At the debate are, from left, John Tory, Ari Goldkind, Doug Ford and Olivia Chow. (photo from cjnews.com)
There wasn’t much focus on Jewish issues at the CIJA-UJA-hosted mayoral debate Sunday night, but Ari Goldkind, the race’s sole Jewish candidate, arguably stole the show with his caustic barbs directed at fellow candidate Doug Ford, particularly when he confronted the councilor on his brother’s past use of an antisemitic slur.
The debate, held at the Anne and Max Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto’s Wilmington campus and attended by several hundred people, featured fringe candidate Goldkind debating alongside leading contenders Ford, John Tory and Olivia Chow.
The debate was moderated by National Post columnist Chris Selley, who gave each candidate several minutes to respond to questions on transit, taxes, community safety and conduct in city council.
Goldkind, a defence lawyer and the fourth-place mayoral contender, had the audience chuckling with one-liners such as “What does Ford stand for? Falsify. Overstate. Repeat. Deny” and “This campaign has turned into a reality show. It’s like the Kardashian show.”
He later took Ford to task for what he said was the former’s failure to apologize for an antisemitic slur uttered by his brother, Mayor Rob Ford – who made a conspicuous appearance partway through the debate – last March.
“Mayor Rob Ford called Jews the ‘K’ word,” Goldkind said. “And then he has the chutzpah to come in here tonight. He might get a free pass from the others on this stage, but not me. When you insult a whole people, you are not setting an example for the city.”
As the audience laughed and booed, Ford responded, “I have a Jewish doctor and a Jewish dentist … my family has the utmost respect for the Jewish community…. We look forward to working with the Jewish community, as we have for the last four years.”
He then added that he had already apologized on behalf of his brother for the remark, adding, “I’ve told [Rob] clearly that those comments were unacceptable.”
On the subject of funding proposed transit projects, Goldkind said, “I’m the only one on stage who’s open in saying we have to talk about taxes. If you believe Tory’s Smart Track plan is going to be free, or Ford’s ‘subways, subways, subways’ will be, or that Chow’s proposed tax increase [to fund transit] will only be on the wealthy, if you accept that math, they’ll earn your vote,” he said sarcastically.
He added: “I will ask each household in the city to pay 50 cents extra per day … then … instead of going to the provincial and federal governments with our hands empty, go to them and say, ‘the people of Toronto have spoken and we have a transit plan worth investing in.’”
Invectives aside, the four took turns laying out their respective visions for transit, with poll-leader Tory emphasizing Smart Track, his London, England-modeled surface rail subway plan. Meanwhile, Chow endorsed building light rail transit (LRT) and a downtown subway relief line, Ford called for subway expansion and Goldkind advocated for a downtown relief line, new LRT lines and replacement of the Scarborough subway line with LRT.
Regarding taxation, Ford and Tory both pledged to privatize garbage collection in the city’s east end.
Ford trumpeted his brother’s administration’s slashing of the vehicle registration tax. Chow said she would increase the land transfer tax for houses valued at more than $2 million and raise property taxes around the rate of inflation, and Goldkind suggested congestion fees and road tolls on certain highways to help pay for infrastructure improvements, as well as raising the land transfer tax on homes valued at over $1.1 million.
The candidates also addressed community safety and the recent spike in antisemitic incidents in Toronto.
Chow said the Toronto Police Service hate crimes unit could use more support and training to be able to better work with people, including those with mental health issues. She suggested that her plan to beef up after-school activities across the city could be a good antidote against “young people who get into trouble and get recruited by people who are full of hate.”
Tory brought up the need for better education for “the young and less young,” including more training for police and interfaith initiatives in the community.
Ford said that under his brother’s administration, the city hired more police officers and reallocated a number of officers to the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy. He said the city needs more mentors for young people.
The Toronto mayoral election will take place on Oct. 27.
– For more national Jewish news, visit cjnews.com.
I watched the debate on TV of Oct. 10, 2014 and I thought one Doug Ford was wrong for trying to have this man (Ari Goldkind) removed from being at the debate and stepping down over the issue that he was reinstated. And didn’t show because he was and the fact John Tory stood up and supported Mr. Goldkind.
I myself as a citizen of North York felt the man did a wonderful job and was a great speaker and a man to the point and had a head on his shoulder and knew how to come across to the people.
I can’t understand why he is not invited to the CTV mayoral on I believe Oct.20, 2014 and why not. Because Doug Ford said he can’t.
With him being of Jewish descent I can’t understand why the Jewish community will not stand up for the rights of this man and have him face off with the other three at the debate. If I knew how to do this I would even if I had to go door to door.
I though we lived in a free country and had the freedom of speech.
I can’t understand why Doug Ford has so much control over all this. And what a fake this man is.
I just read two stories on Doug Ford, one being about the house for autism that was going to be or is in Ford nation and how he was against it and made the statement that he would buy the house just so it wouldn’t be put in his nation to bring his housing value down. I believe down off over brook we have a house in our neighbor and no one is kicking up a fuss. And second he boasts about how well he would be to city hall and referred to his business he is running and the article in the Globe and Mail Under the Heading: Doug Ford at Deco: the true story, read it.
Some asked him in an interview was he a bully , reading the article I realized at the interview he lied as he is a bully and a Laird like his brother was and he will bring down our community and our city like his brother did.
Are we as citizen going to allow this man Keep Ari Goldkind out of the Mayoral Debate on Oct 20 at CTV News or are we going to sit back and let Doug Ford Bully our city?
Also for the record last night was the first time I heard the man speak or even knew who he was. But felt he was clear to his points when question. Let’s stand up and have him there.
Thank you for reading.