The request to leave the Toronto Garrison Ball came two weeks before Sarah Thomson, a Toronto businesswoman and former mayoral candidate, created a media storm when she accused Ford of groping her while acting “out of it” at a Jewish political group’s event.

It’s an open secret at city hall that the mayor has battled alcohol abuse. Those closest to him are concerned for his health and the impact it has on his job as mayor of Canada’s largest city. Current and former staff have told the Star of repeated attempts to persuade the mayor to get help for more than two years and as recently as November. All attempts have been rebuffed.

The Garrison Ball is an annual dinner, attended by 800 soldiers, sailors, airforce personnel and civilians. The ball raised money for the well known Wounded Warriors charity. Billed as an evening of “pageantry and camaraderie,” the dinner was held on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Liberty Grand near Toronto’s waterfront.

That same year Ford bestowed upon us perhaps his wildest makeshift presser and soundbite, while wearing a Toronto Argonauts jersey (they’re a Canadian Football League team).

Beware, however, that the following clip contains extremely graphic language and content. Our apologies to the Queen Mary, and to Olivia Gondek.