The widow of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford will be running in the upcoming federal election.
The People’s Party of Canada, under the leadership of Maxime Bernier, confirmed Renata Ford will be running as a candidate in Etobicoke North.
“I’ve gotten to know the community well,” she said on Friday. “They have supported me and my husband over the time and I would like to support them and give back.”
“As a proud Canadian and a mother of two young children I have deep concerns of what the future holds for Etobicoke North and for Canada.”
When asked about any past experience in politics, Renata Ford said “I have a political background. I have worked with my husband so I think that qualifies me.”
Back in 2016, Renata Ford was arrested at a plaza near her Etobicoke home and charged with impaired driving. She pleaded guilty to the charge and was handed a suspended sentence, including three years of probation and a two year driving ban, last year.
Renata Ford had two previous convictions as well, one dating back to 1997 when she refused to provide a breath sample and the other to 2005 for impaired driving.
Dennis Morris, a lawyer representing Renata Ford in 2016, said the latest incident happened when she and her young children were dealing with their first Christmas without their dad and her husband. Morris stated her client is now “completely free of alcohol and Valium.”
After the court proceedings, Renata Ford apologized for her actions and said she was ready to “start a new life.”
Her late husband was the mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. He died of a rare form of cancer, liposarcoma, in March of 2016 at the age of 46.
Bernier is expected to officially announce his party’s candidates for Toronto and surrounding regions on Friday afternoon at The Royal Canadian Military Institute in Toronto.
The federal election is set to take place on October 21.
