It's a new Toronto mayor's race as Doug Ford comes out swinging, Tory stumbles, and Chow is stuck in reverse gear

...Opening salvoes were fired Tuesday night at York Memorial Collegiate at Eglinton and Trethewey, a suburb of Ford Nation.

The school’s auditorium seats 640, it overflowed, and about 639 of them were hooting and hollering. In days of yore, you’d have expected rotten vegetables.

The seven virtues, highlighted in stained glass, circle York Memorial’s lovely auditorium. Chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, humility. At least six of them were broken on Tuesday night.

Before long, the loudest Ford backer — and it was hard to choose — had been marched out by cops. A sign mocking Doug and Rob as Tweedledee and Tweedledum was torn from its owners hands.

“Ford more years!” and “We want Doug!” reverberated among the carved York roses and elegant pillars. I think there were a few chants of “Olivia!” and “Tory!” but damned if you could hear them...

...as often happens in debates, the tide turned late, on a simple point.

“What committee does purchasing?” Ford demanded of Tory, during discussions about budget cutting.

Tory could not answer.

(It’s the government management committee.)

“How many standing committees are there,” Ford persisted.

Tory said five.

(There are seven.)

For the first time, Tory looked dazed, even a little lost, like he wasn’t sure what actually happens at City Hall. “If you think knowing what committee buys pencils...” he stumbled, but Ford smelled blood, and so did his home crowd.

Issues? They took backseats to the slugfest between the two men. We’ve heard their positions umpteen times.

Olivia? Same backseat.