Five more questions Rob Ford has yet to answer

TORONTO – Rob Ford is expected to make his return to Toronto city hall Monday after a two month absence to fight a “problem with alcohol.”

He’s scheduled a press conference for that afternoon, but his staff informed reporters they won’t be allowed to ask questions – and if they do, he won’t answer.

Well here are five questions we were planning to ask him at that press conference:

1. Was the treatment for more than a “problem with alcohol”?

Ford has spent the last two months in rehab for what he originally called a “problem with alcohol.” But, as he admitted in November, he’s also smoked crack. In the ruckus that followed his admission, he promised never to do it again, but was allegedly filmed again smoking what might be crack cocaine.

2. What were you doing hanging out in cottage country?

The mayor has been photographed dozens of times over the last two months posing with people in cottage country while he was supposed to be in an intensive treatment facility – a facility he told Joe Warmington was “amazing,” reminded him of football camp and apparently allowed him to continue calling constituents.

3. Why was Lee Anne McRobb driving your Cadillac Escalade?

McRobb was pulled over while driving Ford’s black Cadillac Escalade on a Tuesday afternoon in Bracebridge and charged with impaired driving.

She wasn’t charged with stealing the car and was apparently given permission to drive the SUV.

4. What about the recent allegations of influence peddling at city hall?

Allegations have emerged in the last two months that Rob and brother Doug Ford have used their influence at city hall to try and help a company, they were doing business with, secure city contracts.

The Globe and Mail alleged the mayor and his brother helped “lobby city staff” on behalf of the company.

5. Do you think Torontonians still trust you?

Rob Ford has lied about cussing at strangers at a Toronto Maple Leafs game, being charged with impaired driving in Florida, being drunk at the Taste of the Danforth, about how light rail transit would affect roads in Scarborough, and his use of crack cocaine.

Will Torontonians trust him again despite all of these incidents?

Bonus

Will you resign?

In the mayor’s prolonged absence, his brother Doug has been promising that the ongoing mayoral campaign “doesn’t start” until the mayor gets back. He’s also promised there are “tens of thousands” of people who are willing to volunteer for the Ford campaign.

A recent poll has Ford second among candidates behind only Olivia Chow but 58 per cent of respondents also wanted him to resign.

However, it looks like the mayor is unlikely to do so, and has said in the past the only poll that matters is on election day.

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