TORONTO

Just call it the Ford swap.

He stepped in for him when his brother couldn’t run for re-election as mayor, and now Doug Ford may be asked to do it again while Councillor Rob Ford takes sick leave for major surgery next month.

Worried about being out of commission for at least four months following surgery on his tumour, Rob Ford says he is pursuing the idea of having city council temporarily appoint his brother as Ward 2 councillor until he is ready to come back.

“I am going to ask the city manager about it to see if it is possible,” he told the Toronto Sun Thursday. “But I really wont be able to do much after May 11th until September and the constituents need service.”

Doug, he said, is perfect since he just spent four years as the Ward 2 councillor while Rob Ford was serving as mayor.

“He knows the ward and knows the city,” said Rob. “He is also the only one I can trust.”

The questions arose after his health update news conference outside of Mount Sinai Hospital when Doug Ford said he would “take care of” Ward 2 constituents while Rob is healing. It’s unclear in the Municipal Act if Doug Ford would be legally permitted to take care of an elected councillor’s constituents or if an exception could be made to allow him to fill in.

But Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti said he will “spearhead” the idea since “when I was off in 2013 for almost a year because of brain surgery, not very much got done in Ward 7 and that was not fair to the constituents.”

Doug Ford said he “would be honoured” to do it on his brother’s behalf and the “great people” of Ward 2. However, he said, he was not sure about the rules.

“It might mean council would have to have Rob step down temporarily, appoint me for the short term, and then re-appoint him once he is better,” Doug said Thursday night.

Toronto Sun City Hall bureau chief Don “Pistol” Peat tells me the previous council filled three vacant seats with temporary appointments — Peter Leon to take over Doug Holyday’s seat, Ceta Ramkhalawansingh to replace Adam Vaughan, and James Maloney to replace Peter Milczyn.

Mammoliti says there should be a precedent set that would not force Ford from having to resign his seat.

Rob Ford said the important thing is the constituents.

“We need to keep our eye on every dime,” he said. “Doug does that very well.” Not only would the constituents be OK with it, he added, but so would some members of council.

“I had a few say to me that Doug should do it because they did not want to see me doing calls when I am supposed to be recovering,” he said.

Speaking of council, the former mayor said he was “touched” by the “outpouring” of support he received Thursday when returning from the medical appointment that confirmed he will have surgery May 11 to remove a cancerous tumour.

“I really thought a lot of people on council hated me and I guess some do politically. They are good people. I mean, I don’t get along politically with Joe Mihevc or John Filion but they are good guys. That said, I teased them that while they have me under during the surgery, maybe they would put in even more anaesthesia.” Needless to say, Rob Ford was in a good mood on the eve of the Easter weekend.

“I feel like I have a million pounds lifted off my shoulders,” he said. “I am glad the tumour shrunk enough for them to give me a shot.” He admits, though, that when he was walking to the scrum of reporters, he was sombre and emotional.

“I know this operation is very serious,” he said.

One of his concerns, and the reason for any grimace he may have had, is the possibility that when they do open up his abdominal area, cancer cells could spread.

“I was told that but there are four doctors and they are going to work quickly,” he said. “I really don’t have a choice. It is either have the surgery or die.”

He asked to thank all the people who have been rooting for him.

“I plan to be back and serve the people,” he said.

In the meantime, Ford said he’s hopeful there is a way to allow the previous elected councillor in Ward 2, his brother, to sit in his council chair while he heals.

Kind of a rent-a-Ford.

joe.warmington@sunmedia.ca