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Rob Ford, Controversial Ex-Mayor of Toronto, Dies at 46 Rob Ford, Who Admitted Drug Abuse in Stormy Toronto Mayoralty, Dies at 46
(about 1 hour later)
Rob Ford, the combative former mayor of Toronto who gained international notoriety with his confession of crack cocaine use, his public drunkenness and his belligerent clashes with other public officials, died on Tuesday. He was 46.Rob Ford, the combative former mayor of Toronto who gained international notoriety with his confession of crack cocaine use, his public drunkenness and his belligerent clashes with other public officials, died on Tuesday. He was 46.
His office announced his death but gave no other details. Mr. Ford had been undergoing cancer treatment since September 2014. His office announced his death but gave no other details. Mr. Ford had been undergoing treatment for malignant liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, since September 2014.
Along with his brother Doug, Mr. Ford was a controversial figure in Toronto politics for years, drawing support largely from conservative residents of suburban communities that had been absorbed into the City of Toronto. In 2013 he acknowledged smoking crack cocaine while in what he called one of his “drunken stupors.” Along with his brother Doug, Mr. Ford was a controversial figure in Toronto politics for years, drawing support largely from conservative residents of suburban communities that had been absorbed into the City of Toronto. In 2013 he acknowledged smoking crack cocaine during one of his “drunken stupors,” as he put it.
After his cancer diagnosis, Mr. Ford withdrew from his mayoral re-election campaign in favor of his brother, who was defeated. But Rob Ford did win the seat on the City Council that Doug Ford had held.After his cancer diagnosis, Mr. Ford withdrew from his mayoral re-election campaign in favor of his brother, who was defeated. But Rob Ford did win the seat on the City Council that Doug Ford had held.
The son of a millionaire, Mr. Ford built his power base among mainly blue-collar, conservative voters — “the Ford Nation,” he called them — in former suburbs that the City of Toronto absorbed in 1998. Mr. Ford was a lifelong resident of one such suburb, Etobicoke, where he was born on May 28, 1969.The son of a millionaire, Mr. Ford built his power base among mainly blue-collar, conservative voters — “the Ford Nation,” he called them — in former suburbs that the City of Toronto absorbed in 1998. Mr. Ford was a lifelong resident of one such suburb, Etobicoke, where he was born on May 28, 1969.
He echoed his constitutents’ view that urban elitists were inflating taxes through social service programs and excessively generous contracts with public sector unions.He echoed his constitutents’ view that urban elitists were inflating taxes through social service programs and excessively generous contracts with public sector unions.
In office he took a belligerent approach to governing, engaging in profanity-laden shouting matches with City Council members and sometimes with journalists. In office he took a bellicose approach to governing, engaging in profanity-laden shouting matches with City Council members and journalists.
Mr. Ford ran for mayor in 2010 after thet incumbent, a center leftist, decided not to seek re-election, and after a 39-day garbage strike created the impression that the city was heading out of control. The Ford brothers concentrated their resources in the suburbs and focused campaigning on a promise to “stop the gravy train” at City Hall. Mr. Ford ran for mayor in 2010 after the incumbent, a center leftist, decided not to seek re-election on the heels of a 39-day garbage strike, which had created the impression that the city was heading out of control. The Ford brothers concentrated their campaign on the suburbs promising to “stop the gravy train” at City Hall.
While Mr. Ford showed little interest in much of the city’s business during his time first on the City Council and then as mayor, he clearly relished the glad-handing side of politics and followed up on constituents’ complaints about minor matters like garbage collection, sometimes visiting them personally. Mr. Ford showed little interest in much of the city’s business during his time first on the City Council or as mayor, but he clearly relished the glad-handing side of politics and followed up on constituents’ complaints about minor matters like garbage collection. Sometimes he visited them personally.
Although Mr. Ford’s father, Doug, had been a member of a Progressive Conservative provincial government with a populist, anti-elitist bent, it was not immediately obvious that Mr. Ford would follow a similar path. After a single year at university in Ottawa, where he was disappointed not to start a single game for the college’s football team, he joined his siblings at their father’s successful adhesive label business. Mr. Ford’s father, Doug, had been a member of a Progressive Conservative provincial government with a populist, anti-elitist bent, but it was not immediately obvious that as a young man Mr. Ford would follow a similar path.
After a single year in college in Ottawa, where he played on the football team but was disappointed not to start a single game, he joined his siblings at their father’s successful adhesive label business.
Much of Mr. Ford’s political career was guided by his brother Doug, who also succeeded their father at the label company.Much of Mr. Ford’s political career was guided by his brother Doug, who also succeeded their father at the label company.
For his inauguration as mayor, Mr. Ford invited Don Cherry, the prominent (and similarly bombastic) television hockey commentator, to speak. Known for his flamboyant clothing, Mr. Cherry appeared in a pink sport jacket and said, “I’m wearing pinko for all the pinkos out there that ride bicycles and everything,” before predicting great things for Mr. Ford’s administration. For his inauguration as mayor, Mr. Ford invited Don Cherry, a prominent (and similarly bombastic) television hockey commentator, to speak. Known for his flamboyant clothing, Mr. Cherry appeared in a pink sport jacket and said, “I’m wearing pinko for all the pinkos out there that ride bicycles and everything.”
