Rob Ford bullies, threatens reporter

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford addresses the media at his home after confronting Star reporter Daniel Dale who was on public property Wednesday evening.

Editorial, The Toronto Star:

Ford would like to buy a piece of park land in this area, specifically to erect a more effective security fence. Dale was working on reporting that development and, as any good journalist should, went there to document first-hand the tract in question.

There’s an obvious public interest at stake: the mayor is proposing to buy park land collectively owned by all the people. And since Ford’s purpose in doing so is strictly for private security reasons, the level of protection provided by his existing fence is relevant too.

Did Dale at any time trespass on Ford’s property?

No. Even Ford doesn’t claim the reporter was actually in his backyard. Dale remained in the park, which is public property. He wasn’t peering into the mayor’s private space.

Did Ford consider the lurker a legitimate threat to his security?

Well, he couldn’t have thought so for long. On charging out, it became readily apparent that the “fishy” character his neighbour had warned Ford about was, in fact, a familiar city hall journalist. “I knew it was Daniel Dale,” Ford later told reporters.

Is Dale some rogue scribbler with a shady reputation and undeserving of the public’s trust?

Quite the opposite. Just last week he won a National Newspaper Award — one of the profession’s highest honours — and was twice named Canada’s best young journalist of the year for a large-circulation newspaper.

Did Ford do the right thing? Should other Toronto residents emulate his conduct on being notified of a suspicious-looking character near their house?

No. Even Councillor Doug Ford said his brother, the mayor, should not have personally confronted Dale. It’s far safer, in these situations, simply to call police and have them look into the matter. After all, that’s what they’re paid to do. If the mayor had concerns about someone near his property, he should have phoned the police.

Any calm consideration of the facts reveals a rash confrontation that was neither necessary nor justified on Ford’s part. Unfortunately it has turned into a sideshow that does nothing to advance debate about the mayor’s policies and priorities. We disagree with many of those but — despite what Ford thinks — we believe he and his family have a right to their privacy. It’s a shame he is further than ever from seeing that now.

Cellphone abandoned in confrontation with Mayor Rob Ford used 45 minutes later

Divergent stories about what happened at mayor’s home raise questions

Councillors speak out on the Ford-reporter encounter

VIDEO: Daniel Dale talks to the media

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