‘People that voted to defund police, don’t vote for them’, Ford weighs in on Toronto mayoral race
Posted March 28, 2023 12:35 pm.
Last Updated March 28, 2023 1:28 pm.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has weighed in on the Toronto mayoral race for the first time, saying people should avoid supporting any candidate who wants to defund the police.
Ford previously stated he would stay out of the race to replace John Tory, but he addressed the upcoming election on Tuesday when speaking to reporters at Toronto Pearson airport.
Ford was asked about recent violence on the TTC, which includes the unprovoked fatal stabbing of a teen at Keele station over the weekend. He warned Torontonians not to vote for any candidate who wants to cut police funding, saying it seems like “everyone and their cousin” is running for mayor.
“We got to put more money into policing, and there are a couple of candidates that are running, that are sitting councillors, that voted to defund the police,” said Ford. “The people that voted to defund the police, don’t vote for them.”
Ford says there should be full-time police officers operating throughout the TTC.
“I believe in supporting a candidate that understands policing,” he said, adding he thinks there are only one or two individuals, out of those who have announced plans to run, that could successfully run the city.
Among them is former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders, who announced his mayoral candidacy last week. Saunders specifically mentioned public transit security, noting, “If people don’t feel safe walking down the street or on the TTC, nothing else matters.”
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Toronto police put more than 80 officers working overtime on patrol along the system in late January in response to a spate of violence but ended those shifts two weeks ago. The TTC also added 50 temporary security guards, community safety ambassadors, and outreach workers to the system this year.
Ford says the city needs to hire more police officers but did not respond to a question about whether the province would give Toronto funding to do that.
Advocates have contended that increased policing will only negatively impact marginalized groups, arguing that more supports are needed for unhoused and vulnerable individuals on the TTC.
The mother of the 16-year-old stabbed to death over the weekend called for more investment in mental health. When asked what he would say to the mother, Ford said his government is putting $3 billion into mental health supports.
“I don’t disagree with her comments,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking. I will be calling the mother and father. Our prayers and thoughts go out to her.”
The premier also continued his calls for federal bail reform on Tuesday.
“We can’t have the bad guys shooting up the streets and all of sudden going in front of the courts and being let out the next day,” said Ford. “We need safe subways. We need safe communities.”
A letter from 13 premiers to the prime minister earlier this year called for a “reverse onus” system for some offences, which would require a person seeking bail to prove why they should not stay behind bars.
With files from CityNews reporter Richard Southern, CityNews’ Lucas Casaletto and The Canadian Press
