Reporters spent the day in lock-up reviewing the Liberal budget plan but the only questions they wanted to ask Opposition Leader Tim Hudak was about Rob Ford.
Hudak refused to answer several pointed questions about Ford and comments the mayor made at a bar earlier this week.
The mayor was surreptitiously recorded and an audio recording was released by the Toronto Sun Wednesday night.
Ford can be heard blasting Hudak for his support of the gay community. He said Hudak had lost his vote after he agreed to raise the Pride flag at Queen’s Park. Ford himself unsuccessfully fought the request to put up the flag outside Toronto city hall.
Hudak was asked several times if he would condemn the mayor’s anti-gay remarks but each time, the PC leader refused to specifically address the comments heard on the tape, saying he has been focused on the budget and hasn’t had time to hear the mayor’s words for himself.
However, he said he stands by his decision to support the raising of the flag at Queen’s Park.
“What we did was the right thing,” he said looking at his finance critic, Vic Fideli who was standing by his side, ready to field comments about the budget.
Hudak would only allude to Ford’s admitted substance abuse issues and the fact that the mayor, after months of denial, finally announced Wednesday night that he would seek treatment.
“I’ve made my comments several months ago,” he said.
“What I said then stands today. If I was in those shoes, I’d put my family and friends first. But I’ve got a job to do,” he said before returning to the subject of the budget.
The veteran politican’s amusement and frustration was visible after he was asked for the tenth time to be specific in his reaction towards Ford.
“Where do you stand on homophobia?” asked a reporter with the Globe and Mail.
“Jeez,” Hudak responded, laughing. “Obviously I don’t stand for that.”
“OK, where do you stand on people who make homophobic remarks?” asked the same reporter.
“We took a stand because it was the right thing to do,” Hudak said after a brief pause. “I’m not going to play a game here and say more than what I said.”
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