Just hours before Toronto voters will begin casting ballots on Election Day, mayoral candidate Doug Ford released his list of campaign donors.
Ford had said he would release the list on Saturday, but instead provided it on Sunday.
Ford told reporters that he had received roughly $300,000 in donations, many of them in small amounts. He tried to frame his supporters as “common people,” while suggesting frontrunner John Tory’s donors include many “political insiders, lobbyists, consultants and the richest families in the country -- if not the entire world.”
Tory released his list of donors on Saturday. Fellow candidate Olivia Chow posted hers online Wednesday.
Tory had raised $2.48 million from more than 5,000 people. Chow had collected $1.76 million from 6,848 people. Both of their lists include names of prominent politicians and businesspeople.
In contrast, Ford’s list includes few famous names.
Ford said Saturday that, “unlike Mr. Tory, the vast majority of contributions to my campaign are less than $300.”
“The real story,” he added, “is (that) with the snap of a finger, they were able to raise $2.5 million for John Tory, and they’re going to expect something in return.”
When asked how much his campaign would spend in total, and where the rest of the money came from, Ford said it would probably be “well under” $800,000, with much of the total coming from his own pocket.
“We can’t start up the gravy train,” he added, echoing his brother Rob Ford.
Individuals may to donate up to $2,500 per mayoral candidate. Businesses and unions may not contribute. Election rules require lists of names and postal codes of all who donated more than $100 be made available online after the election, but to do so before the vote is voluntary.
Candidates may only accept donations after they file nomination papers at City Hall. Doug Ford did so on the last possible day – Sept. 12 – after learning that his brother Rob would drop out of the race and focus on recovering from cancer.
Tory entered the race more than eight months ago, on Feb. 23. Chow filed her paperwork on March 12.
At a campaign stop on Sunday, Tory responded to Ford’s accusations about his donor list.
“We got thousands of people to contribute to our campaign from across the city,” he said. “I’m proud of that, and we did it all within the rules.”
“Mr. Ford is welcome to his comments,” he added. “I’m just going to keep talking about the future of the city, and getting some transit built and getting some jobs here.”
Meanwhile, Chow, who has been trailing in the polls in recent months, held a rally at a downtown hotel, where she appealed to liberals to vote based on “hope … not fear.”
“What kind of mayor do you want? A conservative?,” said Chow. “Well if you don’t want a conservative, then don’t replace a ‘Tory’ with another Tory.”
“We need somebody who will help build our city,” she added.