Doug Ford wants to run for the Progressive Conservative leadership to “clean up the mess” after the stunning resignations of leader Patrick Brown and party president Rick Dykstra.The former one-term city councillor and runner-up to John Tory in the 2014 Toronto mayoral race gathered reporters in his mother’s Etobicoke basement Monday to announce his intentions.“The elites of this party…do not want me in this race,” he said. “This is truly a critical moment for our party. We cannot have a strong Ontario without a strong Progressive Conservative party.”Even though Brown’s Conservatives were reserving the riding of Etobicoke North for him to run for them in the June 7 election, Ford had preferred to take another run at Tory in the fall mayoral vote.All of that changed with the departure of Brown early Thursday after he was accused of sexual impropriety with two women when they were teens.Ford — whose late younger brother, Rob Ford, was embroiled in a crack-smoking scandal during his tenure as mayor from 2010 until 2014 that made headlines around the world — pounced on the opportunity.“Right now this party needs strong leadership. Someone who’s ready to clean up the mess and lead us into the June election,” said the former Toronto councillor.“I had every intention of running for mayor of this great city, but I can’t watch the party I love fall into the hands of the elites. The elites have shut the door on the grassroots, the foundation of our party,” he said.“Make no mistake about it, the elites of this party, the ones who have shut out the grassroots, do not want me in this race. But I’m here to give you a voice.”The first would-run leadership rival to stare down Ford was Rod Phillips, the PC candidate in Ajax and former head of CivicAction and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.“I’m not sure what Doug Ford means when he says & ...
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