Lone female councillor booted from mayor's executive

A Toronto councillorwho urged Mayor Rob Ford totemporarily step down amid drug allegationswas ousted from Ford's executive committee today.

Coun. Jaye Robinson, the lone female member of the committee, was removed as chair of the Community Development and Recreation committee after she repeatedly urged Ford to take a leave of absence in the wake of allegations that he was filmed smoking crack cocaine.

Coun. Michelle Berardinetti was not impressed with the mayor's move.

"I'm shocked, completely shocked. Just appalled," she said. "I can't understand why they would do this."

Even so, Berardinetti said the mayor's office had bristled at Robinson's repeated calls for the mayor to provide more answers about allegations he smoked crack cocaine.

No female representation on 11-member executive

Left-wing councillor Anthony Perruzza will replace Robinson as chair of the Community Development and Recreation committee. He will serve as the lone left-leaning representative on Ford's executive.

"The mayor and his office know my point of view and how I have voted on certain issues," Perruzza said.

Robinson's ouster means there are now no female councillors on Ford's 11-member executive, and that's a big problem, Berardinetti says.

"To have no female councillors at the table, you are definitely missing something," she said.

As part of the reshuffling, Coun. Paul Ainslie is taking over the parks and environment committee. Norm Kelly will now head the Government Management committee, taking over Ainslie's former portfolio.