pg. 289 “[Blair] believes he’s the judge”: Daniel Dale, “Doug Ford Calls for Probe into Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair,” Toronto Star, November 5, 2013.
pg. 290 “You guys have asked me a question”: Rob Ford press conference, November 5, 2013. Video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsjlNNsChZ4.
pg. 292 the Star revealed it had obtained another video of the mayor: The Star purchased this footage for five thousand dollars. The Star decided to pay for the video, editor-in-chief Michael Cooke explained, “because of the huge public interest both in Toronto and worldwide. We weren’t paying a source for information; we were purchasing a video, something newspapers and TV stations do every day. I’ve paid more for a book excerpt.” Kevin Donovan, David Bruser, and Jesse McLean, “Rob Ford Caught on Video in Violent Rant,” Toronto Star, November 7, 2013.
pg. 292 “I just wanted to come out”: “Rob Ford Admits Being ‘Extremely Inebriated’ in New Video,” CBC News, November 7, 2013.
pg. 297 “I’m going to eat you out” … “I banged your pussy”: From Project Brazen 2’s “Information to Obtain Search Warrant” court documents.
pg. 299 “I have no other choice” … “eat at home”: Video at “Rob Ford’s Shocking Statement,” Toronto Star, November 14, 2013.
pg. 299 “I might have had some drinks and … driven”: Robyn Doolittle, “Rob Ford’s Vulgar Retort Proves the Last Straw as Council Plots to Strip His Powers,” Toronto Star, November 15, 2013.
pg. 300 “unforgivable language”: Robyn Doolittle, “Rob Ford’s Vulgar Retort Proves the Last Straw as Council Plots to Strip His Powers,” Toronto Star, November 15, 2013.
pg. 300 “The things we are seeing and hearing”: Robert Benzie, “Rob Ford Crisis: Wynne Lays Out Conditions for Intervening,” Toronto Star, November 14, 2013.
pg. 301 “I’m not an addict!” he said. “You guys can spin it”: Bill Weir, “Rob Ford: ‘I’m the Best Father Around’: Blames ‘Rich, Elitist People,’” CNN, November 18, 2013. Video at http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/18/rob-ford-im-the-best-father-around-blames-rich-elitist-people-video/.
pg. 301 “barely even remember”: Matt Lauer, “‘I’m Not Perfect’: Defiant Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Insists He Can Lead,” Today, November 19, 2013.
pg. 302 “This is nothing more than a coup d’état”: Rob Ford speech in council November 18, 2103. See http://globalnews.ca/news/974912/council-strips-mayor-rob-ford-of-budget-powers.
CHAPTER 16: FORD MORE YEARS
pg. 305 Another survey by Forum Research …: Some people have discounted this survey because it was taken on Halloween night. I think it is useful to consider given that Forum has been the most consistent in tracking Ford’s approval rating, using the same methodology each time. The automated phone survey of 1032 Toronto residents on October 31 is considered accurate plus or minus 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. See www.forumresearch.com/forms/News%20Archives/News%20Releases/56871_TO_Mayoral_Approval_%282013.10.31%29_Forum_Research.pdf.
pg. 306 “come-to-Jesus moment”: Peter Mansbridge interview, “Rob Ford Says He’s Quit Drinking, Has Had ‘Come-to-Jesus’ Moment,” CBC, November 18, 2013.
pg. 308 “He’s run the city well despite his private life” … “fancy people”: Ford Nation show on Sun News Network, November 18, 2013. See www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2013/11/
20131118-205516.html.
pg. 309 Barbara Hall had done “well in the older cities of Toronto”: John Sewell, “The Mourning After,” NOW magazine, November 13–19, 1997.
pg. 309 “The air went out of Toronto’s balloon last Monday night”: Royson James, “Let’s Give Lastman What He Deserves: A Chance,” Toronto Star, November 14, 1997.
pg. 309 In their book The Big Shift: Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson, The Big Shift (Toronto: HarperCollins, 2013).
pg. 310 “The way that I think the elites in Toronto”: Interview with Darrell Bricker, July 15, 2013.
pg. 311 “Yes, one day I do want to run for prime minister”: John Roberts, “Rob Ford: ‘Yes, One Day I Do Want to Run for Prime Minister,’” Fox News, November 18, 2013. See http://video.foxnews.com/v/2848908070001/rob-ford-yes-one-day-i-do-want-to-run-forprime-minister/?playlist_id=86857.
pg. 311 “will be premier [of Ontario] one day”: Daniel Dale, “Hear What Mayor Rob Ford Said in Surprise Interview on Oakley’s AM640 Morning Show,” Toronto Star, November 4, 2013.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The morning of May 27, 2013, I was sitting at my desk at City Hall, minding my own business, when a very scary email landed in my inbox, subject line: “query from a literary agent.”
