Former Mayor Rob Ford
By Siva Sivapragasam
Toronto’s former Mayor Rob Ford who battled many odds during his political career but could not fight his cancer passed away this morning.
Ford was forty-six at the time of his death and was suffering from a rare and aggressive cancer known as liposarcoma.
Rob Ford was better known as a ???people???s politician??? and built a name as a person accessible by anyone and would reach out to any of his constituents when they needed help.
He was elected mayor by a landslide victory in 2010 and became a hero among the city folk. He helped to wipe out a controversial vehicle-tax, privatized garbage collection and successfully convinced the council to abandon a light-rail transit plan in favour of an underground railway system for Scarborough.
Ford is remembered for his unique brand of politics and he tirelessly cultivated what was termed as a ???Ford Brand???. Ford also showed his interests in other ways too. He showed his dedication to the community by hosting a free Ford Fest barbeque event annually and by coaching a local high school football team.
Ford???s term of office as Mayor of Toronto ended when a scandal broke out in 2013 where he was caught in video allegedly smoking crack cocaine. Ford will be long remembered as a fighter who took ???no??? for an answer and bravely fought his opponents, the dreadful disease and never admitting defeat.
Rob Ford once told viewers on a you-tube program ???I am not an international celebrity,???. ???I???m an average hard-working guy that goes to work every day, comes home to their family, takes my kids out, and supports my wife and family.???
