New Mayor Takes Office

Richard Lautens/Staff Photographer

Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 7 the new Mayor of Toronto Rob Ford will be officially sworn in.  He has been working as Mayor for nearly a week however.

I went to City Hall last Wednesday to catch him on his first day on the job.  Nothing official was scheduled for the day but by the time I got there at 8am, the lobby in front of the Mayor's office was already packed with media.

What followed was an endless series of rumours of what may happen and packs of media looking through the windows trying to get a shot of the new Mayor at work.

My first shot of the day, seen from the middle of Nathan Phillips Square, through the window as Mayor Ford sits at his desk-not good but good enough to hold the website for a while

Next up, I lucked in with a City Hall worker installing the new directory in the lobby

I don't know why I like this one but Mayor Ford is seen walking back to his office after getting a carton of milk from the cafeteria with his advisors and staff

Throughout the morning, it was a parade of boxes and other office paraphanalia heading into the Mayor's office, including this stack of football stuff.

Finally a press conference was called for early afternoon.  The Toronto Sun's Craig Robertson jumps into a shot I was trying to frame of the new Mayor walking into the room.

The media pack into an overly small room for the press conference

Rob's brother Doug is seen watching from the wings as Mayor Ford speaks

Mayor Ford is a sweater, it will be good for photographers for the next 4 years

The perfect front page photo.  The locks had been changed on all the offices and people had a hard time getting into their offices, including the Mayor.  He had pushed through the media hoard to get to his door to find it closed and locked-I suggested to him that there had been a recount and was rewarded with the prerfect first day in office smile.

Richard Lautens/Toronto Star