Deputy premier George Smitherman helps clean up garbage on July 14 as part of a new volunteer effort during the Toronto strike.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
With four days to go and the mayoral race's two leading candidates in a protracted tussle for first place - in which every vote is going to matter - the campaigns are pulling out all the stops.
It's no easy task, in a sprawling city of 2.5-million people, most of whom tend to be apathetic about city politics at best.
For George Smitherman, the former Ontario deputy premier who is in a battle for supremacy that pundits never foresaw a year ago, this means calling on the political allies he was more used to having by his side in a better-resourced, party-oriented system.
Mr. Smitherman's campaign has brought out one endorsement after another over the past several days - most recently several local labour unions and former Green Party leader Jim Harris - with the expectation of further endorsements on Friday as he endeavours to position himself as the progressive alternative to Etobicoke councillor Rob Ford.
And come the weekend, he has Liberal allies lined up to stump and door-knock for him in the crucial final 72-odd hours. MPs Maria Minna and Carolyn Bennett are doing events; MPP Laurel Broten and MP Gerard Kennedy are expected to pitch in as well. And MPs Judy Sgro, Michelle Simson, and Mario Silva have all promised to mobilize support starting Friday.
"Arlene and I are close friends with George and his family, and we have always supported each other in our campaigns," said Liberal MP and foreign affairs critic Bob Rae. "I'm doing a 'phone drop,' some canvassing, and whatever else I can do to help him get elected, as well as urge my team in Toronto Centre to do whatever they can. I am optimistic about the result."
In interviews, Mr. Smitherman has remarked on the challenges of campaigning in such a large area with few resources, and without the backing of party machinery.
On the other hand, Mr. Ford's final weekend campaign blitz will call on less high-profile assistance. Although the campaign has amassed allies and endorsements in wards across the city - among both neophyte council candidates who add "I support Rob Ford!" to their lawn signs, and veteran right-wing city councillors who have come out in support of him in the past several weeks - they've no intention to trumpet all-star assistance.
"We don't have to rely on so called high-profile people to help out Rob," said campaign spokeswoman Adrienne Batra. "We count on our thousands of volunteers and supporters who are motivated to bring change and stop the gravy train at city hall."
It's in keeping with the kinds of campaigns each candidate has run so far: Mr. Ford has focused much more on a grassroots campaign - "I stand up for the little guy," he says at every debate and speaking opportunity.
But Ryerson University politics professor Duncan MacLellan points out, "Rob Ford had no problem being endorsed by Jim Flaherty" - whom the candidate has described as a personal friend.
But "if you're talking about small-time campaigning," Prof. MacLellan said, "you've got the Minister of Finance ,so that's a contradiction right there."
Ultimately, however, the question may not be one of who a candidate's supporters are, but just how many feet they have on the ground, and how many volunteers making phone calls and knocking on doors to ensure people cast ballots.
In this regard, Mr. Ford's campaign has been using its tele-town halls to identify supporters on whom to concentrate their get-out-and-vote message this weekend. All candidates for mayor and councillor also have access to lists of people who have voted in advance that aren't yet made public: This allows them to see who in their ward has already voted, to allow them to determine who may need a nudging phone call.
But "I can't imagine any campaign, no matter how well organized, is going to have a complete voters list of identified positive supporters," says professor Neil Thomlinson. "That kind of raises questions about what is the election-day machinery going to be all about?"
Meanwhile, Mr. Smitherman and Joe Pantalone rolled out new policy platforms on Thursday: Mr. Smitherman announced new job-creation strategies centred around previously announced priorities of green energy, and engagement of immigrants and youth; Mr. Pantalone expanded on his loyalty to Transit City with plans for expanded bike networks and a revamp of governance for the beleaguered Toronto Transit Commission.
With a report from Jane Taber in Ottawa