Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanadaCanadian PoliticsTorontoFormer cabinet minister poses problems for Bradford in Toronto mayoral race: pollBradford 'no longer has the centre-right lane entirely to himself' said Liaison Strategies principal David Valentin You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Chris Alexander, seen here during the Conservative Party of Canada leadership debate in 2017, joined the race to become Toronto's next mayor on July 29. Photo by Ben Nelms /Bloomberg via Getty ImagesA new poll suggests incumbent Olivia Chow continues to lead the Toronto mayoral race, while newcomer and former cabinet minister Chris Alexander has debuted with a 10 per cent share of support.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe Liaison Strategies survey, which is the first carried out since Alexander joined the race, put Chow’s support among decided and leaning voters at 47 per cent, seven points ahead of city councillor Brad Bradford’s 40 per cent support.In the previous Toronto Pulse survey, before Alexander was included on the ballot, Chow stood at 49 per cent and Bradford at 41 per cent.Meanwhile, among all voters, Chow’s support is at 38 per cent, Bradford’s is at 32 per cent, Alexander’s is at eight per cent, “someone else” is at three per cent, and 20 per cent are undecided.The Liaison strategies poll also looked at Torontonians’ familiarity with Alexander, who is a former Conservative federal cabinet minister and long-time diplomat.While 14 per cent have a favourable impression of him, 61 per cent said they are not familiar with him. Meanwhile, 11 per cent have an unfavourable impression and 14 per cent are not sure.“This is still Olivia Chow’s race…That is not enough to put Alexander in contention today, but it is enough to matter,” said David Valentin, principal at Liaison Strategies.“The right way to read Alexander’s number is that he has entered the race with some immediate support, but very little municipal definition … He is a former federal cabinet minister and former ambassador, but most municipal voters have not yet formed an opinion of him.”The 57-year-old was once Canada’s ambassador to Afghanistan and an immigration minister under former prime minister Stephen Harper.He joined the mayoral race on July 29, drawing criticism from Bradford, who told reporters at Toronto City Hall that he’s “never heard of” Alexander.However, Valentin notes that Alexander may pose a problem for Bradford, because he “no longer has the centre-right lane entirely to himself.” Toronto city councillor Brad Bradford, left, and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. Photo by Dave Gordon, Cindy Ord /Getty ImagesAlexander’s entry to the race comes as Bradford’s numbers look “a little rougher” this week, according to Valentin. His favourable impression is 29 per cent, compared to 31 per cent in a previous survey, while his unfavourable impression is 30 per cent, compared to 26 per cent previously.“He is becoming slightly better known, but not in the direction he would want,” Valentin said.Meanwhile, half of Torontonians surveyed approve of the job Chow is doing as mayor, while 43 per cent disapprove and six per cent are not sure. This is stable compared to the previous survey, when 51 per cent approved and 43 per cent disapproved.That said, residents are split on whether the city is moving in the right or the wrong direction, at 46 per cent apiece.“The safety numbers are mixed in a way that matters politically,” said Valentin. “Most residents say they feel safe living in Toronto, with 68 per cent saying very or somewhat safe. But 51 per cent say Toronto is less safe than it was one year ago, compared to just nine per cent who say it is safer.“That is the tension: people may not feel unsafe day to day, but many think the trend line is getting worse.”When asked whether they would support a greater police and security presence at large street festivals, even if that raises costs, 81 per cent said yes. “That is an overwhelming number,” Valentin said.“For Chow, the race is still manageable but not settled,” he added. “For Bradford, the issue is no longer just catching Chow, it is holding enough of the anti-Chow vote together. For Alexander, the opportunity is that most voters have not yet defined him. The risk is that being introduced to voters in a mayoral campaign is not the same thing as being accepted by them.”Liaison surveyed a random sample of 1,000 Toronto residents from Aug. 4 to Aug. 5 using Interactive Voice Recording (IVR) technology. The data was weighted to match targets based on the 2021 Census and the margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.