Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has parted ways with his chief of staff, the latest development in a tumultuous week at city hall where the pressure is growing for the mayor to comment on crack cocaine allegations raised by two media outlets.

Opposition parties pushed the government on Thursday to answer questions about the "whitewashed" Duffy report while the RCMP is also seeking more information from the Senate as part of its review of questionable expenses.

The lawyer for Mark Smich says the Oakville, Ont., resident will plead not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Tim Bosma, the Hamilton man who disappeared earlier this month after taking two men on a test drive of his truck.