Rob Ford's Vaughan fundraiser on hold

Yorkregion.com
May 2, 2014
By Adam Martin-Robbins

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s fundraiser, which was set for next Thursday in Vaughan, has been postponed until June or July, a spokesperson from his campaign office confirmed this morning.

The original May 8 event at the Riviera Parque Banquet and Convention Centre will go ahead at a later date and all tickets that have been sold will be honoured on that later date.

The move comes after Mr. Ford announced late Wednesday he is taking a leave of absence from his duties as mayor and his re-election campaign to seek professional help for alcohol abuse.

Reports are that he has entered a 30-day treatment program.

That announcement came in the wake of a new video allegedly showing him smoking crack cocaine and further reports of lewd behaviour.

Video stills posted online by The Globe and Mail show Mr. Ford holding what appears to be a small metal pipe in his right hand, in one frame looking through narrowed eyes in the direction of the camera or cellphone.

In a second revelation, The Toronto Sun posted audio of the mayor who appears apparently intoxicated.

That was captured in an Etobicoke bar.

Mr. Ford can be heard swearing and lewdly commenting about several municipal and provincial politicians.

Mr. Ford announced Wednesday he was taking a leave of absence from his duties as mayor and from his campaign for re-election.

The Vaughan event was to be Mr. Ford’s first campaign fundraiser with tickets costing $300, according to a letter sent from his campaign team.

Revelations that Mr. Ford was holding a fundraising event outside Toronto surprised many people. But, according to social geographer Trevor McKenzie-Smith who analyzed Mr. Ford’s 2010 campaign, 33.5 per cent of his funding - or $623,000 - came from around the GTA.

And many of those who contributed were not eligible to vote for him because they lived in other municipalities.

The Fords have used robocalls to invite people from the 905 area to previous free community barbecues the family has held.