Councillor Rob Ford Under Fire Over AIDS Comments

His mouth is as legendary as his lack of office spending. And now Councillor Rob Ford is in hot water again at Toronto City Hall after making controversial comments about the money being spent for the fight against AIDS.

Ford is angry that the city is doling out $1.5 million in taxpayer cash to help prevent the disease, arguing most people don’t have to worry about acquiring the ailment unless they’re gay or intravenous drug users.

“It is very preventable,” he spouted in his typically bombastic fashion.   “If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn’t get AIDS probably, that’s bottom line.”

“These are the facts,” he added when asked if he backed his earlier comments.

According to the United Nations, the majority of those affected with AIDS are heterosexual, non-drug users.  

Councillor Kyle Rae, who’s gay and chairs the Investment Committee, calls Ford’s comments ‘astounding’.

“On council you want to be informed when you open your mouth.   You don’t want to sound or look stupid, but this man goes out of his way to look and sound like a ignorant hayseed.”

Mayor David Miller wasn’t as vitriolic in his criticism of Ford, but he did point out what the councillor doesn’t seem willing to accept.

“The facts speak for themselves,” said Miller.   “And the facts are clear. The single biggest group in which AIDS is growing is women.”

Ford’s response to that fact was somewhat predictable.

“How are women getting it? Maybe they are sleeping with bi-sexual men,” he responded.

Ford’s pronouncements have gotten him into big trouble before.

On April 15th, the Ward 2 politician got drunk at a Leaf game and began spouting a range of obscenities at those sitting near him.

He initially denied even being there, but later came clean, apologizing for his behaviour and admitting he was “both embarrassed and humiliated by the whole series of events.”

He later blamed it on one too many beers and promised it would never happen again.