After days of speculation about his whereabouts, media reports have confirmed that Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is seeking treatment for substance abuse at a rehab clinic somewhere in North America.
An article posted on the CBC website notes that a supervising physician at an unnamed rehab facility has confirmed that Ford arrived at the clinic on the night of May 1 and has been enrolled in an in-patient program at the centre ever since.
The article notes that Ford left the facility on May 3 and was admitted to a local hospital for four days, before returning to the rehab centre on May 7.
The name of the doctor and the location of the facility was not named in the article.
Earlier on Friday, the mayor’s brother Coun. Doug Ford reportedly told the Toronto Sun that he would be releasing information regarding the mayor’s whereabouts and “put an end to all the speculation” surrounding the mayor’s location.
Rob Ford’s lawyer said last week that the mayor had checked into rehab to seek help for a substance abuse problem. However, after flying to Chicago, the mayor quietly returned to Canada, sparking questions over whether he had checked into a treatment centre.
Speculation was rife this week, after the mayor spoke to various media outlets and returned phone calls to constituents. Substance abuse counsellors have said that patients are generally limited from contacting the outside world so soon after being admitted into a facility.
However, Doug Ford has insisted the mayor is being treated, and needs privacy at this time.
The Sun also released a new video Friday, in which Rob Ford is heard slurring his words and using profanities at a Weston Road bar.
Ford is heard saying he’s in the “doghouse,” and he’s “going to a hotel.”
The video was reportedly recorded late last month.