It was from Martha Magor Webb, the person to whom I owe the most thanks as I sit down and consider all the people who helped make Crazy Town happen. Martha, without you, and Chris Bucci and everyone at Anne McDermid & Associates, I would never have thought of turning my reporting into a book. I will be eternally grateful. Thank you.
To the wonderful people at Penguin Canada, and especially my editor, Diane Turbide. You took a chance on me—a young news reporter with zero experience writing anything longer than a few thousand words—and gave me the confidence I needed to get this thing done. Diane, you have been so lovely and encouraging (and just the right degree of ruthless) throughout this process. I have become a much better writer having worked with you. Also to Alex Schultz, David Ross, and Ashley Audrain, thank you.
Every day, I feel proud and grateful to work at the Toronto Star. There are so many people to thank there, not just for supporting this book, but for encouraging the kind of reporting that made it possible in the first place. To all of the leadership at the paper and the editors involved in this story—editor-in-chief Michael Cooke, managing editor Jane Davenport, publisher John Cruickshank, chairman John Honderich, city editor Irene Gentle, lawyer extraordinaire Bert Bruser, among others—thank you for your vision and passion, thank you for backing the entire team throughout this saga, thank you for continuing to champion this (expensive) kind of journalism, and, of course, thank you for all your good wishes and support while I wrote this book.
When I mention the “entire team” working on the story, that’s because the investigation into Rob Ford involved dozens of people, from reporters and photographers to editors and designers. If I tried to thank everyone, I’d definitely miss some, but I do want to single out a few, especially my colleague Jayme Poisson, who has completely owned the Project Traveller and Dixon City Bloods angle of this story. Of course, I need to thank the incredible Kevin Donovan, the Star’s head of investigations, as well as Jesse McLean, Robert Benzie, Kenyon Wallace, David Bruser, Dale Brazao, Emily Mathieu, Mary Ormsby, Jennifer Pagliaro, Daniel Dale, David Rider, Paul Moloney, Royson James, my two journalism idols, Rosie DiManno and Michelle Shephard, and all of my predecessors in the City Hall bureau. And special thanks to the amazing Steve Russell for his help with the photos for this book.
If you look at the Notes section of this book, you’ll see the names of dozens and dozens of reporters, radio hosts, and columnists whose work I have relied upon. I do need to single out the very talented Greg McArthur and Shannon Kari for their investigation into the Ford family’s history with drug dealing published in The Globe and Mail, as well as their (and their colleague Patrick White’s) reporting on how those early relationships continued to play a role in Rob Ford’s life. I’d also like to acknowledge Jonathan Goldsbie, currently a reporter at NOW magazine, who can find anything on the internet and who has helped me so much through the years, and John Cook from Gawker, who came up to Toronto to investigate a tip, dropped a bomb on the city with the video story, and then stayed with it through every twist, drug raid, and pipe attack. And finally, my research assistant, Simon Bredin, who was given the horrible task of calling hundreds of people who went to high school with the Ford brothers. Thank you all so much.
I had three months to write this book, start to finish, including research. If I listed everyone who took me out for a meal during th
at time because I had no food in the house, or came over to walk the dogs, or offered to clean my condo, or helped me work through writer’s block, I’d need a whole other chapter. But to a handful of people—my mom and dad, sister Jamie, and soon-to-be-brother-in-law Peter, to Emma, Daniel, Emily, Janean, Matt, Cliff, and my writing buddy Lauren—I need to say quite sincerely, I could not have gotten through this without you. Thank you.
Finally, to Graham Parley, my (now retired) former city editor at the Star, who gave a first-round edit to every chapter before I sent it along to Penguin. There’s a reason you were my first call after I got this book deal. Graham, you are one of my favourite people in the world. “Mentor” sounds entirely too cheesy, but something like that. Thank you.
