Doug Ford says John Tory 'not prepared to be mayor'

Doug Ford took some broad swipes at John Tory on Wednesday afternoon, deriding his mayoral rival's employment background, his experience in politics and even his ability to understand what goes on at city hall.

"John Tory is a man who is out of touch. He's a guy who doesn’t understand the job of the mayor and doesn't understand city hall," Ford said, when speaking to reporters at his campaign headquarters in Etobicoke.

Ford then unveiled a campaign stunt called Take John Tory To Work Day, which he designated to be Friday. The idea is to give Tory a better education of what goes on at city hall.

The attack on Tory was a continuation of Ford's criticisms of the mayoral front-runner from Tuesday's debate. 

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It stems from a question Ford asked Tory about which committee was responsible for purchasing, and how many standing committees there were at city hall. Tory did not know the answer to either question.

"John, please come to work for a day and I'll show you how to get things down. I'd also encourage the people of this city, the hard-working teachers, nurses, police officers, electricians, mechanics and plant workers: invite John Tory to your work. Show John what it means to put in an honest day's work," he said.

But this news conference was a much more punishing take down of Tory's career than anything previous — beginning with Tory's first job after he graduated from university.

Ford claimed that Tory was handed his first job out of law school as an aide to former premier Bill Davis because his family was wealthy.

"It's who John Tory and the Torys are that got him his position," bellowed Ford. "He's one of them who gets parachuted into top jobs because of his last name and thinks he can just go and become mayor. He has to do the work there and do his time."

He also took shots at Tory's work at Rogers and the CFL. Ford accused Tory of not knowing anything about football and increasing Rogers customers' phone bills.

Tory campaign responds

Ford made his remarks just a day after he participated in his first mayoral debate since registering to run for mayor.

Tory's campaign co-chair shot back on Twitter directly after the Ford remarks. Bob Richardson called Oct. 27, election day, "take out the trash day" in reference to the Ford brothers.

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Ford joined the mayoral race at the last minute after his brother, Mayor Rob Ford, withdrew from the campaign after doctors found a tumour in his abdomen.

The mayor has since been diagnosed with liposarcoma, a rare type of cancer. He has completed an initial round of chemotherapy.

Doug Ford has spent a single term serving as city councillor for Ward 2.

That's the ward his brother represented for a decade and where Rob Ford is now running as a candidate for councillor once again.