Rocco Rossi Declares Candidacy In Toronto Mayoral Race

Another candidate threw his hat in the ring Monday in a bid to become the next mayor of Toronto.

Rocco Rossi announced his candidacy after offering his resignation, effective Dec. 31, from his post as national director of the federal Liberal Party. He was a top administrator and fundraiser for the Grits.

““It’s about building bridges to the ethno-cultural communities. It’s about building bridges to the business community, to the civic entrepreneurs from one street to the next,” Rossi said outside City Hall.

“It’s about building bridges to our youth and most importantly, it’s about building bridges to the over 60 per cent of eligible voters who don’t even bother to cast a vote in municipal politics.”

Rossi, who’s never run for public office, had reportedly been pondering taking a shot at the mayor’s position for the past two years.

So far, former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister George Smitherman is the only other declared candidate. There’s widespread speculation former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader John Tory will take another shot at the mayor’s seat.

Rossi ran Tory’s 2003 mayoral campaign. In February Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff put him in charge of boosting the party’s image and coffers.

Rossi said his platform includes a pledge to lower his own salary by 10 per cent and a plan to sell off Toronto Hydro to help pay down the city’s debt.

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