Doug Ford and his sister-in-law Renata Ford arrive at the Humber River Hospital in Toronto, Thursday, Sept.11, 2014. Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is denying allegations that he mishandled the estate of his late brother Rob Ford, causing financial harm to the late mayor's widow and two children. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim

TORONTO— Doug Ford says his sister-in-law is using his political situation to advance a $16 million lawsuit and he is denying that he is shorting her by millions and overseeing the collapse of the family business.

The man vying to become Ontario’s next premier is accused of breach of trust, negligence, conspiracy and breach of common law and statutory duty in relation to the management of his brother Rob’s estate as well as his father’s estate and the Fords’ business Deco Labels and Tags.

Former Toronto mayor Rob Ford’s widow, Renata Ford, makes the accusations in a lawsuit that also names Doug’s brother Randy Ford. The allegations are in relation to Doug and Randy’s management of Rob’s estate and their company.

The suit was first reported by the Toronto Sun followed in quick succession by the Toronto Star. The statement of claim was filed on Friday. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

[READ MORE: Rob Ford discusses drug use, says he drank on the job as mayor]

In statements provided to iPolitics, the Progressive Conservative leader and his mother reject the allegations.

“These claims relating to Deco are completely false and we will strongly refute them in court. I have also stood by my brother and his family through so many of their challenging times, and will always be there for Stephanie and Dougie,” reads the statement from Doug.

Voters in Ontario will choose their new government on Thursday. Opinion polls show Ford’s Progressive Conservatives with the upper hand in a close race with the NDP.

Doug’s statement also accuses Renata of trying to use the sensitive political timing against him. “Renata’s lawyers have been clear to us throughout this campaign, that either we hand over money, or they would go public with these false claims, and that is exactly what they have done, with three days to go until the election,” he said in the statement.

The party also issued a statement from Diane Ford, Doug’s mother and the grandmother to Renata and Rob’s two children.

“It is heartbreaking that Renata has chosen to bring forward these false and baseless allegations against our family, right in the middle of the provincial election campaign. As a family, our one goal is to ensure Rob’s children are cared for and their financial futures are secure. Renata has serious struggles with addiction, and our hope is that she will accept help for the sake of herself and my grandchildren,” she said.

Rob Ford’s own struggles with addiction largely derailed his one-term mayoralty in which he infamously admitted to smoking crack cocaine and spent time in rehab.

[READ MORE: A timeline of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s ‘crack video’ scandal]

The statement of claim accuses Doug and Randy of acting “negligently as officers and directors of Deco Toronto and Deco Chicago” and says the two “grossly overcompensated themselves” while draining the company’s value and using their father’s estate to prop it up.

It also accuses Doug and Randy of mismanaging Doug Sr.’s estate and claims Doug, who is the trustee of Rob’s estate, hasn’t provided information to Renata relating to the estate.

It alleges Doug “knowingly and deliberately put [Renata and her two children] in a highly stressful and unfair financial position during their period of grief after Rob Ford’s death, and continued to do so for more than two years after Rob Ford’s death.”

The law firm handling the suit, Aird & Berlis, also employs former Tory leader Patrick Brown’s sister. Asked if she is connected to the lawsuit, Fiona Brown said “no, I don’t have any comment.”

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