Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has withdrawn from the mayoral race and his
brother Doug Ford will take his place on the ballot. Canadian Press
Toronto city Coun. Doug Ford says it's with mixed emotions that he
has agreed to "take the torch" from his brother, Mayor Rob Ford, and
enter the ongoing mayoral campaign after his brother withdrew earlier in
the day over health concerns.
In an unprecedented move that
shocked many political observers and made international headlines, Coun.
Ford registered as a candidate for mayor shortly before the official
deadline at 2 p.m. ET, after it was revealed the mayor would be forced
to withdraw after learning just days ago he has an abdominal tumour.
In
making the switch, the Fords have once again catapulted Toronto's
political landscape into uncharted territory, an ongoing theme that has
largely defined a latter half of Mayor Ford's time at city hall marked
by admissions of crack cocaine use, alcohol abuse and profane encounters
with critics.
Surrounded by cheering supporters and a sea of
media at a news conference at his mother's home on Friday evening, Doug
Ford said he is running because he "couldn't bear the thought of city
hall returning to the old days at the expense of the good, honest,
everyday people."
“Together we’ve always been an unstoppable
team," he said. "Rob said, 'Just because I have to sit this one out, it
doesn’t mean I won’t be by your side. Our supporters need us to continue
what we’ve started'. ”
Doug Ford took several short pauses to
gather his composure as he recounted conversations with his brother over
the past several days, and said that the mayor asked him to apologize
on his behalf to the people of Toronto for dropping out of the election
race.
"He wanted to make sure I told people just how much he really cares," he said.
Decision to run made this week
Coun.
Ford also insisted the switch "was never in the works" prior to his
brother's most recent health problems, and was not proposed during the
mayor's stint in addictions rehabilitation this summer.
Mayor
Ford withdrew his name from the mayoral race after being hospitalized on
Wednesday after doctors discovered a mass in his abdomen. His clinical
team is awaiting the results of a biopsy, and it remains unclear how
long the mayor could remain hospitalized.
He will instead run for city council in Ward 2 Etobicoke North, a ward he held for ten years before winning the mayoralty.
In a prepared statement, Mayor Ford revealed said he wanted his older brother to run in his stead.
"I
have asked Doug to run to become the next mayor of Toronto, because we
need him. We cannot go backwards," said the mayor in a prepared
statement.
"Hope is a powerful thing. With hope, support and
determination I know I will beat this, not just for my family, but for
you, Toronto."
'No one here could ever replace him'
Coun.
Ford said it took some time for him to come to terms with the reality
of the situation, and he did not think he would end up running for
mayor.
“I told him I really had to think about this," Doug Ford
said of his brother. "I told him that no one here could ever replace
him."
He did not elaborate on his plans for the campaign trail,
saying he needed a few days to confer with his family and spend time
with his brother.
“As you can imagine, right now, I am not in full campaign mode. But I assure you, I will be.”
The
elder Ford, often described as the mayor's closest adviser and most
tenacious supporter, is no stranger to controversy. He has clashed
publicly with Toronto police Chief Bill Blair, insisting that criminal
investigations into Mayor Ford's transgressions while in office were
politically motivated.
Recently, Doug Ford was criticized by
advocates after he said that a home for developmentally disabled youth
had "ruined" a Toronto neighbourhood.
Tory, Chow take different tack
With Doug Ford entering the race, the Toronto mayoral campaign takes a different shape in the final six weeks.
Mayoral
candidate Olivia Chow declined to go on the offensive Friday, saying it
was too soon to comment on the policies of the new contender or how he
might differ from his brother Rob, arguably the most controversial
political figure in the city's history.
"I wish Rob Ford a
speedy recovery because the illness must be pretty serious," she said,
quickly pivoting back to her campaign's messaging.
"I will
continue to put out my vision of a better city," she said. "I'm not
changing my campaign plans. I welcome Doug Ford to the race."
John
Tory, who has maintained a comfortable lead in the race for several
weeks according to recent polls, did not mince words about Doug Ford at a
news conference earlier in the day. After reiterating his well-wishes
for the mayor, he quickly turned his attention to Doug.
He said
Ford has been disparaging of his colleagues on council, insensitive to
members of various Toronto communities and offered something even
"worse" than the last four years."The choice has not changed," said
Tory.
Many city hall insiders, including Mayor Ford's former
chief of staff Mark Towhey, have said previously that Tory and Ford are
not particularly fond of one another.
CBC NEWS
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