Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford says it is 鈥渉eartbreaking鈥� that Renata Ford, his late brother's widow, has launched a lawsuit against him in the final days of the election campaign.
Answering reporters' questions at a campaign event Tuesday, Ford reiterated that he believes the allegations are 鈥渃ompletely false鈥� and he will fight them in court.
鈥淭his is tragic for Stephanie and Dougie,鈥� Ford said, referring to Renata鈥檚 children, his niece and nephew.
鈥淥ur family has always stood behind the kids and behind Renata. We have never wavered. And we鈥檙e shocked; that鈥檚 what it comes down to. We鈥檙e floored. And with three days before an election, I鈥檒l let you decide the motive.鈥�
Renata Ford filed her lawsuit Monday alleging that Doug Ford has mishandled the estate of her late husband Rob Ford, causing her and her children financial harm.
Her suit also alleges Ford has mismanaged the family business, Deco Labels, and that Ford and his brother Randy Ford have destroyed the value of the company.
Asked whether he would make any of the company鈥檚 financial statements public to refute those allegations, Ford replied the claims 鈥渁re false and without merit鈥� and that will be proven in court.
鈥淏ut this isn鈥檛 about Deco. This is about two kids,鈥� he said, adding: 鈥溾�t鈥檚 heartbreaking that she (Renata Ford) wants to go down this avenue with three days before the election.鈥�
The statement of claim alleges Doug Ford knowingly and deliberately put Renata Ford and her children in a "highly stressful and unfair financial position" after her husband's death in 2016.
The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $15 million. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said that, if the allegations are accurate, 鈥渢his is a person who is not treating this widow of his brother and her children in a very positive way.鈥�
Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne called it a 鈥渟ad鈥� situation and said that Ford needs to be 鈥渃lear about the business,鈥� if knowing how to run a business 鈥漣s the credential that he is running on.鈥�
Will the lawsuit impact Thursday鈥檚 vote?
University of Toronto political scientist instructor Pauline Beange told CTV News Channel that she doesn鈥檛 expect the lawsuit to have a big impact on Thursday鈥檚 election results.
Beange added the industry that Deco is a part of has 鈥渉as shrunk tremendously in the last several years,鈥� so the company鈥檚 results 鈥渃ould easily be the state of the industry.鈥�
Chris Cochrane, who also teaches political science at the University of Toronto, said that he doesn鈥檛 believe the news will help Ford, and that it could potentially hurt him.
鈥淭he fact is that Rob Ford is still enormously popular among large segments of the population despite the turmoil, despite some of the difficulties,鈥� Cochrane said.
鈥淚f this does leave a sour taste in the mouth of people who were supporting Doug Ford because they loved his brother, this could hurt Doug Ford a little bit,鈥� Cochrane went on. 鈥淎nd in an election as close as this one, a little bit of hurt can deal out quite a bit of consequence when it comes to seats.鈥�
With files from The Canadian Press
