Toronto Mayor Rob Ford apologized for "a lot of stupid things," including a drinking problem during his weekly radio address on Sunday and insisted he would not resign from his position, the Associated Press reported.
Three days after Toronto Chief of Police Bill Blair announced the video showing Ford smoking from a glass crack pipe had been obtained, Ford went on air and said he wants Blair "to release the video for every single person in the city to see," claiming it's the right thing to do.
The video, found on a computer hard drive of his suspected friend and driver Alexander Lisi, who is also suspected of providing Ford with drugs, will not be released until Lisi goes to trial for drug and extortion charges, the AP reported.
Lisi is being charged with threatening two gang members who had been trying to sell the video to the media. Accroding to Police, they currently do not have the grounds to arrest or charge Mayor Ford with any crime, according the AP.
Ford did not comment on the video during his radio show on Sunday, and instead talked about how his past public drinking behaviors during St. Patrick's Day and during a street festival have embarrassed him, and how he now wants to change for the better.
"I sincerely apologize, there's absolutely no excuse, no one to blame but myself," Ford said, adding that he plans "to fight like no one has seen before to win the next election."
During his vague address to the people of Toronto where he mentioned past public drinking embarrassments, Ford said "unfortunately, I cannot change the past, I can just move forward and learn from the past, which I assure you I am doing."
He continued with expressing his love for the city, mentioning he loves "helping people when they call" and going "to their front door and help them."
Ford went on the AM640 Toronto radio station later that Sunday and said during the interview that he is not addicted to any drug, not even alcohol, according to the AP.
Although all major Toronto newspapers have called for Ford's resignation, municipal law cannot force his removal from office unless he is convicted and jailed for a criminal offence, the AP reported.
Since the incident with Ford's friend, and sometimes driver, the Mayor said Sunday he would hire a full-time city driver, which he previously rejected because he thought it was a waste of taxpayers money, according to the AP.
Even before the current drug scandal, Toronto's dismay with Ford has been mounting due to his erratic behavior which has been drawing criticism since he stepped into office, the AP reported.
An incident report filed last week said at 2:30 a.m. Ford "visited the security desk alone with a half empty bottle of St. Remy French Brandy" and told the security officer his car had been stolen and he wanted to call the police, the report said, according to the AP. The security officer told Ford his car was home and called him a taxi.
Over the weekend, Ford met with Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who wanted to express city council members concerns with Ford, the AP reported. Kelly said he was "encouraged" with Ford's decision to hire a city driver that would pick him up and take him home every day.
Kelly added that if Ford continues to commit similar mistakes, there will be "no generosity by any other the sides," the AP reported.
