Toronto Mayor Rob Ford leans back in laughter while chatting with Frank DiGiorgio, left; John Filion, second right; and his brother, Doug Ford, right, on July 7, 2014. Ford was attending his first council meeting since stepping away in April to attend a Muskoka-area rehab facility.FRED LUM/The Globe and Mail
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who has admitted to using illegal drugs, says he is still able to enter the United States, despite abruptly withdrawing an application to enter the country in May.
The mayor, who marked his official return to city council Monday morning, was asked by reporters whether he's still able to fly south of the border. Under U.S. law, Canadian citizens can be turned away from entering the country for the admission of having broken the law – even if the individual has never been criminally charged.
"Yes, I can," the mayor said to reporters on his ability to fly to the country.
When a reporter followed up by asking why he withdrew his application to enter the U.S. after flying to Chicago in May, Mr. Ford declined to respond.
After Mr. Ford announced he was taking a leave of absence to address his substance-abuse issues, he boarded a private plane to Chicago. But the Consul-General of Canada in Chicago told The Globe and Mail that the mayor submitted, then withdrew his application to enter the country.
The mayor then turned around and returned to Canada, where he entered a rehab program in Muskoka.
In addition to his admissions of having smoked crack cocaine and other illegal drugs, the mayor also pleaded guilty to drunk driving in Florida in 1999.
Mr. Ford made his comments as he walked into his first official council meeting since returning to City Hall. Council is meeting Monday for a special session to appoint new councillors for Ward 20 (which Adam Vaughan vacated to eventually win a federal seat for the Liberals) and Ward 5 (where Peter Milczyn has since been elected as a Liberal MPP).
Ann Hui