Seven Crazy Rob Ford Tales from 'Crazy Town'

As one of the first reporters to see the now-infamous video of Toronto's mayor getting high, Star journalist Robyn Doolittle has closely followed the still-unfolding story of the most cracked mayoralty in recent national history.

Released Monday, her book detailing the reign of Rob Ford, Crazy Town, digs even deeper into the wild behaviour we have come to expect from Toronto's chief magistrate. It contains details on how Ford has treated his staff and run his office, his brazen substance use that has made every staffer's job difficult, and the impact he's had on the people around him.

Crazy Town may not be the full Rob Ford portrait -- that will likely have to wait until years after he leaves office -- but it's a book that well captures the wild sensibility at Toronto city hall and the deeply interesting world that takes place within its walls.

The Tyee took a look at some new things it reveals about Canada's most famous politician and the events that orbit him, including the Ford high school days, the mayor's stubborn habits, and what famous political family the Fords compare themselves to.

1) He won't give up 'the blow'. The most startling revelation in the book is a recounting of an alleged taped conversation between Ford's wife Renata and a friend, where she expresses concern about her husband's habits: "He thinks that he, oh, you know, 'I'll give up the pills, but I'm not giving up the blow.’" The book also details how Ford's staff wanted him to get help, but no one could manage him. The only person whose advice Ford seems to consistently listen to is his mother's, and she has said that he just needs to lose some weight.

2) Randy wears the black hat. Everyone knows about Rob and Doug Ford, but less is known about their older brother Randy. He's not one for politics, and the few times he's been seen in public, he's always worn a black cowboy hat, looking a lot like a Twin Peaks character. The black hat became a problem in a photo-op during the 2010 municipal campaign, as Ford operatives tried to convince him to take it off for a press conference. Randy initially resisted, saying he only took it off in the shower and in bed, but eventually relented. The black hat is also something of a metaphor, as Randy was arrested 17 times by age 33, including for assault, theft and stealing a motorcycle.

3) Doug Ford's hearty party. Rob and Doug Ford's high school, Scarlett Heights, played a big role in their lives. It was there that Doug allegedly ran a mid-level hash dealing operation, and they held big parties at the family compound following Raiders football games, where they acted like rock stars. Doug's quote in his high school yearbook: "Scarlett heights is nice and hearty every day was a party. I can't believe I'm still alive after five. Make it 3 in a row Raiders." As at city hall, Rob was often overshadowed by Doug -- the next year, after Doug had graduated, the yearbook misidentified Rob as his older brother.

4) The Canadian Kennedys. When it comes to political families, the Fords hold a unique place in the Canadian imagination. Some people look at them, shake their heads, and say, "Why?" But the Fords look at themselves, nod vigorously, and say, "Why not?" Among the more revealing insights in Crazy Town is how the family sees themselves: As the Canadian Kennedys. According to an unnamed source, it's the specific term they use for what they see as their powerful and important family political dynasty, even if to an outsider the Ford goings-on might seem a far cry from Camelot.

5) Great Scott! Scott MacIntyre, the on-again off-again common law partner of Ford sister Kathy, is not the most credible witness. He once accidentally shot Kathy in the face while breaking up a household dispute (she survived), has been convicted of drug trafficking, and last week sued the mayor for $1 million for allegedly conspiring to assault him in prison, which left him with a broken leg and shattered teeth. According to the book, MacIntyre also told a police constable in January 2012 that he intended to shoot the mayor and cut off his head with a machete.

Later in the year, he posted to Facebook that he was put in jail for challenging someone well-connected (as opposed to issuing a death threat and drug possession). When contacted by Doolittle about his claims, he said he still supported the mayor politically: "Why don't you do a story on what a great job Rob has done as Mayor of this city. And the money he has saved the tax payer (sic)!!!" MacIntyre claims in today's Globe and Mail that he was just trying to discourage Doolittle from contacting him further.

6) The ransom is 1,000 dog biscuits. Gloria Lindsay Luby is a soft-spoken, moderate conservative suburban councillor who sports a sunhat in her Twitter photo. The Fords dislike her. They live in the ward she represents, and Rob lost his first political race to her in 1997, a hotly contested campaign in which he placed fourth. During the campaign, Lindsay Luby faced a lot of harassment, although it was never determined who was behind it.

The book describes how a stone Labrador was stolen from the end of her driveway, and she was sent bizarre notes about it. "We have your dog," read one letter using cut-up magazine text. "The ransom is 1,000 dog biscuits." Subsequent letters showed a "burly looking man in military garb holding a gun to the dog's head" and a photo of the dog with its head sliced off. The letters stopped after the campaign.

7) 'These guys are nuts.' Fiscally conservative councillor Karen Stintz was Ford's handpicked choice to lead the TTC, Toronto's much-maligned transit system. But she quickly realized she was going to have a difficult time. She thought that when Ford "cancelled" Transit City, the $8-billion transit expansion project almost entirely funded by the province, he was merely going to rebrand it with a Ford-friendly name.

When his administration proposed scrapping the much-needed 19-kilometre Eglinton Crosstown entirely, Stintz checked to see if they were serious, and then offered another proposal instead -- her resignation. Stintz told Doolittle, "I left that meeting thinking, 'These guys are nuts.' And you can put that in your book." Stintz intends to run against Ford for mayor.