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How Renata Ford's ‘legitimate chance' at a seat in Etobicoke North helped land Maxime Bernier a spot on the leaders' debate

A federal election campaign launch in a small, stuffy office in the reliably Liberal riding of Etobicoke North would normally gather little media interest - except, of course, when a Ford is involved.

That's why it was here, at the campaign headquarters of Renata Ford, that Maxime Bernier decided to formally kick off his election bid earlier this week, on the first official day of the race. The leader of the People's Party of Canada is hoping to capitalize on that name and legacy, hoping the widow of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford just might have a chance of securing a victory for the fledgling party.

"I don't know what can happen. But because of her name, she has a good chance here," Bernier said about his star candidate. "That's why I'm with her."

For ford nation , who has no political experience, it was "destiny," she says, that she run and be part of Bernier's party. She repeats much of what she said when she first announced her candidacy in June: That Bernier's policies and his passion for his country is like the passion her own husband had for city hall and the people it serves.

Bernier hopes the Ford name and political legacy in the Toronto riding of Etobicoke North will translate to electoral success. (Michael Wilson/CBC)

The question is, however, will the political support for her husband and other Ford family members translate into votes for her on Oct. 21?

'We love Renata and Rob'

"We love Renata and Rob, and we're here to support so the legacy continues from Rob to her," said Penny Morrison, a resident of Etobicoke North and one of only a handful of supporters who came out for the campaign launch.

The Toronto riding represents a new political landscape, where constituencies and voters are not fundamentalist in their attachment to any one political party, says Myer Siemiatycki, professor emeritus of political science at Ryerson University.

Etobicoke North has been one of the safest federal seats for the Liberals in recent years, with Science and Sport Minister Kirsty Duncan, who is running again, winning it by a margin of 39 percentage points in 2015.

Since 1962, the Liberals have only lost Etobicoke North once - in 1984. After the party won it back in 1988, it has only had three different MPs: Roy MacLaren, Roy Cullen and Duncan.

Yet what makes the riding one to watch in this election is that it's also ground zero of ford nation .

It's where Renata's brother-in-law, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, has his seat, having flipped it last year from the provincial Liberals, who had previously held it since 2003. Doug Ford won by a margin of 27 points over the New Democrat candidate.

Meanwhile, Michael Ford, the nephew of Rob and Doug, is the city councillor for the area.