Toronto mayoral race heats up

The mayoral race is heating up, with four major candidates filing in the last two weeks and another expected to decide by the end of the month.

Ontario’s former deputy premier, George Smitherman, is considered a front-runner in the race. But Smitherman, dubbed  “Furious George” by the NDP because of his aggressive style, has some hurdles to overcome – including ongoing questions about the eHealth Ontario spending scandal.

Rocco Rossi, one of Smitherman’s biggest contenders,is a former Liberal fundraiser. He has gained support from two influential Conservatives: Rod Phillips, a former chief of staff to Mel Lastman during his first term as Toronto mayor, and Andy Pringle, a former chief of staff to John Tory while he was leader of the provincial Progressive Conservative party.

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone has experience on his side having served as a city politician since 1980. Aside from running John Tory’s mayoral bid in 2003, he has been Mayor David Miller’s right hand man.

Giorgio Mammoliti, running on the platform of tighter gun control and a possible casino in Toronto, has said he will let his Liberal membership expire at the end of this month and rid himself of the affiliation.

John Tory, who was expected to be the strong right-of-centre candidate , instead announced he will be taking over the Toronto City Summit Alliance, a coalition of civic leaders in the Toronto region. 

Expected to decide by the end of the month is Councillor Adam Giambrone, the 32-year-old chair of the TTC. A recent Angus Reid-Toronto Star poll showed Giambrone with 17 per cent support from decided voters – putting him in second place behind Smitherman’s 44 per cent.

There are also more than a dozen other hopefuls, including JP Pampena, known for his public relations work for Jason Wallace, the father of baby Kaylee — who was at the centre of an organ donation controversy last year.

 

Article exclusive to STREETS OF TORONTO