32 toronto life December 2018photograph bychristopher wahlIn subsequent years, I heard from people
who worked at city hall, or reported on it,
that Rob Ford, then a councillor, loved the
issue. He’d carry it around with him, yank-
ing it out occasionally to make his case about
the gravy train. He even said the story was
one of the reasons he decided to run for
mayor in 2010. (If true, it is surely Toronto
Life’s most dubious achievement.)
Rob Ford’s enthusiasm for this magazine
didn’t last. Two years into his scandal-
plagued mayoralty, Toronto Life published
an in-depth profile by Marci McDonald
that was fair, but not flattering. As Ford’s
personal life imploded, and his public
behaviour became increasingly erratic,
we continued to chronicle his epic decline
with many more stories.
Then, it seemed, the Ford era was over.
After Doug Ford lost the 2014 mayoralty
to John Tory, and Rob died in 2016, I
assumed that Toronto Life would never
run stories about the first family of Eto-
bicoke again. But here we are. Doug Ford’s
surprise PC leadership win was a triumph
for Ford Nation. Now he holds one of most
important jobs in the country, far exceed-
ing the power his brother ever had.
Even before Ford slashed the number
of city councillors and tossed the munici-
pal election into chaos, the editors here
knew he would be Toronto Life’s pick for
this year’s most influential person. We
asked Jason McBride, one of our most
accomplished writers, to learn as much as
he could about how Ford runs Queen’s
Park and what motivates his decision-
making. The story Jason produced is a
fascinating portrait of a complicated, fiery
guy with a clear sense of purpose.
Ford declined Jason’s multiple inter-view requests, but he did agree to be
photographed for the cover. The talented
Markian Lozowchuk took the portraits
at Queen’s Park. Ford was friendly and
folksy at the shoot, in his signature style,
but with an edge. He made it clear that he
was participating reluctantly. “I didn’t
want to do this,” he told the crew. “I don’t
know why, but Toronto Life has been awful
to my family.”
His comments struck everyone in the
room as strange, not only because they
were false but because they sounded like
something a mob boss might say. The
premier of the province—a man who
oversees a budget of $150 billion, who
controls our hospitals and schools, who
represents 14 million constituents—
wasn’t complaining about how this
magazine characterized his platform or
his party. His interest, first and foremost,
seemed to be in how Toronto Life has
treated the Ford family.
Like Donald Trump, who frequently
puts his family ahead of matters of state,
Ford sees himself, primarily, as the chief
guardian of his immediate clan. Jason’s
story illustrates how Ford’s family-first
attitude has already had a big impact on
Queen’s Park and city hall, and how it will
likely continue to change the face of Ontario
in the months and years to come.big news: Toronto Life is launching a new
membership program. To learn more, visit
torontolife.com/membership.Premier Concerns
Back in 2008, when David Miller was mayor,
Toronto Life published a sweeping critique
of the municipal government. The feature alleged
mismanagement, waste and even corruption.
On the cover was an image of city hall, but in place
of the iconic clamshell that houses the council
chamber, there was a toilet bowl, lid up, with the
provocative headline: “Where Your Money Goes.”
It was not the magazine’s subtlest moment.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Coming up
Our post-holiday guide to self-pampering;
a profile of Olympic prodigy Penny Oleksiak;
and a tell-all memoir about working at
start-ups in Toronto techland. Plus, over-
the-top marriage proposals, where to eat
in The Path, and new Raptor Danny Green’s
slick west end house.Stay in touch
Sign up for our weekly newsletters
at torontolife.com/newslettersThe Hunt: The latest on the crazy
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Best Bets: Your cheat sheet to Toronto’s
best events
The Informer: Our roundup of the
week’s top stories
The Dish: The scoop on the hottest
restaurants, bars and food shops
The Goods: The city’s fashion trends,
shop openings and moreDigital edition
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includes free access to the monthly
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and follow the prompts. Non-
subscribers can purchase an annual
digital subscription for $17.99.—Sarah Fulford
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @sarah_fulfordEDLETTER_SEND.indd 32 18-10-29 4:13 PM