Olivia Chow led a prayer for rival mayoral candidate Rob Ford at an interfaith breakfast debate Thursday morning.
Ford was not present at the debate as he was resting at the Humber River Hospital after he was diagnosed with a tumour in his abdomen on Wednesday.
Standing up in the sanctuary of the Metropolitan United Church at 56 Queen Street East where the debate was being held, Chow called on attendees to say “a quiet prayer in your own way” for the incumbent mayor’s recovery.
“We want to collectively wish him strength in his days ahead. Our prayers are with him and his family because we want him to be back out here as soon as he can and that we pray for his speedy recovery,” said Chow.
Speaking ahead of the two-hour debate being hosted by the Toronto Area Interfaith Council, Chow said that while she wishes for a strong, healthy and fit Ford to return to the mayoral race, his diagnosis will not change the way she is campaigning.
“I would still put what I believe in out there, why we need a different leader, why we need a change of direction… how we can create a fair and more caring and more compassionate city,” she said. “Those are the issues and themes I’ve been talking about for quite a while. I will continue to do so.”
John Tory, the leading front-runner in the race for mayor, also extended his well-wishes to Mayor Ford.
“Mr. Ford is a father and husband and son and brother and I just hope that he gets better soon,” said Tory. “I think he would want to be back to the debate tables talking about the issues in the city that we all love together. So I wish him very well and I hope that he is back and that things turn out for the best very soon.”
The Ford family has asked for privacy and have not yet answered questions about how Ford’s prognosis could affect his campaign.
Jackie DeSouza, a spokesperson with the City of Toronto, told CP24 that the mayor has not requested a leave of absence or any time off.
The debate began at 7 a.m. and focused on topics such as tackling poverty, how the city can partner with faith communities to support and expand housing programs and how candidates will engage with faith groups.
Both Chow and Tory said the subject matter lent itself to a less confrontational and less heated debate with more of a dialogue.
“The tenor of discussions like this, I would call them more forums than debates,” said Tory.
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