Doug Ford has addressed the media for the first time as a mayoral candidate, but he’ll wait a couple of days before talking campaign strategy.
Ford, the current councillor for Ward 2 and brother of Mayor Rob Ford, spoke outside his mother’s house in Etobicoke with his family gathered behind him. At times he appeared close to tears as he spoke about the decision to enter the mayoral race after Mayor Ford removed his name from the ballot.
Coun. Ford officially entered the race with less than an hour until the city’s deadline. The mayor is currently at Mount Sinai hospital undergoing tests after receiving a tumour diagnosis earlier this week. Mayor Ford will now be running for the council seat in Ward 2.
“As you can imagine, I’m not in the full campaign mode,” said Coun. Ford. “I would ask the media to just give me a couple of days to be with my family.”
Mirroring what Mayor Ford said in a statement released earlier today, Coun. Ford said his brother asked him to step in when he realized his ill health would get in the way of a mayoral campaign. Coun. Ford finalized his decision after speaking with his wife, who “put things into perspective.”
“[Rob] wanted to make sure that all of his accomplishments and hard work were not for nothing,” said Coun. Ford. “He asked me to make sure I tell people just how much he really cares, that this is more than just a job for Rob, it’s his life’s work.”
He said he shares the mayor’s values, hinting that Toronto can expect a similar if not identical platform and campaign from the councillor.
A hand is rested on Diane Ford’s shoulder as her son, Doug Ford speaks to the media outside his mother’s Etobicoke home on Friday September 12, 2014. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young)
“He told me that he couldn’t bare the thought of city hall returning to the old days at the expense of the good, honest everyday people,” said Coun. Ford.
The mayor is in “relatively good spirits” in the hospital, the councillor added. Mayor Ford had been experiencing abdominal pain for several months before it became unbearable on Thursday. Doctors found a mass in his abdomen and he is currently awaiting the results of a biopsy.
The question now is whether or not Coun. Ford can retain his little brother’s support. The mayor was 12 points behind the front-runner John Tory in the last Forum Research poll and just six weeks remain until election day on Oct. 27.
There had been some speculation that the shuffle had been in the works long before today, but Coun. Ford said until the last 24 hours he’d been expecting to see the race through as his brother’s campaign manager.
“It just goes to show you, folks, how life can change in a second.”
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