The Supreme Court of Canada will announce Thursday whether it will hear an appeal in Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s conflict-of-interest case.

The Supreme Court of Canada will announce Thursday whether it will hear an appeal in Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s conflict-of-interest case.


Clayton Ruby, the lawyer who led the charge against Mr. Ford in the case that nearly ousted him from office, filed his leave to appeal in mid-March, arguing that a lower-court ruling hinged on a technicality and the matter is of “national importance.”










The conflict-of-interest case centred on a vote in February of last year by Mr. Ford to let himself off the hook for failing to repay $3,150 in improper donations to the Rob Ford Football Foundation, which provides football equipment for underprivileged high schools. An earlier investigation by the city’s integrity commissioner found the donations came from lobbyists and a corporation doing business with the city and recommended Mr. Ford be asked to repay the money himself. Council agreed, voting to impose the penalty in August, 2010, a few months before Mr. Ford swept to the city’s top job.Mr. Ruby, who represented Paul Magder, the citizen who filed the conflict complaint against the mayor, said at the time he was compelled to seek leave to appeal because “holding politicians to account is a matter of importance to all Canadians.”


In November, an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered the mayor removed from office, ruling Mr. Ford violated the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act by speaking to and voting on the item.


The Ontario Divisional Court overturned that ruling in January. A three-judge panel ruled council did not have the authority to ask the mayor to pay back the funds.


Mr. Ruby admitted in March that having such an application heard by the Supreme Court is a long shot – about 70 are taken each year out of approximately 1,000 applications.