“As far as I’m concerned,” he added, “you can put that in your pipe, you left-wing kooks.”“As far as I’m concerned,” he added, “you can put that in your pipe, you left-wing kooks.”
But an audit commissioned by Mr. Ford failed to uncover the substantial waste in the city’s operations that he had promised to eliminate. And his blunt approach to politics meant that Mr. Ford was unable to build enough support among members of the City Council for several major projects he championed, including a downtown casino complex. Mr. Cherry predicted great things for Mr. Ford’s administration, but they largely failed to materialize. Mr. Ford had campaigned on a promise to elminate waste in city operations, but an audit failed to uncover anything substantial. He was unable to build enough City Council support for major projects he championed, including a downtown casino complex. And even a public weight-loss campaign organized by his brother — Mr. Ford once described himself as being “300 pounds of fun” — faded away without results.
Even a public weight-loss campaign organized by his brother — Mr. Ford once described himself as being “300 pounds of fun” — faded away without results. His fortunes fell precipitously in May 2013, when Gawker and The Toronto Star both said that their reporters had viewed a video of Mr. Ford smoking crack cocaine. The international media was soon all over the story.
In May 2013, Mr. Ford’s fame, and infamy, took on a global sweep when Gawker and The Toronto Star both said their reporters had viewed a video of Mr. Ford smoking crack.
Months of vigorous denials from both Ford brothers followed. But that November, Mr. Ford, surrounded by reporters outside of his City Hall office, confessed.Months of vigorous denials from both Ford brothers followed. But that November, Mr. Ford, surrounded by reporters outside of his City Hall office, confessed.
“Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine,” he said. “Am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Probably in one of my drunken stupors.”“Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine,” he said. “Am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Probably in one of my drunken stupors.”
After that, a floodgate opened, adding to the embarrassment of many in Toronto and providing ripe material for comedians, particularly in the United States. Mr. Ford played along, even making an appearance on the late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmell Live.” It opened a floodgate of embarrassing publicity for Toronto, providing ripe material for comedians, particularly in the United States. Mr. Ford played along, even making an appearance on the late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Extensive police surveillance evidence released by a court showed that Mr. Ford associated with criminals and apparently knew few limits when it came to satisfying his lascivious tastes. Soon extensive police surveillance evidence released by a court showed that Mr. Ford had associated with criminals and had apparently known few limits when it came to satisfying his appetites.
After Mr. Ford rejected widespread calls for his resignation, the City Council, legally unable to remove him from office, reduced Mr. Ford to ceremonial power. Even that process was contentious, with Mr. Ford and his brother, then a Council member, nearly provoking a brawl with heckling spectators. Rob Ford bowled down a 63-year-old councilwomen as he rushed to Doug’s aid. There were widespread calls for his resignation — all of them rejected by Mr. Ford. Unable to remove him from office, the City Council reduced his powers to ceremonial, an action that nearly provoked a brawl between heckling spectators and Mr. Ford and his brother. Rob Ford bowled down a 63-year-old councilwomen as he rushed to Doug’s aid.
But while much of Toronto cringed, the often lurid revelations about Mr. Ford’s private life seemed to bolster his support among members of the Ford Nation. They appeared in greater numbers than ever at free barbecues the two brothers had long organized for supporters. While much of Toronto cringed at the often lurid revelations about Mr. Ford’s private life, his supporters rallied to him, appearing in greater numbers than ever at the free barbecues that the two brothers had long organized for them. He decided to run for re-election.
As a result, Mr. Ford ran for re-election in the fall of 2014. Two months before the vote, however, he was found to have malignant liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Doug Ford became the family’s mayoral standard bearer, and Rob sought his brother’s seat on the Council. Two months before the vote, however, his cancer was discovered, and Doug Ford became the family’s mayoral standard bearer. Rob, meanwhile, sought his brother’s Council seat. Doug’s mayoral bid failed, but Rob was elected.
Doug’s mayoral bid failed, but Rob was elected. His attendance at Council meetings varied with his cancer treatments after that. But when he appeared, Mr. Ford, usually wearing a track suit rather than business attire, often displayed his old political form. Mr. Ford’s attendance at Council meetings was dictated by his cancer treatments. But when he appeared, usually wearing a track suit, Mr. Ford often displayed his old pugnacious form.
In addition to his brother Doug, Mr. Ford is survived by his wife, Renata; his children, Stephanie and Douglas; his mother, Diane; another brother, Randy; and a sister, Kathy.In addition to his brother Doug, Mr. Ford is survived by his wife, Renata; his children, Stephanie and Douglas; his mother, Diane; another brother, Randy; and a sister, Kathy.
At a news conference after the 2014 election, Mr. Ford was asked how he thought his time as mayor would be remembered.At a news conference after the 2014 election, Mr. Ford was asked how he thought his time as mayor would be remembered.
“People know that I saved a lot of money, and people are going to know that I had a few personal struggles,” he said. “So you can remember it for what you want, but they’re definitely going to remember it.”“People know that I saved a lot of money, and people are going to know that I had a few personal struggles,” he said. “So you can remember it for what you want, but they’re definitely going to remember it.”