Doug Ford, Olivia Chow take jabs at John Tory

John Tory was a recurring topic of conversation despite his absence from Friday night's mayoral debate on housing and homelessness.

Doug Ford and Olivia Chow both took aim at the absent and apparent front-runner to be Toronto's next mayor, to the seemingapproval of the crowd.

"John Tory doesn't answer questions when you ask them," Ford told an audience member at one point. "He won't give you a straight answer." Tory said he was unable to attend because of a scheduling conflict.

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Chow, picking up the line, then suggested Tory would answer but "change his mind the next day."

The pair agreed orat leastdid not disagree on many points throughout the two-hour debate,avoiding direct confrontations in favour of their own talking points. Chow spoke of her early and hardscrabble years in Toronto, while Ford often brought up his and his brother's efforts to cut spending at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation.

Affordable housing is a significant plank in Chow's platform she has pledged to add 15,000 such units to the city if elected and Ford, like his brother Mayor Rob Ford, often speaks of the need to relocate money at the city's social services to "the front-lines."

Goldkind,Rene speak

Two other candidates took part, albeit unexpectedly. Dionne Rene, who crashed last Friday's debate, also stormed the stage at Christ Church Deer Park and refused to leave, taking an empty seat next to Ford.

Organizers largely ignored her, however, and after a short speech she remained at the table without participating until the very end when an audience member put a question to everyone at the table and candidate Ari Goldkind, who was also in the room despite not being invited to participate.

Toronto goes to the polls on Oct. 27.