Is it just me or does anyone else still harbour doubts about Ford being in an actual rehab facility? There are still so many unanswered questions to this story. Please correct me if I am wrong on any point.
Rob woke up the
morning after the videotaped rant of April 29 at Sullie Gorman's pub and decided he was ready for rehab. Why then? The Sun
published the audio of the rant on May 1 -
two days after this alleged epiphany. We all know Rob doesn't do anything unless he's forced to, so I don't understand his sudden desire to get clean. Ford could not have known about what was on the audio. He was incoherent, manic and rambling that night. He admits to black-outs. We are to believe he remembered this event; but he can't recall any of his crack smoking events?
Rob Ford left for Chicago on the evening of Thursday May 1st via Buttonville airport. He was
deemed inadmissible by the U.S. immigration officer and given the option to withdraw his application. Doug Ford said "
the mayor was headed to one of the best facilities in North America." Deco Labels has a
facility in Chicago which causes the obvious speculation about where they were really headed. This departure of course coincides with the release of the explosive and embarrassing audio and video tape and a renewed onslaught of media questions.
This rehab is claimed to cost "
upwards of $100,000" but in the same article, Rosie Dimanno says that even some of the most exclusive places are less than half this amount. The The Crossroads Centre in Antigua (Eric Clapton's) is $27,500 (US) for a four-week stay or $35,375 for six weeks. There is an article unrelated to Ford about the most expensive rehab centres in the US
here, none are in or near Illinois and none of them are as much $$$ as Doug claims. The only one that comes close is in California and that one includes djembe drumming and other un-Ford-like new age nonsense.
This could be more Ford
we have the bestest of everything talk but it doesn't add up. What planning went into finding this facility? According to Rob Ford in Warminton's "rehab is amazing" article it went like this:
Ford recalled: “I told Dougie, ‘I am going away’ and then started looking up rehab and treatment centres.” It doesn't say they asked for help from people in the addiction industry who in turn formed a plan - it says they looked them up. So we are to believe that using what limited internet skills these two might have, they found the most expensive rehab on the planet and it happened to be in Canada?
Somehow between Rob's drunken stupor April 28 and his statement to the public on April 30, they managed to find a rehab, arrange transport, go there, get rejected by immigration and spend time dealing with that, turn around, find another rehab and be admitted.
So the timeline so far is:
April 29 - epiphany
April 30 - Rumours of new video and raunchy audio file published.
-
Statement to the public announcing leave of absence
May 1 morning - release of video stills
May 1 evening - flight to Chicago to check-in to bestest rehab in North America.
Turn around and head back to Canada
May 1 or 2 - admitted to super-secret amazing football camp $100,000 rehab.
How did the Fords manage to find not one, but 2 rehab facilities which would admit Rob immediately? Are we to believe that when they were turned back at Chicago, they had an immediate "plan b"? Wasn't there an patient pre-admission process with either of these places? A deposit? Also, I picture them going through the immigration process in Chicago and the last thing they would have time to do is to look for another rehab facility which could admit them right away.
And there are more questions. Ford is admitted on May 2. We don't know if he's even in Canada. He can't be in the U.S. because they rejected him.
May 6 we learn that
Rob Ford is "awol". The Star mentions that he phoned council to speak to councillor Minnan-Wong and his brother.
Then come the
Rob Ford sightings,(
2)
one in particular is credible. Cayla Clark claims Rob Ford came in wearing a suit and used bathroom to change into sweats. This account is immediately verified by other staff. Later Doug claims it was him, not Rob who was there. Cayla sticks to her story and is adamant it was Rob Ford. The videotape is confiscated by Doug and a press release issued by Tim's franchise owner saying that the tape confirms Doug Ford. This seems a lot of trouble for a family who expertly evades legitimate press questions, all to discredit a goofy teenaged girl. Interestingly, Doug Ford claims he stopped at Tim's on his way to city hall, took selfies and handed out t-shirts which makes the account of changing into sweats even more perplexing. There are no confirmations or twitters posts which confirm Doug's version of events.
May 07, 2014 05:37 AM - Warmington says he phone Rob in rehab and he answers. Sun headline reads "
Rehab is amazing". The interview sounds like another made-up Warmington spin story but rehab is apparently fun like football camp. It's a "working rehab". They have meetings, eat, more meetings. Eight people in a group, then sometimes four. 25 families would be affected if you knew the location though. Ford works out really hard but still has time to call constituents because he still wants to help. Rob is in good spirits. Ford claims he is learning about himself, his past, his family, not to play a victim, to address his anger against political opponents, and at first he was mad but that it's the best decision of his life. The audio tape reveals that he is "
in divorce" which raises the possibility that it was marital strife, not a personal epiphany which prompted him to (allegedly) seek help.
May 8
Warmington is in contact again with Ford who says to the media that he's in trouble for speaking to the media. This rehab is $100,000. Warmington now says he called Ford on Tuesday after hearing he spoke to Minnan-Wong. The idea that Ford sought treatment for political reasons is mentioned "
since he is still planning to contest the election, they would like to have some assurance he really is receiving professional treatment". Ford is contesting the election?
Concerns about the rehab as a football camp are addressed "
Many took this to mean his experience has been soft. He insisted in my first interview that it is not. “I am working out like an animal, man,” he said. “It’s great, great.” No mention of detoxing in a hospital - just working out. As Ford has no filter on the best of days, I have to wonder why he wouldn't mention to his minion that he spent 4 days in hospital - unless none of this happened.
May 9 -
CBC "confirms" Rob Ford is in rehab. The claim is that he was admitted late night May 1.
We learn that Rob Ford spent 4 unspecified days in hospital. One can only assume that a hospital visit was needed for the unpleasant and dangerous withdrawal once again making the happy rehab story sound completely false. It's hard to piece together the story because nothing adds up.
The timeline as reported on the CBC site seems to verify the teenage girl's account of seeing Ford at Tims.
" May 3 — Ford is escorted to hospital for a four-day stay, receiving "concurrent care" with the treatment centre. "
" May 7 — Ford returns to the treatment centre, where he remains." But this timeline makes no sense with the calls made to Warmington and Councillor Minnan-Wong. If Ford is in hospital being treated for withdrawal, how could he be so upbeat in those calls? And why would he be talking about calling constituents, working out, learning about himself, etc., he wasn't even at the treatment centre?
It's all made up.
I can't speculate on what is really happening but it's clear to me that much of what we are being told is not the truth. I have always respected the CBC but with budget cuts they are struggling like everyone else and a promise of funding would certainly go a long way to buying a favour. Maybe that $100,000 fee isn't made up at all. It's the price of doing business in Toronto.
