Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and his councillor brother are in trouble with a council watchdog again, this time for disparaging the medical officer of health on their Sunday radio show.
The mayor and Councillor Doug Ford criticized Dr. David McKeown on their Newstalk 1010 program on April 29 for a $60,000 report his office prepared recommending the city lower speed limits to protect pedestrians
Toronto’s integrity commissioner is recommending that council formally rule that Doug Ford broke the Councillor’s Code of Conduct and consider reprimanding him because the councillor refused to apologize.
In the mayor’s case, the integrity commissioner is only recommending a finding of fault, not a reprimand, because Mr. Ford sent a retraction letter shortly before the watchdog’s conclusions went public.
On the radio show, the brothers told listeners they disagreed with the MOH’s idea, then went on to criticize him as an overpaid “embarrassment” who had overstepped his bounds.
Doug Ford called Dr. McKeown “this guy” and twice asked, “Why does he still have a job?”
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A caller towards the end of the show criticized the mayor for his comments about Dr. McKeown, pointing out that no other doctor would take the post for less than $280,000.
“I appreciate your call, but it’s actually over $300,000, so I guess we are going to agree to disagree, but you know what, that’s the great thing about democracy and I appreciate your calling in,” the mayor said.
Dr. McKeown’s salary is $294,302, according to the provincial sunshine list.