Mayoral candidate Rob Ford at the Pug Awards held at the AGO in June.Della Rollins
Rob Ford's long-held belief in traditional marriage has exploded into a campaign issue now that he has endorsed the views of a fundamentalist Christian pastor who suggested online that same-sex marriage could "dismantle" a "healthy democratic civilization."
"We're together. We have the same thoughts," Mr. Ford said at a news conference with Pastor Wendell Brereton, who abandoned his candidacy for mayor to run for council and endorse Mr. Ford.
"I support traditional marriage. I always have," Mr. Ford added. "But if people want to, to each their own. I'm not worried about what people do in their private life. I look out for taxpayers' money."
Mr. Ford's comments, which drew swift condemnation from his mayoral rivals, raise questions about what it would mean for this city to elect a mayor who isn't a cheerleader for gay marriage. Toronto is, after all, a pioneering gay wedding destination that is preparing to host World Pride 2014, the planet's largest celebration of queer culture.
"If he [Mr. Ford]becomes mayor, he can make the city far less gay-friendly than it currently is," said Tracey Sandilands, executive director of Pride Toronto. "It would hurt the city financially, without a doubt."
Mr. Ford's views emerged during a reciprocal endorsement Wednesday with Mr. Brereton, a former Ontario Provincial Police officer who now preaches at the Glorious Church-Faith Temple, a multiethnic Christian congregation near Regent Park. Under the heading "my opponents" on his mayoral website, the pastor wrote: "Men who don't truly comprehend the reality of the importance of the God defined family will dismantle the very ethical fibers of what a healthy democratic civilization is."
He later told The Globe and Mail the comment was a shot at George Smitherman, the mayoral candidate who is married to Christopher Peloso. The pair have an adopted son. "That line definitely was a reference to George Smitherman, yes," Mr. Brereton said.
By the time the news conference ended, the controversial comment had been removed from Mr. Brereton's website. He said it was taken down from the "mayoralty website" because it wasn't relevant in Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore, where he registered to run Wednesday. The old version of his website also said, "My Toronto doesn't have businesses or festivals that promote sex tourism," and "My kind of Toronto doesn't parade immorality and call it pride." Both comments have vanished from the new version of his site.
It appeared Mr. Ford was backing away from Mr. Brereton when the Ford campaign removed a tweet declaring support for the pastor from its official Twitter feed. But a campaign spokeswoman said it was an error and the tweet was back up by midafternoon. Mr. Ford has gone to lengths to prove he's not a homophobe, apologizing repeatedly on the trail for his 2006 statement that, "If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn't get AIDS probably."
"We're seeing the real Rob Ford," said Mike Smith, spokesman for Joe Pantalone, the deputy mayor. "It's also a revelation for Rob Ford as he's finding out that running to lead a huge, diverse city such as Toronto is about more than simply promising to cut things."
Mr. Ford's brother and campaign manager, Doug Ford, said, that Mr. Brereton is a good man but he personally doesn't agree with him. Asked if his views on gay marriage differ from his brother's, Doug Ford insisted they were the same because both believe that when "someone calls, you show up at the door" - regardless of sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.
However, he said the incident has made it less likely the candidate will formally endorse any other would-be councillors.