Most Canadians know Sam Sullivan as the flag-waving quadriplegic mayor of Vancouver and the emotional center of the Torino closing ceremonies as he took the Olympic flag on Vancouver's behalf.  What most don’t know about is the white-knuckled resilience he displayed during his 2005 mayoral campaign in the face of vicious name-calling and political mud-slinging.   This is the focus of the new documentary Citizen Sam.

Sam Sullivan once took a crackhead out for dinner in an effort to become more in touch with the social problems Vancouver faces, and then bought some crack and allowed said crackhead to smoke it in his van.  This isn’t the kind of behaviour you’d generally see from those who aspire to high office, but Sam isn’t your typical candidate.  He speaks fluent Cantonese, preaches the benefits of prescription heroin and takes a swig of scotch each morning before setting about his day.  He takes endless shit throughout the campaign for the crackhead incident and a spotty voting history on social issues, but manages to rise above it all with a smile on his face.  Sam Sullivan is one tough son of a bitch.

He is also quadriplegic, which is pretty hard to ignore.  While the filmmakers never make Sam’s disability the focus of the film, his day-to-day struggles with the most mundane tasks brings his disability - and the incredible adversity it has laid in his path - into sharp focus.  The most heartfelt moment of the film comes when Sam wins the election but is forced to put the celebration on hold until he can find a washroom that his wheelchair will fit into.  Though it would be easy to feel sorry for Sam, it is certainly ill-advised.  “I like the fact that people underestimate me,” he says, “They pat me on the head, then I rip their throat out.”

Citizen Sam is playing at the Hot Docs film festival this Wednesday and Saturday.