Political views
Ford was one of the council's supporters of former Progressive Conservative Premier of Ontario Mike Harris. He backed Jim Flaherty in the 2002 Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership election, displaying a sign supporting Flaherty in the window of his office at Toronto City Hall.
In 2003, he supported increased funding for the TTC. He also supported the inquiry into the MFP scandal.[7]
He said that the police were too nice to protesters in the recent July 2010 Toronto G-20 protests.[8]
Criticism and controversy
Ford and fellow councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, who occupies a neighbouring ward, have often scrapped with each other and these exchanges have made headlines in local newspapers.[18] Controversy erupted when several councillors reportedly heard Ford call Mammoliti "Gino boy" in the debate over the 2002 budget.[19] Mammoliti filed a complaint for the ethnic slur.[20] Mammoliti's son Michael filed his papers to run against Ford in the 2003 municipal election but withdrew at the last moment.[21] In March 2003, in a debate over the budget of the Toronto Zoo, Ford called Mammoliti, who chairs the zoo board, a "snake" and a "weasel" in council.[22]
In 2002, Ford strenuously objected to the possibility that a homeless shelter would open in his suburban Etobicoke ward.[23] Later in the same year he was quoted while berating an anti-poverty activist, "Do you have a job, sir? I'll give you a newspaper to find a job, like everyone else has to do between 9 and 5."[24] In 2005, Ford told a homeless protestor, "I'm working. Why don't you get a job?"[25]
In 2006, allegations arose of his conduct at a Toronto Maple Leafs game. Two audience members alleged Ford instigated a shouting match.[26] Security at the Air Canada Centre later ejected Ford from the venue. Initially, Ford denied involvement, claiming mistaken identity. The following day, Ford confirmed the allegations and announced his apology to the couple.[27] He cited "personal problems" as a reason for his behaviour.
Further controversy erupted in a Toronto City Council session when Ford argued against the city spending $1.5 million on AIDS prevention programs. Ford stated that "(AIDS) is very preventable," and that "if you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn't get AIDS probably, that's bottom line."[28] With respect to the increasing rates of women contracting the disease, Ford said; "How are women getting it? Maybe they are sleeping with bisexual men."[28]
Again sparking controversy in March 2008, during a debate at City Hall, Ford said "Those Oriental people work like dogs. They work their hearts out ... that's why they're successful in life. ... I'm telling you, Oriental people, they're slowly taking over, because there's no excuses for them. They're hard, hard workers." He drew criticism for those remarks from Mayor David Miller, budget chief Shelley Carroll and other councillors.[29][30]
On August 19, 2010 it was revealed that Ford was arrested with drunk driving and marijuana possession charges in Miami in 1999. According to the statement recorded by the police officer who arrested him, Ford said "Go ahead, take me to jail." The marijuana possession charge was later dismissed. Ford also said he has been charged at a hockey fight for assault. [31]
Mayoral candidate
Ford declared his candidacy for Mayor of Toronto in the 2010 election on March 26, 2010.[32]. The Toronto Star's Royson James noted that Ford's was the most raucous, jubilant, and enthusiastic campaign launch of the 2010 Toronto mayoralty race. Councillor Mike Del Grande says of Ford: "He’s very popular with ‘Joe Public.’ He’s definitely a contender, not a wild card."[33] At the campaign kickoff meeting he laid out his platform, organized into four main themes: "putting people and families first, focusing on the fundamentals, reducing waste and eliminating unnecessary taxes." Among his campaign promises, he said that he would repeal the vehicle registration and land transfer taxes implemented by David Miller and make the Toronto Transit Commission an essential service. He said there was "enough fat and inefficiency to slash costs while dramatically improving customer service." He also said he would work to cut the number of councillors on city council by half.[34]
In describing Rob Ford’s Toronto, the candidate said: "It’s going to be spotless. You go downtown now, you see all the graffiti — you aren’t going to have any graffiti there." Ford promised to improve services for residents of the city's low-cost housing, as he has done in his own ward, and to help bring homeless people in off the streets. He said "We’re going to help the people you see laying on the streets. A lot of them are drug addicts or alcoholics."[35]
On May 6, 2010, Ford fired a worker on his campaign team for sending a twitter message. The tweet attacked fellow mayoral candidate George Smitherman over recent comments about AIDS. The message read "Smitherman should spend less time attacking Ford for telling truth about AIDS, more time coming up with actual policies." The message relates to an earlier statement Ford made in council about AIDS sufferers.[36]
A poll published on August 12th, 2010, had Rob Ford as the front runner. [37].
