What was your thought process like in joining Tory’s team? Were there any temptations to work with the Fords?
No. I like the Fords. I liked them when I worked for them in 2010, and even though we had our falling out in 2011, I still like them. I still respect them. But when we found out about the
gangs and the
guns, that was when I decided I wasn’t going to be working for them again.
What was the nature of the falling out in 2011?
My primary job as chief of staff was to advise the mayor, and I found myself not able to implement the agenda that was set by Mayor Ford. I found myself not able to run the office, and I found that my advice wasn’t being taken. So there was no point for me to be there anymore.
[...]
In July, before Rob Ford withdrew from the mayoral race, you tweeted that he would win in Ward 2, and that Doug would lose the mayoral election. How did you predict that?
In fairness, Bob Rae
predicted it in May on Twitter. And there was
another gentleman who predicted it as well. It started to seem to me in July, when Rob came back from rehab, that he just wasn’t in it anymore, and that he wasn’t going to sit and lose. He was going to get out of the race. And I knew Doug always wanted to run anyway. So I just assumed it.
[...]
You once remarked that you thought that Rob Ford would make a good mayor. Do you think he was a good mayor?
No, he wasn’t. He had all the potential, and he did do some good things. Please write my whole answer and not part of it here: no, he wasn’t a good mayor, but he did do good things. There was too much drama, too much energy spent on him and his personal life, and not enough on the taxpayers. His behaviour took away from him accomplishing his agenda, because his behaviour ensured that councillors didn’t vote with him.
