Canada’s most famous (some would say infamous) politician, former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, says he will run for the post again if he recovers from cancer.
Ford is currently suffering from a rare and aggressive form of the disease and is scheduled for a fifth round of chemotherapy next week.
He announced his intentions to a Toronto television station on Wednesday.
Ford returned to city hall as a councillor last month after dropping re-election bid earlier this year because of the cancer diagnosis.
Ford, who is 45, was first elected Toronto’s mayor in 2010
He became embroiled in a substance abuse scandal last year. His problems were widely reported in the national and international media and was the subject to jokes by comedians on late-night talk shows in the United States.
He first denied the allegations, but a 2013 Toronto Police Service gang investigation led to police discovering videos of Ford. He then admitted to all of the incidents, including public drunkenness, drinking and driving, and illegal drug use. Ford admitted to smoking crack cocaine “probably in one of my drunken stupors.” He later entered a rehab program.
In Wednesday’s statement, Mr. Ford expressed remorse for his behaviour, saying it was all his own fault and he now has to move on.
The next municipal election is in four years.
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