John Tory’s dedication to Black community issues questioned at mayoral debate

Thestar.com
October 2, 2018
Samantha Beattie

John Tory’s dedication to helping Toronto’s Black communities and ending racism came into question during Monday night’s mayoral debate.

An audience member said he “waffled” when the province announced cutting the size of council nearly in half, a move that has resulted in some female and visible minority candidates dropping out of ward races.

John Tory answers a question at Monday night’s mayoral debate in Scarborough where the frontrunners debated transit, affordable housing, safety and other topics focused on Black community issues.

“I did everything a responsible person could do,” Tory told the crowd. From the audience, a man yelled, “hogwash.”

Held at Tropicana Community Services in Scarborough North, incumbent Tory and mayoral candidates Saron Gebresellassi, Knia Singh and Jennifer Keesmaat debated transit, affordable housing, safety and other topics focused on Black community issues.

A woman reminded Tory of when he denied white privilege existed during the 2014 election campaign. He said that as mayor, through talking to Black residents across the city, he realized he was wrong.

“You live and you learn,” Tory said. “People have told me their story of being followed around in a store. That hasn’t happened to me, being a white man, therefore white privilege does exist.”

Throughout the night, lawyers and community activists Gebresellassi and Singh were crowd favourites, their words repeatedly receiving applause and murmurs of agreement.

“I am running to include those who are left out. We know strength is our diversity, but we haven’t seen diversity at city council,” said Singh. “The Black community is a scapegoat for crimes in this city.”

He called for Toronto Community Housing Corporation to start a rent-to-own program and, if elected mayor, he said he would be a mentor to at-risk youth, living by example.

“Youth engaging with people who resemble them is the best way for them to have a better chance,” he told the crowd.

 

Gebresellassi took Tory and Keesmaat, the city’s former chief planner, to task, saying they failed the city that’s now facing an affordable housing crisis.

“How can we possibly believe they will deliver?” she said of their pledges to increase affordable housing units. “It’s obviously a ploy to get votes. It will not work.”

If elected, Gebresellassi said she would build 20,000 affordable housing units and declare a state of emergency on housing.

Keesmaat agreed Toronto has a crisis, but it’s because Tory, as mayor, has been selling off the “family-owned silver,” city-owned land.

She said she is committed to building 100,000 more affordable rental homes on in 10 years. Tory has committed to 40,000 units in 12 years.