Rob Ford’s family company did business with Porter Airlines

The Globe has just added a few more conflict of interest allegations to Rob Ford’s growing heap of them. The paper’s investigation into the Ford family business, Deco Labels and Tags, reveals that the mayor’s clan has occasionally made money—albeit usually relatively small amounts of money—from some of the same corporations Ford has supported politically during his time at city hall. This raises the possibility that the mayor violated Ontario’s Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, which is designed to prevent politicians from even appearing to engage in quid pro quo. Among the many examples of this type of behaviour uncovered by the Globe, the most troubling involves Porter Airlines, whose island-airport expansion plans Ford has championed. According to information obtained by the Globe, the mayor is the salesman of record for Deco’s Porter account. The airline says it has paid Deco about $8,500 for things like decals and tray labels. The last of Porter’s orders was placed two weeks after Ford was elected mayor.