India, June 24 -- Rob Ford, former mayor of Toronto, made headlines for an infamous video that brought his career down. In 2013, a video emerged online that showed Ford, then-in-office, smoking crack cocaine. This incident and what followed made Ford one of the most divisive political figures in recent times.

Even before this event, Ford had a history of substance abuse and legal controversies, although none of them dissuaded him from running and winning a seat on the council. He was accused of an impaired-driving conviction in 1999, a possession-of-marijuana charge in 2006, a conflict of interest case for using office stationery in exchange for funds, and repeated signs of alcohol addiction.

Ford was elected to office in 2010. Although...