Using his powers as mayor, Rob Ford (open Rob Ford's poilcard) nominated his brother, mayoral candidate Doug Ford (open Doug Ford's poilcard), to speak on behalf of the city at the opening ceremony of the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche festival Saturday night.

With only three weeks until the election, the move was condemned as “totally inappropriate” by Ford’s rivals.

Doug Ford was asked to speak as the “mayor’s office designate” in his ill brother’s stead, Ford’s spokesman Amin Massoudi said.

“The mayor sends designates to anything he is unable to attend. It is one of the powers of the mayor,” he said.

Saturday night’s opening ceremony of the annual all-night arts festival was held at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, a theatre that seats more than 2,000 people.

John Tory’s campaign spokeswoman, Amanda Galbraith, said Ford was breaking the rules by campaigning at a City of Toronto event.

“This is another example of Doug Ford acting like the rules just don’t apply to him,” she said.

“Doug Ford talks a good game about respect for taxpayers, but his actions tell a very different story. This sort of behaviour shows, yet again, that Doug Ford can’t lead.”

Olivia Chow’s campaign spokesman, Jamey Heath, agreed: “It is totally inappropriate and the deputy mayor should have represented the city,” he said.

However, Massoudi said the mayor was entitled to nominate any councillor to speak on his behalf when he was unable to attend an official event he had been invited to.

Doug Ford was not campaigning at the ceremony, Massoudi said.

“He is there on behalf of the city as a councillor. He is still a sitting member of council,” he said.

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