As Election Day approaches, Torontonians face a big decision
Though many are running for mayor in the municipal elections for Toronto, only three names really stand out: Doug Ford, Olivia Chow, and John Tory. Ford, a councilman, businessman, and the brother of current Mayor Rob Ford, was the last to announce his candidacy. As of Thursday, Oct. 16, just 10 days away from the elections in Toronto, research polls have placed him in a fairly strong place, holding between 29 and 33 per cent of voter support.
While the race for mayor seems substantially split three ways, it is actually John Tory who holds the frontrunner position, with around 38 per cent of the vote heading into election week. Some speculate that part of the reason for Ford’s deficit in the polls can be attributed to the same doubts constituents had four years ago when his brother, Rob, was a candidate. Furthermore, in light of the last year of public drama surrounding the current mayor, many have begun to question their support of the Ford brothers.
Olivia Chow, known for her work with the NDP, is the wife of Jack Layton, the late former leader of the NDP, the official Canadian minority. She is popular with the constituents, and with her background of immigrating from Hong Kong, and English as her second language, she has garnered wide support from a large demographic in the city. Until recently, a different Chow had been present in the race; however, as of late, she seems to have changed her strategy, adding a more personal touch.
“We are young, creative, diverse, smart, energetic,” said Chow as she signed off in a three-minute campaign video released this week. With “we” referring to Torontonians on a whole, her pitch is simple: she loves the city and it has to do better. Unfortunately for Chow, she is still behind in the polls, currently holding only around 20 per cent of the vote.
Front-runner Tory is a slight surprise to the people of Toronto. Raised in a very affluent family in the city, with the Tory law firm legacy as his namesake, some have questioned Tory’s ability to identify with the majority of the population. However, Tory is a hard worker, raised in a family that was strict and focused; many believe that he possess the tools to work hard for the city. What is really causing the voters to question him is his political past. With a failed mayoral bid in 2003, and failed by-elections as the leader of Ontario’s Conservative party, some are wondering what will make this election different. This doubt however, doesn’t seem to be causing too much damage, as Tory is slotted first so far in the election, and doesn’t seem to be moving down.