Rob Ford vows to 'watch every dime', despite chemotherapy

Rob Ford is in the midst of chemotherapy sessions, but says if he's feeling up to it, he will be at council when it begins in December.

"I'll be doing my job. I'm going to be watching every dime," said the outgoing Toronto mayor, who dropped out of the race for reelection to undergo treatment for a rare form of cancer, pleomorphic liposarcoma. Instead he ran and won the councillor's race in Etobicoke North, Ward 2.

He vowed to keep watch over John Tory, the incoming mayor, just as he had done as a councillor to previous mayor David Miller. He used the opportunity to criticize deputy mayor Norm Kelly, who took a tax payer-funded trip to England, which Ford disagreed with.

And he promised to be back in the mayor's office — though he didn't elaborate.

Ford appeared at city hall on Friday to sign bobble head dolls for charity.

Ford's health has noticeably diminished since he began chemotherapy. His voice and demeanour was subdued as he walked past reporters to his office.

He told reporters he begins a new round of chemotherapy on Monday that will last for five days. It will be the fourth of six treatments.

"It's the worst," he said of the treatments, while adding praise for the hospital in charge of his treatment, Mount Sinai.

"But the good news is it hasn't grown," said Ford of his progress on minimizing the tumour in his abdomen.

His doctors have advised him to avoid germs, he said. That prevents him from shaking hands when meeting with constituents, something he is famous for. Ford said he now bumps fists with people he meets, which he called "bumps."

The mayor showed flashes of his old self on Friday, however, as he spoke briefly about his love for football.

"If anyone wants to bet on the Grey Cup..." he said to reporters as he walked away.

Ford leaves office on Dec. 1, when mayor-elect Tory takes over.

With a little more than a week remaining in his turbulent first term, Ford was reflective of his time in office.

"I worked hard, returned every phone call, and I had a lot of fun," said Ford.