Despite Doug Ford’s absence at last night’s Toronto mayoral debate, John Tory followed through on a promise to take part.  It was hosted by the Toronto Environmental Alliance, with a focus on whether jets should be allowed at the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

“We have to know the answers to questions like who’s going to pay for the improvements to fix the nightmare at the bottom of Bathurst Street and the traffic,” Tory explained, “and those were among 44 questions sent to the experts and I say I agree with the Toronto City Council.  I will wait together with the opponents and supporters of the airport for that information, receive it in April when I’m the mayor and deal with it at that time.”

Candidate Olivia Chow says she’s in favour of banning jets from the airport on Toronto Island because of what one expert has already said.  “The medical officer of health in November of last year said very clearly, jets pollute our air and our water and it hurts the waterfront, and if you are concerned about air quality we need to say no to jets.”

Doug Ford did not attend the debate.  Instead, he held a fundraiser for his campaign.  John Tory says he’ll decide on a case by case basis whether to attend debates that don’t include both Doug Ford and Olivia Chow.