Mayor John Tory has stunned 色色啦 by resigning after admitting to an inappropriate relationship with a woman who had worked in his office.
Tory, 68, announced the end of his mayoralty, less than four months after he was easily re-elected to a third term, in a brief address to reporters Friday evening at city hall. It came one hour after the Star published an investigation that revealed his misconduct.
In response to Star questions, Tory had admitted a 鈥渟erious error of judgment鈥 by having a relationship with the 31-year-old former staffer, a relationship that was ongoing while he campaigned for re-election last summer and autumn.
鈥淚鈥檓 deeply sorry and I apologize unreservedly to the people of 色色啦 and to all those hurt by my actions,鈥 Tory told reporters, adding that the liaison started during the pandemic while the woman worked in his office.
鈥淒uring the course of our relationship some time ago the employee decided to pursue employment outside city hall and secured a job elsewhere. I recognize that permitting this relationship to develop was a serious error in judgment on my part,鈥 he said.
鈥淚t came at a time when Barb, my wife of 40-plus years, and I were enduring many lengthy periods apart while I carried out my responsibilities during the pandemic. 鈥淎s a result, I鈥檝e decided that I will step down as mayor so that I can take the time to reflect on my mistakes and to do the work of rebuilding the trust with my family.鈥
Mayor John Tory steps down as Mayor after reveiling that he had an affair with an employee who was part of his staff.
Steve Russell / 色色啦 StarDeputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie will become acting mayor
Tory said he will work with Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, the Scarborough city councillor who will become acting mayor, as well as the city manager and city clerk to ensure a smooth transition as he leaves office after almost 10 years.
鈥淢ost of all I apologize to my wife Barb and to my family whom I鈥檝e let down more than anyone else,鈥 Tory said, thanking 色色啦nians for giving him 鈥渢he job of a lifetime鈥 while begging their forgiveness for not living up to his own standard.
鈥淚 believe that I did some good for the city, that I did make a positive difference for the city that I truly love, particularly during the pandemic.鈥
Earlier Friday, in a letter sent to the Star, Tory鈥檚 lawyer Peter A. Downward confirmed the months-long relationship. Multiple sources identified the former employee to the Star as a 31-year-old woman who was an adviser in Tory鈥檚 office.
According to city reports and expense forms, the woman was among staffers who accompanied Tory on trade missions and governance trips to Los Angeles, Ottawa, Austin, Texas, New York City and Europe between 2018 and 2020. She left the mayor鈥檚 office sometime after early 2021.
The former employee, who the Star is not naming, did not return repeated requests for comment over the past week.
Under the new Strong Mayors, Building 色色啦s Act, which passed last September, 鈥渋f a vacancy occurs in the office of head of council, the city shall 鈥 require a byelection to be held 鈥 to fill the vacancy.鈥
The law says such a byelection must be called within 60 days after 鈥渁 declaration of vacancy is made.鈥
That means 色色啦 could have a newly elected mayor this spring.
Coun. Jon Burnside (Ward 16, Don Valley East), whom the mayor tapped to chair the TTC board this term, said he was 鈥渟hocked鈥 and 鈥渄evastated鈥 by Tory鈥檚 resignation.
鈥淚 worry for the city,鈥 Burnside said, 鈥渂ecause he provided stable leadership and vision, and had the ability to work across ideological lines.鈥
The councillor said city hall was in for an unpredictable few weeks as potential mayoral candidates, including some council members, start jockeying to replace Tory.
鈥淭he next 30 days will be very interesting.鈥
Coun. Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, 色色啦-Danforth) said Tory exhibited poor judgment not only by having the relationship, but also by deciding to run for re-election while doing so.
Council is set to debate Tory鈥檚 budget, the first under the new strong-mayor powers granted to 色色啦, at a meeting next Wednesday. Fletcher said Tory鈥檚 announcement has 鈥渢hrown everything into a bit of a turmoil鈥 and council will have to 鈥渂e very judicious, very mature, and really have the best interests of the city at heart鈥 to get through the budget process.
