‘Never Trust a Guy in a Football Tie’ : Rob Ford and the Construction of Addiction

• In Event: Hot Off The Press: Crime and Justice in Newspapers

Abstract

The scandal embroiling Toronto Mayor Rob Ford for much of 2013 and 2014 presents an interesting opportunity to explore the ways in which we think and talk about substance (ab)use and recovery. Examining over 1,900 articles from four Canadian newspapers (Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto Star, and Toronto Sun), the authors analyze the ways in which news media have framed Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s use of alcohol and crack cocaine. We explore how the discourses surrounding crack cocaine use inform the coverage of Ford’s activities. The authors find that criticism of Ford is not directed solely at his use of illegal substances, but rather his violation of the public’s trust, association with criminals, and refusal to display contrition or humility in light of media revelations. Moreover, news media coverage suggests that this "embarrassment" has been brought on by Ford’s own lack of self-control and poor judgment. The authors conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for how we conceptualize addiction.

Authors

• Liam Kennedy, University of Toronto

• Jenna Valleriani, University of Toronto