Renata Ford, the wife of late Toronto mayor Rob Ford, is vying for a seat in the upcoming federal election for Maxime Bernier鈥檚 People鈥檚 Party of Canada.
Ford will run in Toronto鈥檚 Etobicoke North riding, which has been held by Liberal cabinet minister Kirsty Duncan since 2008. Ford鈥檚 brother-in-law Ontario Premier Doug Ford currently represents the riding on the provincial level.
During a press conference on Friday, Ford said she was energized by Bernier鈥檚 leadership and policy plans.
鈥淗aving respect for Canadian taxpayers, boosting our economy are the two most important issues facing Canadians. For these reasons and many others, I have been drawn to the People鈥檚 Party of Canada,鈥� she told the crowd assembled in Toronto.
Ford is one of 39 candidates in the Greater Toronto Area running with Bernier鈥檚 upstart party, which bills itself as a more conservative alternative to Andrew Scheer鈥檚 Conservative Party. She indicated that she did not inform Doug Ford, who publicly supports Scheer, about her decision before announcing her candidacy.
"We're a family and we stick together when the times are tough, but we have different opinions. He's his own man and I'm my own person. Rob and Doug are very different people and ... we stand up for what we believe in," she said.
"We discuss certain things and certain things we keep private."
Speaking through a spokesperson, Doug Ford said he wishes everyone luck in the 2019 federal election.
As the spokesperson for the party鈥檚 Metro Toronto candidates, Renata Ford took aim at the ruling Liberals who she said were 鈥渕arred in scandals,鈥� despite her own experience with scandals during her husband鈥檚 tumultuous tenure as mayor, which included a shocking confession in 2013 that he smoked crack cocaine.
鈥淲ith the federal government marred in scandals and with ever-escalating budget deficits, which translates into more and more taxes, wasteful spending and a government that absolutely has no respect for the taxpayers, I felt it was time for me to step up and run for public office,鈥� she said.
Ford also alluded to her own personal struggles following her husband鈥檚 death from cancer in 2016. In 2018, she pleaded guilty to an impaired driving charge from two years earlier. Last year, she filed a $16-million lawsuit against Rob Ford鈥檚 brothers, including Doug Ford, relating to the management of her late-husband鈥檚 estate. The matter is still before the courts.
鈥淚 have worked and served the great constituents of Etobicoke North side-by-side with my husband Rob Ford for the past 20 years in an informal behind-the-scenes capacity,鈥� she said. 鈥淎fter a period of trials and tribulations, I鈥檓 healthier and I鈥檓 more ready than ever. The time is right for me now to run to be a member of parliament for Etobicoke North.鈥�
A spokesperson for the PPC said in an emailed statement Friday that 鈥淩enata is excited to give a voice back to the people of Etobicoke North.鈥� Bernier called the candidates gathered around him at the announcement a 鈥済reat team鈥� and said they鈥檙e in 鈥渢he game.鈥�
The PPC leader also dismissed earlier criticism that he was founding a 鈥渙ne-man party鈥� by pointing to his fellow candidates.
鈥淟ook, with these men and women and people who believe in the freedom of ideas, I鈥檓 not alone and we won鈥檛 be alone,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 won鈥檛 be the only one elected the 21st of October.鈥�
Bernier added that his party has more than 271 candidates across the country who are already approved by Elections Canada and they will have a full field of 338 candidates before the end of July.
The PPC leader founded the country鈥檚 newest national party in 2018 following a public split with the Conservatives over policy issues, such as supply management in Canada鈥檚 dairy and poultry industry.
With files from Graham Slaughter
