Will he run?.
John Tory, pictured during the 2007 provincial election campaign, announced Thursday, Jan. 7 he will not be making a bid to be mayor of Toronto in the October election. Tory placed second to David Miller in 2003. Now, there's speculation that Tory is indeed considering throwing his hat into the 2010 Toronto mayoral race.
Staff file photo/JILL KITCHENER
"John has not made up his mind," said a Progressive Conservative who asked to remain anonymous. "But there are a number of people who want this to happen and are trying to convince him, and put together a team. So when he's ready to go, he's got people."
Former Progressive Conservative leader John Tory is keeping mum about any plans he might have for a career in Toronto municipal politics - but that's not stopping a growing number of supporters and political wags from salivating at the prospect that the talk radio host might wade back into the mayor's race.
"John has not made up his mind," said a Progressive Conservative who asked to remain anonymous. "But there are a number of people who want this to happen and are trying to convince him, and put together a team. So when he's ready to go, he's got people."
Tory has been facing increasing pressure to jump into the mayor's race that he forswore in January of this year. Since he stepped down from the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, right-of-centre councillors and others interested in Toronto's political scene had been counting on a Tory mayoralty campaign, to replace Mayor David Miller and return control of Toronto City Hall to Toronto's centre-right.
When Tory stepped out of the race to head the Toronto City Summit Alliance, those supporters set about finding another candidate. According to the source who spoke with Toronto Community News, the slate of front-runners - Rocco Rossi, George Smitherman, Rob Ford, Sarah Thomson and Joe Pantalone - weren't what they were looking for.
"People are concerned about the City of Toronto and the level of leadership that has been offered by the current crop of mayoralty candidates," said the source, who said that Tory is taking a short vacation from his hosting job at Talk Radio 1010 to consider his future.
Tory himself declined an email request for an interview. But he confirmed reports that he had spent the previous day doing work required of him as a boardmember of Rogers Telecommunications.
He did not address reports that former Premier Mike Harris was interceding in the campaign, both to encourage Tory to run and to discourage city councillor Rob Ford - who is tied for first in the mayor's race with George Smitherman - from continuing his campaign.
Ford's brother and campaign manager Doug Ford said such reports are "100 per cent false."
"I spoke to Mike Harris, talked to him today, he said that is a false statement," said Ford. "He has never talked to John Tory - never once has he told us to step out of the race. He has not come out publicly anywhere."
Ford repeated his brother's statement that he would not withdraw from the race - in part because "another Ford" will be running in Rob Ford's Ward 2 seat. Doug Ford wouldn't confirm whether or not he would be running there. But he said the announcement would be made at a get-together on August 6.
"You'll be able to find out which ford's running then," he said. "We want to send a clear message to John Tory that Rob's not backing out. We don't care if the Prime Minister calls us."
Ford said he wasn't worried that John Tory would bleed off support that his brother currently enjoys.
"Rob attracts a different demographic than John," he said. "John attracts Bay Street, Rob attracts Main Street. Our polling is showing that he'll take a few points - but also he'll take it out of George Smitherman. Right now I bet it's Joe Pantalone we're running against - not George Smitherman."
He added that he doubted that Tory will find much support should he choose to run.
"I think that people who supported John before aren't supporting him now, because he's indecisiveâ?¦ if he does announce, I'd have to question his integrity with Rob."
Rob Ford had late last year said he wouldn't run if Tory was running, and only got into the race when Tory assured him he wouldn't be running.
"Rob and John had numerous conversations in January," said Doug Ford. "This is a big undertaking for a family with a business. When somebody says they aren't running, you take them at their word."
Rossi said until he hear it from Tory himself, Tory's candidacy is just a rumour. He took Tory at his word in January he's not running.
"I declared before John Tory made up his mind the first time and nothing has changed."
Right now he's competing against people who are on the ballot. "I don't know all the names on the ballot on Oct. 25, but one of them will be Rocco Rossi."
But the pressure continues to mount. Denzil Minnan-Wong, a Tory supporter since he first ran in 2003, said he's hearing a strong groundswell of support for Tory in his Ward 34 community.
"I think the momentum is increasing for him to be a candidate," said Minnan-Wong. "From the people I talk to in my ward, knocking on thousands of doors, John Tory is the number one choice that they would like to see for mayor. I think he'd be a great mayor."
Smitherman's campaign manager Bruce Davis said in or out - Tory needs to make up his mind.
"John is a person of integrity - we believe he should be forthcoming about his intentions," said Davis.
"You cannot be moderating debates, you cannot continue to do all that, while this shadow falls over the campaign. If you're going to be an impartial moderator - be a radio host - if you're going to chair the City Summit Alliance - you owe those folks and the people of Toronto an indication of your direction."