent controversy over a purported video of Ford smoking crack. He’s been caught with drugs before, so are we supposed to be surprised?

Ford asserts that this is merely the media’s effort to discredit him, but that seems unlikely when looking at his past discrepancies. This alleged video is icing on the cake Ford has so meticulously baked for himself.

So, Don, it’s finally time to pass on the crown of “Canada’s Craziest Mayor.” Don’t worry, it’s sure to be kept in good hands.

But perhaps it’s the general public who should be called the crazy ones. After all, we crowned these clowns in the first place.

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Graphic: Cody Schumacher/Graphics Editor