MAYORAL RACE
Olivia Chow plays coy at book signing.
Olivia Chow continued to play coy about her mayoral intentions while at York University on Thursday for a book signing that she insists has nothing to do with campaigning.
Yes, she says Toronto needs a new mayor. Yes, she loves this city and is “seriously considering” vying for its top office. But, the federal New Democrat and former city councillor hasn’t “quite made a decision yet.”
She said a report that she is expected to register to run for mayor the week of March 17 was “news to me.” A source told the National Post that she has a stacked campaign team and platform at the ready.
“I have these really wonderful friends that are all excited and they’ve been working at it on the odd chance I may actually say yes or no,” Ms. Chow told reporters while handing out yellow Post-it notes so fans could indicate to whom they wanted her book, My Journey, addressed.
Ms. Chow was at York to deliver a speech marking International Women’s Day.
It was her second book event of the day, after an appearance at the City Adult Learning Centre on the Danforth. Mayor Rob Ford, unabashed about his own campaigning, was in the northwest end of the city at roughly the same time, making house calls at apartment buildings.
There was the suggestion the two might actually cross paths on campus after students of a Schulich School of Business marketing class began writing on social media that the mayor would make an appearance. His chief of staff clarified later that, actually, a professor had called him cold “to test his brand of customer service” and the mayor answered and spoke to the class over the phone.
Ms. Chow did deliver more pointed criticism of the mayor, saying, “I certainly don’t want Rob Ford to be a role model for my grandchildren. So, yes, Toronto needs a new mayor, absolutely. No doubt about that.”
If she does enter the race, Ms. Chow will be the standardbearer for the left in a field crowded with right-of-centre voices. John Tory, Karen Stintz and David Soknacki are among the high-profile candidates who have registered to take on Mr. Ford.
Ms. Chow’s speech touched on her experience as a 13-yearold immigrant from Hong Kong, how she dealt with her father, who had a mental breakdown and turned violent toward her mother, and other stories recounted in her book. She poked fun at her age by showing the crowd that her speaking notes were in bold type. “It takes some talent to fail Grade 3,” she quipped of herself. Her message to the crowd was “if the elected representatives won’t listen to you and the changes you want, help elect someone who will.”
Andrea Mazzocchi, a student, asked her when she would mount her bid for mayor, to which Ms. Chow laughed and replied “soon,” but then told reporters she had not made up her mind.
“I actually haven’t said anything new. Sorry those of you who came all the way up to York University. Happy International Women’s Day,” she said, before turning back to the lineup of book buyers. “I’m sorry about the journalists,” she told them.