One of Rob Ford's senior aides regularly posed as a caller on the Newstalk 1010 radio show the mayor hosts with his brother, the CBC is reporting. David Price, one of the men the Globe and Mail reported worked in Doug Ford's alleged marijuana operation, was "Dave from Scarborough" and "Dave from Etobicoke" before he was hired by the mayor's office. Price reportedly knocked LRT transit, lower speed limits, and the plastic bag ban on the show. Does this surprise you?

Just to prove you never really can predict the guy, Rob Ford officially proclaimed Pride Week for the first time as mayor yesterday, surprising many of the people gathered outside City Hall for the official flag raising ceremony. Ford has avoided attending the event in recent years, saying it conflicts with his family's annual cottage trip. Too little too late from Ford?

Toronto's relief line took a tiny step forward yesterday when Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency charged with building new transit infrastructure, issued a request for bids to conduct a preliminary study into building the east-west line from the downtown core to the Bloor-Danforth line. The word "downtown" has been officially dropped from the name to more accurately reflect its purpose.

Also in studies, the TTC has unanimously agreed to investigate whether King Street could be reworked in to a transit corridor in time for the 2015 Pan Am Games. The board will now decide whether the idea is feasible and there could be a pilot project in place in the next year or so.

Turns out Rob Ford doesn't like it when Toronto is on the receiving end of spending cuts. After a meeting with provincial finance minister Charles Sousa, Ford said the Liberals were punishing him for finding efficiencies at city hall by cutting $150 million in social program funding over the next three years. Ford says there was no advance warning of the cuts.

Finally, Several city councillors want the CNE to ban parking on the grass at Marilyn Bell Park, saying it causes too much damage to the ground and trees. The Ex has used the park as overflow for its other lots for decades but the parks committee wants the annual fair to ease off.

IN BRIEF:

• Offer to rebuild maze goes to council [Toronto Star]
• Transgender artist arrested for baring breasts on plane [Toronto Star]
• Cinderella has magical night at Toronto's Dora Awards [CBC]
• Rays halt Blue Jays' 11-game win streak [CBC]

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: Kat NLM/blogTO Flickr pool.