Deputy mayor Doug Holyday is denying reports that Rob Ford has an alcohol problem.
Holyday spoke to reporters outside Ford’s office Tuesday morning, and told them he did not believe the allegations, which were reported earlier in the day in the Toronto Star.
“No, I don’t believe the allegations,” said Holyday, who admitted that he had not read the Star article.
“I think the story would have a lot more credibility, first off, if it had the names of the individuals who are making the accusations attached to it,” he continued.
“I think that would probably clear up a lot of things, and we could see where this is going.”
The deputy mayor likened the drinking allegations to Ford’s recent court cases, which Holyday said were brought against the mayor by political opponents bent on removing him from office.
“There are people that do not like our agenda. There’s a strong left contingent in the city of Toronto, and on council, that don’t want us to continue with the things that we’ve been doing. But we’re not going to be curtailed by those people.”
Asked whether Ford was an alcoholic, Holyday said he had never seen anything that would lead him to believe the mayor has a drinking problem.
“I’ve never seen the mayor take a drink. I’ve never seen his brother take a drink. That’s not to say they don’t do it…but I’ve not seen them.”
Holyday said he had not yet spoken with the mayor Tuesday morning.
Ford is scheduled to appear at a ceremony at City Hall at 11 am, where he is supposed to present legendary boxer George Chuvalo with a key to the city.
