Rob Ford poll shows 'Ford Nation' resilient amid scandals

Toronto mayor Rob Ford's approval rating has apparently held steady despite a scandal-plagued week involving admissions of crack cocaine use, public intoxication and the release of a video of the mayor swearing violence against an unknown party.

Forum Research pollster Lorne Bozinoff told CBC News Network on Saturday that Ford still enjoys a 44 per cent approval rating. Even so, the vast majority of people still want him to step down. About two-thirds of those polled said they want him to resign or seek rehab.

Bozinoff has said the approval ratings appear to show that Torontonians are able to separate the mayor's performance on the job from his private life.

"They're called the Ford Nation, and there's a good reason, they're very very loyal," he said.

"So the Ford Nation, there is an idea that the media's picking on him, these charges aren't really true, they don't really care about the charges, and this could be another case of that," Bozinoff added. "So far, we haven't seen the straw that's going to break the camel's back."