Rob Ford will take a drug and alcohol test if his challengers do too

TORONTO, ONTARIO: Wednesday, August 20, 2014 - Toronto Mayor Rob Ford during the Executive Council meeting at City Hall in Toronto, Ontario on Wednesday, August 20, 2014. Photo: Laura Pedersen/National Post

By Natalie Alcoba

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said he has “no problem” submitting to drug and alcohol tests if all other mayoral candidates do as well, but then went on to suggest it should extend to all political candidates and possibly civil servants.

Speaking to reporters at city hall, the mayor maintained he hasn’t had a drink or done drugs in “months,” calling himself “clean as a whistle” and “sober as a judge.” He suggested he doesn’t have to justify himself, after long-shot mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson called on all mayoral contenders to submit to such tests. The mayor pointed out he made such a request of his council colleagues and the motion was ruled out of order.

“I’m not going to sit here and say, you know what I’m going to do a drug and alcohol sample just for the sake of doing it. I don’t have to prove that,” said Mayor Ford, who last year admitted to smoking crack.

“People know I do not touch alcohol. I do not do drugs. I’ll be the first to do it if everyone else does it. You got to treat people equally here. It’s like signalling you out Natalie,” he said to this reporter.

“I have no problem [submitting to a test if all the mayoral candidates do],” he then said to reporters. “But even all the mayoral candidates, why don’t we do all the candidates that are running for council. All the incumbents and candidates. And all the school trustees. But then how far does that go? Then you’re going to go with all the civil servants?”

John Tory said he has no problem getting a blood test, but he would also want to make sure everyone else does too. “If he’s first,” he said of the mayor, “then I’ll be second.”