Tory pulls out of 3 debates this week

Toronto’s mayoralty race is in a critical new phase and it comes with its share of drama already.

Candidate John Tory announced that he’s not participating in three of this week’s debates, including Monday’s hosted by a group known as TTC Riders.

“He cancelled at the last minute. It’s very very disrespectful. We’re furious,” said Jessica Bell, Executive Director of TTC Riders. “What does that say about his plan to fix transit if he can’t even be bothered to turn up at a debate and tell transit users what his plan is? It’s very disrespectful.”

The group says a few hundred people were expected to attend the debate at Ryerson but at the last minute, Tory pulled out.

Tory said he can’t accommodate every event, also pulling out of the Better Living Health and Community Centre debate and the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood association debates on Tuesday.

Following his announcement the Waterfront BIA, which was co-hosting the debate with the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood association, announced that it would be cancelling the event all together.

“Earlier today, when Mr. Tory unexpectedly withdrew from the debate, the Organizing Committee regretfully decided to cancel the debate,” the BIA said in a statement released Monday. “We are sorry for any inconvenience.”

The debate was to touch on the controversial proposal to bring jets to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport as well as the renewal of the Waterfront.

Chow also announced that she would be pulling out of the Better Living Health and Community Centre debate, which organization president and CEO Bill Krever called disappointing.

“This event has been organized for four months now. We had commitment from everybody, spent a lot of work filling them in on what the format would be,” he told 680News. “We spent a lot of money on publicity. We had stages coming in, sound systems… It was part of our open house.”

Krever said they might try to organize another debate before election day.

“Our role as a charity is not political, we’re not politically involved in any way. We just wanted to give our members the opportunity to know what the issues are,” he explained.

Despite the cancellations, Chow and Tory faced off Monday evening at St. Andrew’s church where they discussed economic development, city events, the TTC and jobs.

Earlier on Monday, city councillor Jaye Robinson endorsed Tory for mayor and praised his SmartTrack plan.

“It’s the fastest and most economically viable,” she said. “And he’s going to make it happen. And here’s how… because John knows how to work with people.”

Robinson was kicked out of the Fords’ inner circle after she spoke out about Rob Ford’s crack-smoking controversy.

Olivia Chow is expected to get the endorsement of several city councillors on Tuesday.

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