/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
City News

Will he or won’t he? John Tory says jump, press asks “how high?”

By John Michael McGrath
Copy link
The maybe man: John Tory won't confirm or deny that he plans to run for mayor (Image: Ontario Chamber of Commerce)
The maybe man: John Tory won’t confirm or deny that he plans to run for mayor (Image: Ontario Chamber of Commerce)

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. Perennial also-ran John Tory is preparing to throw his hat in the ring for Toronto’s mayoral race—maybe. You may remember Tory from his losing race for mayor in 2003, his losing race against the provincial Liberals in 2007, and his losing race to win a rural by-election in 2008. Sources close to Tory are leaking to every journalist with a pulse that Tory is ready to enter the fray once more now that the opposition from his wife, Barbara Hackett, has cooled.

Or so says the Star:

Insiders say Hackett, her husband’s most trusted adviser, has gotten over her aversion to electoral politics. She was upset at how her husband was treated by foes and friends alike after his stunning by-election defeat to Liberal Rick Johnson.

“Barb kept a list,” said another friend. “But she’s a lot warmer to the idea” of a mayoral run.

Astonishingly, one of the people pushing Tory into the race is none other than Margaret Thatcher Mike Harris. Of all the endorsements in the world, that one is impossible to measure in Toronto: the man responsible for the megacity isn’t exactly beloved in this town. Is there no one else for Tory to turn to for political advice? It’d be a shame if Harris hobbled his friend’s campaign before it even started. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first Tory victory Harris messed up.

Tory leaning toward run for mayor’s chair [Toronto Star]John Tory mulls entering mayor’s race, friends say [National Post]Speculation mounts over John Tory mayoral bid [Globe and Mail]

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Stories

Trump's Loss, Toronto's Gain: Meet the artists, professors, scientists and other luminaries ditching the US and moving north
Deep Dives

Trump’s Loss, Toronto’s Gain: Meet the artists, professors, scientists and other luminaries ditching the US and moving north

Inside the Latest Issue

The May issue of Toronto Life features the artists, professors, scientists and other luminaries moving north to avoid the carnage of Trump. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.