Rob Ford

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.

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.

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

Early life 

Rob Ford was born in Etobicoke, Ontario in 1969. He is the youngest son of Doug Ford, Sr. (1933-2006) and his wife Diane. Ford attended the public Scarlett Heights high school in Etobicoke. There he played center for the school's football team. Ford wanted to play professional football. His father treated him to summer football camps with 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 started a sales job after Carleton at Deco Labels and Tags, the family business.

Political career 

Ford served three terms as City Councillor from 2000 until October 2010. Ford was elected mayor in 2012 with 383,501 votes (47%). 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. 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 The Toronto Transit Commission Labour Disputes Resolution Act in February 2011 and it became law in March 2011. 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.

His first budget (2011) was balanced with no increase in taxes. A planned TTC hike was cancelled after Ford objected to it. 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. Before the 2014 budget, Ford's office staff was shrunk and his responsibilities and committee controls were reduced.

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

Health and death 
A week after being hospitalized for an abdominal tumor, Ford was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a type of cancer. 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. The day after, on March 22, 2016, Ford died from the disease at a hospital in Toronto. He was aged 46.

References

Other websites 
 Toronto Mayor Rob Ford 

1969 births
2016 deaths
Cancer deaths in Ontario
Deaths from liposarcoma
Mayors of Toronto
Politicians from Toronto