The other day, Toronto Mayoral candidate Doug Ford was asked about some slur against the Jewish community his brother Rob had previously made while serving as mayor. Doug responded by saying he understood the Jewish community because he has a “Jewish doctor, a Jewish dentist and a Jewish lawyer.”<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n This was greeted by jeers and laughter from the crowd, and pretty much immediately, John Tory, Ford\u2019s primary opponent, issued a statement accusing him of using \u201cthe classic refuge of racists, anti-Semites and homophobes\u201d when he said this.<\/p>\n The next day, Doug tried to clarify his remarks:<\/p>\n “Matter of fact, my wife is Jewish. Her mother is Jewish. And they have to come after me? You got to be joking. My wife was furious last night at John Tory’s statement. It’s disgusting.”<\/p>\n But as it turns out, the Fords are a well\u2014known family of evangelical Christians, including Ford\u2019s wife, Karla.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n As I used to drink with Rob Ford back at Carleton University in Ottawa, I am considered a trusted member of the Ford inner circle, and was asked by Doug to come in and consult on the election, offering some advice on the campaign and how best to deal with the sensitive matter of race relations.<\/p>\n These are some of the thoughts that I shared with Doug:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Come out swinging against ISIS!!<\/p>\n Paint your opponents as people who are weak on beheadings, and then in classic Doug Ford mode, intimidation level set to 11, issue a challenge to ISIS to just come and try to behead you. You let them know that if they want a war with Ford Nation, then they can have it! The Jewish community will love you for it! (From this point forward, the War Against Isis will be a primary plank in your election campaign.)<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Exposing your neck for the cameras, ask, \u201cIs John Tory willing to put his neck on the line for you?\u201d<\/p>\n Demand to know if John Tory looked at any of the stolen celebrity sex pictures. When he denies that he did, in a mocking voice, ask, \u201c What? You don\u2019t want to see Jessica Simpson naked, what\u2019s the matter with you?\u201d<\/p>\n