Toronto Mayor Rob Ford negotiating for private viewing of ‘the video’

The relationship between Toronto police and Mayor Rob Ford is admittedly at a low point at the moment, but the mayor is hoping they can call a temporary truce at least long enough for him to view a controversial video at the centre of a drug investigation.

Yes, that video. The video that Ford said did not exist until Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair confirmed last week that a copy had come into the possession of authorities and forwarded on to Crown lawyers.

The video reportedly shows Ford smoking from a crack pipe and making racist and homophobic comments. Ford now admits to smoking crack cocaine and says he has an idea about what is on the video. He told the Toronto Sun it wasn’t going to be pretty.

Still, it appears Ford wants to confirm his suspicions before deciding exactly what to confess to next. The Globe and Mail reports that his lawyer Dennis Morris is negotiating to secure Ford a private viewing.

[ Related: Mayor Rob Ford’s crack use 'weakens' Toronto’s brand ]

“I’m in the middle of discussions with the police in reference to that, but whatever it is has very serious conditions on it,” Morris told the newspaper. “I’m trying to do my best to get rid of conditions.”

Those conditions most likely include Ford agreeing to speak to police in an ongoing drug investigation that has been tied to the mayor and has left his close friend Alexander Lisi charged with drug trafficking and extortion.

Ford has declined to speak with investigators, even though he says he has "nothing left to hide."

Of course, being implicated in a police drug investigation is sure to strain the relationship between a mayor and a chief of police, and it appears Ford is happy to scorch the earth between the two parties.

[ More Brew: Senior policy adviser resigns from Mayor Rob Ford’s office ]

After existence of the video was confirmed, the mayor and his brother, Coun. Doug Ford, immediately launched an attack on Blair, calling him a biased political opportunist. Doug Ford went on a day-long attack against Blair on Tuesday, calling for him to resign and demanding a full investigation into ... something. Various inappropriatenesses, one supposes, including having a friendly relationship with a Toronto police services board member that the Fords fought to have hired.

Blair has declined to respond to the personal attacks. But it must be laughable to him that, after all of this, Rob Ford and his lawyer are asking for a favour.

If Ford wants to have his memory jogged about what he said and did during one of his "drunken stupors," there is a very easy way to do it. Go speak to investigators. They are more assuredly interested in speaking with you, and they'd probably like you to see the video as much as you want to see it yourself.

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