Former Toronto mayor John Tory has endorsed his ex-deputy, Ana Bailão, to be the city’s next mayor, less than a week before the municipal byelection. 

Tory says Bailão is the best candidate to lead Canada’s most populous city, praising her track record of working with all levels of government, the private sector and community groups.

Some surveys conducted ahead of the June 26 vote indicate that Tory, who resigned in February after admitting to an affair with a staffer, remains popular with Torontonians.

Polls also suggest Bailão is lagging behind apparent front-runner Olivia Chow, a veteran progressive leader and former federal lawmaker with the New Democrat Party.

Tory says Bailão, who was born in Portugal and moved to Canada with her family at age 15, is a “fighter,” a “negotiator” and a “leader.”

The former mayor has stayed largely silent in the public realm since leaving office but says Bailão, who served as his deputy from 2017-2022, is the best candidate to “deliver on the promise of Toronto.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2023. 

The Canadian Press