Premier Ford loudly booed at Special Olympics event in Toronto

Premier Doug Ford endured an awkward moment when he was loudly booed at the opening ceremonies for the Youth Special Olympics in Toronto on Tuesday night.

Video from the event shows Ford standing at the podium and chuckling when the crowd starts booing him.

“Boy, that’s the first event I’ve ever had some boos,” he quipped.

Despite that declaration, Ford has been booed in the past.

At a 2014 debate, the then-Toronto mayoral candidate received a hostile reception from the crowd when he trotted out a list of stereotypes while defending his late brother’s alleged use of an anti-Semitic term.

WATCH: Doug Ford draws boos at 2014 Toronto mayoral debate

When asked on Wednesday about the hostile reception at the Special Olympics event, Ford took it in stride.

“It was a great event,” he told reporters. “I support the Special Olympics. It was so great to see the smiles on the kids’ faces and all the energy in the room. Our government supported it, we funded it, and I’ll always continue to support kids with disability …”

Ford’s reaction was a bit more agitated when he was asked about the boos again by NDP MPP, Taras Natyshak, who represents the riding of Essex.

“I find it ironic coming from the member from Essex, he didn’t even bother showing up,” Ford responded during a session of Ontario Parliament Wednesday. “At least we showed up.”

“It’s not about getting into gutter politics and worrying about if you got a cheer or a boo, it’s about being there for the kids.”

Ford has faced heavy criticism, and protests, over changes to the province’s autism program, responding to the criticism by announcing a new round of consultations last month.