Toronto mayoral candidates look to win the battle of endorsements as election day nears

With less than two weeks to go before Toronto elects a new mayor, some of the race's top challengers are trying to build their cases by winning the battle of council endorsements.

Former deputy mayor Ana Bailão and former NDP MP Olivia Chow are at the front of the pack when it comes to earning the backing of council. Of the 25 people on council, Bailão so far has the endorsement of seven councillors, Chow has the support of four and former police chief Mark Saunders has the backing of one.

A pair of former city councillors say those endorsements could carry some weight at the ballot box, but may also have practical implications for a race where margin of victory could be close.

"If, for example, the councillor who's doing the endorsing is also sending campaign workers their way or running their own mini-campaign in their ward, that can make a big difference," former city councillor Filion said.

The veteran councillor who once represented Willowdale, Ward 18, said the endorsement battle could also give voters an indication of the type of coalition a candidate would have to pass their agenda.

"Being mayor is very much like heading up a minority government," he said.

Consensus will be important, says former councillor

Filion said even with the "strong mayor" system awarded to former mayor John Tory still at the disposal of the city's next top elected official, building consensus will be important. Some candidates have said they won't use those powers, which give the mayor the ability to pass some votes with minority support.

Filion said the city's next mayor will want to build a group of supporters to pass items at council and to serve as chairs of city committees.

"It's a constant effort to keep corralling enough votes to have your agenda go through," he said.

Former city councillor Joe Mihevc said endorsements matter. Name recognition is important in municipal elections, and if a voter doesn't know a candidate, an endorsement from someone they do know can be helpful.

"It's a way of saying, 'Well, if you don't think I'm the right candidate, look at all these people that are behind me, they can affirm it," he said. "That can give you that Good Housekeeping seal of approval."

But Mihevc is quick to point out that even a candidate with relatively few or no council endorsements can build a coalition at city hall if they win.

"I do think that once you're elected, that you do have a year or two years of a honeymoon period," he said. "Unless you're proposing something that is really outlandish, (council) will recognize that the people have spoken."

What goes into an endorsement?

Coun. Jamaal Myers endorsed Olivia Chow last week. He said he made the decision after consulting with constituents, meeting with Chow and looking at her plan.

"I really hope that my endorsement communicates not just to people in my ward, but people in Scarborough, that we have to look at the candidate who's most likely to be able to deliver the things that people in our community want," he said.

For Myers, that's better roads, affordable housing and improved transit.

"That's also about being honest about the way we're going to pay for these things," he said. "We're going to have to have a very difficult conversation about property taxes and other levels of taxation in order to build the kind of city we want," he said.

For Coun. Paul Ainslie, who also represents a ward in Scarborough, his decision to endorse Bailão came down to a long-standing friendship. He sat next to Bailão in John Tory's executive committee and the pair worked well together, he said.

"I'm not a card-carrying member of any political party," he said. "And I think that my endorsement shows to people that Ana can work across all party lines."

Ainslie was one of the first councillors to back Bailão's candidacy, arriving at city hall the day nominations opened to be with her as she filed her papers. He said while he doesn't have a "machine" of volunteers to send out in her support, he's helping with the word-of-mouth campaign.

"I get stopped in the grocery store all the time and people are like, 'Who are you voting for?' he said. "And I'll say, 'Well, you know, and this is why I'm voting for Ana.'"

Etobicoke councillor Stephen Holyday endorsed Mark Saunders after briefly considering making a bid for mayor himself. He backed the former police chief because he thinks he aligns with his values and has the right skills to serve as mayor, he said.

"I wanted to help," Holyday said, adding that he's been advising the Saunders campaign in his personal time. "I looked at the board of candidates and Mark stood out to me as someone that is aligned with my vision of the city, but also is somebody that is capable and proven."

Holyday said he's also trying to make the distinction between endorsing Saunders as a person and his role as a city councillor. He has intentionally not used his councillor title in the endorsement, he said.

"I continue to have a ward, a job to represent the people of the ward, regardless of how they vote for mayor," he said. "I think that's an important subtlety."

"I use my name behind it because I think people are interested in my opinion and I think with a crowded field, it offers some clarity about the politics behind the candidates."

Who's endorsed who?

Ana Bailão has endorsements from councillors Paul Ainslie, Shelley Carroll, Vince Crisanti, Frances Nunziata, Nick Mantas, Chris Moise and James Pasternak.

Olivia Chow has been endorsed by councillors Alejandra Bravo, Ausma Malik, Amber Morley and Jamaal Myers.

Mark Saunders has been endorsed by Coun. Stephen Holyday.

Councillors Brad Bradford, Josh Matlow and Anthony Perruzza are running for mayor but have no endorsements from fellow councillors at this point.