Is it over?

I’m talking about the hard fought, unpredictable 2014 race for mayor of Toronto. With four days of campaigning to go, Olivia Chow had one only event this morning and then rested up for the last debate. Chow spent some time with a group of young children trying to draw some attention to the social issues that are at the forefront of her campaign. John Tory stood beside Ontario MPP Monte Kwinter to accept another in a long list of endorsements for his candidacy. Tory stayed downtown for that and didn’t even bother to go out to Kwinter’s riding in York Centre. Then he too rested up for that final mayoral candidate debate.

Doug Ford was up the earliest forced to do damage control. Last night, after the CTV debate, Ford was heard making an inappropriate comment about somebody. One reporter, the Toronto Star’s Jennifer Pagliaro, said the comment was about her but admitted she did not hear it. Ford’s response came shortly after the words hit twitter.

“The fact is, I had a private conversation with two of my staff members as I was walking out of the debate, and that private conversation was completely unrelated to anyone in the room. I never said anything about the Toronto Star reporter. This reporter heard something second-hand and based on this inferred I was talking about her, when the Toronto Star reporter's name didn't even come up once.”

Ford didn’t deny using the inappropriate language in front of journalists. Ford then said in the heat of an election “things get said in private conversations.” Chow said the comments were inappropriate no matter whom they were directed to, calling them “sexist.”

Ford’s day included hitting another radio show and he went out to the Beaches, campaigning in wards 30 and 31. Both those wards were wins for George Smitherman in 2010. Ford’s brother Rob placed second there. After those visits Ford too went into pre-debate seclusion.

After more than 50 debates the themes of the three leading candidates for mayor are clear. Tory, the man with the lead, some say a big lead, focusses on leadership and talks about a need to end division in Toronto and bring the people of the city together. Ford’s been in second place since he entered the race on Sept. 12. Ford promises prosperity, subways and low taxes for Torontonians. Chow started ahead but fell back through the summer. Chow says Tory and Ford are both conservatives who only talk about limiting spending. She promises a new direction - a progressive direction - with a fully-funded plan.

The number one issue for weeks and weeks has been transit, gridlock and congestion. At least that’s what the polls say and the issue the candidates have argued loudest about. But Tory might have the edge on election day if voters standing alone behind a cardboard box make their decision based on trust, leadership and stability. I am reminded of a phrase mayoral candidate David Soknacki used when he withdrew from the race. Soknacki said voters’ number one issue was to make sure Toronto would be in “safe hands” for the next four years. Soknacki said he felt the decision had been made and the voters had decided on Tory. That was a couple of days before Rob Ford was forced to withdraw after his cancer diagnosis. Doug Ford’s campaign carried forward his brother’s policies and his confrontational approach may not have changed voters’ minds about who best represents “safe hands” for Toronto.

So is it over? Probably but Toronto can finally take a debate break and I’ll let the voters make their final decision on Monday.