够了，是我们该放弃对福特期望的时候了！
It is time to turn our back on the Mayor
上周三，警方的监听文件显示出福特市长和地下毒品世界更直接关联。文件指控的市长涉嫌包括企图敲诈，威胁和使用非法毒品等行为在一定程度上暴露出市长办公室与毒品世界的某种关联。
On Wednesday, new allegations emerged from the police wiretaps that provide more direct links between the Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and the drug underworld. The mayor’s alleged behaviour -- including attempted extortion, threats and using illegal drugs have, to some extent, exposed his public office to criminal elements.
两个星期前，一项民意调查显示，尽管遭丑闻困扰，福特仍持有43％的支持率。但是，警方新公布的资料是否会让福特的支持者转变态度则尚未可知。
Two weeks ago, an opinion poll indicated that Rob Ford, despite all the scandals swirling around him, still held an approval rating of 43%. However, what is unknown is whether his supporters will keep backing him up after the newly released police information.
虽然福特坚决否认这些指控，声称他们都是彻头彻尾的谎言，这些指控主要基于毒贩和帮派成员的私人谈话而搜集的信息。这些丑闻无疑给福特毒品丑闻增添新的佐料：市议员公开要求警方解释为什么福特尚未遭到刑事指控，而许多福特忠心支持者重新考虑他们对市长的立场。
While Rob Ford firmly denies the allegations, claiming they are all outright lies, the information was largely based on private conversations among drug dealers and gang members. It has certainly added new twists to his drug saga, and prompted city councilors to openly call for the police to explain why he has not been charged. It has also forced many of his strong supporters to reconsider their position towards the mayor.
事实上，很多福特的核心支持者力鼎的是其财政议程。是福特的保守主张令其当选为市长并令其支持坚定了对福特的信念。福特的保守主张，包括要求防止浪费财政支出和维护纳税人权益深入市民人心。在福特尚未选入市长之前，只有大约12%的人认为市政厅慎重花费了纳税人的钱。
In fact, many of Ford’s core supporters are those who favour his fiscal agenda. It was his right-wing populism that got him elected and reinforced his supporters’ beliefs. Ford’s right-wing populism—including calling to stop the gravy train and to defend interests of taxpayers, taped into the Torontonians. At the time when Ford was elected, only 12 per cent of the city’s residents felt their taxpayer dollars were being respected by city hall.
《大中报》在福特竞选中力挺福特，当时福特尚未深陷丑闻。福特上任不久，即消减预算，外派清洁垃圾，并取消交通系统工人的罢工权。所以即使他吸食可卡因视频被曝光后，他的支持者仍然坚信他的个人问题和争议不会影响到他的市政财政方针。
Chinese News endorsed Mayor Ford during his election campaign, before he was swamped in scandals. Soon after he got into office, he slashed budgets, contracted out garbage collections, and revoked transit workers’ right to strike. His political achievements have won supporters, who, even after his crack cocaine video was reported, still believed that Ford’s personal troubles and controversies would not be able to discredit his fiscal agenda.
然而，随着越拉越多的显示他的严重毒品问题的信息的公开，多伦多居民，包括一些华裔社区成员对这些让人震惊的事实越来越不安，越来越失望。
However, with every piece of information released indicating more and more serious drug problems, Torontonians – including many Chinese community members -- are increasingly disappointed and disturbed by the shocking facts.
但是他们并没有立即放弃对福特的希望，他们希望通过一番补救措施，情况会有所改变。他们希望问题缠身的福特能自我解救出来，继续为纳税人谋取最佳利益。
But they didn’t give up on him immediately, and they hoped that things could improve through some rescuing efforts. They hoped that Ford could pull himself out from his personal mess and continue to act in the best interests of taxpayers.
从福特承认吸食可卡因之初，来自朋友，同盟和市民的建议，请求和要求接踵而来，要求他退居二线。但是，福特似乎拒绝所有这些建议，一意孤行。
Since Ford admitted that he had used crack cocaine, he has been swamped with advice, requests and demands – from friends, allies and citizens asking him to step aside. However, the mayor seems to have firmly dug in, refusing to heed their calls.
同时这些令人震惊的事实令福特危机日益加深，也动摇了支持他的基础。媒体及那些不敢得罪福特联盟的政客们也纷纷站出来要求他辞职。越来越多的移民开始转变对他的态度。
Meanwhile, these shocking facts deepens Ford’s crisis and shakes his support base. Increasingly, media outlets and politicians who used to be afraid to offend so-called Ford Nation have started to speak out asking him to resign. A growing number of immigrants have now changed their positions towards him.
现在，在我们脑中萦绕的问题是：福特的丑闻是否有结束的那一天？将来是否会有更多的令人震惊的信息公布出来，以致他遭到刑事指控？更重要的是，福特市长是否值得我们继续支持他？
Now the big question is on our mind. Will the Ford scandal ever be over? Will there be more shocking information come in the future that may lead to a criminal charge? Moreover, does the mayor deserve our continuing support?
鉴于他在市政厅的影响力日益下降，福特市长在市政厅有如一具行尸走肉。事实上，如果副市长领导下的市议会能继承秉承其财政议程及尊重纳税人的权益，多伦多人更愿意看到市长下台，以至于他不会成为其自身建造的改革势力的绊脚石。
Given his significantly reduced power at City Hall, the mayor is already like a dead man walking. Indeed, if the city council led by the deputy mayor can continue a fiscally conservative agenda and respect taxpayers dollars, Torontonians are happy to see that the mayor is moved away so that he won’t get in the way of the juggernaut he’d put in motion.
够了，是我们放弃对他期望的时候了。福特市长的确应该离开他的办公室，好好处理一下个人的麻烦。这不仅对他有好处，对这个城市也有好处。
Enough is enough. Maybe now the time comes that we should turn our back on him. It’s time for Mayor Rob Ford to leave office and take care of his personal mess. It is good for him, and it is good for the city.