Rob Ford

Canadian politician, 64th Mayor of Toronto (1969–2016)

Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford (May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016) was a Canadian politician and businessman. He was the sixty-fourth Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Rob Ford
Ford in 2013
64th Mayor of Toronto
In office
December 1, 2010 – November 30, 2014
Deputy
Preceded byDavid Miller
Succeeded byJohn Tory
Toronto City Councillor
for (Ward 2) Etobicoke North
In office
December 1, 2014 – March 22, 2016
Preceded byDoug Ford
Succeeded byMichael Ford
In office
November 14, 2000 – November 30, 2010
Preceded byWard created
Succeeded byDoug Ford
Personal details
Born
Robert Bruce Ford

(1969-05-28)May 28, 1969
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
DiedMarch 22, 2016(2016-03-22) (aged 46)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resting placeRiverside Cemetery
Political partyIndependent (2000–2016)
Other political
affiliations
Progressive Conservative[1]
Spouse(s)
Renata Brejniak (m. 2000)
Relations
Children2

Before he was elected mayor, Ford was a city councilor. He was first elected to Toronto City Council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election. He was re-elected to his council seat twice. Ford was elected mayor in the 2010 mayoral election and he took office in December 2010.

On September 10, 2014, Ford was taken to the Humble River Hospital in North York, Ontario, Canada. Ford suffered severe stomach pains for 3 months before. It was revealed that Ford suffered an abdominal tumor. After being rushed to the hospital, Ford announced he would not be running for Mayor, but for his old seat in the City Council. Ford's term as mayor ended when John Tory succeeded Ford as mayor on December 1, 2014.

On September 17, 2014, it was announced that Ford had liposarcoma.[2]

Ford served as a Toronto City Councillor for Etobicoke North (Ward 2) from December 1, 2014 until his death.

Early life change

Rob Ford was born in Etobicoke, Ontario in 1969.[3] He is the youngest son of Doug Ford, Sr. (1933-2006)[3] and his wife Diane.[4] Ford attended the public Scarlett Heights high school in Etobicoke. There he played center for the school's football team.[4] Ford wanted to play professional football. His father treated him to summer football camps with the Washington Redskins and the University of Notre Dame.[4] After graduating from high school, Ford went to Carleton University in Ottawa to study political science. Ford made the football squad, but did not play in any games.[5] Ford started a sales job after Carleton at Deco Labels and Tags, the family business.[6]

Political career change

Ford served three terms as City Councillor from 2000 until October 2010. Ford was elected mayor in 2012 with 383,501 votes (47%).[7] Among his accomplishments Ford arranged an agreement with the city's largest union to outsource garbage collection west of Yonge Street to a private contractor.[8] This was done with no work stoppage.

When he ran for mayor Ford proposed to make the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) an 'essential service'. Under Ontario law, an essential service prevents its workers from going on strike. The Toronto City Council approved of the decision in January 2011. The Government of Ontario introduced The Toronto Transit Commission Labour Disputes Resolution Act in February 2011[9] and it became law in March 2011.[10] Another campaign promise was to cancel the annual $60 personal vehicle registration tax. The council approved and it went into effect on January 1, 2011.[11]

His first budget (2011) was balanced with no increase in taxes. A planned TTC hike was cancelled after Ford objected to it.[12] In 2013, the city budget increased to $9.4 billion for operating expenses and $2.27 billion for capital projects. The 2013 budget did not use surplus monies to balance the budget.[13] Before the 2014 budget, Ford's office staff was shrunk and his responsibilities and committee controls were reduced.[14]

In September 12, 2014, it was announced that Ford would not run for mayor because of health issues. He was succeeded by John Tory on December 1, 2014. Ford served as a Toronto City Councillor for Etobicoke North (Ward 2) from December 1, 2014 until his death.

Personal life change

In 2000, Ford married Renata Brejniak. Ford lived with Renata, their daughter Stephanie and son Doug in Etobicoke.[3] After Doug Ford Sr.'s death in 2006, the Ford family retained ownership of the firm through the Doug Ford Holdings corporation.[15] Ford, along with his brothers and his mother were directors of the company.[15] Renata became the candidate for Etobicoke North for the 2019 federal election. She will represent the People's Party of Canada.[16]

Health and death change

A week after being hospitalized for an abdominal tumor, Ford was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a type of cancer.[2] In late 2015, the cancer spread to his bladder. In March 2016, staffers said that Ford's cancer was not responding to chemotherapy treatments.

On March 21, 2016, Ford's family said that he was put in palliative care.[17] The day after, on March 22, 2016, Ford died from the disease at a hospital in Toronto. He was aged 46.[18]

References change

  1. Gilbert, Richard (December 30, 2010). "When will Ford's honeymoon end?". Toronto Star. p. A23.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Doctor says Toronto mayor Rob Ford has cancer". MSN.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Toronto mayor, Rob Ford". City of Toronto. Archived from the original on October 10, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Marci McDonald, 'The Incredible Shrinking Mayor', Toronto Life (May 2012)". Archived from the original on 2014-02-15. Retrieved 2014-01-24.
  5. Rider, David (December 21, 2010). "Rob Ford's confusing university life". Toronto Star. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  6. McDonald 2012, p. 43.
  7. Declaration Of Results Of Voting Monday, October 25, 2010, Toronto City Clerk's Office[permanent dead link]
  8. Philip Preville, 'A sober assessment of Rob Ford’s shining achievements', Toronto Life (January 24, 2014)
  9. "Ontario introduces TTC essential service bill". CTV News. Toronto, Ontario. February 22, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  10. "TTC essential service legislation passes". CBC News. Toronto, Ontario. March 30, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  11. Pom, Cindy (January 1, 2011). "Ford ends personal vehicle tax". 680News. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  12. D'Mello, Colin (January 11, 2011). "Proposed 10 cent TTC fare hike cancelled". 680 News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  13. "City Council approves 2013 Operating Budget and 2013 - 2022 Capital Budget and Plan" (PDF) (pdf). City of Toronto. January 16, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 20, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  14. Rob Ford stripped of key powers in council vote, CBCNews, Toronto (Nov 15, 2013)
  15. 15.0 15.1 Lorinc, John (April 6, 2011). "Ford's unique approach to campaign financing: Borrow from family firm". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  16. Pelley, Lauren (June 21, 2019). "Renata Ford will be a candidate for Maxime Bernier's People's Party of Canada". CBC News. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  17. Vendeville, Geoffrey (March 21, 2016). "Rob Ford is in palliative care, his office confirms". The Star. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  18. White, Patrick (22 March 2016). "Former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford dies at 46". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2016-03-22.

Other websites change