The Gravy Train is a special, eight-part narrative podcast from the Frequency Podcast Team that explores the tragic life and enduring legacy of Toronto’s notorious mayor Rob Ford.

Hosted by Jordan Heath-Rawlings, and featuring dozens of interviews from key players, the series tells the inside story of Ford’s rise and fall, and lays out the populist blueprint that politicians around the world are following today. Rob Ford’s rise was a sign the world was changing, but we were too busy laughing at him to notice.

Have a listen to the trailer and subscribe to The Gravy Train in your favourite podcast player. On Apple Podcasts, just tap right here. The first two episodes arrive Oct. 31, 2019.

This episode originally aired on The Big Story.

To be fair, they do force it closed. But then it reopens. Sometimes the very same day. So why, nine months after legalization, can police and the City of Toronto not manage to keep CAFE’s dispensary doors shut? And why is it worth the monumental hassle on the part of the owners to keep reopening in the face of locks and bars and fines and threats?

The latest salvo occurred over the past week. Police brought in gigantic 4,000-pound cement blocks and stacked them in front of the entrances and exits of the stores. CAFE found machinery and removed them in the dead of night. Police brought them back and barred the doors. CAFE staffers started selling pot directly on the street. Why is the black market still alive and thriving almost a year after pot became legal? What are we getting wrong?

GUEST: Adrian Ghobrial, CityNews Toronto

Toronto’s first vapour lounge opened when medical marijuana was being legalized nearly 20 years ago. On the final episode of the Legal Potcast, go inside the HotBox Cafe to meet owner and ganja groundbreaker Abi Roach. Then, Shauna sits down with veteran 680NEWS reporter Richard Southern to talk about the past, present and future of Canadian cannabis.

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