Ontario Premier Doug Ford has endorsed Mark Saunders for the next mayor of Toronto.
Speaking to reporters on June 20, Ford confirmed his support of the former Toronto police chief when asked why he has the candidate’s sign on his front lawn in Etobicoke.
“I put Mark’s sign on my lawn, I’m proud to have his sign on the lawn,” the premier said.
Ford maintains that he is “staying out of the race.”
“I have the right, like anyone else, to put a sign on my lawn,” he told reporters in rural Ottawa, adding that he will cast his ballot for Saunders in the city’s mayoral byelection on June 26.
“I’ll be voting for Mark,” the premier said. “But vote whoever you want to vote for. That’s your choice. That’s not up to me or anyone else to tell you who to vote for.”
Ford said Saunders would “be the best mayor.”
“That’s just my opinion,” he added.
Saunders served as Toronto’s police chief from 2015 to 2020. His attempt to enter politics failed last June when he could not secure a seat for Ford’s Progressive Conservatives in Don Valley West, losing to Liberal candidate Stephanie Bowman.
With the mayoral election just days away, Ford is faced with the possibility of working with former NDP MP Olivia Chow, who currently takes the lead in the race, according to polls. The two have clashed in the past, including during the 2014 Toronto mayoral race when both were running as candidates.
Chow has said she'll raise taxes but has not said by how much.
On June 20, the premier said he will work with Chow if she becomes Toronto’s mayor.
“When we go through the democratic process and she gets elected, I‘ll work with her and we’ll sit down and come up with common ground,” Ford said.
“I want to do what’s best for the people and hopefully the mayor will do what’s best for the people and not raise taxes and attract businesses.”
Ford added he doesn’t “believe the polls.”
“The only poll that counts is election day.”