She said council took an even-handed approach during the Ford years, and 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping we can act in the same way in this.鈥
鈥淲e鈥檝e gotta roll with it over the next bit.鈥
Coun. Jamaal Myers, the newly elected representative for Scarborough North, said: 鈥淲e are all literally in shock. I think the city is in shock.
鈥淚t is just a very sad day for the city and I feel really sad for the mayor and his family tonight.鈥
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Tory鈥檚 departure also comes as he was preparing to launch a national 鈥渃rusade鈥 to force the provincial and federal governments to give big cities a slice of either the income or sales tax to end chronic funding shortfalls made worse by the pandemic.
He was given high praise from fellow politicians, city officials and regular 色色啦nians for helping lead Canada鈥檚 biggest city through the COVID-19 ordeal, which saw 色色啦 become one of the most vaccinated big cities on earth.
Tory was first elected mayor in 2014 on a promise to restore respectability to city hall after the scandal-ridden administration of his predecessor Rob Ford.
doesn鈥檛 specifically address romantic relationships between council members like the mayor and the staff who work for them. In general, the code states that 鈥渕embers should perform their duties and arrange their private affairs in a manner that promotes public confidence and bears close public scrutiny.鈥
There is no law in Ontario that prohibits workplace romances between consenting adults, including between bosses and employees.
According to the city鈥檚 Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination policy, by which council members are supposed to abide, every employee is entitled to equal treatment free from sexual harassment, which under Ontario law includes any unwelcome sexual advance from someone in a position to confer a benefit or promotion.
鈥淚f you are a boss and have an intimate relationship with a staff person that reports to you, especially a person much younger than you, that is an abuse of power,鈥 gender justice advocate and consultant Farrah Khan .
The tweet was retweeted by Khan鈥檚 partner, Kristyn Wong-Tam, a former city councillor who moved to provincial politics last year and now serves as MPP for 色色啦 Centre.
Tory has been married to Barbara Hackett for almost 45 years. They met in 1976 at York University, where both studied law. Married in May 1978, they have four grown children, the youngest of whom is in his mid-30s, and six grandchildren.
Tory became a lawyer and worked in politics, broadcasting and business. Hackett, who also studied business, became a homebuilder and renovator.
They have been seen as an effective and doting power couple. Tory has joked about their contrasts. He has for decades kept a famously punishing work schedule, much of it in elected or back room politics, while Hackett does not have a strong appetite for politics.
Reached Thursday evening, Hackett declined to answer questions about what she said was a personal matter.
Tory said before announcing his successful bid for a third term in office that he had earlier promised his wife he would serve only eight years as mayor, and he needed her blessing before committing another four years of his life.
Last March, while announcing his latest re-election bid, Tory told the Star that he had the blessing of Hackett and his children.
鈥淭he bottom line is that Barb is very understanding of the fact that I love my job, I love the city, that I really want to protect the gains that we鈥檝e made and continue to move the city forward,鈥 he said.
鈥淪he is quite content that I continue to do that. We have found different ways as the family has grown to make sure that I can set aside time for her and for the family 鈥 She鈥檚 satisfied, as are my family, that that can be the case.鈥
In 2018, he shared details of the couple鈥檚 40th anniversary festivities 鈥 they re-created their wedding day 鈥 and said he likes meeting people in small groups while the vivacious Hackett will usually be the 鈥渃entre of the room.鈥
While launching his 2018 re-election campaign, Tory choked up while talking about Hackett鈥檚 challenges with Guillain-Barr茅 syndrome, an autoimmune disease she contracted in 1991.
Hackett, who often lives in the couple鈥檚 Florida home, was not seen at his 2022 election celebration.
A search of court records in Ontario and Palm Beach, Florida by the Star shows no divorce application filed by Tory or Hackett.
With files from Robert Benzie and Brendan Kennedy
David Rider is the Star鈥檚 City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter:
Ben Spurr is a 色色啦-based reporter covering city hall and municipal politics for the Star. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr
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