Book Read Free

Crazy Town: The Rob Ford Story

Page 30

by Robyn Doolittle


  pg. 95 It was a liability that according to insiders: Robert Benzie and Rob Ferguson, “eHealth Scandal Dents Smitherman’s Mayoral Run,” Toronto Star, October 9, 2009.

  pg. 96 “I apologize if I offended you”: David Rider, “Rob Ford Apologizes for 2006 AIDS Comment,” Toronto Star, May 11, 2010.

  pg. 97 “Nick, I know, I know”: Interview with Nick Kouvalis, August 2013.

  pg. 97 “It was very grassroots”: Interview with Roman Gawur, September 2013.

  pg. 97 Kouvalis was out jogging with Ford: The story of the Dieter Doneit-Henderson incident was put together through interviews with Nick Kouvalis, Adrienne Batra, and Fraser Macdonald.

  pg. 102 She was one of Ford’s biggest cheerleaders: Rob Ford actually donated one thousand dollars to Sue-Ann Levy’s political campaign when the columnist took a hiatus from her journalism gig to run for provincial office as a Conservative in 2009. When she lost, Levy picked up where she left off, ranting about socialists at “silly hall.”

  pg. 103 “quietly [been] asked to stop coaching … attack on his candidacy”: Robert Cribb and Kristin Rushowy, “Rob Ford Told He Was Unwelcome as a Football Coach at Toronto High School,” Toronto Star, July 13, 2010.

  pg. 104 “outrageous, it’s slanderous and patently incorrect”: Natalie Alcoba, “Rob Ford Denies He Was Pushed Out as High School Football Coach,” National Post, July 14, 2010.

  pg. 104 “That’s completely untrue”: Kelly Grant, “Former Student Football Player Says Rob Ford Never Hit Him,” The Globe and Mail, July 28, 2010.

  pg. 105 “If Tory had got in, he would have won”: Interview with Nick Kouvalis, August 2013.

  pg. 105 “If you look at the campaigns I’ve been through”: Interview with John Tory, August 2013.

  pg. 106 “We’re together. We have the same thoughts”: Don Peat, “Ford Weighs In on Same-Sex Marriage,” Toronto Sun, August 4, 2010. Video of press conference at www.torontosun.com/videos/life/life/5828781001/ford-weighs-in-on-same-sex-marriage/407548958001/page/8.

  pg. 107 “corruption is a strong term”: Paul Moloney, “Ford’s Corruption Charge Angers Miller,” Toronto Star, August 12, 2010.

  pg. 108 “if I have to choose”: Robyn Doolittle, “Rob Ford Video Scandal: Don’t Count the Mayor Out Yet, Political Strategists Say,” Toronto Star, June 1, 2013. (I edited out “beats their wife” from the original, newspaper version.)

  pg. 109 “He’s the best Christmas present”: Tamara Baluja, “Toronto City Hall Gallery Welcomes the New Mayor,” The Toronto Observer, December 7, 2010.

  CHAPTER 6: HE WON’T GIVE UP THE BLOW

  pg. 111 “Hey Renata,” John says: John (not his real name) secretly recorded this meeting. Confirming it was in fact Renata Ford’s voice was a concern, since I don’t know her voice well enough to make that judgment. After several months of work, I am confident it is her for the following reasons: John knew her cell phone number, which is not readily available (I obtained it from a staff member); the voice on her voice mail message sounds the same; when I played the recording for a member of Ford’s extended family, that person confirmed it was her; John made other recordings. In another, Renata Ford talks about details of the couple’s personal life and health history that I do not believe an impostor would easily know. The full recording I listened to is about twenty minutes long. John wanted to sell me the tape for two thousand dollars. I did not purchase the audio.

  pg. 113 “I figured, I’m not going to be a city councillor forever”: Interview with Councillor Jaye Robinson, August 12, 2013.

  pg. 114 Kouvalis had three questions: Nick Kouvalis confirmed that this was how the meetings went.

  pg. 115 “If it’s a strategy to sway votes”: Daniel Dale, “Ford’s Hardball on Traffic Light Has Centrist Seeing Red,” Toronto Star, July 26, 2011.

  pg. 116 “They talked about running it”: Interview with Paul Ainslie, July 2013.

  pg. 116 “I took a huge pay cut to take this job”: Interview with Councillor Jaye Robinson, August 12, 2013.

  pg. 117 “unanimous support”: Interview with Case Ootes, September 15, 2013.

  pg. 118 Rob Ford used his first press conference as mayor: The financial figures included in this section are from Tess Kalinowski and David Rider, “‘War on the Car Is Over’: Ford Scraps Transit City,” Toronto Star, December 2, 2010.

  pg. 118 “In my mind, we would kill Transit City”: Interview with Councillor Karen Stintz, August 2013.

