A new poll suggests Rob Ford’s return to Toronto after a two-month leave of absence to receive treatment for substance abuse was not exactly triumphant.

Sixty-one per cent of Toronto voters watched or listened to the mayor’s post-rehab speech Monday. But of those, 60 per cent weren’t satisfied with his apologies for drinking, drug abuse and a long list of offensive behaviour, the poll suggests.

Of that 61 per cent who tuned in, only a third surveyed were satisfied with the mayor’s remarks, which he delivered Monday at city hall. Three per cent had no opinion.

Forum Research conducted its interactive voice response telephone survey of 1,182 randomly selected Torontonians age 18 or older on Wednesday, two days after Ford’s return.

In his speech, Ford said he has learned to take responsibility for his actions and realizes he has a “chronic medical condition that will require treatment for the rest of my life.” He reimbursed the city $15,469.36 — his net pay while on leave. He earns $177,499 annually.

In the Forum poll, one-third of those surveyed believed Ford can be an effective mayor, while 61 per cent indicated that Ford’s alcoholism renders him an ineffective mayor. Just 26 per cent said they expected the mayor to stay clean and sober until election day on Oct. 27, compared with 57 per cent who think he will not.

The poll also suggests Ford’s popularity was not boosted by his return.

In a hypothetical five-way mayoral race, Olivia Chow drew the support of 36 per cent of poll respondents, while John Tory had 27 per cent and Ford 26 per cent. David Soknacki received 4 per cent, and 3 per cent of voters polled favored Karen Stintz. Four per cent were undecided.

Adam Goldenberg, a former Liberal speechwriter, said he’s not surprised Ford’s speech fell flat with many people.

Ford’s core base “will support him no matter what,” he said. “But I think for a lot of people … this contrite apology speech is an eerie echo of all the other contrite apology speeches he’s made.”

Goldenberg said Ford should not have started out in apology mode and then launched into a campaign-style speech.

“By mixing the two, he cheapens the apology by going on the attack, and he undermines the attack by starting off all tearful. Pick one. I don’t think either gets him across the finish line in first place.”

The results of the Forum poll are considered accurate plus or minus 3 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Subsample results will be less accurate.

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