The political landscape of Toronto is heating up, and a clear target has emerged for Olivia Chow and her allies. Brad Bradford, a rising contender, is drawing intense scrutiny, prompting a direct response from the current mayor and the influential organization, Progress Toronto.
Chow recently held a news conference within Bradford’s ward, sharply criticizing his alleged indifference to tenants facing deplorable living conditions – infestations of mice, bed bugs, and cockroaches. However, a glaring omission hung in the air: the city’s own Toronto Community Housing, often cited as the largest landlord with similar issues, went unmentioned.
The event itself felt strategically orchestrated. Activists and tenants were positioned as backdrops, holding signs emblazoned with Chow’s campaign colors, despite repeated denials from Chow that it was a campaign event. The purple signage behind her podium told a different story.
While Chow remains officially coy about her re-election bid, her actions speak volumes. A whirlwind of events – four on Friday, six on Saturday, and six again on Sunday – followed the opening of registration for the October municipal election. This relentless pace suggests a full-fledged campaign is underway.
Adding fuel to the fire, Chow’s events are consistently supported by groups like Progress Toronto and ACORN, a US-founded activist organization. Progress Toronto functions much like a traditional political party, providing training, campaigning on issues, and actively recruiting volunteers for Chow and her aligned councillors.
The connection between Chow and Progress Toronto is deeply rooted. Michal Hay, the founding executive director of Progress Toronto, later managed Chow’s mayoral campaign and now serves as her chief of staff. This close relationship explains the organization’s fervent support for Chow and its aggressive attacks on Bradford.
Progress Toronto has launched a sustained campaign against Bradford, including a complaint filed with the integrity commissioner alleging an illegal fundraiser. Despite organizers unequivocally denying any fundraising occurred, the organization continues to amplify the claim, effectively acting as a proxy for negative campaigning.
Bradford’s growing momentum is clearly unsettling Chow’s team. He’s actively building a broad coalition, a strategy that poses a significant threat to her chances of re-election. His campaign has become more polished, his name recognition has increased, and recent polling data indicates a remarkably tight race.
Early polls, including one conducted by Abacus Data, showed Chow and Bradford statistically tied, each garnering around 39% support. This suggests a highly competitive election is on the horizon.
Bradford is strategically courting endorsements from across the political spectrum. He’s secured support from long-time Liberal MPs and MPPs, including John McKay and Brad Duguid, and has toured key ridings with prominent figures like Stephanie Smyth and Vince Gasparro.
Remarkably, Bradford’s appeal extends beyond the Liberal base, attracting support from federal Conservatives and even supporters of the provincial Progressive Conservative party. This ability to unite voters across party lines is precisely what makes him such a formidable opponent to Chow.
