Toronto mayor Rob Ford admits that he made mistakes, but refuses to step down
Rob Ford faces allegations that he drank too much and smoked crack cocaine
Toronto's embattled mayor, Rob Ford, has apologised for making "mistakes" and acknowledged the need to curb his drinking. But he didn't address allegations of crack cocaine use and said he would continue to lead Canada's largest city despite pressure to resign.
"I'm going to weather this storm," he said.
Ford made his remarks on his local weekly radio show on Sunday, three days after police said they had obtained a copy of a video that appears to show the mayor intoxicated and puffing on a crack pipe.
The video was recovered from a computer hard drive during an investigation of an associate of Ford's who is suspected of providing him drugs. Police have said they don't have grounds to charge the mayor with any crime.
Ford didn't address the contents of the video, saying he cannot comment on a tape he hasn't seen. "Whatever this video shows, Toronto residents deserve to see it and people need to judge for themselves what they see on this video," he said.
Police said the video would come out when Ford's associate and occasional driver Alexander Lisi goes to trial on drug and extortion charges. Lisi is accused of threatening two alleged gang members who had been trying to sell the video to the media.
Ford acknowledged making "mistakes" but declined to take a leave of absence or resign.
"I sincerely apologise. There's absolutely no excuse, no one to blame but myself," he said. "I am going to fight like no one has seen before to win the next election" in October next year.
All four major Toronto newspapers have called on Ford to resign. Municipal law makes no provision for his forced removal from office unless he's convicted and imprisoned for a criminal offence.
