Doug Ford says he will run in Ontario PC leadership race

Former Toronto councillor Doug Ford says he will run for the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, announcing his bid days after Patrick Brown stepped down amid sexual misconduct allegations.

Ford said he wants to prevent the party from falling into the hands of "insiders" and "elites" and that it needs strong leadership.

"I have been deeply troubled by what I have seen recently unfolding within the PC Party," Ford told reporters in Etobicoke, a district in the west end of Toronto.

• PC president steps down in purge of Patrick Brown loyalists

"Lifelong supporters have been watching in horror as it falls into complete disarray. We have seen backroom politics at its worst, insiders trying to politically capitalize at the expense of the people, eliteswho are disconnected from the grassroots of the party and don't care about the average struggles of Ontarians."

Ford said he would be the candidate to "clean up the mess" and change the "hostile environment" of the party.

Ex-Toronto councillor Doug Ford announces run for Ontario PC leadership

7 years ago

Duration 1:46

'I can't watch the party I love fall into the hands of the elites'

"This is truly a critical moment for our party, for our peopleand for the future of our province," he said.

Ford, who took no questions, noted that "the elites" of the party "do not want me in this race."

Ford ran unsuccessfully for Toronto mayorin September 2014, losing to John Tory.He also servedas councillorforWard 2, Etobicoke North, from2010 to 2014, whilehis brotherRob Ford was mayor.

Rob Ford died in March 2016, following a battle with cancer, while serving again as a councillor.

Ford's announcement that he will be mounting a leadership campaign comes as the Ontario PC party tries to navigate a period of significant upheaval.

Last Wednesday, Brown resigned as PC leaderfollowing a report of allegations of sexual misconductfrom two women.Brown denies the allegations and theyhave not been proven in court.

Vic Fedeli, the MPP for Nipissing, was named interim leader later in the week.

Fedelihas also said he would seek to be leader after serving in an interim role.Usually, interim leaders are barred from such a move, but the PC caucus has waived thatin this case.

On Sunday evening, Rick Dykstrastepped down as party president, hours beforeMaclean'smagazine published a story alleging hehad sexually assaulted a parliamentary staffer in Ottawa when he was an MP in 2014.

CBC Toronto has not independently confirmed the allegations against Dykstra, and they have not been proven in court.

Other possibilities

Other names being floated as possible candidates include:

• MPPLisa MacLeod.
• MPP Monte McNaughton.
• Christine Elliot, former Ontario PC leadership candidate.
• Caroline Mulroney, PC candidate in York-Simcoe.
• John Baird, former federal minister of foreign affairs.