Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling the makers of a documentary chronicling his late brother’s turbulent four years as Toronto mayor “disgusting” as it lands online.
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem dropped on Netflix Tuesday, telling the story of Rob Ford’s time leading Toronto, including an infamous video of him smoking crack cocaine.
Rob Ford was Toronto’s mayor from 2010 to 2014 and had a long city council career with his brother Doug, who is now Ontario’s premier. The pair made a name for themselves politically by focusing on kitchen table issues like council perks and potholes.
Rob Ford’s mayoralty was also rocked by a series of scandals, which made headlines across the world. They included the video of him smoking crack cocaine, as well as allegations of public drunkenness and physically knocking over a city councillor.
The late mayor died of cancer at the age of 46 in 2016.
Asked about the documentary on Tuesday, Doug Ford said he wouldn’t watch it and accused its makers of hounding the memory of his late brother.
“I’m not going to watch it, they’re disgusting people,” he said at an unrelated news event.
“Poor Rob’s been dead for nine years, and they just want to keep going after him. It’s just disgusting. Leave the guy alone, let him rest in peace, let his family rest in peace.”
Shianne Brown, who directed the documentary, said in an interview with The Canadian Press that she had contacted Doug Ford to take part and he had “kindly declined.” She said she wanted her documentary to tell a more personal story of the mayor.
“I wanted to really tap into the human being that is Rob Ford, not the political headline that is Rob Ford,” she said.
Doug Ford, however, said the creation of the documentary bothered him. Its one of several media products, including a book and podcast, to chronicle Rob Ford’s years at city hall.
“They’re just disgusting people, it just absolutely infuriates me, to be honest with you,” he said. “They want the truth? Talk to the real people that absolutely love him. I’ll level it at that.”
Last year, Doug Ford and current Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow unveiled the renaming of a stadium in Etobicoke, which now bears the name of his brother.
– with files from The Canadian Press