Blayne Lastman is poised to enter Toronto mayoral race

Blayne Lastman is expected to confirm Thursday he hopes to follow his father Mel’s footsteps into the Toronto mayor’s office.

Lastman is making a morning visit to city hall and has invited reporters to a later announcement across the street at the Sheraton hotel.

“Everyone’s going to find out at the exact same time tomorrow exactly what we’re doing,” Lastman told the Star on Wednesday. “There’s nothing I do without putting my heart and soul in. The decision will be made by 11 o’clock tomorrow morning.”

Lastman would be the only high-profile obstacle to Mayor John Tory’s hopes for a second four-year term. While Toronto progressives are clamouring for a star candidate from the left to challenge right-leaning Tory, Lastman is poised to enter as a conservative on Tory’s right.

Lastman resurrected his father’s Bad Boy chain of appliance and furniture stores and the “Nooobody!” catchphrase in the early 1990s. He has no experience as a politician but grew up in working on the campaigns of Mel, the colourful mayor of North York for 24 years and of amalgamated Toronto from 1998 to 2003.

Blayne Lastman floated the idea of challenging Tory last week after a gettogether that included his father and Premier Doug Ford.

Mel Lastman said “Doug hasn’t said he’s going to support him or anything, there’s none of that,” Mel said. “I don’t think he was encouraging him, I think he was just thanking Blayne for his support because Blayne did support,” Ford in the June provincial election.

He doesn’t know his son’s plans but he would make a great Toronto mayor.