Toronto mayor’s tweet using Kanye song apparently ‘withheld’ over copyright

TORONTO – A parody video showing Toronto Mayor John Tory grooving to a Kanye West song has apparently been taken down over a copyright issue.

The mayor tweeted the video on Thursday, a day after making headlines by conceding he somehow thought the American rapper was Canadian.

It happened after Tory was asked about West being hired to play at the closing ceremony of the Pan Am Games in Toronto.

Tory’s tweet of the minute-long video poked fun at his ignorance, saying: “Yeezus, can’t believe I didn’t know @KimKardashian’s husband wasn’t Canadian!”

In the video, West’s song “Stronger” plays as the straitlaced Tory grooves to the music as he waits on a subway platform wearing a suit and tie with a red maple leaf hat, earphones and sunglasses. He takes a seat on the train and leafs through a newspaper until he comes to a hidden Rolling Stone magazine with Kardashian on the cover.

But Tory’s Twitter posting of the video now reads: “This Tweet from @JohnTory has been withheld in response to a report from the copyright holder.”

A spokesperson for Tory said in an email that they were looking into the issue, but noted “The video is a parody and of course made in that fun spirit.”