Tory Hopes Mayoral Candidates Begin Rational Debate

Smiling and relaxed in a pink shirt, John Tory easily answered reporters’ questions on Friday morning.

Confident in his earlier decision not to enter Toronto’s mayoral race, Tory outlined what he wanted to see before the October vote.

“I just hope they can get in to a more rational debate, talk about the real issues without tearing each other down,” Tory said outside the CFRB building at the corner of Yonge and St. Clair.

“I think they’re good people to stand up and put their name on a ballot and I hope they tell us what they’re for, tell us what they’re going to do, tell us the kind of city they want to see in ten years in Toronto, rather than telling us what’s wrong with the other person at the table,” he continued.

Tory said that his priorities for Toronto included increased and long-term transit funding, improvements to housing, and better integration of immigrants.

“Part of the deterioration of politics is that people will say anything to win and then once they get elected, will do anything to stop themselves from losing. When you get entirely focused on winning and losing, you lose sight of why you’re there: to serve the public,” Tory said.

He added that while he liked all of the candidates personally, the vote wasn’t about who he liked – “it’s about whether somebody can capture that sense of where the city should be going.”

Tory also cleared up rumours that Rob Ford had discussed his own mayoral bid with Tory earlier this year.

“Rob Ford has said to me that had I run back in January, he would have supported me. Ford is running now, along with a number of others, and I guess the universe will unfold as it should,” Tory said.

“Reconfirming an earlier decision was not that hard. There was a lot of pressure on, because people were talking about it…I just decided I could make a bigger and better contribution as a private citizen, as a broadcaster, as the head of the City Summit Alliance, and I will make a contribution.”