Remembering Rob Ford: a controversial Canadian
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford speaking to the press in 2011. Photo: West Annex News, Creative COmmons, some rights reserved
Rob Ford had a personality that was larger than life. He also lived a life that had some large problems. The controversial former Mayor of Toronto, and onetime fodder for late night TV comedians, died on March 22 at the age of 46 from cancer.
Ford’s ordinary guy persona is what many Torontonians liked about him. The tough-talking, football-loving conservative reactionary first served on city council from 2000 to 2010. It was there he established himself as a champion of frugality, continually criticizing his colleagues for making the most of their expense accounts while his own yearly total was usually under $5.00. Ford, from the suburban former borough of Etobicoke, also became a sort of champion of car-driving, blue collar and middle class suburbanites who thought city hall was controlled by elitist downtown liberals. Ford’s suburban support base is what won him the mayoral race in 2010. Followers of Rob Ford, and his brother Doug, who was also elected to council in 2010, became known as the “Ford Nation.”
Rob Ford’s behavior; the “drunken stupors” as he called them, were often filled with profanity, racism, homophobia, sexism, and other generally socially unacceptable things. He was considered more than a little rough around the edges because of that. There were rumors of domestic violence. Then came the drug use, which he first denied, but later admitted was true. The Mayor was also accused of having connections to criminal organizations and sex trade workers. There were evidently a whole lot of people, the citizens of Ford Nation—who weren’t bothered by these things, as long as property taxes were kept low and services provided cheaply.
Generally, citizens have expectations of dignified behavior from their leaders, even if they disagree with them politically. In Ford Nation, that expectation was instead considered pretentious and privileged. The difference between Rob Ford and other big city mayors of the time was huge. Ottawa’s even-tempered and moderate Jim Watson is completely opposite to Rob Ford. Montreal’s Denis Coderre enjoys a good photo-op, but he’s always sober and doesn’t insult people. Ford’s successor, John Tory, is moderate to even left-leaning. He’s also a longtime political insider and part of the social elite Ford disliked.
Rob Ford’s successes and failures were truly self-made. He was like the eccentric uncle or cousin every family seems to have who does and says things he shouldn’t, but still manages to achieve things in life. He had the ability to connect with people because they could see he was an ordinary human—one with very real human problems. Voters, as the current Presidential race is indicating, like someone who trash-talks big money and the establishment, even if that someone also has establishment and big money connections. Rob’s father, Doug Ford Sr., served a term in the Ontario Legislature. Former Premier Mike Harris, former and late federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, and former Prime Minister Stephen Harper were all family friends through politics. Doug Ford Sr. also made a fortune in manufacturing labels and tags. His children all took over the company. The self-made family fortune, reactionary politics, and distrust of the liberal establishment are remarkably the same characteristics of Donald Trump, albeit on a much less extravagant scale.
Rob Ford’s soul was laid bare to the public throughout his career. This is the risk anyone who seeks public office takes. His down-to-earth approach was commendable, but it is unfortunate that his personal problems overshadowed any of his political objectives and achievements.
