Ford stays away from Santa Claus parade

A big event in Toronto this weekend was the Santa Claus parade, and this year the crowds weren’t just looking for Santa, they were looking for Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.

Traditionally the mayor walks in the parade but this year, he was asked to reconsider.

Scot Urquhart explains why, in this suitably seasonal report:

Twas a month before Christmas
plus a couple of days
when happy crowds gathered
for Santa’s parade

The bagpipes were blaring
the drums beating loud
but someone was missing
from this holiday crowd:

A strange kind of question
for this reporter to pick
Normally politics and Santa don’t mix!
his parade is for kiddies
and those young at heart.
and it’s normally filled
with glitter and art

The mayor normally comes
to salute his fair city
but this year he can’t
oh my! what a pity!

Were he here, he might dole out
candies and hugs
but this year, he’s haunted
by rumours of drugs

His antics are legend, both near and far
and for this Rob Ford blames
those clowns from The Star:

Such hardness of heart
in this season of giving!
this is the time
when all is forgiven!

But Police Chief Bill Blair
and his cops on horseback
say it’s hard to ignore
a mayor that’s on crack!
so most of the crowd
that gathered today …
were glad Santa came
and Ford stayed away!

And so we declare
as Santa drove out of sight
Merry Christmas to all,
hope the poem sounds all right!