Ward 2 (Etobicoke North) Councillor Rob Ford has taken a lot of heat this week for that thing about the “orientals” and the “dogs” and the “sleeping by their machines” and the “they’re taking over” comment. So much so that you’d think that everything the good councillor had otherwise been maintaining a respectful silence through the March meeting of Toronto Council.

Not so, not so.

For instance, just before Councillor Ford started talking about the hard-working folk of the Pacific Rim, he took on the thorny question of what value religious holidays:

“Some people are bringing up religion. We’re all of the same religion ladies and gentlemen, when it comes to money. I’ll guarantee that. I know that for a fact. Okay? We have so many different cultures so many races, so many religions, how can we start saying one day’s more important than the other? How about the Jewish holidays, Muslim holidays? Christian holidays? I may be a Christian but you gotta respect everybody’s holidays now.”

Or a day earlier, when Toronto Council was debating whether to allow condominiums to be built next to the St. Basil’s church off Bay Street, against the wishes of parishoners:

“It’s frustrating. When people say there’s nothing that can be done I disagree. I guess people can ignore the residents that oppose it now but at election time I hope they understand and remember what happened today. That’s the only thing that politicians understand is votes.”

And after the parishoners gave Ford a hearty round of applause, and Speaker Sandra Bussin was on her way to shutting them down and then councillor Ford:

“And we need a new mayor! And we need a new council!”