  pg. 119 “This man can’t even convince five people”: Robyn Doolittle, “Rob Ford Is Mr. Popular at City Hall,” Toronto Star, August 26, 2010.

  pg. 119 “This is the beginning of a new era … find new managers”: David Rider et al., “Ford’s Budget: TTC, User Fees Increased,” Toronto Star, January 10, 2011.

  pg. 120 “The mayor doesn’t want a fare increase”: Raising transit fares by ten cents would have meant twenty-four million dollars in revenue. Because the call to Karen Stintz came the night before the budget launch, TTC staff didn’t have time to find enough savings, so Stintz was forced to defend the increase while the mayor was saying he wasn’t happy about it and planned to find a way to avoid it. Stintz said, “If there is a way to avoid this increase, we will find it.” The next day, Stintz announced there would be no increase. City managers promised to find sixteen million dollars to help make the numbers work.

  pg. 121 “It’s actually no one’s business”: Kenyon Wallace and Jayme Poisson, “Mayor Rob Ford Refuses to Discuss David Price’s Future,” Toronto Star, September 19, 2013. Video at www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2013/09/19/mayor_rob_ford_refuses_to

  _discuss_david_prices_future.html.

  pg. 122 “My brother is not the mouthpiece”: Paul Moloney, “Ford Vetoes a Veto,” Toronto Star, February 18, 2011.

  pg. 123 his schedule said “DECO ALL DAY”: Daniel Dale, “What Does Rob Ford Do All Day?” Toronto Star, March 24, 2011.

  pg. 123 “It’s fair to say I didn’t know where he was”: Interview with Adrienne Batra, October 2013.

  pg. 123 “There was a lack of civility”: Robyn Doolittle, “Top Toronto City Managers Report Culture of Fear, Bullying,” Toronto Star, September 28, 2012.

  pg. 124 “Clearly, there is a lot of influence”: Robyn Doolittle, “Top Toronto City Managers Report Culture of Fear, Bullying,” Toronto Star, September 28, 2012.

  pg. 124 “political motivations”: Robyn Doolittle, “Toronto City Council: Ombudsman Fiona Crean Under Attack for Scathing Report,” Toronto Star, October 4, 2012.

  pg. 124 “The evidence certainly points”: Paul Moloney, “Toronto Ombudsman Denied the Extra Full-Time Help She Asked For,” Toronto Star, December 13, 2012.

  pg. 125 “Managers were coming to us proactively”: Interview with Adrienne Batra, October 2013.

  pg. 126 “The Library Services could be reduced”: KPMG, “City of Toronto Core Services Review, Executive Committee Governance,” 2011. See www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-39626.pdf.

  pg. 126 “I’ve got more libraries in my area”: David Rider, “Fight Library Cuts, Maybe Get Margaret Atwood at Your Book Club,” Toronto Star, July 24, 2011.

  pg. 126 “Twin Fordmayor seems to think those who eat Timbits”: Margaret Atwood status on Twitter, https://twitter.com/MargaretAtwood/status/94483498701828097.

  pg. 126 “I value the Toronto Public Library”: “My Thoughts on the Toronto Public Library,” message on Karen Stintz’s website, July 27, 2011, www.karenstintz.com/?p=1410.

  pg. 127 “That’s Rob Ford!”: Interview with Jason Hebert, summer 2012 and October 28, 2013.

  pg. 127 “This was the first time”: Interview with former Ford staff member, August 2013.

  pg. 129 “ill-conceived” and “reckless”: An open letter to Toronto councillors, signed by more than one hundred academics and experts, including Eric J. Miller, Paul Bedford, Richard Florida and Richard Sommer, September 15, 2011.

  pg. 129 “vote in the interests of protecting city services”: Robyn Doolittle,
“Massive Poll Shows Toronto Is United Against Ford’s Proposed Cuts,” Toronto Star, September 16, 2011.

  pg. 130 “You can take it. It can be your win”: Interview with Councillor Josh Colle, July 2013.

  pg. 131 “Ford! It’s me, Marg Delahunty!”: “Marg Princess Warrior with Rob Ford,” This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC, April 17, 2012.

  pg. 132 “You … bitches!”: “Rob Ford Denies Calling 911 Dispatcher Names,” CBC, October 27, 2011.

  pg. 134 Canada ranked fifty-sixth: Centre for Law and Democracy, “International RTI Ratings Results,” September 13, 2013.

  pg. 135 “Canada is utterly behind”: Interview with Toby Mendel, executive director of the Centre for Law and Democracy, October 7, 2013.

