Crazy Town: The Rob Ford Story (44 page)

pg.  274
Ford’s approval rating had climbed 5 points:
Forum Research, “Mayor Ford’s Approval Up Sharply,” June 26, 2013.

pg.  276
Bellissimo, an admitted crack user:
From Project Brazen 2’s “Information to Obtain Search Warrant” court documents.

pg.  277
Ford had gone to visit Bellissimo at the Toronto West Detention Centre:
Some of this information is included in the Project Brazen 2 search warrant documents. Additionally, I have confirmed the account with two sources within the facility, one of them a guard working that night.
The Globe and Mail
broke the story about this visit: Greg McArthur, Shannon Kari, Patrick White, and Elizabeth Church, “Rob Ford Sought Meeting with Inmate in After-Hours Jail Visit,”
The Globe and Mail
, August 12, 2013.

pg.  277
telling people on the street he wanted to go “party”:
For video, see
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR_TQlmPDVM
.

pg.  277
In the middle of August, the
Toronto Star
published a front-page story:
Kevin Donovan and Jayme Poisson, “Police Probe Mayor Rob Ford Friends Who Sought Crack Video,”
Toronto Star
, August 16, 2013.

pg.  277
On August 27, police were yet again called:
From Project Brazen 2’s “Information to Obtain Search Warrant” court documents.

pg.  278
Even the Fords knew they were being watched:
Joe Warmington, “Cops Using Cessna to Spy on Mayor’s Family: Doug Ford,”
Toronto Sun
, October 4, 2013.

pg.  278
“He’s a good guy”:
Kenyon Wallace, Dale Brazao, and Kevin Donovan, “Rob Ford Frequently Visited Alexander Lisi, Now Charged with Drug Offences,”
Toronto Star
, October 2, 2013.

pg.  281
“Are you a focus of the police probe?”:
“Rob Ford: Shaken Toronto Mayor Clashes with Reporters,”
Toronto Star
, October 31, 2013. See
www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/10/31/rob_ford_shaken
_toronto_mayor_clashes_with_reporters.html
.

pg.  281
“In November, December 2012 and into January 2013”:
From Project Brazen 2’s “Information to Obtain Search Warrant” court documents.

pg.  282
The July 8 flood was the most costly natural disaster:
Carys Mills, “Toronto’s July Flood Listed as Ontario’s Most Costly Natural Disaster,”
Toronto Star
, August 14, 2013.

pg.  282
Ford may have been paying the Bassos’ water bills:
The Project Brazen 2 search warrant documents include references to the fact that Ford seemed to be contacting the city water department on behalf of 15 Windsor Road and that he kept a list of outstanding bills for the property. The investigator writes, “One possible explanation for these entries could be that the Mayor is dealing with house maintenance and bill payment at 15 Windsor Rd.”

pg.  283
“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen”:
Chief Bill Blair press conference, October 31, 2013. See
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GneADuHDJBA
.

pg.  285
“This was a victory for journalism”:
Kathy English, “Rob Ford and ‘Crack Cocaine’ Video: Now, Do You Believe the
Star
?: Public Editor,”
Toronto Star
, October 31, 2013.

pg.  286
“I think everybody has seen the allegations against me”:
“Rob Ford Investigation: Live Updates on the Police Probe into the Alleged Video,”
National Post
, October 31, 2013.

pg.  288
“Chief, I’m asking you to release this video”:
Daniel Dale, “Rob Ford Says He Made ‘Mistakes’ but Plans to Stay,”
Toronto Star
, November 3, 2013. Audio file at
www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/11/03/rob_ford_says
_he_made_mistakes_but_plans_to_stay.html
.

pg.  289
“You’re going to curb your drinking”:
Natalie Alcoba, “Rob Ford Says ‘If I Did Something Illegal, Then Arrest Me,’ Admits Needs to ‘Slow Down’ on Drinking,”
National Post
, November 3, 2013.

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.