FORD TELLS COUNCIL ONLY GAYS, DRUG USERS GETS AIDS

Only hours after a presentation on the International AIDS Conference
being held here in August, Ward 2 Councillor Rob Ford (Etobicoke
North) delivered a speech at city hall Wednesday suggesting the
disease only affects homosexuals and IV drug users.

Ford's comments came during a discussion in council chambers about a
city report that recommended allocating $1.5 million to 51 local
organizations that provide HIV/AIDS prevention and education programs.

"We're spending $1.5 million on AIDS. It kills people and it's a
terrible disease. But I personally think it's a preventable disease.
From what I know, if you're not gay and you're not an IV drug user,
you probably won't get AIDS," he said.

Ford began his speech by attempting to question staff about how
HIV/AIDS is spread.

"Maybe you can clarify this AIDS disease to me I want
to know how someone can contract AIDS," he said.

Deputy Mayor Sandra Bussin (Ward 32, Beaches-East York), who was
chairing the meeting at the time, ruled his question inappropriate,
but Ford continued saying; "I hear 90 per cent of the cases are if
you're gay or you're doing needles to do drugs, then you're going to
get AIDS. Now that's what I wanted to clarify because we're spending
$1.5 million and when I read through this it's extremely frustrating
because in the course of these groups it looks like drugs or gays."

Ford said the city shouldn't be providing funding to organizations to
employ HIV/AIDS outreach education workers and shouldn't be catering
to programs directed at only one disease.

"There's people out there (who) are dying every day of cancer,
diabetes, all these other diseases. Where's the money for that?
Where's the money for that? Why are we catering towards groups
(fighting a disease) that's preventable. It's entirely preventable. If
you're not doing needles and you're not gay you won't get AIDS
probably. That's the bottom line and that's preventable. And I don't
know why we're spending a million and a half dollars on this," he said.

Ford was heckled by his colleagues who voted against giving the
councillor an extension in time to continue speaking on the matter.

"It's absolutely appalling how you can sit here and criticize me for
bringing it to your attention this is just hiring
people. To do what? To talk about AIDS. We're having an AIDS
conference that's when people are supposed to get educated. Holy
smokes. Talk about frustrating. This is the biggest waste of money
I've ever seen," he said.

Council voted overwhelmingly in support of the recommendations, which
were passed in a 26-2 vote.

In an interview following the vote, Ward 27 Councillor Kyle Rae
(Toronto Centre-Rosedale) said he was appalled at Ford's comments,
which he said signaled a willful ignorance and outright homophobia on
the part of Ford.

"A third of the population in sub-Saharan African have got HIV. I
don't think they're gay," said Rae who just hours earlier had offered
up an emotional introduction to the International AIDS Conference organizers.

"The man is so uneducated, so offensive that he is unwilling to learn,
and that he spews accusations and hate of people who are suffering
from HIV and AIDS. It's appalling today that we presented the AIDS
Conference and the importance of the conference in Toronto - and it is
completely wasted on Councillor Ford."

Asked if the statements were homophobic, Rae - Toronto council's only
openly gay councillor - said this: "From my perspective there are a
lot of things Councillor Ford has a problem with. Homophobia is only
just one of the many phobias he has."