Rob Ford “has a diet” and has started working out, according to his brother Doug Ford, who insists the embattled mayor is “turning the corner.”

Addressing the cameras outside Rob Ford’s office for the first time since the mayor’s stunning crack admission, Doug Ford said his brother is “dealing with” his “personal issues.”

“He came by last night after a good workout. I think it’s his third or fourth workout. He spoke to some folks over the weekend,” the councillor said. “I’m confident Rob is turning the corner.”

The ordinarily outspoken councillor appeared subdued as he recalled the shock he felt that last Tuesday, when he learned about his brother’s surprise confession.

“It was like getting hit with a sledgehammer,” Doug Ford said. “It was terrible.”

Although the mayor has said he kept his crack use a secret from his brother, the councillor said on Wednesday, “I do trust him.”

“He was ashamed. He was embarrassed — he said that publicly. I don’t know what more outside of flogging him...” he said, trailing off. “He’s apologized profusely. I don’t know how many more times he can apologize. He’s telling the folks what he is doing to correct the issue, and he has to move forward.”

Doug Ford disagrees with the loud chorus of voices urging the mayor to step aside.

“Rob is again talking to some folks. He doesn’t want to be stepping aside for two weeks, sitting around. He needs to keep busy. He did 114 calls the other day. He needs to keep doing that,” Doug Ford said.

With a motion expected to come before council tomorrow urging the mayor to take a leave, apologize to residents and cooperate with police in their ongoing investigation, the councillor predicted the meeting will be “a flogging.”

The mayor’s staff have indicated that he intends to make the motion, forwarded by Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, one of his key items, which would vault it to the top of the agenda, and open the mayor to questions.

Doug Ford called Minnan-Wong, who is a member of the mayor’s executive committee, “the biggest opportunist down here.”

“Why doesn’t he come out and tell people the truth? Why doesn’t he come out and say, ‘I’m running for mayor and this is why I’m doing this,’” he said.

Minnan-Wong said he has not made “any final decision” about whether he will throw his hat in the mayoral race, and is “not considering anything right now except tomorrow’s council meeting.”

“There is nothing more important than dealing with tomorrow’s motion. Everything else is a distraction,” he said, adding, “I’m not going to get into name-calling.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

“Councillor Ford should spend more time focusing on how to help his brother than attacking other members of council,” he said.

With files from Jane Gerster

Read more about: