Last-minute Toronto mayoral candidate Doug Ford won't hit the campaign trail until Monday, but his political rivals were already on the offensive this weekend.
Mayoral candidates Olivia Chow and John Tory slammed Doug Ford's track record as a city councillor on Saturday, while offering their best wishes to his ailing brother, Mayor Rob Ford.
Rob Ford will have to wait a full week for biopsy results on a tumour in his stomach. The results will show whether the tumour is malignant or benign, dictating possible treatment plans. Doug Ford visited Rob in hospital on Saturday afternoon.
Chow says she welcomes Doug Ford to the mayoral race, despite a Friday poll that placed her third in public support -- behind Ford and leader John Tory. Chow said Rob Ford's departure will allow the election to be driven by Toronto issues, not Rob Ford's personal scandals.
"We can finally debate policy, and not personality," she told reporters at a campaign event on Saturday.
She also offered other strong words for Doug Ford.
"You said that you want to leave City Hall, and I agree with you," she said. "I can't wait for the Ford era to end so that we can start rebuilding this city."
Doug Ford said last year that he was looking forward to the end of his term as a city councillor, hinting at that time that he may run for a provincial seat with the Progressive Conservatives in the future.
In a speech to her supporters, Chow attacked Doug Ford's city council record of voting to cut services. "Doug Ford voted to cut the TTC budget, just like his brother," she said.
Earlier Saturday, Tory said he is "worried" by Doug Ford's "combative" style of politics.
"I hope we can have a constructive debate about building transit," he said. "We need to bring this city together."
On Friday, the same day Doug Ford announced he was entering the mayoral race in place of his brother, Tory didn’t mince words.
"I don't think Doug Ford offers Toronto more of the same," Tory said. "In fact, he may offer Toronto something that's worse."
Chow largely stayed away from attacking Doug Ford on Friday. She says that move may have hurt her in the polls, but she expects her numbers will begin to climb as the campaign goes on.
Political expert Lorne Bozinoff says Doug is getting a lot of sympathy votes in the polls at this point, but voters will soon see the differences between him and his brother. Bozinoff described Doug as a more "business-like" politician who doesn't have the same "personal appeal" that his brother does.
"He's sort of Rob Ford's policies without the personality Rob Ford has," Bozinoff said.
He added that Doug also lacks the personal baggage that his more famous brother has accrued over his term.
