写在福特去世之际

多伦多前市长，市议员福特于本周二去世，享年46岁。福特的去世给他18个月的抗癌斗争划上了句号。尽管福特生前名声受损，且丑闻缠身，他仍拥有大量忠实粉丝和公众支持。

 

Former Toronto Mayor and Councillor Rob Ford died on Tuesday this week at 46, ending an 18-month struggle with cancer. Despite his notoriety and a scandal- stained legacy, Ford has built a large fan base and a strong level of support.

 

 

在许多人看来，福特是一个非常具有人性化的人。他敏感、热情及与老百姓打成一片的言行深得民心。多伦多现任市长庄德利称赞福特为愿为多伦多尽心尽力，称他是为了执着的信念而在市府任职。福特生前常常会直接打电话联络多市各地市民，为有需要的人士提供建议或帮助。

 

Ford is largely perceived as a profoundly human guy. His sensitive, warm and “in touch with people” side has a deep appeal to the public. Mayor John Tory praised him as a man devoted to the city, saying that he ran for office because of the deeply felt convictions he had. He would reach out directly to people across the city with a phone call, offering advice or support to those in needs.

 

 

福特仍然活在许多支持者的心中。他生前曾获得多伦多乃至世界各地人士的大力支持。在福特走完人生最艰难旅程之前，有6400多条慰问留言涌向鼓励其战胜癌症的的留言网站GetWellRobFord.com。他的去世令整个多伦多震惊，从政客到公众的悼念络绎不绝，汹涌如潮。

 

Ford has still lived in the hearts of many of his supporters. He has received overwhelming support from people in Toronto and around the world. More than 6,400 messages of sympathy had been posted to a site GetWellRobFord.com – a website for his supporters to express their best wishes -- until he ended the most difficult passage of his life. His passing has sent shockwaves throughout the city, prompting a flood of tributes from politicians and public alike.

 

 

福特外向而开朗的天性以及其来之于民、服务于民的工作理念感染了许多人士，并对那些来自贪污腐化盛行，一党专制国家的移民更具特殊意义。的确，福特与那些高高在上、将自己置于其所统治的数百万老百姓之上的政客阶层人士形成鲜明对比。这些高级领导人们很少在公众场合出现，即便罕有露面也总是戒备森严。他们出行时往往不是前呼后拥，保安随从随处可见，就是在豪华轿车的深度镀膜背后深藏不露，秘而不宣。不通过严格的政治审查，普通人士休想与他们接触，见面。

 

Ford’s gregarious nature and his by the people, for the people attitude has affected many, and has a special place in the heart of immigrants from an authoritarian state. It stands in strong contrast to the privileged and corrupted political echelons in their home country, who consider themselves superior to the millions of people they governed.  Their rare public appearances are always tightly controlled.  They are often escorted by an entourage and security detail, or hide behind tinted windows in luxury car. Any civilians wanting access to them must pass the political censorship. 

 

 

在几年前的一个夏日炎炎的傍晚,我在一个中华美食节上曾有幸遇到当时还是多伦多市长的福特。他的到来出乎我的意料，没有任何事先安排。我在数百名手执面条盒和烤鱿鱼的食客之间，一眼就看到的福特市长。我努力挤到他身边的位置，并胆怯地询问是否可以和他合影，当时他刚刚和另一名华裔合完影，正准备转身离去。听到我的要求，他欣然相许，且微笑而认真地对着我的相机。

 

I met Mayor Ford at an Asian Food Fest several years ago in a hot summer evening when he was the mayor of Toronto. Ford arrived in the fest without pre-announcement.  I spotted him among hundreds of visitor with noodle boxes and fried squids in their hands. Through some efforts, I secured a spot beside him and asked for taking a photo with him, when he just finished a photo with a Chinese guy and was about to move on. He noticed my timid request and made a smile pose for my camera. 

 

 

这张珍贵的相片，以及我所撰写的《我珍视与福特市长之合影》一文已经成为本报与这位前市长之间所形成的特殊情感纽带的一部分。在福特当选前，《大中报》曾发文支持其参选多伦多市长，并赞同他杜绝浪费市府资源的保守主义理念。在福特2013年深陷丑闻之际，本报记者曾前往他的办公室，就其个人问题以及多市的一些关键事务对其进行采访。

 

That photo, along my article on this paper “I always remember the photo with Mayor Ford” has become part of a special bond that this paper has formed with the former mayor.  Prior to his election, Chinese News had published an article endorsing him and supporting his conservative ideology of “stop the gravy train”. In 2013, when he was engulfed in scandals, one of our reporters interviewed him in his office on his personal issues as well as critical matters around the city. 

 

 

直到他终被癌魔夺去了生命的今天，我一直保存着与福特的合影。在整个多伦多市都在沉痛悼念前市长福特之时，我更加珍惜与这位多伦多史上最引人注目，最真实和最平易近人的政客之间所保存的特殊情感及回忆。

 

I’ve kept the photo with Ford till this day, after he lost his difficult battle with cancer. As the city mourns the loss of the former mayor, I cherish the special bond and the memories of this most colourful, authentic and down- to- earth politician in Toronto history.