John Tory refuses to help Doug Ford pay off campaign debts
Mayor has helped others, but won't extend hand to Ford because of attack ads
Mayor John Tory has previously helped sitting mayors and mayoral candidates get out of debt after costly election campaigns, but has so far refused to help his former opponent Doug Ford.
The mayor said Ford spent campaign funds attacking his character — something Tory evidently did not appreciate.
"I'm afraid it's just not possible," Tory said when asked whether he would help Ford pay back campaign debt.
"I think people would call into question if I was thinking straight."
Tory has held fundraisers for other candidates, and has one planned for former mayoral opponent David Soknacki at the University Club in April. In previous elections, he helped former candidates Jane Pitfield and even his 2003 opponent David Miller, who beat Tory in that election. Tory said he helped Miller pay back his election debt because there were no personal attacks.
In the 2014 election, Tory said "most" of Ford's money went to attacking him on a personal level.
In the two months he campaigned for mayor after his brother Rob Ford, the incumbent in the election, bowed out to battle cancer, Doug Ford said he racked up $900,000 in expenses.
The ads Ford ran scrutinized Tory's business background, and often included the taunt "what's the story, Mr. Tory?" when questioning the mayor's credentials.
"I'm not complaining about the ads," said Tory. "I'm just not going to pay for them."