Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford (born May 28, 1969) is a Canadian politician and businessman. He is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Ford was elected mayor in the 2010 mayoral election, and took office on December 1 of that year.
Prior to being mayor, Ford was city councillor for a ward in the Toronto district of Etobicoke. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006. His brother Doug Ford, Jr. is currently a Toronto city councillor. Ford's father Doug Ford, Sr. was also a politician and served as MPP. The Ford family owns Deco Labels, a multi-national labelling and printing firm based in Etobicoke.
During his political career, Ford has been the subject of a number of personal and work-related controversies and legal proceedings, including a conflict of interest trial that nearly removed him from office.[3] In 2013, he became the subject of allegations of substance abuse, which were widely reported in the national and international media.[4] These allegations continued amidst a 2013 Toronto Police Service investigation which includes Mayor Ford.[5] These allegations were eventually admitted by Ford, who said he did use crack cocaine "probably in one of my drunken stupors".[6]
Personal life
Born in Etobicoke in 1969, Ford is the youngest of four children (Doug, Kathy, Randy and Rob) of Ruth Diane (née Campbell) and Douglas Bruce Ford, Sr.[7][8] Ford, Sr. was the founder of Deco Labels and Tags, which makes pressure-sensitive labels for plastic-wrapped grocery products at an estimated $100 million in annual sales.[9] As an indication of the family's wealth, the success of the family business allowed the family to build a six-bedroom home in Etobicoke, which has a swimming pool and gardens that can host nearly a thousand visitors.[9]
While growing up, Ford attended the public Scarlett Heights Collegiate in Etobicoke.[10] Ford dreamed of becoming a professional football player and his father paid for Ford to attend special camps of the Washington Redskins and the University of Notre Dame. 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. Ford left Carleton after one year to return to Toronto and did not complete his degree.[9][10]
After Carleton, Ford started a sales job at Deco.[9] In 2000, Ford married Renata Brejniak, whom he met in high school.[2] Ford and Renata, and their daughter Stephanie and son Doug reside in Etobicoke.[11][12] After Doug Ford Sr.'s death in 2006, the Ford family retained ownership of the firm through the Doug Ford Holdings corporation.[9][13] Ford, along with his brothers and his mother are directors of the company.[13]
Ford continued his involvement in football as a high school coach. Ford first coached at Newtonbrook Secondary School in 2001 until he was dismissed over a dispute with a player.[14] He coached at Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School from 2001 until 2013 until the Catholic Board dismissed him after a controversial television interview led to a review of his coaching.[15] Ford had donated $20,000 to equip the Don Bosco team and started a foundation to fund teams at other schools struggling to field football teams.[16] Ford continued coaching after becoming Toronto mayor and was criticized for involving his political aides in the Don Bosco program and the football foundation. His fund-raising for the football foundation on city letterhead led to his being sued for conflict of interest.[15]
Ford Sr. had become a Member of the Ontario Legislature during the term of the Progressive Conservative (PC) government of Mike Harris.[17] After Ford Sr.'s death, Rob has maintained political connections with the provincial PC party and the federal Conservative Parties. A picture of former Ontario Premier Mike Harris with Ford's father adorns the mayor's office. Ford describes his father as his "political hero, my business hero, he's my hero overall."[18] Ford has worked on the election campaigns of several PC candidates, including John Tory in a 2005 by-election.[19]
Ford has had various health issues, including asthma and kidney stones. He was hospitalized twice in 2012, once for kidney stones[20] and once for stomach and throat “irritation” that aggravated his asthma.[21]
圖片附件: Rob_Ford_多倫多市長.JPG (2013-11-15 17:38, 69.89 KB) / 下載次數 502