  pg. 136 at the mercy of whatever court clerk happens to be on duty: Thankfully, change could be coming. In September 2013, after relentless hounding from Star reporter Jesse McLean, the ministry in charge of the provincial court system said it would review its policies on access to criminal court records. Attorney General John Gerretsen acknowledged that “in some courthouses, people are more likely to provide that information than in other courthouses.” Gerretsen sent an edict to courthouse staff ordering them to be “consistently helpful.” It is progress, but without legislative change Ontario’s courts still seem to be operating on the honour system. Martin Regg Cohn, “John Gerretsen Lays Down Law on Sharing Public Information About Court Cases: Cohn,” Toronto Star, October 3, 2013.

  pg. 136 “That offends me, because people hide behind privacy”: Information and Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian, September 12, 2013.

  pg. 136 the way it works in “best practices” countries: Interview with Toby Mendel, executive director of the Centre for Law and Democracy, October 7, 2013.

  pg. 137 “That doesn’t quite make sense to me”: Interview with Camille Jobin-Davis, assistant director of New York State’s Committee on Open Government, October 11, 2013.

  pg. 138 “Anyone, if it’s you or I”: Robyn Doolittle, “Rob Ford 911 Calls Raise Questions, Toronto Star, December 30, 2011.

  pg. 140 “My first call was to a cellphone and the familiar voice”: Joe Warmington, “Ford Says Story Wrong on 911 Call,” Toronto Sun, December 30, 2011.

  CHAPTER 7: THE BIER MARKT

  pg. 142 “I think I just saw the mayor do blow”: Interview with Leo Navarro, March 2012, August 2013.

  pg. 144 “According to a server”: Jonathan Goldsbie, “The Rob Ford Agenda: March 12–18, 2012,” The Grid, March 20, 2012.

  pg. 146 I agreed to keep his identity confidential: Leo Navarro no longer works at the Bier Markt and has allowed me to use his name.

  pg. 147 Brooks Barnett: I briefly spoke to Barnett on his cell phone in March 2012 and was told to go through media relations.

  pg. 148 “I’m trying to do my thing”: Dean Blundell Show, 102.1 The Edge, March 29, 2012.

  pg. 149 crouching like a football player: This is according to two former staff members.

  pg. 150 “Paki” … saw the mayor pop an OxyContin pill: From Project Brazen 2’s “Information to Obtain Search Warrant” court documents.

  pg. 150 start phoning constituents back … “Fuck this”: Interview with two former Ford staff members, August 2013 and November 2013.

  pg. 150 At 2:30 A.M., Ford stumbled down to the City Hall security desk: City Hall security incident report.

  pg. 150 “going to eat her box” … “I banged your pussy”: From Project Brazen 2’s “Information to Obtain Search Warrant” court documents.

  pg. 151 Provost jumped out of the cab: Interviews with three former staff members and Project Brazen 2’s “Information to Obtain Search Warrant” court documents.

  pg. 151 “We knew he drank”: Interview with former Ford staffer, August 2013.

  pg. 152 “That’s the story you should be looking into”: Interview with former Ford staffer, April 2012.

  pg. 153 Ford’s workload had been cut in half: Robyn Doolittle, “Mayor Rob Ford Has Deeply Cut His Workload, Documents Show,” Toronto Star, May 26, 2012.

  pg. 153 I spoke with a dozen prominent, non-partisan civic leaders: These were individuals involved in large-scale city-building initiatives who work in the business community, academia, media, civic service, and activism.

  pg. 156 “Hey, buddy,” he hollered: Daniel Dale, “Daniel Dale on What Happened Near the Mayor’s Home,” Toronto Star, May 2, 2012.

  pg. 157 “My neighbour knocked on my door”: Rob Ford interview on the Jerry Agar Show, Newstalk 1010, May 3, 2012.

  pg. 158 “I want to start with the issue of private security”: Anne-Marie Mediwake interviewing Rob Ford, “Star Reporter Denies Peering into Rob Ford’s Yard,” CBC News Toronto, May 3, 2012. See www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/star-reporter-denies-peering-into-rob-ford-s-yard-1.1197459.

  pg. 158 Global TV anchor Kris Reyes tweeted: Tweet from Kris Reyes, @krisreyes, May 3, 2012. See http://liveblogs.globaltoronto.com/Event/Toronto_Morning_Show?Page=417.

  pg. 158 In December 2013, a year and a half after the fence incident: Rob Ford appeared as a guest of one-time media baron Conrad Black on his new current affairs show, The Zoomer. In their thirty-five-minute discussion, Black asked Ford to describe some of the most “offensive events” he’s experienced at the hands of the media. The mayor replied, “The worst one was Daniel Dale in my backyard taking pictures. I have little kids. When a guy’s taking pictures of little kids, I don’t want to say the word, but you start thinking, you know, what’s this guy all about?” The insinuation to any reasonable person was clear. Ford was suggesting Dale was a pedophile. The next day, Ford boasted that he stood “by every word” of his interview with Black. After Ford repeated many of the erroneous claims to a Washington sports radio show Thursday morning—December 12, 2013—Dale served the mayor, ZoomerMedia, and its network, Vision TV, which broadcast the segment, with a libel notice. Ford issued a full retraction and apology.

