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Toronto Mayor Rob Ford wipes his forehead as he speaks at the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. Toronto's mayor is waiting on a provincial judge to determine whether a conflict-of-interest case will cost him his job.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press

The fate of Toronto's controversial mayor now rests in the hands of an Ontario judge.

Lawyers wrapped up their arguments today in a lawsuit accusing Rob Ford of being embroiled in a conflict-of-interest.

Justice Charles Hackland told court he would try to reach a verdict in a timely manner.

If found guilty, Mr. Ford could be tossed out of the office he has held for less than two years and barred from running for city council for seven years.

Mr. Ford is accused of not declaring a conflict of interest when he gave a speech and participated in a council vote last February to strike down a recommendation that he repay donations he solicited using official city letterhead for his private football foundation.

Mr. Ford told court he believed he did nothing wrong based on his own definition of conflict-of-interest laws.

But lawyer Clayton Ruby argued Mr. Ford acted in bad faith by not familiarizing himself with the city's rules on the issue.

The lawsuit was launched by Toronto resident Paul Magder, who accused Ford of a conflict of interest one month after the vote in question.

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