A long campaign that began with Mayor Rob Ford filing his nomination papers on Jan. 2 will soon be over.
Voters in Toronto will head to the polls on Monday to choose a new mayor, council and school board.
Leading candidates John Tory, Doug Ford and Olivia Chow made their final pitches over the weekend, and all three admitted they’re looking forward to Tuesday.
“This has been a long campaign -- really long,” Chow told a crowd at a downtown rally. “You know, I met some kids at a daycare when the race started and I'm pretty sure that they're in high school.”
The former New Democrat MP sees “beer and wings” in her future. “I haven’t had time to enjoy a good meal because I’m eating mostly in the car.”
Chow will mark her ballot at a community centre near Kensington Market, as soon as polls open.
Voting hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tory and Ford voted in advance polls.
At her rally, Chow asked voters to choose “hope… not fear.”
“What kind of mayor do you want? A conservative?,” she said. “If you don’t want a conservative, then don’t replace a Tory with another Tory.”
Doug Ford, the Etobicoke councillor who entered the race after his brother Rob Ford dropped out, also took aim at Tory on Sunday.
“John is the candidate of political insiders, lobbyists, consultants and the richest families in the country -- if not the entire world,” Ford told reporters after releasing a list of donors to his campaign.
Tory’s donor list, which was made public on Saturday, contained the names of many prominent business people and politicians.
Ford said that he’s looking forward to spending time with his family after the election. “My wife and girls, I haven't been able to see them for the last little while.”
Tory, meanwhile, told reporters at a North York bagel shop that he may have “some interviews” to do after Monday’s vote, and then he’ll think about “maybe chilling out.”
Tory was at the restaurant to accept the endorsement of former mayor of Toronto David Crombie.
Crombie also said he thought the campaign was “too long.”
“I would hope that the mayor, and I think [that] probably will be John Tory, would approach the provincial government and say, ‘couldn’t we shorten this up?’”
