Doug Ford will not make Ontario PC leadership bid

In what he called the “most difficult decision of [his] entire life,” Doug Ford says he will not run for the Ontario PC party leadership.

In an interview with CityNews, Ford said he will run for leader of Ontario’s PC party only if the party doesn’t win in four years.

In the meantime, the outgoing Toronto councillor said his business will be his priority for the time being.

“I love politics. I love serving the people,” Ford said.

“I think at this stage of my life I have to take a little break.”

Ford said he deliberated until Wednesday night, announcing his decision at a news conference outside his company’s office in Etobicoke on Thursday morning.

There are five contenders in the provincial race so far including Christine Elliott, Lisa MacLeod, Vic Fedeli, Patrick Brown and Monte McNaughton.

Ford said he will support front-runner Elliott, the widow of Ford Family friend Jim Flaherty.

Though Ford spoke in favour of all five candidates, saying he has been in touch with all except Fedeli.

“I think they’re all fabulous candidates. They’ll be great premiers, each and every one of them.”

See the CityNews interview with Doug Ford below.

Ford replaced his ailing brother, Mayor Rob Ford, in Toronto’s mayoral race and finished a strong second in the mayoral election last month.

Ford said he will be aggressively campaigning to bring Ford Nation supporters to the PC party and to call for changes to the party.

“Be the party for the working-class people, that’s what we need to do,” Ford said.

“We have to start finding efficiencies. There’s billions of dollars’ worth of scandals. We need someone with a backbone.”

The leadership convention is slated for next May.

Ford also provided an update on his brother’s health.

Rob Ford was forced to drop out of the mayoral race in September when he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

He will undergo a fifth round of chemo, followed by radiation and surgery to break down the tumour, Ford said.

“I have total confidence in Mount Sinai,” Ford said of the hospital treating the mayor.

Ford added that they had seen record sales of the “Robbie Bobbie” bobble heads and will continue selling them throughout the holidays as a fundraising effort for Mount Sinai and Humber River Regional Hospital.