Toronto

9 of Rob Ford's recent public apologies

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has made a series of apologies since reports were first raised in May that someone had been shopping a video that allegedly showed him smoking crack cocaine.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford arrives at city hall as he invites a group of school children into his office in Toronto, Friday December 13, 2013. (Mark Blinch/Canadian Press)

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been forced to apologize for various behaviours and off-colour or insulting remarks since the so-called crack video scandal broke in May.

Some of Ford's apologies:

  • Dec. 18: Ford apologizes for a second time in as many days to Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale for remarks in a televised interview that Dale and the newspaper interpreted as a suggestion that the reporter was a pedophile. "I wholly retract my statements and apologize to Mr. Dale without reservation for what I said," Ford said in a statement. "There is absolutely no basis for the statement I made about Daniel Dale taking pictures of children or any insinuations I made," Ford added. The mayor retracted other statements, including that Dale had been found "lurking" or "leering" near his property. Dale accepted the apology and dropped his legal action against Ford. 
  • Dec. 17: Ford offered his initial apology to Dale. "I do not believe Mr. Dale is a pedophile nor did I intend to suggest that in my comments," Ford said in a statement read during a council meeting. "I wish to sincerely apologize again to Mr. Dale if my actual words have caused him any harm or personal offence."
  • Dec. 17: Reluctantly apologized for suggesting members of council were "corrupt." He initially said he withdrew his comments, but speaker Frances Nunziata said he needed to apologize. "How about, 'I am so sorry,"' Ford said sarcastically. "Is that as good as I apologize? Or, 'So sorry?' Which one do you want, Madam Speaker? Like, 'Super, super, super, super, super, super, super sorry? So sorry?"'
  • Nov. 18: Apologizes for running into Coun. Pam McConnell and knocking her over during a council meeting to strip the mayor of most of his powers. "It was a complete accident," Ford said. "I do sincerely apologize to you, Coun. McConnell."
  • Nov. 14: Apologizes for crude remarks he made earlier that day in which he denied offering a former female staffer oral sex, saying he had "more than enough to eat at home." Later that day, Ford said: "I want to apologize for my graphic remarks this morning."
  • Nov. 8: Appears ashamed while delivering a statement in response to a video that surfaced of a rambling, enraged Ford in a profanity-laced tirade in which he threatens to kill someone. "Obviously, I was extremely, extremely inebriated," he said. "I've made mistakes. I don't know what to say."
  • Nov. 5: Apologizes after admitting he had indeed smoked crack cocaine, likely in one of his drunken stupors. "I know what I did was wrong and admitting it was the most difficult and embarrassing thing I have ever had to do," he said. "To the residents of Toronto, I know I have let you down. And I can't do anything else but apologize, and apologize."
  • Nov. 3: Apologizes on his now-cancelled weekly radio show on Newstalk1010 for making mistakes including appearing in public while "hammered" and texting while driving.
  • May 27: Apologizes to reporters for calling them a "bunch of maggots" during his radio show. "I'm sure you understand this has been a very stressful week for myself and my family, but that doesn't justify using the terminology I did in describing the media," Ford said. "I sincerely apologize to each and every one of you."

With files from CBC News