Slimmed down Rob Ford returns to Toronto with only four months left in his term

Photos on Instagram show a slimmed down Mayor Rob Ford trying on suits. Photo: Instagram/Albert Calamatta/calamatta_7

Global stuporstar Rob Ford is set to return to Toronto on Monday to take up his duties as the city’s mayor with only four months left in his term and a heated campaign to jump back into before the Oct. 27 municipal election.

Posts on social media from this weekend show a noticeably slimmed-down Ford posing for photos with people in the Muskoka region of Ontario where he has been at a substance abuse treatment centre since May 1. But whether a change of behaviour accompanies his weight loss remains to be seen.

Ford’s long-overdue stint in rehab came amid yet more reports of the mayor smoking crack cocaine and allegedly assaulting friends while under the influence. That was followed by an explosive report in the Toronto Star detailing even more bizarre behaviour, including alleged drunk driving, offering strangers sex with his wife, and punching a close friend in the face while holding a bag of McDonald’s food.

Although Ford has not commented on those specific allegations, he has occasionally called friendly columnists to boast that “rehab is amazing” and that he was getting better, even as many skeptics wondered about the nature of his substance treatment program that gave the mayor leeway to visit a bar for a birthday dinner and make calls to constituents.

Those questions are likely to linger since Ford is expected to make a statement upon his return but has already said he won’t answer any questions from media. He is scheduled to talk to CTV News for a piece to air on Wednesday night.

The mayor will also face an ethics complaint related to Rob and Doug Ford allegedly lobbying on behalf of companies with ties to their family’s business, Deco Labels and Tags, as well as continue to deal with the fallout from his friend Sandro Lisi’s drug and extortion charges.

A local production titled Rob Ford the Musical: The Rise of Ford Nation will also open around the time of the election.

Life is never dull with Ford around.

— with files from the Canadian Press