Robert Bruce Ford (May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016) was a Canadian politician and businessperson who served as the 64th mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. Prior to and after his term as mayor, Ford was a city councilor representing Ward 2 of Etobicoke North. He was first elected to City Council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat twice. Ford was elected mayor in the 2010 mayoral election on a platform of reducing the "gravy train" of government expenses and taxes. The slogan "respect for taxpayers" was attached to that platform. During his political career, Ford was the subject of a number of personal and work-related controversies and legal proceedings, including a conflict of interest trial that nearly resulted in his being removed from office. In 2013, he became embroiled in a substance abuse scandal, which was widely reported in the national and international media. Ford initially denied the allegations, but after a 2...