  CHAPTER 8: THE DIRTY DOZEN

  pg. 160 “Well, Rob,” Doug said: Episode of The City, Newstalk 1010, September 16, 2012.

  pg. 162 “that little prick”: Daniel Dale, “Integrity Commissioner Scolds Mayor Rob Ford and Councillor Doug Ford in Separate Reports,” Toronto Star, February 1, 2012.

  pg. 162 “Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler was not a typical twenty-six-year-old”: Interview with Chaleff-Freudenthaler, August 9, 2013. Additional reference material: Daniel Dale, “Meet Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler: The 27-Year-Old Who Triggered Rob Ford’s Downfall,” Toronto Star, November 27, 2012; Rosie DiManno, “Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler Is a Thorn in Mayor Rob Ford’s Side,” Toronto Star, February 6, 2013; Sarah Liss, “10 Teens Taking Over,” NOW, www.nowtoronto.com/mobile/story.cfm?c=137555.

  pg. 162 By sixteen, he had been arrested: Curtis Rush, “Police Apologize for Protestors’ Strip-Search,” Toronto Star, February 22, 2006.

  pg. 164 “Hey, you’re the guy with the audits”: “Doug Ford Threat Complaint to Integrity Commissioner,” affidavit of Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler, July 15, 2011.

  pg. 164 “[Are you] threatening me?”: “Report on Violation of Code of Conduct,” Integrity Commissioner Janet Leiper, January 30, 2012. See www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-44900.pdf.

  pg. 165 Six months later: “Report on Violation of Code of Conduct,” Integrity Commissioner Janet Leiper, January 30, 2012. See www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-44900.pdf.

  pg. 165 she released a separate report reprimanding the mayor: “Report on Compliance with Council Decision CC 52.1,” Integrity Commissioner Janet Leiper, January 30, 2012. See www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-44902.pdf.

  pg. 166 “I want to explain how my charity works”: Rob Ford’s Speech to Council February 7, 2010. See www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJW9bxPT2wQ.

  pg. 169 Magder filed a complaint with Toronto’s lobbyist registrar: John Lorinc, “Doug Ford’s Tourist-Friendly Plan for Port Lands Faces Big Challenges,” The Globe and Mail, September 5, 2011.
>
  pg. 169 “You can’t, as a city councillor, speak to a motion”: Don Peat, “Judge Asked to Remove Ford from Office,” Toronto Sun, March 12, 2012. Video at www.torontosun.com/2012/03/12/application-filed-toremove-ford-from-office. And Natalie Alcoba, “Legal Action Puts Mayoralty On Line,” National Post, March 12, 2012.

  pg. 170 “I’m fed up with all the stuff ”: Kelly Grant, “Toronto Man Seeks Court Ouster of Mayor Rob Ford: Claims Conflict of Interest,” The Globe and Mail, March 12, 2012.

  pg. 174 he announced that “Twittering” would be allowed: All quotes relating to the hearing are taken from the official court transcript, Paul Magder v. Robert Ford, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, 361 University Avenue, Room 6-1, Toronto, September 5, 2012.

  pg. 177 “There must be some diligence on the respondent’s part”: Judge Hackland’s decision, Magder v. Ford, 2012 ONSC 5615, November 26, 2012.

  pg. 178 “Rob Ford says ‘left-wing politics’”: Marcus Gee, “Rob Ford’s Self-Inflicted Downfall,” The Globe and Mail, November 26, 2012.

  pg. 178 “The judiciary being asked to decide”: Simon Kent, “Rob Ford Case Had No Business Being in the Courts,” Toronto Sun, November 26, 2012.

  pg. 178 “History will write him up as a hero”: Daniel Dale, “Meet Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler: The 27-Year-Old Who Triggered Rob Ford’s Downfall,” Toronto Star, November 27, 2012.

  pg. 178 “It’s more disappointing than surprising”: David Rider et al., “Rob Ford Out: Mayor’s Attack Dog Mammoliti Quits Top Committee,” Toronto Star, November 26, 2012.

  pg. 178 “I know the stress”: Interview with Doug Holyday, August 14, 2013.

  pg. 179 “It is critical, in my submission”: Robyn Doolittle, “Rob Ford Libel Trial: Faced with Corruption Allegation, Pub Owner Had to Sue, Lawyer Says,” Toronto Star, November 15, 2012.

  pg. 179 “My wife was distraught over it”: Robyn Doolittle, “Rediscovered Audiotape Throws a ‘Curveball’ into Ford Libel Trial,” Toronto Star, November 14, 2012.

 

‹ Prev