Olivia Chow, John Tory face off at debate skipped by Doug Ford

Two of the leading candidates in the Toronto mayoral race verbally sparred at a debate at the Empire Club of Canada on Friday afternoon, but it was the candidate conspicuous by his absence that drew much of the attention.

Three podiums were on stage at Arcadian Court, but only Olivia Chow and John Tory appeared behind them and addressed questions on Toronto’s future, including job creation, transit, school safety and policing.

About an hour before the debate was scheduled to begin, Doug Ford issued a press release explaining that he would not be participating in the event because tickets to the debate cost $80 each, or $800 per table.

“I am campaigning to be the mayor of all people, not the mayor of the privileged few,” Ford said in the release. “Debates should be open events that any member of the public can attend and ask questions. How many average, hardworking people can afford to take three hours away from work, to come downtown, and spend almost $100 having lunch?”

Ford said he would spend the day canvassing, but would make himself available if the Empire Club would like to hold another event in the future that is open to the public at no cost.

Before the debate began, Empire Club president Andrea Wood told the audience that she was disappointed that Ford had decided to skip the event and that their not-for-profit organization had hosted Mayor Rob Ford in 2010.

 

The decision to skip the debate was sharply criticized by his opponents, who have only had one chance to debate with Ford since he officially entered the race on Sept. 12.

“I think he just decided that he was afraid to debate. He’s a chicken — Colonel Sanders should be looking for him,” Tory told reporters ahead of the debate.

“He’s done that many times at city council meeting, when there’s a vote that is important, he just didn’t show up. So, we shouldn’t be too surprised that he’s continuing that kind of performance,” Chow said.

In a statement posted to his website, Tory said that Ford skipped a free-to-all debate event on Thursday night, would not be appearing at another free debate on Friday night, and that the reason Ford is skipping debates is that “bullies only show up if they’re sure they can win.”

Ford addressed the media in North York on Friday afternoon and responded to Tory’s “chicken” shot.

“That’s actually comical, he’s been calling me a few names, I guess he’s a name caller,” Ford said. “I think that anyone who saw last Tuesday, I clearly won the debate, and showed the people of Toronto for the first time who John Tory really is.”

Tory and Chow may have been the lone participants at the luncheon event, but there was no short of heated exchanges.

When it was time for an open debate on the mayor’s role in job creation, Tory called Chow a “one-trick pony” that only used government funding, while Chow accused Tory of not having a plan at all.

Despite his absence, Tory brought Ford’s name into the debate on a few occasions, including during a question on the importance of relationships between level of government. Tory said that Ford once called other city councillors “monkeys” and also told the premier to “grow up,” saying that this is not the type of leadership that Toronto needed.

Chow chose to focus on the opponent directly beside her, and countered on the levels of government question with Tory’s history in provincial politics, saying that he criticized the governing Liberals budget as “too Toronto-centric” and that Tory did not “stand up for Toronto.”

“With friends like this, who needs enemies?” Chow said.

Toronto voters will go to the polls in the municipal election on Oct. 27.

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