The leading contenders in the race for mayor of Toronto have launched an all out assault on each other, in a series of new ads released on radio and online.
Olivia Chow has taken aim in a radio ad released Monday at John Tory’s SmartTrack transit plan which proposes using existing GO Train tracks to provide subway relief in the city.
Chow’s campaign proclaims “John Tory has flip-flopped again” going on say “whatever you think, he’ll agree soon.” A second commercial claims Tory is “not clear, not informed, just a flip-flopper” on the need for a downtown relief subway line.
Tory’s campaign fired back with ads outlining Tory’s vision of electrified trains running in a busy U shaped corridor across the city.
“The other Candidates say they will build new transit eventually” the voiceover on the ad said.
Tory’s ads label Chow as the “NDP candidate” ad takes aim at his rival’s support for a downtown relief subway line over a longer timeframe.
“With her plan, no one will be moving at all,” the ad states.
“Olivia Chow’s ads, they are pure attack,” Neil Thomlinson, a professor of political science at Ryerson University said. “If I were advising Olivia Chow I would advise her to be very careful. John Tory is kind of a lot of people’s second choice,” he added.
However it’s not uncommon for one politician to try and shape public perceptions of their rivals, as Chow seems to be doing.
“She’s trying to make a particular kind of image of him stick, of being indecisive and a flip-flopper and therefore you’re not going to get decisive leadership from him,” Thomlinson said.
Rob Ford preparing to return to campaign
None of that may matter come July 1 when Mayor Rob Ford is apparently set to return to the campaign trail. Ford spoke with Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington from a rehab centre in Muskoka over the weekend, even posing for a picture in the centre’s swimming pool.
“He says he can’t wait to get into the debates,”according to Warmington.
Where does that leave Chow and Tory?
“It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens to the polling numbers as soon as he’s back in circulation,” Thomlinson said, warning Ford likely has a campaign strategy that’s completely unique. “If he is going to re-enter the campaign in a serious way it’s going to be all about his personality.”
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