The brother of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford believes the embattled leader of Canada's largest city should "go away for a couple weeks" to sort out his personal issues.
Doug Ford, a city councillor, was a guest on AM640's The John Oakley Show Friday morning, just a day after the Toronto Star published a video of his brother in an angry tirade.
Listen to the full interview
Doug Ford said he has mentioned to his brother that he should take a few weeks and go on a "little vacation" to get his mind together, but does not think he needs to go to rehab, specifically.
"Rob does not come in drunk, he doesn't come in hammered, Rob is not a crack addict," Doug said. "I'm not a naive brother."
Dennis Morris, the mayor's lawyer, told The Globe and Mail Friday that Rob Ford is seriously considering undergoing treatment for substance abuse.
Doug said the mayor isn't in denial about his drinking.
"But he's talking about being blacked out or being in such a stupor that he doesn't remember the incident,” Oakley pressed.
Doug conceded that kind of behaviour was unacceptable and that the mayor has shown a pattern of not fessing up to the truth. He said his brother could use some counselling.
"Does he need support on that end? Sure. I think he does. But does he go out and get hammered every night? No," Ford said.
Doug also lashed out at the mayor's political rivals — including Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong — whom he said are behaving in a "disgusting" manner by trying to "tap dance" on the mayor’s grave.
"Once he's down they want to try and kill him because they know if he gets back on his feet and he starts moving forward, and he loses weight and he gets his life together, they are going to have one heck of a battle on their hands," Doug said, referencing the 2014 municipal election.
The councillor also had choice words for the media, which he says is now in a "feeding frenzy."
"I've never seen someone get a flogging and a public beating and a public lynching like Rob has," Doug said. "And maybe deservedly so, I don't know."
Doug also called out CP24's Stephen LeDrew, who conducted a candid interview with Diane Ford, the matriarch of the Ford family, and the mayor's sister Kathy Ford on Thursday. Doug said he was "disappointed" the TV host did not inform him he was interviewing members of his family, calling it "dirty media."
"I feel he took advantage of my mother," Doug said.
And while the councillor maintains his brother never told him in advance about smoking crack cocaine, he says he still has a big reason to keep supporting him.
"That man is the most honest politician in the country when it comes to saving taxpayers money," he said.
Just hours later, NewsTalk 1010 announced the radio station and both Ford brothers had "mutually determined" to concluded broadcasts of The City, a weekly show hosted by the mayor and councillor.
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