[guitarchitect]

There must be an operational reason for the flight surveillance - maybe they couldn't get warrant to do cell phone tracking or Lisi kept removing the gps bugs on his car or something similar.

This is pure speculation but, Cessnas can be outfitted with surveillance equipment that can pick up cell phone calls and/or conversations. I think it's understood at this point that the police have been listening to (or, at the very least, had reason to listen to) Ford's calls... and I really don't know how you tap a phone, let alone a cell phone, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility that the reason they were doing aircraft surveillance was because that's an effective method of picking up cell phone calls.

It's also possible it's a cheap/effective way to intimidate someone if the plane is in the air anyway, and I'd also think it's easier to track how someone is moving by doing it from the air rather than with a private investigator. We all know the Fords would approach and/or accost anyone they thought was following them (since they would automatically assume they're part of the media), so I don't doubt that parking cars around Ford and following him around was ever an option.

But yeah, that's a lot of speculation on my part, in any event.

 

[Franks2000inchTV]

Maybe they bugged his escalade (since it seems like he did most of his "business" there) and the plane was following, picking up the signals.

 

[RC8]

Rob Ford recruited man with history of violent crime to coach high school football

Wtf, Ford. I give the guy a hard time but I never thought he'd actually stoop down to such levels. What a moron.

 

[urbandreamer]

It takes a tough guy to coach tough kids.

 

[Dubster]

From the Cessna website:

ISR — INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE
Cessna’s durable, reliable, and easy to fly single-engine aircraft are the ideal platforms for surveillance and patrol missions. With generous range, search-and-rescue missions can carry on longer. Patrolling missions such as damage assessment, pipeline, power line, and border patrol can be executed with precision. The aircraft’s interior and exterior can be customized to fit mission requirements.

Cessna’s ISR package offers multimission flexibility and precise air-to-ground visuals for any Skyhawk, Skylane, or Stationair. Law enforcement customers all over the world use the Cessna ISR for accurate aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering, and discrete communication. Cessna can install a range of special equipment to fit the requirements of your intended mission. For example, your ISR aircraft can be fitted with a receiving antenna, workstation, and recording system that records and intercepts communications on the ground as well as broadcast signals.

The Cessna ISR isn’t limited to law enforcement. The portfolio of options available under the ISR program can be used for pipeline patrol, aerial mapping, wildlife patrol, post-disaster damage assessment, tracking wildfires, real estate surveys, broadcast television, search and rescue, and assessing environmental emergencies.

 

[pattycakes]

It takes a tough guy to coach tough kids.

That is not the issue. People that work with kids should have criminal background checks. It's that simple.

 

[vic]

This is a pretty good summary of some of Ford's friends/acquaintances, via The Globe:

In pictures: A who's-who of Ford's friends and acquaintances
The Globe and Mail
Published Wednesday, Oct. 09 2013, 7:43 AM EDT
Last updated Wednesday, Oct. 09 2013, 10:20 AM EDT
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ter-again/article14674440/#dashboard/follows/

 

[dforthandbview]

This is such a shit show. The stories will keep piling up and Rob Ford will never properly answer questions from the media. Unless he is arrested (which I'm beginning to think won't happen), he will be fine. At what point will he come clean and talk openly about what is going on? The answer is not right now nor anytime in the near future. Maybe 20 years down the road he'll have a Frost/Nixon kind of interview where he says ""When the mayor does it, that means it is not illegal." All he has to do is continue his silence, play the victim card and he'll survive. His supporters are so blind that they will vote him in next election. It pains me to say that even if the crack video comes out, it won't matter. I'm very worried that he will win again.

 

[greenegg]

A short while back I was cleaning out my bedroom end table at home and I was surprised to come across Rob Ford's City Hall business card from when he was a councillor. I don't ever remember meeting that guy. I wonder if it was one of those party nights that you don't remember the next day.

 

[ParkdalePetunia]

Doug Ford just did a scrum where he tried to deflect everything back to Queen's Park, because apparently a bad 700 million dollar decision (AG report: the 1.2 billion estimate includes the new facility and costs for it to run, plus let's not forget that both the PC's and the NDP's campaigned on cancelling it, we were going to get these costs anyways AND McGuinty earmarked 900 million to pay for sunk costs) totally trumps the sunk costs from the LRT, the new cost of the Subway, oh and the fact that the MAYOR IS EMBROILED IN CRIME.

This is what I think is going on:
Doug is running a drug trafficking empire (it would explain his financial situation much better than any dividends from Deco would), and Rob is an addict. Rob's stupidity and the dumb ass company he keeps has now shone a light on Doug's activities. Doug will throw Rob under the bus before this is done because he will be facing some serious charges. I'm guessing drug trafficking, racketeering, probably some bribery and intimidation charges. Rob is culpable in this, but this is Doug's baby.

 

[dforthandbview]

Doug seems to be unaware that reporters at City Hall are there because they write about municipal affairs. That's their beat. Much like there's a group of reporters that concentrate on Queen's Park. Does he even know that journalists have offices in City Hall? This guy needs to go.

 

[ParkdalePetunia]

Doug seems to be unaware that reporters at City Hall are there because they write about municipal affairs. That's their beat. Much like there's a group of reporters that concentrate on Queen's Park. Does he even know that journalists have offices in City Hall? This guy needs to go.

That too. Very good point. There is so much about how government is supposed to work that both Fords seem to be completely oblivious of. Terrifying to have a Mayor and a councillor with unofficial supreme power who don't understand what their jobs are.

 

[MetroMan]

I'm very worried that he will win again.

Not to discount your suffering, but more of this needs to happen. More people need to be "very worried" that Ford will win. If that happens, then he won't. There are many people who don't care for Ford as Mayor than the vocal minority of those who absolutely want him back. If you get those "don't care for" to become "Ford must go", then we'll have a record turnout and Ford will be trounced, no matter who runs against him.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Not to discount your suffering, but more of this needs to happen. More people need to be "very worried" that Ford will win. If that happens, then he won't. There are many people who don't care for Ford as Mayor than the vocal minority of those who absolutely want him back. If you get those "don't care for" to become "Ford must go", then we'll have a record turnout and Ford will be trounced, no matter who runs against him.

Hi metro man,


I agree, partially. I just don't see anyway, someone like Chow for example, could win now that Ford got the subway.

 

[DSC]

Not to discount your suffering, but more of this needs to happen. More people need to be "very worried" that Ford will win. If that happens, then he won't. There are many people who don't care for Ford as Mayor than the vocal minority of those who absolutely want him back. If you get those "don't care for" to become "Ford must go", then we'll have a record turnout and Ford will be trounced, no matter who runs against him.

+ 1 I often wonder how many UTers who go on (and on) about how ghastly Ford is even bothered to vote in the last election. Ford will always get a solid 20-25% of the vote (unless he is actually convicted of a serious crime) and it is thus important to have ONE strong candidate who could thus beat him. If we see too many "acceptable" candidates he will be re-elected, just as happened in 2010.