[jml]

It was actually Goldkind who said Chow backed Ford. I don't know how credible it was. Chow's coming out smelling like a rose now, to be honest, because she's the only one who hasn't dropped out of the Priority Neighbourhoods Debate. What seemed like a flub now seems to me quite smart.

 

[Kat_YYZ]

she just refuses to attack Doug. she's on CP24 now

 

[SunriseChampion]

Wow, these Fords are all sorts of text book case of mental illness!

 

[Kat_YYZ]

Had hopes for her. Lost to me now. Whoever is running that clownshow ought to be exposed so that they never work in knife-fight, gong show politics again. The miscalculations are awesome in the old sense of that much degraded word. I once stupidly posted here that if it looked like Tory would win I would vote R. Ford. Well, regrets, I've had a few, but that is one to mention.

This city can't handle the truth.

So, otherwise politically unsuccessful, Old-Boy, UCC, Harper-invited, chairs of interlocking-corporate boards' approved demon in milquetoast haberdashery, here we go!

We've been doing this shit for this long... we can do it one more time, we can do four more years of it (but not Ford more years). We're supposed to get ranked ballots next time, right? So this BS can finally end. I can hold my nose and choose the lesser evil, one more time.

 

[polluted]

she just refuses to attack Doug. she's on CP24 now

It's almost as if she wants him to win.

I made an off-hand remark on Facebook earlier today that the best strategic vote for Chow supporters would be Ford. He would be unable to get consensus from council on any of his ideas leaving the middle and left-leaning councillors to essentially run the show.

Three cheers for weak mayors.

 

[nfitz]

She's going to get hammered over this. Haven't looked at Twitter yet, but have a feeling it's not going well for her.

Meh ... I doubt most people even care.

 

[Dilla]

How is this "backing" Ford? It seems to be deferring to the organizer to work it out. This is being spun as if Chow agrees with this because she didn't make Tory's "principled" move.

She's been ignoring ford this whole time. Hasn't gone after him once. She's happy to let him bully Tory on her behalf, even though she's trailing well behind Ford, whom her base despises. If she went after Ford, who's the real issue here, I'd consider voting for her...alas

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Olivia is so lost, she thinks she's taking the high ground by saying, "I'm going to debate because that's what the people deserve!" instead of saying "I'm not going to let a bully opponent dictate the rules."

She's getting killed on Twitter for it:
https://twitter.com/oliviachow/status/520394008062074882

A couple of "you lost my vote!" and, really, I don't know if I see anyone supportive in there.
I never thought she was stupid and I'm sure she is a decent person, as far as that goes, but she has really brought the knife to the gunfight in this whole campaign, and she's getting shot to pieces as a result. Kinda sad as I think a sincere, Ford-free discussion of the city's future between her and Tory was just what the city needed.
Everywhere the Fords go, they disrupt and ruin it for everyone.
What a clustercuss.

 

[adma]

I think it's quite clear how they feel about her from her placement in all the pics with her...off to the side or at the back. Never front or centre. Although she was prominently smirking at DoJr's heartfelt cancer campaign kick off.

Kara = the Carnie Wilson of the DoFo brood?

 

[nohostages]

Justice Lederman is male. Justices Garton and Dunnet are female.

I think the federal court in Brampton has more judges that are not on this list.

 

[EagleEye]

How is this "backing" Ford? It seems to be deferring to the organizer to work it out. This is being spun as if Chow agrees with this because she didn't make Tory's "principled" move.

And forgive me for saying so, but Goldkind has little no public profile beyond #TOpoli and the hyper-aware types here. Calling him a "fringe" candidate may be unfair, but he is most certainly a minor candidate with no political experience. Sure, he's a good speaker and has absolutely nothing to lose in debates, but there's intrinsic reason why he should be in debates. His platform is pretty decent. But being mayor is about more than being good in debates and preparing a wish list of progressive policy.

That's not the point. You don't uninvite someone the day before an event because of a bully.

 

[Dilla]

This whole election was about who would be the ford beater...It's not her. I don't know how she doesn't get that. Beating Tory at beating ford, that's what this is about, not about beating Tory himself. DOYE.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

How is this "backing" Ford? It seems to be deferring to the organizer to work it out. This is being spun as if Chow agrees with this because she didn't make Tory's "principled" move.

She's backing Ford by allowing him to dictate the terms of the debate.
Regardless of Ari's profile, he was invited by the organizers. They caved to Doug's ultimatum.
I'm sure Olivia is on some feel-good cloud where she doesn't think she's "backing" Doug but by saying she's perfectly happy to go debate him, knowing he forced out a fellow invitee, is totally off-base, as far as I'm concerned.

She never really got in the fight but her soft-pedal response on Switcheroo Friday - where she wouldn't even answer a straightforward question about whether she expected Doug to have similar policies to Rob - showed me she is not willing to call these guys on their crap and, despite what I'm sure is a well-intentioned heart, doesn't have the backbone for the job; and I don't just mean being mayor, I mean putting the Fords in their place, which is what this is all really about.

EDIT: Just cuz 3 of us said the same thing at the same time Hopefully that answers your Q.

 

[kaboi]

How is this "backing" Ford? It seems to be deferring to the organizer to work it out. This is being spun as if Chow agrees with this because she didn't make Tory's "principled" move.

Refusing to take a principled stand amounts to backing Ford on this. It's not being spun. Her spokesperson would have known why Ari was uninvited, and expressed zero concern. Instead, sloughed off responsibility on the organizer. That response speaks volumes to progressive voters.

And forgive me for saying so, but Goldkind has little no public profile beyond #TOpoli and the hyper-aware types here. Calling him a "fringe" candidate may be unfair, but he is most certainly a minor candidate with no political experience. Sure, he's a good speaker and has absolutely nothing to lose in debates, but there's intrinsic reason why he should be in debates. His platform is pretty decent. But being mayor is about more than being good in debates and preparing a wish list of progressive policy.

Agreed that being mayor is about so much more. It's also about integrity.

 

[basic]

It's also about integrity.

This.

Chow has completely missed he point here. Sure, the debate organizers can invite who they want, but when they bend to one candidate's hissy fit, I think the other parties involved should indeed take a stand. How is she going to handle dissent in Council? You can't just stand above it and pretend it's not happening.

I really want to vote for Chow, and not let her campaign foibles get in the way, but it's so hard!