Ford rivals launch fresh attacks following new details of infamous video

CTV National News: Brazen new account of video A brazen new account of a notorious crack video has regenerated intense interest in Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. John Vennavally-Rao reports.

Rob Ford's credibility as the mayor of Canada's largest city is under fire again after newly unsealed police documents describing a video that appears to show him smoking crack cocaine was released Wednesday.

The new documents reveal for the first time an official police description of the now-infamous video that appears to show Ford smoking crack cocaine.

A detective who viewed the minute-long video found on a seized laptop said it "appears to have been filmed surreptitiously showing Mayor Ford consuming what appears to be a narcotic while inside a residence," according to the search warrant.

"Mayor Ford is holding what appears to be a glass cylinder in one hand and a lighter in the other hand while engaged in a conversation with individual(s) off camera ... At one point Mayor Ford holds the glass cylinder to his mouth. Lights the lighter and applies the flame to the tip of the glass cylinder in a circular motion," the description reads.

"After several seconds Mayor Ford appears to inhale the vapour which is produced, then exhale vapour."

The embattled mayor has since been stripped of his key powers but is running for re-election in October.

Olivia Chow, who is considered a frontrunner in the mayoral race, took the opportunity on Wednesday to comment on the newly released documents.

"The on-going revelations about Mr. Ford again show why he’s no role model for our children," the former NDP MP said in a statement. "Our city is tired of the distractions and needs a new mayor."

Her rival, John Tory, also released a statement, saying the current mayor "no longer has the ability to get things done."

"The ongoing saga is distracting our city, and creating a stalemate at city hall," the former Ontario PC leader said. "It is time for us to move forward, and elect a new mayor who will make Toronto more livable, affordable and functional."

A spokesperson for former councillor David Soknacki, who is also running for Toronto's top political office, also weighed in.

"Regardless of any disclosures that may emerge from ongoing legal proceedings, David Soknacki believes it's already clear to Torontonians that Mayor Rob Ford must be replaced," Supriya Dwivedi said in a statement emailed to CTV News.

Former TTC chair Karen Stintz, who is also running for mayor, did not have any comments.

"We have no comment about Rob Ford documents at this time," a spokesperson with Stintz's camp said in an email statement to CTV News.

Ford has not released an official statement in response to the newly unsealed police documents.

As news of the documents circulated through city hall, the mayor sent a tweet regarding the Royal Ontario Museum’s 100th birthday.

Ford was attending an executive committee meeting Wednesday morning. He left without speaking to reporters.

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who chairs the committee, told reporters at city hall that Torontonians deserve an explanation.

"It is up to the mayor to determine how he replies to these questions and concerns, but I think one would expect a more fulsome response than has been delivered thus far."