Allegations or concerns about Mayor Rob Ford’s behaviour at a weekend street festival in Toronto’s east end are part of a personal attack, his brother says.
Coun. Doug Ford came to his brother’s defence Tuesday by accusing the mayor’s critics and the media of manufacturing a controversy over conduct that he says has been blown out of proportion.
“Is Rob perfect? No, he’s not perfect, but is he one of the best mayors we’ve ever had looking after the finances of this city and running this city, (and) putting money back into infrastructure,” Doug Ford told reporters outside the mayor’s office at city hall, where reporters gathered to try to ask Rob Ford about his conduct at the event.
Doug Ford downplayed the controversy, saying the mayor “had a couple of pops” and no one got hurt.
“You guys want to play investigative reporter here and play the cop, well, at the end of the day people had a great time,” Doug Ford said.
The councillor said he showed up after his brother arrived, and he didn’t see the mayor drinking alcohol at the event while they were there together.
Asked if it is OK for the mayor to appear in public while intoxicated, Doug Ford said “it’s not OK.”
On the brothers’ weekly radio show Sunday, Rob Ford admitted he had “a couple” beers but said he did nothing wrong.
Witnesses say the mayor appeared to be drunk, slurring his words and swaying as he walked to the event along Danforth Avenue on Friday night. Videos and photos surfaced online as the mayor attended the Greek festival.
Mala Turay, who filmed the mayor on the way to the festival, said he encountered the mayor on Greenwood Avenue, south of Danforth, as the mayor stood outside his Cadillac Escalade.
Turay said the mayor didn’t smell of alcohol, but he was swaying back and forth, and slurring his words.
On his way to the festival, Rob Ford shook hands and posed for pictures with people he met on the street. The mayor was eventually surrounded by his staff and police officers as he walked toward the event.
A spokesperson for the mayor said Ford drove himself to the event.
In videos posted online, the mayor is heard telling people, “I’m not driving.” His staff and his brother say he got a ride home when he left the festival.
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