Toronto councillor to plead not guilty to impaired driving

Coun. Ana Bailao has announced she will plead not guilty to charges of impaired driving, which stem from an incident early Tuesday morning.

Bailao held a news conference at city hall on Wednesday morning, where she appeared shaken and promised to continue to work for her constituents.

“It’s a difficult situation — you’ve never been through anything remotely similar,” she said.

“What this will do [to my political career], I think time will tell. I’m being as honest as I can possibly be.”

Police pulled over the rookie councillor who was reportedly driving without her headlights on near Bathurst and Harbord streets around 2 a.m. Tuesday.

A breathalyzer test showed Bailao had nearly twice the allowed level of alcohol in her blood, according to police sources. She was charged with impaired driving and having a blood-alcohol level higher than 80 milligrams.

Several councillors from both sides of the political spectrum came forward on Wednesday to champion Bailao’s work at city hall, but Coun. Doug Ford insisted she’s not getting special treatment.

“I don’t think she’s getting an easier ride because the average citizen wouldn’t have a hundred cameras in their face,” Ford said. “So I guess she’s getting a tougher ride. But when you run for elected office you’re held at a higher standard and you have to meet that.

“Ana’s a great councillor. She’s a good person and she means well. She had a bad night, and we’re gonna move on.”

Coun. Paula Fletcher called Bailao an “exemplary” councillor, but also drew attention to the fact Bailao had been at the Mayor’s Ball for the Arts earlier in the evening.

“I think that elected officials — city, province, federal — we get invited to so many places where there’s a lot of alcohol, and I think this is a wake-up call for any elected official,” Fletcher said.

“Sometimes from somebody’s mistake we all change our habits, and that might be a good thing.”

However, MADD Canada wasn’t pleased with the comments.

Carolyn Swinson said when she hears them discussing Bailao’s alleged actions as “Well, it’s just a mistake. She had a bad day. It sounds as though they say it’s no big deal.”

Swinson, whose son was killed by a drunk driver 20 years ago, said, “I’d like them to come by and stand by my son’s grave and see what it feels like.”

Bailao, 36, was first elected to office on Oct. 10, 2010, replacing former councillor Adam Giambrone in the riding of Davenport. She sits on several committees and agencies and headed a task force that saved many Toronto Community Housing properties slated for sale.

She is expected to appear in court at Old City Hall on Dec. 3.

First-time offenders face a $1,000 fine and one-year driving suspension.