Mayoral candidate John Tory is lashing out at Doug Ford for saying that a man who filed a complaint against him with the city’s integrity commissioner can “go to hell” and for suggesting that political opponents are waging a “jihad” against him and his brother.
Tommy Lenathen filed a complaint against the councillor last month after Ford suggested that a home for youth with developmental disabilities in Etobicoke was “ruining” the neighbourhood during a community meeting.
In his complaint, Lenathen, who has a son with autism, said that Ford’s comments were highly inappropriate and that he should apologize to the staff of the Griffin Centre, seek sensitivity training and resign from council.
Ford, who is not running for re-election in the fall, has defended his comments and told the Toronto Sun on Thursday that he doesn’t “even care” about the complaint and that Lenathen can “go to hell.”
Ford’s comments came after Lenathen showed up at city hall and distributed copies of his complaint to reporters.
Tory, who is running against Doug Ford’s brother Rob Ford, issued a statement Friday morning denouncing the comments.
“Coun. Doug Ford's comments about the father of an autistic boy are disgraceful and totally unacceptable for an elected official - let alone the mayor's campaign manager and closest confidante,” Tory said in a statement issued Friday morning. “I’m proud of my track record working to help people and families living with autism as well as my record promoting diversity and social inclusion. Toronto needs a leader who can work with city council and with the provincial and federal governments to get results on these issues and others that face our city, including transit and fighting traffic congestion.”
Speaking with CP24 on Friday, Doug Ford said that the complaint filed by Lenathen is just “politics” and defended his record in the community.
If Integrity Commissioner Janet Leiper investigates Ford’s comments and finds he violated the code of conduct he could be formally reprimanded by council or have his pay suspended for up to 90 days.
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