Broadcast council slams mayor’s radio show for ‘abusive’ comments about Smitherman

The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council has ruled a freelance journalist’s comments about George Smitherman (right) on Mayor Rob Ford’s radio show were “abusive and unduly discriminatory.”
The council also ruled that David Menzies’ comments about Star reporter Daniel Dale, calling him “effeminate,” were not abusive.
On May 6, Menzies (centre) appeared on Newstalk 1010’s The City with Rob Ford featuring the mayor and his brother, Councillor Doug Ford.
Menzies complained about the abuse Rob Ford receives, recalling a question during the 2010 mayoral campaign when someone asked about his obesity and the possibility of having a heart attack in office.
Menzies hypothesized about asking a similar question to Smitherman, then a mayoral candidate.
“You know, George, being a practising homosexual and being the fact that you’ve been involved with all kinds of illicit drug use, how do we know you won’t engage in high-risk sex and drug use that will bring about, uh, HIV leading to AIDS and you’ll die in office?”
The council ruled that Menzies’ comments about Smitherman, who is openly gay, violated several provisions in its code of ethics.
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