INDEX
ABC news, 297
Abdi, Siyadin (Siad friend), 234
access-to-information laws, 134–37
freedom-of-information requests, 122, 135, 137, 150, 153
accountability
Fair Elections Toronto, 164
journalists to the public, 195–96
Ontario Press Council, 247–51
Toronto city council safeguards, 82, 124
See also journalism and trust
Agar, Jerry (1010 radio), 244–46. See
also under radio
Ainslie, Paul (city councillor)
Garrison Ball, 189–90, 191–92, 193, 196
Garrison Ball story response, 201–3
mayor’s executive, 116
Alamenciak, Tim (Star), 256–58
alcohol. See drugs and alcohol
AM640. See under radio
amalgamation. See under Toronto
American Press Institute (API), 239–41
Angus Reid, 16, 94. See also polls
approval rating (Rob Ford), 18, 275, 305–6
arts funding, 14
Avery labels, 25–26
Bahrami, Jamshid (Lisi associate), 278
Bailão, Ana (city councillor), 115
Baranski, Stefan (Smitherman campaign), 94, 108
Barber, John (Globe and Mail), 78
Barlow, Tom (candidate), 41
Barnett, Brooks (staffer), 146, 149–50, 151
Barry, Marion (Washington mayor), 229
Basso, Elena (15 Windsor Road), 265, 267
Basso, Fabio (Rob Ford friend), 37, 230–31, 255, 258, 263–64, 266, 283
criminal record, 267
Basso, Lina (15 Windsor Road), 258, 263–64
Batra, Adrienne (press secretary), 97, 100, 104, 123, 125, 132
Baus, Det. Jacqueline, 138
BBC News, 243, 292
Bedford, Paul (planner), 129
Bellamy, Madame Justice Denise, 166
Bellissimo, Bruno (Rob Ford friend), 190, 276–77
Benzie, Robert (Star), 235–36, 268
Berardinetti, Michelle (city councillor), 124, 129
Beyer, Tom (staffer), 282
Bier Markt. See St. Patrick’s Day and Bier Markt
The Big Shift (Bricker and Ibbitson), 309–10
bike lanes, 67, 68, 115, 125, 308
Bill 103 (amalgamation), 46. See also under Toronto
Blair, Bill (police chief)
crack video, 229–30, 283–85
Doug Jr. suggested Blair resign, 289–90
Rob Ford 911 recording, 132
“I’m disappointed,” 285–86
police budget, 139
Rob Ford and Project Traveller, 272
See also police (Toronto)
Blatchford, Christie (National Post), 231–32, 239
Boardwalk Pub, 170–71, 179–81
bobble-head dolls, 296, 311
Brejniak, Henryka (Rob Ford motherin-law), 78, 138
Brejniak, Renata. See Ford, Renata (wife of Rob Ford)
Brereton, Pastor Wendell (candidate), 106–7
Bricker, Darrell (The Big Shift), 309–10
Brown, Elizabeth (city councillor), 63–64
Bruser, Bert (lawyer), 208–9, 210, 218
Bruser, David (Star), 261
Bussin, Sandra (city councillor), 66, 77, 171
Campaign Research, 84
Campbell, Clarence, 26, 28
Campbell, Diane. See Ford, Diane (wife of Doug Sr.)
