A Ford on the municipal ballot in Etobicoke North ward
Admin2 | Sunday, August 8th, 2010 | No Comments »
Doug Ford to seek seat held by brother Rob for past 10 years
There will be two Fords on the ballot in Ward 2 (Etobicoke North) in the fall municipal election, now that mayoralty candidate Rob Ford’s brother and campaign manager Doug Ford has announced his candidacy.
“I will be running and announcing tonight,” said Doug Ford in an interview Friday, Aug. 6.
“It’s going to be really exciting, not only for the ward, but for our city and our family.”
The elder Ford had been rumoured to be seeking the seat on council that Rob Ford has held for the last decade, but until Friday, he had been coy about his intentions, only saying that “a Ford” would be on the ballot Oct. 25.
Doug Ford, 45, has been working as campaign manager for Rob Ford through the spring and summer, at the same time as he worked as president of the family printing company, Deco Labels.
He said that if he wins his brother’s seat and Rob Ford becomes mayor, he’ll let the company’s managers run Deco Labels, and let his brother run the city.
“I’m going to just be a councillor,” said Doug. “It would be a conflict of interest if I took any major role down there. I’m not there for a paycheque, just to do a job like any other councillor, and help Rob.”
To that end, he admitted that the family connections would likely mean he’d consult with his brother about larger city issues.
“I think being his brother, you know, we talk every single night from 12 o’clock to one in the morning. We bounce ideas off each other,” he said. “You can’t help but talk. Rob and my other brother are my best friends, and I’m going to support Rob if he has the privilege of serving the city.”
Doug said he shares his brother’s fiscal conservatism, and would intend to look after Ward 2 in the same manner that Rob has.
“I’m going to do the same thing that Rob’s doing, servicing the people of Ward 2,” he said. “Our family has been here for 50 years, we’ve had them over to our house a hundred times. It’s a close-knit community. They voice their opinion when I go into the local Loblaws, the cleaners, people come up to you and share their views. I’m the part time councillor right now.”
~ David Nickle
