Candidate Rob Davis irked by restrictive debate format
TORONTO, ON – Mayoral candidate Rob Davis – Toronto’s first Black city councillor and a three-term council member – today called on the city’s civic organizations and media to ensure equitable access to debate platform exposure on a wide range of issues.
“Toronto has a diverse population with wide-ranging interests and priorities. For democracy to thrive, it’s important that our public discourse affords equitable exposure to ideas from candidates reflecting the regions and communities that make up our city – and not just ideas from perceived front-runners,” said Davis.
Davis issued the call after the Toronto Region Board of Trade and TVO informed candidates of a restrictive format for their May 25th debate that gives an unfair advantage to sitting councillors and other candidates who have high name recognition in the early stages of the campaign.
“Polls continue to show that many voters remain undecided – meaning they know who the high-profile candidates are and they don’t want to vote for them,” said Davis. “We need more debates with more candidates involved so people can see and hear from lesser known voices and learn what other options are available.”
Davis called on the City Clerk to support mayoralty candidate debates by providing venues in city facilities including City Hall, Metro Hall and Civic Centres – and proposed that one debate be held in each of Toronto’s five major regions – Toronto-East York, York, Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough – with a focus on local issues. He also called on the media to ensure a wide range of topics are discussed.
“Crime, violence, street safety and TTC safety; taxes and public services; housing, homelessness and health; traffic, transit and transportation; jobs and Toronto’s economic future are all important topics of discussion,” added Davis. “Let’s pull out all the stops to help voters pick the best person for mayor, and make it a battle of ideas in which the best candidate wins.”
Davis wants to see open, accessible public debates with these key features:
· Free attendance for every person in Toronto
· Live televised debate coverage and livestreaming from gavel-to-gavel
· Local Toronto journalists as moderators and panelists, including ethnic media representatives
· Live questions from the floor from real people, not just from moderators and panelists
· Strictly enforced time limits on candidate opening and closing statements and candidate answers to questions
· Candidate commitments to civil, respectful debate and interaction
