Tory criticized for pulling out of more mayoral debates

Toronto, John Tory has become the target of heavy criticism for the second time this week after pulling out of more mayoral debates.
A debate on the future of Toronto’s waterfront, hosted by the Waterfront Business Improvement Area and the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association, was scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday but was cancelled after Tory pulled out.
In a statement on the York Quay Neighbourhood Association’s website, organizers say the move was “disrepectful.”

“This one-on-one debate between Tory and Olivia Chow was much anticipated because of the Waterfront’s controversial issues — the proposed jet expansion of the island airport, and the urban renewal led by Waterfront Toronto,” the statement said.
“By leaving organizers in the lurch without an explanation, it is assumed that Tory is unwilling to face these issues.”
NoJets TO, a group of citizens opposed to the expansion of the Toronto Island Airport, released a statement Monday night, calling Tory’s decision to cancel a “missed opportunity.”
“We are puzzled by Mr. Tory’s cancellation for the waterfront debate,” Norman DiPasquale, Acting Chair of NoJetsTO, said in the release. “Citizens deserved to hear about Mr. Tory’s vision of the waterfront.”
The group claims to have a meeting set up with Tory in October and plans to “press” the mayoral candidate about his decision to pull out.
Tory has also backed out of a debate on senior-focused issues to be hosted Tuesday afternoon by the Better Living Centre. That event was later cancelled.
Tuesday is the second day in a row that Tory will be a no-show at debates he previously committed to attending.
On Monday, Olivia Chow ended up being the sole candidate at a debate organized by the TTCRiders and the Ryerson Students’ Union when Tory cancelled at the last minute.
Tory’s team told media on Monday that he had to cancel because of “extraordinary” demands on his time.
“With Doug Ford entering the race and less (than) six weeks to go until election day, we have entered a new phase of the campaign,” Amanda Galbraith, a spokesperson for Tory’s campaign, said. “John has attended 22 debates since the campaign began and he will attend many more before Oct. 27.”
TTCRiders Executive Director Jessica Bell said she was ‘furious’ with Tory for pulling out hours before the debate was scheduled to start.
“We spend weeks and weeks organizing this transit debate so that candidates can tell Toronto’s million daily riders where they stand on improving transit now and he doesn’t even have the courtesy to turn up,” she said. “It is extremely disrespectful, not only to organizers of this event, but to transit riders everywhere.”