News

George Smitherman's decision to jump into the Toronto mayor's race early is putting pressure on his main prospective rival, John Tory, to declare his own intentions.

In a whirlwind day of interviews, Mr. Smitherman placed himself squarely in the same centre-right territory Mr. Tory hopes to occupy, saying he rejects the need for new taxes as a first option to deal with the city's fiscal woes. He then sparred with Mr. Tory in an interview on the former Ontario Conservative leader's drive-time radio show.

The largely cordial exchange turned testy when Mr. Tory pressed the former Ontario health minister on runaway spending and sole-source contracts at eHealth, the provincial agency creating digital health records.

"Regardless of what I might say, George, it's gonna dog ya," said Mr. Tory. When he read questions from listeners, Mr. Smitherman bristled: "You asked me their questions with your own spin, sir."

One of Mr. Tory's allies predicted he will join the race in January, once candidates can legally file their nomination papers. "My plans and deliberations haven't changed. It's his [Mr. Smitherman's] announcement today, and not mine," Mr. Tory said yesterday.

If Mr. Tory runs, a race between the two political heavyweights could suck the oxygen out of other candidates' campaigns. But it also opens the door for a centre-left candidate to sneak up the middle.

At a press conference at Queen's Park, where he has served as a member of the legislature for the past decade and a top cabinet minister since 2003, the 45-year-old Mr. Smitherman portrayed himself as a "son of the city" eager to boost civic pride.

"There is a pervasive sense of powerlessness, notwithstanding ... [Toronto] is a government that exercises nearly $9-billion of spending," he said, pledging to "restore a sense of the powers of the mayor to lead the city forward."

He rejected suggestions the city needs new taxes to solve its structural fiscal problems.

"If people rely only on the revenue generation ... side of the balance sheet ... that's going to be bad news for the taxpayers," he said. But later in the news conference he did not rule out the use of new taxes, just not as a first resort.

Meanwhile, more high-profile Liberals and Conservatives lined up behind Mr. Smitherman and Mr. Tory yesterday.

Warren Kinsella, a senior campaign strategist for Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, said he would support Mr. Tory despite their different political affiliations. Mr. Kinsella and other top Liberals backed him in 2003.

"John is, and always has been, a progressive. He also knows how to work with people who have different points of view," Mr. Kinsella said. "He doesn't yell at, or threaten, those who disagree with him," he said in an e-mail, alluding to Mr. Smitherman, whose temper has earned him the nickname Furious George.

Conservative Ralph Lean, a lawyer and fundraiser, said he would wait until news from Mr. Tory before deciding on whether to support Mr. Smitherman. Choosing between the two would be difficult, he said.

"You don't like two people that you find as strong candidates running against each other," he said.

Mr. Lean was co-chair of Mr. Miller's fundraising team in 2006 and in September said he would not be there for a third-term bid.

Liberal Senator Jerry Grafstein, who backed Jane Pitfield for mayor in 2006, said: "Hallelujah, Smitherman's running!"

On Sunday, Mr. Smitherman resigned as deputy premier and minister of energy and infrastructure, but will stay on as an MPP until March, 2010, when he expects to file his nomination papers for the fall race.

The province's first openly gay MPP, Mr. Smitherman said he and his spouse, Christopher Peloso, are in the process of adopting a child.

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The interview

When John Tory interviewed George Smitherman yesterday on his drive-time radio show, Mr. Tory questioned the former health minister about troubles at eHealth. Citing e-mails from 10 listeners, Mr. Tory referred to "the wasting of a billion dollars on consultants and the like." This exchange followed.

John Tory: I think he [the provincial Auditor-General] has said a big chunk of money was wasted, and I think people - whether they said it was $200-million, $100-million, $50-million or $400-million, it's a lot of money.

George Smitherman: Well, it's nice that you're now, under my presence, correcting the record from the billion you started with a few moments ago. But the point is that you've asked me to carefully review what the auditor has said, and I have done that, sir, and take seriously those things he has suggested need to be done better. Those are lessons I can assure you...

JT: I think the e-mails suggest, regardless of what I might say, George, it's gonna dog ya. Because people are writing about it, not me. I asked you a fair question. But in any event, we'll come back.

GS: Well, you've asked me their questions with your own spin, sir, and I do think ...

JT: Well, that's what we do here.

GS: That is what you do, yes it is.

JT: We ask questions here to make sure we elicit answers.

GS: Each of us in public life has a track record. You have one that might have the potential to dog you as well. The point is as public officials we have a responsibility for all of the things we've done. I delivered doctors to 600,000 more people, and that's part of my record as well.