Mayor of Toronto has admitted to smoking crack cocaine.

[Burning Down]

I'm not sure how much of this story any of you have heard, especially outside Canada - but Rob Ford, mayor of Toronto (where I live), has admitted to smoking crack. I have never supported this man or his policies, and he has such a questionable past that is now being confirmed by police.

Mayor Rob Ford won't step down despite crack use - Toronto - CBC News

Back in May of this year, two reporters from the Toronto Star newspaper received an anonymous lead from some Somali drug dealers, saying that they had a cell phone video of the mayor appearing to be smoking from a crack pipe at a house that was already known to police as a "drug house". The reporters got to view the video, and the next day they reported what they saw. Ford lashed out at the Star, accusing them of slander and threatening to sue them for defamation of character, and adamantly insisting that there was no video.

He remained silent for an entire week about the ordeal, and then finally answered questions saying that he has never done drugs, is not an addict, things like that. Meanwhile, the video had "disappeared". A few days ago, the chief of police held a press conference and stated that their IT department had recovered the video as part of a bigger drug raid. He stated that the mayor does appear in the video and that it is consistent with what the media had reported.

Ford made a very vague apology on Sunday, during his radio talk show, regarding his "past mistakes". He has had too many incidents involving questionable behaviour in the past, such as:

• Being visibly drunk and heckling fellow spectators and players at a Leafs game while he was a councillor.
• Receiving a DUI in Florida.
• Being openly drunk at the Danforth street festival this year, and representing himself as the mayor while drinking.
• Getting drunk at the St. Patrick's Day parade, and grabbing a woman's bum while making a sexual remark towards her (I totally believe this now).
• Networking with gangsters and people who are known to police in his private time (one of them, Alexander Lisi, has now been charged with extortion in relation to the crack video - Ford asked him to use any means to obtain the video and then told reporters it didn't exist)
• Writing a reference letter, using official city letterhead, for a convicted murderer so he could be hired as a tow truck driver in the city.

Despite all of this, and his obvious substance abuse issues, he is not stepping down. I really think, for the sake of his family, his children, and himself, that he should at least take a leave of absence and go seek treatment or counseling of some sort. What he should actually do is resign, though.

Rob Ford is the instigator of his own demise here. He lied and then let that lie fester for almost 6 months, and now it's just snowballed. This is only the tip of the iceberg and he knows it.



Honestly, who smokes crack just once during a "drunken stupor" and then never touches it again? I've never heard of that.

[Plankton]

Hmmm, seems like I've heard of this before:

Marion Barry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Scarlett O'Hara]

That is bloody ridiculous. He is not setting a good example and absolutely needs to resign. Isn't he supposed to be upholding laws? He is very obviously in need of a family/friend intervention as it's clear he's got issues with how much he's drinking and allegedly a crack user. He must take us for idiots by thinking it will blow over. I believe he needs to resign, go to a rehab facility (so not to endanger any more lives on the road) and then he might still be able to have a role in politics once he's back on track. But the fact that he's been dealing with well known drug dealers is asking for trouble.

[LoathsomePete]

What is it with Canadian mayors and crack? I seem to recall back in 2005 during the Vancouver Mayoral election there was a video that was released of incumbent mayor Sam Sullivan letting someone smoke crack in their van.

[Cuthbert]

Surely resignation is the very least he should do, I mean he obviously has no credibility after this. Apparently he pissed all over the pavement as well .

[Sansa Stark]

but I need to know

HOW WAS THE CRACK?
WAS IT REALLY....MOREISH???
bit of crack

[LoathsomePete]

Oh man it would have been great if he channeled Super Hans when coming out with it

[butthead aka 216]

Lol a top comment at deadspin listed and cited with links like 30 ridiculous actions by this guy. I can link it friday when I'm off. Fords insane lol

[Mr. Charlie]

We've all tried crack cocaine at least once, right?

[Sansa Stark]

Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

Oh man it would have been great if he channeled Super Hans when coming out with it

I would have, I'd have been like yeah I used to smoke crack, I still do, but I used to too, but right now I just wanna be in a controlled environment, have a coke, a tuna sandwich and mong out to some Snow Patrol, peace

Originally Posted by Mr. Charlie

We've all tried crack cocaine at least once, right?

Have you?