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On the sprawling stage of Toronto’s Prayer Palace mega-church, Doug Ford stood solemnly as Pastor Paul Melnichuk blessed him and his bid to be Ontario Progressive Conservative leader.

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“I’m sensing a deep and profound anointing,” Melnichuk told his flock in the dramatic cadence of the evangelical preacher. Behind them, the scene was broadcast on a towering video screen.

“Because of your prayer and your light, God’s hand will rest upon Mr. Ford.”

As the anointing ceremony ended, the giant screen filled with the words FordforLeader.com, the website where the former city councilor had earlier urged the congregation to sign up as Tory members.

“Go online … register, register your family and friends, because that’s the only way we can make a change in this province,” Ford told them. “And we will make sure — I can guarantee you we’ll make sure — the church has a voice. All the time.”

The event four weeks ago underlined Ford’s determined outreach to social conservatives — and success at doing so — despite a controversy in this case with echoes of the #MeToo movement.