Canadian Kennedys, 48, 311–12
casino, 231
Cavoukian, Ann (privacy commissioner), 136
CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
“come-to-Jesus moment,” 306
crack video story, 227–28
Garrison Ball story response, 196, 201
mayor’s “spying” accusation story, 158
This Hour Has 22 Minutes (Marg Delahunty), 131–33, 138
Centre for Law and Democracy, 134–35
Cessna spy plane, 230, 276, 279
Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Adam, 162–63, 163–66, 168–69, 172, 178, 182
Cherry, Don (sports personality)
“wearing pinko for all the pinkos,” 109–10
Chong, Gordon (city councillor), 113
Christie Pits riots, 23
Christopoulos, George (press secretary), 173, 198, 225, 282
Chuvalo, George (boxer), 197, 198–99
Ciano, Richard (campaign manager), 84–89, 92, 93
The City (Newstalk 1010). See under radio
City Hall. See Toronto City Hall
CityNews, 196. See also international media
city services
police budget cuts, 139
proposed cuts to, 126, 129–30
CJPAC (Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee), 186
CNN, 35, 221–22, 292, 297, 301
cocaine. See under drugs and alcohol
Code of Conduct, 70, 165, 174
Cohon, Mark (CFL), 301
Colle, Josh (city councillor), 115, 130
Cooke, Michael (Star)
background, 184–85
crack cocaine video, 205, 207–11, 218, 220, 222–23, 224
media ethics public hearing, 247–48, 250
target of Doug Jr., 210
Corke, Sue (deputy city manager), 123–24
CP24, 8, 83, 107, 212, 254
Kathy and Diane Ford interview, 293–96
crack cocaine. See under drugs and
alcohol
crack house. See 15 Windsor Road
crack video
contents, 3, 208, 217–18
cost, 4, 205–8, 209–10, 213, 214, 219–20
filming location, 267
“Ford in ‘Crack Video’ Scandal” (Star), 224–28
Gawker story, 5, 222–23, 230
police knowledge, 255
police recover copy, 283–84
and police wiretaps, 234, 271
Project Brazen 2 phone records, 230–31, 235, 282–83
viewed, 1, 4–5, 216–19
See also drugs and alcohol; Farah, Mohamed; photo with Anthony Smith
Crean, Fiona (ombudsman), 124
Cribb, Robert (Star), 103–4
crime reporting in Canada, 136–37. See
also journalism and trust
Cruickshank, John (Star publisher), 154, 285
CTV News, 271. See also international media
CUPE Local 79, 129–30
The Daily Show, 232, 299. See also international media
Dale, Daniel (Star), 120–21, 122–23, 154–56, 156–59
Danforth Street festival, 277
Danzig Street shooting, 254
Davenport, Jane (Star), 208–9, 214, 218, 220
Davey, Det. Constable Amy, 229–30
Dean, Justice Lloyd, 93
Dean Blundell Show (102.1 The Edge), 146. See also radio
Deco Labels & Tags
2010 election campaign, 94, 103
Chicago location, 122
and council’s Code of Conduct, 70
Doug Sr. buys out partner, 28–29
Etobicoke mayoral campaign (1994)
, 38–39
Ford family, 20
mayoral campaign expenses loan accusation, 163
mayor still involved, 122–23
mixing business and politics, 72
original partnership with Herriott, 25–27, 29–30
Del Grande, Mike (city councillor), 117, 201
Dempsey, Amy (Star), 258, 261
DiManno, Rosie (Star), 272
Dixon City Bloods street gang, 204, 212, 254–55, 259, 271–72. See also Project Traveller under police (Toronto)
Dixon Goonies. See Dixon City Bloods street gang
Dixon towers (Etobicoke), 211–12, 215, 230, 254
320 Dixon, 4, 212, 216, 231, 235, 269–70
Project Traveller, 268–70
Windsor Road connection, 265–66
See also 15 Windsor Road
Doherty, Carroll (Pew Research), 242–43
domestic disputes
911 calls, 133, 134, 137, 138–39, 193, 277
assault charge, 11, 16, 77–79, 90
Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School, 37, 71, 215, 266
Doneit-Henderson, Dieter (HIV-positive), 96, 98–101
Donley, Darylle (Ford supporter), 247–48, 250
Donovan, Kevin (Star)
backlash to stories, 248–49
“‘Intoxicated’ Ford Asked to Leave Gala” (Garrison Ball), 192, 195–96
media ethics public hearing, 247–48
Project Brazen 2 documents, 280
substance abuse and rehab story, 2, 152, 154
video arrangements, 1, 4–5, 215–16
video story, 219, 225, 235–36, 239, 268
video viewed, 216–19, 228
Windsor Road, 265–66
Doucette, Sarah (city councillor), 200–201
Doug Ford Holdings, 163, 183
downtowners vs. suburbanites, 12–14, 308–10
drugs and alcohol
“blow,” 111–12, 142
cocaine, 35, 38, 54
confessed illegal drug purchase, 297
crack cocaine, 3, 80–81, 190
crack cocaine confession, 290–91
#Crackgate, 158
Doug Jr. denial, 196–97
drunk driving charge, 16–17, 48–51, 136, 193, 299
early years, 38
Ford brothers’ high school years, 32–34, 37
harm-reduction strategy, 68–69